Dodger

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Overview

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 ...

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Dodger

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More About This Book

Overview

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.

A 2013 Michael L. Printz Honor Book

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  • Terry Pratchett
    Terry Pratchett  

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
This superb novel from Pratchett is relatively subdued in its humor and contains virtually no fantasy, beyond a flavoring of early Victorian alternate history. It's not only a fine Dickensian novel—Dickens himself figures prominently. It follows a sewer-scouring "tosher" and thief named Dodger, "a skinny young man who moved with the speed of a snake," who, like a knight in soiled armor, leaps out of a drain one night to protect a young woman who is being severely beaten. Two of London's most famous figures, Charles Dickens and social reformer Henry Mayhew, appear on the scene a moment later. A complex plot gradually unravels involving the identity of the mystery girl, known only as Simplicity, and the reasons someone powerful wants her dead. Making guest appearances are such luminaries as Benjamin Disraeli, Queen Victoria, and Angela Burdett-Coutts, the richest woman in the world at the time. Full of eccentric characters and carefully detailed London scenes, the tale embodies both Dickens's love for the common man and a fierce desire for social justice. Ages 13–up. Agent: Colin Smythe. (Oct.)
Kirkus Reviews
Pratchett leaves Discworld to bring us something that is quite nearly--but not exactly--actual historical fiction. Dodger is a guttersnipe and a tosher (a glossary would not have been amiss to help readers navigate the many archaic terms, although most are defined in the text, often humorously). He knows everyone, and everyone knows him, and he's a petty criminal but also (generally) one of the good guys. One night he rescues a beautiful young woman and finds himself hobnobbing quite literally with the likes of Charlie Dickens (yes, that Dickens) and Ben Disraeli. The young woman is fleeing from an abusive husband and has been beaten until she miscarried; power and abuse are explored sensitively but deliberately throughout. And when he attempts to smarten himself up to impress the damsel in distress, he unexpectedly comes face to face with--and disarms!--Sweeney Todd. As Dodger rises, he continuously grapples with something Charlie has said: "the truth is a fog." Happily, the only fog here is that of Dodger's London, and the truth is quite clear: Historical fiction in the hands of the inimitable Sir Terry brings the sights and the smells (most certainly the smells) of Old London wonderfully to life, in no small part due to the masterful third-person narration that adopts Dodger's voice with utmost conviction. Unexpected, drily funny and full of the pathos and wonder of life: Don't miss it. (Historical fiction. 12 & up)
The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books

“Pratchett weaves fact and fiction seamlessly....Genius.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“Pratchett weaves fact and fiction seamlessly....Genius.”
Cory Doctorow
“A masterwork from a treasure and hero of a writer, and it will delight you.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“Pratchett weaves fact and fiction seamlessly....Genius.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Pratchett weaves fact and fiction seamlessly....Genius."
Washington Post
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF TERRY PRATCHETT:“Exuberant and irresistible.”
Chicago Tribune
“Fun and fantastic and thoughtful.”
Booklist (starred review)
“Lovingly crafted and completely enjoyable. The temptation to quote sentences, whole paragraphs, and possibly entire chapters is almost irresistible.”
Horn Book (starred review)
“It's a glittering conjuring act, but there's real heart here, too.”
Daily Mail (London)
“Wonderful.”
SFX (UK)
“Fresh, vibrant and full of energy, a triumph.”
Sunday Times (London)
“Masterly and entertaining.” (Children's Book of the Week)
Booklist
"Lovingly crafted and completely enjoyable. The temptation to quote sentences, whole paragraphs, and possibly entire chapters is almost irresistible."
Horn Book
"It’s a glittering conjuring act, but there’s real heart here, too."
The Guardian
“Ebullient, funny and delightful.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
“Pratchett weaves fact and fiction seamlessly....Genius.”
School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up—The master of humorous fantasy has taken to historical fiction like a London guttersnipe to a large helping of bangers and mash, albeit with a touch of the fantastical. Dodger is an inhabitant of the worst stews of London, who makes a meager living as a tosher, a treasure hunter in the sewers under the city. His fortune changes, literally overnight, when he rescues a damsel in distress and comes to the attention of the not-yet-famous newspaperman Charlie Dickens. Together they embark on a mission to thwart the evildoers bent on recapturing the girl. Dodger is a thoroughly likable young rogue whose exploits bring him into direct contact with some of the best-known names in Victorian England-Benjamin Disraeli, Sweeney Todd, Sir Robert Peel, and, of course, Queen Victoria herself, with whom he spends a memorable afternoon taking tea. Pratchett does a bang-up job of re-creating Old London for today's audience, complete with pathos, humor, and truly nasty descriptions of the filth, stench, and danger, all narrated in Dodger's unique voice.Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780062009494
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 9/25/2012
  • Pages: 360
  • Sales rank: 19,933
  • Age range: 13 - 17 Years
  • Product dimensions: 6.40 (w) x 9.02 (h) x 1.27 (d)

Meet the Author

Terry Pratchett

Sir Terry Pratchett's many honors include the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Printz Honor, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Britain's Carnegie Medal, the American Library Association's Margaret A. Edwards Award for lasting contribution to young adult literature, and the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award. His books have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide. Knighted for his "services to literature," Sir Terry lives in England with his wife and many cats.

