Product Description

“A fascinating and unique tale in an alternate reality where being human is a hindrance. Kit Whitfield has created an astonishing read.”
–Sherrilyn Kenyon, author of the Dark-Hunter series


“Kit Whitfield has created a unique and powerful twist on the werewolf mythos, an eloquent parable about the profound effects of prejudice and violence on both perpetrator and victim. Benighted will leave you thinking long after you’ve turned the last page.”
–Susan Krinard, author of Touch of the Wolf


It is a world much like our own, with one deadly difference: ninety-nine percent of the population is lycanthropic. When the full moon rises, humans transform into lunes, bloodthirsty beasts who cannot be reasoned with or tamed. Those few born unable to change are disparagingly known as barebacks, and live as victims of prejudice and oppression. All too often, they are targets of savage mauling and death by lunes who break the law to roam free on full-moon nights.

Twenty something bareback Lola Galley is already a veteran of the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activities. When her friend loses a hand to a marauding lune, then is murdered before the attacker is brought to trial, Lola is desperate to see justice prevail. But the truth is seldom simple–and Lola may not like the shocking answers she uncovers.


“An impressive debut, Benighted is a well-written and well-thought-out examination of prejudice as seen through the lens of the werewolf novel.”
–Tananarive Due, author of Joplin’s Ghost

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #440248 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-08
• Released on: 2006-08-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In this impressive werewolf novel with a detective story twist, first-time British author Whitfield imagines a contemporary world whose majority are people who "fur up" at full moon; the scorned minority—called barebacks by their wolven, "lycanthropic" peers—are permanently clad in their human skin. Whitfield's bareback protagonist, Lola Galley, is a lawyer with DORLA (Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activity), an unpopular organization necessary to maintaining order in a civilized world. Lola's full-moon duties include "dogcatching," or chasing down stray "lunes," lycos in vicious, canine form. When a bareback friend loses a hand to the snapping jaws of a lune—and then turns up shot dead a few days later—it's Lola's job to defend the mauler who becomes a murder suspect. In the process of her investigation, Lola must face her own biases as a minority and unearth the secret behind the divide in her society. A nuanced exploration of prejudice, this deftly written, absorbing debut deserves a crossover literary and fantasy readership. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
The world of Benighted is familiar, but not its populace. The vast majority is lycanthropic; its members "fur up" under the full moon and become unreasoning beasts. A small minority is disdainfully called "barebacks" and despised as "cripples." The laws are strict about luning, or roaming freely, while transformed, however, and all non-lycos are conscripted into the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activities (DORLA), which enforces the full-moon curfew by hunting roamers and bringing them to justice. Whitfield's well-limned protagonist is angst-ridden DORLA attorney Lola Galley. After a friend's hand is bitten off in a lyco hunt, and he is subsequently murdered, she takes a course of action that leads to extreme danger and shocking discoveries about herself and society at large. In the appended author interview, Whitfield states she didn't begin the book with a message in mind. The narrative feels teacherly, however, and the interview and accompanying reading-group questions and topics for discussion bolster the impression. Despite that, this disturbing thriller should appeal to more readers than just genre mavens. Sally Estes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
One

The story is a simple one. According to Ellaway, his car broke down, he was lost, and was trying to find a shelter when he started furring up. He shouldn’t really have failed to find one—there are always government lock-ups within walking distance; you should be able to reach at least one between dusk and moonrise. At least, that’s the theory; like most of our theories, it’s prettier than the real world. Winos are the biggest problem since they’re too drunk to make their way, but this guy’s story might be true, manicured nails and all. It happens every month. Then again, it might not. It’s not much of a story. And the fact remains that when Johnny tried to round him up, Ellaway bit his hand off at the wrist. Most lunes don’t do that. They go for you; of course they do. We’ve all got scars. There’s a deep slash running up the inside of my left forearm from my first dogcatch; a heavy dent in one of my hips from when I was twenty-two; a map of lacerations around my calves—and I’m a good catcher, I get mauled less than most. But breaking bone is something more. Lunes aren’t usually savage enough to hurt you that badly before you get them tranked. They all go for you, but they aren’t all the same. It depends what kind of person they are. This man has to have something in him to make him capable of mauling my friend.

His face looks like a college kid’s, though I know he’s a few years older. A boy who works in the financial district, which means he’s paid well, better than I am. He’ll be paying me himself on this one, and then I can pay my bills. I study him with some hope, and notice how differently he sits from the pro bono cases I usually get. He’s crouched forward, watching me. Maybe he’ll have better manners than usual. I light a cigarette, offer him one to be polite. To my surprise, he takes it. Lycos don’t usually smoke.

“So,” I say, “you realize the charges are serious. Your best hope is in proving that you tried to get to a lock-up but couldn’t.”

“I did.” He says this as if it were obvious. My hopes of a courteous client slip a notch.

I sigh. “I don’t suppose you remember the actual crime?”

He gives me a look: I’ve asked a foolish question and called what he did a crime. “Of course not. I can’t even identify the man.”

I flip a picture across the desk. “His name is Johnny Marcos. He’s got a wife and three kids, and since you took his hand off he’s on disability and worried sick about their education. He’s a very decent man.”

“You know him?” My client looks surprised. “I thought legal advisers weren’t meant to take cases where they’re personally involved.”

Bright boy. “This is DORLA, Mr. Ellaway. We all know each other. There’s only a few thousand of us. It’s a small world. And since we all do—” I stop myself from saying dogcatching “—full-moon duties sometimes, that could have been any of us. And since you’ll get a non-lyco judge, you’re going to have to work hard at convincing us it wasn’t your fault.” I don’t mention how well I know Johnny; he doesn’t need to know that. Three days before Christmas, and this happened to him.

“Why can’t I have a normal court? Any bareback judge is going to be prejudiced against me.”

Bareback, well, there we are. He’s no better mannered than any of the tramps I usually get. I give my illusion about the gentlemanliness of the monied classes a little kiss and send it on its way. “Like I said, Mr. Ellaway, this is the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activity, and we handle our own affairs.” I get out a map of the area. “Now, you say you were around here when your car broke down, yes? And you started walking east. There’s two lockups within reach.”

He sucks on the cigarette I gave him. “I told you, I don’t know the area.”

“You should know enough to stick to the main roads. You would have come to a shelter if you had.”

He shrugs, and lounges back, his legs asplay. I take out another file. “I’ve got your record here. Dangerous driving, twice, driving over the legal limit, and possession of narcotic substances. I have to tell you, Mr. Ellaway, it doesn’t look good.”

“They dropped the narcotics charge.” He drops ash on my floor.

“Were you using anything that night?”

“Drugs are illegal.” He looks amused at himself.

“How about a little nicotine withdrawal? Cross because you couldn’t fit a cigarette in your jaws?”

“Hey, hey.” He sits up, waving his hand. “I didn’t come here to be accused. I’m your client, you know?”

I run my hands through my hair. “Mr. Ellaway, I’m just trying to tell you the kind of things they’ll ask you in court. You’ve crippled a man for life. If you can prove it wasn’t your fault you were out, then you’ll get off. And if you can’t, then it’s negligence, grievous bodily harm, the works, and you are looking at years. Years, Mr. Ellaway. Judges don’t take kindly to this sort of thing.”

He shrugs again.

The telephone rings. “Excuse me,” I say, and pick it up. “Hello?”

“Lola?” It’s Josie. She’s been working reception ever since she let two lunes get away in one night. “Lo, I got a call from your sister. She says she’s gone into labor and could you go to the hospital. She’s at St. Veronica’s.”

My throat jumps a little. “I’ll get on it. Thanks, Josie.” I turn to Ellaway, who is still dropping ash on my floor. “Mr. Ellaway, I have to go. I’ll see you again tomorrow, and I want you to think about what I’ve said. I need as many details as possible, so remember everything you can. Now, good morning.”

“Good morning.” His handshake cracks the bones in my knuckles, and he’s still sitting in the chair.

“Mr. Ellaway, you can go now.”

“Oh. Right. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He gets up and swings out of the room.

