Nick Pirog's Novel "The Speed of Souls": An Exploration of Life and Love

Nancy Coven: Wonderful wonderful. My girlfriend Sharon told me I must read it and thank heavens she did. I just really couldn’t put it down and now I am totally am a Nick fan. I can’t wait to read his other books. Nick, thank you for this wonderful (there’s that word again) read.

United States on Aug 26, 2023

Jean Perkins: I couldn’t put the book down. Needless to say, I enjoyed the book, as I have enjoyed the other books written by Nick Pirog.

United States on Jul 15, 2023

Chytowngal: Enjoyable, fun, easy summertime read. I loved hearing the animals thoughts. Characters ring true. Patience and perseverance pays off in the end.

United States on Jun 24, 2023

Kindle Customer: As usual I love your pet books. I'm recovering from surgery and this is just what I needed to make me laugh and smile. The Lassie files was wonderful, with Lassie and Murdock. This is absolutey the best. Being a dog and cat lover it hit the spot. Thank you so much or the lift in my spirit.

United States on Mar 31, 2023

Cheryl A. Rathbun: I don't know what got me to this book, but I will forever be grateful. I spent years reading horror and murder mysteries. I wanted something wholesome, something good feeling. This book has affected me, like crying, laughing out loud, openly taking to the characters kind of affect. I loved it. I will read it again. You should read it as soon as you can. Wow... great author, great read.

United States on Mar 06, 2023

Annie56: I enjoy Nick Pirog's books, and this one doesn't disappoint. Heartfelt, touching, and very original. Thank you Nick, for your slightly skewed point of view that comes through in all your novels ;)

Canada on Apr 12, 2022

Iria: What an amazing book!!! For anyone who has had a pet this story will melt your heart, honestly. I love the narration in Hugo's and Cassie's chapters. You can really feel their innocence when explaining things. Cassie's adventure with the brownies was so funny! And Hugo trying to adapt to being a cat on those first days? Amazing!!!
More importantly, I felt really identified with Jerry and how Nick described his grieving process. The loss of my last pet sent me on a depression too so I could relate completely.
This story was an easy read, entertaining and in my opinion very well written when it comes to switching voices in the narration by the 3 different characters. Gosh, I even had my jaw clenched towards the ending when I thought things were not gonna end like I expected....and the final twist with the 2 human characters? That even brought me to tears.
In all fairness, Nick, thank you for writing this book. Your story made me laugh, cry, and reminisce about those days with my furry friend. Hugo and Cassie may not be real, and will probably never get my friend back in the form of a cat, but I know now that, or at least I find comfort in the thought, that my fur baby is...

United Kingdom on Aug 31, 2018

sue knight: I love Nick Pirog's writing style, have read all his books. They're laced with his unique sense of humour and are an absolute delight to read. This one is no exception.
For this book, you need to suspend reality (hmm, maybe you have to do that with all his books...) as it's a story where dogs and cats can talk to each other.
It starts just after Hugo, a large young Bernese Mountain Dog, has died. Whilst Jerry (his owner) and Cassie (his other dog) are mourning his untimely demise, some 200 miles away a kitten is born. No ordinary kitten, it is Hugo reincarnated!
We follow the story in chapters narrated by Cassie, Jerry and Hugo (as a baby kitten). Jerry and Cassie get up to all sorts of things whilst trying to come to terms with their loss, and with Jerry's late-life, hippie-crisis parents moving across the road! Hugo has a long, dangerous journey to negotiate, to get back to his beloved family...
Another masterpiece by Nick Pirog and a must-read for all animal lovers.

United Kingdom on Jul 28, 2018

Marie D: All animal lovers talk to their pets and most of us are convinced that they understand every word we say. What we would all like us to be able to understand for certain, every word they say. To have Caddie and Hugo co-narrate the book was lovely. Made me realise that I will never forget my four legged friends, even though some have been gone for decades

United Kingdom on Jul 26, 2018

Boingboing: When a dog called Hugo gets run over by a car his human, Jerry, is completely heart-broken. Even the love of his other dog, Cassie, can't shake him out of the post-dog blues. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, Hugo discovers he's been reincarnated as a baby cat - a baby cat that's very determined to get home to Jerry and Cassie.

It's a preposterous concept, of course - surely the whole point of reincarnation is that we don't KNOW we've been reincarnated, but as a plot for a fun, fast-paced novel of love across species, it's a great idea.

Hugo's journey to get back to his friends is wonderful and if - like me - you've got cheeky little cats it's very easy to imagine that Hugo is speaking for them. After he gets over the shock of not being a dog any more, Hugo's transition to cat-hood is wonderful. Meanwhile Cassie is 'caring' for Jerry and for the tadpoles in the pond and the earthworms on the path and everybody else whilst Jerry slips deeper into writer's block and relationship failure.

There are some wonderful scenes. Hugo being taught to be a proper cat by a wise old cougar and Cassie leaving a very special mark on a wedding party were two of my...

United Kingdom on Jul 20, 2018