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Good Dogs
The debut novel from viral horror sensation Brian Asman, Good Dogs is a heartfelt and harrowing story of survival, belonging, found family, and the lengths we’ll go to protect it.
No one ever said being a werewolf was easy. Take Delia, for instance. She’s spent much of her life fighting against her own nature, plagued by nightmares of childhood trauma, and trying to find her place in the world. Many werewolves are just like her: ostracized by their families, forced to live alone and in secret as they await those nights when the Change overtakes them.
Becoming the den mother to an odd bunch of lycanthropes in Southern California isn’t exactly the answer Delia was looking for. But under the strict rules of the house, they are able to manage the Change safely, and hunt without endangering their San Diego suburb. And they aren’t lone wolves anymore, they’re a pack—a family.
But when one member’s carelessness leads to the discovery of a severed leg in their backyard, Delia and the rest of her family are forced to confront the cold, hard fact they’ve known all along—they don’t belong here. Their only option is to cover up the kill and head into the wilderness, far from people. There, hopefully, they can live out their lives without posing a threat to anyone else.
At home, they might’ve been apex predators. But in the wilds around Talbot—a town abandoned for a century—Delia and her pack aren’t the only ones with a savage bite …
No one ever said being a werewolf was easy. Take Delia, for instance. She’s spent much of her life fighting against her own nature, plagued by nightmares of childhood trauma, and trying to find her place in the world. Many werewolves are just like her: ostracized by their families, forced to live alone and in secret as they await those nights when the Change overtakes them.
Becoming the den mother to an odd bunch of lycanthropes in Southern California isn’t exactly the answer Delia was looking for. But under the strict rules of the house, they are able to manage the Change safely, and hunt without endangering their San Diego suburb. And they aren’t lone wolves anymore, they’re a pack—a family.
But when one member’s carelessness leads to the discovery of a severed leg in their backyard, Delia and the rest of her family are forced to confront the cold, hard fact they’ve known all along—they don’t belong here. Their only option is to cover up the kill and head into the wilderness, far from people. There, hopefully, they can live out their lives without posing a threat to anyone else.
At home, they might’ve been apex predators. But in the wilds around Talbot—a town abandoned for a century—Delia and her pack aren’t the only ones with a savage bite …
302 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 1, 2024
About the author
Brian Asman
30 books319 followersBrian Asman is the author of I'm Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today from Eraserhead Press, and Man, Fuck This House, Nunchuck City, Jailbroke from Mutated Media. He's recently published short stories in the anthologies Breaking Bizarro, Welcome to the Splatter Club, and Lost Films, and edited the parody anthology Boinking Bizarro. He also writes comics for the anthology series Tales of Horrorgasm.
Based in San Diego, he has an MFA from UCR-Palm Desert and a Halloween VI: The Curse of Michael Myers tattoo. He's represented by Dunham Literary, Inc. Max Booth III is his hype man.
Based in San Diego, he has an MFA from UCR-Palm Desert and a Halloween VI: The Curse of Michael Myers tattoo. He's represented by Dunham Literary, Inc. Max Booth III is his hype man.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 30, 2024
Ha, like I'm going to see a book titled Good Dogs and not read it. Unfortunately, there are no frolicking golden retrievers or stubborn greyhounds (who are refusing to eat their breakfast because they want parmesan cheese sprinkled on top) in this one, but fortunately it's still a pretty good story about some werewolves. And, okay, so maybe my greyhound is the only one currently on a parmesan cheese-related hunger strike, but it would make a super intriguing and suspenseful novel, I think – hit me up for more great ideas, Brian Asman.
Anyway, for real though. It isn't every day that you read a book where werewolves are the good guys, but here we have it. When Delia's pack is forced to make a new home in the isolated ghost town of Talbot, they soon begin to suspect that they aren't as alone in the woods as they thought they'd be.
Good Dogs is a bit of a slow burn at first – the wolf pack doesn't even really come face-to-face with the monster who's stalking them until the final third-ish of the book – but I never found myself bored. Almost all of the characters have interesting backstories (including the monster), and the flashbacks to previous encounters with the creature are well-written and suspenseful. There's also all kinds of drama going on within the pack, which keeps the story moving along nicely. When the monster finally makes her appearance, however, things get super messed up super quickly. There's blood and gore and death and wolf-humans running for their lives, and it's definitely a nail-biter. (Not that there's blood and gore only toward the end of the novel, mind you – this is not a book for the squeamish.)
My only minor complaint is that while there's a lot about the why of the creature's century(plus)-long rampage, we don't really find out much about the how. It's probably too much to ask of a book that's basically a creature feature in print form, but I am so curious to know the mechanics behind … everything.
My overall rating: 3.95 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy creature horror, stories about werewolves, and/or found family tales with a supernatural twist, definitely consider giving this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 1, 2024.
Anyway, for real though. It isn't every day that you read a book where werewolves are the good guys, but here we have it. When Delia's pack is forced to make a new home in the isolated ghost town of Talbot, they soon begin to suspect that they aren't as alone in the woods as they thought they'd be.
Good Dogs is a bit of a slow burn at first – the wolf pack doesn't even really come face-to-face with the monster who's stalking them until the final third-ish of the book – but I never found myself bored. Almost all of the characters have interesting backstories (including the monster), and the flashbacks to previous encounters with the creature are well-written and suspenseful. There's also all kinds of drama going on within the pack, which keeps the story moving along nicely. When the monster finally makes her appearance, however, things get super messed up super quickly. There's blood and gore and death and wolf-humans running for their lives, and it's definitely a nail-biter. (Not that there's blood and gore only toward the end of the novel, mind you – this is not a book for the squeamish.)
