While there have been plenty of novels featuring dogs, many offering warm stories of the unique man-animal connection, there is one genre that has taken a different twist on canine characters. Horror novels have long included man’s best friend, and the furry buddies often become such an integral part of the story that the book would not be nearly as good without them.

Obviously, there are tales where the dog is presented as the bad guy, but more often than not, they are tools used by evil men or sometimes just tragic victims. One of the most infamous dog villains is Cujo, the star of an early book by Stephen King. Cujo is a rabid Saint Bernard that kills its owner and then terrorizes a trapped woman and her child. While Cujo can be considered the villain, in truth, he is simply a poor, sick animal who was treated poorly and got rabies.

However, some of the best horror-fantasy suspense novels do not try to make a villain out of a dog. Instead, the canine characters are strong, noble, and supportive, even if their ends are not always happy ones.

Here are ten memorable canine characters from horror and suspense novels.

10 Kojak

Stephen King does not always make dogs the bad guys. In fact, some of his very best books feature heroic animals who save the day… and sometimes the hero. Kojak in The Stand is one of those dogs. Kojak, whose name was once Big Steve, appears to be the last remaining dog in the virus-ravaged world. He is intensely loyal to his new owner, Glen Batemen, who found him after most of the human population was wiped out.

Kojak follows Glen and other survivors halfway across the country to Boulder, having to battle deprivation and violent wolves along the way. It is Kojak who saves the life of the main character, Stu Redmon. After falling down a washed-out road, Stu breaks his leg and seems destined to die alone in the wilderness. But faithful Kojak returns and keeps the wounded man fed and warm until rescue arrives. In the end, after a female dog is discovered, Kojak’s future looks much brighter.^[1]

9 Radar

Kojak would have been proud of the canine companion from King’s latest book, Fairy Tale. Radar, an old German Shepherd, is not magical, all-knowing, or the most remarkable shepherd ever. She is, however, a loyal friend and a loving companion, a dog worth fighting for, and a dog worth saving.

Protagonist Charlie Reade inherits the dog when her elderly owner dies. Charlie had come to care for the old man and loves Radar. Radar’s age and encroaching cancer mean her time is short, and Charlie will do anything to extend it. He will even travel to a strange world populated by people right out of fairy tales, both good and bad, to get Radar to a device that can turn back the years. And once he does, his canine companion proves her worth by helping the teen save the people of this alternate land. Because, as Charlie has always known, Radar is simply a very good dog.^[2]

8 Manchee

Although Radar the dog enjoys a happily-ever-after in Fairy Tale, the beloved canine character in The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness is not as lucky. On a strange new planet settled by humans, protagonist Todd Hewitt lives in a town filled with the audible thoughts of everyone and everything. So when he gets a dog named Manchee, who “speaks” through his thoughts, the boy is not thrilled.

But Manchee is a kind-hearted, loyal canine who will lay down his life for his human if need be. By the time Todd realizes that and understands how much he loves his companion, Manchee is brutally killed by a monstrous villain. Todd is devastated, and so is the reader. Manchee, too, was a very good dog.^[3]

7 Riley

Far from being just a side character, Riley, an American bulldog, is the primary point-of-view storyteller in The Book of Riley: A Zombie Tale by Mark Tufo. Over the course of five books, Riley tells the story of a zombie apocalypse from a dog’s perspective. She is loyal to her newly-formed pack of misfits—a yappy Yorkie, a pair of humans, and a dangerous cat—and wants only to reunite all the members of her original family. Unfortunately, in a world filled with the undead, that does not prove easy. But brave Riley will do anything to keep her loved ones safe, even fighting the undead, proving that while a dog really is man’s best friend, canines are not very fond of zombies. ^[4]

6 Rebel

Although his books more often tip toward horror and dystopian fantasy, Robert McCammon truly shook-up genres in his book A Boy’s Life. A blend of a coming-of-age story, suspense, horror, and paranormal mystery, A Boy’s Life tells the tale of Cory Mackenson, a young boy growing up in a depressed Alabama town. Cory’s life is a good one, but his working-class family struggles. Through it all, he relies on his good pal Rebel, who he considers the best dog a boy could have. But on the day Rebel is hit by a car and Cory faces losing him, the dog becomes something more.

