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Dog of the Afterworld
The book tells the story of a Russian assassin, Nikolai Fyodorov, who is sent to Kansas to influence a U.S. Senate race. In a state beset by industrial farming, extreme right-wing politics, and kidnappers who prey on young girls, he confronts the betrayal that led him into the assassin’s trade and the price he must pay for his family’s past. He must also escape the temptation of love that draws him toward his own death.
Dog of the Afterworld is a thriller, but there’s also mystery and romance in Nikolai’s search for redemption.
Dog of the Afterworld is a thriller, but there’s also mystery and romance in Nikolai’s search for redemption.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 6, 2022
Leon Unruh has vaulted to the top of my list of favorite thriller writers with Dog of the Afterworld. It's a heart-pounding story with deeply developed characters and nuanced, interweaving storylines that had me tearing through the final 100 pages to see how it would all play out. Unruh writes with authority and a textured understanding of the people with whom he populates this tale. He's a master of suspense who kept me guessing until the very end. At times terrifying, other times hilarious, this gripping story is genuinely un-put-downable. A brilliant first novel. Can't wait for the next.
January 13, 2020
Not my normal choice of genre, but being a native Kansan, and having it recommended as a good read, I took the plunge. It was a quick page turner, kept me on the edge of my seat. I’d like to believe the evils of the world have invaded Kansas as portrayed in this novel, but who knows? Would be a good start to a series about the adventures of nick!
January 10, 2014
Finally. A Kansas-themed novel that’s not a 400-page paperback Western.
Leon Unruh’s “Dog of the Afterworld” is a spy thriller/romance novel largely set in and around the sprawling metropolis of Great Bend.
His protagonist, Nick Deveraux – one of his many aliases – is a Russian spy who is sent to Great Bend to assassinate a state senator and make beaucoup bucks.
He arrives in town a few days early, however, and finds a job as a dishwasher in the fictional suburb of Sandstone, which is clearly based on Pawnee Rock, Unruh’s western Kansas hometown.
There, he falls in love with the cafe owner’s daughter, and confronts his main dilemma in the novel – work or love?
The notion that a Russian mafia would be concerned about a Kansas Republican primary may sound far-fetched, but Unruh makes it believable, partly because of his outstanding cast of characters.
His characters ring true as actual Kansans. From the way they talk, to their political views, to the way they dress – they are believable , which goes a long way in helping the reader connect with the story.
One of the book’s many subplots revolves around a teenage girl from Topeka who gets kidnapped and forced into the child porn industry . It’s heartbreaking and downright disgusting, especially once the storyline is fleshed out more.
In a more subtle way, Unruh lampoons the state’s traditional ultra-conservative political views, and the tactics politicians use to ascend to power in the Sunflower State.
Its denouement adequately ties up the plot’s loose ends; however, it seems to raise more questions than it answers. It practically begs a sequel, though I’m not convinced there is enough leftover material to warrant one.
Really, it’s as much of an homage to the state of Kansas as you’re going to get in the spy thriller genre.
It’s one of those rare novels where the plot doesn’t seem outlandish until you finish reading it. Did Nick and Cimi really fall in love and practically become soulmates in a mere three days? It’s a question I surprisingly did not find myself asking while reading the novel.
My main gripe with the novel is that the published edition I read contained multiple typos and grammatical mistakes – typically about one every 40 pages or so. While they don’t necessarily detract from the context of the sentences in which they are found, they did give me pause. It suddenly thrusts the author into the story, jarringly reminding the reader that this is indeed Unruh’s book. Albeit briefly, it rips away the reader’s suspension of disbelief.
Overall, the book, practically radiating with western Kansas spirit, is a refreshing take on the thriller genre. While some of its plot elements may seem slightly contrived, they don’t detract enough from the experience for the reader to notice.
Leon Unruh’s “Dog of the Afterworld” is a spy thriller/romance novel largely set in and around the sprawling metropolis of Great Bend.
His protagonist, Nick Deveraux – one of his many aliases – is a Russian spy who is sent to Great Bend to assassinate a state senator and make beaucoup bucks.
He arrives in town a few days early, however, and finds a job as a dishwasher in the fictional suburb of Sandstone, which is clearly based on Pawnee Rock, Unruh’s western Kansas hometown.
There, he falls in love with the cafe owner’s daughter, and confronts his main dilemma in the novel – work or love?
The notion that a Russian mafia would be concerned about a Kansas Republican primary may sound far-fetched, but Unruh makes it believable, partly because of his outstanding cast of characters.
His characters ring true as actual Kansans. From the way they talk, to their political views, to the way they dress – they are believable , which goes a long way in helping the reader connect with the story.
One of the book’s many subplots revolves around a teenage girl from Topeka who gets kidnapped and forced into the child porn industry . It’s heartbreaking and downright disgusting, especially once the storyline is fleshed out more.
In a more subtle way, Unruh lampoons the state’s traditional ultra-conservative political views, and the tactics politicians use to ascend to power in the Sunflower State.
Its denouement adequately ties up the plot’s loose ends; however, it seems to raise more questions than it answers. It practically begs a sequel, though I’m not convinced there is enough leftover material to warrant one.
Really, it’s as much of an homage to the state of Kansas as you’re going to get in the spy thriller genre.
It’s one of those rare novels where the plot doesn’t seem outlandish until you finish reading it. Did Nick and Cimi really fall in love and practically become soulmates in a mere three days? It’s a question I surprisingly did not find myself asking while reading the novel.
My main gripe with the novel is that the published edition I read contained multiple typos and grammatical mistakes – typically about one every 40 pages or so. While they don’t necessarily detract from the context of the sentences in which they are found, they did give me pause. It suddenly thrusts the author into the story, jarringly reminding the reader that this is indeed Unruh’s book. Albeit briefly, it rips away the reader’s suspension of disbelief.
Overall, the book, practically radiating with western Kansas spirit, is a refreshing take on the thriller genre. While some of its plot elements may seem slightly contrived, they don’t detract enough from the experience for the reader to notice.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews