What do you think?
Rate this book
Doglands
Furgul is a puppy born in a slave camp for racing greyhounds. But he has a terrible secret - he is only part greyhound. When the cruel owner of the camp recognises Furgul's impure origins he takes him to be killed, but Furgul manages a spectacular escape. Now Furgul must confront the indifference, complexity, and ferocity of the greater world, a world in which there seems to be two choices: live the comfortable life of a pet and sacrifice freedom; or live the life of a free dog, glorious but also dangerous, because every man will turn his hand against you.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2011
22 people are currently reading
634 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 24, 2017
I've read many of these type of books in recent years; that is, realistic animal fiction depicting an animal and their view of our world. There's been numerous dog books in that mix too, although this one definitely makes it mark in terms of showing cruelty and death, and not just for the dogs. I did wonder and probably knocked it down a star for the adding of the character Jodi, a woman who can listen to and talk back to dogs. If only it were that simple! It took the plot in places I didn't really want it to go, and made the story seem a little unbelievable for that fact alone.
This one isn't for kids, despite the fact it's about dogs. There is a lot of violence depicted, so I'd rate it somewhere in the mature teen category. Most of my immunity to animal violence in books was built from reading Watership Down and the Plague Dogs as a child, but not all will appreciate it here. I liked the brutal reality however, and thought it added to the books.
An interesting one, that's for sure. A bit hard to come by too, I had to special order it in. Four stars!
This one isn't for kids, despite the fact it's about dogs. There is a lot of violence depicted, so I'd rate it somewhere in the mature teen category. Most of my immunity to animal violence in books was built from reading Watership Down and the Plague Dogs as a child, but not all will appreciate it here. I liked the brutal reality however, and thought it added to the books.
An interesting one, that's for sure. A bit hard to come by too, I had to special order it in. Four stars!
March 3, 2013
Like Watership Down plays out the world of rabbits and Animal Farm reveals the politics of the farmyard, Doglands takes on the point of view of a greyhound mixed breed pup Furgul from his whelping cage with champion runner mother Keeva in a horrible dog breeding place the dogs call Dedbone Hole. When it becomes clear to Keeva's sadistic master that her litter was with Argal, a lurcher, rather than the purebreeds, Furgul and his sisters are slated for destruction.
In feats of derring-do and gumption, Furgul faces challenges and evils and works to fight the slavish bonds that humans wish to impose on dogs, both benign owners and comic-book type villains.
A fine book for dog lovers who want to see what a human thinks a dog might think when faced with some of the good and a lot of the bad that a dog might face in England. Not such a great read for high school age kids unless they have a strong enough passion for our canine friends to overcome the artificiality of the whole endeavor.
In feats of derring-do and gumption, Furgul faces challenges and evils and works to fight the slavish bonds that humans wish to impose on dogs, both benign owners and comic-book type villains.
A fine book for dog lovers who want to see what a human thinks a dog might think when faced with some of the good and a lot of the bad that a dog might face in England. Not such a great read for high school age kids unless they have a strong enough passion for our canine friends to overcome the artificiality of the whole endeavor.
August 8, 2017
Apart from knowing that this was a novel about dogs I didn’t have any expectations of it. I always prepare myself for dog stories to make me sad (they usually do) and yes, this one was no exception. However, it also really entertained me. It made me laugh (ha, ha, ha) and of course cry (weep, weep, weep). It made me feel angry (grr, grr, grr) but also happy (joy, joy, joy). Tim Willcocks certainly has captured the positives and negatives of the world that we share with dogs.
December 9, 2015
If you are looking for an honest account of life from a dog’s view of the world this is your book. True to the ways of Richard Adams novels, life is given to the world of the dog with vivid reality, their interactions with each other, beliefs, and ways of life which we humans might misconstrue as something else. A beautifully epic novel which is sure to stand the test of time as a classic.
Now bear in mind that this book is from the viewpoint of a dog who has seen some pretty horrendous things. Furgal is born in a whelping cage at a greyhound breeding yard surrounded by garbage. When it is discovered that Furgal is not a purebred greyhound, his life is expendable in the eyes of the breeder. As they take Furgal out to dispose of him, he makes his escape and this is where his adventure begins.
Furgal becomes many things as he grows up. He is a pet, a street dog, a coward, and a champion. He makes friends along the way that are characters you can’t help but love and he learns a thing or two about humans. He also learns a lot about dog legends and a legacy which he may be the one of the last dogs left to revive. The one thing Furgal never forgets is where he came from and the promise he made to his mother that he would find a way some day to get her to freedom.
This story is not for the faint of heart. As I mentioned before, it is very similar to Richard Adams who wrote Watership Down and The Plague Dogs. However, this is a story that needs to be told and should be embraced for the beauty it brings to today’s literature. . This is not just a book for animal lovers but those who love a great story of adventure and an underdog who becomes a hero. It will grab you by the heart and hold you until you think you are going to burst. You will find happiness and tears as well as hope and remorse between these pages. An excellent read for teens and adults alike.
Now bear in mind that this book is from the viewpoint of a dog who has seen some pretty horrendous things. Furgal is born in a whelping cage at a greyhound breeding yard surrounded by garbage. When it is discovered that Furgal is not a purebred greyhound, his life is expendable in the eyes of the breeder. As they take Furgal out to dispose of him, he makes his escape and this is where his adventure begins.
Furgal becomes many things as he grows up. He is a pet, a street dog, a coward, and a champion. He makes friends along the way that are characters you can’t help but love and he learns a thing or two about humans. He also learns a lot about dog legends and a legacy which he may be the one of the last dogs left to revive. The one thing Furgal never forgets is where he came from and the promise he made to his mother that he would find a way some day to get her to freedom.
This story is not for the faint of heart. As I mentioned before, it is very similar to Richard Adams who wrote Watership Down and The Plague Dogs. However, this is a story that needs to be told and should be embraced for the beauty it brings to today’s literature. . This is not just a book for animal lovers but those who love a great story of adventure and an underdog who becomes a hero. It will grab you by the heart and hold you until you think you are going to burst. You will find happiness and tears as well as hope and remorse between these pages. An excellent read for teens and adults alike.
April 19, 2016
When I first embarked upon this book, I was told that it was going to be rather a lot like Watership Down, and was very disappointed when it turned out to be nothing like it at all. In fact, I wasn't super fond of this book for a large portion of the beginning. Like, it was readable, but not all that much to capture my interest. Then this became a story about one dog's struggle to keep his nuts (and his freedom), and I was sold. I like it when books take surprising turns like that.
January 13, 2017
This is a hard book to rate. The dog mythology, characterization, and plot pacing are well done, I really enjoyed those parts. I also liked how human conversations were depicted, for example, Dedbone's "Boast, boast, boast" and "Gloat, gloat, gloat".
The author did a lot of research on puppy mills, greyhound racing, and animal cruelty; all of which are integral to the plot. Certain scenes are so accurate in regards to animal cruelty, I wanted to skip them. It's not that they are exceedingly graphic, it's knowing these things actually do happen that made it hard to read. Which brings me back to how to rate this well written book. I can't say that I 'liked it' because of the cruelty, but giving less than 3 stars seems unfair.
If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:
✱ The Last Dogs: The Vanishing
✱ The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances
The author did a lot of research on puppy mills, greyhound racing, and animal cruelty; all of which are integral to the plot. Certain scenes are so accurate in regards to animal cruelty, I wanted to skip them. It's not that they are exceedingly graphic, it's knowing these things actually do happen that made it hard to read. Which brings me back to how to rate this well written book. I can't say that I 'liked it' because of the cruelty, but giving less than 3 stars seems unfair.
If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:
✱ The Last Dogs: The Vanishing
✱ The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances
July 27, 2021
This was an amazing book that I most certainly want to read again!
The perspective is written perfectly and is obtained throughout the book; as soon as you read that first chapter your already hooked. The suspense is entwined through the story just like the Doglines in Furgul's world and there's always something interesting happening, there's never a dull moment in this story! Furgul is a well-balanced character that fits well with his story and the other characters. Speaking of characters, they had such a variety of traits and characteristics, I just loved it!
I definitely recommend 'Doglands'!