Cory’s prayers keep Rebel alive, but he is not the dog he once was. Rebel is changed, half-spirit, half-alive, trapped in an unhappy existence. But it is not until Cory hears a child laughing and sees something remarkable that he finds the strength to let Rebel go. When he beholds the ghost of a dead child playing with Rebel, he realizes the spirit child needs the dog, and the dog needs him. Making the decision to put his beloved companion down devastates him, but knowing that Rebel will be well taken care of by the ghost boy, Cory finds the strength to do it.^[5]

5 Blood

As good a feeling as books featuring the bond between humans and dogs can be, sometimes that bond can be disturbing. Vic and Blood: The Chronicles of a Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison takes that strong relationship and tests it with blood and rage. Harlan’s original post-apocalyptic novella about a boy, Vic, and his telepathic dog, Blood, was later expanded into a series of stories.

In them, boy and animal are linked in a struggle to survive and are able to communicate on a level usually reserved for human beings. Neither of them is particularly nice; they cannot afford it in a world as dangerous and violent as theirs. But their bond is unbreakable. They will literally do anything for each other, which is why when Blood is on the verge of death, Vic has no compunction about killing another person to save him. Blood might not always be a “very good dog,” but he certainly does inspire loyalty.^[6]

4 Lineker

Like the canine in The Book of Riley, Lineker from The Last Dog on Earth gets to tell his story from his own point of view. Unlike Riley, however, Lineker is a hilarious, foul-mouthed pup who keeps the laughs coming in his bleak futuristic world. The dystopian book by Adrian Walker goes back and forth between Lineker and his owner, Reg, an agoraphobic hiding out in a London apartment.

While Lineker does not understand exactly what caused the city to become an abandoned, deadly wasteland, he knows trouble when he smells it, and he will do whatever he can to keep Reg and a small girl they discover safe. Lineker’s inner monologues are hysterical and profane, containing the kind of thoughts you might expect of a dog while also being insightful and blunt. If he were, indeed, the last dog in the world, Lineker would be an excellent canine companion. ^[7]

3 Jess and Jip

While also set in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian world, A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World takes a different tone than The Last Dog on Earth. It is more serious and emotional without the funny first-person antics of a pup like Lineker. Instead, this book focuses on the lengths to which a person will go to recover a stolen dog.

One of only a few thousand humans left on earth, Griz and his family live in seclusion on a small island near Scotland. Not very trusting, they are caught off guard by a charming stranger who steals one of the family’s beloved dogs, Jess. Dogs, like humans, are a rarity in this new world, and female ones are especially unique. Unwilling to lose his beloved pet, Griz and his other dog, Jip, set off after the thief, encountering dangers and challenges along the way. Through human eyes, the reader understands just how precious dogs are to people and why they are worth fighting for.^[8]

2 Boo

International bestselling author Dean Koontz has written dozens of books spanning multiple genres. Under his real name and various pseudonyms, he has succeeded in writing everything from romance to screenplays, brutal horror to eloquent non-fiction, and supernatural suspense to quirky thrillers. But one thing most of his readers know about him is that he loves dogs. He so loved his own golden retriever, Trixie, that when she passed, he wrote his first non-fiction book, A Big Little Life. It is, therefore, no wonder Koontz has included dogs in many of his books. Among the many, two stand out.

The character of Odd Thomas, a laid-back young man with the ability to see the dead, is beloved by most Koontz fans. The star of nine books, Odd made readers laugh, cry, and feel. One reason for that is his relationship with a very special ghost: Boo the dog. Readers met Boo in the second book of the series, Brother Odd. Boo is the spectral dog that haunts a monastery where Odd has taken refuge. While like the other spirits who cannot speak, the silent apparition still has all the best characteristics of a dog. Boo is loyal and brave. He stands, or floats, at Odd’s side when confronting dangerous spectral creatures. While Boo is already dead, the dog still feels emotions like fear of the villains and the protectiveness of the weak and vulnerable. So despite being merely a ghost, Boo the dog is the very odd Odd’s most loyal companion.^[9]

1 Einstein

Of all the dogs Dean Koontz has created in his books, it is probably Einstein in his book Watchers who is the most beloved. Published in 1987, Watchers was a bestseller and was made into a movie that spawned a few sequels. Einstein might look like a normal dog, but he certainly is not.

The product of a lab experiment, Einstein is incredibly smart. His intelligence is at a human level, though he has to use things like Scrabble tiles to communicate. Einstein is being tracked by not only a human villain but also a literal monster created in the same lab. Being rescued by a protective man, Einstein offers his protection right back, and together, dog and man, are ready to take on any and all threats.^[10]

Imagine being either chosen or bestowed the mantle of leadership over a nation, kingdom or empire. You would be excited and happy that you have been awarded such kind of power. But for the leaders we are going to look at they never enjoyed that power for long. They had the power but it was taken and transferred either willingly or unwillingly. They were serving leaders with a short reign.

Any kind of leadership position one has there is always the risk that you might be removed forcibly or by mutual understanding. Also the fact that you’re a leader doesn’t mean you are immune to diseases and death. Some of the leaders we are going to look at faced such a situation.