“And could you close the—” He disappears, leaving the door wide open. I express a few opinions under my breath, and go to close it, making myself a promise to bill Ellaway for every possible expense I can think of. I’ll bill him for every cup of coffee I drink as long as I’m working for him. I’ll get it hand-ground, I’ll add cream. The thought cheers me a little.

I call my boss and explain. “Is it all right if I take the day off? I’ll work overtime next week.”

“A baby.” His voice sounds reflective, not that it ever sounds any different. “Well, off you go. You can see if it turns out to be one of ours.”

I can’t tell if this is a joke, so I laugh just in case. I get my coat and squeeze out of my little office. On the way past reception, a hand comes down on my shoulder.

“Miss Lola May, you save my life.” It’s Jerry, one of my winos, being herded in by my friend Ally. Jerry smells like a trash can, which means he’s fallen off the wagon again. “Wanna thank you frall your good legal advice, Lola May, you’re good legal vice lady.”

“Hey, Jerry,” I say. “What are you doing here?”

“Got stuck out last moonite. Wasn’t my fault, tried to shelter, you know always try. Don’t mind shelters, quite like them ashually. Can’t always find my way, not my fault if I try, Lola May. This guy says I pissed on him when he tried collar me but would I do that? Wouldn’t. You know I’m nice guy, Lola May.” He rocks back and forth, his eyes wide like a kid’s. “Think they’ll sue me for cleaning bill, you gotta help me, Lola May. Don’t wanna pay cleaning bill. Not mon—not mada—mada money. Tell ’em I wouldn’t ever piss on a guy juss doing his job.”

I’ve seen him worse than this: he’s pretty bad, but his sense of humor hasn’t drowned out yet. He’s been able to go out and get drunk again, so he can’t have been locked up in the cells all this time. Maybe this won’t be too rough. “What’s he in for?” I ask Ally, who’s standing a little back from his charge.

“Moon loitering. This is the twelfth time, he’s not doing well.”

“No cleaning bill?” says Jerry, swiveling his head.

“Jerry,” I say, “what happened to your AA program?”

“M’wife left me,” he says.

“Yeah? Was that before or after you fell off the wagon?”

“Ohh Lola May you gon break my heart. You’re hard woman, Lola May.”

My feet are starting to itch. “Look, Ally, I’ll take this case if you can hold it over till tomorrow, he’s one of my regulars.”

“Lucky you.”

“He’s harmless.”

“I,” Jerry declares, “am a gentleman. Do my best.”

“Can you just put it on hold for a day?”

“I think I’ll put him in the lock-ups to dry out,” Ally says, grinning.

“Don’t wanna sleep on straw. Lola May, tell him ...

Customer Reviews

Werewolves and humans
This is the story of a human woman who lives in a world where over 99% of the population are werewolves. Werewolves in this world all transform at once on full moon nights, and have no ability either to prevent the change or to create it at other times. Like all other non-weres in her world, she has been drafted into DORLA, a powerful police agency whose main function is to keep some semblance of society going on full moon nights, and ensure that the city is still there in one piece on the following morning.

Lola Mae Galley, the main character, is investigating the murder of two DORLA agents who were apparently killed by a werewolf with a powerful grudge against humans. In the course of this investigation, her discoveries will shake what she thinks she knows about the role of humans in her werewolf culture, as well as devastating her own personal life.

The main strengths of the book are the strongly developed characters and the marvelous writing. Whitfield is stunning in passages such as the following, a description of a man who had no suspicion he was about to be murdered: "If nobody warned him, he couldn't have known that he should have loved those last hundred yards, that they weren't just an obstacle to getting where he planned, that the sounds of his feet on the pavement and the wind in the branches were all he was ever going to have."

The book is more of a character study than a traditional mystery or urban fantasy. If you're expecting a heroic lead character, an action packed adventure, and an easy happy ending, as with so many other books of this type, this isn't the right book for you. Lola is deeply wounded by her place in society and the bigotry of the 'lyco' majority, and it shows: she is often suspicious, unlikable, and even brutal. The events of the plot could easily have been fit into a substantially shorter book with less attention to the development of the characters. The ending deliberately refuses to set all right with Lola or the world. In other words, this is an urban fantasy story which ignores many of the conventions of fantasy for something much closer to a traditional literary novel, which seems to me to be the main objection of most of the critical reviewers here. For me, it worked very well and delivered the best of both worlds.

