Dog Walker

By: Jack McGuigan

Narrated by: Travis Baldree

Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

Ben Carter, pet care specialist, is hired to walk a Shiba Inu named Toby. Unbeknownst to Ben, Toby is no ordinary dog but an inugami - an immortal demon born in feudal Japan and bred for only one purpose...murder.

A mysterious cult seeks to capture the inugami and harness its power for evil. With the help of an elderly luchador and a cop with a heart of gold, Ben must protect Toby and uncover the secret of the Tengu before the cultists can unleash the beast and the bloodlust claims the inugami once more.

©2016 Gorilla House (P)2022 Gorilla House

Grab a leash and a muzzle, trouble is afoot!!!

Holy crap! This is one of those books that slams into you blindside, grabs you by the ankle and drags you around the park until you pass out. This has all the wackiness and silliness of Big Trouble in Little China fused with John Dies at the End weirdness. Its light heart and goofiness will distract you from the real dangers to be found in this book, Stoney and Fergie.
The book is one laugh after another, with a touch of action, adventure, and attitude tossed in every couple of pages to keep things interesting. I don’t understand how Jack McGuigan came up with a fifth of the stuff he did, such as a Samurai Luchador. Oh, and the man can really paint a picture, some scenes in the hellscape are so vivid you might think that he had visited and taken pictures. While this isn’t a book that you would expect things like character growth in, somehow it is there. That is what I really loved about this book; the Unpredictability of it all. You never know what is coming next, and more often than not your suspicions are off as well. This is best enjoyed by just sitting back and letting Travis Baldree carry you into another world.
Speaking of our humble narrator I think this book would have suffered in somebody else’s hands. It is his comedic timing and impeccable flair for the absurd that makes this book go from ridiculous to plausible but funny. I really enjoyed listening to him work his magic. Plus, he does it almost straight faced. You can tell he’s got a wink going every time he hits a line, but it never comes across as if he is not honoring the material. Just the opposite, in fact. You can tell he respects every line he is reading.

This is a great stand-alone novel. It wraps up everything quite nicely, and when it is done you leave satisfied. Sure you’ll want more later, but you can always go back for another laugh later. Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.

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characters are incredibly fun and likable

I love this book. Ben Carter is a clumsy, unlucky guy who walks dogs and picks up poop all day while trying to write a screenplay between charges. He seems to have about as much success with his work in progress as he does with the dogs and running out of bags at the wrong time. Of course, he's got a crush on the Blonde Hipster Girl he sees during his walks, and, when she asks him out one evening, he has no idea what he's in for.

The author, Jack McGuigan, has quite an imagination and sense of humor. The creatures and settings he created are phenomenal. The story is fantastic with a moderate pace and just the right amount of twists and surprises. It isn't very scary but definitely a bit dark and disturbing at times. The writing is clever and vivid. I won't spoil too much for you by giving the best lines, but phrases like “eye butt” and “his head looked like a thumb that had been in the bath too long” have a way of hitting just the right synapses. I chuckled throughout the whole thing – both times I listened to it.

The characters are incredibly fun and likable. My favorites are the (probably) alcoholic and hilarious luchador, “Dragon Mask”, and the Shiba Inu (being a sweet, though stubborn, pet when he's not a murderous beast), aside from our obviously unlikely hero. There are a handful of characters not to like, and one or two to despise.

I was thankful this didn't turn into an all-out romantic comedy. It was a nice combination of (occasionally dark) urban fantasy, action, and adventure, and comedy – with just a sprinkle of horror. The “s” word is used a few times but otherwise, the language isn't too bad. There are elements of gore, violence, and animal cruelty, though I think the ends will justify the means for most readers. I'd say mature teens could handle this.

