Dodger

I thought Dodger was a good read, a little simplistic at times but still well written. I always enjoy his books and I'm a huge fan. It was a little corny though when Mr. Dickens would "write something down for later". Looking forward to the next one.

I liked the use of well-known characters and did not mind the poetic licence used. Pratchett showed his usual clear insight into a characters thoughts and reactions. I still prefer the Discworld series.

I had some high expectations before I read this book. The story line seemed compelling, and character seemed interesting as well.

But when I dove into reading, it wasn't what I expected. First of all, I found the overall storyline to be very boring and slow. I kept waiting for something to catch my attention, to draw me in but it never happened. In the beginning Dodger rescues a young lady "with mysterious and unknown" identity, and he goes about his way to help her. Pratchett never gave much juicy info to entice me. I kept wondering about the the young lady's identity, her background story at least; but author kept is shut, and began to reveal much later in the story, and very little. This was my main displeasure: very boring and slow storyline.

The characters had some depth, too much focus on Dodger, and supporting characters seemed underdeveloped. For example, Dodger's older companion Solomon had certain characteristics and behaviors that made him alive a bit but it wasn't enough. I felt much detached to all of the characters. Author included "Charles Dickens" as supporting character, which I'm sure some readers would be thrilled but it not little/no effect on me.

I picked the book because it was M. Printz award honor recipient, which I generally trust. However, I was disappointed in this case. It was my Terry Pratchett book and got negative impression. I hope his other books won't be this boring. Despite overwhelming positive review from other readers, I did not enjoy this book although I wanted but I'm sure many others would enjoy it.

I am not a Pratchett devotee but my son pushed this book into my hands after he finished it with the promise that I would like it. The first paragraph was so finely crafted that I read it aloud to my husband. It's a great read.

Sir Terry Pratchet is,among many other things, the finest writer  of fantasy  in the world today.  I have had the pleasure  of reading almost everything he has written. You are in for a treat!   

Olin Bullard,  9/29/2012

I started reading Pratchett in elementary school and have waited with great anticipation for each new book. Pratchett has never let me down.Dodger

I enjoy a book that uses history to tell a story; and this latest offering from Sir Terry is a great example.
If you like to learn at the same time as reading a great story, then this is for you.
Whilst I miss having a new Discworld book to read, Dodger proves to me the reason I read Sir Terry's books -I love the way he writes and this book is no disappointment.
Thank you Terry, keep 'em coming!

May be the best Terry yet! This is meatier and more thought-provoking than the Discworld stories (although I adore those), with a cool historical connection to actual historic persons, incorporating Terry's imaginative plots and quintessential British humor.

Terry Pratchett is now and always has been one of my favorite authors! His imagination, sarcasm, wit, and humor know no bounds. I own everything he has ever written, and get the volumes signed whenever possible. Terry, if you're out there, I love you!

i did not get into this book. I wasn't a fan of dodger who didn't really seem to 'grow' that much as a character between the beginning and the end and I didn't like the princess, she didn't have much of a personality to me so i wasn't invested in her being 'saved'.

The story is quite simple and book does not get interesting until first half is behind you. Three stars are probably too much but it's not quite a two stars stuff. Otherwise if you read last Pratchett's books you know what to expect.

I have yet to get into "The Long Earth". Dodger is a fun read, but I still kept trying to place things in Ankh-Morpork and frankly miss the characters and their tribulations. For years we have been getting jam yesterday, but I am beginning to worry about jam tomorrow, no matter what the White Queen said..

For those looking for the same imaginative humor and wit normally attributed to Pratchett, you'd be better off reading his Discworld novels. His newest novel, meant for a younger audience, does not have the same spark. A historical fantasy set in Victorian London, the sewer urchin Dodger lives by his wits and becomes the rather unlikely hero of this story by rescuing a true damsel in distress one dark and stormy night. Pratchett relies on the rather tired archetype of the charming rogue and peppers his story with familiar characters from history. The climax of the main plot was clever and a little surprising but was then followed by an unapologetically flat ending. Overall it was a amusing romp, but the reader is left a little bored.

This story includes everything that one would seek from the Discworld in Victorian London. The wit, ken insights, lovely asides, and tongued cheeks make this story dance through a series of fantastic historical and 'oh if only they were historical' characters. This is the only book I've ever been motivated to write a review for on the store - I feel compelled to proselytize as I think this is a story that will make the readers happier to be alive, and better people when then step back into our world.

This is a great read, as soon as i started i couldn't stop.
I love Terry Pratchets books and this was another masterpiece in my mind.
I fully recommend this to anyone who wants to reads some fantasy, with a bit of history mixed in, and enjoys a good belly laygh at the sametime.

I enjoyed Dodger. The setting is our world, not disc world, but many details of Victorian England echo the disc world. The characters were fun and the historical character of Dickens gave me a new perspective on his writing.

I usually laugh, or at least grin, at least once when reading a Terry Pratchett novel - this time, however, I found myself rolling my eyes at puns that were belabored or sentences that simply tried too hard to be witty. Pratchett also recycles various jokes from his Discworld series - which jokes are, at least, funny, but for someone who has reread those books several times, just reminds me of how much better they were. Even his footnotes lack their usual flair (a sad day indeed, when a Pratchett footnote doesn't leave you grinning.)

That being said, the historical setting (with which, as he himself admits in the afterword, Pratchett has taken some liberties, although not terrible ones) is well done. This is a true homage to Charles Dickens, who appears as a character in the novel, and certainly Pratchett's London and Dickens's London seem fairly indistinguishable (this may serve as a great way to introduce people to Dickens, actually).

The characters lack a certain depth though - as a lovable rogue, the Dodger seems just a little bit too pure and lovable (it might be easier to identify with someone with more than a stolen trinket or two on his conscience), Charlie Dickens is a bit too clever and perfect, and Solomon, well, let's just say he's the card-board cut-out of the goodhearted but financially astute Jew (to the point where I felt the number of jokes about Jews being good at bargaining became a little bit tasteless, and incredibly repetitive). The plot, whilst entertaining enough to keep you reading, is certainly not terribly suspenseful (or realistic, for that matter, but that's less important to me).

(Sir) Terry Pratchett has written some of the best YA fiction on the market - I am thinking specifically of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, as well as the Tiffany Aching novels, which share the key characteristic of not treating so-called Young Adults as idiots, or feeling the urge to 'write down' to them. This novel does not live up to those earlier performances, sadly. It is definitely a fun read ('for all ages!,' as they say), and if you enjoy historical fiction with a light touch I would whole-heartedly recommend it - it is just that, as an enormous Pratchett fan, I was somewhat disappointed.

Having by now read everything the marvelous Mr Pratchett has written, alone and with friends, I can truly say that this is return to a style last seen in Nightwatch and The Truth.

It's visceral, delightfully intense and yet has a subtle air of innocence to balance the narrative. Get it now, wait for a rainy, miserable day outside and cuddle up with this, another Pratchett golden nugget - you won't regret it!

if you never have read terry pratchet then you are missing out on some of the best writing in our times. he's great. it doesn't matter if it's discworld or not. once you start reading especially this story you will become hooked. five stars aren't enough. i am so glad he is still writing and its still fantastic.

Dodger is the story about an Oliver Twist-like character. In London during the Victorian era, Dodger, a street urchin, attempts to save a girl named Simplicity and at the same time tries to win her trust and eventually her heart. Along the way, Dodger encounters many interesting characters: Charlie (Charles) Dickens, who helps Dodger take care of Simplicity and who is an upstanding citizen and member of the press; Sweeny Todd, a barber ruing over his days in the Napoleonic Wars who puts a razor to peoples' throats; and Sir Robert Peel, the head of police at that time. All of these historical references are interesting but the reader struggles to get to the action! This book had great potential, however the action started a little too late and the book began to drag. It is understood that an author needs time to develop the characters, but after an exciting beginning where we see Simplicity's danger, the reader is left wondering just how soon she will be killed or whether Dodger will be a hero. That is not to say there were no action scenes. There were sparks, such as when Dodger confronts Sweeny Todd, a murderous barber. The real plot, however, doesn't unfold until two-thirds of the book is over.
When the action does heat up, it is nothing short of exciting. Simplicity had secretly married a German prince, trying to avoid having a big planned political marriage. When her father-in-law hears of this marriage to a commoner he is enraged. He tries to erase all evidence of the unofficial marriage, including Simplicity. He has all witnesses to the marriage mysteriously killed. Somehow, Simplicity manages to escape the clutches of her husband's family and literally lands in Dodger's hands. Her father-in-law does not give up, though, and sends an assassin only known as "the Outlander" to kill Simplicity. Eventually the action unfolds to reveal that political forces may decide Simplicity's fate as leaders in London are made aware of a powerful German's daughter-in-law being given shelter against her husband's wishes. Dodger is the mastermind behind her ultimate fate, however, and his plan is not revealed until the final chapters. In the meantime, we see Dodger's transformation from a sewer rat to a local hero and "shonky shop" customer. We also see the extent to which someone will go to save someone they love and how things aren't always what they seem. Dodger's cleverness and Simplicity's bravery lead to an ending that rewards both their characters and their determination to be happy.
The action was rather slow and the language was advanced for the age group indicated on the book. It seemed so much like a copy of Dickens' "Oliver Twist" but the setting was more in the sewer tunnels than in an orphanage. This wouldn't be my top pick for an adventure book because rather than getting right into the action, the author seemed to think the reader needed to learn about a lot of extra details that had little or no part in the action. People want to understand a character from their action in a conflict not from every little moment of every day of their lives.

This is my first book that I have read by this author. I found it very difficult to get through this book. It just seemed to drag out with unnecessary details. I do think the book got better towards the end. Maybe this just wasn't my cup of tea.

I've gotten tremendous enjoyment from Terry Pratchett's previous books, so I can't begrudge him exploring beyond the Discworld universe. Unfortunately, DODGER, as a literary effort, is just not on par with any of the Discworld books. The main characters are stereotypes and played straight, without any emotional context or hint of satire or parody. The inclusion of historical figures, both real (Dickens, Disraeli, Robert Peel, etc.) and fictional (Sweeney Todd), doesn't bring extra depth to the story since they are crudely puppeted to fit the needs of the plot. The result plays like an unconvincing mash-up of Anne Perry and Eric Idle, with little of the grace, depth and wit of Pratchett's other work.

That said, why am I giving it a passing grade of three stars? Because to a true fan, even mediocre Terry Pratchett is better than most of the stuff out there.

I'm a huge Discworld fan and bought this book on assumption it would be as good. It,s not..very tedious and repetitive information. This is Terry,s second non Discworld I have read, neither touch the fun and humor shown in the fantasy world.

I wanted to write something pithy;commentary that confirmed to all readers that I have been a committed fan of Mr Pratchett for a very long time now. But I've just done that - albeit sans pith.
So I'll just call it as I found it:

Its a 'nice' read. Not so much a 'whodunnit' as a 'come along for the ride and let's see what happens in this new world of Mr Pratchett's devising.' Not laugh out loud funny, but certainly worthy of the occasional smile. The historical liberties taken are both gentle and generally useful. I've read many of Mr Pratchett's books time and time again. Would I re-read this one? Most likely not... but I'm happy enough to have read it the once.

Dodger isn't a hero, but sometimes a young man finds himself in a circumstance where he must act heroically. This is case when he comes across a young woman being beaten in the streets of London. Chasing off the villains with a trusty crowbar, Dodger not only saves the young lady's life, but becomes entangled in a rescue and plot to protect this nameless noblewoman from her evil husband and avoid starting a war. He is joined by a cast of characters (both historical and fiction), including Charles Dickens, or "Charlie".

To be honest? I was a bit bored with this book. Dodger takes everything easily, with a grain of salt, and thus nothing seems very exciting. He's the sort of person you'd really like in a tough situation, but as a protagonist, things seemed to dawdle on. I think his strongest moment was near the end of the book in the sewers while he was preparing the cover-up.

As for the supporting characters, they're hit-or-miss. I find Charlie and Simplicity boring as well, but Solomon was an interesting character. I do believe it is worth mentioning that Solomon is Jewish, but not the best practitioner. He is a kind person, and a strict negotiator... which is not an insult, but it is a stereotype. I was a bit disappointed that Pratchett decided to use this character trait for him.

Terry Pratchett is known for his Discworld novels (which are loads of fun) and his stand-alones don't get a lot of attention. Dodger is historical fiction, and as such, is not as funny, remarkable, or magical as some of her other books. I found that this particular novel was reminiscent of the Night's Watch line of his Discworld novels.

The beginning of the book is written in a similar way to a collection of related short stories as we follow Dodger around the city. There is a scene with Sweeney Todd in the middle of the book, which I thought was a really good interpretation of the character. Pratchett takes a good twist on the character's murderous instincts, one which has nothing to do with meat pies. I won't spoil it! It ends up being a turning point in the story and in Dodger as a character, not to mention a fun tidbit.

While I will still read Pratchett's books, Dodger wasn't for me, even though I like historical fiction. I felt like it was very flat. His writing style can feel a bit flat in the Discworld novels as well, except there is a lot more humor in those and I remember them more fondly. That said, I do think that most fans of Pratchett would really enjoy this book, because it is another piece of his work, and he was extremely well-loved.

I also have to confess I've read very little of Dickens, but the storytelling style was reminiscent of The Chimes or A Christmas Carol. That, I'm sure, was intentional, and should be commended.

Pratchett does a very good job of tying up a story. He leaves questions, but not anxiety, and I like it.

Set in the victorian era, Dodger is the story of a seventeen steet urchin, who earns his living by retrieving items in the sewers of London.

I am a huge fan of the Discworld books, and everytime Terry Pratchett releases a non-Discworld book I get nervous. Some of his non-Discworld books I love, while others I feel are ordinary.

For the most part I loved Dodger. Dodger himself is awesome. He's the little guy that you can't help rooting for. Especially as he is determined to save the girl and win her heart. There are some great characters (both real and fictional) including Sweeney Todd, Robert Peel and Charlie Dickens.

