Wolf God

Wolf God is a long fantasy novel that Yue Guan wrote after Returning to the Ming Dynasty as a Prince, turning for the first time toward Western-style fantasy. Roughly 680,000 characters long, it was serialized to completion on Qidian in 2008. Its protagonist is Jed Sakul, prince of the demon-wolf clan, whose body is unexpectedly possessed by a soul from another world. Gifted with intelligence and vision beyond that of his kind, he is drawn into a long journey spanning the realms of beasts, humans, and gods. The work unfolds in volumes such as "City of Dreams," "The Three-Headed Hound of Hell," "Growth," and "War Profits": a young demon wolf first enters the human city of Baptiste, starts out as a goldsmith's apprentice, and navigates between the Temple of Daji, the Church, and noble intrigue; he is then swept into commerce, territorial disputes, and schemes to profit from war, tempering his character amid betrayal and friendship. Against a backdrop of magical beasts, dragons, witches' curses, and radiant magic, the story ultimately points toward conflict at the level of the gods. Through the world of beasts, the world of humans, and the world of gods, and through the interweaving of past, present, and future, the author asks what one should choose when good and evil, feeling and interest, cannot both be satisfied. The book opens in first person and blends adventure, warfare, and romance; it is one of Yue Guan's more unusual early works—at a time when he was known for historical fiction, this long Western fantasy stands as his attempt to switch lanes.