Dodger [Hardcover]

Terry Pratchett (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 25, 2012

Beloved and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett's Dodger, a Printz Honor Book, combines high comedy with deep wisdom in a tale of one remarkable boy's rise in a fantasy-infused Victorian London.

Seventeen-year-old Dodger is content as a sewer scavenger. But he enters a new world when he rescues a young girl from a beating, and 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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Superb.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review))

“Compulsively readable.” (Washington Post)

“Lovingly crafted and completely enjoyable. The temptation to quote sentences, whole paragraphs, and possibly entire chapters is almost irresistible.” (Booklist (starred review))

“It’s a glittering conjuring act, but there’s real heart here, too.” (Horn Book (starred review))

“Pratchett does a bang-up job of re-creating Old London, complete with pathos, humor, and danger, all narrated in Dodger’s unique voice.” (School Library Journal (starred review))

“Masterful. Unexpected, drily funny and full of the pathos and wonder of life: Don’t miss it.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Pratchett weaves fact and fiction seamlessly....Genius.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review))

“A masterwork from a treasure and hero of a writer, and it will delight you.” (Cory Doctorow, New York Times Bestselling author)

“Ebullient, funny and delightful.” (The Guardian)

“Wonderful.” (Daily Mail (London))

“Fresh, vibrant and full of energy, a triumph.” (SFX (UK))

“Masterly and entertaining.” (Children’s Book of the Week) (Sunday Times (London))

PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF TERRY PRATCHETT:“Exuberant and irresistible.” (Washington Post)

“Fun and fantastic and thoughtful.” (Chicago Tribune)

“Passionately wise, spectacularly hilarious, and surpassingly humane.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))

“Moving and highly satisfactory.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review))

“Pratchett combines gut-busting humor and genuine poignancy.” (School Library Journal (starred review))

“Thrilling, humorous, moving, and most wise.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (Starred Review))

From the Back Cover

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.

Beloved and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett combines high comedy with deep wisdom in this tale of an unexpected coming-of-age and one remarkable boy's rise in a complex and fascinating world.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (September 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062009494
• ISBN-13: 978-0062009494
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (289 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Teens > Historical Fiction

More About the Author

Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was fifteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe. Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, in 1983. In 1987 he turned to writing full time, and has not looked back since. To date there are a total of 36 books in the Discworld series, of which four (so far) are written for children. The first of these children's books, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the Carnegie Medal. A non-Discworld book, Good Omens, his 1990 collaboration with Neil Gaiman, has been a longtime bestseller, and was reissued in hardcover by William Morrow in early 2006 (it is also available as a mass market paperback (Harper Torch, 2006) and trade paperback (Harper Paperbacks, 2006). Terry's latest book, Nation, a non-Discworld standalone YA novel was published in October of 2008 and was an instant New York Times and London Times bestseller. Regarded as one of the most significant contemporary English-language satirists, Pratchett has won numerous literary awards, was named an Officer of the British Empire "for services to literature" in 1998, and has received four honorary doctorates from the Universities of Warwick, Portsmouth, Bath, and Bristol. His acclaimed novels have sold more than 55 million copies (give or take a few million) and have been translated into 36 languages. Terry Pratchett lives in England with his family, and spends too much time at his word processor.  Some of Terry's accolades include: The Carnegie Medal, Locus Awards, the Mythopoetic Award, ALA Notable Books for Children, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Book Sense 76 Pick, Prometheus Award and the British Fantasy Award.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#15 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#20 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#20 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#24 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

#31 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Science Fiction

#15 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#20 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#20 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#24 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

#31 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Science Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Artful Dodger as never told before September 22, 2012

By Bella Mcguire

Format:Kindle Edition

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.

83 of 92 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars As a long-time Fan... September 18, 2012

By Richard King

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Lighten up folks! October 3, 2012

By William F. Wallace

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

C'mon, everybody, be thankful that Sir Terry is alive, much less producing books. We lost Robert Jordan a couple of years ago and now we must settle for a 'ghost' writer.

'Not disappointed' a reviewer wrote. So sad. 'Damned by faint praise' to quote somebody. It's a feel-good book and no mistake. Just sit back and enjoy Dodger et al. If you are expecting the kind of genius level creativity he exhibited in his earlier books, well, who of that age is capable of that? Twain wasn't.

I have all of his books, most them read more than twice and I will come back to this one someday, though I am 70 and it may have to be soon. I go to libraries, pick up a few books and read maybe 50 pages before sighing and getting some more. At the very least, Pratchett is reliable, funny, satiric, full of puck and good humor and understands people as well as any writer since.......well, nearly all of them.

If I die while reading or re-reading one of his, I'll die happy. My favorite author of all time.