Release the Wolves: A Suspenseful Middle Grade Fantasy About Choosing Rebellion Over Fear for Kids (Ages 8-12)

"Stefan Bachmann is a master of truly scary storytelling." —LitHub

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When a blacksmith's apprentice witnesses a friend being killed by a legendary monster, he must decide between waiting for war in fear and silence, or risking everything to fight back. An extraordinary novel about friendship, tradition, obedience, and the monsters lurking behind every corner from internationally bestselling author Stefan Bachmann. For readers of Scary Stories for Young Foxes and Serafina and the Black Cloak.

One thousand years ago, the Elduari conquered the country of Varen in a brutal war. Now, every few generations they subject their one-time enemies to a terrible tradition: bloodthirsty monsters are unleashed across the land, attacking indiscriminately, keeping the population in a perpetual dark age.

For Argo, fear of another Release is something he has always lived with. When his friend is killed by a monster during a routine patrol, Argo suspects that another Release is coming, and sooner than everyone expects. But in a country built on fear, getting answers is dangerous. Elduari spies are hiding behind the most familiar faces, and any hint of disobedience could lead to the death of thousands.

As whispers of dissent circulate, rebellion grows in the villages. Now Argo and his new ally, Ana—the King's eldest daughter who is also a monster hunter in disguise—must decide whether or not to join the fight. But what if it's already too late?

From Stefan Bachmann, the internationally renowned author of The Peculiar and Cinders & Sparrows, Release the Wolves is an atmospheric, suspenseful, and haunting novel about friendship, family, power, and the monsters all around us.

Stefan Bachmann was born in Colorado and spent most of his childhood in Switzerland, where he graduated from Zurich University of the Arts with degrees in music composition and theory. He is the author of The Peculiar, his debut, which was published to international acclaim when he was nineteen years old. His other books include The Whatnot, A Drop of Night, Cinders and Sparrows and Release the Wolves. He is the coauthor (with April Genevieve Tucholke) of The Secret Life of Hidden Places. He lives in Zurich, Switzerland, and Berlin, Germany.