I listened to the audio, as read by Stephen Briggs, and the audio was excellent. The voices as read by Briggs were spot on, and I found myself clinging to every word.

My only negative is I felt like the end dragged a bit. While the ending could've been a bit better, there were plenty of zany, awesome moments in the story and I will likely listen to this one again.

I’ll admit I was skeptical of Dodger from the point I downloaded it last year via SYNC. It was paired with Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I loathe Great Expectations. I’ve been forced to read it twice; once in high school and once in college. And like a fool, I attempted to listen to it after downloading it via the SYNC program last year thinking that perhaps in my older wiser adulthood I would finally understand why Great Expectations was a classic.

Dodger was a delightful listen. I will admit that I did struggle with Stephen Briggs’ narration as it was a bit too British for me at times and I had to re-listen to sections of the book to understand what was going on. I do believe that would not have occurred if a) I could listen to books while NOT doing something else and b) I was reading a physical copy of the book.

Dodger is full of twists and turns. And in the fashion of any good historical fiction novel, the reader encounters a variety of known historical characters. I had always imagined Dickens to be this curmudgeonly old man, but Prachett brings him to life as a curious reporter with keen observation skills and a sense of humor. Whether Dickens was truly like this in real life, I don’t know, but this caricature of him endeared him to me.

The story shines through the main character, Dodger, who has all the skills of a street rat and the ambition to match. There’s a curious mystery that is threaded through the story that develops into a shy romance. I enjoyed how Dodger made the use of the world he knew to solve the mystery, improve his conditions and make the best of what he had.

If Dickens’ stories of Victorian London are a bit heavy for you, I would definitely recommend giving Dodger a shot. As it takes the best aspects of Oliver and Great Expectations puts a bit of shine on them with a twist of humor and mystery and presents them in a new light.

The Skinny
A late-night toshing of the sewers unexpectedly leads Dodger right into an encounter with some unsavory characters and simaltaneously rescuing a damsel in distress. This single act of scaring off assailants draws Dodger into a world that has ramications farther than he can fathom.

While he has changed the course of his own life, he also changes the life of the anonymous woman he rescued. A cast of do-gooders from the upper echelons of society, many of them true historical figures of the time, take charge of the situation to protect Dodger and this young woman named Simplicity. They use their wealth, connections, influence, and knowledge to keep Simplicity safe as danger encroaches again.

Along the way, Dodger continues to find himself – a typical eyesore of polite society – as the hero in a number of situations, including the resuce of Sweeeney Todd from his own demons. Thusly, he becomes the interest of Sir Robert Peel, head of police.

The Players
Dodger – a teen tosher of the London streets and sewers, given the title of “king of the toshers”
Simplicity – a mysterious and beautiful girl Dodger rescues in the streets, she has escaped from her abusive, royal husband
Solomon Cohen- Dodger’s housemate and unofficial (Jewish) guardian, an elderly craftsman, a Freemason
Onan – Solomon’s smelly dog, Dodger likes him
Charles Dickens- a journalist who understands the plight of the poor
Henry Mayhew – a friend of Dickens, he and his wife take care of Simplicity, he is interested in improving conditions for the poorer citizens of London
Angela Burdett-Coutts – an independent, wealthy woman destined to be single who uses her influence and excess to help those in need, she takes in Simplicity and protects her
Benjamin Disraeli – a young politician friend of Charlie’s, he helps play a role in the faking of Simplicity’s death
Sir Robert Peel – the head of London police, he is supportive of Simplicity’s wish to not be sent back to her husband
The Outlander – a wanted assassin with targets on Simplicity and Dodger, he looks different every time he commits a crime, always has the same woman at his side
Sweeney Todd – a current-day barber traumatised with PTSD from his Napoleonic War experiences who kills his customers, the reason Dodger becomes a national hero by disarming him

The Quote
“Well, dear Mrs. Mayhew, I can promise you that there will not be any hanky panky because I do not know what panky is, and I’ve never hand a hanky. Only a handkerchief.”

The Highs and Lows
--Victorian era. I love reading historicals set in the Victorian era, but I always get the romanticized version on the opposite end of the spectrum. Or, at least a very rosy version of reality. I don’t think I’ve ever spent too much time truly looking through a different lens of the time. The socioeconomic statuses of the classes are highlighted heavily in this novel.
--Humor. The witty and cunning nature of Dodger, and the humor of others throughout, had me giggling more than once.
--International Intrigue. Simplicity’s mysterious past brings about the true reason she was beaten in the streets, and why The Outlander is still after her and now Dodger as well. Dodger unwittingly walks into a problem thickened by international boundaries.
Simplicity. We never learn her real name! After her “death,” she is given a new name: Serendipity, and it fits perfectly.
--Instalove. While I can easily see why Dodger would fall in love with Simplicity, I don’t much see how or why it was reciprocated. There wasn’t anything alluring about Dodger and it didn’t seem Simplicity felt any rangef emotions whatsoever. I understand gratitude and gratefulness for her resuce, but I didn’t see this as a love match with real love. It seemed too easy to tie the ends up for Dodger and the “knight” to get the girl.
--Historical Figures. Several have voiced their pleaseure or displeasure about having real historical figures of the time inserted in the novel. While I wasn’t aware that they all lived during the same time (you learn something new every day), I found it interesting and a touching nod of Pratchett to those he respected and revered by including them in one of his works, especially ones that espouse the sentiments of poverty that are the heart of the book.
--The Dedication. Pratchett dedicated the novel in honor of the real Mayhew, who worked to shed the light on the poorest of London in his own book London Labour and the London Poor.

The Take-Away
Many readers find it hard to read this novel separate from Pratchett’s Discworld novels, and I feel all his other writings are overshadowed by his famous 40-book series. While I never read a one of them, I enjoyed this one by Pratchett. It was different and englightening and still held the archetype of a knight in shining armor, rags-to-riches character and storyline.

Recommendation – Buy, Borrow or Skip?
I recommend reading! Buy or borrow.

Another blind library find. I have not read any of Terry Pratchett's other books (and there are many) so this was a surprise.

Stats: 11 discs for the audio, 360 pages for print, published in 2012

Blurb: (Goodreads) A storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage in a vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her be caught again? Of course not, because he's...Dodger.

Seventeen-year-old Dodger may be a street urchin, but he gleans a living from London's sewers, and he knows a jewel when he sees one. He's not about to let anything happen to the unknown girl--not even if her fate impacts some of the most powerful people in England.

From Dodger's encounter with the mad barber Sweeney Todd to his meetings with the great writer Charles Dickens and the calculating politician Benjamin Disraeli, history and fantasy intertwine in a breathtaking account of adventure and mystery.

What I liked: Most everything. I am a Dickens fan so when I started this, I thought I had started a book that was written in Dickens time. It was supposed to take place in the mid-1800s. I came to find out it was published in 2013! Pratchett does a wonderful job with the language - I enjoyed all the old English slang: tosher -a person of the sewers, Richard - from kind Richard the third, which rhymes with ____, Peelers - the name for a policeman after Sir Robert Peel, head of police in London... (As a writer, I would like to know how one finds out what the slang was in 1800 London!) Then Pratchett puts Dickens and Sweeny Todd in the story in such an artful way, it just ups the comedy. Much as Dickens novels, it's a commentary of the hard times and inequities of the different classes, though he has you wanting to join Dodger in the sewers much more than hobnobbing with the upper class. It also has a happy ending. The book couldn't go any other way for such an upstanding young man. I listened to this and I took it back to the library before I could note the narrator, but he does a wonderful job.

What I didn't like: Honestly, I can't think of anything. (See, Rachel, I can find books that I'm not critical of!)

Rating: 5/5 I'll have to try more of Terry's books, though I don't think he has any more like this one from what I can tell.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you probably already know how I feel about Terry Pratchett. The man was hilarious and created such wonderful worlds in his writing. What I’m consistently struck by was how much his love for his writing shines through in his works. Dodger is a story about the a poor young man living in Victorian England written by a man who clearly loved writing about all the weirdness and darkness of Victorian England.

In a word, Dodger is simply: fun. There’s mystery, intrigue, drama, and humorous callouts to notable 19th century figures, both fictional and non-fictional. I loved the tie-in to Dickens and Sweeney Todd, and I especially enjoyed learning about Dodger’s world — a world that, I’m sure, was shared by many 19th century London dwellers. This book is plain entertainment, and I love Pratchett for that. The one and only complaint I have for this story is that I didn’t think the ending was paced perfectly, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment very much, so it’s a small negative thing.

Stephen Briggs did such a good job with narrating this book. When I’m listening to a book, I’m — sadly — probably not paying as much attention as I should be, and I sometimes get lost in terms of who says or does what. Briggs makes it incredibly easy to distinguish between the characters, especially — it seems — paying attention to the social status of each character and letting that reflect in their accent and mode of speaking. Some of the minor characters were given a lot more life than just reading the book would have given them, and I really appreciated the listening experience.

Overall, I recommend Dodger if you have any interest at all for Terry Pratchett books, or if you enjoy a good Victorian England mystery. I had a lot of fun listening to it and think it’s well worth anyone’s time.

I was having trouble getting into my local electronic library. I know now that it was due to the card expiring. But I decided to try Washoe County and got in with my old card. This Overdrive version came up and I thought, what the heck? Can't go wrong with a Terry Pratchett. (R.I.P)

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but I seem to be reading a lot of books that are centered in the late 1800s --early 1900s. (Victoria, The Diaries of Ethel Turner, The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds, Out of the Past--sort of) so this fit right in. Mr. Pratchett brought into the story some very far-fetched concepts like how Dodger nearly gets a shave by the crazy Sweeny Todd and meets Queen Victoria etc. I don't think what I just wrote is a spoiler as it is in the book blurb.

Anyway, since the only copy I could get was the audio version I spent a couple days catching up on projects while listening and occasionally laughing out loud. Though not as funny as other books by the same author this one is fun and the story one adventure after another. English humor is best!

I need to read more of his stuff like this. By the way, the narrator, Stephen Briggs, was fabulous!

This is not your average Pratchett book. It is not droll or hysterical. It is a fantasy based in history, rather like a cat in a shoe box. It has characters that you enjoy and characters that you will sniff at and characters that are better to pinch you nose against. The tale is an amusing love story, a quest, and a mystery all rolled up into little box of those cookies that readers love and devour with relish. Enjoy it for what it is. Read the afterword. And then grieve that such a man as Pratchett has left the world to its own devices, the poorer for that exit.

Thanks to AudioBookSync.com for giving a free Audio recording of this book during their 2015 summer season....

What a lovely story.... I completely enjoyed listening to the recording - it was extremely well done. The story itself was clever indeed. It seemed to have just the right mixture of serious situations, comedy, maturity, love, friendship, etc, etc, etc....

A few things that I particularly liked a lot were: (1) several characters were actually written as historical figures (i.e. Charles Dickens and others) directly into the book's story line thus making this story somewhat of a historical fiction novel which contains real people who lived during the time period. This made the story more enjoyable, gave me a point of reference, and made it more realistic; (2) I loved the fact that one of the supporting characters was a religious Jewish man who survived persecution and other trials in his life. Because I am Jewish too, the story appealed to me that much more; (3) Finally, I loved the down to earth feel that this book and its story line had. It did not feel overly over done. It was just a perfect rendition of a story being told for the purposes of telling it.

Although this was my first book by Terry Pretchett, I have a pretty good feeling it will not be my last. I really loved the writing style and the build up of the story. I loved the secrets that came out in the end. I loved that I was not able to guess what those secrets were despite trying to really hard.

I highly recommend this book to YA from Middle School and older. This is a must read for all. Enjoy.... Happy Reading!

Dodger has its share of Terry Pratchett's classic humor, but it's missing the comic sensibility that his best books display throughout. Part of this is likely due to the setting, which replaces the author's usual Discworld for the rather less fantastic Victorian London. (And we are supposed to understand this as being a story set in the real world, despite the presence of Sweeney Todd and the street-urchin protagonist's unlikely friendship with Charles Dickens.) But whatever the reason, Dodger drags a bit and never really feels like it justifies its existence.

Anyone who really knows me know that I have an extremely soft spot for Sir Terry Pratchett (I've met him several times and have more than a few autographed Discworld books) and it goes without saying that if it wrote it I'm going to totally love it, and this book is no exception!

The book revolves around a very Dickensian London and is the tale of a young man by the name of Dodger. No, this Dodger isn't the infamous Dicken's Dodger this Dodger is a very different kettle of fish altogether. This Dodger is what is known as a tosher, a sewer scavenger who eeks out some kind of living from things he finds in the sewers, things that people have lost like coins, gems and the like. He has no family to speak of but does have a series of aquaintances that you get to meet during the course of the book and some of them are pretty interesting.

Dodger is a total nobody until the day he steps in to save the life of a stranger under attack by thugs. Little does Dodger realise what a fateful decision he has made by stepping forward and saving the young girls life.

Life rapidly alters for Dodger when he decides that he can do a better job of protecting his young lady than the adults can and he finds himself in the midst of an adventure, in the company of some rather infamous people..... reporter Charlie Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli and Sweeney Todd among many more.

This is a wonderful book and is Sir Terry at his best. The story twists and turn in so many unexpected ways as you explore a London of the past with Dodger. The world is beautifully written as you would expect and the humour is obvious through-out and is firmly tongue-in-cheek as you would expect. Dodger is a fantastic character and so very likeable despite the fact that he is a very naughty young man indeed, the proverbial cheeky chappy! Dodger's relationships with all the various characters throughout the book are wonderful, some are sweet, some are a little more tense but some are just genius, such as Charlie Dickens, who is a touch of class and brilliant character introduction.

This may be classed as a children's book but as an adult reading I can say that you wouldn't necessarily realise that fact if you didn't know it. Terry Pratchett had again written a book for younger viewers that is just as good for adult and as I said if you didn't know you wouldn't know the difference and I think that is one of the many things that Sir Terry is so talented at doing.

