The Wolf: A Novel

This is an intriguing idea and evidently this book is the first in a series. Is it a masterwork like Mario Puzo's "Godfather" though? I doubt it. No one is that deeply explored as a character and it would take doing that for this new saga to be a contemporary equivalent of that novel and its movies.

Here is the intriguing idea: organized crime around the world finds terrorism interfering with its operations. Although all the worldwide crime families do not agree with this idea, they do recognize that terrorism is a growing and dire problem for the profitable running of their empires. Leading the charge against the terrorists is Vincent, the Wolf, a head mob guy in the USA whose wife and daughters were killed by the terrorists on a plane. He spearheads the first operation which is against a terrorist who wants to take out public places with massive art works in Italy, leveling the buildings as the well as all of the tourists. Vincent must partner with the chief crime family in Naples to get his fight off the ground. The terrorist meanwhile finds friends with the Russian mob to fund his operation.

I enjoyed the book. This first fight against the terrorists in Italy was very intriguing and I followed it with interest. I will probably read the next book too. But I'm not saying WOW like I did when I finished reading Mario Puzo's "Godfather".

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Vincent Marelli is the overlord of the underworld of organized crime. Known as "The Wolf", he rules a massive syndicate which unites criminal elements from around the globe. Careful, controlled and confident, Marelli is at the top of his game. Also successful with legitimate business endeavors in construction and real estate, his wealth is secure. With a family he adores--a loving wife, two young daughters, and a twelve-year old son--he has much to protect and preserve. A concession to his wife, for a "normal" family vacation leads to a lessening of his usual cautionary vigilance. This decision will have horrific consequences, as his wife and daughters are murdered in-flight when terrorists attempt to highjack the plane taking them on ahead to their happily-planned vacation. Father and son were to join them later, but now they are forever parted from those they loved. Thus begins the revenge-fueled thriller ride of "The Wolf" from author Lorenzo Carcaterra. Marelli had already targeted terrorist organizations which interfered with the business operations of his syndicate, but now the mission of total elimination is personal--very personal. Marelli involves his fellow crime kingpins in his cause, but who among them has his back, and who is ready to plunge the knife in that same back? Complex, compelling, and character-filled, "The Wolf" is an action-packed tale of bad people who do bad things to each other and often snare the innocent in their deadly web.

I guess it is not surprising that this reads like a movie plot more than a typical novel, but it kept my interest and I enjoyed the characters. They were often described briefly, but the author gave enough background to make me feel invested in them. I was appreciative of the fact that the protagonists, though unapologetically ruthless criminals, at least wanted to stop terrorists. Perhaps their motives were not entirely altruistic, but at least they wanted to spare mass destruction of innocents. These gangsters did not seem to be involved in human trafficking either, which is always a deal breaker, or should be, when we have to root for the bad guys ( as opposed to worse guys). So, if you are a fan of The Godfather or old Ludlum books, you will probably enjoy this as well, but it is clearly a part one of who knows how many.
A copy was provided by Random House, through LibraryThing.com, in exchange for an honest review.

Carcaterra's "The Wolf" reads like a B-rated thriller. More bullets and bravado than smart dialogue and conciliation. Character building at its most minimalist; you don't pity the corpse dropped from the hands of gangster callousness. The four stars are for its focused, on point pacing, the cultural caricature assessment of the Russian Mafiya, and for the compelling enough plot.

I expected better from this book given the author's previous works and background. This is, instead, a flat procedural about how the some of the world's organized crime groups allied to fight some 'terror' groups sponsored by the non-allied organized crime groups.

The narrative varies from the issue at hand - the narrator, the world's most powerful O.C. figure, chat about how his group is going to kill the terror group to his other narratives about his history and the history of organized crime. The latter is as far fetched as any Ian Fleming fantasy about Goldfinger or SMERSH or whatever. At one point, the narrator claims that he and his cohorts skim 31% of all transactions worldwide. You'd think after a day or two of this, they'd retire but no, they go on. It did make me think a bit though. Goverment taxes eat up about 60% of income when you look at all taxes - income, property, excise, sales and so forth. Now if O.C. gets 31%, that leaves me with less than a dime for every dollar I earn. Hmmm.