The perspective is written perfectly and is obtained throughout the book; as soon as you read that first chapter your already hooked. The suspense is entwined through the story just like the Doglines in Furgul's world and there's always something interesting happening, there's never a dull moment in this story! Furgul is a well-balanced character that fits well with his story and the other characters. Speaking of characters, they had such a variety of traits and characteristics, I just loved it!
I definitely recommend 'Doglands'!
May 4, 2016
This book has got a very special place in my heart. Thanks to this book, which was recommended by a friend of mine, I've regained my love for reading after not reading a book since many years... It's amazing how it changed my life. The messages in this book are beautiful and profound, and very worth reading. Furgul will forever stay in my memory. Thank you for this wonderful work, Tim Willocks.
May 12, 2016
Best dog fiction since The Call of the Wild
January 16, 2018
La prosa nitida e precisa del grande Tim per una storia profonda e di grande spessore emotivo.
"Furgul emerse dalla caverna e levò il muso verso il sole.
Era bello essere vivi.
Sapeva dov'era stato, ma non sapeva dove sarebbe andato.
La strada libera e selvaggia continuava a chiamarlo."
"Furgul emerse dalla caverna e levò il muso verso il sole.
Era bello essere vivi.
Sapeva dov'era stato, ma non sapeva dove sarebbe andato.
La strada libera e selvaggia continuava a chiamarlo."
Read
January 29, 2021A lovely to read book from the dogs point of view. Happy times sad times peaceful times scary times. Should be made into a film. Your heart cries with him when Frugal loses his sister but without giving the ending away is joyful for his Mum
August 5, 2021
Inspiring
I don’t own a dog, now I never will. It broke my heart. I think everybody should read this book, children in particular. People who have dogs will definitely look at them with more respect and love after reading this book. This was the best read for me this year
I don’t own a dog, now I never will. It broke my heart. I think everybody should read this book, children in particular. People who have dogs will definitely look at them with more respect and love after reading this book. This was the best read for me this year
May 10, 2022
This book was pretty good and I'm not a huge fan of reading. It wasn't a book I was super interested in but it was still a good book despite that. It turned out how I expected it too the title of the book fits perfectly for the book itself.
May 5, 2018
Good dog book.
March 20, 2018
This book was a sad but entertaining story about dogs. The author used a lot of cliff hangers in this book. A good example of this would be when the main character Furgal was left in the dog catchers truck and he hears a lot of noise and then chapter ended. Another thing that I thought was sad about the book was that the person named Deadbone only breed greyhounds for racing and any dog that couldn't run fast enough would be throw into a pit where over thousands of dog bodes were put to die on top of each other. I would recommend this to Rhiannon.
September 25, 2020
0* - Kendra
January 21, 2022
The dog characters were too anthropomorphic and unlikeable to my taste.
November 2, 2023
Un des meilleurs livres que j'ai lu au collège 🤩
July 17, 2025
This was my favorite book growing up. Still love it! It shows a very interesting perspective on dog racing and is very well written.
May 6, 2016
En 2010, La Religion de Tim Willocks m’avait fortement impressionnée, l’occasion de lire autre chose du même auteur s’est présentée lors du FIRN de Frontignan, où j’ai eu la chance de rencontrer Tim Willocks. Oui, mesdames et messieurs, lui-même en personne en chair et en os. Joie ! L’occasion donc de faire dédicacer mon pavé exemplaire de La Religion ainsi que Bad City Blues, sans oublier son dernier roman, Doglands, lisible par nos morveux jeunes à partir de 12 ans. Pour écrire Doglands, Tim Willocks s’est inspiré de son propre chien Feargal, malheureusement « parti courir avec les vents » il y a un peu plus de deux mois. Autant dire que cette info rend la lecture du livre d’autant plus émouvante.
Le jeune Furgul, né dans un élevage de lévriers de course, parvient à fuir la cruauté de maître des lieux, Dedbone, un méchant pas beau à tendances sadiques qui n’hésite pas à supprimer les chiens les plus faibles. Le chiot va vivre de sacrées aventures, tout en se promettant de retourner un jour à la Fosse de Dedbone pour délivrer sa mère et tous les autres chiens maltraités et exploités de l’élevage. Plusieurs personnages croisent la route de Furgul, qui, devenu adulte, n’oublie pas sa promesse. L’histoire est entièrement racontée du point de vue du chien, qui a bien du mal à cerner les motivations de humains et à donner un sens à leurs comportements.
