Dodge & Twist: A Sequel To Oliver Twist [Kindle Edition]

Tony Lee (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"OCEANS ELEVEN meets Guy Ritchie's SHERLOCK HOLMES..."
The first Kindle novel by #1 New York Times Best-selling Author Tony Lee!

Twelve years on from the events of OLIVER TWIST, a once-more penniless Oliver is back on the streets of London... When a meeting with the now grown-up Artful Dodger leads Oliver into a scheme to regain his money, he begins to wonder just how accidental the meeting was, as friends and foes from his past begin to mount up in a plan to steal the fabled Koh-I-Noor diamond from the 1851 Great Exhibition.

As the heist progresses, Oliver is pulled back into a world he hoped to escape from a decade earlier, a world of deception and betrayal, where every ally is a potential enemy and where his so called 'friend' Dodger is speaking to the ghost of the long dead Fagin - and planning his revenge on Oliver.

Oliver finds himself in a maze of lies and half truths while escaping the police, the East End underworld and Dodger's own violent plans - visiting his once home town and workhouse, Fagin's Saffron Hill den, Sowerberry's Undertakers, the British Museum and Newgate Prison in the process, as he faces his own demons, including the now destitute Mister Bumble, his one time bully Noah Claypole, and his guilt over the death of Nancy, a decade earlier...

In a situation that can only end with a noose around his neck, Oliver must find a way out of this nightmare - or forever stay a pawn in a game far bigger than that of the people around him, a game he must win at all costs...

DODGE & TWIST is a rollercoaster ride through Victorian London, involving characters from OLIVER TWIST in a brand new, thrilling adventure.

TONY LEE is an award winning writer of audio dramas and comics, the ongoing writer of IDW's DOCTOR WHO series for both Tenth and Eleventh Doctors and the writer of OUTLAW: THE LEGEND OF ROBIN HOOD and EXCALIBUR: THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR, both American Library Association 'Books for Teens' finalists.

His graphic novel adaptation of PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES topped the New York Times Bestselling Graphic Novel list in 2010.

"Tony Lee is one of the best story-tellers working in comics today" - Michael Moorcock

"Tony Lee is a supremely talented writer" - MTV Network

"One of the fastest rising stars among the new generation of British comic writers" - Comics International

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 325 KB
• Publisher: Amazon.co.uk; 1 edition (September 13, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005MYA7WA
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #368,992 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Critique of Dodge & Twist, October 10, 2011

By 

Clockwork Critiques "Erin" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dodge & Twist: A Sequel To Oliver Twist (Kindle Edition)

I'll admit I feel a certain amount of trepidation whenever hearing about a writer continuing the work of a very famous author. I tried to read a sequel to Pride and Prejudice and couldn't work my way past the first hundred pages because it was utter tripe. A travesty. I enjoy a good romance novel or twelve and I found the book to be so completely without literary merit that I won't even mention the title. I decided to give Dodge & Twist a chance despite my prior experiences because Lee's writing is enjoyable, and counting it out wasn't fair.

I also have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Dickens. As a teenager nothing filled me with quite so much terror as the realization I would have to read A Tale of Two Cities. Since then I've come to appreciate his talents, and I even enjoyed Great Expectations, which shares many plot elements with Oliver Twist: an impoverished boy abused by his guardians finds his fortune through a series of unlikely events. That being said, I haven't read Twist in years. I purposefully didn't want to reread it before diving into Lee's book, because I didn't want to compare.

The first page of Dodge & Twist is hardly stellar. The beginning paragraphs are repetitive, the verbs lacking variance, and my editorial eye couldn't help but pick up on the small mistakes throughout the novel. The book is self-published, and likely didn't go through the laborious process before being released, and therefore missed a few important checks along the way. My apologies to whoever did edit the book; I moonlight on occasion and I know editing is difficult, but a good copy editor should be able to read a novel, pick out these glaring mistakes, and discuss them with the author.

After the first chapter ignoring the mistakes is easier. Lee hits his stride, and drew me in, making me care about the characters and the conclusion. He weaves a web of interconnected plots and it isn't evident from the first how he plans on tying up the loose ends and finishing the story. Especially interesting is the dichotomy between Dodger's internal and external demons, and how they factor in his decision to steal the diamond and why he includes Oliver in his plans.

The narrative picks up shortly after Oliver discovers he's lost his inheritance. He returns to London, determined to regain his wealth. There he runs into the Artful Dodger, who has fortuitously also recently returned from his exile in Australia, and knows of Oliver's recent troubles; he offers to help Oliver in exchange for his assistance in a big heist he's planned. Dodger is also haunted by the ghost of Fagin, who is clearly out for someone's blood, presumably Oliver's. The novel's success hinges on the relationship between the two men, and their dialogue is something Lee writes extremely well. Despite their differences they have a deep connection, likely from their time on the streets, and in spite of himself Oliver is drawn to Dodger.

The attention to detail in regards to the street names is impressive, and the preface explains that he did his research. This would be a brilliant novel to bring along on a trip to London, and use as a reference for locating certain spots; I may be the only person who finds that exciting. I could have done without the almost-excessive descriptions of clothing, especially Dodger's, but at the same time I understand that Dodger's clothing is a key aspect of his character.

Was it necessary to make this novel a continuation of Oliver Twist? Not entirely, no. It's a Victorian Ocean's Eleven, a caper novel with a little mystery and nostalgia thrown in. Referencing Dickens's famous characters allows the reader to initially sympathize with Oliver and mistrust Dodger. That may have been Lee's intention all along, and then he subverts and encourages those initial reactions throughout the novel. By the end the story stands on its own merit, and having it be an extension of Oliver Twist feels somewhat superfluous. Lee's ability to build an interesting plot and dynamic characters is significant enough without having to borrow and if he hadn't connected the two novels this would have been an excellent start to a series, developing the relationships without relying on Oliver Twist.

Overall Dodge & Twist is a solid, engaging caper story with multifaceted characters and a satisfying conclusion. Lee's writing is easy to understand, and he doesn't attempt to emulate Dickens's style, which I appreciate. The plot draws the reader in and made me completely forget I was supposed to be reading critically.