A Life Extraordinary

I've just finished 'Fluke' by James Herbert, which probably wins the 'shortest title on the list' competition!

'Fluke' is the story of a dog with a difference.  He may look like a scruffy, underfed mongrel, but Fluke remembers being something else - a human. At first he has just an inkling that he's not the same as other canines - he doesn't feel and see the way they do - and as he grows from puppy to adult, memories of his pre-dog life begin to filter through.  Unfortunately, by the time he realises that memory can be a false friend, it's far too late...

'Fluke' by
James Herbert
(1999, Pan Books)

I found this book totally absorbing.  We follow Fluke from his birth through an eventful canine life which encompasses dysfunctional marriages, criminal fraternities and deceptive old ladies, not to mention a menagerie of pets and British wildlife.  The book is written in the first person and I was completely hooked by the narrative from the very beginning.  Even though I guessed what had happened to Fluke quite early on, there was still a great twist in the tale that I didn't expect at the end.  The story is very character-driven and I found I couldn't help wanting to know what was going to happen to Fluke next.

One thing I would say is don't be put off by the 'horror' label often applied to Mr Herbert's work.  I really can't handle anything graphically violent or scary, but enjoyed this and didn't think it felt like a 'horror' novel at all.  It's got a slightly unusual perspective and the first person narrative means that you are right in the thick of all the action, but it certainly didn't give me nightmares!  I've been known to stop reading books by the man often considered Herbert's American equivalent, Stephen King, because I found them too revolting, but I didn't find that at all with 'Fluke'.  The subject is a bit off the wall, but it certainly wasn't horrific!

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes stories which explore unusual ideas and take a slightly skewed view of life.  You'll never look at an animal in the same way again!

Now, what next?