The Last Dog on Earth

Another 5-Star Dystopian Masterpiece . . . with a Rad Dog

**Spoiler Alert**

I am a dog lover. But you don’t have to be one to appreciate Lineker, the philosophical, working class mut, in The Last Dog on Earth. Lineker, as a protagonist, is a real treat. He curses like a boss throughout a majority of the book, sometimes to make a deeper ideological point about freedom or sex—I adored his crassness. He lives with his master, Reginald Hardy (Reg), in a ruined London, after a global fascist regime, composed of The Purples, overtakes the country.

Reg is a recluse who does not want to be touched, and he and Lineker seem to thrive in their flat. But juxtaposed against his hermitic ways are the desires of his pal, Linker, who wants to chase squirrels and explore the outdoors. Instead Lineker is content with observing birds and embroiling himself in scents, until Reg reluctantly leaves home, and they encounter the brutality of The Purples—humiliation, pain, and death.

Now, Reg, despite making some poor choices, is not unlikeable at all. I was expecting an anti-hero you want to punch in the face from Walker, as in his book, The End of the World Running Club, but no. As the novel reveals Reg’s backstory, I grew to appreciate his quirks and understand why he is so flawed. Reg learns to rehumanize himself by reluctantly taking in a young girl, Aisha, who is hiding from the regime. Along the way to reunite Aisha to her family, Reg meets a woman named Chris. The struggles and challenges teach Reg how to open his heart again and redefine what it means to have a family.

Lineker also experiences amazing growth. His philosophical debates about the differences between domesticated animals and wolves drive a major conflict for him. The theme of belonging to The Howl, a term that defines the connection to untamed nature, comes up repeatedly. There is a brilliant, funny, side character, a wolf set in his dogmatic way of thinking, a brute that mirrors the fascists in the novel. The wolf is entertaining but also the challenges Lineker to grapple with where he belongs in the natural order.

The novel also contains a carefully crafted antagonist, Hastings. She is terrifying not just because of her behavior but also because of her insane hatred of those the regime oppresses. She also owns a female huskie who serves as an opposition and temptation for Lineker.

Towards the end of the novel, Lineker experiences the worst from the regime but defines who he is as a dog. That struggle and the choices he makes are a highlight for me, even far more than Reg finding human connections because Lineker is able to analyze the murderous depravity of man and humanity’s redemption from a dog’s point of view, an objective perspective. Priceless.

And the ending, oh I hate spoilers, but the ending is masterful. Both Lineker and Reg experience utter oppression and dehumanization, pushing their limits, especially for Reg, who makes a monumental sacrifice, despite his phobias. Reg endures a terrible ordeal to help Aisha, Chris, and his friends escape a Nazi-like death camp. Lineker also makes a notable sacrifice, again to save his master and friends from death. I won’t say more, other than there is a wonderful climax and closure for all the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and appreciated this approach to a post-apocalyptic narration. The points of view from Lineker to Reg were seamless. Walker’s figurative language, as ever, was beautiful. Overall, a well-deserved 5 stars for Adrian J. Walker. I look forward to reading all of his work.