Warriors of the Red Wolf
Nicholas Varner
Friesen Press (2025)
ISBN: 978-1038328564
Nicholas Varner enjoyed a long career teaching students and athletes from diverse cultural backgrounds. His students and athletes shared their stories and dreams for the future, teaching Nicholas many valuable lessons. He was voted Southern Arizona Coach of the Year several times, building teams of young people from places as far apart as Bosnia and Somalia, one of whom still holds the Afghan men’s 800-meter record.
As with most writers, Nicholas draws upon the landscapes and peoples which have had the greatest influence on him. As a young boy, he was heavily influenced by an Apache friend of his father’s named Bill Russell. Apache Bill took Nicholas and others on long walks in the desert, pointing out pot sherds and arrowheads left by “the Old Ones.” And Bill would make his bicep twitch, explaining he had trapped a frog there and would let it out when the rains came. This novel is not meant to be an accurate depiction of any culture or belief. The important values that drive the novel were taught by Nicholas’ parents, Apache Bill, the O’odham, and other indigenous peoples of the southwest. The smattering of Spanish pays homage to Mexican friends whose families have made the southwest their home for generations.
Nicholas, his wife Kate, and their two Malamutes now live in the mountains of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico.
Hi Nicholas, welcome to Reader Views! What is Warriors of the Red Wolf about, and what was your inspiration for writing the story?
My tongue-in-cheek answer is that the Sacred Wind inspired me to write this, but there is also a measure of truth to that statement. I was inspired by dreams and a deep connection to the natural world. Warriors of the Red Wolf is a story of love for the diverse peoples and places that comprise our world and the fight to protect them from the dark forces that seek to overpower and separate them.
The Sacred Wind plays a crucial role in guiding Mia and her people. How did this mystical element develop, and what deeper meaning does it hold?
The Sacred Wind is a manifestation of the generative life force flowing through the world. It connects all people of goodwill to one another, to the animals, the plants, the earth, and those who have gone before us. It connects our hopes and dreams to the tangible world around us.
Mia’s leadership is both a strength and a burden. What was most important to you in shaping her journey as a leader?
Mia is a great leader because she makes her decisions based on what she knows is best for her people’s prosperity and survival. She loves them all and is a leader, not because she desires wealth, or power, or control of others, but because she sees her leadership as the sacred duty required of her as she develops her ability to communicate with the Sacred Wind.
The Warriors of the Hilltop embark on a perilous search for a new home. What stakes make this journey so urgent, and what obstacles define their path?
The Warriors leave their home rather than fight their own people who have succumbed to greed. They love the land where they were born but must make this sacrifice to avoid conflict. On their journey to find a new home, they encounter many obstacles. They confront an old enemy: the man who infected their village with greed. They encounter the Shapeshifter: an evil force, blown in out of the dark mystery of the cosmos to oppose the Sacred Wind. And they free children from a vile couple who torture and kill those who don’t conform to the couple’s sick philosophy that all who are different should be despised. The three dark forces are all connected: the people’s old enemy who spreads greed, the Shapeshifter who wants unfettered power and control, and the couple who preach conformity and persecution of others.
Your novel weaves together striking landscapes and rich mythology. What influences shaped the world of Warriors of the Red Wolf?
I have always been in love with the natural world and am fortunate to have been prompted by my parents and some of their Indigenous friends to embark on a quest to discover deeper connections with the world around me.
The relationships within Mia’s family and the larger Warrior community add emotional depth to the story. How do these bonds drive the narrative?
They highlight the importance of unity and the various contributions each of the Warriors (although they have different skills) make to overcoming the greater struggles they face.
Ho’e’s humor and loyalty offer a contrast to the dangers the Warriors face, while Little Brother’s transformation is a key arc. What role do they play in Mia’s personal and leadership journey?
As Ho-e says when asked by one of the children to explain how he knew that Mia was about to give up near the end: ‘We shared our thoughts and feelings and experiences, just as all people who care for one another should do. It eases the pain and suffering that burdens us . . . and the doubt we all feel from time to time.’ Mia’s interaction with both Ho-e and Little Brother, as well as with other members of her extended family, show that she is a leader who is not afraid to let others lead and that she values and respects the contributions of all.
