A Dog Called Grk (review)

Tim spends afternoons in the comfort of his own home, playing helicopter videogames while his workaholic parents are gone, and he likes that arrangement just fine. After Tim discovers a small lost dog and determines to find the owners, however, he gets caught up in an international political coup, and his quiet days are over. The dog, Grk, belongs to the Stanislavian ambassador's daughter, who, after the overthrow of the country's democracy, was kidnapped out of England and imprisoned in Stanislavia along with the rest of her family. Unable to accept his parents' suggestion that they send the dog to a shelter, Tim sets off on a quest of heroic proportions, crossing countries, organizing prison breaks, and frequently risking his life to reunite imprisoned girl and faithful dog. A boy and a dog (even just a borrowed dog) against the world is an appealing concept, and Grk and twelve-year-old Tim, both of whom are brave, clumsy, and amiable, deliver on the promise. However, the grim adventures in which the protagonists find themselves are jarringly incongruous with the perky, humorous tone of the novel; indeed, a surprising number of adults die in front of and around the children, and political cynicism trumps governmental decency. Against such realistic but quite solemn elements, the fact that the climax involves Tim flying a real helicopter to escape seems forced and too convenient rather than exciting. Nevertheless, this British import, the first in a series, will still likely appeal to plot-driven action buffs who may find the additional layer of governmental intrigue to be a welcome supplement to the usual chase scenes.