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The Haven

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Surrounded by endless forests, the last outpost of mankind is attacked by a savage army of wild dogs and vampire bats. A young botanist leads a small expedition to find a way out to rescue humanity.

347 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

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328 people want to read

About the author

Graham Diamond

33 books47 followers
In 2015 Venture Press Ltd, UK contracted to reissue seven of Graham Diamond's most noted titles. Among them was THE HAVEN, Diamond's renown cult classic. Others include the EMPIRE PRINCESS series:
LADY OF THE HAVEN; DUNGEONS OF KUBA, THE FALCON OF EDEN, THE BEASTS OF HADES.
In addition, the two part SAMARKAND and SAMARKAND DAWN were released to new worldwide audiences.

Graham Diamond began writing as a fantasy and science fiction author. He was born in Manchester, England, after World War II, and his family moved to the United States when he was a young child. He was raised in New York City, on the Upper West Side, and graduated from the High School of Music and Art. He attended CCNY in NY, and the Art Students League of New York.

He worked for the New York Times as a production manager in Editorial Art for many years. He has also taught creative writing in New York and California.

-Wikipedia

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5 stars
51 (39%)
4 stars
40 (31%)
3 stars
28 (21%)
2 stars
7 (5%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Phil.
2,444 reviews236 followers
August 31, 2023
Diamond serves up a delightful pulp fest here that is really one of a kind. Imagine a distant future on Earth. Human civilization has been reduced to 'Haven', a massive fortress situated in a valley and surrounded by dense forests. In the forests lurk the 'dwellers', sentient species like dogs, wolves, bears and such who all basically hate humanity. The only human 'allies' are the birds.

Diamond gives us the background with some tad clumsy infodumps at the beginning while introducing the main characters and then the adventure takes off. I will not go deep into the plot to avoid spoilers, but the dweller dogs, long existing in packs that raided Haven, now have a new leader who brought them all together; I kept thinking of The Warriors flick here! Haven knows this will be a fight to the death, and amazingly enough, the Wolf 'king' decides to ally with the humans, because he knows the dogs will come for them next.

Meanwhile, a small group sets out from Haven in search of other open lands beyond the forest. For 2000 years, humanity has been basically penned in. Other expeditions had been sent out, but none ever made it back. Will this one succeed? They might, given that they have help from wolf scouts, but what will they find?

I first read this years ago; it came out in 1977 via Playboy Press. It still feels a little ham handed at times and will never be considered fine literature, but boy is it a fun read. Expect lots of 'epic' names, bird kings, wolf kings, even cobra kings! Full on adventure almost from the get go. 4 pulpy stars!!
Profile Image for John Reed.
19 reviews10 followers
February 11, 2013
I think I read this book 10 times when I was a teenager. Not sure why it was so appealing to me, but definitely in my top 10.
Profile Image for Grady Hendrix.
Author 66 books34.9k followers
August 28, 2017
Fantasy novel about a world populated by talking animals and a final few humans who don't like being at the bottom of the food chain. Super-gory and full of names like Vandor the King of the Falcons and Ancient Prophecies.
Profile Image for Seregil of Rhiminee.
592 reviews48 followers
November 10, 2013
Originally published at Risingshadow.

Graham Diamond's The Haven is an exceptionally good and unique fantasy novel. It's a story about how men, wolves and birds fight against cunning dogs and dangerous vampire bats. It's a story about dreams, hopes, courage, war and learning things from those who have lived before.

It's great that The Haven has finally been republished, because it has been out-of-print for several years. It's a charmingly dark adventure story that will keep readers turning pages until they've reached the last page.

I enjoyed reading The Haven, because it's been a long time since I've read anything like it (to be honest, I've never actually read anything quite like it, but I've read a few novels, which remind me of it). I was impressed by the author's writing style and ability to move the story forward, because the story flowed effortlessly and beautifully from start to finish.

Here's a bit of information about the story:

- The soldiers of the Haven find a farmhouse and notice that the family has been brutally massacred. They bring news about the massacre to the Haven, which is the greatest city of the Empire (it has massive walls and tall towers, and the forests around it are endless).

- A young lord, Nigel, wants to explore the vast and endless Forest, but the Council of the Haven doesn't allow it. Nigel wants to find out if there's anything beyond the Forest.

- The vicious dogs that live in the Forest are about to attack the Haven with full force, because they have found themselves a Master. Under the leadership of Toland, a Great Pack is formed and the dogs are planning of wiping out the mankind entirely.

