virago reviewed on 8/8/2020 + 267 more book reviews

So my first experience with this story is the Corey from the late 80s early 90s. I loved it and when I realized it was based on a novel it was immediately added to my TBR. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator brought Fur Face to life. And yes, I realize his name is Einstein, but he was Fur Face in the movie and will always be that for me. The performance was excellent. I could really picture everything thing happening and I felt the emotion of the situations.

So Fur Face is a genetically engineered golden retriever that escapes the lab he was created in. He finds his way to Travis who is a lonely man at the end of his rope. He's not quite suicidal, but he's pretty much given up on life. Fur Face is just what he needs to bring him back to life, especially when the dog reveals his human-like intelligence. Travis instantly falls in love with Fur Face. Travis now has a companion to love and care for, and Fur Face gets the same on top of having freedom from the tests and cage he was in at the lab.

Fur Face leads Travis to Nora, a woman who was raised almost entirely by her miserable, horrible aunt. She never went to school or had friends, her life was completely controlled by her aunt until the woman's death. While Nora is attempting to learn how to live a life free of her aunt, she is targeted by a creepy man who wants to control and use her until he's had his fill. Fur Face leads Travis to her and together they rescue her from the horrible man. The two develop a friendship that eventually develops into love.

Together Travis and Nora discover just how intelligent Fur Face actually is and create a means of communication. They learn about his past and that he was not the only experiment that escaped the lab. The Outsider is an abomination that has a deep hatred for Fur Face. Somehow they are bonded and can sense other another. The Outside is searching for Fur Face because he wants to destroy him. And then there's the problem of the NSA and a hired hitman on Fur Face's trail.

The trio go on the run getting far enough away to give them time for The Outsider eventually finding them. They have a final battle where the Outsider nearly kills Fur Face, and Travis kills both the hitman and The Outsider.

This is so ridiculously well written I could literally listen to the audiobook all over again. I felt the emotions and humanity in Fur Face, but also you felt empathy for the Outsider. He was created to be a monster, a killing machine. He grew to hate himself for being an ugly monster and his hatred toward Fur Face was really his envy at being the beloved child while The Outsider was clearly feared and even hated. In the end I felt for the Outsider and wished that he could have been saved. His death was actually very sad.

I enjoy the heck out of this book. It was excellent from start to finish. I felt completely satisfied with the ending. I don't know why anyone would need a sequel. Travis and Nora lived happily ever after. And Fur Face lived, got a mate of his own and had children. What more was needed?

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