Dogtales!

by Jack Dann (Editor), Gardner Dozois (Editor), Fletcher Pratt (Contributor)

Contents
1 • Auto-da-Fe • (1961) • shortstory by Damon Knight
8 • Roog • (1953) • shortstory by Philip K. Dick
39 • The Hounds • (1974) • novelette by Kate Wilhelm
63 • The Howling Tower • [Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser] • (1941) • shortstory by Fritz Leiber
78 • Demon Lover • (1984) • novelette by M. Sargent Mackay
114 • A Few Kindred Spirits • (1965) • shortstory by John Christopher
125 • Dogs' Lives • (1984) • novelette by Michael Bishop
145 • Here, Putzi! • [Gavagan's Bar] • (1953) • shortstory by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
152 • Desertion • [City] • (1944) • shortstory by Clifford D. Simak
165 • I Lost My Love to the Space Shuttle Columbia • (1983) • shortstory by Damien Broderick
173 • The Master of the Hounds • (1966) • novelette by Algis Budrys
200 • One-Trick Dog • (1987) • shortstory by Bruce Boston
204 • Friend's Best Man • (1987) • shortstory by Jonathan Carroll
222 • Wish Hound • (1980) • shortstory by Pat Murphy
232 • A Boy and His Dog • [Vic and Blood • 2] • (1969) • novella by Harlan Ellison
271 • Further Reading (Dogtales!) • (1988) • essay by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois

Genres: Anthologies, Fantasy, Animals, Science Fiction, Fiction

276 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1988

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of tales about the noble dog is a pretty mixed bag. Most of the stories are forgettable, though there were some standouts:

- In Damon Knight's Auto-Da-Fe dogs await the decision of their master, the last surviving man

- Do It For Mama! by Jerrold J. Mundis, a truly disturbing account of an attempt to remove all dogs from New York City

- Jonathan Carroll's Friend's Best Man is about a special little dog named Friend

- And the Harlan Ellison's classic - A Boy and His Dog. You've probably seen the movie so you can guess how much that ending makes me smile.

[Rena Sherwood]

DNF

Although I've enjoyed other books in the Exclamitory Series, I had to quit at the third story. Just too sad. I love dogs. I don't need to read about their tortures and murder.

Selections:

* "Auto-Da-Fe" by Damon Knight. Aw, JESUS. I wish I'd died before reading that.
* "Roog" by Philip K. Dick. Poor, underappreciated Boris. This story would also appear in a later book in the Exclamitory Series, Invaders!
* "Do It For Mama!" By Jerrold J. Mundis. New York City bans dogs. Honestly, people -- this has been going on for decades. We have had millions of dogs die for stupid laws like this "fictional" one. I couldn't take this. I'm done.
* "The Hounds" by Kate Wilhelm.
* "The Howling Tower" by Fritz Lieber.
* "Demon Lover" by M. Sargent Mackay.
* "A Few Kindred Spirits" by John Christopher.
* "Dogs' Lives" by Michael Bishop.
* "Here, Putzi!" By Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague DeCamp.
* "Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak.
* "I Lost My Love to the Space Shuttle Columbia" by Damien Broderick.
* "Master of the Hounds" by Algis J. Buddy's.
* "One-Trick Dog" by Bruce Boston.
* "Friend's Best Man" by Jonathan Carroll.
* "Wish Hound" by Pat Murphy.

[Sarah]

Some of these stories are not very kind to the dogs. I found that very surprising as a twelve year old. If I remember correctly one of them was about dogs being banned from New York City. We lived in Manhattan at the time, with dog, and I thought it was about the most horrible thing I could imagine.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great collection of canine themed SF/F tales. Not all of them hit it out of the park, but most of them are at least worth reading, if not excellent. They range from disturbing and creepy to heartwarming and enchanting. If you liked "A Boy and His Dog", you'll enjoy this anthology.

[AA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've re-read these short stories several times sine I was a kid.