Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane BuxtonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Halloween Bingo 2021
4+++ stars
Warning: This story features almost exclusively animal characters and this is a post-apocalyptic story. Necessarily, some characters (including dogs, y'all) are going to die. Please don't come with torches & pitchforks for me, saying I fooled you into reading it & that you are traumatized.
Okay, now we all know where this is headed. What a hoot! The zombie apocalypse as narrated by a domesticated crow, S.T. (that’s Shit Turd, dontcha know). From that name, you can determine the sophistication of his owner, Big Jim. S.T. saves Big Jim's eye when it falls out and tries everything he can think of to cure his big buddy—beak administered beer, a variety of substances filched from a local pharmacy, even his beloved Cheetos. He recruits Dennis, Jim's bloodhound, to help him try to help Big Jim and all the other Mofos. But the humans have become shambling, aimless wanderers unless they spot a phone screen, which turns them into screaming, focused pursuers.
S.T. is sure there must be Mofos out there who haven't succumbed to zombification, so he and Dennis set out from their home to seek them and save Mofo society. Our favourite crow is convinced that life won't be fun without human food and entertainment. Plus, he needs someone with opposable thumbs to open doors for him. Dennis the hound turns out to be an affectionate and loyal companion, much needed as the two meet wild animals and try to rescue domestic animals trapped in their homes.
Buxton imagines networks between wild creatures: the Aura, the Echo, the Web. Being in tune with these is healthy and sustaining, unlike the humans whose internet has brought on their disaster. Who among us hasn't thought about phone zombies? On the university campus where I used to work, drivers must observe a speed limit that is lower for the students (20 kph) than for the campus daycare (30 kph). Toddlers are more wary than phone entranced young adults! If I have this one (very mild) criticism, it is that the “humans have brought on their own downfall through technology” message is a bit heavy handed.
The fantasy elements are right up front. If you can't enjoy a crow who wants to be a human and can't envision animals communicating and co-operating to survive after the disaster, this is not the book for you. If you hated Watership Down, you may want to give this one a miss. Likewise, if you are a delicate flower who can't withstand a fair amount of cursing, pass on by. For the rest of us, have an absolute blast with this cheeky corvid.
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