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Reviews of The Animal Guild

Here are a few reviews of The Animal Guild, Book 1 in the series of the same name, that have been posted on Amazon, Smashwords, Goodreads, LibraryThing, PC, and elsewhere.

"This was a fun read and took me totally away from all things that normally permeate my life. It was filled with drama and adventure and yet spoke to the core of who we are and how we conduct ourselves." Aug. 28, 2019

"I really liked this book! Very interesting characters, that after a while, you forget are animals. A great read if you like Redwall, Erin Hunter's Clan books, or any other series that have animals as the main characters." Oct. 4, 2018 

"Corto, a dommie (domesticate) cairn terrier, leaves his home with humans for one of the Guilds, 'An animal community that provides fellowship, camaraderie and safety among the dangers of the wild.' He meets Renard, a wildie fox who has a strange relationship with his 235th guild. They and other animals such as Munk the wolverine go on dangerous missions for the Guilds against non-Guild animals. . . . This is the first novel in a Young Adult series (8 novels so far). Corto and Renard go on suspense-filled missions for the Guilds, here against vicious animals that threaten both dommies and wildies; against monsters in later novels. The novels are well-written, full of tension and action. . . . Action, action, action!, with non-stop drama and suspense. Plus a cast of anthro animals who aren’t just funny animals. And an admirably rich vocabulary. Sowle’s Animal Guild series will keep you reading for months. . . . This series is highly recommended for all ages, not just young adults." -- Fred Patten, Sept. 29, 2017

"Don't start this book unless you have time to read ... once you pick it up it's hard to put down. Loved the characters and the mystery. There's a lot packed into this book. Will Corto and Renard ever become friends?" Feb. 23, 2015 


"A microcosm of relationships carried off quite well on a palette of animals. Love the dynamics of anthropomorphic personalities and social structures woven into the normal and meta-physical. I love the group interactions, of which there is a lot."Mar. 1, 2014
 

"Couldn't put it down! Skillfully written and full of suspense! A rare 'boys' book, although girls will love it too ;) Great messages: learning to trust again after heart breaking loss, loyalty in the face of rejection, going after something bigger than we are . . . Can't wait to read the next in the series . . . Monsters in the Territory!" Feb. 10, 2014


"Loved this book. I could see this on the big screen. Can't wait to read the next book and see what Corto's next adventure is." Jan. 28, 2014


"Absolutely loved this book. Well developed characters. The dynamics of the interaction between the animals reminds me a lot of things that I learned as I was growing up. A sweet part of the story even made me cry, and that doesn't happen often. The story really takes a look at bullying -- what makes a bully and how can you deal with one. Hopes and dreams and how to make and grow friendships woven into a wonderful story about animals in the world around us and what they want and deserve!" Jan. 17, 2014


"I loved your book. Thank you! It hurts to let go of things in your life or to love again. You cover so many of life's lessons, and in such a beautiful way. This is the first book in the series and I am looking forward to reading the next one. Please keep writing and I will keep reading!" Dec. 23, 2013 

"I really enjoyed reading the book. I love animal stories & this one was no exception." Jan. 16, 2013


"The Animal Guild is the story of one person's journey from self-imposed isolation and a debilitating fear of loss, to the discovery that the joys of friendship and love outweigh the risks. The fact that the person is a dog is just the charming detail that makes this story a delight to read!
   The author obviously did a lot of research to make this story as realistic as possible, and I had so much fun learning things I didn't even know I didn't know! But no fears! Nothing is force-fed to the reader, all the nature facts follow along from the action of the story. The features of the natural world, the weather, and especially the plants, are very important to animals, and there is a lot of fun detail on these.
    I thought that the animals' relationship to the human world was handled very well. No cloying cutesy-ness like you'll find in some children's books, yet humans are not ignored by any means.
    The main problem I had with this book was that I had a hard time keeping the names and species of the many characters straight. Nevertheless, the background of the Animal Guild world is rich, fascinating and fully realized, and we only caught the briefest glimpse of it in this book, the first of what looks like a really fun series-in-the-making.
    All in all, I really liked the story, and am quite impressed by this beginning author. She told a good, solid story; events and personalities all guided the reader along a smooth path to a conclusion that was both moving and satisfying.
    This book is aimed at young adult readers, but I (an adult not young by any definition!) greatly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone of any age!" Dec. 7, 2012


"Well: I'm a pets person (more a cat's than a dog's one) and also I think that animals have their own language, ideas and feelings (they are little intelligences), so I was delighted when I read The Animal Guild. The characters are so cutely depicted and their ways are so similar as a lot of times are ourselves. Beautiful book. Full of poetry. Deserves to be read. Really fun." Jan. 16, 2013


"Awesome book. Thank you so much!" Jan. 14, 2013

"This book has the perfect blend of adventure and character development. There are some rather adult themes in the book (abuse, loyalty to an abuser out of fear, death and pain) - but they enhance the story and are skillfully written.
     All of the characters were wonderfully developed. In many fantasy novels with such an extensive list of characters, some will be well developed and others will be one-dimensional. Not so in this case. Even those characters with relatively small roles to play have very distinct personalities, and most experience emotional growth during the story.
    Corto and Renard and Sev were fleshed out very slowly, and their personalities given time to change and evolve over the course of the novel. Hobo was fantastic as comic relief and a loveable character. Munk seemed one-sided at first and then developed a wonderful dry sense of humor. He ended up really fantastic.
    It's not just the characters that are so well developed - the entire world, the religions, the language, the customs and history - it's all there. Everything has been so very well thought out that it just feels... real.
    There is a lot of darkness in this book. There is cruelty, and abuse, and pain, and injuring (and killing)! .... So much darkness. Which I honestly did not expect. And it gave it so much more depth, and made it so much more believable and real. And then there is so much kindness and witty, funny things to counter it." Feb. 24, 2013


"I found this book refreshingly different because it is not your typical fantasy. The characters are animals, not humans, and while they have all the same foibles and shortcomings of humans, they bring the additional strengths and quirks of their particular species; this leads to some great action and adventures. Also, the "magic" found in this book is more "down to earth" and animal-centered than the magical elements you see in so many other fantasies. In The Animal Guild, it is the magic of the animal gods who may (or may not) choose to visit our world. There are a lot of characters to remember, so it was a bit hard at first to get into the story, but there is a glossary that is very helpful. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and am excited to read more in the series--I need to know what happens next to Corto and Renard! Note to author: Please hurry up and upload the next book!" Nov. 21, 2012

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