The narrator, Travis Baldree, was excellent! He played a whole gamut of characters flawlessly, from an old, scornful woman, to a Hispanic female, to a Japanese luchador, and a mother at her wit’s end. The range of voices this guy can do is seriously impressive. I looked more than once to see if he was the only narrator. His voice acting and narration were phenomenal. I really liked the story but I don't think the book would have been nearly as amusing if I had simply read it. I certainly have a new favorite narrator. The production of this audiobook was flawless, sound quality was fantastic, and the only sound effects I picked up on that the narrator didn't do were pen writing sounds while Ben was writing notes. They were perfect for the story. Otherwise, sounds like the “dee-dee-dee-dee” of an alarm are voiced quite convincingly.

Although this is most definitely a stand-alone novel, there's a sequel in the making and I can't wait to hear it.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog.

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Awesome, light read!

Where does Dog Walker rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's one of my favorites, for sure. Not one of those "oh jeez, this one ranks among Dickens and Tolstoi", but one I'll certainly recommend to those I can.

Who was your favorite character and why?

LUCHADOR AWESOMENESS!

Which character – as performed by Travis Baldree – was your favorite?

Dragon Mask was really enjoyable. Travis was able to make him sound as I pictured him in my mind: old, tough, and fun.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed more than I cried, but I did feel emotional in one or two scenes.

Any additional comments?

Someone else has already said it, but here goes: MOVIE VERSION, PLEASE!

BEST BOOK + EYEBUTTS

Any additional comments?

It has been a long time since I have loved a book as much as I did "Dog Walker." This odd paranormal horror story centers around a young man who makes his living as a dog walker. When he is assigned a certain Shiba Inu, he discovers that the dog, Toby, is more than he seems. In fact, Toby is a demon designed for ultimate destruction! Dog Walker Ben and Demon Dog Toby team up with an elderly luchador and a badass female cop to fight the cult that wants control of the canine murder machine. This story is silly, spooky, unique, fun, ridiculous, hilarious and hard to put down. I have *never* listened to a book that had me laughing over and over again like this one did. McGuigan has spun a tale that I will never forget, with a promise of a sequel I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on. Travis Baldree delivers a performance so fantastic I thought I was listening to an old time radio show. His comedic timing, accepts and just general acting chops were a brilliant fit for this story; he really brought the characters to life in a way that I found truly enthralling and impressive. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys unusual, outrageous, hilarious stories about demons and dogs. 10/10 I will definitely be listening to this one again!

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

eyeball bholes

If you could sum up Dog Walker in three words, what would they be?

Funny little horror

What did you like best about this story?

I really enjoyed the characters, the humans, animals, and demons. A lot of attention was given to the personalities of the dogs as well which if overlooked wouldn't have made this as fun. And who doesn't like eyeball butt demons?

What about Travis Baldree’s performance did you like?

He did a great job overall. I liked his voice and cadence. The Luchador was my favorite. Travis was very fitting for this story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It is a comedy so it did make me laugh. Look forward to the sequel.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

I loved this book so much

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Absolutely loved this book. It is kind of silly, very entertaining and very engaging. I honestly loved everything about it. The narration is fantastic and really brought the book to life. If you are a fan of the horror genre, or are interested in an example of it done really well, this is a good book to pick up.

Best fun story ever!

Aside from a very interesting premise (a dog that is a Japanese demon but... still a dog!?), this story is wonderfully creative and fun. It borrows a lot from Japanese folklore, but it's a ride all of its own.

The characters are simple in a relatable way, and managed to make me teary eyed in a couple of moments, while bursting out in laughter in so many others. This book also features some of the best (or worst?) villains ever, so there's also that.

The beginning is a little slow while it sets the scene, but speed picks up and doesn't drop until the end.

Narration is top notch. Character voices were identifiable and captured the appropriate emotions, and I didn't get any cringy pronunciation hiccups even with some specific Japanese words that popped up sometimes.

All in all, a really captivating book told in a captivating manner. It won't win any literary awards, but I must say I would totally pay multiple entries to see this in the movies.

