Of course, knowing that this is the same writer as “Watership Down”,

I was already well aware of what I was getting into. His writing is renowned for its greatness, yet his stories are most notably known for their bitterness and the harsh truths they reveal about the food chain.

The two main dogs were extremely lucky to escape from the lab. However, unfortunately, their neighbours in the lab, the rats that were researched on and given the bubonic plague, gave them a bad reputation among the humans.

The humans were cautioned to be vigilant if they saw these dogs and were even instructed to shoot them on the spot.

So, the fact that humans were going to kill these dogs from the very beginning does seem rather cruel. But that's just the nature of human kind.

Sadly, this book sheds light on how evil human kind can be towards any animal, as seen in the experiments. Nevertheless, hope allows these dogs to keep going, or perhaps I should say "keep swimming"…

It makes one reflect on the moral implications of our actions and the impact they have on the lives of other beings.

I truly have a great admiration for Richard Adams. One aspect that I really appreciate is his writing style. He has an outstanding way with words and a remarkable gift for vivid description. When he describes a place, it becomes instantly clear that he has actually been there. He engages multiple senses to paint a detailed picture for the reader, telling us not only what a place looks like but also how it sounds, smells, the feeling of the damp earth, and the rolling mists, and even the tastes that linger in the air.... This is not at all surprising considering he is writing a book where a pair of dogs are the main characters.

Another reason I like Adams is that while many people write books about animals, often personifying them and making them almost human, most of these writers tend to idealize the animals and put them in the "noble savage" category, which immediately casts humanity in a negative light.

However, Adams is different. His animals are truly animals. In "Watership Down", which was ostensibly a children's book, the animals experience fear, terror, despair, and war. There is blood, death, and pain, because that is the reality of the natural world. He does admit that he over-humanizes his characters to some extent, but without that, there would be no story.

This book explores the intersection of animals and humans and poses a very important question: what is humanity's responsibility towards the animals? Although he may not know the exact answer, Adams definitely knows which answers are incorrect. The book begins in a scientific research lab in the quiet hills of northern England, where numerous experiments are conducted on various animals. Some of these experiments are funded by external interests, such as cosmetics corporations, while others are carried out to, in the minds of the lab directors, expand the scope of scientific knowledge. Adams' complete contempt for this kind of activity is evident from the moment you start reading, and he spares no details in describing what occurs in these experiments. Animals are mutilated, burned, shocked, frozen, exposed to poisons in their air, water, and food. They are kept awake, asleep, isolated.... all just to see what will happen. And when they die, they are disposed of with no more thought than one would give to throwing away a burned-out light bulb.

One of the subjects is a large black mongrel dog named Rowf (since he has never had a master, his name is simply the sound he makes). He has a single companion in the lab, a small terrier named Snitter, who has had a master before. Snitter has been the subject of a much stranger experiment, and the brain surgery has left a deep scar on his skull and a profound rift in his mind.

The two dogs manage to escape from the lab into the outside world, where they somehow manage to survive, albeit barely.

Normally, this would be the end of the story. But then Adams reveals his aversion to bureaucracy and the modern media, because where these two intersect,可怕的phantoms and ghouls can emerge. Worried farmers, whose sheep are targeted by the two hungry dogs, call their representatives to demand answers from the uncooperative lab. The ministers talk and talk about it, and when the news leaks to a well-known London tabloid, the story explodes.

The newspaper asks if the lab was not working with many kinds of animals the night the dogs escaped, and if among those animals there were not rats, and if those rats were not the subjects of tests involving the horrible black plague. Can the laboratory assure the taxpaying public that there is absolutely no chance, none at all, that the dogs are not infected with the virulent plague?

The newspaper's answer, of course, is no, as this will sell more copies. And so, the two dogs, who were lucky enough to escape and clever enough to survive, become known nationwide as the Plague Dogs, the subjects of a hunt that escalates beyond all reasonable proportions.

As much as this is an animal adventure story, a kind of twisted version of "Homeward Bound", it is also a commentary. There is a lot of dog philosophy in here, as one of Adams' talents is being able to get inside the minds of the animals he is writing about. The two dogs agree on one thing - it is a dog's place in the world to serve humanity. But how? Snitter, who once had a good master, believes that they are there to make humans happy and bring love to a home. Rowf, however, having known nothing but the laboratory, believes that dogs are there to be abused by humans for their unfathomable purposes, and that by running away from the lab and the water tank, he has become a bad dog.

