Dire Encounters - Man Meets Wolf

It was a time prior to the last Ice Age where mammalian mega fauna and jumbo flora dominated the landscape.  Man was far from the dominant species on the planet.  Unknown centuries had passed since the last of the up-rights had been eradicated or banished to the fringes of the great desert.  History faded with time as well as the knowledge about the wars between the two factions; man and wolf.  Some of the written history remained in the form of legendary petroglyphs and pictographs located inside primitive caves; dotting sporadically along the base of the northern and southern ranges of the Ormod Mountains.  The writings recorded great battles between the species and even among themselves.  What remained of the cave writings revealed a stagnation of war and hatred between Dire wolves and their enemy, the up-rights.

No wolf knew why they were enemies of man, only that the ancient inscriptions publicized the hostilities between the species.  Conflict was the only definable moment in their historical relationship.  Pack leadership and the elders reinforced the lessons taught by the ancient writings that were scribed on the walls of their caves.  Man was the enemy and there would be no reconciliation.

Author's Notes:

This book has been a pleasure to write, such that it became too large for just one story.  It is in two volumes with a third one considered depending on public interest.  I have other stories I want to finish first.  Dire Encounters is a work of fiction and a result of my fascination with extinct mega fauna of the Ice Age and my general fascination with the life sciences in general.  Dire Encounters has taken me 5 years to write, edit, compose, illustrate, and finally publish.  I decided to post Tome 1 with unfinished illustrations and finish the artwork as I have time.  I have a full time job.  Once I finish the 20+ illustrations for Tome 1, I will finalize Tome 2 and publish it next.  Tome 2 ties together what really is happening in Alden's life (the main character).

I hope this book inspires, entertains, educates, and moves you as it did me while writing it.  This was my goal for the reader, though I started writing for entirely different reasons.  This was my dream that I am now sharing on digital paper with you.

Enjoy!