Dodger

A Printz Honor Winner

By: Terry Pratchett

Narrated by: Stephen Briggs

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Best Teens Category, 2013

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 best-selling 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.

©2012 Terry and Lyn Pratchett (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Different, but still Pratchett.

I read Discworld novels in translation to Czech (by the great Kantůrek). This is then my first Pratchetts book in English and I deliberately chose this one, because I didn't want to compare it to the other books. I liked this book with its victorian English and style, which I believe was deliberate. It got Pratchett's wit and humor, albeit a bit less than in Discworld. The plot reminded me of Mr. Nutt story from Unseen Academicals a bit. The historical accuracy is great, you don't meet this funny historical fiction every day.

Not your usual Pratchett

This is a fun, fascinating, well-researched novel with lots of the kind of knowing-wink references that Pratchett readers expect, but it’s grounded in real-life London. Rewarding.

a must listen

book is fantastically funny. not the story which is great but the writing is superb

Amusing dive

Not a Discworld book but a lovely story and reimagining of London poverty and climbers.

Brilliant, as usual

With the writing of Terry Pratchett and the narration of Stephen Briggs, how can this audiobook be anything less than stellar? Not a Discworld novel, but those familiar with the world will spot old friends among the cast, among them a smell that nearly has its own sentience, a river that may or may not actually be _water_, and a copper that has more in his head than just muscle. It was fascinating to be let into this world of Victorian England, with such faithfuls among the protagonists as Queen Victoria, Charlie Dickens, and Sweeney Todd... I will admit, the book has struck up in me a desire to refamiliarize myself with Dickens' work, as so many of the names, characters, circumstances, and turns of phrase tugged at my memory. Pratchett's talent for satire is muted here, but nevertheless shines through in his homage to one of the greatest writers of them all. A truly brilliant book, and well worth the credit, or the cash if you haven't one to spare.

Classic Pratchett & Briggs

Would you consider the audio edition of Dodger to be better than the print version?

Yes.

What did you like best about this story?

It's Pratchett, in ye olde London, in the sewers. There's a woman in distress, a scoundrel, lots of rats, an assassin, and Charles Dickens, and Briggs is reading it... you want this book.

Which character – as performed by Stephen Briggs – was your favorite?

All of them. He's a killer narrator.

Any additional comments?

Buy it now.

Victorian treat

This book is a delight, and for anyone with even the slightest interest in Victorian England, it is even better. The narration is drippingly English, and Mr Pratchett is a very clever turner of words and phrases. The plot is a little farfeched, but who cares. It is just plain fun.

Detailed, great escape!

Wonderful story, love going into London in that historic period, really enjoyed the footnotes at the End by the author. I would enjoy reading more about Dodger!

Please sir, can I have some more.

What did you love best about Dodger?

He was a "player" but he also was so innocent. It was very cute. He was just trying to survive as a street urchin and perhaps his moral compass was a little off.

What did you like best about this story?

Terry Pratchett put historical characters into these situauations and you are like yes I can see how this incident may have made this person the historical figure he was. It was a coming of age story and a comedy of errors and a mystery thriller all rolled into one.

What does Stephen Briggs bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He uses the different dialects of the time. We know that back then the different dialects also separated the classes so it was very informing.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I don't think I cried but I did laugh out loud a few times. Also there were times that I felt excited wanting to know "how is this going to turn out" Overal I felt good. It was exciting and funny.

Any additional comments?

This could be the fake true story if Oliver Twist. After all Dodger and Charles Dickens were friends. lol

Dickens' Revenge

This COULD have been the story of how Charles Dickens met his character, "Dodger". Engaging story in it's own right, but good social commentary of the Victorian era London; and definitely not dark. Yes, bad things happen. Not Prattchett's usual light humor, but well worth the listen, well written and well read. Charming story of street urchin-turned-good. I will hear this again!