The Dog Master

A Novel of the First Dog

By: W. Bruce Cameron

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 16 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Thirty thousand years ago, ice was storming the planet. Among the species forced out of the trees and onto the steppes by the advancing cold was modern man, who was both predator and prey. No stranger to the experiences that make us human - a mother's love and a father's betrayal, tribal war and increasing famine, political intrigue and forbidden love, joy and hope and devastating loss - our ancestors competed for scant resources in a brutal landscape.

Mankind stood on the cold brink of extinction, but they had a unique advantage over other species, a new technology: domesticated wolves. Only a set of extraordinary circumstances could have transformed one of these fierce creatures into a hunting companion, a bodyguard, a soldier, and a friend.

W. Bruce Cameron's The Dog Master is an evocative glimpse of prehistory, an emotional coming-of-age saga, a thrilling tale of survival against all odds, and the exciting, imaginative story of the first dog.

©2015 W. Bruce Cameron (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Interesting speculative history with a satisfying conclusion...." (Kirkus)

"Guiding listeners through three time periods and multiple early tribes of humans and wolf packs, narrator David Colacci keeps the momentum of the plot swift, the characters distinct, and the atmosphere rich." (AudioFile)

Very Moving Story if Not Exactly as Described

The first half of this book was pretty slow and more of a soap opera about ancient humans than anything resembling the description. The characters were very unlikable and to be honest I almost gave up on it a few times.

I'm so glad I didn't though because the second half of this book is just amazing. Seeing how befriending a dog helped the protagonist overcome his obstacles reminded me of how much my own dog helped me overcome mine.

This book evoked a lot of emotion and I really hope the author makes a sequel. I highly recommend it.

One of the Best Dog Stories I've Read/Heard.

When I first purchased this book and started listening, I wasn't sure if this book was for me. I gave it a couple of tries and then I would go to another title. I decided to sit and listen and I don't know what clicked but, I could not put the book down! I went on drives around town so that I could listen more and more to this awesome story.

A very awesome read!

Unique story

This was a most unusual story. And one that few would want to tackle.
While parts of it seemed repetitious; this was probably because of their moving being governed by the weather.
But well worth listening to and very thought provoking.
The Reader made it real, as always.
The final chapter wrapped it up nicely.

My new favorite book

I listened to it nearly straight through! A truly wonderful story, so well told. Vibrant description and never a dull moment. I have listened to hundreds of audiobooks and this one stands out for its imaginative telling and beautiful story. Listening to this story with my little dog by my side was an experience I will not soon forget.

Second Reading More Enthralling Than The First

Truly a remarkable story, I was even more captivated by it the second time through! Vaguely remembering some of the highlights, they still managed to catch me off guard. My enhanced familiarity with the characters and tribes allowed me to better understand the dynamics of the characters and thoroughly dissect the story elements and structures! WELL WORTH SEVERAL READINGS! ;~)

Woof!

This is a wonderful story of interspecies cooperation at a critical time. It is exciting, and at the same time educational and thought provoking.

I can see it.

Somewhat tedious at times and hard for me to not picture actors running around in fur clothes .
For the most part I liked the story and could definitely see why humans wanted to be friends with wolves. I would be one of them. It makes perfect sense.

Could Not Stop Listening

Once I started listening I could not stop! While I had a bit of a challenge keeping the characters in their home tribes , I think this story was just fantastic in the way the dog master came into being. Cameron 's imaginative creation of the dog master was entirely plausible. The way he set up the story was masterful. Listening was addictive to me. I had to find out what was going to happen with the characters. It was totally worth the time I was glued to the story.

Very fascinating read!

I love reading stories about our early existence. Especially interacting with early man and animals. I was allowed to let my imagination fly. Thank you!

Doggies!!!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Dog Master to be better than the print version?

The story got a bit mangled. The author moves around in time and tells the story from multiple perpectives. Great for a long car ride. Hard to follow if you only have 1 hour at a time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dog Master?

If you love animals you will love this book.

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

Acceptable

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

Yes, tears and laughter!!