I am a HUGE fan of the Discworld novels but once in a while it's very refreshing to read a story that isn't based there, as in this case. It may not be classic Discworld but this book is still a treat for the senses and I would highly recommend it to young and old!

“Dodger” is the story of a poor but street-smart orphan who lives in Victorian-era London. Dodger makes his living as a “tosher”, which means that he wades through the city sewers in search of lost coins and jewelry. It’s a rough life, and it’s made even more challenging when Dodger stops a kidnapping in progress. From that point on, Dodger is drawn into a web of crime and espionage, relying on his wits to carry him through.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit London once, but I didn’t know a whole lot about the city’s history. The author’s writing is very detailed, and after a few chapters you almost feel like you’ve gone back in time. Horse-drawn carriages are everywhere, as is the dirt and filth of a huge city. It’s an unlikely place to find a hero, but that makes Dodger’s brave acts seem even more impressive.

Through the course of the story, Dodger gets to meet notable people from that era, including Charles Dickens and Sweeney Todd. Introducing them as characters seemed a little gimmicky at first, but I was grateful that I got the chance to learn more about them. After I had finished the book, I had a whole separate list of people and places that I wanted to learn more about. I also liked the way that the author left a little opening at the end of the book, in case he ever wanted to write a sequel. Even if he doesn’t, it kind of makes the reader wonder about what will happen to Dodger next.

I don’t usually presume to speak for famous authors, let alone one as prestigious as Charles Dickens. In this case, however, I feel justified in saying that Dickens would probably have been very, very pleased with Terry Pratchett's Dodger.

Pratchett’s reimagining of The Artful Dodger, who appears in Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, is nothing short of a masterpiece. This story is packed with everything I love in a book: a charming, clever scallywag of a main character; a colorful and unforgettable supporting cast; tongue-in-cheek wit; inside jokes that you may only get after reading the book for a second time; and a setting that is so unique and well described that it’s practically a character in its own right.

We first meet our scrappy protagonist when he springs from the London sewers on a stormy night to rescue a young woman being beaten in the street. This feat brings Dodger to the attention of Charlie Dickens and his friend Henry Mayhew, who happen to be passing by at the time and assist Dodger in taking the unconscious lady to safety.

Dodger, infuriated by the treatment of the beautiful, mysterious girl, refuses to rest until her attackers are brought to justice. Assisted by Dickens and a motley assortment of waifs and urchins, Dodger sets forth to track down the people responsible for the girl’s mistreatment and do whatever it takes to secure her safety.

It’s usually characters that make or break a book for me, but in the case of Dodger it’s actually the setting that made me fall in love. This isn’t to say that Dodger doesn’t have fantastic characters – it does, and I’ll get to them in a minute. However, the setting is so spectacular, so vividly drawn, that it outshines everything else in the book, even its charming hero.

Like Dickens, Pratchett has a gift for bringing 19th-century London, in all its glory and filth, to life on the page. The sounds and smells and tastes of London permeate the book until you can actually hear the coaches rattling by and smell the fog rolling in from the Thames. It’s a world of chimney sweeps and violet sellers, pickpockets and Punch and Judy puppet shows, prostitutes and games of Crown and Anchor at the local pub. There are a million little details that build the “character” of London and enrich the story, from the slang the street urchins use (“cove,” “tosher,” and “Bobbies”/ “Peelers” are a few of my favorites) to descriptions of the weather:

“The rain was falling faster now, rain that was undeniably London rain, already grubby before it hit the ground, putting back on the streets what had been taken away by the chimneys. It tasted like licking a dirty penny.”

Pratchett does more than simply paint a picture of London; he paints it in a way that is insightful and entertaining. Dodger is filled with observations that are as amusing as they are astute, such as this description of the Thames: “[One] could only call what was in the river ‘water’ because it was too runny to be called ‘dirt.” There’s a great deal of tongue-in-cheek humor, not just in the story itself but also in the helpful and hilarious footnotes that are used to explain certain words and facts within the book.

The setting may be my absolute favorite part of Dodger, but the characters come in at a close second. I’ve always been delighted by crafty, mischievous characters, and Dodger fits the bill perfectly. He’s scrappy, resourceful, and a skillful actor, able to produce tears on demand or charm the pants off of a well-to-do passerby. He’s an all-around fun, hilarious, and wily protagonist, and I couldn’t have loved him more if I tried. Although he’s a little rough around the edges and liable to pick your pocket as soon as look at you, Dodger’s what the folks in this book would call a “decent cove.” He’s always quick to jump to the aid of the defenseless, even if it means donning a dress in order to save a group of young flower girls:

“And so when the sharp-suited gentlemen who liked to go down among the poor flower girls to see if there were any new blossoms they could pluck came to ply them with strong liquor until they could have their wicked way with them, they would actually be subtly directed to the shrinking and simpering violet who was, in fact, Dodger.

"Actually, he had to admit that he had been incredibly good at it, because to be a geezer was to be an actor and so Dodger was better at being a shrinking violet than any of the other flower girls who had, how could you put it, better qualifications. He had already sold quite a lot of his violets because his voice hadn’t broken then and he could make himself a real little virgin when he wanted to. After a few hours of this, the girls tipped him off to the whereabouts of a particularly nasty dandy who always hung around the smaller girls, and who was heading towards him with his nice coat and his cane, jingling the money in his pockets. And the street applauded when a suddenly rather athletic little flower girl grabbed the smarmy bastard, punched him, dragged him into an alley and made certain that he would not be able to jingle anything in his pockets for some time to come.”

The secondary characters in Dodger are spectacular as well. Historical figures make cameo appearances, such as Benjamin Disraeli, Angela Burdetts-Coutts, Robert Peel, and John Tenniel. There’s also a cast of fictional – but no-less-interesting – characters with fun names like Mary-Go-Round, Messy Bessie, and Stumpy Higgins who play small yet memorable roles in the story.

Dodger's phenomenal setting and smart, hilarious characters make this book a definite must-read. My enjoyment of this novel grows every time I read it, something I intend to keep doing as often as possible.

This review can also be found on my blog, http://AngelasLibrary.com.

The only other Terry Pratchett I'd read was Good Omens which was fantastic and filled with great characters and biting humor. So when I heard that there was a book by the same author but includes Charles Dickens characters in Victorian London, I was pretty excited. The characters just aren't that interesting to me, the story line feel forced, and I'm bored with it. I was very surprised that it had so many great reviews. I had never read a solo Terry Pratchett book before and I will have to be more careful when selecting my next.

This was a pleasant and easy read with enjoyable and interesting characters. Dodger is an orphan who lives by his wits. He was shown the 'ropes' of living off the streets and sewer tunnels by a man he called granpa who has an accident and dies. He shares a room with a jewish man who looks out for him and shares his wisdom. Early on Dodger sees a young lady being beaten and saves her. He also corrals Sweeney Dodd and the Outlander who is in London and causing much concern to the police. Dodger has the luck of the Irish, although he is not Irish, and that luck projects him into a situation where he does good for others and finds himself hob nobbing with people far above his station. Dodger is clever and has a good heart - a very likeable young man and his escapades are entertaining. Was hoping this was the first of a series, but it's a stand alone.

Terry Pratchett takes a surprising --- and undoubtedly delightful --- departure from Discworld with DODGER, a reimagining of Victorian history and literature.

Lately, I've been reading Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books to my nine-year-old son. It's been fun to revisit the wit and whimsy of Pratchett's fantasy world through his eyes. Although Pratchett is by far best known for his fantasy novels, especially his wildly imaginative creation, Discworld, it's easy to forget that Pratchett is a straight-up outstanding writer regardless of the genre. His latest novel for young people, DODGER, is a delightful reminder of that fact, as Pratchett moves about as far from fantasy as he ever has.

DODGER is, to be sure, something of a reinvention of Victorian history, as Pratchett acknowledges in the author's note that closes the book. But it's still set in the very real environment of nineteenth-century London, with all its sights, sounds, and especially smells. Pratchett's London is gritty, bawdy, and sometimes dangerous; the kind of London that Charles Dickens would no doubt recognize. Appropriate, too, since Dickens himself plays a major role in the novel, as the mentor of our protagonist, Dodger.

Dodger is what's known as a "tosher," making his dubious living by sloshing through London's sewer system, searching for spare change, jewelry, or anything else of value that might have landed in this great underground labyrinth. Being a tosher is hard, dirty, and often dangerous work, but Dodger is very good at it. He's also very good at fighting, a skill that comes in handy right at the book's opening, when he rescues a young woman who is being roughed up. Soon, the attractive young woman, known only as Simplicity, is secreted away to the home of Dickens's friend and colleague, Henry Mayhew, an early sociologist and social reformer. But Dodger begins to suspect that Simplicity is not really out of danger, and, prompted by Dickens's guidance, he begins to investigate the case. Perhaps Dodger will not be a tosher forever --- but does he really want to leave his dodgy roots behind?

Pratchett is clearly having a blast creating his take on Victorian literature. He drops in cameos by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, John Tenniel (the illustrator of Alice in Wonderland) and even Sweeney Todd, the "demon barber of Fleet Street." Fans of Dickens will also delight in seeing Pratchett imagine the inspirations for several of Dickens's characters, including, of course, both the Artful Dodger and Fagin but also Mrs. Malaprop and other characters.

As much fun as this is, though, DODGER also has a more serious side. Pratchett notes in his afterword that part of his intention was to shed light on the plight of the desperately poor and disenfranchised who populated London at a time when it was the richest and most powerful city in the world. The political and ethical ramifications for today's society are evident, and DODGER will certainly give readers plenty to reflect upon, even as they're being massively entertained by Pratchett's clever wit and galloping pace. Dodger is a fully-developed character, as fascinating and multi-faceted as the world he occupies. Readers will come away not only with a better understanding of Victorian realities --- for all kinds of people --- but also with a sympathetic portrayal of a young man poised between two worlds.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl

As someone that's a scant five books into Mr. Pratchett's considerable oeuvre, Dodger delivered exactly what I expected: an airy adventure with lively characters that I missed as soon as I finished the book and an unrelenting droll wit. But, thrilling my inner history buff, it also delivered a lively portrait of a fascinating time in history and examines real issues of class in a far more direct way than from the comfortable distance of Pratchett's mythic Ankh-Morpork.

Dodger is the main character and has been lovingly nicked, as far as I can tell, from Dickens' Oliver Twist. He's a crafty street scamp who makes his living as a "tosher", combing sewers for small change; he's also something of a Victorian Batman, with the ability to appear and disappear at will into any of London's abundant sewer grates and to find ready cover in the fabric of London streetlife.

In fact, the first chapter prepares you for something of a Batman book, opening in a foreboding night and finding our able hero interrupting a crime that seems to be part of a larger, darker conspiracy. While there is something afoot, if you're expecting a tightly plotted mystery (and why wouldn't you after this Chapter 1?), you might be disappointed as the mystery that is there primarily serves as a backdrop for a tour of 19th century English history and lore than as the plot's main thrust.

Yes, Pratchett seems just as eager to offer a sociological caricature of the poor (and class in general) in 1800's London as he is to draw you into a crafty whodunit. He wants you to smell the air in the sewers and feel the luxury in the halls of parliament. He wants you to ponder the ethical quandaries of the beggar, the prostitute and the patrician. To this end, you should know that there are stretches of Dodger that read more like a tour of a time/place/society than a proper page-turning thriller. Granted, you never have to wait to long for some suspense or action, but Dodger is happy to meander a little bit, and your enjoyment of Dodger will depend on your willingness to revel in these detours.

Indeed, Dodger feels like a lovingly crafted, worthwhile detour for Pratchett. While Discworld always brims with very real wisdom, I was fascinated to read Pratchett's considerable wit applied to somewhat realer events and circumstances. While he's never shy about taking fantastical liberties in the name of a good plot, it's no surprise to read in the afterward that many details of Dodger are gleaned from Henry Mayhew's groundbreaking reports of the urban poor in early 1800's London.

Oh, but Dodger returns to the action with some fantastic scenes. The detractors have their points that this isn't Pratchett's tightest novel, especially after "Nation" where he effortlessly swerved between theology, alternate history and boy-on-an-island myth with aplomb. The transitions between plot and British lore aren't always quite seemless. Yet even if the history lesson isn't your cup of tea, there are some undeniably marvelous characters, laugh-out-loud moments and long stretches of high suspense.

First, I'll mention that I've heard the audio-book rather than have read it, despite what the meta-data for this review says, and it is possible that if other reviewers are correct and Mr Pratchett can now only dictate and hear back, this might well be the way to 'read' his material...and if Mr Pratchett's narrative voice might not be up to his old standards, Stephen Briggs' literal voice has not flagged one bit.

Second, I'll note the distinct feeling that Pterry started this as an Ankh-Morpork book, but then decided that he might as well go whole-hog and set it in a modified London---the city is described in much the same way as the Dickensian Ankh-Morpork of his work post-"the Truth", Sir Robert Peel is written exactly as Sir Samuel Vimes, and I'm pretty sure that Solomon Cohen would have been a dwarf...this feeling might be deceptive, of course.

Third, I have to say that Mr Pratchett might have been developing too much affection for his main characters: here, as in other recent books of his ("Nation","Unseen Academicals", "The Long Earth") he seemingly can't abide their being in danger or distress for more than a page or two (I mean, a minute or so of the audio-book), and (spoiler)

things go far too well too soon and too consistently---we know that a Pratchett protagonist will survive and generally end up better-off than before, but getting there matters.

That being said, a generally pleasant, funny, and wry book; if I knew dickens' work better, I probably would have found it more satisfying, but even so it is.