Also, looking at the world from a dog's perspective is fascinating. For example, Snitter believes that the newspaper boy delivers a paper to the master's house solely so that the master and Snitter can play a fun game. Isn't that boy nice? And having known only suburbia, he is shocked that humans have torn up the world and replaced it with all these green things, mountains, and deep holes filled with water - which, of course, Rowf believes are used to drown incredibly huge animals just as he was drowned. Adams asked himself the question, "How would a dog interpret the world?" and came up with a lot of great ideas.

And, as I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of discussion about humanity's responsibility towards the animals. Should we use them for whatever purposes we desire? Of course not. Are we necessarily "better" than the other animals? More skilled, yes, more clever, certainly, but better? No. We are animals, and as such, we cannot allow ourselves to place ourselves above the great interconnected web of life. We may never know what our purpose in nature is, but we can know what our purpose is not.

By the way, there is also an animated movie of this book, made by the same studio that did "Watership Down". I haven't seen it in years, but if I remember correctly, it is absolutely heart-wrenching. The ending of this book is a bit different, but there is a wonderful section near the end where the writer and the reader argue about the fate of the dogs. It's a bit meta-fictional, but it's an acknowledgment by Adams that he knows how the story should end and he knows how his readers want it to end.

Would that every person and animal in this world were safe and loved.

Imagine a world where each individual, whether human or beast, felt a sense of security and was showered with affection.

Everyone had enough food to eat and a warm place to sleep, so that hunger and homelessness were unknown.

They were treated with kindness and respect, and there were no enemies lurking in the shadows, trying to maim or kill them.

This would be a utopian world, a place of peace and harmony.

However, in reality, this is far from the case.

Many people and animals suffer from violence, abuse, and neglect.

We must do our part to make the world a better place, to protect those who are vulnerable and to show them the love and care they deserve.

Only then can we hope to achieve the dream of a world where every person and animal is safe and loved.

Richard Adams is, for me, the certainty of a vivid, exciting reading, free of clichés and saturated with morality and intelligence.

"The Plague Dogs" tells the story of Rauf and Snitter, two dogs (among many other animals) imprisoned in an Animal Research Center in Cumberland, in northwestern England - and it rises to a cry of rage and indignation against vivisection.

"Seriously, Snitter, dogs should be able to trust humans, don't you think?"

"It doesn't matter anymore, old Rauf."

Adams' work is not only a powerful indictment of the inhumane treatment of animals in laboratories but also a profound exploration of the nature of trust, friendship, and the struggle for freedom. Through the eyes of Rauf and Snitter, we see the harsh reality of life in captivity and the lengths to which they will go to escape.

The characters are richly drawn, and the narrative is both engaging and thought-provoking. Adams' writing style is vivid and descriptive, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the world of the dogs.

Overall, "The Plague Dogs" is a must-read for anyone who cares about animals, ethics, or simply enjoys a good story. It is a book that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.

This is an incredibly rough book to read.

It is truly very good and extremely well written. However, one should not expect to experience happiness at any moment within this story.

The original ending was considered to be far too depressing, which led the author to pen an alternate ending.

It has a rather weird moral and an equally strange story, yet it is one that I truly wish people would discuss more.

This book is of great quality, and Richard Adams is unfortunately not talked about very often, especially in the USA.

His works deserve more recognition and appreciation. Maybe if more people were to read and engage with this book, they would come to understand the depth and complexity that Adams has put into his writing.

It could potentially open up new conversations and perspectives on literature and storytelling.

We should not let such a great author and his works fade into obscurity.

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5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews


Summary

Rowf and Snitter, two dogs who have managed to escape from a cruel animal testing facility, find themselves in a desperate struggle for survival in the beautiful but unforgiving English lake district. With the help of a wily fox, they try to elude the human population that has risen up against them. Their journey is filled with danger, hardship, and moments of unexpected kindness.