While there is plenty of killing and blood flowing, the style of the novel is as bloodless as Ethan Frome which is its weakness. A reader won't gen up any sympathy for the narrator, his allies or hatred for the terrorists as their stories are told with such flatness that they are all reduced from the black and white they should be to neutral gray all around.

Worse, things just happen. In chapter A, the O.C. faction is trying to determine the location the terrorists will hit. Then, in Chapter B, we learn the O.C. guys have learned it with no explanation of how. The O.C. has a spy in it. Next chapter Mr. Right Hand Man tells narrator who the spy is with again, no explanation of how he learned of it. Time and time again we have things unfold as if by magic.

The final shootout making up 5% of the book has more excitement than the entire previous 95% as if at the last minute, the author came alive to show the reader that he really can produce. The few previous shootouts are, like the book in general, flat and disjointed.

Overall mildly entertaining but not engrossing or memorable.

Disclosure: I received this book from LibraryThing as part of their early reviewer's program.

This was a little different than my normal read, but I found it interesting. The story is told in a character centric nature that leads to long descriptions of each of the characters that enter into play. This was sometimes distracting and unnecessary since I would have preferred more focus on the most interesting namesake of the book. Despite this, the action was overall fast paced and focused around a war between gangsters and terrorists. A quick and easy read that was overall enjoyable.

Carcaterra has written a chilling novel about what would happen if two criminal worlds collided.

Vincent, aka "the wolf," has lost his wife and two daughters in a terrorist incident. Motivated by grief and revenge he decides the organized crime world he leads will go after one specific terrorist cell.

He portrays the terrorist leader and followers as motivated by nothing but hate and religious zeal. The terrorist is a super smart, well funded (by the Russian mob), and unparalleled in his religious zeal to become better know than Bin-Laden.

The twists and turns are many, the lawlessness is chilling, the action is fast paced.

This is a must read.

In this alternate universe, crime syndicates control everything (kind of like The Godfather on steroids), but behind the scenes, so the little people, like us readers, have no clue that they do. Because I was on vacation, and the writing is so compelling, I was really able to enjoy this adventure thriller.

The crime boss of all crime bosses, 32 year old Vincent "The Wolf" Marelli, after the killing of his beloved wife and daughters in a terrorist event (his devotion to his son, Jack, humanizes him), exacts revenge by joining forces with crime syndicates in other countries (including the deadly and gorgeous Angela "The Strega" Jannetti, daughter of the head of the Italian Camorra syndicate in Naples, Italy) to do what military couldn't - shut down terrorism (terrorism that the crime syndicates don't control, of course).

An Islamic terrorist, the Russian mob (led by Vladimir "The Impaler" Kostolov), and Mexican sadomasochist psychotic drug lords complete the picture.

This is nothing like the author's book Sleepers, from 1993, with the exception of the pace of the writing which pulls you in - once you pick it up you are loathe to put it down til the last page.

Because Carcaterra’s biographic novel, Sleepers is still one of my favorite books I couldn’t wait to read The Wolf. I wasn’t disappointed!

Vincent Marelli (AKA The Wolf) is the “CEO” of the international crime syndicate. When his wife and daughter are killed in a terrorist attack, Marelli is out for blood. Using all of his ruthless criminals and criminal resources he hunts down the terrorist groups responsible.

It’s bad guys vs. bad guys in this gritty thriller. By the end of the book, I had lost count of the dead bodies. Fans of action novels like James Bond and Gorky Park will love it. I couldn’t put it down.