De péripéties en rencontres, Furgul va apprendre à mieux comprendre les humains ainsi que sa propre nature de chien. Le début du roman m’a paru un poil violent pour un jeune lectorat, certaines scènes de bagarre et de combat sont assez sanguinolentes, et le réalisme (relatif) de ces affrontements suffit à purger l’histoire d’un aspect qui aurait pu être enfantin. Car n’oublions pas que ce sont des chiens qui parlent, il aurait été facile de tomber dans la niaiserie, mais non, Willocks s’en sort à merveille et nous livre une très belle fable initiatique. Furgul est un maraudeur, comme son père, il est épris de liberté, et tend à retrouver ses racines et sa véritable nature de chien, tel qu’il aurait pu être avant la domestication par l’Homme.
Si le roman s’adresse à la jeunesse, il est parfaitement lisible par les adultes, qui verront là un conte plein d’humour et de poésie, d’amour et de sensibilité. Il faut bien connaître les chiens et les aimer pour en parler d’une façon aussi belle et émouvante. Tim Willocks est un auteur à lire absolument ! (je le dis pour ceux qui ne le sauraient pas encore).
À noter, Doglands est le premier volume d’une trilogie, et la suite de La Religion est en cours de traduction par Benjamin Legrand.
Le jeune Furgul, né dans un élevage de lévriers de course, parvient à fuir la cruauté de maître des lieux, Dedbone, un méchant pas beau à tendances sadiques qui n’hésite pas à supprimer les chiens les plus faibles. Le chiot va vivre de sacrées aventures, tout en se promettant de retourner un jour à la Fosse de Dedbone pour délivrer sa mère et tous les autres chiens maltraités et exploités de l’élevage. Plusieurs personnages croisent la route de Furgul, qui, devenu adulte, n’oublie pas sa promesse. L’histoire est entièrement racontée du point de vue du chien, qui a bien du mal à cerner les motivations de humains et à donner un sens à leurs comportements.
De péripéties en rencontres, Furgul va apprendre à mieux comprendre les humains ainsi que sa propre nature de chien. Le début du roman m’a paru un poil violent pour un jeune lectorat, certaines scènes de bagarre et de combat sont assez sanguinolentes, et le réalisme (relatif) de ces affrontements suffit à purger l’histoire d’un aspect qui aurait pu être enfantin. Car n’oublions pas que ce sont des chiens qui parlent, il aurait été facile de tomber dans la niaiserie, mais non, Willocks s’en sort à merveille et nous livre une très belle fable initiatique. Furgul est un maraudeur, comme son père, il est épris de liberté, et tend à retrouver ses racines et sa véritable nature de chien, tel qu’il aurait pu être avant la domestication par l’Homme.
Si le roman s’adresse à la jeunesse, il est parfaitement lisible par les adultes, qui verront là un conte plein d’humour et de poésie, d’amour et de sensibilité. Il faut bien connaître les chiens et les aimer pour en parler d’une façon aussi belle et émouvante. Tim Willocks est un auteur à lire absolument ! (je le dis pour ceux qui ne le sauraient pas encore).
À noter, Doglands est le premier volume d’une trilogie, et la suite de La Religion est en cours de traduction par Benjamin Legrand.
December 13, 2011
The blurb on the cover compared this book to "Call of the Wild" and "Watership Down." To me, it seemed more like "Black Beauty." Furgul, the mixed breed son of Keeva, a champion greyhound, and Argal, an Irish wolfhound free dog, has many adventures trying to survive and find the legendary Doglands. Along the way, he survives a murderous attempt by his villainous owner Dedbone who does succeed in killing Furgul's two sisters. He meets allies and enemies along the way: Brennus, Dervla, Zinni, Baz and Cogg, Tic and Tac, Chopper, Freak, and Skyver. There is both humor and pathos and a telling look at the way our canine companions view us. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 18, 2012
Doglands est au départ un roman plutôt original car l’histoire est intégralement vue à travers les yeux d’un chien, Furgul, jeune batard lévrier/chien-loup né en Angleterre, dans un élevage illégal de lévriers de course.
