Some recent Indie titles have gone to the dogs—and that’s a good thing. There are few more direct routes to a reader’s heart than a well-observed dog story, and the following examples—which range from science fiction thrills to fantastical whimsy to naturalistic sentiment—goose the formula by putting the canines’ points of view front and center (keep a handkerchief handy). For anyone who has gazed lovingly into the eyes of a furry companion and wondered just what was going on behind them, these books offer some intriguing possibilities.
In Bone of Contention, the final installment of Jan S. Gephart’s SF trilogy, genetically modified dogs with telepathic capabilities work alongside humans to police a deep-space station called Rana. The canine cops are outfitted with special collars that allow them to talk, and they are recognized by the Ranans as sentient beings—they’re people. Gephart’s worldbuilding makes for an immersive reading experience, and the narrative includes exciting action scenes, but the novel is truly distinguished by the characterizations of the leads, Rex and Shady, a very good boy and girl indeed. Rex credibly evolves from a law enforcement operative to a political figure beset by insecurities about his responsibilities, while the pragmatic Shady exudes empathy. Our reviewer notes that “reflective interludes” in which the dogs process drama “add emotional weight” and praises the author’s “careful attention to character perspectives.”
Timothy Brushett’s YA fantasy novel Crusoe and the Stone Gardener follows the adventures of the titular pooch as he navigates magical phenomena in a Nova Scotian public park. An ancient evil called Thaur Halda has been corrupting Crusoe’s stomping grounds of Dartmouth Commons. A young elf named Elena befriends the dog, learns his tragic history (Crusoe lost two human companions and is wary of forming new connections), and enlists him to protect a new gardener working to restore the Commons from the influence of Thaur Halda. Brushett has created a compellingly detailed mythology for the elves and the park; our reviewer calls it a “beautiful and well-written” story, touting the novel’s “lush details invoking all of the senses” while asserting that readers will find “Crusoe an easy protagonist to root for as he learns about himself and finds his way to a loving family.”
Forever Ripley, a middle-grade novel by McCall Hoyle, is in the tradition of such heart-wrenching fare as John Grogan’s Marley and Me. In Hoyle’s story, Ripley, a retired Wildlife Law Enforcement dog, lives to support her human family: a young girl named Charlie and Charlie’s mother, Amelia, whose husband (Charlie’s father) died five years before the events of the novel. When it becomes clear that Ripley, who suffers from osteosarcoma, will soon die herself, Charlie and Amelia endeavor to make her final days joyful even as the dog, ever the faithful protector, rallies to shield her humans from dangerous poachers. The story is told from Ripley’s perspective and cannily centers her sensory impressions, as when she registers the “nervous chemicals [that] tint [Charlie’s] breath.” Our reviewer calls the book “passionate and tender,” extolling the narrative as an “affecting emotional roller coaster.”
Arthur Smith is an Indie editor.