Before you even pick up this book, understand that Dodger, Terry Pratchett's main character in "Dodger" is NOT Dickens' Artful Dodger from "Oliver Twist." At the closest, the implication is that Pratchett's Dickens uses this Dodger as a template or archetype for the character. So, don't even try to reconcile the two Dodgers in your mind. They're different people. Anyway, Pratchett spins a decent story in "Dodger" with a nicely described early- to mid-1800s London. Along the way, he threads in many of the people and things that were changing the world at this time in history. My only problem with the book (and the reason I dropped it down a star to merely a Good 3 stars out of 5), is Pratchett's use of the language. The narrator in the book is the current Dodger: an illiterate trawler of the sewer with absolutely no education. Yet, the narration is entirely literate and educated. Dickens overcame that difference in "Great Expectations" by having a future Pip do the narrating. Not so with Pratchett's "Dodger." On the other side of the language problem is that the other main characters in the book all speak like professors lecturing to a class. Yes, most of them are educated, but the level of erudition is absurd. And, right between those two sides, Dodger, himself, quite often lapses out of his illiterate cant into an educated idiom. Now, none of that actually harms the plot. It's just jarring. Again, the book's a nice little read. I've just dropped my rating a star because of the jarring use of the language.

Another blind library find. I have not read any of Terry Pratchett's other books (and there are many) so this was a surprise.

Stats: 11 discs for the audio, 360 pages for print, published in 2012

Blurb: (Goodreads) A storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage in a vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her be caught again? Of course not, because he's...Dodger.

Seventeen-year-old Dodger may be a street urchin, but he gleans a living from London's sewers, and he knows a jewel when he sees one. He's not about to let anything happen to the unknown girl--not even if her fate impacts some of the most powerful people in England.

From Dodger's encounter with the mad barber Sweeney Todd to his meetings with the great writer Charles Dickens and the calculating politician Benjamin Disraeli, history and fantasy intertwine in a breathtaking account of adventure and mystery.

What I liked: Most everything. I am a Dickens fan so when I started this, I thought I had started a book that was written in Dickens time. It was supposed to take place in the mid-1800s. I came to find out it was published in 2013! Pratchett does a wonderful job with the language - I enjoyed all the old English slang: tosher -a person of the sewers, Richard - from kind Richard the third, which rhymes with ____, Peelers - the name for a policeman after Sir Robert Peel, head of police in London... (As a writer, I would like to know how one finds out what the slang was in 1800 London!) Then Pratchett puts Dickens and Sweeny Todd in the story in such an artful way, it just ups the comedy. Much as Dickens novels, it's a commentary of the hard times and inequities of the different classes, though he has you wanting to join Dodger in the sewers much more than hobnobbing with the upper class. It also has a happy ending. The book couldn't go any other way for such an upstanding young man. I listened to this and I took it back to the library before I could note the narrator, but he does a wonderful job.

What I didn't like: Honestly, I can't think of anything. (See, Rachel, I can find books that I'm not critical of!)

Rating: 5/5 I'll have to try more of Terry's books, though I don't think he has any more like this one from what I can tell.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you probably already know how I feel about Terry Pratchett. The man was hilarious and created such wonderful worlds in his writing. What I’m consistently struck by was how much his love for his writing shines through in his works. Dodger is a story about the a poor young man living in Victorian England written by a man who clearly loved writing about all the weirdness and darkness of Victorian England.

In a word, Dodger is simply: fun. There’s mystery, intrigue, drama, and humorous callouts to notable 19th century figures, both fictional and non-fictional. I loved the tie-in to Dickens and Sweeney Todd, and I especially enjoyed learning about Dodger’s world — a world that, I’m sure, was shared by many 19th century London dwellers. This book is plain entertainment, and I love Pratchett for that. The one and only complaint I have for this story is that I didn’t think the ending was paced perfectly, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment very much, so it’s a small negative thing.

Stephen Briggs did such a good job with narrating this book. When I’m listening to a book, I’m — sadly — probably not paying as much attention as I should be, and I sometimes get lost in terms of who says or does what. Briggs makes it incredibly easy to distinguish between the characters, especially — it seems — paying attention to the social status of each character and letting that reflect in their accent and mode of speaking. Some of the minor characters were given a lot more life than just reading the book would have given them, and I really appreciated the listening experience.

Overall, I recommend Dodger if you have any interest at all for Terry Pratchett books, or if you enjoy a good Victorian England mystery. I had a lot of fun listening to it and think it’s well worth anyone’s time.

I was having trouble getting into my local electronic library. I know now that it was due to the card expiring. But I decided to try Washoe County and got in with my old card. This Overdrive version came up and I thought, what the heck? Can't go wrong with a Terry Pratchett. (R.I.P)

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but I seem to be reading a lot of books that are centered in the late 1800s --early 1900s. (Victoria, The Diaries of Ethel Turner, The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds, Out of the Past--sort of) so this fit right in. Mr. Pratchett brought into the story some very far-fetched concepts like how Dodger nearly gets a shave by the crazy Sweeny Todd and meets Queen Victoria etc. I don't think what I just wrote is a spoiler as it is in the book blurb.

Anyway, since the only copy I could get was the audio version I spent a couple days catching up on projects while listening and occasionally laughing out loud. Though not as funny as other books by the same author this one is fun and the story one adventure after another. English humor is best!

I need to read more of his stuff like this. By the way, the narrator, Stephen Briggs, was fabulous!

This is not your average Pratchett book. It is not droll or hysterical. It is a fantasy based in history, rather like a cat in a shoe box. It has characters that you enjoy and characters that you will sniff at and characters that are better to pinch you nose against. The tale is an amusing love story, a quest, and a mystery all rolled up into little box of those cookies that readers love and devour with relish. Enjoy it for what it is. Read the afterword. And then grieve that such a man as Pratchett has left the world to its own devices, the poorer for that exit.

Thanks to AudioBookSync.com for giving a free Audio recording of this book during their 2015 summer season....

What a lovely story.... I completely enjoyed listening to the recording - it was extremely well done. The story itself was clever indeed. It seemed to have just the right mixture of serious situations, comedy, maturity, love, friendship, etc, etc, etc....

A few things that I particularly liked a lot were: (1) several characters were actually written as historical figures (i.e. Charles Dickens and others) directly into the book's story line thus making this story somewhat of a historical fiction novel which contains real people who lived during the time period. This made the story more enjoyable, gave me a point of reference, and made it more realistic; (2) I loved the fact that one of the supporting characters was a religious Jewish man who survived persecution and other trials in his life. Because I am Jewish too, the story appealed to me that much more; (3) Finally, I loved the down to earth feel that this book and its story line had. It did not feel overly over done. It was just a perfect rendition of a story being told for the purposes of telling it.

Although this was my first book by Terry Pretchett, I have a pretty good feeling it will not be my last. I really loved the writing style and the build up of the story. I loved the secrets that came out in the end. I loved that I was not able to guess what those secrets were despite trying to really hard.

I highly recommend this book to YA from Middle School and older. This is a must read for all. Enjoy.... Happy Reading!

Dodger has its share of Terry Pratchett's classic humor, but it's missing the comic sensibility that his best books display throughout. Part of this is likely due to the setting, which replaces the author's usual Discworld for the rather less fantastic Victorian London. (And we are supposed to understand this as being a story set in the real world, despite the presence of Sweeney Todd and the street-urchin protagonist's unlikely friendship with Charles Dickens.) But whatever the reason, Dodger drags a bit and never really feels like it justifies its existence.

Anyone who really knows me know that I have an extremely soft spot for Sir Terry Pratchett (I've met him several times and have more than a few autographed Discworld books) and it goes without saying that if it wrote it I'm going to totally love it, and this book is no exception!

The book revolves around a very Dickensian London and is the tale of a young man by the name of Dodger. No, this Dodger isn't the infamous Dicken's Dodger this Dodger is a very different kettle of fish altogether. This Dodger is what is known as a tosher, a sewer scavenger who eeks out some kind of living from things he finds in the sewers, things that people have lost like coins, gems and the like. He has no family to speak of but does have a series of aquaintances that you get to meet during the course of the book and some of them are pretty interesting.

Dodger is a total nobody until the day he steps in to save the life of a stranger under attack by thugs. Little does Dodger realise what a fateful decision he has made by stepping forward and saving the young girls life.

Life rapidly alters for Dodger when he decides that he can do a better job of protecting his young lady than the adults can and he finds himself in the midst of an adventure, in the company of some rather infamous people..... reporter Charlie Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli and Sweeney Todd among many more.

This is a wonderful book and is Sir Terry at his best. The story twists and turn in so many unexpected ways as you explore a London of the past with Dodger. The world is beautifully written as you would expect and the humour is obvious through-out and is firmly tongue-in-cheek as you would expect. Dodger is a fantastic character and so very likeable despite the fact that he is a very naughty young man indeed, the proverbial cheeky chappy! Dodger's relationships with all the various characters throughout the book are wonderful, some are sweet, some are a little more tense but some are just genius, such as Charlie Dickens, who is a touch of class and brilliant character introduction.

This may be classed as a children's book but as an adult reading I can say that you wouldn't necessarily realise that fact if you didn't know it. Terry Pratchett had again written a book for younger viewers that is just as good for adult and as I said if you didn't know you wouldn't know the difference and I think that is one of the many things that Sir Terry is so talented at doing.

I am a HUGE fan of the Discworld novels but once in a while it's very refreshing to read a story that isn't based there, as in this case. It may not be classic Discworld but this book is still a treat for the senses and I would highly recommend it to young and old!

“Dodger” is the story of a poor but street-smart orphan who lives in Victorian-era London. Dodger makes his living as a “tosher”, which means that he wades through the city sewers in search of lost coins and jewelry. It’s a rough life, and it’s made even more challenging when Dodger stops a kidnapping in progress. From that point on, Dodger is drawn into a web of crime and espionage, relying on his wits to carry him through.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit London once, but I didn’t know a whole lot about the city’s history. The author’s writing is very detailed, and after a few chapters you almost feel like you’ve gone back in time. Horse-drawn carriages are everywhere, as is the dirt and filth of a huge city. It’s an unlikely place to find a hero, but that makes Dodger’s brave acts seem even more impressive.

Through the course of the story, Dodger gets to meet notable people from that era, including Charles Dickens and Sweeney Todd. Introducing them as characters seemed a little gimmicky at first, but I was grateful that I got the chance to learn more about them. After I had finished the book, I had a whole separate list of people and places that I wanted to learn more about. I also liked the way that the author left a little opening at the end of the book, in case he ever wanted to write a sequel. Even if he doesn’t, it kind of makes the reader wonder about what will happen to Dodger next.

I don’t usually presume to speak for famous authors, let alone one as prestigious as Charles Dickens. In this case, however, I feel justified in saying that Dickens would probably have been very, very pleased with Terry Pratchett's Dodger.

Pratchett’s reimagining of The Artful Dodger, who appears in Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, is nothing short of a masterpiece. This story is packed with everything I love in a book: a charming, clever scallywag of a main character; a colorful and unforgettable supporting cast; tongue-in-cheek wit; inside jokes that you may only get after reading the book for a second time; and a setting that is so unique and well described that it’s practically a character in its own right.

We first meet our scrappy protagonist when he springs from the London sewers on a stormy night to rescue a young woman being beaten in the street. This feat brings Dodger to the attention of Charlie Dickens and his friend Henry Mayhew, who happen to be passing by at the time and assist Dodger in taking the unconscious lady to safety.

Dodger, infuriated by the treatment of the beautiful, mysterious girl, refuses to rest until her attackers are brought to justice. Assisted by Dickens and a motley assortment of waifs and urchins, Dodger sets forth to track down the people responsible for the girl’s mistreatment and do whatever it takes to secure her safety.

It’s usually characters that make or break a book for me, but in the case of Dodger it’s actually the setting that made me fall in love. This isn’t to say that Dodger doesn’t have fantastic characters – it does, and I’ll get to them in a minute. However, the setting is so spectacular, so vividly drawn, that it outshines everything else in the book, even its charming hero.

Like Dickens, Pratchett has a gift for bringing 19th-century London, in all its glory and filth, to life on the page. The sounds and smells and tastes of London permeate the book until you can actually hear the coaches rattling by and smell the fog rolling in from the Thames. It’s a world of chimney sweeps and violet sellers, pickpockets and Punch and Judy puppet shows, prostitutes and games of Crown and Anchor at the local pub. There are a million little details that build the “character” of London and enrich the story, from the slang the street urchins use (“cove,” “tosher,” and “Bobbies”/ “Peelers” are a few of my favorites) to descriptions of the weather:

“The rain was falling faster now, rain that was undeniably London rain, already grubby before it hit the ground, putting back on the streets what had been taken away by the chimneys. It tasted like licking a dirty penny.”

Pratchett does more than simply paint a picture of London; he paints it in a way that is insightful and entertaining. Dodger is filled with observations that are as amusing as they are astute, such as this description of the Thames: “[One] could only call what was in the river ‘water’ because it was too runny to be called ‘dirt.” There’s a great deal of tongue-in-cheek humor, not just in the story itself but also in the helpful and hilarious footnotes that are used to explain certain words and facts within the book.

The setting may be my absolute favorite part of Dodger, but the characters come in at a close second. I’ve always been delighted by crafty, mischievous characters, and Dodger fits the bill perfectly. He’s scrappy, resourceful, and a skillful actor, able to produce tears on demand or charm the pants off of a well-to-do passerby. He’s an all-around fun, hilarious, and wily protagonist, and I couldn’t have loved him more if I tried. Although he’s a little rough around the edges and liable to pick your pocket as soon as look at you, Dodger’s what the folks in this book would call a “decent cove.” He’s always quick to jump to the aid of the defenseless, even if it means donning a dress in order to save a group of young flower girls:

“And so when the sharp-suited gentlemen who liked to go down among the poor flower girls to see if there were any new blossoms they could pluck came to ply them with strong liquor until they could have their wicked way with them, they would actually be subtly directed to the shrinking and simpering violet who was, in fact, Dodger.

