Fluke Paperback – 5 Jan. 2012

I bought one for my son as a stocking filler. He didn't like it! Nothing wrong with the book. My son is just weird. Does anyone want to buy a 15-year-old? He's lazy, computer crazy, smells a bit and can't see a good book when it's put in front of him!

I loved this book, my dad recommended it to me and as my first read by James Herbert, I will definitely be taking a look at his other books.As my review title says, it really ws captivating. Makes you take a whole new look on a lot of things in life, as cheesy as that sounds. I won't give any of the story away but I will say that I loved the way 'Fluke' thought the whole book was written very well.I think I might try The Magic Cottage next as another recommendation from my dad, as he was right about Fluke. 10/10!

FLUKE James Herbert 1977 KINDLE EDITIONI have always been a great fan of horror and supernatural novels since I started reading them as a boy in the early fifties and over the years have amassed a large collection, mainly paperback copies and I am now replacing those available as e-books with Kindle Editions. This re-organisation has also given me the chance to revisit books that I have not read for a while and catch up with new additions to the genre which I may have missed.I purchased my original hardback copy of this unusual novel when it was first published in 1977 by which time I was already a hooked James Herbert fan. This story is a deviation from Herbert's normal horror genre being a fantasy which explores the re-incarnation of a man into the body of a dog and his search for his former family.Different, yes....but it has always been one of my favourite Herbert novels which I have read several times and have now added a Kindle edition to my collection to re-read again the the future.

The original I had was misplaced over the years but the story always stayed with me. It is not at all like James Herbert's other novels but I think it is his best. I re-bought it as an Xmas present for my 13 year old stepson. It prompted far more questions and discussion than any of the Harry Potter books he had recently read.

This is a cracker of a read, but anyone who expects this to be a horror book will be in for a shock. I first read it many years ago but only had a vague recollection of it, so it was like opening up a brand new book. It is the story of Fluke - a dog with a difference, who has vague puzzling memories of the time before he was a dog - of when he was a man. He doesn't have full memory of his previous life, just bits and pieces, but enough to realise that he once had a family and came to a violent end. We follow Fluke's adventures in life, from birth, his first unsuccessful home, an animal rescue centre, living as a street dog, right up to his final adventure when he decides to find his human family. We also meet his friends, including Rumbo the hard nosed street dog, Victoria the bitchy cat, a fox who lives up to a reputation of being sly, and the friendly badger who finally puts him in the picture regarding his past life.From the description you could be forgiven for thinking it might be a bit like those old "Homeward Bound" dog and cat voyage type movies - but it is far less sugary and more gritty - it is about survival on the streets and although Fluke meets humans who are kind to him and feed him, he also comes up against some very very sinister characters indeed who basically destroy his trust - especially in little old ladies!It is a fantastic read, and James Herbert has written it so well with such wonderful description that you really get the feeling that maybe he was once a dog in a previous life and is writing from memory. After reading it, you will never look at your dog in the same way again. Highly recommended.

I read Fluke many years ago and found it a clever, amusing and quirky story. On reading it again recently, I would now rate it as fantastic in the true sense of the word. An amazing tale of a dog who imagines he is human, or is it a man who imagines he is a dog. The story is brilliantly told in a way which leaves the reader wondering. Descriptions of events are given with clarity and sensitivity by both man and dog, all of the characters in the book ring true and the author even manages to weave a possible murder into the plot.A tale of a dog, with a difference. I recommend this book for the reader with imagination.

I have no hesitation in giving this novel 5 stars. There is no horror in it, but what there is is a fascinating story of reincarnation. Fluke the dog, who was once a man driven to find out how he died, and to try and meet his family again. It's beautifully written with comic moments, and sad moments, and it resolves itself in the end. You could almost set this aside from much of James Herbert other works, and some of those novels are great to.

Someone recommended this book to me. I do not think that it would have been something I would have chosen from the title. However I found it very clever the way it was written. You must have a very open mind. If I am reincarnated please do not let me be a turtle. I will not say any more as I do not want to give away the story.