Saw this one on netgalley and requested a copy because I really enjoyed his book Man, Fuck This House. And I'm so glad I did. What a fun spin on the genre!

Delia is a werewolf, though not in the sense that we've been led to believe. She wasn't bit or turned. She has a genetic disorder that makes her susceptible to The Change. She isn't a slave to the full moon. But she does change on a regular cycle. She leads a normal life as a human for most of the year, but during those change cycles, she has little to no memory of how she spends the nights as her wolf-self. Forced out of fear, and a care for others, she broke away from home and connected with other lycanthropes who, like her, are also ostracized and misunderstood.

As the unofficial den mother, it becomes her responsibility to relocate the younger members of the clan when one of them breaks through the barrier of their isolated hunting grounds and kills a human. They move to a ghost town their clan's founder purchased for just this type of crisis. But as they settle in, Delia and the others discover they are not the only ones there. And the thing that is stalking them is ancient and out for revenge.

It's a creature feature slash found family horror novel with a whole lot of blood and gore and a ton of heart, one where the werewolves are actually the good guys, which made for a very unique reading experience. There's tons of character backstory (yes, even for the 'monster'), and a great boss scene towards the end that kept me at the edge of my seat!

If you liked Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf, you will dig Good Dogs. Brian's focus on the human side of the change is very similar and just as touching. While they might not remember what they do each time they change, their non-wolf selves struggle with the guilt and shame of what they are unable to control.

You guys, really. This book is sooo good.

A brilliant creature feature! Loved the characters, the location, the storyline, and the writing. The perfect amount of horror, adventure & intrigue. Will absolutely read more from this author!

Ha, like I'm going to see a book titled Good Dogs and not read it. Unfortunately, there are no frolicking golden retrievers or stubborn greyhounds (who are refusing to eat their breakfast because they want parmesan cheese sprinkled on top) in this one, but fortunately it's still a pretty good story about some werewolves. And, okay, so maybe my greyhound is the only one currently on a parmesan cheese-related hunger strike, but it would make a super intriguing and suspenseful novel, I think – hit me up for more great ideas, Brian Asman.

Anyway, for real though. It isn't every day that you read a book where werewolves are the good guys, but here we have it. When Delia's pack is forced to make a new home in the isolated ghost town of Talbot, they soon begin to suspect that they aren't as alone in the woods as they thought they'd be.

Good Dogs is a bit of a slow burn at first – the wolf pack doesn't even really come face-to-face with the monster who's stalking them until the final third-ish of the book – but I never found myself bored. Almost all of the characters have interesting backstories (including the monster), and the flashbacks to previous encounters with the creature are well-written and suspenseful. There's also all kinds of drama going on within the pack, which keeps the story moving along nicely. When the monster finally makes her appearance, however, things get super messed up super quickly. There's blood and gore and death and wolf-humans running for their lives, and it's definitely a nail-biter. (Not that there's blood and gore only toward the end of the novel, mind you – this is not a book for the squeamish.)

My only minor complaint is that while there's a lot about the why of the creature's century(plus)-long rampage, we don't really find out much about the how. It's probably too much to ask of a book that's basically a creature feature in print form, but I am so curious to know the mechanics behind … everything.

My overall rating: 3.95 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy creature horror, stories about werewolves, and/or found family tales with a supernatural twist, definitely consider giving this one a read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 1, 2024.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone, and the author - Brian Asman. I received a free ARC, and this review is voluntary.

So, the synopsis provided pretty much tells the story. Found within, we meet a lot of different folks within the tribe, and learn a lot about their personalities, and connections. This story focuses largely on character development.

My only criticism is a catch-22. I did find this to be a slow read for most of it, but that had more to do with the attention paid to developing the characters to advance the plot rather than allowing for more action sequences to move the plot along. We got to know who the characters are down to their marrow, and that takes time, but it certainly paid off in the end. This is a great addition to the overall lycanthrope mythology.

Quite simply one of the best monster stories you'll ever read, Good Dogs is a story sure to please both casual and hardcore horror fans. In his visionary first novel, Brian Asman transports his readers with an incantation of authentic characters, genuine emotion and vivid, clearly written action scenes. The book uses a staggered chronology to strategically reveal twists that propel the narrative at an exponential rate toward the pulse-pounding climax, as a group of friends, bonded over their shared curse, are faced with an enemy even more formidable than themselves. Fans of Lyn. I Kelly's Tracks and Max Brooks' Devolution should consider this story essential reading.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.

Brian Asman’s Good Dogs was everything I wanted it to be—fun, gory, tragic, and action-packed. Simply put, it’s a fantastic concept that’s been brilliantly executed.

My absolute favourite parts of this book are tied to Talbot, the deserted old mining town the werewolf pack is forced to flee to when a leg is found in their garden after a night of werewolf shenanigans. A woodsy outdoor setting is my favourite for horror novels so this really worked for me. And with Talbot comes the creature that lives nearby. The description of this beast is horrifying in the best way and I loved learning about its backstory.

The found family element of the story was also so well written. Sometimes found family can be a little saccharine for my tastes, but the connection between the werewolves had a layer of complexity that made it feel far more real.

4 stars

I’ve recently discovered that I really love werewolf stories. This is such a damn good one too. Also, my favorite book of Asman’s to date. It felt really original as far as this old familiar somewhat overdone (not to me, I’m still discovering it) trope goes.

This started off a little weak but when the "pack" has to flee (flea? couldn't resist the pun) to a ghost town with a nefarious reputation it got good! I think I even rubbed my hands together with glee. The backstories for each wolf were interesting, as were the backstories of those who met their demise in Talbot through history. Although, Hankie the bank robber was the low point in the story for me. The monster was grotesque and just so mean. The only character I actually liked was Halbermann. This is an enjoyable and gruesome creature feature. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

Oh. My. God. I loved this book so much! Just finished so might revise this review bc I feel I have no words that can encompass how amazing this book was….characters ON POINT…..I feel as a reader you are sucked right into their lives & immediately care for them immensely! So well written, literally sucked into their lives, it’s insane….loved so much…he is such an amazing author to write such characters that you feel so deeply for!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favorite werewolf novels of recent memory. Loved the chosen family vibes throughout. Can't wait to read more Brian Asman!