My only minor complaint is that while there's a lot about the why of the creature's century(plus)-long rampage, we don't really find out much about the how. It's probably too much to ask of a book that's basically a creature feature in print form, but I am so curious to know the mechanics behind … everything.
My overall rating: 3.95 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy creature horror, stories about werewolves, and/or found family tales with a supernatural twist, definitely consider giving this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 1, 2024.
September 3, 2024
Informed by werewolf legend and folklore, Brian Asman spins a beastly horrific tale of bloody reckoning, found family, and resurrected hope in his debut horror novel, Good Dogs. This creature feature is adapted to play out in ink instead of film, so readers beware and trespass very carefully... A monster is slumbering within the pages, and should it be disturbed, death itself will be on the hunt to sate a fathomless appetite for blood and vengeance…
Hirsch, Naughton, Joey, Delia, Emily, and Linnae have all enjoyed a semi-normal existence in the suburbs of Sandiego, California, but that illusion of normality is abruptly cleaved in two because of the conspicuous appearance of a severed human limb in the front yard of their shared home after a night out as their wolf selves. With only snatches of memory to work with, they all try to get a leg up (HA!) on solving the murder mystery and covering up their crimes, but they deduce that rapid evacuation may be the only viable solution to avoid detection and impending extermination. Hirsch confesses to having thought about this possibility before and buying some abandoned property in Talbot for a suspiciously good price. But Talbot, California has none of their accustomed creature comforts. It is haunted by the past, isolated from the present, and inhabited only by a rare person…or creature. The entire pack flees to this location in the hopes of starting over, but they only succeed in stirring up more danger in a wild and unforgiving place. Something is monstrously wrong in Talbot, and their survival will depend on embracing their more animalistic instincts, which they have doggedly tried to muzzle while living their domesticated lives.
I loved this book! I’m a sucker for slasher type horror, which this book definitely delivers on. The pacing is slower to begin with, but things quickly start to heat up once that pesky leg makes an appearance. I really adored the pack dynamics since it is basically a dysfunctional and clunky found family that can’t stand each other but also can’t live without one another--so relatable! I found it so interesting that the lycanthropy condition is a genetic mutation in the human genome, not some infection from a bite or attack. I kind of wanted more information on that, but that’s just me being a mega science geek and a sci-fi girlie. Some of the sentence structure was a bit awkward, but that detracts nothing from a thrilling story. Delia was the star of the show, in my opinion. I loved her character growth, and though she really struggled at times, she never failed to rise to any challenge, whether that be wrangling the unruly youngsters within her family or fighting literal monsters. The werewolves are surprisingly good guys this time, and I was cheering them on in their dog-eat-dog world! I definitely recommend this book, especially to Stephen Graham Jones or BROM readers, and I will be looking out for more books by this author!
Thank you so much Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Pub day is very aptly on OCTOBER 1st!
Hirsch, Naughton, Joey, Delia, Emily, and Linnae have all enjoyed a semi-normal existence in the suburbs of Sandiego, California, but that illusion of normality is abruptly cleaved in two because of the conspicuous appearance of a severed human limb in the front yard of their shared home after a night out as their wolf selves. With only snatches of memory to work with, they all try to get a leg up (HA!) on solving the murder mystery and covering up their crimes, but they deduce that rapid evacuation may be the only viable solution to avoid detection and impending extermination. Hirsch confesses to having thought about this possibility before and buying some abandoned property in Talbot for a suspiciously good price. But Talbot, California has none of their accustomed creature comforts. It is haunted by the past, isolated from the present, and inhabited only by a rare person…or creature. The entire pack flees to this location in the hopes of starting over, but they only succeed in stirring up more danger in a wild and unforgiving place. Something is monstrously wrong in Talbot, and their survival will depend on embracing their more animalistic instincts, which they have doggedly tried to muzzle while living their domesticated lives.
I loved this book! I’m a sucker for slasher type horror, which this book definitely delivers on. The pacing is slower to begin with, but things quickly start to heat up once that pesky leg makes an appearance. I really adored the pack dynamics since it is basically a dysfunctional and clunky found family that can’t stand each other but also can’t live without one another--so relatable! I found it so interesting that the lycanthropy condition is a genetic mutation in the human genome, not some infection from a bite or attack. I kind of wanted more information on that, but that’s just me being a mega science geek and a sci-fi girlie. Some of the sentence structure was a bit awkward, but that detracts nothing from a thrilling story. Delia was the star of the show, in my opinion. I loved her character growth, and though she really struggled at times, she never failed to rise to any challenge, whether that be wrangling the unruly youngsters within her family or fighting literal monsters. The werewolves are surprisingly good guys this time, and I was cheering them on in their dog-eat-dog world! I definitely recommend this book, especially to Stephen Graham Jones or BROM readers, and I will be looking out for more books by this author!
Thank you so much Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Pub day is very aptly on OCTOBER 1st!
July 9, 2024
I love a good werewolf book and this one is full of the things I like about these creatures. But it's also surprisingly "human" and, in fact, the werewolves here are not the most terrifying thing in this book.
A pack of werewolves live together in a home meant to harbor them. Kind of a halfway house of sorts as they've all had to come to terms with their affliction. They are free to run and hunt when they turn but with safety measures in place. They don't want to feast on humans during their cycles.