The Nightmare Ogre, Groo’yo demons, and the Shapeshifter create a formidable force of darkness. What do they represent, and how do they challenge the Warriors?
They challenge the depth of the Warriors’ commitment to the forces of unity, diversity, and love of nature.
Symbols like the raven and the Sacred Wind deepen the novel’s themes of fate and survival. What inspired these elements, and how do they shape the story?
Indigenous mythology from many world cultures inspired these elements. The Sacred Wind flows over the world in circles and spirals, is the generative force of the universe, and reveals paths toward unity and peace. The ravens reinforce the theme of our connections to the animal world and to our animal helpers.
Folklore and mythology seem to pulse through the narrative. Were there specific traditions or legends that influenced your storytelling?
I was raised in Southern Arizona and was heavily influenced by the Apache, Navajo, Hopi, and O’odham People and the landscapes of the Southwest. I also draw from Norse and Celtic mythology and was inspired by the beliefs and deep connections to the natural world these cultures have in common.
Beyond physical trials, the Warriors face inner conflicts of doubt, duty, and trust. How do these struggles elevate the emotional stakes of the story?
These struggles highlight the fact that the Warriors not only face very real external threats, but they face threats within themselves: the urge to run, to desert their people, to give in to grief over the loss of loved ones, or to allow themselves to succumb to evil forces enveloping the once-peaceful land.
Mia and her people must face an ancient evil that could imprison them all. What makes this confrontation so pivotal, and how does it tie into the book’s larger themes?
At the nexus of the confrontation with this ancient evil, the character Bragi sings the song that ties the struggle into the novel’s larger themes:
Gladly I die here
With my brothers and sisters
Gladly I die
I am joyful
For I die as a Warrior
For justice and freedom
To protect the innocent ones
To defeat the hatred
With my brothers and sisters
Gladly I die here
The camaraderie among the Warriors stands in stark contrast to the dangers they face. How does this interplay shape the reader’s experience?
The answer to this question is closely related to the one about the Warriors facing inner conflicts of doubt, duty, and trust. As the Warriors face both external and internal conflicts they begin to understand that they will only survive through personal courage, faith in one another, trust in their leadership, sacrifice for the greater good, and belief in the Sacred Wind’s breath of love.
Leadership, sacrifice, and unity are recurring themes in the novel. What lasting message do you hope readers take away from these elements?
I can’t think of a better lasting message to sum up what I want the reader to take away from this novel than the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Join with the Earth and each other, to bring new life to the land, to restore the waters, to refresh the air, to renew the forests, to care for the plants, to protect the creatures, to celebrate the seas, to rejoice in the sunlight, to sing the song of the stars, to recall our destiny, to renew our spirits, to reinvigorate our bodies, to recreate the human community, to promote justice and peace, to love our children and love one another, to join together as many and diverse expressions of one loving mystery, for the healing of the Earth and the renewal of all life.”
As a sequel to Seasons of the Blue Pearl, how does Warriors of the Red Wolf expand the world and themes of the first book?
The first book explores the evil of greed and the nightmare world that leads people to fear confronting those who bring disharmony to an otherwise peaceful people. Warriors of the Red Wolf explores the evils of promoting conformity, the lust for power and control over others, and the dangers of severing our connections to the earth that sustains us.
If you could further explore any character or aspect of the story, what would you expand upon and why?
I would expand the characters of Tiaret, Little Sister, and Drifa. All three are strong female characters from three different cultures who embody the themes of diversity, sacrifice for the common good, and overcoming personal hardships to defeat dark forces that threaten a peaceful community.
What was the most rewarding aspect of bringing Warriors of the Red Wolf to life?
The sincere hope that I’ve created a story with the themes of unity, diversity, sacrifice for the common good, and love of the world around us.
What’s next for you on your writing journey?
I’m not certain what the future holds. I’ve drafted about 5000 words of a possible prequel to Blue Pearl and Warriors of the Red Wolf, but I’m not sure yet if I will continue it.
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