The Dog Stars

Well, this was certainly a timely read. A killer flu epidemic accompanied by a blood disease has emptied North America (and presumably the whole world) of almost everyone. It is a grim world. The few survivors are mostly prey and predators – sometimes both at once. Even if you aren't a stone-cold killer, you had best be prepared to act like one if you want to survive.
Hig, the protagonist of this story, has learned that lesson well. He and his dog Jasper have teamed up with Bangley, a gun-loving and very competent survivor with a mysterious past. Together they have managed to survive nine years. But Hig yearns for something more, a life less dark. Will he survive to find it?
The writing is beautiful and literary in spite of the dark subject. Heller is very good with descriptive language.
However, at one point he apparently makes a howler of a botanical mistake by placing a warm-weather, low-land species up in the mountains. That took me right out of the story, and I had to stop and reset my brain before continuing. If it was on purpose to indicate climate change perhaps, well ... I still don't buy it because mountains. (I won't say what the plant is. If you don't know, it shouldn't bother you.)
Solid four stars.