Thor

When I first read this novel, I had rented from the library because I had nothing else to read. I was expecting a silly, possibly fun read (not the author's fault, but the publishers - the cover makes it seem like a cheap horror flick.) I was suprised to find I was wrong. Thor is a exciting and rewarding story that is at times thought provoking, funny, and sad. Thor and his relationship with "The Pack" is deep and moving, as is his torn emotions when he descovers the secret of Uncle Ted. Though the werewolf subplot is a bit hokey, it also provides the novel with the right conflict for drama to flower. An undiscovered gem, right up there with the James Herbert classic, Fluke. Perhaps even better.

Thor is a fantastic novel that was turned into a much different, mediocre horror movie called "Bad Moon." Luckily, I have a taste for schlocky horror, and seeing the movie led me to the novel, which is infinitely a better story.

Smith's narrative carries mostly from the canine's point of view, which is what piqued my curiosity about the book. If this was a werewolf-vs-family-dog book from the point of view of a human household member, I would have skipped it entirely.

Yet the narrative is engaging and the reader quickly learns to see the world from an entirely different standpoint, and a dog's world runs on a completely different set of rules than a human's, and Smith's writing carries us through this story from beginning to end through this canine worldview and the conflict of interests our protagonist faces when it comes to obeying Natural Laws against the "house rules" that domesticated pets are expected to obey. The hero's inability to communicate with the people he's protecting only heightens the drama as the predator in their midst (Uncle Ted) loses more and more of his own self-control with each passing night.

I discovered Thor several years ago in my local library and have recommended it ever since to friends and family. Thor entered my heart and took up residence in a place usually reserved for "real" pets. Other reviewers have eloquently mentioned plot and character, so I will only say this: if I had to go to a desert island with a limited number of books, Thor would be on my list.