GREAT READS

The Dog Stars: A Novel

Peter Heller.

According to the Mayan calendar the end of the world will take place on December 21, 2012. With that in mind, I decided to check out an audio book about just that situation. The Dog Stars, the first novel written by Peter Weller, is a post-apocalyptic view of the world after a devastating super flu has killed over 99% of the human population. Hig lives in Colorado with his aging dog Jasper on a deserted airstrip he shares with his gun-toting neighbor Bangley. Hig and Bangley spend their days looking out for each other. Hig and his trusty dog Jasper fly around the area in a 1956 Cessna looking for intruders while Bangley waits with fire power to protect their property. What would you do if you were one of the 1% who survived? The story is beautifully narrated as told from Hig's point of view. It is a story of isolation, humanity, empathy and love. Mark Deakins narrates the audio version and does an awesome job portraying Hig, the stories hero. I did not want this book to end.

Recommended by Pam Wiseman