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From Library Journal In this fantastical work, canines assume human get-ups while one outcast man, Reuben Smart, attains a certain doggishness from being chained outside with the family dogs for a year as a child. After much abuse suffered at the hands of dog-shooting masters, animals gather in a revolutionary pack to attack their human tyrants, routing them from the island of Terra Futura. Other incredible entities include a flying car and a magician who transforms from human to horse to giant corgi. Under obvious allegorical guise, the author rails against the anthropocentric economics and politics of Homo sapiens. Only mildly amusing, often violent, and fairly incoherent, this doggerel novel does not match up to better animal fantasies like Richard Adams's Watership Down ( LJ 4/15/74) and The Plague Dogs ( LJ 4/1/78). Recommended only for canine collections and William Wegman's private library.- Sheila Riley, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, D.C.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
After enduring years of abuse from human masters, a pack of dogs rises in a violent revolution to reclaim their autonomy on the island of Terra Futura. Reuben Smart, a man who spent his childhood chained alongside dogs and consequently developed canine traits, finds himself caught between the worlds of human tyranny and animal uprising. The narrative explores the shifting boundaries between species through a series of surreal encounters, including magical transformations and technological anomalies. The story functions as a biting critique of human economic and political structures, utilizing the perspective of the oppressed animals to expose the flaws of anthropocentric society.
Reception for this work has been largely critical, with reviewers noting its disjointed nature and uneven execution. Critics have frequently compared it to more established animal fantasies, often finding it lacking in narrative cohesion and thematic clarity. While the allegorical intent is clear, the delivery is often described as violent and occasionally incoherent. The work is generally viewed as a niche interest, primarily appealing to those with a specific fascination for canine-themed literature rather than a broad audience.
Page Count:
236
Publication Date:
1994-01-01
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
0207177368
ISBN-13:
9780207177361
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