The only real objection I had with the book, keeping it short of five stars, was the inexplicable ambiguity of the status of non-weres in the society, a central point of the book. Individually, they're a despised minority, but as members of DORLA, they seem to have almost unlimited powers. In a society which otherwise seems to be much like a modern liberal democracy, DORLA has the powers of the Inquisition, from which Lola notes it is descended. It can hold indefinitely without charges, torture with impunity, arbitrarily refuse access to attorneys or family members, and try those cases it chooses to try in its own courts, with no jury and judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney all DORLA agents. How a hated minority retains such arbitrary powers over the majority is never adequately explained.

Has the markings of a first book, but this is an unusual, intelligent, gritty, complex book with a lot of offer. Recommended
Benighted takes place in a world not unlike our own, except for one fundamental difference: over 99% of the population are lycanthropes, and the remaining minority work with the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activity, capturing and prosecuting lunes that break full-moon curfews. Lola Galley is a DORLA veteran, but the events of two bad moon nights leads her to investigate a new type of lycanthrope crime: lycos capable of thought in wolf form and murder in human form. Benighted is uniquely conceived and features a complex plot and a cast of realistic, faulted characters. Unfortunately, it suffers from inconsistent pacing and the conclusion comes out of left field, seemingly unrelated to the rest of the book. I recommend it as a unique, intelligent deviation from the werewolf genre, but I hope that Whitfield's later novels are more consistent.

Benighted is Kit Whitfield's first novel, and it reads like one--a very promising first novel, introducing an author with with new ideas and realistic characters, but a first novel nonetheless. The author's inexperience shows: Inconsistent pacing, where some events pass swiftly but some linger in lengthy backstory and character introspection, makes the book feel even longer than its 500 pages. The plot builds in layers of increasing complexity, but the conclusion is an unwelcome departure from this careful scripting--it seems to come from nowhere, resting on plot points which don't appear until the very end of the story.

Despite these weaknesses, Benighted has a lot to offer. The premise is ingenious: rather than an exception, werewolves are the rule--and non-transforming humans are a pitied and discriminated minority group, charged with policing the behavior of lycos in their wild transformed state. This creates a dark and gritty setting peopled by characters with shadowed pasts and circumspect motivation. It also raises a number of delicate political and social issues, including the most difficult question of all: if you could join the majority group, would you? These issues could benefit from more analysis and more open-minded conclusions, the characters are identifiable but not always likable, and the conclusion is decidedly bittersweet. Gritty and depressing as these aspects may be, they are still a welcome and intelligent deviation from the standard tropes of the werewolf genre.

I look forward to future novels from Whitfield, to see if she writes more consistently now that she has some experience. But for all its faults, I enjoyed Benighted. It reminds me somewhat of the film Perfect Creature, with the same gritty aesthetic and social divide. The premise is an ingenious deviation from standard werewolf tropes and the horror genre, and Whitfield has an incredible grasp on the complexities and darkness of human motivation. The book is compelling and engrossing, despite the length and sometimes slow pacing. I have some reservations, but I recommend Benighted. Werewolf and horror fans will appreciate it, but the complex characters, crime drama aspects, and social issues open it to an even wider audience of readers.

Much more than the usual werewolf book
I was very impressed. The main character is very interesting, existing both as upper middle class through her family, and as a marginalized minority through her non-werewolf status (other reviews explain this). The tension of these two cultures are fascinating, particularly as the minority community is absolutely essential for the well-being of the majority of society. Many current fantasy novels have heroines who suffered troubling childhoods. In this book, I was impressed how much this was demonstrated through action. Finally, the author deserved great credit for creating a male lead who is sexy and likable, but also seems like a real person, with strengths, flaws and real doubt as to how he should act.