The Wolf: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – September 1, 2015

Wow! This one had me on the edge of my seat. The Wolf, an anti hero, do you love him or hate him? I can't decide; you will have to choose for yourself. All I can say is, when is the sequel coming out?The Wolf is a story of gangs vs terrorists. I wish that part were true. We could use the help. Carcaterra writes so well; I almost believed it was true. The characters are strong and unforgettable. The action is non stop.I heartily recommend The Wolf to you. By the way,The Wolf is a great audio book too. Well read. Excellent for a long car trip.

I've been wanting to read this book for some time and somehow it got shuffled down on my reading list, thankfully I finally got a chance to read one of the best books I've had the pleasure to discover. The Wolf is a new style of gangster, a 21st century Godfather who's family is ripped away by terrorists. He feels tremendous guilt from not being able to protect those he loves the most, and sets off to rid the world of the scourge of terrorism, which he singularly has the capability to accomplish. The Wolf is opposed by a devious and highly intelligent terrorist, working in concert with a Russian financier, a devastating team. As the Wolf marshalls his criminal forces he's assaulted by turncoats, some even closer than he ever expected. It's a great example of what is possible when a determined man seeks to rid the world of the worst of humanity, and the collateral damage along the way. This is a good read which hints at subsequent books, but so far, almost ten years later, no follow-up book has yet to appear. If you're able to influence the author, please get them working on the next installment! This is an enjoyable read with unexpected twists which will tug at your heart. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book.

Lorenzo Carcaterra, author of The Wolf (2014, 310 pages in paperback format), is something of an enigma. His “Tin Badges” is built around a simple plot, much like an episode of a TV series. “The Wolf” is a whole different animal. Whereas Tin Badges is basically a collection of domestic scenes, The Wolf is cerebral, complex, and global in scope. It can be compared to Mario Puzo’s, “The Godfather.” The book is narrated in part by Vincent Mirelli, an uberdon of a gigantic crime syndicate. He’s a strong family man, like virtually all mafia dons, and very protective of his wife and three children. Ordinarily, they are always surrounded by a coterie of bodyguards. But, on one occasion, his wife argues persistently that she and their two daughters ought to be able to experience the real world, travel on a commercial airplane, and be free of constant surveillance. Vincent relents, and the plane that they’re on explodes because of a terrorist bomb. Vincent tells us, “You’ve never met me, and if you’re lucky you never will. I run the biggest criminal operation in the world. We’re invisible but we’re everywhere. Wherever you go, whatever you do, however you spend your money, a piece of it lands in our pockets.” Therefore, we’re not surprised to learn that Vincent knows that the terrorists who brought the bomb onto the plane are working with the Russians. And the Russians are working with Mexican cartels. Quietly grieving for his wife and daughters, Vincent seeks retribution from them all, although — like Micheal Corrleone in the movie version of The Godfather — he says that a war against them is just business; it isn’t personal. Meeting with the other heads of criminal syndicates — the Italian Camorra, Japanese Yakuza, Chinese Dragon Triad, as well as representatives from France, Albania, Greece, and the Roma — he convinces a worldwide coalition of crime families that they must join him in a war now in order to secure their future. Of all these “partners,” however, his most formidable ally is the beautiful Angela Jannetti from the Italian Camorra. Known as “The Strega” (the witch), she is the designated heir to the throne of the Mafia in Italy, and they had a close relationship as teenagers. But she was committed to remaining in Napels, and he knew that his future was anchored in the United States. Vincent tells her, “I wasn’t looking for a war with them. No one in my group was. But they’ve left me with nothing but a desire for revenge — so a war is what they’ll get. The full strength of international organized crime against every known terrorist group working today. Crime versus chaos…. They will know my name. They will feel my wrath. They will fear The Wolf.” Things start blowing up early and often. Unfortunately, that is a weakness of the book. I wanted to root for Marelli, like the anti-hero Vito Corrleone, but his tactics are really too over-the-top....Jim Glynn

Lorenzo Carcaterra is best known for "Sleepers", the biographical book about four boys who, after accidentally kill a pushcart man on the streets of Hell's Kitchen, find themselves doing juvenile time at the Wilkinson Home for Boys, run by sadistic and sex predator guards who rape and otherwise torment their charges during their stays. The book was made into a fine movie, and I recommend this newest novel be given the same consideration, along with "Gangsters", another excellent novel by Carcaterra. Vincent Morelli is a modern day godfather, known as "the wolf" for his cunning, ferocity and intelligence. The organized crime world in this book takes on a much larger scope, with OC's infiltrating nearly every kind of business you can think of today. One hopes their dominance isn't that widespread, but it certainly makes you wary. After his wife and daughters die in a plane explosion he was supposed to be on but backed out at the last second, to catch up in a day or two, the wolf is shocked and then swears vengeance in a big way. Also, the OC's, which include heavy hitters like the Chinese Triads, the Japanese Yakuza, the Greek underworld, the Mafia and Camorra, Naples and southern Italy's version of the mafia, fear the intrusion of the Russians with their unlimited funds, viciousness and willingness to create chaos for reputation's sake, and the merging of the Russian's using Arab terrorists to target highly populated museums, transportation hubs and the like. Mexican gangsters are selling arms by the truckload along with dominating the drug market, squeezing out Colombia and making enemies with them in the process. Wolf decides it's time to act, and can only do so with the help of the OC groups. This is a very well thought out book, entirely possible, and riveting. Carcaterra is a superb author, and writes a tale that keeps you engrossed until the very end. "Gangsters" remains my favorite, but "The Wolf" is so close it's almost impossible to pick between the two. For those who like crime drama, you can't do much better.

Good

For the last 20 years, Lorenzo Carcaterra has been one of my favorite writers. Smart and insightful. Always a pleasure to read.

J'espérais un livre du niveau du remarquable Apaches de Carcaterra. Comme Street Boyd, celui-ci n'est aussi bon. Un polar classique, pas franchement mauvais, mais sans grand intérêt non plus. La suite, puisqu'il devrait en avoir une ne promet pas grand chose. Plutot a eviter.

The Wolf is a modern gangster story - post 9/11 - focusing on the battle between organised crime and the terrorist threat. This isn't a moral position from the mobsters but a way of protecting their business interests.Vincent Marelli is The Wolf, effectively the head of his uncle's crime family and also in control of the International Crime Council that brings together most of the major crime families around the world.Early in the book, Vincent's world is devastated by the deaths of his wife and two daughters in a terrorist attack. This sets him on a path to revenge that runs through the book, as he fights to retain control and garner the support of the other families.As with all of Lorenzo's book (and I'm a big fan) there is a back story to pretty much every character. These aren't two-dimensional people and you get a sense of each of the main characters and what drives them.The story moves along quickly, with plenty of twists and a lot of action. The chapters are short - another Lorenzo "trademark" - and much of it is told in the first-person and this gives the reader an insight in to the complex issues that drive a mob leader.This is a great book, one that I couldn't put down until I'd finished it....always trying to find five or ten minutes to read some more.

For a look inside international organized crime that is scary.