But one night, their precautions aren't good enough and they change back to find a bloody stump of a leg. Because of this, they're forced to move to an old abandoned ghost town far far from civilization so they don't get caught.
But something else is in that town. Something bigger, stronger, and hungry for violence and bloodshed. With internal strife threatening their pack and the hunters becoming the hunted, they'll have to find a way to protect themselves or die trying.
This novel focuses on each member of the pack from a human perspective. They've all had their separate experiences in the past dealing with what they are and it's not always a happy loving family. There's a good amount of heartfelt moments which gives these creatures a certain sympathy and understanding.
The evil thing they encounter in the ghost town is horrifying and we'll get to see it's backstory as well. It's fueled by hate and vengeance and seems unstoppable.
This is a great werewolf novel and I highly recommend it. I received an ARC through Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
A pack of werewolves live together in a home meant to harbor them. Kind of a halfway house of sorts as they've all had to come to terms with their affliction. They are free to run and hunt when they turn but with safety measures in place. They don't want to feast on humans during their cycles.
But one night, their precautions aren't good enough and they change back to find a bloody stump of a leg. Because of this, they're forced to move to an old abandoned ghost town far far from civilization so they don't get caught.
But something else is in that town. Something bigger, stronger, and hungry for violence and bloodshed. With internal strife threatening their pack and the hunters becoming the hunted, they'll have to find a way to protect themselves or die trying.
This novel focuses on each member of the pack from a human perspective. They've all had their separate experiences in the past dealing with what they are and it's not always a happy loving family. There's a good amount of heartfelt moments which gives these creatures a certain sympathy and understanding.
The evil thing they encounter in the ghost town is horrifying and we'll get to see it's backstory as well. It's fueled by hate and vengeance and seems unstoppable.
This is a great werewolf novel and I highly recommend it. I received an ARC through Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
September 6, 2024
GOOD DOGS is a creature feature with one hell of a bite, Asman has crafted a refreshing take on the werewolf narrative in this heartfelt horror, character driven, propulsive plot and found family at its core make this a fantastic first length novel for the author. Although this is a werewolf book it is predominantly human in nature, there is plethora of relatable and sincere moments as the wolves grapple with guilt and shame over the uncontrollable aspect of their nature. For readers who appreciate flawed and idiosyncratic characters, dysfunctional found family tropes, unconventional heroes, and the writing style of Stephen Graham Jones I highly recommend this!
June 2, 2024
Saw this one on netgalley and requested a copy because I really enjoyed his book Man, Fuck This House. And I'm so glad I did. What a fun spin on the genre!
Delia is a werewolf, though not in the sense that we've been led to believe. She wasn't bit or turned. She has a genetic disorder that makes her susceptible to The Change. She isn't a slave to the full moon. But she does change on a regular cycle. She leads a normal life as a human for most of the year, but during those change cycles, she has little to no memory of how she spends the nights as her wolf-self. Forced out of fear, and a care for others, she broke away from home and connected with other lycanthropes who, like her, are also ostracized and misunderstood.
As the unofficial den mother, it becomes her responsibility to relocate the younger members of the clan when one of them breaks through the barrier of their isolated hunting grounds and kills a human. They move to a ghost town their clan's founder purchased for just this type of crisis. But as they settle in, Delia and the others discover they are not the only ones there. And the thing that is stalking them is ancient and out for revenge.
It's a creature feature slash found family horror novel with a whole lot of blood and gore and a ton of heart, one where the werewolves are actually the good guys, which made for a very unique reading experience. There's tons of character backstory (yes, even for the 'monster'), and a great boss scene towards the end that kept me at the edge of my seat!
If you liked Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf, you will dig Good Dogs. Brian's focus on the human side of the change is very similar and just as touching. While they might not remember what they do each time they change, their non-wolf selves struggle with the guilt and shame of what they are unable to control.
You guys, really. This book is sooo good.
Delia is a werewolf, though not in the sense that we've been led to believe. She wasn't bit or turned. She has a genetic disorder that makes her susceptible to The Change. She isn't a slave to the full moon. But she does change on a regular cycle. She leads a normal life as a human for most of the year, but during those change cycles, she has little to no memory of how she spends the nights as her wolf-self. Forced out of fear, and a care for others, she broke away from home and connected with other lycanthropes who, like her, are also ostracized and misunderstood.
As the unofficial den mother, it becomes her responsibility to relocate the younger members of the clan when one of them breaks through the barrier of their isolated hunting grounds and kills a human. They move to a ghost town their clan's founder purchased for just this type of crisis. But as they settle in, Delia and the others discover they are not the only ones there. And the thing that is stalking them is ancient and out for revenge.
It's a creature feature slash found family horror novel with a whole lot of blood and gore and a ton of heart, one where the werewolves are actually the good guys, which made for a very unique reading experience. There's tons of character backstory (yes, even for the 'monster'), and a great boss scene towards the end that kept me at the edge of my seat!
If you liked Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf, you will dig Good Dogs. Brian's focus on the human side of the change is very similar and just as touching. While they might not remember what they do each time they change, their non-wolf selves struggle with the guilt and shame of what they are unable to control.
You guys, really. This book is sooo good.
May 15, 2024
Quite simply one of the best monster stories you'll ever read, Good Dogs is a story sure to please both casual and hardcore horror fans. In his visionary first novel, Brian Asman transports his readers with an incantation of authentic characters, genuine emotion and vivid, clearly written action scenes. The book uses a staggered chronology to strategically reveal twists that propel the narrative at an exponential rate toward the pulse-pounding climax, as a group of friends, bonded over their shared curse, are faced with an enemy even more formidable than themselves. Fans of Lyn. I Kelly's Tracks and Max Brooks' Devolution should consider this story essential reading.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.