"Actually, he had to admit that he had been incredibly good at it, because to be a geezer was to be an actor and so Dodger was better at being a shrinking violet than any of the other flower girls who had, how could you put it, better qualifications. He had already sold quite a lot of his violets because his voice hadn’t broken then and he could make himself a real little virgin when he wanted to. After a few hours of this, the girls tipped him off to the whereabouts of a particularly nasty dandy who always hung around the smaller girls, and who was heading towards him with his nice coat and his cane, jingling the money in his pockets. And the street applauded when a suddenly rather athletic little flower girl grabbed the smarmy bastard, punched him, dragged him into an alley and made certain that he would not be able to jingle anything in his pockets for some time to come.”

The secondary characters in Dodger are spectacular as well. Historical figures make cameo appearances, such as Benjamin Disraeli, Angela Burdetts-Coutts, Robert Peel, and John Tenniel. There’s also a cast of fictional – but no-less-interesting – characters with fun names like Mary-Go-Round, Messy Bessie, and Stumpy Higgins who play small yet memorable roles in the story.

Dodger's phenomenal setting and smart, hilarious characters make this book a definite must-read. My enjoyment of this novel grows every time I read it, something I intend to keep doing as often as possible.

This review can also be found on my blog, http://AngelasLibrary.com.

The only other Terry Pratchett I'd read was Good Omens which was fantastic and filled with great characters and biting humor. So when I heard that there was a book by the same author but includes Charles Dickens characters in Victorian London, I was pretty excited. The characters just aren't that interesting to me, the story line feel forced, and I'm bored with it. I was very surprised that it had so many great reviews. I had never read a solo Terry Pratchett book before and I will have to be more careful when selecting my next.

This was a pleasant and easy read with enjoyable and interesting characters. Dodger is an orphan who lives by his wits. He was shown the 'ropes' of living off the streets and sewer tunnels by a man he called granpa who has an accident and dies. He shares a room with a jewish man who looks out for him and shares his wisdom. Early on Dodger sees a young lady being beaten and saves her. He also corrals Sweeney Dodd and the Outlander who is in London and causing much concern to the police. Dodger has the luck of the Irish, although he is not Irish, and that luck projects him into a situation where he does good for others and finds himself hob nobbing with people far above his station. Dodger is clever and has a good heart - a very likeable young man and his escapades are entertaining. Was hoping this was the first of a series, but it's a stand alone.

Terry Pratchett takes a surprising --- and undoubtedly delightful --- departure from Discworld with DODGER, a reimagining of Victorian history and literature.

Lately, I've been reading Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books to my nine-year-old son. It's been fun to revisit the wit and whimsy of Pratchett's fantasy world through his eyes. Although Pratchett is by far best known for his fantasy novels, especially his wildly imaginative creation, Discworld, it's easy to forget that Pratchett is a straight-up outstanding writer regardless of the genre. His latest novel for young people, DODGER, is a delightful reminder of that fact, as Pratchett moves about as far from fantasy as he ever has.

DODGER is, to be sure, something of a reinvention of Victorian history, as Pratchett acknowledges in the author's note that closes the book. But it's still set in the very real environment of nineteenth-century London, with all its sights, sounds, and especially smells. Pratchett's London is gritty, bawdy, and sometimes dangerous; the kind of London that Charles Dickens would no doubt recognize. Appropriate, too, since Dickens himself plays a major role in the novel, as the mentor of our protagonist, Dodger.

Dodger is what's known as a "tosher," making his dubious living by sloshing through London's sewer system, searching for spare change, jewelry, or anything else of value that might have landed in this great underground labyrinth. Being a tosher is hard, dirty, and often dangerous work, but Dodger is very good at it. He's also very good at fighting, a skill that comes in handy right at the book's opening, when he rescues a young woman who is being roughed up. Soon, the attractive young woman, known only as Simplicity, is secreted away to the home of Dickens's friend and colleague, Henry Mayhew, an early sociologist and social reformer. But Dodger begins to suspect that Simplicity is not really out of danger, and, prompted by Dickens's guidance, he begins to investigate the case. Perhaps Dodger will not be a tosher forever --- but does he really want to leave his dodgy roots behind?

Pratchett is clearly having a blast creating his take on Victorian literature. He drops in cameos by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, John Tenniel (the illustrator of Alice in Wonderland) and even Sweeney Todd, the "demon barber of Fleet Street." Fans of Dickens will also delight in seeing Pratchett imagine the inspirations for several of Dickens's characters, including, of course, both the Artful Dodger and Fagin but also Mrs. Malaprop and other characters.

As much fun as this is, though, DODGER also has a more serious side. Pratchett notes in his afterword that part of his intention was to shed light on the plight of the desperately poor and disenfranchised who populated London at a time when it was the richest and most powerful city in the world. The political and ethical ramifications for today's society are evident, and DODGER will certainly give readers plenty to reflect upon, even as they're being massively entertained by Pratchett's clever wit and galloping pace. Dodger is a fully-developed character, as fascinating and multi-faceted as the world he occupies. Readers will come away not only with a better understanding of Victorian realities --- for all kinds of people --- but also with a sympathetic portrayal of a young man poised between two worlds.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl

As someone that's a scant five books into Mr. Pratchett's considerable oeuvre, Dodger delivered exactly what I expected: an airy adventure with lively characters that I missed as soon as I finished the book and an unrelenting droll wit. But, thrilling my inner history buff, it also delivered a lively portrait of a fascinating time in history and examines real issues of class in a far more direct way than from the comfortable distance of Pratchett's mythic Ankh-Morpork.

Dodger is the main character and has been lovingly nicked, as far as I can tell, from Dickens' Oliver Twist. He's a crafty street scamp who makes his living as a "tosher", combing sewers for small change; he's also something of a Victorian Batman, with the ability to appear and disappear at will into any of London's abundant sewer grates and to find ready cover in the fabric of London streetlife.

In fact, the first chapter prepares you for something of a Batman book, opening in a foreboding night and finding our able hero interrupting a crime that seems to be part of a larger, darker conspiracy. While there is something afoot, if you're expecting a tightly plotted mystery (and why wouldn't you after this Chapter 1?), you might be disappointed as the mystery that is there primarily serves as a backdrop for a tour of 19th century English history and lore than as the plot's main thrust.

Yes, Pratchett seems just as eager to offer a sociological caricature of the poor (and class in general) in 1800's London as he is to draw you into a crafty whodunit. He wants you to smell the air in the sewers and feel the luxury in the halls of parliament. He wants you to ponder the ethical quandaries of the beggar, the prostitute and the patrician. To this end, you should know that there are stretches of Dodger that read more like a tour of a time/place/society than a proper page-turning thriller. Granted, you never have to wait to long for some suspense or action, but Dodger is happy to meander a little bit, and your enjoyment of Dodger will depend on your willingness to revel in these detours.

Indeed, Dodger feels like a lovingly crafted, worthwhile detour for Pratchett. While Discworld always brims with very real wisdom, I was fascinated to read Pratchett's considerable wit applied to somewhat realer events and circumstances. While he's never shy about taking fantastical liberties in the name of a good plot, it's no surprise to read in the afterward that many details of Dodger are gleaned from Henry Mayhew's groundbreaking reports of the urban poor in early 1800's London.

Oh, but Dodger returns to the action with some fantastic scenes. The detractors have their points that this isn't Pratchett's tightest novel, especially after "Nation" where he effortlessly swerved between theology, alternate history and boy-on-an-island myth with aplomb. The transitions between plot and British lore aren't always quite seemless. Yet even if the history lesson isn't your cup of tea, there are some undeniably marvelous characters, laugh-out-loud moments and long stretches of high suspense.

First, I'll mention that I've heard the audio-book rather than have read it, despite what the meta-data for this review says, and it is possible that if other reviewers are correct and Mr Pratchett can now only dictate and hear back, this might well be the way to 'read' his material...and if Mr Pratchett's narrative voice might not be up to his old standards, Stephen Briggs' literal voice has not flagged one bit.

Second, I'll note the distinct feeling that Pterry started this as an Ankh-Morpork book, but then decided that he might as well go whole-hog and set it in a modified London---the city is described in much the same way as the Dickensian Ankh-Morpork of his work post-"the Truth", Sir Robert Peel is written exactly as Sir Samuel Vimes, and I'm pretty sure that Solomon Cohen would have been a dwarf...this feeling might be deceptive, of course.

Third, I have to say that Mr Pratchett might have been developing too much affection for his main characters: here, as in other recent books of his ("Nation","Unseen Academicals", "The Long Earth") he seemingly can't abide their being in danger or distress for more than a page or two (I mean, a minute or so of the audio-book), and (spoiler)

things go far too well too soon and too consistently---we know that a Pratchett protagonist will survive and generally end up better-off than before, but getting there matters.

That being said, a generally pleasant, funny, and wry book; if I knew dickens' work better, I probably would have found it more satisfying, but even so it is.

Before you even pick up this book, understand that Dodger, Terry Pratchett's main character in "Dodger" is NOT Dickens' Artful Dodger from "Oliver Twist." At the closest, the implication is that Pratchett's Dickens uses this Dodger as a template or archetype for the character. So, don't even try to reconcile the two Dodgers in your mind. They're different people. Anyway, Pratchett spins a decent story in "Dodger" with a nicely described early- to mid-1800s London. Along the way, he threads in many of the people and things that were changing the world at this time in history. My only problem with the book (and the reason I dropped it down a star to merely a Good 3 stars out of 5), is Pratchett's use of the language. The narrator in the book is the current Dodger: an illiterate trawler of the sewer with absolutely no education. Yet, the narration is entirely literate and educated. Dickens overcame that difference in "Great Expectations" by having a future Pip do the narrating. Not so with Pratchett's "Dodger." On the other side of the language problem is that the other main characters in the book all speak like professors lecturing to a class. Yes, most of them are educated, but the level of erudition is absurd. And, right between those two sides, Dodger, himself, quite often lapses out of his illiterate cant into an educated idiom. Now, none of that actually harms the plot. It's just jarring. Again, the book's a nice little read. I've just dropped my rating a star because of the jarring use of the language.

When I first learned that Terry Pratchett was coming out with a book featuring Dickens's Artful Dodger, I figured it would either be the story of Oliver Twist told from Dodger's perspective, or it would be the story of Dodger's life either before or after the events of Dickens's book. Both assumptions were wrong. Instead, he takes the character created by Dickens and places him in London at the same time that the young Charlie Dickens is a reporter and up-and-coming author and has their paths cross.

During an intense rainstorm on the streets of London, Dodger , who lives in the sewers below the city, and who survives by his cunning and quick hands, witnesses a woman leap from a fast-moving horse-drawn carriage in an attempt to flee her captors, who run her down and begin to beat her. Dodger chases the men off and quickly becomes enamored with the young and attractive woman named Simplicity.

Dodger's act of heroism is witnessed by two men, Henry Mayhew and Charles Dickens. The men take her to Mr. Mayhew's home where she can be looked after and recover while they, with Dodger's help, begin investigating who the men Simplicity was fleeing from were, and why she felt the need to escape.

While assisting with the investigation, Dodger wants to make himself more presentable to Simplicity by improving his appearances. he decides to get his hair cut and chooses a "Barber and Expert Butcher" who has hung out his shingle on Fleet Street. Dodger inadvertently causes the arrest of the murderous barber, Sweeney Todd, and becomes a celebrity throughout London, which ends up hindering his investigation efforts and ultimately sets his life on a new course above the sewers he once called home.

Dodger was a good book. It lacked the usual Pratchett sense of humor, which readers of his Discworld series will miss, but that shouldn't deter anyone from reading it. He's a master storyteller, and both his usual readers as well as those who have never picked up one of his books before will enjoy this one.

Dodger is an orphaned boy living in the sewers of London. He is a tosher: person whose job will be to search the sewers for lost goods, and sell them for living. He, one day meets a man and a lady in the middle of a storm, which changes his life- forever.

Simplicity is the lady dodger met in the storm, and at the moment, she was being beaten up by one of the guys who were riding a wagon with her. She seemed like in need of trouble, so Dodger got involved and drove the men away, only to find another one getting involved as well.

Charlie Dickens(the another one getting involved) is a peeler: a man of high business skills and determination who mostly have experience in combat and work for the papers- usually never leaves you alone ,nor lets you go until you spill the beans.

The story is written in the perspective of Dodger, who used to be both tosher and a geezer (someone who knows everybody and everybody knows him, making him like a central cove). Now as this fine young lady gets into his life, everything starts to accelerate: in fact about 90% of this book is in the event of a single week, which I had a hard time believing it even though the author has pointed it out during the course of the storyline.

The story is quite fast paced and exciting since it progresses rapidly, but for a good balance in realistic aspect of the events. Also it contains a bit of romance, and a lot of actions, which all the YAs will be excited about. I personally find it as a really nice book, implementing the state of London in its "old, but civilized" fashion, and recommend it to you.

Holy smokes, this book was adorable.

This isn't my first Pratchett book, but I don't remember much of the one Discworld book I read back when I was thirteen or so. I do remember it being humorous - I just didn't remember how absolutely hilarious Pratchett is. I'm serious. This guy has a penchant for making people laugh and sometimes I found myself laughing so hard that I had to shut the book and put it down for a bit to recover. My flatmate found this endlessly amusing.

The characters in this book were the epitome of what it means to be lovable. Everyone from Jewish Solomon to the smelly Onan to the rich-but-will-always-be-single Angela were fleshed out and created solely for the purpose to be loved. I especially liked that Pratchett also included real people from this time. People like Robert Peel, Sweeny Todd, Benjamin Disraeli and even the well-known Charles Dickens. I can't be sure that's how those real people would've behaved in the circumstances that our hero, Dodger, always found himself in, but I loved seeing their reactions - especially Dickens's. The reader also gets to meet the Queen herself when she is young and first starting as ruler of England. This might have been my favorite part. I felt like I was being let in on some little secret by "being" with all of these people who were once real, by having these adventures with them.

