The Orphan is a novel by Robert Stallman, published in 1980. It is the first book of the Book of the Beast trilogy, which follows the life of a werewolf from childhood to adulthood. The novel blends fantasy, horror, science fiction, and German literature to create a unique and captivating story.
The Orphan tells the story of Little Robert, a six-year-old boy who is adopted by a kind farmer and his wife after his parents die in a car accident. Little Robert is not an ordinary boy, however. He is a werewolf, a creature of the night, a solitary, fur-covered thing with a taste for blood and the soft crunch of bone between the teeth. He cannot control his transformations, and neither can he remember what he does as a beast. He only knows that he is different, and that he must hide his true nature from everyone.
Little Robert grows up in a rural community, where he faces the challenges of school, friendship, love, and identity. He also encounters the dangers of hunters, bullies, and his own savage instincts. He tries to fit in, to be human, to be good, but he is always haunted by the beast within. He is torn between two worlds, two selves, two destinies.
The Orphan is a novel that explores the themes of alienation, belonging, innocence, violence, and morality. It is a novel that questions the boundaries between human and animal, nature and culture, good and evil. It is a novel that will make you think, feel, and wonder.
The Orphan has received positive reviews from readers and critics alike. It has been praised for its originality, its vivid descriptions, its complex characters, and its emotional impact.
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The Orphan by Robert Stallman | Goodreads
