The Wolf in the Clouds

Ron Faust (1936-2011) worked in the newspaper industry in Key West, Colorado Springs, and San Diego. He elected to play professional baseball in the 1950s, but left the sport after just 25 games and two seasons. His first published novel was Snowkill, published in 1970. He authored 14 more books before his passing, most of which are high adventure novels that incorporate skiing, mountain climbing, and philosophy. His intense thriller The Wolf in the Clouds is an avalanche-themed survival novel that also features a deranged psychopath. The book was originally published as a hardcover by Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1977 and in paperback by Popular Library the same year. 

Jack is a family man with a wife and two young children. He works for the U.S. Forestry Service and specializes in avalanche prevention and recovery. As the book begins, Jack's co-worker Frank arrives at Jack's house and explains that their assignment is to retrieve three college kids who have vacationed in a secluded, faraway cabin near the top of fictitious Mt. Wolf. As the two leave the house, Jack's wife begs him to consider moving his job to a different area of expertise or a safer geographical area. 

En route to the base of the mountain, Jack discovers Frank has brought a rifle for the rescue mission. In a philosophical debate that permeates throughout the novel, Jack argues that the gun is not the answer. He questions Frank's intentions and explains that the homicidal maniac was once a friend and co-worker. It's explained that the maniac is Ralph, a quiet man who befriended Jack a year or two earlier on the job. Ralph even rescued Jack during an avalanche, so the two share a bond. Yet, Jack understands Ralph's psychotic tendencies. The killer murdered his landlord and shot several skiers before running from fugitives into the icy wilderness. He's a mass shooter on the run, which is ultimately Frank's defense in bringing a rifle for the rescue. Smart guy.

Eventually, Jack and Frank reach the mountaintop and meet with the three college kids. Ralph arrives as well, and all Hell breaks loose. People are shot and killed, Ralph takes the cabin and captures Jack and two college kids. The novel's second half is a high-tension cat-and-mouse affair as Jack talks with Ralph to de-escalate the situation. Yet without a gun, Jack realizes his efforts are useless and likely to cost him his life. No one is getting out of the cabin without a struggle.

The Wolf in the Clouds is an excellent thriller that incorporates philosophy and high adventure. Jack is aloof and weak, the opposite of a paperback warrior. The idea of combatting violence without violence sounds great in theory, but spells disaster for these college kids and Jack. Despite Jack's efforts to talk to Ralph, the maniac ultimately descends into some really dark places fueled by sexual frustration, psychotic fantasies, and a deep desire to kill people to liberate their Earthly bodies for a space trip. Ralph is the cult leader without a cult, Jack is the white-hatted hero without a gun. Faust blends all of these into a fascinating novel that piqued my interest in his bibliography. Recommended. Get his books HERE.