Shadow of the Wendigo

Dale T. Phillips audiobook “Shadow of the Wendigo” is a powerful and interesting story. Lessons to be learned: Never go hunting alone; never go from being a desk jockey to a field agent over the holidays; never take a sidekick who is easily frightened; and, never ever take an assignment six months from your wedding date! Located on the farthest outer edge of an Indian Reservation, Whitefeather goes out hunting and checking his traps, alone. It is easily seen that everything is starving, both big and small! Also the Wendigo is hungry – very hungry! Whitefeather is claimed by the Wendigo and sets about wreaking havoc and death until his tribe members perform the ritual to free Whitefeather’s soul and ensure the safety of their tribe. Unfortunately, their methods do not meet the standards for the Canadian Government. Sent into the wilderness of Canada to determine whether a crime had been committed, Sean and his partner Billy are given field assignments as the office is short staffed due to the holidays. No one believes the Indian tribesmen, until it’s too late. Bent on capturing the Wendigo, Sean finds himself in a dark place that he has no way of escaping without help. Sean has to rely on the female cryptozoologist expert, his partner and the others on the reservation to save him and his soul from the Wendigo. At the end, it is unclear whether or not Sean was successful … leaving the reader the benefit of ending the book the way they prefer. The characters were well developed although I felt Sean’s wife, Ri was a bit of a whiney selfish woman. The other woman in the book, the cryptozoologist was stronger and one I felt could have had more of an impact on the storyline in other ways than her money. I could definitely see a storyline building around her. I recommend this audio book. It was a very short audio book but one worth listening to as it provides a unique view of the Wendigo myth. Phillip Hoffman did an excellent job of narration. His voices were good, he spoke clearly and concisely. He used his voices to inflect danger, fear and excitement. The audio production was well done with no issues. Audiobook provided for review by the author. Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog [If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]

This review was originally published in Kurt's Frontier on Invincible Love of Reading. Synopsis:  Sean Laporte is an investigator for the Canadian government. He has a fiancé and is about to be married. When three people are murdered in the northern wilderness of Canada, Sean and his partner Billy are sent to investigate. As their investigation progresses, the local Cree blame the cannibalistic spirit known as the Wendigo. As they tangle with the local people’s reluctance, a cryptozoologist who is being a pain, and a crusty local guide, Sean and Billy find themselves pulled into a place where mythology and reality meet. Review: Shadow of the Wendigo is based on Native American folklore of many groups that inhabited the northern region of North America, where the winters can be long and harsh. The tale was captivating and well written. Dale T. Phillips does a good job blending Native American folklore with a suspenseful thriller. However, the end was not as satisfying as it could have been as it dealt only with the physical aspect of the Wendigo, but not the other worldly nature. It leaves the reader feeling that something is missing. Overall, it is an excellent read for those into cryptofiction mixed with horror.

If the thought of reading a book filled with horror and gore entices you, I suggest you read, “Shadow of the Wendigo,” by Dale T. Phillips. The description of the surroundings and the character building truly brought to life the essential elements of a successful horror novel. When you feel for your characters their misfortunes mean that much more to the reader and Phillips encapsulated this with apparent ease. The passages written were clearly outlined and I could see myself in the woods with the characters as the story grew. My heart beat faster as the action was propelled and the story developed. It is without a doubt, easy to say that the author is very talented and has a lot to offer his reader. That being said, I found myself so engrossed in the story that when I had made it to the third part I was a little disappointed that the successful writing didn’t continue. The main character undergoes a change and after that it seemed as if the book was slightly rushed. I loved the extreme detail that came with explaining their journey up until that point in the story, but the ending left me with so many unanswered questions. I would have liked to see a bigger climax that would have carried my enthusiasm to the end. Despite my feelings towards the tail end of the book, I was still very impressed with the novel. The author’s descriptions were so detailed I could visualize every aspect. As a reader, this truly pulled me into the story and made its mark. My disappointment towards the ending is a true outcome of  the author’s abilities to capture his reader. I was so engrossed in the novel that I wanted more. I needed more. Without the excellent writing I would not be left feeling slightly sour. Shadow of the Wendigo is a must read for anyone who enjoys a heart-pounding scare with description based anticipation. I can’t wait to see what else Dale T. Phillips writes as I am eager to see where his imagination takes him.

Phillps delivers again, with meteoric pacing and a unique twist on an ancient myth that has come to terrify a small tribal village in the deep Canadian north. Agent Sean LaPorte is sent in to investigate a series of grizzly murders, but he soon finds that something far more sinister is going on. When he butts heads with a sassy crypto-zoologist who is playing her own game for a shadowy reason of her own, LaPorte is put on the defensive, trapped between her, a killer who may or may not be human, and the deadly Canadian winter.  This book is a heck of a lot of fun, and a quick and easy read.