Helpful Score: 2
This book has an unfair reputation as being, "just another novel on spirituality." It is, but no more so than The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, or Watership Down. At its core it's a wonder inspiring fantasy, and a mighty fine read.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent Fantasy/Adventure/Spiritual book. "Belongs on the shelf with Animal Farm, Watership Down, and The Lord of the Rings." (L.A. Times) Beautifully written and conceived and each time you read it, you'll get something else out of it. Fantastical story set in the times when animals could talk and were the innocent protectors of the world in which the author explores the battle between good and evil. The story continues in the follow-up called "The Book of Sorrows."
Sorry, but I'm just not into fantasy with a heavy allegorical overlay.
What George Orwell did for the politics of the barnyard with 'Animal Farm', so Walter Wangerin has done for the bigger struggle in the baryard - that of good versus evil - with 'The Book Of The Dun Cow'. If one reads it carefully one can find many biblical allusions sprinkled throughout the story. The heroes are flawed - faith wavers, questions remain unanswered, self gets in the way, but still the animals press on in a life or death struggle against the evil that seeks to destroy everything. A remarkably well told tale and one worth coming back to for a second read (or more). And, of course, there is a sequel - "The Book Of Sorrows". Evil doesn't give up that easily.
This is a wonderful tale of the battle between good and evil. The writing is lyrical. The characters are a delight.