I was initially attracted to the novel’s concept: a mafia don’s wife and daughters are killed in a terrorist plot. The don seeks revenge. Finally we have a force as ruthless as the terrorists to exact their so-richly-deserved punishment. Unfortunately, my initial enthusiasm was not sustained.

The first issue concerns the plot. While I was hoping for eyeball to eyeball vengeance, the plot quickly became diffuse. The middle eastern terrorist at the heart of the story is also working with the Russians, so the American don must conjure with both groups. At the same time he seeks to enlist the support of the Greeks in managing the information technology used in the hunt and both the Yakuza and the Triad Dragons to manipulate the money flows. His old lady friend, now the queen of the Neapolitan Camorra, is an important ally, along with his private kill team, the ‘silent six’.

What began as something very personal suddenly becomes a global war story with comic-book superhero overtones and a general atmosphere that is more than over-the-top. This is further complicated by the fact that we are dealing with a series of groups of international criminals, none of whom are particularly attractive, though they do show some redeeming values: loyalty, tenacity, and a belief in principle in an unprincipled world. Still, both Fredo and Tessio betrayed Michael Corleone, so some of these principles evaporate as our don—Vincent ‘the wolf’ Marelli—is betrayed by individuals close to him.

While the story is interesting it is wildly implausible and we never develop a personal commitment to the characters. The canvas is too wide for a revenge novel and the plot is too diffuse for a focused, intense technothriller. Eventually we are going through the action/adventure motions and while the settings are interesting a host of writers have been there first, not the least of whom is Dan Brown. For all of his narratological hyperbole he can still do a far better job of taking us through the Castel Sant’Angelo than most writers.

Bottom line: for me this was a misfire. The initial concept was interesting, but from there we went from scene to scene with largely-uninteresting characters with death-dealing Glocks disrupting tourist sites. Plus, the number of characters and groups involved in the plot is so vast as to necessitate a three and a half page list as a pre-prologue prologue. The closing sentences of the novel suggest that we will see a sequel. My advice: keep it simple and focused.

This book of mob vengeance certainly had promise, but in the long run, it just is not a credible story. The author certainly tried to make this a story to captivate the reader, but the believability scale is way too low. And on top of that, the predictability scale is high. This just plain isn't a book which will hold the more discerning reader and I can't in all fairness recommend it. This certainly is no threat to Puzo.

The Wolf by Lorenzo Caraterra... WOW. First I have to be honest I am not a big fan of Mobster/Gangster books or movies, I didn't like the Godfather movies or Scarface or any of those that people seem really like I didn't even like The Sopranos. Now why are you asking yourself if I don't like this genre did I grab this ARC? For the simple fact that it sounded interesting, like the movies Taken and the Magnificent Seven if they were all mobsters. The book is in two parts the first half is basically an introduction, character development and how they are all connected and the events that lead up to this course of action. The second half is all the action, the motions are put into place it's like the snowball effect it's starts off slow and builds up until it slams into a tree at the bottom of the hill.

The following excerpt is from the ARC and any error is my own.

"You know what it is I most admire about a wolf?" I asked, my voice echoing off the walls of the empty church.

"Tell me," Vladimir said.

"When he hunts his prey, he picks off the weakest first," I said. "One by one. He leaves the strongest for the end, when it's just the two of them alone. And then he goes in for the kill."

Vincent Marelli is the head of the Organized Crime Council and of the Marelli Crime Syndicate and he has just started a war with terrorist. A group of terrorist funded by some organized crime backer marked him for death unfortunately he wasn't where he was supposed to be and instead his wife and two daughters were brutally murdered. Vincent blames himself but instead of wallowing away in misery he plotted out his revenge. With the help of the other crime bosses on the Council Vincent puts together a crack team of the best and targets the terrorist Raza. If Raza wasn't behind the attack that killed his girls then he know who did. Raza is a terrorist who does it for the shear act of killing and reeking havoc on the masses and his newest founder is the Russian Vladimir Kostolov who wants mass hysteria as a diversion for his illegal activities.

The actions of these people are horrendous, and it really makes you want to stand up and cheer when they get their just deserts, compliments of Vincent and his Silent Six. Vincent is the perfect anti-hero, he is an out right criminal not afraid to get his hands dirty. The love he has for his lost family is touching and can totally sympathize with him. The logic that the only ones who could go after terrorist are criminals with no rules or laws to hinder them is a great and really makes some great reading. There is more to come this was just the start of the war. Vincent has already lost so much because of it but he is not willing to give up until he has the persons responsible blood on his hands. I can't wait for the other book to come out.

A good idea ...Mobsters vs Terrorist BUT

The "mob" is some bond level criminal enterprise made up of young super geniuses
The Russian mob sides with the terrorist because....they are jerks (yup)
The terrorist for the books purposes are a single cell of what amounts to an art critic
An idiot could tell what their target will be
Slow with over half the chapters just being the main character worry and talking about what a cunning planner he is (but...he never has a plan nor a clue as to what the hell is going on until he is beaten over the head with it)
I finished this book in disgust and realized that the writer wrote "Sleepers" another horrible book that was for a time billed as a "true story"

Carcaterra comes up with a unique novel very out of the ordinary. It sets up a war between worldwide organized crime and terrorists. Vincent Marelli, known as the Wolf, is the leader of a huge crime family who in spite of his best plans to protect his family sees his wife and two girls killed. Besides himself with the loss he decides to exact a terrible vengeance on the people that killed them. He places the blame on terrorists, and selects one active band to start his campaign on. His way is to convince other crime families around the world to help him indicating that besides exacting his revenge these people are in the business of murder for murder's sake and infringing upon organized
crime's territories.

Vincent finds that his closest ally is run by a former lover of his that has taken over her father's gang in Italy. In the course of the action they move close together and except for the fact that neither really trusts the other move towards their goal.
Leaders of both the terrorists and the members of the crime families are very well fleshed out and the reader comes to understand why they
do what they do, and what motivates them in addition to the huge amounts of money they make. Vincent and Angela, his ex love, move
closer to a reconciliation which may occur if another novel with them involved is written. The descriptions of the terrorists and the crime family draw a similarity to the Godfather and the sympathy the reader attains with them.
Well done and very absorbing .

There is a major international crime syndicate war brewing after a terrorist attack, on a commercial airliner, slaughtered the wife and two young daughters of Vincent Marelli, the top American New York Italian boss and the head of the international crime syndicate.

The Italian mob, composed of international gangsters from the United States, Japan, China, Italy, Greece and Albania, and referred to the United Nations of crime, had become too lax with the Russians and their loosely allied crime partners, the Mexicans and terrorists, collectively referred to as the Red Mafiya. The Red Mafiya had spread quickly and was soaking up power and wealth at an alarming rate.

Vincent Marelli led the attack of the United Nations of crime against the Red Mafiya with Vladimir Kostolov in command. To Vincent Marelli, who lost his most of his immediate family to the terrorists, this bloody and costly battle would be primarily revengeful but with also a strong profit motive.

Although clearly out numbered by the Russians, and its allies, the United Nations mutually decided to wage war by performing both physical and financial surgical strikes for the purpose of weakening and slowing down the Red Mafiya advance.

The manner in which this story began left me with enthusiasm and excitement, but it definitely waxed and waned as it progressed. Some of the chapters were exhilarating but then suddenly the action would shift back to the mundane, causing me to lose interest. There were too many shifts and the story seemed to lose its continuity.

But what I found fascinating about this story is the similarly in the operations between successful criminals and businessmen. The commonality of course is profit, and the means to achieving profit can often be brutal and domineering. They both function with elaborate boards and committees with an emphasis on expertise. The major difference is that the operations of a crime syndicate are far above and beyond the law.