August 15, 2024
In his debut novel. Brian Asman brings a little Mongrels and a little Outsiders to create a creature feature with chaos and charm in equal measure. Good Dogs has some of the features of a coming-of-age horror story, but really finds purchase embracing found family elements. Even when they bicker and disagree, our group of lovable (okay, maybe not all the time) lycans worms its way into your reader's heart, and setting that stage early and often pays dividends when everything goes off the rails. A fun and heartfelt addition to werewolf horror that doesn't skimp on the viscera.
July 21, 2024
Terrific book from Asman about a makeshift family of werewolves who must move from their current home habitat after one of the members makes a deadly mistake on a nightly prowl. At the new site, they encounter a mysterious beast that challenges their ability to live peacefully in their surroundings, and they must figure out an answer before everyone winds up dead. Well-written with a nice horror vibe to it and fleshed-out characters that keep the whole thing quite interesting straight through the intense and highly satisfying ending. Wasn't sure what to expect from this one, as Asman was unknown to me (it's his first novel but apparently he's written some viral stuff), but I was pleasantly entertained. 4.25 stars. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2024
This started with such potential. A story from the werewolves point of view and some very fun, innovative ideas. However it felt like they went from beasts to pups when trouble hits.
As the story progressed I lost connection with the story as it felt like too much unnecessary back story and internal thinking. I found myself rolling my eyes and mumbling aloud to get the action going.
There were some great aspects of the book with characters and relationships that felt genuine, a gripping opening scene, and a unique take on the werewolf lore
As the story progressed I lost connection with the story as it felt like too much unnecessary back story and internal thinking. I found myself rolling my eyes and mumbling aloud to get the action going.
There were some great aspects of the book with characters and relationships that felt genuine, a gripping opening scene, and a unique take on the werewolf lore
September 6, 2024
At the end of the synopsis is the line the "pack aren't the only ones with a Savage bite". Brian Asman takes a story of werewolves trying to live a normal life while running free at night, and adds in a whole other creature feature and it works. Classic story of hunter becoming the hunted. My absolute favorite part, though is every character seems to named after a character in a werewolf movie. Loved the references I caught, wonder which ones I didn't!
September 19, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy.
If you only know Brian Asman from reading Man, Fuck This House you are doing yourself a disservice. The man can WRITE. Good Dogs is my new favorite werewolf book. It's an interesting take on the werewolf mythos, emphasizing the importance of found family. Dangers both supernatural and human abound, with lots of tension and incredible action scenes. Easy 5 stars
If you only know Brian Asman from reading Man, Fuck This House you are doing yourself a disservice. The man can WRITE. Good Dogs is my new favorite werewolf book. It's an interesting take on the werewolf mythos, emphasizing the importance of found family. Dangers both supernatural and human abound, with lots of tension and incredible action scenes. Easy 5 stars
August 15, 2024
Asman balances a brutal bite with a bleeding heart in this fresh take on the werewolf mythos.
This is Asman’s first full-length novel, having previously published a number of novellas. In one way I can see how this story might have been well-served as a novella, but by committing to the longer format it gave him more room to plumb the depth of his cast of characters and add a good deal of pathos to a simple, bloody plot. I appreciated the extra dimensions to the characters, each member of our pack having their own hang-ups and traumas that they brought to the group dynamic. They were all interesting, and while you could see the skeletons of the archetypical characters found in any given horror/slasher Asman did a decent job adding enough meat to the bones to make them all feel interesting, instead of just generic, enough so that I felt emotionally invested in all of them. Sometimes it did feel like mini exposition dumps to give us any given character’s backstory, it wasn’t always smooth or organic. It very much felt like, “Here is this character, and how they stand out from everyone else. OK, now, here is this character….” and so on. So, there was a little bit in the execution that felt heavy-handed, but the resulting characters were still engaging. The world building was decent enough, giving us a glimpse into what kind of world these characters have found themselves in and created for themselves, given their situation. I am always interested in tweaks or interesting takes on the werewolf mythos, and Asman does play with it here. We are kind of hampered by the ignorance of the characters, so there is more about what it means to be a werewolf in this world that we don’t know, but I appreciated the spin on a common story.
The writing was solid, pushing the narrative forward at a good clip, not too flowery but also not dry or boring, with convincing, natural dialogue. The pacing was nice, with a few interludes flashing back to the history of the land they were on, each of which adopted a writing style/vernacular particular to the time-period of that interlude, which felt a little cheesy but also a fun little addition, at the same time. These didn’t really add anything to the narrative other than ambiance, but they were strategic in breaking up the pacing in such a way to keep you invested in what was happening. The narration stays primarily with one character’s POV, only jumping around a little here and there. On one hand this makes sense, navigating equally between five or six characters might have been a little dizzying. On the other hand, I would have liked to spend more time with the secondary/supporting characters. That would have allowed us to learn about them with less heavy-handed info dumps and could have rounded out the depths of this found family story. Because, at its heart, that is what this story is. A bunch of misfits have found each other out of necessity and are now tested in how far they will go to protect not just each other but what they have created together. I felt like we were told about the importance of this found family more than we felt it, and more time with the secondary characters might have really deepened that experience.