- The Council decides that Nigel, Lawrence and Desmond and a group of soldiers shall enter the Forest. Nigel and the other men intend to find a path through the Forest...

As you can see Graham Diamond has created an extraordinary story. He has plenty of imagination and he knows how to use it to his advantage by creating a memorable story and avoiding clichés.

Considering that The Haven is Graham Diamond's first novel, the characterization is amazingly fluent and the author has managed to create intriguing and realistic characters. I like the way Graham Diamond writes about the characters, because he gradually reveals details about them as the story progresses.

The main characters include Nigel and Desmond, but there are also several other characters. Nigel is a lord of the Haven and member of the Council. He's in love with Gwenn. Desmond is a soldier and Nigel's friend. The author writes beautifully about both of them and their difficult choices.

The animal characters are also interesting, because the author has created them perfectly and writes fluently about their feelings about the happenings. In my honest opinion, the author writes fantastically about Antonius, Vandor, Dinjar, Hector and Toland. There are also plenty of other animal characters, but I think it's best not to reveal too much information about these characters, because I don't want to write spoilers.

One of the best things about the characterization is that the author pays attention to duty and honour. The characters have duties and they act honourably, but they're also capable of doing less honourable things.

There are several memorable and interesting scenes in this novel. These scenes incluce the meeting with the wolves, the adventures in the forest and the desperate war against the dogs. The flashbacks are also interesting, because they reveal details about the characters.

I'll also mention separately that I enjoyed reading about Nigel's fascination with botany, because I'm interested in nature and botany. Because I've been interested in nature and botany for several years, it was great to read about a character who was fascinated by plants and wanted to study them.

Graham Diamond's descriptions of the forest areas are lush and vivid. It was thrilling to read about the men's adventures in the Forest, because Nigel and his men faced all kinds of dangers from quicksand and snakes to dog scouts and vampire bats. The author wrote believably about their adventures and the dangers that lurked under the trees.

The author has a fantastic way of writing about the frenzy and brutality of the war against the dogs. The battle scenes are bloody, ruthless and full of action. The author shows that everybody has something to lose in the war and one must be prepared to accept the losses, because the fighting is done for greater good.

It was fascinating to read how the birds were friends and allies of men, but other Dwellers weren't, because there was no trust between men and other Dwellers. It was also nice to read how the men felt about trusting the wolves, because it hadn't happened before and men feared that wolves would betray them. The author writes perfectly about this and shows that change is possible when all parties agree to the terms of the alliance and respect each other.

Graham Diamond writes entertaining and fluent prose. His desciptions about the happenings are genuinely interesting and exciting (it's easy for a reader to imagine how much terror the characters feel when they have to fight for their lives). I'm sure that every reader, who begins to read this novel, wants to find out what happens to mankind and the Dwellers at the end of the story.

The author reveals fascinating glimpses of the world's ancient history to his readers. I won't write more about the history of the world, because I might reveal too many things, but I'll mention that the author has interesting surprises in store for his readers. I'll also briefly mention that an old and legendary tale is used in an intriguing way at the end of the story.

I think it's nice that the author has used animal fantasy in this novel, because there aren't many authors who write animal fantasy. Although there are elements of animal fantasy in this novel, it isn't your usual kind of animal fantasy. Most readers probably think of Richard Adams' Watership Down or Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows when animal fantasy is mentioned, but this novel has nothing in common with them. In my opinion this novel is slighly reminiscent of William Horwood's The Wolves of Time duology, but only slightly, because there are several differences between this duology and The Haven.

The author combines quest fantasy and animal fantasy with dark fantasy and horror elements and creates an entertaining reading experience for fantasy readers. The horror and dark fantasy elements include Night-Birds (vampire bats), the threat of the dogs and the possible annihilation of mankind.

The Haven is considered to be a cult novel. I understand why it is called a cult novel, because it's an exciting novel that differs quite a lot from other fantasy novels. There aren't many fantasy novels, which can be compared to this one in terms of style and storytelling, because the author has successfully combined several elements. Graham Diamond has written a novel that stands out and dares to be different.

Although The Haven is a debut novel, it doesn't feel like a debut novel. It's a fully fleshed fantasy novel with plenty of action and adventure. I give this novel full five stars for its story and entertainment values.

