The Dog Stars

By: Peter Heller

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

A riveting, powerful novel about a pilot living in a world filled with loss - and what he is willing to risk to rediscover, against all odds, connection, love, and grace.

Hig survived the flu that killed everyone he knows. His wife is gone, his friends are dead, he lives in the hangar of a small abandoned airport with his dog, his only neighbor a gun-toting misanthrope. In his 1956 Cessna, Hig flies the perimeter of the airfield or sneaks off to the mountains to fish and to pretend that things are the way they used to be. But when a random transmission somehow beams through his radio, the voice ignites a hope deep inside him that a better life - something like his old life - exists beyond the airport.

Risking everything, he flies past his point of no return - not enough fuel to get him home - following the trail of the static-broken voice on the radio. But what he encounters and what he must face - in the people he meets, and in himself - is both better and worse than anything he could have hoped for.

Narrated by a man who is part warrior and part dreamer, a hunter with a great shot and a heart that refuses to harden, The Dog Stars is both savagely funny and achingly sad, a breathtaking story about what it means to be human.

©2012 Peter Heller (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Richly evocative yet streamlined journal entries propel the high-stakes plot while simultaneously illuminating Hig's nuanced states of mind as isolation and constant vigilance exact their toll, along with his sorrow for the dying world.... Heller's surprising and irresistible blend of suspense, romance, social insight, and humor creates a cunning form of cognitive dissonance neatly pegged by Hig as an apocalyptic parody of Norman Rockwell...a novel, that is, of spiky pleasure and signal resonance." ( Booklist)

"In the tradition of postapocalyptic literary fiction such as Cormac McCarthy's The Road and Jim Crace's The Pesthouse, this hypervisceral first novel by adventure writer Heller ( Kook) takes place nine years after a superflu has killed off much of mankind.... With its evocative descriptions of hunting, fishing, and flying, this novel, perhaps the world's most poetic survival guide, reads as if Billy Collins had novelized one of George Romero's zombie flicks. From start to finish, Heller carries the reader aloft on graceful prose, intense action, and deeply felt emotion." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Leave it to Peter Heller to imagine a post-apocalyptic world that contains as much loveliness as it does devastation. His likable hero, Hig, flies around what was once Colorado in his 1956 Cessna, chasing all the same things we chase in these pre-annihilation days: love, friendship, the solace of the natural world, the chance to perform some small kindness, and a good dog for a co-pilot. The Dog Stars is a wholly compelling and deeply engaging debut." (Pam Houston, author of Contents May Have Shifted)

Great first novel.

We really enjoyed his book, well thought out, timely topic of survival. The characters were very believable. Can't wait to see what his next novel offers.

I'm not an 'apocalypse' story-type girl, but...

...I loved this book. Engaging, thought provoking and I couldn't wait until the next time I could listen. Well worth it.

If A Poet Were to Write A Post-Apocalyptic Novel

What did you love best about The Dog Stars?

4.0 Stars
“The Dog Stars” will definitely take a special place in the pantheon of post-apocalyptic literature. This novel will mark a definite fork in the genre. A fork where future novels of this type will focus more on the human emotional impact of the survivors not just the details of their struggle to survive. Personally, I believe it will be as important to the genre as “The Book of Job” is to the development of monotheistic theology.
Mr. Heller’s writing style is unique. His clipped short sentences are great for moving the story along. However, he does not always stay with them. He sometimes gets very descriptive and ventures off into hunting – fishing – flying tangents that are both informative and entertaining. In a few instances these digressions are overly long and distracting. Taken as a whole his writing style in the book beautiful and a pleasure to read.
One last note: Toward the end of the novel, the author includes some sex scenes that are very detailed and descriptive without being erotic. Still not sure how he did that.
Recommended: Yes

Thinking mans story

Very interesting story that gives a glimpse of what might become of us. Wish there was more closure at the end but does not surprise me the author left the story as he did. I would call this a "thinking mans" story. He does wax poetically a lot but it also inspires the listener to reflect themselves.

loyalty to one's own and death over a can of soda

What becomes of humanity years after a killer plague ravishes the world? This is a compelling story of what could happen in a kill or be killed world that felt all too possible (though if a sign saying you've got a killer blood disease keeps others from preying on you, you'd think more people would post that sign! ). This book has glimpses of the best of humanity when the worst has become the norm. I enjoyed it, if one can use such a word for dark apocalyptic fare.

Hopeful

Best uplifting,hopeful dystopian I’ve read. Human nature at it’s worst at times but beautiful human spirit overrides. What engaging full characters,you fall in love with every one of them. Would love to read a series with these ppl. No super heroes, regular folk trying to make their way. Written with heart. Perfect narration.

Whelp, ok then

Good writing for the most part. The ending is the “whelp, ok then.” The Dog Stars isn’t exactly plot driven, inasmuch as it’s a study on what a few random people with their given skill sets would do in a dystopian, post-pandemic situation. Yup. That’s pretty much it.
It’s not bad, it’s just teetering on actually being 3 stars instead of 4. The mention of Dr Pepper pushed it in the 4 range.

A Love Story

Good story. A lesson in being grateful as well. love your pets, have a puppy lined up.

Captivating and Timely

Masterful narrator who brought the characters to life. Engrossing and touching, hated it to end!

Really Great! I think of it often!

I very much enjoyed this book. The book has a great pace to it. I Really enjoyed the characters and relationships, I can see why it was a break out hit! Heller really nailed the genre before it was overdone.