Book Title: RUNDOG
Author: J. O. Quantaman
Publisher: Infinity Publishing
ISBN: 0741453061
Review by Michele Tater for Review the Book

“Its not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” ~Mark Twain

The book “Rundog” is an historical excerpt from an author from the year 2099, about the future universe of the year 2075. I know right! I don’t think this has ever been done before, or if it has not done so well.

Most of the storyline or should I say the history, centers around the character Nyssa Persson. She is a girl with a checkered past that has  been given an unusual second chance at a better life as a Rundog, which can be described as an elite spy-like operation. Even though she is literally pushed into a lifestyle that is foreign to her, Nyssa knows she needs to adjusted to survive. Her new routine consists of dietary and wardrobe changes along with relentless physical training. The reader gets to follow Nyssa in her transformation and her adaptation to her new world.

Another character that needs mentioning is Kazuo Yamazake, who is head of a security crew for a shady tools dealer who supplies to auto assembly complexes. Kazuo knows his boss’s under the table dealings, but he chooses his job over any ethics he may have. He turns a blind eye to the ramifications that his employer’s decisions could cause. However, Kazuo may grow to question this decision.

Someone else that I think needs to be told about is Tomas Redfoot. He his a hard working truck driver who is just trying to make enough money to support his wife, two daughters and a son. He is having the worst luck ever in trying to keep his truck running within legal requirements. Tomas is plagued with truck repairs and set backs. Will there be a light at the end of the tunnel for this poor soul?

Included in “Rundog” is an Appendix which explains the symbols that are located throughout the book as marks for narrative theme changers. These symbols are related to the dual-psign glyphs that are used in Rundog training. Although interesting and an unique addition, they are not needed in the reading and the understanding of the book.

Since this a world of the future there are many words that are not familiar or not fully explained in the main text of the book, so the author was astute enough to add a glossary. I found this glossary very helpful, but with only one drawback. There are no marks or marking to alert the reader that the word is further explained elsewhere.

With that being said, my over all opinion of “Rundog” is that it is an intriguing book of a “world” of the future. Even though is this “world”, there are many things that are different, there are others that stay the same. The core of human beings stay the same, they strive to be happy. Some find this happiness in business or physical affairs, while others find it in the environment and the sentiment beings living in it. I can not wait to read “Dog Dew” next…

Reviewed on 01/12/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member michele tater