I can think of no one better to write about Victorian London than Pratchett. He doesn't try to romanticize the hardships for you. He doesn't try to make it seem like this beautiful and idyllic place. He just gives you the facts - the facts from the rich people and the facts from the poor - and the facts from those caught kind of in the middle. Dodger finds himself, accidentally, caught in the middle of a diplomatic problem, something that, as a tosher, he really just wants nothing to do with. But because there's a damsel in distress (and no good Christian boy would leave a damsel in distress, would he?), he finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the problem and the reader gets to experience his discoveries and epiphanies.

Highly recommended for everyone

The most unexpectedly fun read of the year is Terry Pratchett's Dodger. With an unmatched skill, Pratchett shows himself to be a writer akin to to Mark Twain and as adept in the historical world of 19th century London as he is in the imaginary world of Ankh-Morpork.

A month ago or so, Britt came home with a book on CD for a road trip.

"It's called Dodger," she said as we set off down the road. "By some guy called Terry Pratchett."

"Discworld?" I asked from the driver's seat.

"Disc-what?" she said. "No, it's won some award." She flipped to the back. "It looks like is about Charles Dickens...and Sweeney Todd?"

"Hm...I wonder if it's the same Pratchett."

She popped in the first CD, and we began one of the most unexpectedly enjoyable books of the year. And yes, it is the same Terry Pratchett of Discworld fame.

In a departure from the comings and goings of the denizens of Ankh-Morpork, Pratchett delves into the world of Dickens' London, when the sun never set on the British Empire, but the streets stunk and the poor lived a miserable life.

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.

And we're off. Little more than a child of the streets, Dodger falls for the girl in the carriage, and soon find himself on a path carrying him directly away from the sewers and into the halls of Parliament, the rich, and the powerful. Including appearances--and more--from Charles Dickens, Sweeney Todd, Benjamin Disraeli and others, Dodger, and its title character, take the reader on a clever and delightful ride, full of the language, color, and flavor of 19th century England.

I've read several of Pratchett's previous novels, including from the Discworld novels and his The Long Earth (with Stephen Baxter) and Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman). With Dodger, though, Pratchett proves his skill as a wordsmith and story-teller. Constantly colorful and always witty, Dodger is fun, inventive, and thoroughly enjoyable.

If you've never read Pratchett before, Dodger is a great place to start.

As a long time Pratchett fan, I have been left feeling bemused by this book. For many fans, Pratchett's name on the cover leads to a lot of expectations, and in this book he departs in some respects away from those expectations. As the setting is Victorian era London, the carefully constructed Discworld universe is not here. And that's okay, because the great joy of the Discworld books is to highlight some of our 'real' worlds amusing and nonsensical foibles. On the face of it, this new location seems perfectly suited, as though Pratchett is breaking down the wall of Ankh-Morpork and saying, 'Look it was London all along!'

And whether that was important or irrelevant, or even un-noticed, without that teeming world this book is a bit...dry. The characters are all the familiar Pratchett archetypes, the loveable rouge, the shadowy gentry, pulling strings and so on. But it never picks up speed. I was constantly feeling like I'd read this one before, and then the references to London, Spain and so on would somehow remind me that this was a story set in our world. It is a testament to Pratchett's skills that a series of books with wizards, trolls, werewolves and the like can utterly suspend my disbelief. And it's worrying that a book filled with real places, real life figures (In the form of Dickens) and context that is familiar to me can leave me not immersed, but slightly bored.
I had the feeling this book was mugging for the cameras, name dropping, trying to be playful, but ending up coming across like a species of fan-fiction, written by the kind of author who finds fantasy scenarios a bit silly, and unworthy of 'real' aueters.

That sounds a bit cruel, and I should say that this is a solid book, and a must for Pratchett obsessives, but the vital spark is missing. If you're new to Pratchett, this might not be the place to start though.

Let me take you back to London at the turn of the 20th century. A young Queen Victoria graces the throne with her beloved Albert beside her. 'Peelers' have replaced the Bow Street runners. By day, merchants, bankers and politicians frequent the City while at night, the streets are the domain of the night soil men, honey wagons and prostitutes. From this latter world emerges Mr Pratchett's unlikely hero, Dodger, the tosher man from the sewers, who rescues a young girl in distress for no other reason than he doesn't like bullies.

This act of kindness lands the British Government with a dilemma, one they believe can be solved by the extraordinary talents and insights of an ordinary man who operates just above, or just below, the law. You'll love wise Solomon, smelly Onan, feisty Simplicity, kind and wealthy Angela and journalist and people watcher extraordinaire, Charlie Dickens.

The story is compelling, the writing majestic and the glimpses of familiar characters from history are pertinent and beautifully crafted.

I have no hesitation in awarding a 5* review and highly recommend that you read it.

This novel is not set in Discworld but in semi-historically accurate London. While there are a few moments of humor, nothing occurs on the scale of the laugh-out-loud moments endemic to Discworld. There are tinges of the ultra-practical yet optimistic worldview which pervades Discworld in some of the characters, but it doesn’t work next to real-world attitudes. In other words, Discworld is a unique construct which cannot be replicated, or rivaled, elsewhere, even by its own author.

Expectations I had for this book due to the author aside, the narrative was ultimately empty. Dodger meets Charles Dickens, Sweeney Todd, Queen Victoria, and others who are part of the English cultural narrative. While it is in one sense fun to encounter familiar characters, I felt the novel relied too heavily on this sentiment. Also, as a fan of Dickens, I found his assigned actions (and he plays a major role in the book) disappointing. In defense of Pratchett, I believe I would have been unhappyt with him as anything more than an incidental character no matter how he was portrayed (which only leads back to too much reliance on historical-cultural figures).

My biggest disappointment with the book was the plot. Dodger does not have to overcome and adversity. Sure, he is up against the government of ‘one of the Germanys’ and his own government cannot overtly help him, but every character who does not abortively attempt to kill him is on his side. Not once does he make a mistake which has grave consequences. His plan for saving Simplicity, though elaborate, does not go wrong except for one small variation, which he has almost entirely prepared for. Even that threat is overcome, through no effort of his own, within a page or two. Nothing goes wrong, so there is no real suspense, and the copious rewards Dodger receives feel ill-earned. Except for a widening of awareness, he does not grow as a character.

The beginning was somewhat enjoyable, and meeting the characters was interesting for they were well made. It was only when the plot failed to build in a meaningful way and the characters failed to change that the book failed. There were some moments of fun, and it was an interesting experience to read Pratchett outside of Discworld. However, it is not an experience I would wish to repeat.

I found this book lacked the magic of Discworld, and brought no magic of its own. I rate this book 4/10.

This is a stand-alone novel set in Victorian London..

Dodger is a tosher. He makes a living by picking up bits and pieces that fall into the sewer drains. He lives near Seven Dials with his old mentor, Solomon Cohen, and a very smelly dog, Onan.

Dodger becomes an unlikely hero by repeatedly finding himself in the right place at the right time: he rescues a young woman beaten by two men, prevents a robbery at the Morning Chronicle and inadvertently stops a certain barber named Todd from committing murder.

Unsurprisingly, he soon ends up in a political imbroglio that could trigger an international war and becomes the target of an assassin.

Even though it’s not part of the Discworld series, Dodger is a terrific adventure and detective novel, full of the usual Pratchettian humour and philosophy, and I greatly enjoyed it.

A new book from Sir Terry is always a cause for celebration, and this one is no exception. It's also somewhat unlike he's done before, being in the way of an "historical fantasy," as he himself describes. It's around 1848 (from internal evidence) and a young man in his late teens, known only as "Dodger" -- because he's never there when someone tries to grab him -- is making his way through life in the Seven Dials neighborhood of London. It's a horrific place to live, the level of poverty being quite beyond the imagining of any Yank of Brit of today, but Dodger actually manages better than most. He shares an attic room with Solomon Cohen, an elderly Jewish craftsman with an apparently fascinating personal history (about which we are only ever given hints), and Sol has taught him about the necessity of hygiene and the use of lye soap. Dodger earns his way as a tosher, one of the blokes who work the sewers, harvesting lost coins and jewelry, mostly, and at which he reckons he makes as much as a good chimney-sweep. He's also an accomplished thief, pickpocket, lock-pick, and burglar, though Sol discourages such activities, and he's capable of violence when it's called for, but he's basically one of the Good Guys. He tries to get along with everyone and he's never killed anyone.

And then one night, in a furious rain storm, he surges up through a sewer grating in response to a girl's cries for help and rescues her from her captors, who have beaten her badly. The two passing gents who jump in to help turn out to be Charlie Dickens, a story-writer and journalist, and Henry Mayhew, who spends his time investigating the plight of the city's working classes. They try to take the girl off his hands, but Dodger is smitten with her. No way is he going to turn loose of her. And from there, the story spreads out over London as Dodger begins to remake himself in order to save his lady-love, who is in danger from an assassin employed by Evil Forces. He becomes a public hero -- twice -- makes the acquaintance of a rising politician named Disraeli and a young engineer named Bazalgette (who has a special interest in sewers), has a run-in with Sir Robert Peel (the head copper), and is taken under the wing of Miss Angela Burdett-Coutts, the richest woman in the Western world who isn't a queen, and one of Britain's greatest philanthropists ever.

As always, Pratchett's style is a combination of dry wit and droll description (plus the occasional footnote) as he tells a bang-up adventure and at the same time quietly educates the reader about the reality of early Victorian London. It's a good, fun read from one of the most humane writers in the English language.

Terry Pratchett does a wonderful job breathing life into early Victorian England and this hero of this novel, Dodger. Dodger is a tosher (one who searches the sewer for money), but we quickly find out there is more to this tosher than meets the eye. The novel progresses with Dodger meeting such varied luminaries as Charles Dickens, Benjamin Disreali, and Sweeny Todd.
The characters are believable and multifaceted and even many with only small parts obviously had more going on than was expressed. The streets (and sewers) of London are as much a character as the rest and have a distinct personality as well.
A wholly enjoyable read... I highly recommend it!

So let's start with the end - the author informs us that he tweaked characters and history a wee bit to make this story work. As it's a historical fiction kind of book, I doubt anyone reading that kind of book is going to mind much. It works. Nothing about the tweaks are so shocking that you'd going to say "Wait a minute that person / place / action / word seems out of place".

That said, this is the story of Dodger, not his real name, but his real name is not pleasant to him and still isn't likely his real name. Dodger is a young lad just trying to get by in Dickensian London -- literally, he ends up hanging out with Charlie. Thing is, Dodger got his name by, well, dodging things - being quick. Everyone knows Dodger, everyone in his little section of London anyway. Dodger knows all of the rules namely that you don't see nuthin, you don't hear nuthin, you don't know nuthin.

Dodger had the misfortune of witnessing something happen to a girl that he simply could not ignore, some things you do see, no matter what the rules say. Dodger becomes unusually attached to the girl. Just knowing that she is okay isn't enough for the young chap, someone should pay for this - too many girls end up like her, but this time there was a witness and there are clues. He starts asking a lot of questions, bringing a lot of attention to himself and his streets, making his neighbors nervous. Still, Dodger knows that somehow he has to find the bad guys, save the girl, not ruin his own rep in the process, and oh yeah -- survive it all.

We follow Dodger through the streets of London. Into the sewers. We meet the rich, the poor, the barbers, the famous, the not so famous, the killers, the saviours -- sometimes they're more than one of these things.

The only thing holding me back from giving this 5 stars is that the actual story and characters seem lost at times in the story that is the city. It's fine to write a "love letter" to a place or a time period, but when doing so in a fictional story, don't let that overpower your characters and your story.

Pratchett’s wordplay is excellent and reading a sentence is like unwrapping a gift or unravelling a poem. Yet 353 tall pages of smallish print with an average of three large paragraphs per page with little dialogue to break it up can spell a recipe for tedium for some readers. A sample of a two-page spread has paragraphs that begin: Dodger knew, Dodger wondered, most unusually for Dodger, Dodger felt, Dodger shrugged, Dodger paused, Dodger had pretty much expected something like this. Those who enjoy historical fiction will be mesmerized by the real story of Charles Dicken’s London (finding out what a ‘tosher’ is); indeed, Charlie Dickens is a character in the book. The book is widely held in libraries in young adult collections.
If you're in a log cabin in the woods without radio or tv, you may want to curl up with this book. It's the first Terry Pratchett book I read, and frankly, I couldn't see what all the hubbub was about (Pratchett as a writer). I barely finished three chapters before I lost interest.

I borrowed the Kindle version of this book from my public library and was quite pleased I did. Though it is never explicitly stated, putting 1 (Dodger) + 1 ("Charlie" Dickens) together, you get 2 (an older version of the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist fame). The character is, in fact, very much what the book combined with the 1968 musical, Oliver!, showed the Artful Dodger to be at heart. Potential mini spoiler: At the end, I had to chuckle at the new name taken - Jack Dodger, considering Jack Wild was the one who played the Artful Dodger in the previously mentioned Oliver! musical. Maybe I was seeing intention where there was none, but it would surprise me.

Though you won't find the same amount of humor as I've been told was prevalent in the Discworld series, anyone who enjoys historical fantasy, as Mr. Pratchett (or should I say, Sir Terry Pratchett) calls it, will like this book. It combines mystery with history with some fantasy and more. You also get a guided tour through some of the less charming aspects of Victorian London, albeit with a rather charming guide in the form of Dodger. I particularly enjoyed seeing fictional characters meeting up with real people in history and even having a part in shaping history.

I happen to be a fan of Charles Dickens and his works, and this book does give an effective degree of the feel and atmosphere of a Dickens' novel. There are some books which have been written as continuations of famous authors' works which sound nothing at all like either the author's story or his characters. This novel does not fall into that disappointing class of "continuations," in my opinion. On the contrary, I think Mr. (Sir Terry) Pratchett did an excellent job of being consistent with the essential nature of a Dickens' novel.