I had fun reading this novel, and it felt like all the pieces were there. It had a simple but engaging plot, interesting characters, some brutal action scenes, a relatable world permeated with the need to feel safe and protected, and a lot of heart underneath the blood. That said, it did feel like it was missing something, like the volume was a little muted. I don’t know if this is the result of someone more accustomed to writing novellas taking their first venture in the novel space, or something else, but I consistently felt like this story was on the verge of being really great and just falling a little short. Again, though, this is a werewolf story with heart that was a joy to read. It is an exploration of relationships and loyalties, of tragedies and determination, and I didn’t want to put it down, the writing and plotting strong enough to pull me from one chapter to the next.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
(Rounded from 3.5)
This is Asman’s first full-length novel, having previously published a number of novellas. In one way I can see how this story might have been well-served as a novella, but by committing to the longer format it gave him more room to plumb the depth of his cast of characters and add a good deal of pathos to a simple, bloody plot. I appreciated the extra dimensions to the characters, each member of our pack having their own hang-ups and traumas that they brought to the group dynamic. They were all interesting, and while you could see the skeletons of the archetypical characters found in any given horror/slasher Asman did a decent job adding enough meat to the bones to make them all feel interesting, instead of just generic, enough so that I felt emotionally invested in all of them. Sometimes it did feel like mini exposition dumps to give us any given character’s backstory, it wasn’t always smooth or organic. It very much felt like, “Here is this character, and how they stand out from everyone else. OK, now, here is this character….” and so on. So, there was a little bit in the execution that felt heavy-handed, but the resulting characters were still engaging. The world building was decent enough, giving us a glimpse into what kind of world these characters have found themselves in and created for themselves, given their situation. I am always interested in tweaks or interesting takes on the werewolf mythos, and Asman does play with it here. We are kind of hampered by the ignorance of the characters, so there is more about what it means to be a werewolf in this world that we don’t know, but I appreciated the spin on a common story.
The writing was solid, pushing the narrative forward at a good clip, not too flowery but also not dry or boring, with convincing, natural dialogue. The pacing was nice, with a few interludes flashing back to the history of the land they were on, each of which adopted a writing style/vernacular particular to the time-period of that interlude, which felt a little cheesy but also a fun little addition, at the same time. These didn’t really add anything to the narrative other than ambiance, but they were strategic in breaking up the pacing in such a way to keep you invested in what was happening. The narration stays primarily with one character’s POV, only jumping around a little here and there. On one hand this makes sense, navigating equally between five or six characters might have been a little dizzying. On the other hand, I would have liked to spend more time with the secondary/supporting characters. That would have allowed us to learn about them with less heavy-handed info dumps and could have rounded out the depths of this found family story. Because, at its heart, that is what this story is. A bunch of misfits have found each other out of necessity and are now tested in how far they will go to protect not just each other but what they have created together. I felt like we were told about the importance of this found family more than we felt it, and more time with the secondary characters might have really deepened that experience.
I had fun reading this novel, and it felt like all the pieces were there. It had a simple but engaging plot, interesting characters, some brutal action scenes, a relatable world permeated with the need to feel safe and protected, and a lot of heart underneath the blood. That said, it did feel like it was missing something, like the volume was a little muted. I don’t know if this is the result of someone more accustomed to writing novellas taking their first venture in the novel space, or something else, but I consistently felt like this story was on the verge of being really great and just falling a little short. Again, though, this is a werewolf story with heart that was a joy to read. It is an exploration of relationships and loyalties, of tragedies and determination, and I didn’t want to put it down, the writing and plotting strong enough to pull me from one chapter to the next.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
(Rounded from 3.5)
June 10, 2024
*dnfd at 60%* I want to thank Netgalley for this book.
Good Dogs transports its reader to the mind of Delia, the self-proclaimed mother of a group of unruly werewolves trying to make a living in the suburbs of South Cali and the other werewolves of their pack. In their new home, they can change safely every single night without fear for everyone else. Their seemingly odd but functional lifestyle takes a turn when they find a severed leg in their backyard, as well as the dead owner of the leg somewhere in the neighborhood, forcing them to flee the seeming safety of their home. Forced to relocate to a new ghost town with an infamous past, Delia and her pack may not be the only hunters.
I love the premise of this book: we don't get enough female werewolves or books with werewolves at the forefront of the story, and something I have always preferred about werewolf stories is that they have the potential for very complex conflict and conversations if done right. However Good Dogs fails to make its characters compelling, and it a lot of ways has the same tone as a flashy action or mystery movie, very generic very underdeveloped in some aspects, and in others, there is a layer of paint that makes it feel more compelling and complete than it is. As a character who feels responsible for her pack and friends, Delia could be persuasive and engaging in her conflicted relationship with characters like Linnae and her love for Naughton. As far as I got into this book, the characters felt more like tropes than actual people. The idea of a monster feature and slasher horror book where the characters are werewolves sounds very much like my type of book, but this failed to captivate me or have me rooting for anyone.
Good Dogs transports its reader to the mind of Delia, the self-proclaimed mother of a group of unruly werewolves trying to make a living in the suburbs of South Cali and the other werewolves of their pack. In their new home, they can change safely every single night without fear for everyone else. Their seemingly odd but functional lifestyle takes a turn when they find a severed leg in their backyard, as well as the dead owner of the leg somewhere in the neighborhood, forcing them to flee the seeming safety of their home. Forced to relocate to a new ghost town with an infamous past, Delia and her pack may not be the only hunters.
