The Last Dog

By: Dawn Greenfield Ireland

Narrated by: Kelley Hazen

Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

After the Unified World Pact of 2045, people lived in a state of peace and prosperity previously unknown in human history. The World Guild, a new global government, managed all the needs of humanity and the animals it loved. Then in 2086, a security breach of Xavier Labs in Colorado and Zheng Industries in China released the deadly experimental agent XSKL435. Anyone outside was dead within minutes.

As statistics on the death toll are gathered from all over the world, Abby, the six-week-old dog-daughter of Bill and Teresa Maxwell, was one of only four known surviving canines. News services soon announce that the other three dogs had succumbed to the deadly poison. Abby was now the last dog.

You’re invited on a journey with a puppy who longs for home after she is confiscated and held captive at a lab, and the family who are determined to get her back at all costs. After escaping from the lab, Abby must quickly learn how to survive in the wild. Bill and Teresa must devise a plan to find Abby without being arrested themselves. Neither Abby nor her parents know whether their plans will work, if they will survive the journey, or if they will be reunited. But love of family drives them onward.

©2018 Dawn Greenfield Ireland (P)2018 Dawn Greenfield Ireland

A great story full of humor, spirit and compassion

The Last Dog is an idealistic, emotional and somewhat scary look at our possible world some seventy years into the future. Our peaceful society enjoys all the comforts and benefits a liberal government can bestow upon us. In other words, all our needs are met. Unfortunately humans still make mistakes. Labs in Colorado, USA and China release a toxic poison that kills tens of millions along with nearly all the canines around the world. Was it a mistake or an ill-fated attempt at population control? Ultimately, Abby an English Bulldog Black Lab mix is the only dog to survive the catastrophe. Hence, the last dog title. Strangely, limited child births along with an oppressive world government put canines in the replacement position as children among families around the globe. As you can see, the near total loss of canines was much more traumatic than first imagined. The government of course immediately confiscated Abby for study. Our protagonist parents, Bill and Teresa are deeply troubled with the loss of Abby, but can see no alternative than to comply. Bill is a wealthy inventor entrepreneur who has developed, among other amazing gadgets, an AI implant that enables canines to learn and talk. Yes. Abby possesses this implant and is quite the little intelligent gabfest. Also very cute I might add, which brings all the pleasure and emotion to the story. The government supplied the scary part. The remainder of the story surrounds Abby escaping confinement and her travels to join back with her human parents. It’s a great story full of humor, spirit and compassion. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

The Last Dog

The Last Dog
: Dawn Greenfield Ireland

This is a very interesting concept. In the future a society where animals are family, Oh! wait that happens now. When a deadly poison is released and anyone that comes in contact dies. There are four dogs left and they are confiscated to try and repopulate the species. I loved the chance to compare now to then. The abiloty of dogs to comunicate with human speech is fine, but my favorite in this whole book was "felines weren't interested in speech because they wanted to keep their humans guessing." The author must have a cat in her life. I've enjoyed this enough to listen to it a second time. I would like to see a continuation to this story, at least a sequale if not a trilogy.



The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed. Kelley Hazen is amazing with all the voices!!!



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

This is a really good book

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

This was a very interesting, and somewhat depressing, book. Don't get me wrong, the story itself, is rather heartwarming and full of heart. I just found the thought of a future where the birth rate is almost non-existent and now all the dogs are dead... really sad. I love my puppy dogs. I have grown up with dogs as part of my family and the thought of there being none left is just sad. Anyway, I digress... So, I loved how the author provides dogs a way of communicating with humans, and the whole cat's weren't interested thing just cracked me up. This book is definitely worth picking up, in my opinion.

Unique Dystopian

I totally enjoyed this book as all dog lovers would and great for all ages. It is a futuristic dystopian about Abby a mixed breed dog who is taken from her human family Teresa and Bill (he developed the Dot which enables dogs to talk) and her adventures. Human birth rates are very low due toxic so humans want to be dog parents then again a disaster occurs killing animals and some humans. Also loved Apollo and Rex, it was a great narrated listen and want a 2nd book. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. THANK YOU

A Great Listen

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audio book by the narrator and found it very entertaining and thought provoking. The story takes place in the near future. With so few children, that people adopt "dog children" that can speak and express themselves with the help of technology. A deadly experimental agent is release around the world and only one dog is left. Abby is taken away from her family and this is the tale of her and her "parents" adventure in the aftermath. There is a little bit of everything in this book, intrigue, humour, suspense and action. The narrator performance of so many characters is superb and really enhance this great tale.

CHARMING & CHALLENGING

I loved this audiobook. It's thoughtful science fiction - not Armagegddon with guns and knives. It's more subtle than that. This tale captures a specific & realistic...possible... idea of 'what if?'. The author seems to have looked around at the trends of our society and then projected them into the future. If dogs are 'accessories' now, well this idea/plot gives them the respect they deserve. There's some interesting futuristic tech. That's not necessarily this story's bread and butter. But in ethics, it dominates. I don't think everything has to be hardcore. It's a great story.

Loved this

This was a highly unusual story about dogs and our love for them. I was mesmerized from start to finish. Loved the narrator's excellent interpretations of dog voices. If there is ever a sequel, I will be right on it!

Action Packed, Unique Futuristic Tale

In 2086 the world changed from everyone living in a peaceful state and prosperity to hundreds of millions of people and animals lying dead in the street from a highly toxic experimental agent XSKL435 that was released due to a security breach. The toxic agent just killed all but the last dog; Abby. Her human parents, Bill & Teresa Maxwell, must relinquish ownership of Abby to a lab.

It becomes clear to the Maxwell’s and Abby that they must all get away and escape to the mysterious western area of the US, a territory where they can live together as a family once again without being monitored. But will they all survive the trip? Will they all escape?

Set as a futuristic high-tech life, Dawn Greenfield Ireland weaves a magical story that leaves one thinking, haunted by what choices one might make in these instances. Nothing is black and white, everything causes a ripple effect – surviving is key.

Greenfield challenges the listener to examine their ethics, honor and meaning of family. Action packed, but not with violence – lots of moving plots and characters but in an organized easy to follow manner. The characters were very well developed and moved the story along at a brisk pace.

The narrator, Kelley Hazen, performed the audiobook professionally and expertly. She voiced each character in a unique way making them distinguishable from one another. I thought she moved the story along as well with her ability to narrate in a pleasing and engaging manner.

At first, I thought the story was a bit dry but once the background was given, the story flowed nicely and quickly engaging the listener fully. I did struggle a bit with the whole “dog daughter” element but once I put that to rest, the book was highly entertaining and suspenseful – it hooks you from the beginning!

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author/narrator/publisher.

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

[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]