Dodger

Product Information

It's hard not to compare to Terry Pratchett's non Discworld novels because I love them so much and in Dodger I feel like I am getting a Discworld novel in structure and flavour, but with a difference. There are some definite Discworld style characters, Onan, Dodger's dog has been illustrated in a manner, and with such personality, I expected him to be able to speak or turn out to be a Wizard of the Unseen University on an expedition from the next universe over, except disguised as a dog.

Dodger by Terry Pratchett | Goodreads

I doubt there will be another volume in the story of Dodger, though I certainly wouldn't mind reading more about him, both before and after the incidents described in this book. As Dodger's triumphant path ultimately brings him honour from the very highest rank of society, we cannot help but cheer not only for his success, but also for the success of this ebullient, funny and delightful novel.

Contains examples of:

He hunts treasure there – coins and jewels lost in the dark and dirty drains. It’s a good life, if you don’t mind getting your hands (and arms and feet and face) dirty. And on this dirty night there were appropriately dirty deeds that not even the rain could wash away.”

Terry Pratchett Books | Terry Pratchett

Mmmm, as I recall, if you go around telling people that they are downtrodden, you tend to make two separate enemies: the people who are doing the downtreading and have no intention of stopping, and the people who are downtrodden, but nevertheless -- people being who they are -- don't want to know. They can get quite nasty about it.” Henry Mayhew, is a friend of Charlie who (together with his wife) first takes care of Simplicity while she recovers. He is also very interested in improving the conditions for London's poorest citizens. The novel is dedicated to the real Mayhew in honour of his work drawing attention to the plight of London's poorest through his book London Labour and the London Poor.

Fantasy Books Of The Year

Where the blip was, for me, was when marriage was considered and executed . . . .all along I felt this character was much younger somewhere from 14 - 18. . . .not a person others in the story, including the love interest who seemed older, thought was 18+ and marriageable - just seemed mighty abrupt. . . anyway, may have just been me not in sync.

Dodger | Terry Pratchett

The story opens on a dark, wet night(almost the cliched "a dark and stormy night" but Pratchett never lets you see it) as a carriage comes careening through the streets, carrying a damsel in distress, under threat of death. Out of the darkness comes Dodger, a whirl-wind beating off thugs and saving the day. In Dec. of 2007, Pratchett disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. On 18 Feb, 2009, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

Synopsis

The thing about secrets is that they are usually best kept by just one person. That was the special thing about secrets. Some people seemed to think that the best way to keep a secret was to tell as many people as possible; what could possibly go wrong for a secret when there were so many people defending it?” I enjoyed the little cameos thrown in as well, I suppose you could sum this novel up as about a nobody being at the right place at the right time, doing and/or saying the right things, and thus getting to know the right people.