"The Plague Dogs" is a book by Richard Adams, author of "Watership Down", later made into a 1982 animated movie. It's lesser known, but Darker and Edgier than WD.
The book/movie follows Rowf and Snitter, two dogs that were locked in a science research facility and experimented on. The story is about their escape and journey to true freedom and a safe haven. While they're initially hopeful after their escape succeeds, reality sets in as the two have nowhere to go and very little to eat. To make matters worse, the two are hunted by the humans that operated the facilities after a false story is made up of them being infected with the bubonic plague. From then on, it's two dogs on the run from humans while looking for an escape to freedom.
The movie is gut-wrenching, with many hope spots appearing and vanishing over time. Even when they meet the initially untrustworthy Tod, things never really get much better from there. As things come to a head at the end of the book/movie in a very emotional ending.
The characters of Rowf and Snitter are great individually, and as a duo. Rowf is the level-headed one, cautious and untrusting, but is also a good friend to Snitter. He asks if he's okay and licks his wounds a few times. Snitter is a good character as well. He's humorous, a bit of a Cloudcuckoolander, but is also smart and more trusting than Rowf, shown when he trusts The Tod, while Rowf remains skeptical of him for much of the story. Rowf and Snitter's friendship really starts to show near the end, contributing to its emotional weight.
Overall, a great story and a bittersweet, yet enjoyable story at that. The characters are great, the story is emotional, and even the movie's animation and music isn't too bad.
Literature A heartwrenching tale with a series of Hope Spots
"The Plague Dogs" is a book by Richard Adams, author of "Watership Down", later made into a 1982 animated movie. It's lesser known, but Darker and Edgier than WD.
The book/movie follows Rowf and Snitter, two dogs that were locked in a science research facility and experimented on. The story is about their escape and journey to true freedom and a safe haven. While they're initially hopeful after their escape succeeds, reality sets in as the two have nowhere to go and very little to eat. To make matters worse, the two are hunted by the humans that operated the facilities after a false story is made up of them being infected with the bubonic plague. From then on, it's two dogs on the run from humans while looking for an escape to freedom.
The movie is gut-wrenching, with many hope spots appearing and vanishing over time. Even when they meet the initially untrustworthy Tod, things never really get much better from there. As things come to a head at the end of the book/movie in a very emotional ending.
The characters of Rowf and Snitter are great individually, and as a duo. Rowf is the level-headed one, cautious and untrusting, but is also a good friend to Snitter. He asks if he's okay and licks his wounds a few times. Snitter is a good character as well. He's humorous, a bit of a Cloudcuckoolander, but is also smart and more trusting than Rowf, shown when he trusts The Tod, while Rowf remains skeptical of him for much of the story. Rowf and Snitter's friendship really starts to show near the end, contributing to its emotional weight.
Overall, a great story and a bittersweet, yet enjoyable story at that. The characters are great, the story is emotional, and even the movie's animation and music isn't too bad.