Being a leader isn’t a guarantee of things going your way. Due to the political nature of most leadership positions there is always a surprise waiting for you. Serving ones nation is the most noble and honorable thing but sometimes that isn’t meant to be.

Therefore without further ado this is what I found out on these leaders that made history;

10. King Louis XIX of France – 20 minutes

Like most European countries, France had a fully functioning monarchy with kings and queens at the seat of power. With succession being through hereditary that’s how Louis XIX became the 20 minute king.

Louis XIX was the son of Charles X who was the younger brother to King Louis XVI. Louis XIX also known as Louis Antoine had married the Princess Marie-Thérèse, daughter of King Louis XVI.

During the 1800s it was a tough time for the French monarchy due to the revolution. Many royals were killed or exiled and the monarchy was trying to survive and be relevant.

When the king died in 1824 with no male child, the throne fell to Charles X his younger brother. Charles X tried to save the monarchy from collapsing by instituting reforms but it wasn’t enough to win over the people. The monarchy was unpopular and what people wanted was real change.

Due to all the pressure, Charles X abdicated the throne and chose his son Louis XIX as the new king. But King Louis XIX was not the popular or preferred candidate. 20 minutes later he also abdicated the throne and fled to Scotland where he stayed the reminder of his days.

9. Emperor Mo of Jin Dynasty (China) – 1 day

The Jin Dynasty was a dominant force in Northern China during 1115 CE. As with many ancient world nations or empires there was a person in charge and in the Jin Dynasty that was the emperor.

The emperor had absolute power and one to be an emperor it can either be via succession, force or chosen by the outgoing emperor to be the leader.

Just like any other empire they had enemies who wanted nothing but to conquer this vast empire. Probably the most notable are the Mongols of Genghis Khan from the north and the Southern Song Dynasty.

In the 13th century the Jin Dynasty was engaged in war with both the Mongols and the Song Dynasty. The empire was struggling but Emperor Aizong came to power in 1224 after his father Emperor Xuanzong died.

Emperor Aizong managed to foster peace with all the warring factions including the Mongols. But after the death of Genghis Khan, his successor Ögedei Khan attacked together with the Song Dynasty in 1232.

The emperor fled to Caizhou but it was later besieged by the Mongols and Song Dynasty. Because the emperor didn’t wish to witness the fall of the Jin dynasty he committed suicide and passed the throne to his general as the new leader.

The general became Emperor Mo of Jin Dynasty, but didn’t reign for long because the Mongols and the Song Dynasty conquered Caizhou. The emperor was killed in action, his reign only lasted a day. He joined the band of serving leaders with an unbelievably short time in office.

8. Chancellor Joseph Goebbels of Germany – 1 day

Joseph Goebbels joined the Nazi party in the 1920s and was a close ally of Adolf Hitler before and during the war. Joseph was a writer and journalist who impressed Hitler with his use of words as a form of expression.

In 1933 when Adolf Hitler was the German chancellor, Joseph Goebbels was appointed as the Minister for public enlightenment and propaganda. His role was to foster anti-Semitic feelings among the German population through the use of media and literature. He became the propaganda machine of the Nazi party before and during the war.

When the 2nd World War started, Joseph created propaganda films that were meant to win favor with the German people. They were meant to show that the Nazi party was on the right while the rest are wrong.

But as the war progressed and defeat was imminent, before Hitler committed suicide he appointed Joseph Goebbels as chancellor of Germany. But unfortunately Goebbels followed the same fate as Hitler. He poisoned his six (6) children and Joseph and his wife, Magda committed suicide. This was all done in Hitler’s bunker in Berlin.

Joseph Goebbels was German chancellor for a whole one day.

7. Sultan Khalid Bin Barghash of Zanzibar – 2 days

The East African island of Zanzibar was ruled by sultans who were the authority of the island. Sultan Khalid bin Barghash was one such leader, son of Sultan Sayid Barghash Bin Said Al-Busaid a popular sultan in Zanzibar.

But in the 1890s this island was part of the British Empire, the British wanted a different man at the helm. A person who will be favorable to them and not cause trouble, the British feared the sultan’s popularity among the people.

Sultan Khalid Bin Barghash was reluctant to leave his position for the British chosen sultan. Therefor the British responded by sending warships to the coast of Zanzibar. They bombarded the wooden palace where Sultan Khalid was forcing him to surrender, the British won and had their way.

Sultan Khalid fled to Seychelles and was only sultan of Zanzibar for only 2 days.

6. King Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of Nepal – 3 days

Before he was king, Dipendra was the crown prince of Nepal. The circumstances that led to him being crowned king are rather shocking.