I love the premise of this book: we don't get enough female werewolves or books with werewolves at the forefront of the story, and something I have always preferred about werewolf stories is that they have the potential for very complex conflict and conversations if done right. However Good Dogs fails to make its characters compelling, and it a lot of ways has the same tone as a flashy action or mystery movie, very generic very underdeveloped in some aspects, and in others, there is a layer of paint that makes it feel more compelling and complete than it is. As a character who feels responsible for her pack and friends, Delia could be persuasive and engaging in her conflicted relationship with characters like Linnae and her love for Naughton. As far as I got into this book, the characters felt more like tropes than actual people. The idea of a monster feature and slasher horror book where the characters are werewolves sounds very much like my type of book, but this failed to captivate me or have me rooting for anyone.
July 14, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sending me a digital ARC of this book to review!
Good Dogs is a found family werewolf book that begins with a mistake during The Shift that leads to our wolves having to pack up and leave to an abandoned town called Talbot. This sanctuary is isolated from everything so they can safely shift without incident. However, something else lurks in Talbot and it seeks revenge.
I loved this creative spin on the werewolf genre. Clever lore and fun ideas that I’ve never seen implemented before. I love the idea of a shock collar to contain “night-selves”! This is also a creature feature independent of the werewolves, but I thought the imagery when describing the creature was truly grotesque and terrifying. I feel we didn’t see enough of it, much of the horror was in the fear of unknown.
This story was one heck of a slow burn, constantly going back and forth with different timelines to build suspense. Asman has such a talent for building up characters and personifying them. This also includes the villain/creature of the story. The backstories build an emotional connection to help the reader understand motivations and personal justifications. Even though it took some momentum away from the story, I appreciate the time dedicated to “flash-backs” and memories.
If you’re on the hunt for a gory creature-feature with found family, werewolves, and a creepy ghost town, then Good Dogs comes out on October 1st!
Good Dogs is a found family werewolf book that begins with a mistake during The Shift that leads to our wolves having to pack up and leave to an abandoned town called Talbot. This sanctuary is isolated from everything so they can safely shift without incident. However, something else lurks in Talbot and it seeks revenge.
I loved this creative spin on the werewolf genre. Clever lore and fun ideas that I’ve never seen implemented before. I love the idea of a shock collar to contain “night-selves”! This is also a creature feature independent of the werewolves, but I thought the imagery when describing the creature was truly grotesque and terrifying. I feel we didn’t see enough of it, much of the horror was in the fear of unknown.
This story was one heck of a slow burn, constantly going back and forth with different timelines to build suspense. Asman has such a talent for building up characters and personifying them. This also includes the villain/creature of the story. The backstories build an emotional connection to help the reader understand motivations and personal justifications. Even though it took some momentum away from the story, I appreciate the time dedicated to “flash-backs” and memories.
If you’re on the hunt for a gory creature-feature with found family, werewolves, and a creepy ghost town, then Good Dogs comes out on October 1st!
September 10, 2024
A horror novel about werewolves where the werewolves aren't the monster?!
This is a slow burn novel, emphasis on slow. It was well past the 60% mark before the action starts to pick up. Though, when it does it goes to 11 quickly- chaos ensues and the body count rises. However, by this point I was more than a little bored and found none of the characters to be likable so I didn't actually care what happened to any of them. Overall disappointed with this one.
Some things I did like:
- The concept of werewolves and the change in this book was unique and interesting.
- I liked how Asman showed how traumatic and isolating the change was for each of them.
- As mentioned before I liked the concept of the main cast being werewolves/monsters but not being THE monster.
- The author did a brilliant job of creating different voices for different characters- I was actually quite blown away by this.
Things I didn't like:
- The flashbacks to the town- they didn't add much for me and only seemed to draw out an otherwise already slow going story
- I never connected to any of the characters, honestly I pretty much hated them all and they seemed to all hate each other too. There was really no one to root for.
- The monster- I just don't really "get" it.
This one was not for me, but that shouldn't stop you from trying. If you like slow burns, werewolves, or creature features this one might be for you!
This is a slow burn novel, emphasis on slow. It was well past the 60% mark before the action starts to pick up. Though, when it does it goes to 11 quickly- chaos ensues and the body count rises. However, by this point I was more than a little bored and found none of the characters to be likable so I didn't actually care what happened to any of them. Overall disappointed with this one.
Some things I did like:
- The concept of werewolves and the change in this book was unique and interesting.
- I liked how Asman showed how traumatic and isolating the change was for each of them.
- As mentioned before I liked the concept of the main cast being werewolves/monsters but not being THE monster.
- The author did a brilliant job of creating different voices for different characters- I was actually quite blown away by this.
Things I didn't like:
- The flashbacks to the town- they didn't add much for me and only seemed to draw out an otherwise already slow going story
- I never connected to any of the characters, honestly I pretty much hated them all and they seemed to all hate each other too. There was really no one to root for.
- The monster- I just don't really "get" it.
This one was not for me, but that shouldn't stop you from trying. If you like slow burns, werewolves, or creature features this one might be for you!
September 27, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Good Dogs by Brian Asman. All opinions are my own.
"No one ever said it was easy being a werewolf."
Our main character Delia and her "landlord" Hirsch have created a family of werewolves that follow rules to keep their secret and themselves safe. One night upon changing, even with all the safeguards in place, one of the family has brought back a severed limb from the hunt. This sets in motion a journey to save the family that will not end well. They head to a lone, empty town to escape possible discovery. This town has its own secrets and holds danger they cannot even fathom.
I enjoyed the found family aspect of this story, even though some of the characters don't seem to get along as well as others. I do enjoy a good werewolf story. The story jumps from one problem for the group to a much bigger problem in the wilderness where they go to what they think is a safe space. Creepy, atmospheric, last man standing vibes in the forest. Good backstory of the town. Gory action scenes. I gave it a solid 4 star. Good Dogs will be available at all major book retailers on October 1st. Happy Reading!!
