The Wolfhound (novel)

Wolfhound of the Clan of Grey Hounds (Волкодав из рода Серых Псов, Volkodav iz roda Serykh Psov) is a book by Maria Semyonova.

He was condemned to death, but survived to wreak revenge for the murder of his clan. The last member of the clan of the Grey Hounds became a fearless warrior by the name of Wolfhound. After cheating death in the mines, Wolfhound sets out on a journey with his constant companion, the Earthbound Bat. Wolfhound has but one desire – to destroy the Maneater, a merciless warrior who slaughtered the village of the Grey Hounds.

After making the long journey to the Maneater’s castle, Wolfhound finally conquers his archenemy. He also frees two prisoners, the sage Tilorn and slave-girl Neelith. Wolfhound accompanies them to the city of Galirad, which has been thrown into turmoil. The evil druid Zhadoba is planning to attack the city at any moment. The king of Galirad, to save the city from destruction, is giving his daughter away in marriage to Vinitar, a young warrior who promises to protect Galirad.

Princess Elen must travel to the land of her new husband, and asks Wolfhound to be her guard in this long and dangerous journey. Wolfhound agrees to serve the princess and is caught up in a whirlwind of mysterious events, as the true purpose of the journey is gradually revealed....

In 2006, Russia had produced a film of the book.

Tropes in the books:

• Action Girl - Lady of War: Ertan.
• Badass: A warrior has to be this to survive in a medieval fantasy world. Some individuals do stand out, however: Wolfhound, Vinitar and his men, Ertan, Iktash. And Vinitar's grandmother. See Never Mess with Granny.
• Badass Long Hair: Wolfound wears his in braids but loosens it before an especially important battle.
• Badass Pacifist: Tilorn
• Barbarian Tribe: the Venns to more sophisticated peoples, even if the Venns are a quite cultured folk in their own right.
• Blood Brothers: Wolfhound and Eurich
• Blue Eyes: Neelith, Viona, Vinitar, Innori.
• Bookworm: Eurich, Tilorn.
• Born in the Saddle: the Sho-Seetain people
• Braids of Action: Wolfhound (and all Venn men), a rare male example.
• Cain and Abel: Vinitarius the Maneater and his older brother Vingorrikh. Subverted in that Vingorrikh survives.
• Chaste Hero: Wolfhound
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Wolfhound is this trope incarnated.
• Cool Sword: Wolfhound's sword Sunflame.
• Cultured Warrior:
  • Wolfhound is more the latter than the former, but his love for reading in Books 3 & 4 does wonders to his manner of speech and even thinking.
  • Vinitar, an educated and progressive leader and warlord.
• Determinator: Wolfhound, even when he was still a Pup.
• Eldritch Location: the Jewel Mountains
• Empathic Weapon: Sunflame
• Fantastic Drug: Gray Dust. One grain to boost strength and reflexes, six grains for euphory.
• Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Venns and the Solvenns - Northern and Southern Slavs respectively; the Welch - Celts; the Arrants - Greek; the Seguans - Vikings, etc.
• Handicapped Badass: Aptahar after the climactic battle of Book 1; Dikerona, the blind knife thrower.
• Hair of Gold: Vinitar, Eurich
• Healing Hands: Tilorn, Neelith
• Involuntary Shapeshifter: Wolfhound
  • Voluntary Shapeshifting in the later books
• Jerkass Facade: Wolfhound, not so much on purpose but rather due to considerable lack of communication skills. It Gets Better, though.
• Knight in Shining Armor
• Last of His Kind: Wolfhound, of his clan.
• Missing Mom: Princess Elen's mother, a Lady of War, was killed in battle before the events of the books.
• Mother Nature: Walks around as an elderly woman in search of her missing sons.
• Never Mess with Granny: Vinitar's grandmother Angran has lived 20 years on a cold, barren desert of an island alone, then took 70 badass Vikings under her wing in a blink of an eye and sailed away to the other side of the world to find her grandson. Don't mess with this granny indeed.
• Noble Savage
• Non-Action Guy: the goldsmith Uloiho
• No Name Given: "Wolfhound" is not his name, just a sobriquet. Same with Little Doe (Оленюшка), whose personal name we never know, only her tribal name.
• Old Master: Mother Kendarat, a rare female example.
• Proud Warrior Race: the Seguans, based on historical Vikings, and the Sho-Seetain riders, based on ancient Mongols.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: a verbal example. Venns forbid themselves to kill somebody they've talked to (there are exclusions, but the rule is usually upheld). So when Wolfhound starts deliberately talking to somebody via a proxy, it is a good sign to either drastically change your attitude to the better or start running really fast.
• Room101: The Jewel Mountains
• Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Neelith
• Scars Are Forever: and they don't make Wolfhound prettier.
• So What Do I Do Now?: Wolfhound after he has accomplished his revenge in Book 1.
• Stern Teacher: Wolfhound, when teaching kan-kiro in the Tin-Vilena fortress.
• Together in Death: The old Welch couple in Book 1.
• Warrior Poet: Deksha.
• Warrior Prince: Vinitar
• Winged Humanoids: the Villas.
• Worthy Opponent: Wolfhound and Vinitar to one another.
• Would Not Hit a Girl: Wolfhound was born in a matriarchal tribe and holds women in great respect. He makes the only exception when he kills a female slave driver-turned-assassin.
• You Killed My Father: Subverted. First time they meet, Vinitar lets Wolfhound go because Honor Commands Him, and on their second encounter they help each other and eventually part as friends.