I can highly recommend Graham Diamond's The Haven to all readers who enjoy reading fantasy, dark fantasy and animal fantasy. The Haven is a unique novel, because it's something different. It's a refreshingly dark and entertaining fantasy adventure that will appeal to several readers.

Excellent entertainment!
Profile Image for Tome Reader.
130 reviews2 followers
March 10, 2024
DNF at page 85/Start of Part Two. Just too heavy on the fantasy for my taste. I tried 🤷🏻‍♂️
Profile Image for Marty.
30 reviews9 followers
September 25, 2023
I have been searching for the title of this book for years. I wore this paperback out as a kid. It's a dark fantasy set in a post apocalyptic future where the last great city of men is besieged by savage talking dogs.
Trust, honor, betrayal - are all themes of this grand adventure.
So glad to have finally found this cult favorite again.
Can't wait to read it all over!
Profile Image for Lorraine Carey.
Author 33 books109 followers
April 25, 2016
An Epic Read~Wolves and mankind united together against the wild dog armies of the endless forests. A cult classic. Timeless and a really good read, in which a bastion of civilization is surrounded by a fearful world of forests where man fears to tread. Romance and war. An epic read.

Profile Image for Mitchell Karnes.
Author 8 books121 followers
June 7, 2014
This is the fantasy book that infected me with a love for reading and writing. I owe Graham a huge thank you. It's one of the few books I have read multiple times.

Profile Image for Graham.
Author 33 books47 followers
Read
November 4, 2015
New edition of THE HAVEN released October 2015
Profile Image for Angus Mcfarlane.
773 reviews15 followers
November 1, 2018
I didn't know that this was a reprint from the 70s when I picked it up cheap on bookbub. And finding that out at the end made me more forgiving of the clunkiness and bluntness present in parts of the story. Few of the characters are fully formed and the plot proceeds in episodes rather than a continuous flow. I reckon that in the 70s readers were not well weaned on epic fantasy and a book twice as long may not have gone to print. Much of the haven universe is unformed also - somehow there are taking canines at war with humans in a conventional pre technology fantasy setting with a scifi backdrop twist. Maybe more is revealed of this world in future stories but also have doubts that any big reveal would really work - this book gives the impression that there is not a great deal of world scaping coherency beyond what is presented. So my sense of satisfaction came from seeing this early form of fantasy fiction, exploring the genre but at a clear distance from the master, Tolkien, but with many of the elements which others would hone.
Profile Image for Fraser Sherman.
Author 10 books33 followers
July 24, 2020
Like several other reviewers, I loved this book when I read it in my late teens. Not so much now. It's not that I've discovered some massive flaw as much as having 40+ more years of reading better fantasy, so I'm a tougher sell.
The book itself isn't bad, though. Humanity lives in a clearing twenty miles in radius, surrounded by a dark forest. The feral dogs (who talk — all animals do) — have a leader whose organized them into one vast and vicious army, backed up by poisonous bats, to attack the Haven and wipe out humanity. One part of adventurers goes out to see if there's a safe land beyond the forest while the rest stay behind and prepare for war, in alliance with the wolves and the raptors.
While not as Holy Shit! as when I first read it, I did enjoy rereading it.
Profile Image for Daniel .
57 reviews
July 21, 2018
Very good read

I read this book probably 30 years ago and did a book report for my high school English class. The book crossed my mind many times over the years. I searched and found it on the kindle books. I must say the book is timeless, I enjoyed reading it now just as much as 30 years ago.

The book was very thoughtfully written ands caused me to think deeply about how we survive together but could have the tables turned on us through poor decisions. The book has a lot action that has a medieval tone.
2 reviews
May 26, 2019
I just reread this after a 30 year hiatus. I found my enthusiasm for this novel justified.... again

