A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C. A. Fletcher

“A man stole my dog. I went after him. Bad things happened. I can never go home.”

Thus opens A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher, one of the best post-apocalyptic books of the last decade at least. This book tells the story of Griz, who lives in a world with barely any people left. When a rare visitor comes to the island Griz lives on and leaves with his dog, Griz doesn’t think twice about taking off in pursuit.

“Dogs were with us from the very beginning and of all the animals that walked the long centuries beside us, they always walked the closest.

Griz is fiercely loyal to family, and dogs are family. Griz’s world is mostly empty of people and all the conveniences that modern society takes for granted. People get by on what they can do for themselves and what they can scavenge from the wreckage of the old world. Griz narrates his pursuit into a world that is only familiar from books. Survival in this world will take every bit of determination, luck and courage that Griz can muster.

Fletcher sets the mood with the very title and reinforces it from the opening line. The tension, excitement and worry crackle on every page. Seeing the world through Griz’s eyes shines a light on all the things that are important in our world as well as which things endure and which fade away.

Griz is a compelling narrator with a distinctive voice. The story is deeply moving and you’ll frequently find yourself reading it with your heart in your throat. Fletcher explores not only his depopulated world but what it means to be human.

Ultimately this is a story about the importance of connection, whether in a world crowded with people or a world nearly empty of them. This book has the potential to be a classic and a book that you will want to read, reread, and then read again. One of the finest examples the genre has to offer.

I was fortunate to be provided a copy of this book by the publisher.

“There may be no law left except what you make of it. But if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you. Because if we’re not loyal to the things we love, what’s the point?”

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