Underdog

by Euan Leckie

When lonely and troubled teenager Tom White secretly witnesses the world of underground dog fights, he is horrified by what he sees.

But Tom feels a deep connection with one of the dogs he momentarily encounters, a young pit bull snatched from an animal shelter by the vicious gang of ‘dog-men’.

Without a thought for his own safety, Tom steals him.

While on the run, a remarkable bond develops between dog and boy that rekindles lost feelings of love and trust within each of them. It is a friendship that offers hope and salvation to both ...

Until they are caught.

Genres: Animals

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

On leaving school Euan Leckie found work at a number of London media agencies before embarking on a career within the computer graphics industry as an animator. He took the opportunity to write Underdog following a redundancy and returned to education as a mature student, winning a first class degree and overall University prize for academic excellence at the age of 44.

A keen angler and environmentalist, Euan has fished all over the world supporting catch-and-release and sustainable fishing practices. He is currently involved in a number of environmental initiatives in the UK that include wave energy, sustainable development and urban farming.

His interest in dogs and their welfare is shared by his wife Emma. Together they live on a countryside smallholding in Northamptonshire with their children Esme and Ralph; and family of rescued dogs, cats and horses.

Reviews

[Emily Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Just finished reading this book and have not stopped crying since. Although this is a relatively short book, it is really pacy, and is very easy to read. The story is about a young boy who rescues a pit bull terrier called Jeffo. The story revolves around his relationships - with his father, his friends, and of course the dog as he tries to rescue him from a dog fight. It is really well written, but be warned it takes you on an emotional rollercoaster! The authors descriptions and characters make you really feel like you are part of the story, making it even harder to put down.
What I liked is that there are a lot of modern issues in the book, the young boy is a self harmer, there are also descriptions of dog fighting practices to name a few - so it was interesting to gain an insight in to subjects that are clearly prevalent yet not often talked about. This book genuinely should be read, although some bits are really sad, it is all round uplifting and made me think a lot during, and after reading it.