Review

“It’s a bad world for animals.” This is the poignant opinion of Rowf, one of the two escaped laboratory dogs at the heart of this story. And indeed, it is a world that has been unkind to him, subjecting him to painful experiments. Snitter, the other dog, has been left with a fragmented mind due to the tests performed on him.

“The Plague Dogs” is a powerful and thought-provoking book that, along with the works of Rachel Carson, Farley Mowat, Gerald Durrell, James Herriott, and Gavin Maxwell, opened my eyes to the harsh reality that animals face in our world. It led me, not long after reading, to become a vegan. This book is a clear-eyed and insightful indictment of man’s inhumanity towards other species, with a particular focus on the horrors of animal experimentation.

Adams takes great care to consider both sides of the argument for animal experimentation. He even inserts a character, the real-world ornithologist Peter Scott, who mocks Adams and his talking rabbits in a conversation with the real-world naturalist Ronald Lockley (and Adams’ friend). However, it is abundantly clear where Adams’ heart lies, and it is evident that he has done his research thoroughly.

The book is not without its flaws. It starts off very slowly, weighed down by long and seemingly irrelevant philosophical passages. However, once it gets going, it becomes a fast-paced and moving read. Those same philosophical passages, which later become more relevant, prevent the book from being a mere tearjerker. Bad things happen, and worse things are alluded to, but even as we witness Rowf and Snitter in their desperate states, there is relatively little sentiment until towards the end of the book.

Many readers are familiar with “Watership Down,” and some may even know that Richard Adams was its author. However, very few know much about him beyond that book and its companion, “Tales from Watership Down.” But there is so much more to Adams than just talking rabbits. If “Watership Down” is his most sentimental book, “The Plague Dogs” is his most heartfelt. “Shardik” and “Maia” are his most complex, grand epic fantasies that showcase his mastery of the genre.

If you have a passion for animals and appreciate good writing, this book is well worth your time. Push through the slow start, persevere with the thick accent of the tod (fox) who helps the dogs, and suddenly you’ll find yourself engrossed in a story that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. There is darkness within these pages, but if you are not moved by the tenacity of Rowf and the crooked imagination of Snitter, then you are not reading this book as it was intended. Perhaps a 4/5 for execution, but I give this book a resounding 5/5 for its powerful effect.

I despised this book. I will never, ever pick it up again for as long as I draw breath. And yet, paradoxically, it absolutely merits five stars.

The Plague Dogs is an incredibly visceral, heart-wrenching, and deeply emotional read. It chronicles the fates of two dogs, Snitter and Rowf, who manage to flee from a medical testing laboratory. In an effort to hide the unjust nature of the research conducted there, the humans in charge of the lab create a media scare regarding the dogs, alleging that they carry a severe virus that could potentially kill humans. As a result, the dogs find themselves completely alone, with no one to turn to for assistance or kindness.

The dogs encounter Tod, a fox with a thick Scottish accent, who offers them guidance as they strive to adapt to the harsh realities of life as wild animals. However, dogs are not truly wild animals; they yearn for and require the companionship of people. As Snitter and Rowf attempt to reconcile their need for human connection with their current circumstances as de facto wild animals, they recall and relive the happier times when they were beloved pets, before ending up in the laboratory.

It is an emotionally draining book, bleak and ultimately painful. The final scene is truly tragic and still has the power to bring tears to my eyes even now, more than fifteen years after I first read the novel.

It is the kind of story that, once you have experienced it even just once, will stay with you powerfully for a lifetime. And for that, along with Adams' beautiful writing and masterful storytelling, it deserves not just five stars but even more.

But because it is simply too bleak to read again, I can never truly love this book. I can have the utmost respect for the message it conveys and the skill of the author in telling such an honest and affecting story. But I just cannot bring myself to like this book.

This was the second time I've delved into this remarkable book.

I truly wish there were words at my disposal that could persuade every single animal lover to pick it up and embark on this captivating journey.

The narrative unfolds as two courageous dogs manage to break free from the clutches of an animal research facility. Despite the physical traumas they have endured, they join forces with a wily fox in a bid to survive in the wild.

As the press catches wind of the search for the dogs, the story rapidly escalates into a thrilling and desperate chase.

What makes this book truly special is that it is told from the dogs' perspective. The author, renowned for works like Watership Down, showcases anthropomorphism at its absolute finest.