"No one ever said it was easy being a werewolf."
Our main character Delia and her "landlord" Hirsch have created a family of werewolves that follow rules to keep their secret and themselves safe. One night upon changing, even with all the safeguards in place, one of the family has brought back a severed limb from the hunt. This sets in motion a journey to save the family that will not end well. They head to a lone, empty town to escape possible discovery. This town has its own secrets and holds danger they cannot even fathom.
I enjoyed the found family aspect of this story, even though some of the characters don't seem to get along as well as others. I do enjoy a good werewolf story. The story jumps from one problem for the group to a much bigger problem in the wilderness where they go to what they think is a safe space. Creepy, atmospheric, last man standing vibes in the forest. Good backstory of the town. Gory action scenes. I gave it a solid 4 star. Good Dogs will be available at all major book retailers on October 1st. Happy Reading!!
September 9, 2024
in the late nineteenth century, a homesteader in a small mining town intent on preventing harm from befalling her children finds herself clashing with indestructible creatures beyond her god-fearing understanding; present day, a found-family of werewolves who need somewhere off the beaten path to lie low after an, um, toothy mishap, head to a crumbling ghost town in the mountains where, after a handful of odd occurrences and an unshakeable miasma of putrid vibes, they slowly begin to suspect that they may not be the town's most fearsome residents. this was a great time! well - okay, no, it was a thick stew of hideous unease and torture and grotesquery and violence and grief and primal fear, but you know what i mean. i didn't read the summary so all i knew about this before going in was *gestures vaguely* "uh, werewolves" and i'm so glad i did it that way because unexpectedly realizing what The Situation was and experiencing the "oh shit?" of it all was fucking rad. hell yeah goddamn etc. 4/5.
thanks so much to blackstone publishing for the arc!
thanks so much to blackstone publishing for the arc!
September 25, 2024
Werewolf horror has never been my first choice so going in I was a bit hesitant. It’s mostly a slow burn in the beginning with lots of family dynamics and bickering. Interspersed within this background plot Asman pitches a few flashbacks that lay the groundwork for the antagonist.
The book revolves around a ragtag group of werewolves who are suddenly uprooted following a rough night out. They head out into no man’s land and uncover an even worse evil.
I don’t typically like blending horror tropes but I enjoyed this one. It’s not over the top with the typical werewolf-isms and I really liked the other supernatural aspect and its lore.
The characters are dimensional and didn’t feel overly cliche. The dialogue never felt corny or leaned too hard into the werewolf trope. It was a fun read.
The ending felt a bit convenient at times but Asman delivers on some gory scenes and action. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good werewolf book or even just a slow burn creature feature.
The book revolves around a ragtag group of werewolves who are suddenly uprooted following a rough night out. They head out into no man’s land and uncover an even worse evil.
I don’t typically like blending horror tropes but I enjoyed this one. It’s not over the top with the typical werewolf-isms and I really liked the other supernatural aspect and its lore.
The characters are dimensional and didn’t feel overly cliche. The dialogue never felt corny or leaned too hard into the werewolf trope. It was a fun read.
The ending felt a bit convenient at times but Asman delivers on some gory scenes and action. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good werewolf book or even just a slow burn creature feature.
September 21, 2024
I read this with my reading buddy, Kizzy. She's a rescue Dobie. I fell in love with this ragtag group of good werewolves. This is a heartwarming tale with teeth. There is still tons of action and violence. These scenes are well-balanced with the character development. This book will also break your heart. All of the werewolves both struggle and embrace their nature. Which means moving to an abandoned town to avoid killing people or being found out. There is a reason that Talbot, California, is a ghost town.
Even though all of the characters are adults, it feels like a coming-of-age novel. Each character is missing something from their lives because of what they are. They find meaning in their pack and through their trials together. This novel shows you can choose your family if your birth ones aren't the greatest. Friends can be your family and will be there no matter what. I highly recommend preordering this book.
Even though all of the characters are adults, it feels like a coming-of-age novel. Each character is missing something from their lives because of what they are. They find meaning in their pack and through their trials together. This novel shows you can choose your family if your birth ones aren't the greatest. Friends can be your family and will be there no matter what. I highly recommend preordering this book.
May 16, 2024
Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone, and the author - Brian Asman. I received a free ARC, and this review is voluntary.
So, the synopsis provided pretty much tells the story. Found within, we meet a lot of different folks within the tribe, and learn a lot about their personalities, and connections. This story focuses largely on character development.
My only criticism is a catch-22. I did find this to be a slow read for most of it, but that had more to do with the attention paid to developing the characters to advance the plot rather than allowing for more action sequences to move the plot along. We got to know who the characters are down to their marrow, and that takes time, but it certainly paid off in the end. This is a great addition to the overall lycanthrope mythology.
So, the synopsis provided pretty much tells the story. Found within, we meet a lot of different folks within the tribe, and learn a lot about their personalities, and connections. This story focuses largely on character development.
My only criticism is a catch-22. I did find this to be a slow read for most of it, but that had more to do with the attention paid to developing the characters to advance the plot rather than allowing for more action sequences to move the plot along. We got to know who the characters are down to their marrow, and that takes time, but it certainly paid off in the end. This is a great addition to the overall lycanthrope mythology.