Le récit, construit comme une quête initiatique, est bourré d’humour et décrit des situations parfois très intenses en émotions. L’écriture est vive, imagée et ne laisse pas au lecteur le temps de s’ennuyer. L’auteur, en nous faisant partager la vision qu’à Furgul de l’homme, pointe du doigt les dérives de la bêtise humaine et sa cruauté. Bref, Doglands est un roman à la fois fort, intelligent et distrayant.
Le récit, construit comme une quête initiatique, est bourré d’humour et décrit des situations parfois très intenses en émotions. L’écriture est vive, imagée et ne laisse pas au lecteur le temps de s’ennuyer. L’auteur, en nous faisant partager la vision qu’à Furgul de l’homme, pointe du doigt les dérives de la bêtise humaine et sa cruauté. Bref, Doglands est un roman à la fois fort, intelligent et distrayant.
September 19, 2014
Ça pourrait être une histoire pour enfants, mais ça ne l'est pas. Cest bien plus profond, bien trop brutal et percutant, aussi, pour l'etre. J'imaginé qu'il faut aimer les animaux, et plus spécifiquement les chiens, pour aimer ce livre à sa juste valeur, mais en ce qui me concerne, je suis épatée par la justesse qui semble sourdre de chaque mot qu'écrit Willocks, par l'absence totale de "trop" là où d'autres se seraient embourbés dans la surenchère. C'est beau, et ça mérite d'être lu et reconnu comme ce que c'est : un grand livre.
August 7, 2012
Wow this book was amazing. It let my mind wander. It was like I was part of the book. I recommend this book. If you are a dog lover you will love this book! This gives you a glimpse at what it's like to be a dog and look at humans.
I liked it because it showed me how a dog feels about animal abuse and makes me want to be kinder to my dog and I now know how she feels. I hope that this also helps all young people that dogs should be respected.
February 12, 2015
I really liked this book!!! It's a great story from the point of view of a dog named Furgul, who must escape from his home in a greyhound breeding... thing because his father was a wild dog instead of a greyhound. As he learns to survive as a pet or in the wild, he has to choose what kind of dog he wants to be and find out if he can discover the doglands- where wild and free dogs find home. I really recommend this book for anyone who likes animals/dogs or is just looking for an adventure!
June 25, 2012
Wonderful story. Action packed, and moves along like wildfire. Full of insightful commentary on the treatment of animals by humans.
Willocks's take on a dog's view of the absurdities regarding the way humans try to manage dogs as pets is priceless. But, be warned, his take on the cruelty that some humans subject dogs to is quite heartbreaking.
Adults will enjoy it too.
Willocks's take on a dog's view of the absurdities regarding the way humans try to manage dogs as pets is priceless. But, be warned, his take on the cruelty that some humans subject dogs to is quite heartbreaking.
Adults will enjoy it too.
June 26, 2022
Everyone loves a happy ending right? This book sure did! From page 1, this story had me hooked. It was a very emotional journey from a dog's perspective, including abuse and death. Even though this book put me through so much, I never wanted to quit reading. It kept me hooked the whole way through. Definetly going to re read this soon. Good day to you people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 13, 2012This story is about a dog named Furgul and his adventure. The story is very interesting because it has an adventure about a dog. I like this story because it meets more dogs and people. People should read this story cause then that person can tell other people to read this story
February 6, 2013
Malgré les bonnes critiques et récompenses, je n'ai pas réussi à entrer en résonance avec ce livre. La violence et les retournements rocambolesques ont eu raison de moi et de ma patience.
Ouf. J'en ai fini avec ce livre, passons à autre chose.
Ouf. J'en ai fini avec ce livre, passons à autre chose.
October 12, 2013
Brilliant book laughed, cried & cheered. Full of cliches & sentiment but it works wonderfully. It's a wonder Disney hasn't made it into a flick though might be a little too dark...one of the best books I've read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews