THE STORM

If a dog wrote a book about the adventures of a dog, it would sound almost exactly like this, although some people might think the dog was exaggerating a bit.

It’s possible readers have never thought about what a dog would say if dogs could talk. But Lorentz, very credibly, creates an entire dog vocabulary. A vacuum is a floor-sucker. A television is a light-window. Afternoon is midsun. One midsun, the light-window shows a storm coming, and the dog is abandoned by his human family. By chapter two, the city is nothing but dogs, and the main character, Shep, has to find shelter, even if it means battling whole packs of wild canines. Lorentz moves from fight scenes to tidal waves at a pace that would leave White Fang or Bodger gasping. In fact, this trilogy opener sometimes resembles a television series, with wacky characters who argue and make up in the end. There are far too many of these characters, and cynical readers may start picturing the Happy Meal toys. But even jaded children will want to know what happens next, and there are some genuine surprises. Not every moment is plausible—can dogs really open locks?—but the story is never dull.

Even readers who don’t consider themselves dog people may start seeing the world from Shep’s point of view and turning the pages faster and faster.