I am an audiobook fanatic. Mostly I stick to sci-fi, fantasy, and other things that could never happen. There are a few books that I liked, but I’ve only truly learned to adore since I became a dog person. Sometimes all a book needs is a dog glad-handing to take it from entertaining to completely delightful.
My favorite series in this category is Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles, which starts with Hounded. The series co-stars Oberon, the Irish Wolfhound. Of course he can talk to his person because fantasy is awesome like that. This allows him to nerd out over all the right books and movies, bargain for sausages, and insert an amazing amount of humor into books that were already pretty funny.
Another notable piece of dog literature is the third book in the Howl’s Moving Castle series by Diana Wynne Jones. House Of Many Ways features Waif, a disreputable-looking magical mutt. She can change her size, navigate corridors that bend time and space, protect her person from monsters, and use her cuteness to acquire people food and generally do what she wants.
What’s your favorite book starring a dog? Anything important I’m missing?
4 replies on “Fiction For Dog Lovers”
Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy, in which the dogs/wolf are very important characters. And this woman knows the difference between dogs and wolves, and it is awesome. Be warned: bad things sometimes happen to them, as they are main characters. I almost stopped reading at several tragic points. But if you press on (after taking a moment to perhaps yell or cry) you will be rewarded.
Passages by Connie Willis has a dog, who is actually pretty peripheral to the story and is probably a symbol for something (but I tend to be a pretty literal reader). It’s not a fun book, but it’s a GOOD book. And one of the few that made me cry.
OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN. Lirael and Abhorsen, books 2 and 3 of the Abhorsen Trilogy have The Disreputable Dog “Or Disreputable Bitch, really, if you want to be precise.” She is constantly doing weird things, but she appears out of nothingness just to be the main character’s friend. And she’s awesome.
Katie MacAlister’s Aisling Grey series (and the series that follow) have Jim, who is a demon who prefers to be in the form of a slobbery Newfie. (Most demons prefer to be in human form, as they see that as the most powerful form, but Jim just wants to eat hamburgers and pee anywhere he wants.)
Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie HAS a dog that they call a “Con Dog.” It’s mostly a plot moppet, but you can totally see this hound just following people around, looking sad, and getting handouts for it.
The Dresden Chronicles has Mouse, a Tibetan Foo Dog, who starts out as a tiny puppy, but as the series goes on grows in size and page time. It becomes clear that he is not just a dog, but a magical entity in his own right.
I…..hope that helps. I guess.
I might read this for the Foo Dog alone!