Thursday 6 November 2014

Spice and Wolf- novel 10

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The gang travel by boat to the island kingdom of Winfiel, where Lawrence follows written instructions given to him by Lud Kieman from Kerube to meet with certain salesman in order to gain access to an abbey which may hold the wolf bones Holo is after.

The kingdom is on the verge of financial ruin. This is evident by their failing nobility and their nearly worthless currency. To make matters worse the worlds most powerful economic alliance, the Ruvik Alliance, are taking interest in the abbey our gang want to visit in what may be the first signs of taking control of the kingdom.
This bloke named Piasky from the Ruvik Alliance escorts them up to the Abbey which ends up a 3 day trip by horse.
During the day or so Holo and Lawrence just chill out. Their banter involves him burying his head in her chest apologetically because he failed to find information that day, and there was another one before that where he and Holo shared a bed with her lying on top of him.

Piasky cannot find specific details which is relevant for Lawrence, but is interested in using him as a means of breaking down the power that the Kingdom of Winfiel has over the all important abbey. He explains that the Ruvik Alliance has bought the land as a means of building towns and villages for the sake of refugees for those affected from war or religious tensions. Holo feels emotional during this bit and Lawrence wonders what would have happened if she met him first before Lawrence.

The shepherd they are staying with named Huskins turns out to be a sheep god. He found a letter from a messenger lying dead in the snow which informs that the Abbeys taxes would cripple the Ruvik Alliances plans.
Huskins tells them he was hoping to meet his kind in the area after the Moon Hunting Bear destroyed his homeland many eras ago. Holo breaks down during this bit and cries. She understands this guys intensions however her plans were to walk away with Lawrence and Col only for her to storm back alone in her wolf form to raid the abbey for the bones then come back.

Lawrence somehow forces Piasky to look into the Wolf bones in more detail. It may be their last chance to save the Ruvik Alliances plans.

Lawrence then has to convince a council of higher ups to look into it. Which they do.

Complex stuff happens and in the end Huskins uses his godlike powers to drive a herd of sheep into the opposition. Holo goes on ahead to the abbey and storms the place, only to come back and inform Lawrence that the bones were fake all along.

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This novel was dead boring. I gave up on it for months. Luckily its over now, and my synopsis should spare you the need to read it.

The series needs to drop Col, up the romance and focus on the risks of Holo being a wolf more often.

5-10.