Today I learned a new word -insert smartass jokes here- the word being “Vargulf,” a Norse word meaning “rogue wolf.” A vargulf is a wolf that slaughters an entire herd of sheep (or whatever livestock) but only eats a little bit of the kill. This was obviously a huge problem for herders, so they hunted down the wolf, killed it and then hung the wolf’s hide in their child‘s bedroom, believing that it would give their child special powers. It is also believed that “vargulf” is where the word “werewolf” came from.

And where did I learn all of this? From the website of a new werewolf book, Vargulf by Tim Garrity. The book came out last month and already has a handful of awesome reviews, reviews saying that it’s not your boring emo love story, that it’s a fast paced, detailed and a bloody good read. I personally can’t wait to pick it up myself. The synopsis…

“When the mutilated body of a young woman is discovered in Boston’s historic North End Detectives Ed Fischer and John Nadeau are called in to investigate. Despite the brutality of the crime, there are no leads and it appears to be an isolated incident. However, a second murder just twenty-four hours later in Boston’s Backbay Fens seems eerily similar and the victims appear to be linked. Before the duo can put the pieces together, two more dead are found. Faced with a rising body count and the real prospect of a serial killer on the loose, the detectives must race against the clock to uncover the killer’s hair-raising identity before he, she or it strikes again. The debut novel from Tim Garrity, Vargulf represents a refreshing departure from the classic werewolf tale.”

So make sure to pick up your copy, if you’ve already read it let us know what you think.

- Moonlight

Tagged: Norse werewolf, Tim Garrity, vargulf, werewolf book, werewolf etymology, Werewolves