It offers a unique and heartwarming insight into the lives and emotions of these animals, making it a must-read for anyone with a love for our furry friends.

Wonderfully written and extremely captivating!

This piece of writing is truly a masterpiece. The author has a remarkable ability to string words together in a way that not only engages the reader from the very beginning but also keeps them hooked until the very end.

The language used is vivid and descriptive, painting a clear picture in the reader's mind. Every sentence seems to be carefully crafted to evoke emotions and create a sense of wonder.

Whether it's the thrilling plot, the well-developed characters, or the beautiful prose, there is something in this writing that appeals to every reader. It has the power to transport you to another world and make you forget about everything else.

In conclusion, this is a must-read for anyone who loves good literature. It is a shining example of what can be achieved when a talented writer puts pen to paper.

With THE PLAGUE DOGS, Adams accomplishes the challenging task of penning a sequel to WATERSHIP DOWN that is every bit as excellent as the original. This book presents a completely different sort of story. It is more inclined towards satire and delving into mankind's inhumanity towards the animal world. This is vividly depicted through countless scenes of laboratory testing that are certain to distress and horrify any animal lover. As a result, Snitter and Rowf's escape becomes all the more desperate and captivating.

This novel combines a plethora of diverse elements. There are expertly-described scenics that make you feel as if you have personally visited the Lake District after reading. There are also random authorial asides, along with themes of hope, despair, violence, courage, and mental illness. Snitter is one of the most empathetic characters I have come across in a novel, whether human or otherwise, and the journey narrative is highly compelling. I confess that I found this a difficult read simply because I was so engrossed in what was happening that I was actively frightened about what might occur on the next page. There are indeed some heart-wrenching passages, but overall, I would not label this as a depressing book.

At times, there are a few stretches in the story that feel a bit cumbersome. However, it's like spending time with your chatty, story-telling friend who just takes a while to get to the point. :) I appreciate that Adams makes fun of himself in the narrative. Caring for the earth and all of creation has always been of great significance, and we must remain vigilant to remember this responsibility bestowed upon us. I concur with Steve; I had a great deal of trepidation regarding the ending.

It takes some effort to understand the "madness" of Snitter's thoughts, but once you do, it's truly ingenious and revealing. It was difficult for me to read Snitter's account of his master and how he came to blame himself for everything. "I know now that everything bad comes out of my head, and that it happens again and again. That's where the bad things start and then they come out into the world, like maggots coming out of meat and changing into flies. [...] it was really I who destroyed them. [...] There isn't a world at all now except this wound in my head." It's hard because depression has that effect on a person. You can only perceive the world within your own mind. You don't see the complete and true picture. And once you've been in that state, you recognize it in others who are struggling, and it's painful to witness that they only see the world from their own perspective when there is so much more happening in their story.

But redemption is wonderful in a story, and this one reminds us that there is something more to our lives. That we (and all of creation) were made for a greater purpose. The creator dog story was a pleasant surprise that reinforced that inner revelation. I really like how Snitter attempts to explain to Rowf what a good master is (Snitter having had one and Rowf never having had a master, living only within the horrors of the research lab):

"If you did find a master, Rowf -- I mean, just suppose you did -- what would he be like? What would he do?"
"It's a stupid idea."
"Well, but go on -- just for fun -- just suppose! I mean, suppose you found yourself sort of forced to be with a man who turned out to be -- well, you know, decent and good and honest -- what would he be like?"
"Well, first of all, he'd have to leave me alone until I was ready -- and take no notice even if I barked the place down. If he tried to force himself on me or started messing me about, I'd bite his hand off. And I'd judge him on his voice as well as his smell. He'd have to let me take my own time about smelling him -- his hands and his shoes and all that. And if he was good, he'd be able to tell when I'd begun to feel all right about him and then he'd say, 'Hullo, Rowf, have a bone,' or something like that; and then he'd give me a good one and let me alone to gnaw it while he went on with whatever he was doing. And then I'd lie down on the floor and -- oh, what the use? Snitter, you're just tricking me into making up a lot of rubbish!"
"I'm not -- but it only shows you've got some [<--italicized in the book] sort of idea in the back of your mind -"

There is something more. There is a good master.