July 28, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Brian Asman novels are always a good time, and Good Dogs is no different! Really engaging werewolf horror, and the human aspect of it all. The only thing dragging this down from five stars to four for me is that... I would have loved for the whole thing to be about the family from the prolonged chapter. It hooked me so deeply, and I was beyond invested in Esther - so much so that when it became clear that the book would depart from her in favor of different people, it soured me on them a bit. I had a hard time getting past the desire to make it all about the McKauvers. So I guess you could say that, in my opinion, this book's fatal flaw was having a prolonged that was too good.
Brian Asman novels are always a good time, and Good Dogs is no different! Really engaging werewolf horror, and the human aspect of it all. The only thing dragging this down from five stars to four for me is that... I would have loved for the whole thing to be about the family from the prolonged chapter. It hooked me so deeply, and I was beyond invested in Esther - so much so that when it became clear that the book would depart from her in favor of different people, it soured me on them a bit. I had a hard time getting past the desire to make it all about the McKauvers. So I guess you could say that, in my opinion, this book's fatal flaw was having a prolonged that was too good.
June 29, 2024
This book was a good read and definitely a slow burn.
I didn’t know where it was going at first but it still sucked me in, but I wasn’t sure if it was enough and would I even finish it!
I liked the variety of characters in the story and how they adapted to their lifestyle and tried to be as honorable as they could with what they were handed.
About halfway through the story it started to pick up, which was a good thing, as I was really starting to question the plot.
The last half of the book was great and definitely made up for the beginning. It moved fast and it took no prisoners, literally.
I didn’t know where it was going at first but it still sucked me in, but I wasn’t sure if it was enough and would I even finish it!
I liked the variety of characters in the story and how they adapted to their lifestyle and tried to be as honorable as they could with what they were handed.
About halfway through the story it started to pick up, which was a good thing, as I was really starting to question the plot.
The last half of the book was great and definitely made up for the beginning. It moved fast and it took no prisoners, literally.
May 13, 2024
This started off a little weak but when the "pack" has to flee (flea? couldn't resist the pun) to a ghost town with a nefarious reputation it got good! I think I even rubbed my hands together with glee. The backstories for each wolf were interesting, as were the backstories of those who met their demise in Talbot through history. Although, Hankie the bank robber was the low point in the story for me. The monster was grotesque and just so mean. The only character I actually liked was Halbermann. This is an enjoyable and gruesome creature feature. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
September 28, 2024
WHOA, GOOD DOGS is a riveting creature feature that packs a powerful punch. Asman masterfully presents a unique perspective on the classic werewolf tale, infusing it with heartfelt horror and a compelling character-driven plot. At its core, this debut novel is a captivating exploration of found family, showcasing the author's talent for storytelling. While the story centers around werewolves, it delves deeply into the human experience, offering relatable and poignant moments as the characters grapple with their uncontrollable nature and the resulting feelings of guilt and shame.
June 9, 2024
I am a Brian Asman fan, no doubts about it, I have read several of his works and highly enjoyed them, we have several of the same movie reference points and the same sense of humor so his books just kinda click with me. This one, his first novel, is perhaps my favorite yet. His writing is the strongest it’s ever been, the characters are all wonderful and the story is exciting and kept me completely hooked. Highest of recommends.
July 11, 2024
Oh. My. God. I loved this book so much! Just finished so might revise this review bc I feel I have no words that can encompass how amazing this book was….characters ON POINT…..I feel as a reader you are sucked right into their lives & immediately care for them immensely! So well written, literally sucked into their lives, it’s insane….loved so much…he is such an amazing author to write such characters that you feel so deeply for!
July 25, 2024
A creative take on the werewolf story that is centered on family and the importance of finding your people. Or, your pact. I really loved Delia as a main character and I could read a whole other book about her.
I loved the group dynamic and how different everyone was. It’s like The Breakfast Club, but for werewolves.
This story really packs a punch and will leave you howling at the moon for more.
I loved the group dynamic and how different everyone was. It’s like The Breakfast Club, but for werewolves.
This story really packs a punch and will leave you howling at the moon for more.
September 11, 2024
“Good Dogs,” by Brian Asman
Book about a pack of werewolf shifters who are just trying to survive despite being werewolves which leads them to a new home where mysterious disappearance happens often. I thought it was a good book. Lots of characters, a bit too much for me, it makes the POV’s confusing. It was also on the slow side but had an interesting plot. 3 out of 5 stars.
-Werewolves
-Multi POV
Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.
Book about a pack of werewolf shifters who are just trying to survive despite being werewolves which leads them to a new home where mysterious disappearance happens often. I thought it was a good book. Lots of characters, a bit too much for me, it makes the POV’s confusing. It was also on the slow side but had an interesting plot. 3 out of 5 stars.
-Werewolves
-Multi POV
Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.
Want to read
June 10, 2024When I saw Good Dogs was on NetGalley, I jumped on it. I searched for Man, Fuck this House forever! I wanted to find a copy in the wild but ended up snagging a copy from Amazon. Good Dogs is going to be another one I add to the shelf once it comes out.
Just like Man, FTH - I was obsessed with story. I loved the character development, it really explained a lot. 10/1o would recommend
Just like Man, FTH - I was obsessed with story. I loved the character development, it really explained a lot. 10/1o would recommend
July 25, 2024
Perfect for fans of Stephen Graham Jones. This is far and away the best I’ve read of Asman’s work. It feels like Mongrels by SGJ, and it has some slasher in its DNA. But this story is really lead by the incredible characters and scenes. They both felt so vivid and real. Just a joy to read. Highly recommend.
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