This was a good story that had its grip on me almost throughout, even though there was a variation in narrations amongst the different chief characters. The author’s writing style nicely accommodates this shifting narrative style with eloquence. The characters were all exciting in and of themselves without any major distractions.

I rate this book with 4 stars and plan to read other works of Lorenzo Carcaterra, although this was my first.

This book was OK. The plot is somewhat original and I enjoyed the idea of someone taking it to terrorists. But this book fails on a many levels too. Top level crooks who get a piece of everything that ever happens in the world make for fairly unsympathetic main characters.
In the end, I don't like the Wolf because the Wolf (main character) just isn't that likeable.

Slow moving story, lots of background/explaining to the point of overload. Improbable plot that left my mind thinking "that's ridiculous" several times. The concept was interesting, but it fell flat in execution.

Not recommended

If you enjoy gangster books (gangster defined as Sopranos, Godfather, or Goodfellas. West coast wrappers who can't keep their pants up don't count), you will love this. The basic plot is that organized crime goes after the terrorists in a bad guy vs. bad guy showdown.Well written, fast moving, gritty action, and you will find yourself rooting for the hero, even if he is a "bad guy," because he is fighting terrorists, and they are way worse.

One very interesting thing about this book is that it is actually written in two different styles. It's about a 50/50 split between first person and third person omnipotent. Threw me a bit at first, but I actually really enjoyed it.

Every bit as good as Puzo's "Godfather," this is worth the time and effort if you enjoy organized crime novels.

Great premise, Lots of action, mostly violent but thin story. I was hoping for more but should have realized the story i had in mind couldn't have been told in just 320+ pages. Perhaps there will be a sequel but it would take some convincing to get me back.

Not since The Godfather has there been a mobster who’s as much fun to root for as Vincent Marelli, aka “The Wolf”. I heard about a lot of buzz coming out of 2014’s Book Expo America about The Wolf by Lorenzo Carcaterra. I was thrilled to be able to get my hands on a copy and more thrilled once I started reading it. This book packs a punch both literally and figuratively.

Carcaterra describes a mob that’s a lot more modern than other versions, from Mario’s Puzzo’s mob to more recent incarnations like the Sopranos. This is a high-tech version that operates not so much in the shadows, but from behind so many legitimate fronts that they are hidden in plain sight. What this mob shares with its literary predecessors though is absolute ruthlessness and iron will.

After his wife and daughters are killed in a terrorist attack, “The Wolf” is galvanized to protect his son and take action to lead all of the various world mafia organizations in an attack on international terrorism. Not just to punish them, but to bring them to their knees. These organizations are motivated not by any sort of altruistic feelings, but by the long-term threat to their bottom line posed by terrorism.

Vincent Marelli is a character you can both admire and fear. None of the characters on either side of the conflict are pushovers. Marelli has the tacit support of most of the world’s criminal organizations, but it’s clear that support is shallow and could disappear if Marelli’s will weakens or results are not forthcoming. He is going up against terrorists with no scruples about civilian casualties. The Wolf and his associates have those scruples, but they are otherwise unshackled from the rules of engagement that sovereign nations and law enforcement alike are bound by. The result is both a cat and mouse game and a ruthless battle.

The pace never slackens from the beginning to the end of this novel. Along with his terrorist nemesis, Marelli must battle betrayal within his own organization as well. This book is well written; there is not a wasted word. Carcaterra ties up the story nicely, but leaves plenty to be explored in hoped for sequels. If you like crime novels, mob stories, or just a good thoughtful action thriller, pick up this book. Highly recommended.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It is fast paced with something happening on every page. I know that Vincent Marelli aka The Wolf is a bad guy but he is one that you like and root for as is Angela aka the Strega. There was a betrayal in the middle of the book that was a jaw dropper and I was very happy with the ending and now want a book two.

I received this from LibraryThing Early Reviewer and I recommend this book.