An Enjoyably Fun, Fast Read

Ben Carter wants to be a writer but hasn’t been able to make that happen. In the mean time, he works as a dog walker. He gets an assignment to walk Toby, an easy going Shiba Inu. What Ben doesn’t know, but will soon find out is that Toby isn’t really a dog. Toby is actually a powerful inugami. A Japanese demon bred for murder. Toby is also being hunted by a cult that wants to use him for evil. “The Dog Walker” is a fun, fast read that’s a welcome change from vampires, werewolves and wizards. It’s definitely worth your time.

Finally, this audio book was provided by the author at no cost in exchange for an honest review, courtesy of Audio Book Boom.

Who Knew Walking a Dog was so dangerous?

What did you love best about Dog Walker?

I loved the characters, the writing, and the plot line. Soo... um- everything!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dog Walker?

When Ben realized Toby was not "just a dog", the drunk Master, the flaking human skin, when Ben learns the girl's name and realizes he still crushes on her

Have you listened to any of Travis Baldree’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I was introduced to Travis in The Novices and he had a thumb attached to my funny bone. This book was not as comedic, but he is a masterful storyteller who excels in different genres.

Any additional comments?

I was genuinely pleasantly surprised by how quickly I got lost in this book! The book description leads one to think it was paranormal with plots tied to folklore, but I was blown away at how entertaining and incredible it delivered. This was a fantastic listen! An excellent blend of talent -both the author and narrator.

Hilarious and twisted story

'Dog Walker' is about a pet care specialist named Ben who is hired to walk a Shiba Inu named Toby. Unbeknownst to him, Toby is also a inugami, an immortal demon born in feudal Japan. To make matters worse, a dangerous cult wants to use Toby for their own nefarious purposes.

What I liked about the story is it manages to be hilarious without turning into a farce. The stakes feel real and there's some genuine drama and pathos. I think this could easily make for a great horror-comedy film in the hands of someone like James Gunn.

Travis Baldree does a good job narrating the story. His default voice is perfect for the everyman protagonist but he also manages to deliver a number of other convincing voices, with the Japanese luchadora stealing the show.

fantastic

oh my goodness, what to say about Dog Walker!
well, fantastical, funny, engaging and I think my new favourite story! I have over 300+ books in my audible library and this book just about beat the socks off of all of them 😁 narration also 1st class. please Jack mcguigan bring out dog walker 2 on Audible asap as cannot wait to hear more of the adventures Ben and Toby get up to. I loved it. Thank you xxx

Where's the movie?

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, yes I would and I have! I asked the author for a copy I could listen and review, just because I am particularly fond of shiba inus, and then - BAM! - I couldn't stop listening! It starts off slow but then picks up the pace, and then it keeps getting better and better. It felt more like a movie to me, I could picture things in my mind perfectly even though the author didn't spend pages upon pages describing little details, and that worked out great, too!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dog Walker?

There were many: I loved all dogs and how different they were, I loved how Blonde Hipster Girl (BHG) always made me laugh, I loved how different yokai behaved. However, the moments that were most memorable to me were those related to Dragon Mask. He was one of the most interesting characters in the book.

What about Travis Baldree’s performance did you like?

Travis Beldree's performance was great! He did the voice acting really well, his characters were all distinct and had a special something, and he even managed to make female voices not annoying! His narration was nothing close to boring, as he made action scenes very different from dramatic ones or even descriptive ones. 10/10 would listen again.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

While all this book is very unexpected, I wasn't expecting to feel so emotional during the scene we see Dragon Mask as an old, tired man. Travis did a wonderful job narrating what Jack wrote.

Any additional comments?

I want to see this as a movie, and I'm pretty sure it has every chance of being as - or even maybe more - entertaining as the book. If we're talking superheroes, this book would be Guardians of the Galaxy or maybe The Avengers instead of Nolan's Dark Knight. I get that it might not be everyone's cup of tea. Anxiously awaiting Dog Walker II!