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Buddy Action: The Atypical Life of an Everyday Rat
Buddy Action is the story of a rat who is subjected to the rigors of fate. Buddy is taken from his rat enclosure on Aisle F4 at the Megamart to live with a dysfunctional family where he is relentlessly mishandled and tortured. Buddy manages to escape and finds the mysterious waving rat who leads him to an idealized Rat Colony. He tries to blend in with his new community and even falls in love with a nurse upon arrival. But their relationship is forbidden and, try as he might, assimilation into the society is too difficult. Buddy flees with his companion and they journey together to a mythical barn on the outskirts of their world in order to settle down and raise a family, but fate has other plans...
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
B.M. Hodges
8 books6 followersB.M. Hodges was born in Utah, U.S.A., in 1973.
He studied in the United States and Singapore where he was
awarded a Master's Degree in Literary Studies.
He began his writing career in 2008 with Buddy the Rat.
He recently published the horror novel, Zombie Fever: Malaysia Outbreak
and the short story prequel Zombie Fever: Origins. He is currently living in
South East Asia and working on the third installment of the Zombie Fever series.
He studied in the United States and Singapore where he was
awarded a Master's Degree in Literary Studies.
He began his writing career in 2008 with Buddy the Rat.
He recently published the horror novel, Zombie Fever: Malaysia Outbreak
and the short story prequel Zombie Fever: Origins. He is currently living in
South East Asia and working on the third installment of the Zombie Fever series.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 9, 2013
Reading this book, I was reminded both of I, Houdini and TOILET: THE NOVEL. I found this book on the Free Kindle Books blog, and I would have been happy to spend up to about $1.99 on it, but no more. It's above average quality of the independently published kindle books that I have read, and it served usefully as a short, light break from heavier fiction (I paused to read it at the 40% mark of Theodore Dreiser's rather long An American Tragedy.
There were a few points that I was unable to suspend disbelief on, however: Buddy's knowledge of human ways (i e knowing the name and function of all the furnishings and being able to comment on their condition, knowing what a cheeseburger is, and so on) and the relationship between Buddy and Gwyneth (surely an attractive female rat in her position receives many declarations of love from other injured male rats, nor is it plausible that Buddy could develop a deep emotional connexion with Gwyneth considering how little he knows about her).
It's a fun little read, but not quite the sweeping existentialist journey that it wishes to be.
*edit: Apparently there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding this book being catagorised as children's literature. I think that I would have actually really gotten into this book at about middle school age, and thought it to be quite profound.*
There were a few points that I was unable to suspend disbelief on, however: Buddy's knowledge of human ways (i e knowing the name and function of all the furnishings and being able to comment on their condition, knowing what a cheeseburger is, and so on) and the relationship between Buddy and Gwyneth (surely an attractive female rat in her position receives many declarations of love from other injured male rats, nor is it plausible that Buddy could develop a deep emotional connexion with Gwyneth considering how little he knows about her).
It's a fun little read, but not quite the sweeping existentialist journey that it wishes to be.
*edit: Apparently there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding this book being catagorised as children's literature. I think that I would have actually really gotten into this book at about middle school age, and thought it to be quite profound.*
September 17, 2012
The book follows Buddy the rat on his journey from the isle of a department store to his dream of outdoors freedom.
I had a hard time reading this one. It follows Buddy and I think pretty accurately describes life as a rat. I think that sometimes the author tries a little too hard to get into the head of the rat and it makes this a kind of a dull read. I also wondered if the author hated his main character because he just could not let Buddy have a few minutes of peace. Over all, the story was depressing and a bit sadistic. The author has an interesting writing style but I think the subject just didn’t “pop”. I hate being a Negative Nancy but I won’t sugar coat things either, this is not something I would ever read again. I wish the author the best of luck in future writings and think there is potential for awesomness, but this was not it.
I had a hard time reading this one. It follows Buddy and I think pretty accurately describes life as a rat. I think that sometimes the author tries a little too hard to get into the head of the rat and it makes this a kind of a dull read. I also wondered if the author hated his main character because he just could not let Buddy have a few minutes of peace. Over all, the story was depressing and a bit sadistic. The author has an interesting writing style but I think the subject just didn’t “pop”. I hate being a Negative Nancy but I won’t sugar coat things either, this is not something I would ever read again. I wish the author the best of luck in future writings and think there is potential for awesomness, but this was not it.
August 30, 2012
Buddy the Rat - B.M. Hodges (8/3/12 - 8/30/12)
Wasn't my favorite, it seemed a bit long.
The story of one rats life from his humble and happier beginnings as just one of many in a pet store - safe and fed, if not loved by the employees. To being purchased by a young man from a dysfunctional and abusive family - a young man who treated him with kindness, fed him, gave him water, played with him, got him high and fat.
Buddy the Rat eventually is forced to run for his life where he eventually found the love of his life.
In the end, he finds himself back with is Master and wondering to himself if it was all a dream.
Wasn't my favorite, it seemed a bit long.
The story of one rats life from his humble and happier beginnings as just one of many in a pet store - safe and fed, if not loved by the employees. To being purchased by a young man from a dysfunctional and abusive family - a young man who treated him with kindness, fed him, gave him water, played with him, got him high and fat.
Buddy the Rat eventually is forced to run for his life where he eventually found the love of his life.
In the end, he finds himself back with is Master and wondering to himself if it was all a dream.
December 26, 2014
Liked the idea of a story with a rat as the main character, having kept them as pets for years.
Found it really depressing - nothing good seemed to happen to Buddy and I didn't like reading about the cruelty.
The point of view change was unexpected and could have been handled better. I think third-person point of view would have been best all the way through.
Some of the bits about rats were inaccurate which niggled at me.
Liked the preview of the zombie book at the end.
Found it really depressing - nothing good seemed to happen to Buddy and I didn't like reading about the cruelty.
The point of view change was unexpected and could have been handled better. I think third-person point of view would have been best all the way through.
Some of the bits about rats were inaccurate which niggled at me.
Liked the preview of the zombie book at the end.
December 27, 2012
This is a dark tale of hope and suffering told from Buddy the Rat's perspective. Disturbing and compelling for the most part, uplifting in places.
I didn't like the abrupt switch in the narrative half way through the book: it interrupted the flow for no good reason I could see.
Not in the same league as William Horwood's Duncton Chronicles but of that genre.
I didn't like the abrupt switch in the narrative half way through the book: it interrupted the flow for no good reason I could see.
Not in the same league as William Horwood's Duncton Chronicles but of that genre.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews