The Dog Stars by Peter Heller: A Believable Novel About the End of the World
A Book of Survival and Hope
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller is science fiction so the fact that I read it is sort of amazing. I almost put it down when I started reading it but am so glad I hung in there!
This novel about the end of the world--well, about the few remaining humans left in the world--is compelling and believable saving it from the didn't-finish-it book pile.
If you enjoy reading science fiction that's not too over the top or a really good book that asks you to just go with it and trust it's worth the journey, The Dog Stars is for you.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
The Dog Stars, A Novel - by Peter Heller
Do You Like Reading Science Fiction Books?
Do You Like Reading Science Fiction Books?
A Man and His Dog
In The Dog Stars, Hig and his dog Jasper survived a flu that wiped out most of the world's population.
I don't know about you, but I like to read a book or watch a movie with little outside influence. I don't read reviews of books or movies beforehand. I want to like it or not on my own.
So, with that in mind, and without giving too much away, here are some details about this novel.
Main Characters: Hig, Jasper (Hig's dog), Bangley
Setting: the Front Range of Colorado, north of Denver, and beyond
Time: undetermined but in the future because at one point the movie Avatar is mentioned as an older movie
Hig's Hobbies: fishing, hunting, hanging out with Jasper, putting up with Bangley, flying his 1956 Cessna plane
Image Credit: Colorado digital elevation model map in the public domain courtesy of the USGS.
An Exchange Between Hig and Pony Tail
Pony Tail: The A-rabs. You can kill us
but the A-rabs will kill you.
Hig: What d'you mean the A-rabs?
Pony Tail: We heard it. In Pueblo. Ham radio.
The A-rabs. They're here. Or coming. Kill us all."
~ from The Dog Stars
Have You Read The Dog Stars by Peter Heller?
Have You Read The Dog Stars by Peter Heller?
Well Written but Breaks Lots of Rules
Peter Heller is an excellent writer.
He's written three nonfiction books, and
writes for NPR and magazines like
National Geographic Adventure and Outside Magazine.
But in The Dog Stars, since this is a novel where rules
can and often are broken, he takes great liberties.
He uses little punctuation.
No quotation marks. Sentences run on.
But it's okay. It's a different time.
Practically all of society is gone so
why waste time on things like that?
Time to Spectulate
How Do You Think the World Will End?
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