Biography

Welcome to a magical world populated by the usual fantasy fare: elves and ogres, wizards and witches, dwarves and trolls. But wait—is that witch wielding a frying pan rather than a broomstick? Has that wizard just clumsily tumbled off the edge of the world? And what is with the dwarf they call Carrot, who just so happens to stand six-foot six-inches tall? Why, this is not the usual fantasy fare at all—this is Terry Pratchett's delightfully twisted Discworld!

Beloved British writer Pratchett first jump-started his career while working as a journalist for Bucks Free Press during the '60s. As luck would have it, one of his assignments was an interview with Peter Bander van Duren, a representative of a small press called Colin Smythe Limited. Pratchett took advantage of his meeting with Bander van Duren to pitch a weird story about a battle set in the pile of a frayed carpet. Bander van Duren bit, and in 1971 Pratchett's very first novel, The Carpet People, was published, setting the tone for a career characterized by wacky flights of fancy and sly humor.

Pratchett's take on fantasy fiction is quite unlike that of anyone else working in the genre. The kinds of sword-and-dragon tales popularized by fellow Brits like J.R.R. Tolkein and C. S. Lewis have traditionally been characterized by their extreme self-seriousness. However, Pratchett has retooled Middle Earth and Narnia with gleeful goofiness, using his Discworld as a means to poke fun at fantasy. As Pratchett explained to Locus Magazine, "Discworld started as an antidote to bad fantasy, because there was a big explosion of fantasy in the late '70s, an awful lot of it was highly derivative, and people weren't bringing new things to it."

In 1983, Pratchett unveiled Discworld with The Color of Magic. Since then, he has added installments to the absurdly hilarious saga at the average rate of one book per year. Influenced by moderately current affairs, he has often used the series to subtly satirize aspects of the real world; the results have inspired critics to rapturous praise. ("The most breathtaking display of comic invention since PG Wodehouse," raved The Times of London.) He occasionally ventures outside the series with standalone novels like the Johnny Maxwell Trilogy, a sci fi adventure sequence for young readers, or Good Omens, his bestselling collaboration with graphic novelist Neil Gaiman.

Sadly, in 2008 fans received the devastating news that Pratchett had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. He has described his own reaction as "fairly philosophical" and says he plans to continue writing so long as he is able.

Good To Know

Pratchett's bestselling young adult novel Only You Can Save Mankind was adapted for the British stage as a critically acclaimed musical in 2004.

Discworld is not just the subject of a bestselling series of novels. It has also inspired a series of computer games in which players play the role of the hapless wizard Rincewind.

A few fun outtakes from our interview with Pratchett:

"I became a journalist at 17. A few hours later I saw my first dead body, which was somewhat…colourful. That's when I learned you can go on throwing up after you run out of things to throw up."

"The only superstition I have is that I must start a new book on the same day that I finish the last one, even if it's just a few notes in a file. I dread not having work in progress.

"I grow as many of our vegetables as I can, because my granddad was a professional gardener and it's in the blood. Grew really good chilies this year.

"I'm not really good at fun-to-know, human interest stuff. We're not ‘celebrities', whose life itself is a performance. Good or bad or ugly, we are our words. They're what people meet.

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    1. Also Known As:
      Terence David John Pratchett
    2. Hometown:
      Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
    1. Date of Birth:
      April 28, 1948
    2. Place of Birth:
      Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England
    1. Education:
      Four honorary degrees in literature from the universities of Portsmouth, Bristol, Bath and Warwick

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 34 )
Rating Distribution

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 34 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2012

    Incredibly Wonderful Book!!

    While it is different from Sir Terry's other fiction, this book enamored me from the first chapter. It is a most literate, fascinating, and wonderful! historical fantasy story, set in early Victorian London, with Charles Dickens as one of the main characters. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I admit to reading his acknowledgments at the end of the book first, which helped give the narrative much more meaning to me. One ought not let the fact that Dodger is not set in Discworld dissuade you from getting this book immediately. It is Fine Literature of the highest degree. Enjoy! ;-)

    8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 14, 2012

    Charmed again

    This is another if Terrys works where the leading characters have won me over with their mischevious personalities and sharp wit. Quitr happy to have this in my collection

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 28, 2012

    Classic.

