First published 1976
Wladislaw runs a modest shop in fifteenth century Hungary when werewolves attack him. The assault transforms him into one of their kind, bound to serve a mysterious figure called the Master. This sorcerous leader commands absolute obedience from his pack members, forcing them to commit increasingly violent acts across the countryside. As the bloodshed escalates, Wladislaw joins other reluctant pack members in planning rebellion against their supernatural overlord. The shopkeeper turned monster faces an impossible choice: remain enslaved to evil or risk everything in revolt against a being of terrible power. Failure would bring consequences worse than death. The Reader's Guide to Fantasy called H. Warner Munn's work "Wildly Imaginative Action," and this tale proves why readers have celebrated it as a lycanthropy classic for over seventy-five years. Originally published in early dark fantasy magazines and inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's suggestions, the novel captures the horror of losing one's humanity while exploring whether redemption remains possible even for monsters. The collection includes the sequel "The Werewolf's Daughter."
Genres: fantasy, horror, supernatural, dark-fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, monster
Setting: Hungary, Ponkert
Period: 15th Century
Content warnings: body-horror, gore, violence