"... it will leave you grasping for superlatives."

Could reviews get better than this? Some more excerpts...

"... spellbinding narrative means ... destined for legendary status."
" This novel quite simply is outstanding.  If you miss it you will kick yourself."

The full review ran in the Christchurch Press, The Dominion Post and the Waikato Times. Read the full review  here

Alveridgea Review Otago Daily Times.

Exquisite book and story
Alveridgea and the Legend of the Lonely Dog (Atlantic Books), by Ivan Clarke and Stu Duval, is a beautiful book in all senses.

Set in a world where poor working-class dogs are subjugated by wealthy and aristocratic cats, it tells the tale of a shy and reticent young musician called Lonely, whose songs inspire cat and dog alike to rebel against the cruelty and injustice of the ruling elite.

The story itself is a universal one, redolent with echoes of historical (and contemporary) events and the setting reminiscent of rust-belt America, so it is relatable. But each character has an independent existence, a detailed back-story.

The artist, Ivan Clarke, has been painting and (in conjunction with Richard Taylor) sculpting Lonely Dog and the other inhabitants of Alveridgea for years - the central character is based on his own dachshund, Arthur Snout - and the young hound's adventures originated as bedtime stories for Ivan's children. His illustrations bring the story, eloquently written by his longtime friend Stu Duval, to life; and render the book a genuine treasure, a work of art as much as literature.

Thanks so much to Cushla McKinney at the Otago Daily Times for the great review! 

See it online here ....

http://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/books/225771/bookmarks

Look at Alveridgea next to Tom Clancy!

I know it is only because of being in alphabetical order! And I know you could think it is a bit lame to even blog about it ... but I did enjoy the fact that is happening in bookstores around New Zealand!

Newstalk ZB Andrew Dickens interview on Alveridgea and the Legend of the Lonely Dog. Link enclosed.

Had a great interview with the informed and intelligent Andrew Dickens of Sunday Morning Newstalk ZB fame. He has been following the Lonely Dog story with interest and it was great to talk with him. Thanks again Andrew!

Listen to the full interview here....
http://content.radionetwork.co.nz/weekondemand/auckland/11145.mp3

Start two minutes in to skip the ads!

Yet another great review of Alveridgea and the Legend of the Lonely Dog!

They just keep coming! Here is a portion of a review posted on the Amazon UK website.

I read The Hobbit 20 times as a kid and, even as an adult, pre-ordered each Harry Potter book and read it immediately upon receipt. "Alveridgea: The Legend of the Lonely Dog" appeals to me in the same way: it is a wonderful, rich imaginative world populated by quirky, unique, yet familiar characters. And I am young-at-heart enough to love the illustrations as well as the text. I spend my business days on things that are all-too-real. It is lovely to open a book like this one and spend a few hours in the authors' imaginative universe. It is like going on holiday. And I want to ride the motorcycles and drink the beer!