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)

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.

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!

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.

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!!

Great Storytelling!

I sometimes had a little trouble keeping up with the rapid scene changes from one tribe to the next, etc, especially when my own pack of 7 dogs were noisy. However with rewind I could reorient myself. Loved the book!

left wanting

solid story and idea though the ending left me wanting more closure to the characters.

the dog master I loved the entire story

the dog master I love this entire story another great book from this author you will enjoy

Dog Master

Great narration and tantalizing story, but ending was too abrupt. Bruce Cameron admits that he was telling a story loosely based on the minute information that scientists have been able to put together about the time period. The dialogue seemed a bit complex for early man, but, hey, it's fiction, and enjoyable fiction at that.

Pretty Believable Prehistory

I really enjoyed this book. It presented human culture as diverse groups that interacted with each other in different ways. The characters were presented as intelligent with rich inner lives, politics, and limited technology, neither modern characters nor brutish. Who knows how wolves were domesticated? We will never know but this is a plausible and imaginative scenario that probably has some truth about it. I also really got a feel for how hard and dangerous life was in this period when we were as much hunted as hunting.

Wonderful story telling

I found this a logical and well constructed novel. It was a great story that I personally found very entertaining. I highly recommend it.