Hawken Wolf
About
EARNED A BOOKY AWARD FOR BEST SCI-FI CONCEPT
Hawken Wolf was raised to disappear.
Hidden deep in the Montana mountains, his family prepared for disaster with weapons, buried supplies, escape routes, and one rule: survive what others never see coming. But nothing could have prepared Hawken for the night the sky broke open.
When alien ships strike, Hawken loses almost everything. His home is destroyed. His family is taken. His dog, Tex, is the only thing left beside him when the enemy drags him into a world of cages, tests, and brutal alien arenas.
The Overseer calls it selection.
Hawken calls it war.
Forced to fight beside captives from Earth and beyond, Hawken must learn who can be trusted and what the aliens truly want. And why his mother’s strange radio signal may be the key to freeing them all. With Tex at his side and rebellion growing in the shadows, Hawken discovers the Empire is not just building soldiers.
It is breeding weapons.
Hawken Wolf may be the one thing the invaders never saw coming.
Hawken Wolf: Rise of the Taken is a fast-paced alien invasion survival adventure filled with military sci-fi action, alien arenas, found allies, rebellion, and one loyal dog who refuses to leave his human behind.
Trailer
Praise for this book
Hawken Wolf: Rise of the Taken is a fast-paced sci fi fantasy novel that blends survival, identity, and rebellion into a gripping narrative. The story follows Hawken, a young man thrust out of his normal life and into a brutal off-world system where humans—referred to as “the Taken”—are forced to fight, train, and adapt under alien control.
The book shines most in its World building. The concept of the “Taken”—humans ripped from Earth and repurposed as expendable soldiers—creates a dark, high-stakes universe. The environments are vividly described, ranging from hostile alien landscapes to militarized training zones, giving the story a constant sense of tension and danger.
The plot centers on Hawken’s transformation. At the beginning, he is reactive and overwhelmed, but as the story progresses, he becomes more strategic and determined, eventually challenging the system that enslaves him. The “rise” mentioned in the title reflects both his personal growth and the beginnings of organized resistance.
Hawken is a solid protagonist, especially for readers who enjoy character-driven action. His development—from confused survivor to emerging leader—is believable and engaging. Supporting characters, particularly fellow Taken, provide emotional depth and highlight different responses to captivity: fear, anger, loyalty, and rebellion.
Hawken Wolf: Rise of the Taken is an entertaining and thought-provoking sci fi adventure that will appeal to fans of survival stories and alien-world settings. While it doesn’t break entirely new ground, it delivers a compelling hero’s journey with enough emotional weight and action to keep readers engaged.
Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Hawken Wolf: Rise of the Taken by Karen L West is a gripping military sci-fi story that captures the confusion and fear of an unfolding alien invasion. One scene that stayed with me was the family gathered around the radio, listening to fragmented emergency transmissions about downed installations and aircraft, as the realization slowly set in that this is not drill. Readers who enjoy tense first-contact scenarios, survival stories, and character-driven military science fiction will find this an exciting and immersive read. 5 Stars!
I love how the book makes you think that Hawken's family was preparing for a typical disaster when, in fact, they were preparing for an impending alien invasion. Then in Chapter 2, we can feel the hurry and desperation of trying to understand what's happening. The breaking point is when Hawken is abducted and has to rely on his father's survival drills and his faithful dog, Tex. The bond with the dog provides a wonderful emotional anchor amidst all the chaos. I liked that this book moved beyond a simple alien-abduction story; it also has layers of mystery that kept me turning pages, like when Hawken aligns with Cyn, Bull, and Mackenzie - other resilient captives - and they start unearthing the conspiracy and discover Project Lazarus. Overall, it's a very enjoyable read. 5 STARS!!
ENTERTAINING!
Great action-packed alien invasion sci-fi story. His bond with his dog, Tex, throughout the story keeps it real. He not only has to survive an alien invasion, but try to get is family back and try to stop the plan the aliens have in store.
Hawken Wolf: Rise of the Taken arrives with a premise that science fiction readers have appetite for — abduction, arena trials, alien empire — and Karen L. West executes it with enough propulsive confidence to carry genre readers through without apology. The book earns its Booky on Genre Execution because it understands what the form demands and delivers it on schedule: a survivalist opening that doubles as character backstory, an alien abduction rendered in sensory fragments rather than expository blocks, and an arena combat sequence that moves with genuine kinetic energy.