This represents a departure for Pratchett, or at least a diversion. Charles Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli, and other famous (if historically displaced) characters fill out this amusing novel. The real center, though, is Dodger, an urchin of the streets of London, plus the Roman remains under those streets. His living, on the more honest days, comes from recovering objects lost down the London storm drains - usually coins, but occasional real treasures. One of whom is a young woman who goes by the name Simplicity ...

She's anything but simple, though, once her importance becomes apparent. Then, it's a mad race upwards through the social circles for our Dodger, as he acquires friends and enemies in successively higher stations, winding up in front of the queen herself. (Not bad for just a few days' hard work.) That fantastic upward spiral brings Horatio Alger to mind, but without the smarminess.

Like most of of Pratchett's work, I'd call it "young adult" level, but being young or adult isn't strictly necessary. It seemed constrained by its use (and misuse) of historical characters, though, so lacked the free-wheeling spirit of his Discworld saga. Still, the Pygmalion tweaking of class distinctions comes across with cheerful cheekiness, and Pratchett fills out the main characters, including Dodger's mentor, enough to keep the reader caring. A good one, but I've liked other of his work better.

-- wiredweird

I miss Sir Terry. I miss his sly way with words and cheeky attitude. Since I've read almost all of the Discworld books I've started looking for some of his other titles. This piece of historical fiction is typical Pratchett, full of word play and the occasional wink and nod. Quite enjoyable.

First Pratchett book I've read (actually, listened to). It held my interest, and I found it entertaining. The style was humorous, sometimes laugh out load humorous. It was interesting to read up on the historical characters that the main character met. Not a heavyweight story, but sometimes thoughtful, and the characters were likable. Based on this story, I'm interested in reading other Pratchett stories, but if they all have the same wise-cracking tone, I would space them out.

It is sad but true that Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer's and it is starting to show in his work. The extent to which this if "off" from his prior works but is still a well researched, amusing, and intelligent read does, I think, throw into powerful highlight the brilliance of his earlier works. How can someone be THIS much off their best and still be so good?

I wont regale you with plot and characters, plenty of others have done that, but I will say that this is a single threaded story, more in line with his work for younger readers, than the more complex, multi-threaded works like "Truth" where we got to see the inner workings of the plot and how the characters linked up and finally came together in the climax. Here every part of the story relates to what is happening with, to, and around Dodger in an essentially linear way.

This is not the Great Terry Pratchett, but it's still a good read.

As a dedicated Pratchett fan, I get a bit nervous any time the man writes something set outside of Discworld. I love Discworld. I love the characters, the settings. And I know that I'll love anything set there.

Dodger isn't set in Discworld, but it is absolutely wonderful. The novel at its core is about what happens to a young man when a Story gets ahold of him. This is true about at least 50% of Pratchett's Discworld novels. The flow is familiar for Discword fans, but not at all tired. The setting (dickensian London) and characters (entirely new, but somehow familiar) are wonderfully written.

There were times when I felt a bit jarred by things happening abruptly. But what would a Pratchett novel be without abrupt happenings?

If you're a Pratchett fan, you'll love Dodger. If you're not a Pratchett fan - particularly if you've avoided the man because of a distaste for "fantasy" (which only applies to Discword novels in the losest of terms) - Dodger would be a great place to start.

- Minor Spoilers Ahead -
Sir Terence worked a few real historical personages into the work. Below is a list of characters (and relevant institutions) encountered in Dodger which you might want to look up, either before or after you enjoy the novel. I expect that reading up before you plunge into Dodger will

Charles Dickens - Only the greatest author of the Victorian Era. I'd recommend refreshing your memory on his complete list of works, which will help you recognize a good number of puns throughout Dodger.

Benjamin Disraeli - The man who became Britain's only Jewish (though he was a devout Anglican) Prime MInister.

Angela Burdett-Coutts - The wealthiest woman in England, of whom King Edward VII said, "After my mother [Queen Victoria], the most remarkable woman in the kingdom."

Henry Mayhew - An English social researcher and one of the founders of "Punch".

Queen Victoria - England's queen from 1837 to 1901.

Prince Albert - The Queen's husband.

Robert Peel - The man credited with helping to create the modern concept of a police force - who later went on to become Prime Minister of England.

Fans of Discworld are accustomed to entertaining, insightful and humorous stories in a completely fictional setting. Dodger is something very different but as delightful and insightful as all of Terry Pratchett's works.

Going into the story, one ought to be prepared to meet historical figures interacting with our hero who is fictional. The entire concept of the book shows an enormous amount of courage on Terry Pratchett's part and yet he skillfully masters the task.

Charles Dickens is one such character. Being very fond of Charles Dickens' works, it was a new experience for me to "get to know" him a little better in this new story.

For me (a Yank), Dodger was a delightful way to discover the Victorian era in and about London in a new way while also enjoying a good story well told.

Anyone who is a fan of Terry Pratchett's works (particularly books like Nation or Johnny and the Dead) will find this an excellent read.

If you are not familiar with Terry Pratchett's works, this would be a good place to start.

Dodger (2012) is a standalone Fantasy. It is set in early Victorian London and environs.

In this novel, Dodger is a foundling who left the orphanage at an early age. The facility had given him the name of Pip Stick, but he soon earned the name of Dodger. He is now a tosher, searching for bounty within the sewers.

Charles Dickens is a journalist and a novelist. He also has some characteristics of a dodger.

Henry Mayhew is a journalist, social researcher and reformist. He is married to Jane Jerrold and is a friend of Dickens.

Robert Peel founded the London police force. Before him, the Bow Street Runners were thief takers who could be employed by private citizens.

Solomon Cohen is a Jewish gentleman and Dodger's landlord. He has been many places in the world and has the scars to prove it.

Onan is Solomon's dog. He has a very strong odor.

In this story, a woman escapes from a nobby coach during a driving rain storm. Two men leap out and grab her. They take her down in the gutter and beat her.

Dodger opens a storm drain cover and leaps out at the men. He swarms over them, using his pry bar to strike and tear them. The coach goes off into the night and the men soon follow.

Dodger checks out the woman, looking for open wounds or broken bones. Then two more men appear in the rain. But Dickens and Mayhew have only come to help.

They take the woman to the nearby home of Mayhew. There the soaked garments are removed and she is dried and reclothed by servants and the mistress of the household. Dodger asks to talk to the woman and is given permission.

The woman refuses to give her name or the names of her assailants. Mrs. Mayhew gives her the name Simplicity. The woman accepts the name, but denies being simple,

She tells Dodger that she is married to a German prince who only disobeyed his father in the marriage itself. Now her prince and his father want her dead or back in Germany. Her mother was English, so she wants to stay in England where she will be free.

Dodger and Dickens discuss the inconvenience of a German princess within London. She wants to remain free, but the authorities would like her gone. Dodger decides to find the men who beat Simplicity.

Dodger is impressed by Dickens and Mayhew. Dickens seems to know, and be known by, the London policemen and they know that he is a wellknown journalist. Even Peel himself knows Dickens.

When Dodger returns home to Solomon and Onan, he tells Solomon about his adventures and the trials inflicted upon Simplicity. Since he is returning to the Mayhew house to visit Simplicity, Solomon insists that he bathe and clothe himself for the occasion. He sends Dodger to a friend who runs a shonky shop.

This tale takes Dodger to many places within the city. From his friends in the taverns to the stews of the very poor to the Houses of Parliament, Dodger meets many people and learns many things. Onan often enjoys the walks, but few enjoy his smell.

Dodger becomes a hero by rescuing Simplicity, but he is publicly announced as a hero by articles that appear within the newspapers. Important men ask for his assistance on various matters.

This novel will probably not have a sequel. Feel free, however, to demand more stories about him.

Highly recommended for Pratchett fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of Victorian London, urban poverty, and confidant young men. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

My understanding of this work is that Pratchett always wanted to produce a Dickensian type novel and in Dodger has done so doubly.

While perhaps not as hard-hitting as the classics, Pratchett succeeds in creating a humorous and what I can only describe as disseminating work. Dodger is an adorable character and his far reaching hi-jinks are somehow believable in the world he lives in.

I never thought I would say this about a book but Pratchett goes a little light on the drama, and I honestly could have tolerated another 100 pages or so, especially if they included The Outsider.

Nonetheless a great read from a master - recommended.

Whether you are a Pratchett fan, a Dickens fan, or just a fan of lighthearted period literature, you'll enjoy this one! Pratchett spins a mighty good historical yarn, sharp-witted and clever, although not always watertight and tidy (but then, life isn't, so...) A modern text, using a Victorian London setting and relevant themes. You can have fun spotting the Dickens titles woven into the narrative (if you are as sad as I am) and enjoy Dodger getting the upperhand yet again and dodging trouble throughout. Highly recommended. I chose the 'Audible' version, expertly narrated by the one and only Steven Briggs.

When I bought the book, I'd not read the reviews, and I had a chance to pick it up locally at a discount. Did that little thing, hoping it was a Discworld novel. It's not, but don't let that deter you.

Pratchett's magic transforms the Dickens character The Artful Dodger into a real person, as is Dickens himself, caught by Pratchett's magic camera before he's become a world-famous writer. This is a coming of age tale, and Dodger comes of age in some remarkable ways.

Sir Terry Pratchett has been refreshingly open and honest about suffering from Alzheimer's. That dreadful disease is fully absent from this book. Relax and enjoy it, and pray for more from the master.

I must admit that I loved this book. I listened to it in the car while driving to work and actually had a sense of loss when it finished because I couldn't listen anymore. The characters are so endearing. And I enjoyed how the author mixed in all sorts of real people who existed and worked in London at the time -- I was particularly struck with Basil the man who engineered the sewer system. It was truly a feel good book and I loved the ending. I also enjoyed how Charles Dickens was always writing down little snippets that we would see in his other books. It is a book that stays with you long after you finish reading it.

After what was for me a disappointing science fiction novel, The Long Earth, I had some concern that Sir Terry's latest book, Dodger, might be a similar let down. Needless worry, as it turns out. Dodger is a terrific story, very well written and a seamless blend of history and fantasy.

Set in the early years of Queen Victoria's London, it tells the story of Dodger, orphan, guttersnipe and geezer[1], a tosher[2] in the sewers of a vividly described, smelly and dirty city. From Dodger's point of view.

"But those in the know always said about the London rain that, try as it might, it would never, ever clean that noisome city, because all it did was show you another layer of dirt. And on this dirty night there were dirty deeds that not even the rain could wash away."

And on that night and in that storm, Dodger rescues a young lady from a beating. And sets his feet on a path that Charles Dickens would recognize immediately. In fact, one of the first characters Dodger meets is that very Charlie Dickens.

It isn't just the rescue that changes Dodger's life. The morning after the rainstorm, as he is trolling the sewers for treasure, he finds fellow tosher Grandad, impaled and dying on sharp timbers, pinned by the flooding waters from the rainstorm. Grandad, the oldest tosher in the business, is just 31 years old. Dodger, as we watch, absorbs the cold reality of his future as a tosher.

And as Dodger's world expands beyond his knowledge of the London sewer system, we learn about London. Dodger meets the homicidal barber, Sweeney Todd, British statesman Benjamin Disraeli, the founder of modern police forces, Sir Robert Peel along with a host of others. But Pratchett never lets the history or the historic figures detract from his story. They lend an aura of historic realism, although there is prolepsis[3], as Pratchett cheerfully acknowledges. Dodger is sketched by John Tenniel for Punch magazine, about ten years before Tenniel drew his first cartoon for Punch. Oh, and Dodger notices the incipient mustache.

Yes, there is romance. Pratchett skillfully and plausibly includes Dodger's head over heels infatuation with the lady he rescued. And yes, there is adventure, because Dodger is, after all, Dodger. And if you believe Pratchett, Dodger is the inspiration for a Dickens character, along with the phrase, "great expectations."

There are moments of terror, moments of the signature Pratchett laugh-out-loud humor, and the wonderful humanism that characterizes all of Pratchett's work. As he has in Discworld stories[4], Pratchett finds nothing amusing in the Punch and Judy puppet shows; instead, he uses them with great effect to cause Dodger to reflect on how we are taught to laugh at things that really aren't very funny. And Pratchett makes you laugh as he is doing so.

This is a delightful book, technically, I suppose, a young adult story, because the protagonist is a young adult. But it is a terrific read, a break from Discworld for those who might not appreciate pure fantasy. There is much to admire about Sir Terry; despite a very serious health condition, he continues to produce absolutely first rate novels.

And Dodger is one of them.[5]

[1] A geezer is a man - in this case, a lad - of resource, who is recognized as such in his small corner of the world.

[2] A person who supports himself by searching for coins and valuables in the sewers. A better job than a chimney sweep, whatever impression Dick Van Dyke may have given you.

[3] Prolepsis, the representation or assumption of a future act or development as if presently existing or accomplished.

[4] Theater of Cruelty, a Discworld short story.

[5] Footnotes are one of Pratchett's favorite tools. I can do no less.

I finally got off my arse and read Terry Prtachett's Victorian novel, Dodger. It was exceptional, a brief peek into the underbelly of 19th Century London that also visits the halls of wealth and power. It takes some creative liberties with people who really existed, people who didn't, and never lopes at a disinterested pace.

Dodger sat in my Nook for three years waiting for me to read it. Now I can't wait to read it again.

Another example, like "Nation" was, of why Pratchett was so much more than just "the guy who wrote 40 Discworld books."

A nice change from his Discworld novels. However, it still had the main ingredient which was great characters. Pratchett puts so much humanity and humour into his stories you can't help but love them. An endearing novel that I'll remember long after reading it. Conveyed with his usual deft and gentle touch, a real heart warmer.

This seemed a good deal lighter to me than many of Pratchett's books, despite the setting and the subject matter, perhaps because the main character Dodger is such a merry, lovable, lucky, and honorable rogue. I enjoy Pratchett but sometimes feel like his books are an exercise in how many things can go wrong for his characters, and I find that trying. This book was a departure from that pattern, and a welcome one at that. The appearance of historical characters was delightful and the treatment of poverty and the impoverished was honest and direct without being heavy-handed.

