The Wolf of Dorian Gray: A Werewolf Spawned by the Evil of Man

Ference’s debut puts a twist on Oscar Wilde’s classic The Portrait of Dorian Gray, adding the dimension of a wild beast. The arrangement smoothly parallels the original, and Ference does his best to honor Wilde’s distinctive style, though he’s not always successful. Victorian gentleman Dorian remains stunningly handsome after his youthful self is captured by an exceptionally talented artist in an eerily powerful painting. However, Dorian is not alone in this portrait; also depicted is a wolf cub, and after the painting is hidden away, the wolf is the one to change. A element of intense violence is added to this version, and there are some gender swaps, but the plot of a young man led astray into lusty debauchery remains the same. Passions and betrayals abound. Ference lifts some lines from Wilde’s text and adds his own gift for description: “Flowers, bright in sapphire blue and crimson reds, sang out from every corner of the ornately decorated room.” But other sentences are clunky and clichéd. Perhaps the forthcoming sequel will show this promising writer coming into his own. (BookLife)