A bit silly, but well written enough to be acceptable beach reading. It's the story of a mafia don whose family is killed by terrorists, who then goes after the terrorists. Since all the organized crime dons the world over (like politicians) know each other and control basically everything, they all get in the act of vengeance. I think if you pick this up expecting it to be realistic, you'll be disappointed. It's a quick, light read.

This book was a highly entertaining tale of organized crime taking on terrorists. It would be as if Tony Soprano decided to take on terrorism. Carcaterra has written a really interesting book that I had a hard time putting down. I strongly recommend this book.

A fascinating premise: Murder Incorporated versus International Terrorism, is somewhat marred by an unlikely (and thus less controversial) villain and the exaggeration of Mob influence. Not as good as it might have been.

In this alternate universe, crime syndicates control everything (kind of like The Godfather on steroids), but behind the scenes, so the little people, like us readers, have no clue that they do. Because I was on vacation, and the writing is so compelling, I was really able to enjoy this adventure thriller.

The crime boss of all crime bosses, 32 year old Vincent "The Wolf" Marelli, after the killing of his beloved wife and daughters in a terrorist event (his devotion to his son, Jack, humanizes him), exacts revenge by joining forces with crime syndicates in other countries (including the deadly and gorgeous Angela "The Strega" Jannetti, daughter of the head of the Italian Camorra syndicate in Naples, Italy) to do what military couldn't - shut down terrorism (terrorism that the crime syndicates don't control, of course).

An Islamic terrorist, the Russian mob (led by Vladimir "The Impaler" Kostolov), and Mexican sadomasochist psychotic drug lords complete the picture.

This is nothing like the author's book Sleepers, from 1993, with the exception of the pace of the writing which pulls you in - once you pick it up you are loathe to put it down til the last page.

This was a great story! Very detailed! I enjoyed reading the thoughts from the inside of a terrorist mind. I hope there is a follow-up book because there are some things I need resolved. This is a book that I recommend to others!

I was initially attracted to the novel’s concept: a mafia don’s wife and daughters are killed in a terrorist plot. The don seeks revenge. Finally we have a force as ruthless as the terrorists to exact their so-richly-deserved punishment. Unfortunately, my initial enthusiasm was not sustained.

The first issue concerns the plot. While I was hoping for eyeball to eyeball vengeance, the plot quickly became diffuse. The middle eastern terrorist at the heart of the story is also working with the Russians, so the American don must conjure with both groups. At the same time he seeks to enlist the support of the Greeks in managing the information technology used in the hunt and both the Yakuza and the Triad Dragons to manipulate the money flows. His old lady friend, now the queen of the Neapolitan Camorra, is an important ally, along with his private kill team, the ‘silent six’.

What began as something very personal suddenly becomes a global war story with comic-book superhero overtones and a general atmosphere that is more than over-the-top. This is further complicated by the fact that we are dealing with a series of groups of international criminals, none of whom are particularly attractive, though they do show some redeeming values: loyalty, tenacity, and a belief in principle in an unprincipled world. Still, both Fredo and Tessio betrayed Michael Corleone, so some of these principles evaporate as our don—Vincent ‘the wolf’ Marelli—is betrayed by individuals close to him.

While the story is interesting it is wildly implausible and we never develop a personal commitment to the characters. The canvas is too wide for a revenge novel and the plot is too diffuse for a focused, intense technothriller. Eventually we are going through the action/adventure motions and while the settings are interesting a host of writers have been there first, not the least of whom is Dan Brown. For all of his narratological hyperbole he can still do a far better job of taking us through the Castel Sant’Angelo than most writers.

Bottom line: for me this was a misfire. The initial concept was interesting, but from there we went from scene to scene with largely-uninteresting characters with death-dealing Glocks disrupting tourist sites. Plus, the number of characters and groups involved in the plot is so vast as to necessitate a three and a half page list as a pre-prologue prologue. The closing sentences of the novel suggest that we will see a sequel. My advice: keep it simple and focused.