Very much felt like a Discworld novel which meant it was difficult for me to get my head around a Dickens period tale wrote Discworld style.

Nicely told story but a little predictable and the character of Simplicity was inadequately fleshed out so I had no sense of why she would take to Dodger.

Good fun though.

The works of Sir Terry Pratchett are not for everyone, but those who get it will get it. Dodger is no exception.

Dodger is set in our world, not Discworld. What would be the point of setting this story in Ankh-Morpork? None at all. The point of the exercise is to show that sometimes a great fictional character has a basis in fact, and that fact may be even better than the derivative story! A Christmas Story is the only Dickens I have ever read, and for a very good reason - Dickens wrote for his time, and this ain't his time. Dickens is meandering, pompous, and so devoid of humor that his audio books are used to aid the rest of hibernating bears.

Terry Pratchett, long familiar with the fictional Artful Dodger, tells his story in a believable and touching way. If you appreciate Pratchett, you will not be disappointed. If this is your first crack at Pratchett, there isn't a better place to start. Either way, read it!

Pratchett is well known for the magnificent absurdity of the Discworld novels, but his works outside this fantasy realm should be experienced by all to appreciate this literary genius.

Beginning with the "Science of the Disc world"collaborations,through Nation and The Long Earth, and now mastering the Dickensian setting of Victorian London, Pratchett once again sets the bar impossibly high for his peers.

The story is a joy for the senses, taking the reader from the grimy depths to the heady heights of the setting. The characters are engaging, the atmosphere convincing and readers once again be enthralled from start to finish.

Terry Pratchett is a great writer and Dodger is a very good book. The novel is atmospheric and the characters are memorable. It is such a good book in fact, that it almost convinced me to give A Tale of Two Cities another try. Almost. Thanks Terry.

This is the first of Terry Pratchett's books I've read. The period slang and phrases added much and were definitely needed but did slow down the reading.
Dodger, intelligent generous, good hearted and resourceful was easy to admire and wish well. So much could have gone wrong in this tale of suspense and intrigue.
I enjoyed reading this book.

As with all of Terry Pratchett's stories , the humor and turns of phrase are wonderful. In this short novel, we follow a young "tosher", or someone who roams the sewers looking for lost coins and jewelry, as he saves a lady in distress, meets many historical figures (including Charles Dickens ), and has many adventures in and underneath London . I found it both highly enjoyable and lightly educational, and suggest you give it a try!

And by again I mean of course creating another work of art, a beautiful story that helped enrich my life a bit more, and entertained me with wonder and imagination. The Dodger and Mister Dickens would be proud.

A new face is put upon 18th century, Victorian era London, in this 2012 novel by Terry Prachett.
"Dodger," is poised to be the new "Great Expectations" in which Charles Dickens pens the trials, of the lives of the penniless poor in the underbelly of the worlds most powerfull city of the time.
Fiction, combined with real historic characters, and a generous helping of Prachett style wit, make this read, comicly captivating, while poignant in the extreme.

Definitely worth reading. I look forward to reading more of
His work. A fast read and I looked up many of the words
Which were middle English. Dodger was a very unique
Character - honest and had interesting thought patterns.
I got a kick out of his saving another person because he
Didn't hurt them.

Very much felt like a Discworld novel which meant it was difficult for me to get my head around a Dickens period tale wrote Discworld style.

Nicely told story but a little predictable and the character of Simplicity was inadequately fleshed out so I had no sense of why she would take to Dodger.

Good fun though.

The works of Sir Terry Pratchett are not for everyone, but those who get it will get it. Dodger is no exception.

Dodger is set in our world, not Discworld. What would be the point of setting this story in Ankh-Morpork? None at all. The point of the exercise is to show that sometimes a great fictional character has a basis in fact, and that fact may be even better than the derivative story! A Christmas Story is the only Dickens I have ever read, and for a very good reason - Dickens wrote for his time, and this ain't his time. Dickens is meandering, pompous, and so devoid of humor that his audio books are used to aid the rest of hibernating bears.

Terry Pratchett, long familiar with the fictional Artful Dodger, tells his story in a believable and touching way. If you appreciate Pratchett, you will not be disappointed. If this is your first crack at Pratchett, there isn't a better place to start. Either way, read it!

Pratchett is well known for the magnificent absurdity of the Discworld novels, but his works outside this fantasy realm should be experienced by all to appreciate this literary genius.

Beginning with the "Science of the Disc world"collaborations,through Nation and The Long Earth, and now mastering the Dickensian setting of Victorian London, Pratchett once again sets the bar impossibly high for his peers.

The story is a joy for the senses, taking the reader from the grimy depths to the heady heights of the setting. The characters are engaging, the atmosphere convincing and readers once again be enthralled from start to finish.

Terry Pratchett is a great writer and Dodger is a very good book. The novel is atmospheric and the characters are memorable. It is such a good book in fact, that it almost convinced me to give A Tale of Two Cities another try. Almost. Thanks Terry.

This is the first of Terry Pratchett's books I've read. The period slang and phrases added much and were definitely needed but did slow down the reading.
Dodger, intelligent generous, good hearted and resourceful was easy to admire and wish well. So much could have gone wrong in this tale of suspense and intrigue.
I enjoyed reading this book.

As with all of Terry Pratchett's stories , the humor and turns of phrase are wonderful. In this short novel, we follow a young "tosher", or someone who roams the sewers looking for lost coins and jewelry, as he saves a lady in distress, meets many historical figures (including Charles Dickens ), and has many adventures in and underneath London . I found it both highly enjoyable and lightly educational, and suggest you give it a try!

And by again I mean of course creating another work of art, a beautiful story that helped enrich my life a bit more, and entertained me with wonder and imagination. The Dodger and Mister Dickens would be proud.

A new face is put upon 18th century, Victorian era London, in this 2012 novel by Terry Prachett.
"Dodger," is poised to be the new "Great Expectations" in which Charles Dickens pens the trials, of the lives of the penniless poor in the underbelly of the worlds most powerfull city of the time.
Fiction, combined with real historic characters, and a generous helping of Prachett style wit, make this read, comicly captivating, while poignant in the extreme.

Definitely worth reading. I look forward to reading more of
His work. A fast read and I looked up many of the words
Which were middle English. Dodger was a very unique
Character - honest and had interesting thought patterns.
I got a kick out of his saving another person because he
Didn't hurt them.

Not a disc world novel - so perhaps a little too much reality for some people? - but Sir Terry peels back the veneer of a squalid city like nobody else.

Love the underbelly of London, so graphically portrayed, and the cheeky miscreant who saves the day.

Dodger was a great read. Prachett is a man of man literary talents.i had downloaded it for my 13 yo but sexual references and other adult times will keep it on our virtual shelf a few more years before he reads it.
But for the Dickens and Sherlock era fans, I am sure this book will be a delight!

Well written, and gives the reader a good idea of the life and times in Victorian England. I enjoyed meeting various characters whose names rang a bell in my memory. I wish Terry Pratchett would write more historical novels. I refer these to fantasy.

After an under whelming last couple of books I was apprehensive about Dodger, however I enjoyed it immensely, a return to form with wit and a deep heart. Never pushing a message but still getting one across. I would heartily recommend this to any teen reader or Pratchett fan, and hold out great hope for following books!

I am so enjoying Dodger by Terry Pratchett. It's like having a magical peephole into Victorian London, meeting the famous of all walks of life in unexpected ways, and seeing the beginnings of great pioneering ideas and future novels by Dickens. Telling phrases and names leap out at you, as if you are in on a marvellous inside story.
You meet the great engineer Bazalguette who developed the sewers and embankment of London and made the river and city cleaner better places to live in and on. Even Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is given a different spin, more sympathetic. It would be a great book for a young person learning about our history.

Another brilliantly clever book by Mr Pratchett. Any lover of his style of writing will enjoy this easy read. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a clever and amusing story. Written as a historical story there are hints of well known characters as well as an infamous cast of significant people from the era. A book that you will find hard to put down.

In London, two thugs beat up a young woman when Dodger the thieving tosher jumping out of a drain intervenes. She begs him to help her escape as her assaulters want to take her back to the monster she has run away from whose battering of her led to a miscarriage. As he lives up to his name with his snake like speed, Charlie Dickens the author and Henry Mayhew the social reformer arrive at the scene causing the brutes to flee. Charlie and Henry call Dodger Galahad.

Calling the mystery girl he rescued Simplicity, Dodger tries to help this woman he is attracted to; while also trying to prove he is worthy of her. Dodger soon meets Benjamin Disraeli, Queen Victoria and Sweeney Todd in his quest to live up to the reputation of Sir Galahad.

Dodger is an enjoyable historical fiction tale that brings to life Victorian England. The key to this entertaining thriller is Terry Pratchett capturing the vernacular of the era and the tone of several real historical personas though mostly through their interplay with the title character. Although the mystery of Simplicity is more a device to propel the plot forward and there is not a disc in sight, fans will feel they are touring London with Dodger as their guide.

Harriet Klausner

This book - being the first book from sir Pratchett I've had the honor to read - really took me by heart. The storytelling, the humour and besides these the characters - it's unlike anything I've read before. I can but recommend it to anyone! And now I'm off to pick another book from the pen of this great author :)

Not a typical Pratchett novel. Not Discworld based but don't let that put you off. Dodger is a bit of a scoundrel but a likeable one who's heart is in the right place. The writing style is very different to Terry's normal style and can take a while to get used to. Hopefully we will see more of the adventures of Dodger in the future.

After his last book, my expectations of this book were already remarkably low.
I'm a long time fan, read some of his books 20 times or more, and can only say that, sorry, with all my love and admiration, it's time to stop writing. Whether it's the Alzheimer's or simply burn-out I don't know and don't want to discuss, but this is by no means worth reading any more. If this was the first book of an unknown writer, it would have been rejected by every editor worth his/her salt.
In a certain sense Sir Terry never learned some of the "must-dos" of writing, and as long as the stories were funny, or at least riveting, this could be forgiven. As an example: It did not matter that the interior dialogue in say "Monster Regiment" was completely wrong for a 15 year old girl, having grown up in a secluded, benighted mountain town. It was funny, it said something about humanity, it advanced the story.

It DOES matter in a story that is neither funny, nor interesting, nor psychologically revealing, nor much else for that matter.
The internal dialogue is "off", the events are on the far side of improbable, the tempo is down the drain, the reasons given for actions are confused, inconsistent and changing just as the story needs it for the next few pages. The voices are dreary, repetitive, often meaningless. A lot of the text is simply fluff.

I'm sorry... it's like mourning the final loss of a dear friend.

It's high time to stop! For the sake of your fans, for the sake of your memory, for your own sake.

With all respect, and thankfulness for your long career, and the many insights and the fun I had from your writing.

Armin

This was the first book by Terry Pratchett that I have read and I really enjoyed it. If you find descriptions boring then it will slow the book down. The integration of history with fiction is believable and allows the story to flow. Excellent character development.

As a fan of all Pratchett novels I looked forward to Dodger. In many respects I was not disappointed. I knew it had nothing to do with the wonderful Discworld series, and I expected a few historical stretches to fit the narrative. I could even accept the lack of character development for the majority of the cast although I felt Simplicity's background was far too thin. The worst was the ultimate showdown (I'll try not to give too many spoilers here) which was patchy, confusing and at times wholly unbelievable. I felt as though the author began with one idea for the resolution then changed tack half way through (not very successfully) and then tried to cram a third solution in towards the end. Even after re-reading the chapter several times I still found the inconsistencies annoying and unnecessary.
As something light and fluffy, to be read quickly for pure escapism, then I recommend Dodger. For those who like tightly written, purpose-driven narrative I suggest you'll be disappointed too.

I've read all of Pratchett's book...and this is easily the worst .

The Pratchett genius is totally absent. The humour that was the hallmark of Pratchett's work, is gone. I've toiled through the book, searching in vain for Pratchett's characteristic flair for verbal imagery, but, alas...nothing. Nothing at all. Not even flashes.

If this was Pratchett's first book i.s.o his most recent, he probably would never have sold another. This is literally a case of exploiting Pratchett's impressive reputation to sell a very mediocre book.

After his last book, my expectations of this book were already remarkably low.
I'm a long time fan, read some of his books 20 times or more, and can only say that, sorry, with all my love and admiration, it's time to stop writing. Whether it's the Alzheimer's or simply burn-out I don't know and don't want to discuss, but this is by no means worth reading any more. If this was the first book of an unknown writer, it would have been rejected by every editor worth his/her salt.
In a certain sense Sir Terry never learned some of the "must-dos" of writing, and as long as the stories were funny, or at least riveting, this could be forgiven. As an example: It did not matter that the interior dialogue in say "Monster Regiment" was completely wrong for a 15 year old girl, having grown up in a secluded, benighted mountain town. It was funny, it said something about humanity, it advanced the story.

It DOES matter in a story that is neither funny, nor interesting, nor psychologically revealing, nor much else for that matter.
The internal dialogue is "off", the events are on the far side of improbable, the tempo is down the drain, the reasons given for actions are confused, inconsistent and changing just as the story needs it for the next few pages. The voices are dreary, repetitive, often meaningless. A lot of the text is simply fluff.

I'm sorry... it's like mourning the final loss of a dear friend.

It's high time to stop! For the sake of your fans, for the sake of your memory, for your own sake.

With all respect, and thankfulness for your long career, and the many insights and the fun I had from your writing.

Armin

I've read all of Pratchett's book...and this is easily the worst .

The Pratchett genius is totally absent. The humour that was the hallmark of Pratchett's work, is gone. I've toiled through the book, searching in vain for Pratchett's characteristic flair for verbal imagery, but, alas...nothing. Nothing at all. Not even flashes.

If this was Pratchett's first book i.s.o his most recent, he probably would never have sold another. This is literally a case of exploiting Pratchett's impressive reputation to sell a very mediocre book.