I still love this book. I read it once a decade just for good measure. A captivating story arc with well developed characters
3 reviews
March 6, 2024
Ii WAS WONDERFULLY SURPRISED TO FIND I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS NOVEL. I ORDINARILY DON'T READ BOOKS OF THIS GENRE BUT IT KEPT ME SPELLBOUND. THE AUTHORS DESCRIPTIVE WRITING HAD ME ENGROSSED IN A WORLD OF HIS IMAGINATION. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE.
Profile Image for Sheldon Locke.
373 reviews3 followers
January 16, 2025
I read this book 40 years ago when it came out, and recall loving it. Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed it this time. It's an old-fashioned (yet brutal) tale, almost like a fairy tale, and I very much recommend it.
Profile Image for David.
422 reviews1 follower
April 26, 2018
3.5* rounded down. Interesting premise to the story but I may or may not persist with the series.
Profile Image for Faye Laherty.
157 reviews4 followers
March 5, 2022
I read this as a young teen and reread it periodically. I enjoyed the book and the world building behind it.
Profile Image for Lance.
18 reviews
January 2, 2017
Just as I remembered it from when I first read this as a kid and thought I had to hide it from my parents because it was published by Playboy..... Not a literary marvel, just a good story and an easy read.
Profile Image for Jim.
479 reviews11 followers
December 30, 2016
I first read this novel as a teenager, and my only recollection of it was that I enjoyed it a great deal. I’d only vaguely remembered some plot details—it’s set in an indeterminate medieval-ish time period somewhere in a forest featuring the titular fort-like structure, and it involves a conflict between men and dogs—but I was yearning to read it again. My second read reveals why some tales appeal to us more when we’re younger.

First, the positives. “The Haven” is a rollicking good adventure novel—a straightforward tale of war between men and anthropomorphic dogs (yes, all the animals in this novel—dogs, wolves, birds—can talk). Very subtle dashes of the Trojan War and “Planet of the Apes” season an otherwise standard story featuring light romance and heavily brutal battle scenes. With no abstract philosophical ideas or ponderous themes to consider, the characters are concerned only with survival, dominance, and power. Mourning the loss of fellow soldiers is about as profound as the emotion gets in this novel. Diamond’s tone is appropriately serious but not melodramatically so—he knows he’s telling a rather ordinary story (albeit with some extraordinary fantastical touches), and he chooses his words accordingly.

As for the drawbacks…well, there’s really very little beyond the surface of this tale. At a few points along the way, Diamond creates opportunities for himself to use one of his hero’s (Nigel) quest for the “New Lands” as a metaphor for the value of history; Nigel and his fellow explorers/soldiers discover ancient texts, and I was anticipating some thematic resonance between the past and the future, some “bigger meaning” for one of the major plot strands. But it turned out to be simply one more way for the humans to gain a tactical advantage in their war with the dogs—which, I suppose, could fall under the category of using-knowledge-from-the-past-to-make-the-future-better.

So, if it’s profound literature with complex themes that you seek, search elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you’re simply seeking a fun adventure—the literary equivalent of a popcorn movie—you’ll find it in the pages of “The Haven.”
Profile Image for Adrian Rose.
Author 1 book5 followers
October 11, 2021
The last bastion of human civilization is in a valley surrounded by dense forest. Though prosperous, the people are constantly beset by dangers from the wild, the most prominent being packs of ferocious dogs. In spite of this, there has always been something of a stalemate between these two adversaries, but now something has changed. A leader has arisen among the dogs with the strength to unite them, and it is up to a small group of men to break out of the forest and find new lands before their race is exterminated.

The genre of dystopian fiction had not yet been coined when this novel was first published in 1977, but that is exactly what this is. First, all the animals can talk, and have intelligence enough for government and military strategy, which can only mean that someone has been tampering with genetics. Second, the discoveries made and continued references to older literature throughout speaks to this taking place hundreds, if not thousands, of years into the future. This is a well written story, as well as a wonderful epigram on what may happen if man takes his science and violence too far.
Profile Image for Spencer Tracy.
10 reviews2 followers
December 29, 2021
Ok... So first of all, this is not a horror book. Unless the general thought of a dog coming at your gives you nightmares. There were some moments of gore that I guess could be “horrific” I suppose...

The Haven is more of a wish-washy fantasy type book that hosts intelligent animals that can speak, plot, and amass armies. The dialogue didn’t feel very compelling to me. I can’t exactly say what was wrong with it, but it was bearable.

I had high hopes for this book because there was a castle-esque construct (the Haven), and the opening scenes seems like a werewolf-type scenario. However, I found it hard to become immersed.
46 reviews
May 21, 2016
Great Read!

As a young teen I read The Lady of The Haven and fell in love with Wolves! There are few books that I have loved as much for as long. I have constantly sought out the other books in the series and The Haven is every bit as expected!
Profile Image for William Hanson.
46 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2016
Good fast read without a whole lot of magic

Good fantasy read without a whole bunch of romance and magic . A bit of a fantasy when you think that the dogs rule the earth end man has not .
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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