    I am a relative newcomer to Sir Terry's catalogue, having consumed the Discworld ouevre in about six months a couple years ago. I was delighted with the other works later, but I would never have categorized any in the absolute top tier of literary work. Entirely enjoyable, yes - nearly, but not classic.

    Dodger, on the other hand, surpasses the rest of his previous output. This novel should be held up as one of the works taught in advanced high school literature classes. It has it all. It is a seminar in novel writing. You MUST read this book.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 16, 2013

    Very interesting, conceptually, and executed with the flair that

    Very interesting, conceptually, and executed with the flair that i have come to expect from Sir Terry's work over the years. I have always enjoyed his young adult titles as much as his adult fiction.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 13, 2013

    Always a Good Read

    Terry Pratchett once again charms and delights - this time with an historical fantasy that weaves Victorian London, Charles Dickens and Sweeney Todd (just to mention a few) all through the eyes of that charming rogue the Artful Dodger. Once again Mr. Pratchett comes through with a treet not to be missed. I know this is one I'll enjoy again and again.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 1, 2013

    Good idea, so-so execution

    The idea about a work on the true Dodger of Dickens fame and the fact this was a period piece drew me to this work. Parts of it were interesting. Parts suspended belief. Parts were predictable. Parts were bizarre. The involvement of various historical characters was okay, added a little to the story, but added to the disbelief on some levels. The elements I liked were the description of Victorian England, the prose, and presentation of the different treatment and attitudes related to class. The parts that were difficult to accept, even knowing this was a work of fiction, involved the developing relationship between a sewer dweller and a "semi-royal", and the constant stream of "fortuitious" circumstances and successful outcomes based in part on the naievete of players.. If Mr. Dodger lived today he would be a consistent lottery winner given the luck described. The prose is quite good. The pace of the book is a little formal, consistent with the pace found in many novels of the era. It isn't high on my recommended list, but it isn't a bottom feeder either.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 20, 2013

    Really excellent

    Some of the slang gets you, but overall, a wonderfully witty read with smart characters you can care about.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 18, 2013

    another Pratchett hit!

    I have loved all of T Pratchett's work. This one set in England during the time of Charles Dickens is no exception. It abounds in wit, colorful characters and dialect, twist and turns. The plot is an old one, boy saves girl and finds out he is a better man for it. But it is fresh told with Pratchet's style and humor. Sutiable for all ages. Loved it. Hazar

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2013

    Good

    Good book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 30, 2012

    Pratchett is my all-time-ever favorite author and this book did

    Pratchett is my all-time-ever favorite author and this book did not disappoint. I simply love Dodger and hope to read more of his life in the future.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 3, 2013

    Highly Recommended!

    I admit to a real fondness for Terry Pratchett books, and I love this one! Great writing and a fantastic storyline!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 28, 2013

    Anonymous

    Amazing. Terry Pratchet has a gift for writing.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 21, 2013

    Never read Sir Terry's writings before and was unexpectedly deli

    Never read Sir Terry's writings before and was unexpectedly delighted! The characters are very well developed as are motivations. Subtle humor and engaging protaganist made this a wonderful read. Appreciated the "Forrest Gump-esque" history of Victorian England as told through Dodger.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 25, 2012

    Enjoyable read but a slow start

    It took me awhile to get into this book because the start was slow...setting up the characters and explaining to the audience what "toshing" in the old London sewers was all about. The appearances of historical characters was fun, especially "Charlie" Dickens. The footnotes that are part and parcel to Terry Pratchett are present in the book and is his wit and charm.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 22, 2012

    Another great book from a great author

    I love almost all his books and this is no exception. Not set in Disc world but with many of the same themes and kinds of characters. The nod to real history adds to the story. Quite enjoyable.




    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 14, 2012

    I got to love the Dodger ... admittedly slowly at first, as I am

    I got to love the Dodger ... admittedly slowly at first, as I am not usually a historical fiction person ... and was delighted by the way he thought and saw the world around him.

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  • Posted December 10, 2012

    Great book!

    This book was quite a bit different from anything I've read by Terry Pratchett before. I guess it shows that great writers can write anything. I really enjoyed this book. The story & characters were excellent. I believe Terry did a lot of research on the time period in London this story takes place & it gives some real insite into what it was like to live there then. I highly recommend it!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 19, 2013

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    Posted February 1, 2013

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2013

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