Wereworld
Wereworld is a series of fantasy novels by Curtis Jobling and published by Puffin Books UK. The official website can be found here.
In a kingdom torn apart by tyranny, one boy must take control of the powerful lycanthropy surging within him and lead a nation. But in a world filled with enemy were-creatures, does he have what it takes to become a hero?
It started the night the beast appeared...Drew is an ordinary shepherd’s son living on the cold Coast of Lyssia, until a horrifying creature bursts into his home and savagely murders his mother – and Drew transforms into a beast himself. Part boy, part wolf, and bristling with powers he can’t control, Drew flees to the perilous Dyrewood to escape his vengeful father, who thinks Drew is the murderer. But when he’s discovered and taken captive by Werelords, the shape-shifters who rule Lyssia, Drew is shocked to discover that he’s one of them, and that his royal blood is a threat to the crown of King Leopold the Lion. Now Drew is Lyssia’s most-wanted man and its only hope against the evil plans of the tyrant king.
This is basically the premise of the first book of the series Rise of the Wolf. It was generally well-received by critics in the UK with some claiming it to be as good as if not better than Eragon.
For the web comic by Rann, see Wereworld.
- Achilles' Heel: Silver restraints prevent a werelord from transforming and weapons with silver can easily harm and even kill them.
- Affably Evil: Count Vega.
- The Atoner: Duke Bergan blame himself for the Old King Wergar's death.
- Badass: Drew, Mack Ferran, Duke Bregan and pretty much every werelord.
- Badass in Distress: Drew.
- Big Bad: King Leopold. Later, his son Lucas and the other Cat Lords.
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: Gretchen is first introduced as this.
- Chronic Hero Syndrome: Drew suffers from a mild case.
- Cursed with Awesome: Drew considers his Lycantropy to be this.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Gretchen.
- Damsel in Distress: Gretchen. Though she does put up a fight, it is up to Drew and Hector to save her butt.
- The Dragon: Vankasken and his brothers.
- Elite Mooks: The Lionguard.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The Wereworld has humans as well as shape shifters called werelords each who can turn into a different animal.
- Family-Unfriendly Death: Several considering that this book is supposed to be for Teens/Young Adults.
- Faux Action Girl: Whitley though in the second book she does Take a Level In Badass.
- The Hero: Drew Ferran.
- Heel Face Turn: Count Vega sells out Wergar and then when Leopold refuses to give his realm back he sides with drew.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Mack Ferran and some of the old Wolfguard when they stop Drew's execution.
- High Fantasy: Werecreatures, Damsels in distress, Magic, Necromancy, Tyrannical rulers... You get the picture.
- Loveable Rogue: Count Vega can easily give any Hollywood pirate a run for his money.
- Lycanthrope: Drew and Queen Amelie.
- The Medic: Hector.
- Memetic Mutation: Occurs In Universe: Drew can cause nearly every broken peasant and reluctant werelord to Take a Level In Badass.
- Necromancer: The Rat King later Hector.
- Our Werebeasts Are Different: Every werelord can (or can learn to) transform at will into a Huge animal. The type of animal is determined by the paternal line.
- Our Werewolves Are Different
- Rated "M" for Manly: For a Young Adult fantasy novel it is about as manly as it can get, a Welcome relief from Twilight and other books like it.
- Samus Is a Girl: Drew's reaction to Whitley.
- Sarcastic Clapping: Leopold is quite fond of this.
- White Mage: Hector again.