The Dogs of Pilothead Sound
About
Famed for a spiritually-attuned breed of sled-dog developed by its Native American community, the town is the ultimate dog-lover's paradise, hosting canine-oriented events whose participants often stay at the lighthouse's B&B. But as Cass happily prepares to move in, he is unaware that the boardinghouse is already tenanted—by former film star Marten Lawrie, whose mental illness has inspired his tribal clan in Canada to give him "the left foot of fellowship"...at least, that's the convenient explanation.
With the support of an exotic group of new friends who include a Healer, a Catholic priest, a Broadway star and a French chef, Cass must somehow keep the peace with the volatile Lawrie, whom he can't evict. He eventually learns to his horror that the rent the wealthy actor's agent is paying the town's historical society is actually funding his salary, which complicates things further.
But ironically, in jungles far south, supporters of Lawrie's ancient and miraculous true lineage are forced to accept that the head of their estate and the "Deliverer" of cultural legend has no intention of either returning or "Delivering".
Even when Lawrie purchases a house in a nearby community, he stubbornly maintains a residence at the boardinghouse, which ultimately leads to a public and messy confrontation with his fed-up landlord. This in turn puts famed singer/actor Robert BelCampo, who is a friend of both men and staying at Lawrie's new house, in an unenviable position. Like many recent arrivals (Cass included), BelCampo has come to the Sound in search of new beginnings, but is drawn into unexpected "complications"—in Bob's case, because he's also the son of the Sound's sheriff, who recruited Cass and as a friend of Lawrie's uncle/agent, arranged for Lawrie to find sanctuary there as well.
Cass, who has a traumatic secret of his own, must adapt to the diverse cultures, belief-systems, and conflicting viewpoints which are nevertheless insignificant compared to the storm brewing to the far south which sends tentacles of destiny Lawrie's way. But Pilothead Sound too has echoes of terrifying secrets...with unexpected connections to the faraway region of Lawrie's origin.
Will the misunderstandings be cleared and the ill feelings healed in time for Cass, Lawrie and friends to unite against the vague but growing threats closing in on every side? And will Lawrie strive to reclaim the glamorous image that ultimately holds him in bondage, or move forward “as-is” to break free of that image and deal with the residue of a heritage in a faroff country literally lost in time where the laws of common physics and aging simply don't apply?
The story continues in DOPS 2, The Song of Pilothead Sound.
Praise for this book
"The Dogs of Pilothead Sound" is a rich, vibrant, complex, fascinating, transporting and enlightening journey; through the streets of Washington DC, to the shores of Maine, to the jungles of another place entirely. I use the word `journey' because this first book in "The Days of Pilothead Sound" series follows the twists and turns of many lives, first and foremost of 'Cass', a freelance artist living the stressful and exciting-turned-mundane existence of a painter for hire. His discovery of another path, perhaps another destiny, leads him far from home to Pilothead Sound, where he meets an amazing cast of wonderful characters.
"Dogs" is a refreshing break from your average run-of-the-mill page turner. It is NOT a quick read - in other words, a simple singular plot that's easy to follow without any investment in the story. It is a deeply involving, multifaceted, epic saga; peppered with vivid description of scenes and memories, of people and animals, of food and drink and good company, and also of danger and mystery. And though it is long and complex I found it incredibly hard to put down, and was routinely amazed at how much I'd read in a single sitting.
There are moments in the book that are so warm and cozy that you may as well be having tea with friends in a cottage in the snow, and moments that are so frightening that you will wish for a blankie to hide under. These extremes and all between are achieved with a simple graceful style that is both readable and delightfully well crafted.
Some of the themes are unusual; extraordinary even. The dogs of Pilothead Sound have a life and culture of their own, and an intelligence and intuition and spiritual life that is shocking at first. There are also forces at work in Pilothead Sound that are beyond the dealings of humans - supernatural, spiritual, religious, whatever you want to call them. And the people drawn together in the Sound are each unique in the modern world - artists and actors, chefs and clergy, healers and those in need of healing. Any or all of these aspects of the story require a certain amount of open-mindedness on the part of the reader. However, the author is incredibly good at explaining that which is at first difficult to accept, developing realistic characters, and telling an incredibly engaging story. The rewards of reading "The Dogs of Pilothead Sound" are well worth that small effort.
I would recommend this series to anyone who wants to disappear into another wonderful world.
5 out of 5 stars - Not for the faint hearted, but extremely rewarding.
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2012
If you're looking for a book you can just pick up and skim through quickly then this is not the book for you. I found it quite tough to get into at first, even though I tend to pick books which challenge me. However, after a few pages I found myself completely immersed in the story of Cass and the people of Pilothead Sound.
There were times when I thought 'Ouch my head hurts from so much thinking!' and this book really does make you think, but it's almost refreshingly difficult. It is so much better than a lot of the airy books written today, that hold no real meaning or passion behind their spines. The Dogs of Pilothead Sound is completely different from any book I have ever read before, and I will definitely be reading it again, and any other books which follow it.
There is so much detail in this book, I now feel as if I personally know Pilothead Sound and the people who reside there. I've never visited Maine or even New England, but I now have a burning desire to do so. I loved the development of the characters, especially towards the end of the book, and now I can't wait to learn more about them. The conversational elements of the story were extremely well written, it had me laughing and even crying at points. I found myself getting personally frustrated at the relationship between Cass and Lawrie, I just wanted to bang their heads together and get them to realise who the other one was. I'm also intrigued by a couple of situations that were left hanging, but I hope to find out more about them as the story continues in the next book.
The relationship between Cass and Lawrie was by far my favourite part of the book, but I also found myself drawn to characters such as Cato, and in particular Sheriff Sayers. The awkward balance between Cass and Kippie was very well portrayed, showing how difficult it can be to deal with troubled children.
Another aspect I really enjoyed was the viewpoints of the dogs, and how they referred to their owner as 'their person', it's a term I'd never heard before, but will now be incorporating when talking about my own dogs.
To summarize, this book is not one to take lightly, once reading however it's difficult to tear yourself away. I look forward to reading more in the future.