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Spring for Spears by Katie Cross and Derek Alan Siddoway | Wolf Song Saga Book 1
Spring for Spears by Katie Cross and Derek Alan Siddoway | Wolf Song Saga Book 1
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The fate of the wolf riders falls on an outcast.
Astrid would give anything to be one of the Ulfsark—fearless warriors who ride giant Amarok wolves.
Like her ancestors, she yearns for the soul-deep bond with a wolf.
The connection.
The union.
A chance to prove her worth and honor her mother’s legacy.
But Astrid has never heard the Wolf Song.
And with each passing year, it becomes more likely she never will.
Astrid refuses to accept that fate. Then an encounter with a nature spirit and a foreign princess dashes her last hope and changes everything.
Accused of killing a royal guardsman, Astrid must travel to the halls of a mad king to clear her name and stop a war against her people. Though she has no Amarok wolf, Astrid refuses to fail her tribe.
Even if she cannot be an Ulfsark.
In distant lands, she will discover a regular wolf that opens her heart, friends she never asked for, dangerous political secrets, and a world far stranger than anything she imagined beyond the Wolfmoors.
Will Astrid save a fragile peace and embrace her destiny?
Or will her dreams of the Wolf Song fade far from home?
Spring for Spears is book 1 in the Wolf Song Saga, a clean YA fantasy trilogy co-written by bestselling, award-winning authors Katie Cross and Derek Alan Siddoway. This thrilling fantasy adventure is perfect for readers who love wolf riders, animal companions, outcast heroines, spirit magic, found family, dangerous quests, political tension, warrior cultures, and emotional coming-of-age stories.
Perfect For Readers Who Love
- Clean YA fantasy with no spice
- Wolf riders
- Animal companions
- Girl and her wolf stories
- Outcast heroines
- Warrior heroines
- Hidden destiny
- Spirit magic
- False accusations
- Dangerous quests
- Fragile peace between rival peoples
- Court intrigue
- Political tension
- Found family
- Friendship and loyalty
- Coming-of-age fantasy
- Epic fantasy adventure
Format Options
This product is available as:
- Paperback
- Ebook
- Audiobook
Series Reading Order
The Wolf Song Saga is a complete YA fantasy trilogy:
- Spring for Spears
- Sword Summer
- Autumn of Axes
Series Placement
Spring for Spears is book 1 in the Wolf Song Saga and should be read first.
FAQ
Is Spring for Spears part of Alkarra or Elestra?
No. Spring for Spears is not part of Alkarra or Elestra. It is book 1 in the Wolf Song Saga, a separate YA fantasy trilogy co-written by Katie Cross and Derek Alan Siddoway.
Is Spring for Spears appropriate for young adult readers?
Yes. Spring for Spears is clean YA fantasy written for young adult readers and adult readers who enjoy fantasy adventure, wolf riders, animal companions, warrior heroines, found family, and no-spice stories.
Is there romance?
Spring for Spears focuses primarily on Astrid’s adventure, identity, friendships, political danger, and connection with wolves. The content promise is clean YA fantasy with no spice.
Is there spice?
No. Spring for Spears is clean YA fantasy with no spice.
What is the Wolf Song?
The Wolf Song is the soul-deep call that allows certain Skolvarg to bond with giant Amarok wolves and become Ulfsark warriors. Astrid longs for that bond more than anything, but she has never heard it.
What are the Ulfsark?
The Ulfsark are Skolvarg warriors who ride giant Amarok wolves.
What is an Amarok wolf?
An Amarok is a giant wolf bonded to an Ulfsark warrior. Astrid dreams of bonding with one and proving she belongs among the wolf riders.
Do I need to read anything before Spring for Spears?
No. Spring for Spears is the first book in the Wolf Song Saga and can be read without any other background.
Is this a complete series?
Yes. The Wolf Song Saga is a trilogy. Book 1 is Spring for Spears, book 2 is Sword Summer, and book 3 is Autumn of Axes.
What tropes are in Spring for Spears?
Spring for Spears includes wolf riders, animal companion, girl and her wolf, outcast heroine, hidden destiny, warrior heroine, spirit magic, false accusation, dangerous quest, court intrigue, political tension, found family, reluctant allies, tribal fantasy, and coming-of-age fantasy.
What format is available?
This product is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook.
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This book doesn't quite fit in with my usual reading preferences. I typically avoid books with wolves as a major plot point, perhaps because they almost always give me werewolf romance vibes. It also isn’t particularly dark.
However, I have a soft spot for tribal-like and nomadic society stories, and this didn’t fail to disappoint in that (or any other) aspect. Unexpectedly, it also had arena fights, which are another soft spot of mine! It flitted between medium and fast paced throughout, with the plot unfolding in good time and producing a late-book plot twist that was not entirely unexpected but still quite satisfying.
As suspected, this wasn’t really dark, but it was filled with action and light but natural character work and worldbuilding. It isn’t overly complex, and I’ll classify this as a fun and easy read without the typical epic fantasy bog to wade through. The cast of characters was small and the plot was left with a solid conclusion in addition to plenty of hints as to the future of the series.
The FMC was quick-witted and a good problem solver, which is something I always appreciate over power/brute-force resolutions. Problems didn’t resolve easily or quickly either, so every point of victory and failure held a bit more weight.
There was the slowest of burns side plot romance that I suspect will take more shape in future books. I don’t think there’s enough romance in it to deter those who aren’t fans of romance, as it’s just a subtle, occasional thing in the interactions that doesn’t amount to actual romance content. It added to the story and had a place in moving the plot forward.
This is a very intriguing story. With warriors, wolves, bears. It’s also full of interesting people & different lands. Fun read.
Astrid’s lifelong ambition is to become an Ulfsarka-to be bonded with an Amorak wolf-a wolf the size of a horse-and together become an elite unit of hunter warrior.
At age 19 Astrid finds Fate is leading her somewhere else.
I really enjoyed learning about this new world and its inhabitants. Looking forward to book two!