On June 1st 2001 the crown prince shot his father King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, his mother Queen Aishwarya and 8 other members of the royal family. The story goes that the family didn’t approve of the crown prince interest in marrying a woman from an Indian royal family.

After the crown prince shot his family he pointed the gun towards himself and shot himself in a suicide attempt. However he didn’t die but actually got into a coma. He had tried to commit. Because the king was dead, the throne fell to the crown prince while he was still in coma. But as fate would have it 3 days later he died and his uncle became the new king, King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.

Therefore King Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev reign lasted from June 1st 2001- June 4th 2001. Of all the leaders in Nepal he was one of the serving leaders that impacted Nepal’s history negatively.

5. King John I of France – 5 days

John I of France was son to King Louis X who died in June 1316. In the time of his death John I wasn’t even born so he had the throne before his birth. In that same year of November 15th he was born.

The throne was bestowed on him becoming King John I of France. But unfortunately on November 20th 1316 he was dead; it is unclear on the cause of his death. With rumors of poisoning and kidnapping rife with his uncle Philippe V being the prime suspect.

Therefore King John I of France managed to serve for only 5 days and his uncle became the next king that’s King Philippe V.

4. Prime Minister Frank Forde of Australia – 5 days

Frank Forde was a politician from the Labor party who was Capricornia federal representative for 24 years (1922-1946). He served in the Australian government as deputy prime minister, Minister for the Army, Advisory War Council member and Minister for Customs.

He had a great resume or portfolio. And, that is why when Prime Minister John Curtin died in July 1945 from heart disease; He took over the helm and became the Australian Prime Minister, PM Frank Forde.

But unfortunately the Labor party had other ideas. They were not looking to have him as the permanent prime minister. The party therefore chose Ben Chifley to become prime minister.

Frank Forde was Australia’s PM from 6 July 1945 – 13 July 1945 hence becoming Australia’s 15th prime minister with the shortest time in office.

3. Queen Lady Jane Grey of England – 9 days

She was King Henry VIII’s great niece and 5th in line to the throne. King Henry VIII died in 1537 therefore according to succession laws his son Edward VI became the next king. But young King Edward VI was sick with tuberculosis and it was apparent that he won’t reign for long.

On July 6th 1553 King Edward VI was dead at only 15 years of age. But before his death the king had stated that Lady Jane Grey, her cousin, becomes the new queen or ruler. This was all done because the king wanted to keep the country on the path of a protestant England.

Her cousin was protestant but her half-sister, Mary Tudor, was a catholic. The choice of queen that the king wanted didn’t go well with Mary Tudor. This was because according to succession laws Mary was next in line to the throne after her brother, King Edward VI.

With growing support for Mary, Queen Lady Jane Grey reign ended and she was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Her reign lasted for only 9 days from July 10th 1553 – July 19th 1553.

Queen Mary took the throne and was reluctant to execute Lady Jane Grey. But when Lady Jane Grey’s father joined Sir Thomas Wyatt’s rebellion in January 1554, the queen considered her too dangerous to have around.

Therefore on February 12th 1554 Lady Jane Grey was executed at the tender age of 16 years.

2. Pope Urban VII of the Roman Catholic Church – 12 days

Pope Urban VII birth name was Giovanni Battista Castagna; he was an Italian priest who had been chosen to be pope on September 15th 1590.

But unfortunately he didn’t get to serve the church as pope for that long; he was pope for 12 days that is from September 15th 1590 – September 27th 1590. In his short service he managed to enact a smoking ban within the church.

He died in office and malaria was the culprit here but Pope Gregory XIV did actually took over from him.

1. King Umberto II of Italy – 34 days

Umberto was son to the reigning king, King Vittorio Emanuele III, of Italy and part of the monarchy as the prince. Just like many monarchs in Europe, they were feeling the pressure of people wanting a change in the system. Italy was no different to this wave of change.

In 1946 there was a referendum in Italy to decide whether the country wanted a republic or remain a kingdom. Hoping to sway the public in favor of the monarchy, King Vittorio Emanuele III abdicated the throne in favor of his son Umberto.

He became King Umberto II in May 1946 but due to his father and the monarch being disliked among the Italian people. It was a downward spiral for the Italian monarchy.

When the referendum was over, the people voted overwhelmingly against the monarch. Italy became a republic and that was the end of the Italian monarchy.

King Umberto II was the last crowned king or monarch of Italy. He went into exile in Portugal where he stayed in the remainder of his days. Although 34 days is quite good in comparison to some of the leaders in the list but it is still short of leaders who served years in power. Therefore he deserves to be among the serving leaders.

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