I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Terrier
by
Tamora Pierce
It is part of the , series and is a in Hardcover edition that was published by Random House on October 23, 2007 and has 592 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon, Kobo
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Alanna: The First Adventure, In the Hand of the Goddess, Woman Who Rides Like a Man, Lioness Rampant, Wild Magic, Trickster's Choice, Trickster's Queen, Wolf-Speaker, Emperor Mage, Realms of the Gods, First Test, Page, Squire, Lady Knight, Bloodhound, Mastiff, Daja's Book, Sandry's Book, Tris's Book, Briar's Book, Magic Steps, Street Magic, Cold Fire, Shatterglass, The Will of the Empress, Melting Stones, Battle Magic, Tempests and Slaughter
First in the Beka Cooper fantasy series and revolving around an ancestress of George Cooper’s (from the Song of the Lioness series within the overall Tortall series). The focus is on Beka Cooper who has wanted to be a Dog since she was eight years old. The story is set in Corus, the capital city of Tortall. If you’re interested, there is a chronological listing of the SERIES books on my website.
In 2012, Terrier was nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature, and in 2009 it won the West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award for Older Readers.
My Take
It begins as it means to go on, as a series of journal-like entries from George Cooper’s mother in 406 H.E. in which she bemoans the depths to which she and her son have fallen and provides the opportunity to begin Beka’s story, as Mrs. Cooper strives to turn George’s thoughts from thieving. Journal entries from a few others pop up before it begins with Beka’s own journal entries.
It’s an interesting culture, the Dogs. They accept bribes, collect what we’d call the “Widows and Orphans Fund”, and don’t go after minnows. While a Dog can take a bribe and then ignore what s/he’s being bribed for, it’s best to follow through on the bribe. The policework they make up as they go.
I want that anti-stain charm.
As good as Tunstall and Goodwin are, they disabuse Beka of the righteousness she feels about those who are missing. It’s a lecture that hits Beka wrong. Our Beka doesn’t care that she can’t save everyone. She knows it’s not right to ignore what’s happening in their district simply because the people are poor.
Beka will learn the value of friendship, how it can be a substitute when family turns its back on you. She’ll also encounter an attraction for the forbidden. She’s seen too much of how men treat women and wants nothing to do with them, but then again, it’s tingly for Beka too, being around Rosto. He makes her peaches and other parts all perky. It’s phrasing that’s too cute and naive to be anyone but Beka, and Pierce does make you feel that attraction, lol.
“If he succeeds, the thieves will be harder to catch — but the common folk will have someone to turn to. That has to be better.”
It’s a homey sort of series with a determined and lovable Beka who somehow gathers a supportive group of friends from both sides of the law. She’s a believer in justice for all and single-minded about it applying to everyone.
Even as I kept reminding myself that Beka and Terrier is part of the Tortall story, my brain wasn’t buying it. There may be a slight connection to George (from the Song of the Lioness series), but there’s very little in Terrier that will make you feel it. It’s not to say that this isn’t a fun story. It is. And Pierce’s use of Dogs and Puppies will keep you giggling inside as you read.
The Story
It turns out that it was an eight-year-old girl who brought down the Bold Brass gang. One of ’em had took up with her ma and tossed her to the streets when he found out she was ill. That eight-year-old Dogged the man until she found his lair. Then she Dogged the Dogs until finally she accosted the Lord Provost himself who listened to her.
The Lord Provost did some Dogging of his own and now the Cooper family lives in his household.
Today, that eight-year-old is a Puppy-in-training and paired up with Tunstall and Goodwin who are too angry over being assigned a Puppy. They’ll change their tune when they discover who she’s friends with, for it’s that friend who’ll give them their next big cases.
The Characters
Rebakah “Beka” Cooper was an angry and Dogged eight-year-old; now she’s a very shy Puppy assigned to the Jane Street Kennel. The purple-eyed Pounce is the magical cat who attached himself to her; he claims he’s a constellation from the Divine Realms. Beka’s Birdies are real birds, pigeons, and Slapper seems to be the boss of them. Other birds include Pinky, White Spice, Fog, Ashes, Inky, and Mumper. The dust spinners Beka listens to include Hasfush, Shiaa, and Aveefa.
Ilony Cooper was Beka’s mother. Granny Fern is Beka’s paternal grandmother; it’s her son who had the Gift. Beka’s siblings: Diona is being trained up as a lady’s maid; Lorine is being taught the tricks of fine sewing and fine embroidery; Willes is learning the messenger trade; and, Nilo is to train horses. Two hundred years later, Eleni Cooper is a former priestess and George’s mother; George Cooper is her only son who was caught up for stealing.
Lord Gershom is the Lord Provost in charge of all the Dogs. Lady Teodorie is his wife, and she hates the Dogs, especially Beka. Jakorn is one of my lord’s private Guards and taught Beka to use a crossbow. Mya is the cook who has looked after the Cooper family since their cart rolled in; she’s married to Ulfrec Fane who’s the head footman, although she once dallied with Tunstall.
Jane Street Kennel…
…is in the Lower City, a rough district in Corus. Acton of Fenrigh is the watch commander. Kebibi Ahuda is the watch sergeant and the training master in combat. Fulk (the Nosepicker) is their mage on duty. Seems he has an over-quick hand to the mots. Sir Tullus is the Magistrate who rules on Evening Watch cases. The Lord High Magistrate will show up at the end.
Fellow Puppies include Ersken Westover, Verene, and the mischief-stirring Hilyard; Phelan is a second-year Dog who’s befriended them. Phelan’s partner handles a scent hound named Achoo. Alacia is a pretty Puppy who shouldn’t be flirting with noble sons.
Dogs, a.k.a., Guardsmen, include Senior Dog Matthias Tunstall (he likes to garden) and his partner, Corporal Clara “Clary” Goodwin, who are considered the best; Corporal Nyler Jewel and Yoav; Birch and Vinehall; Otelia and Rollo; Otterkin, another of the best Dogs of the Evening Watch, has a magical Gift and is partnered with Cape; Evermore; and, Springbrook.
Lady Sabine of Macayhill is a lady knight who needed a pardon from the king to come home. Joreth is one of her knight friends. Roger II is king of Tortall.
Ammon Lofts, a.k.a., Crookshank, is a slum landlord and the biggest of the Nightmarket scales. Annis Lofts is his daughter-in-law who was friends with Beka’s mother. Herun is Annis’ son and Crookshank’s grandson married to Tansy, Beka’s best friend. Rolond is their son who was kidnapped. Vrinday Kayu is the “maid” who accompanies Tansy to the market, the one with black teardrops tattooed on her face. Uta Norwood is Crookshank’s accountant. Zada is a maid in his house.
Jens is one of the guards with the well diggers. He hires out through Inman Poundridge.
Mistress Dierdry Noll is a fabulous baker and another friend of Beka’s. Yates is her son and helps in the bakery as do his two friends, Gunnar Espeksra and another. Gemma is her youngest daughter. Bis is also a baker where Beka gets her stale bread. Jungen Berryman is a mage for the Gem Merchants. Mother Cantwell is a canny old beggar and thief. Amaya Painter is a mage and Mistress Trout’s brother-in-law’s sister. Calum was her independent wee lad. Vonti is her husband, the man to whom she never told the truth. Orva is a violent woman, a horrible mother, and addicted to hotblood wine. Jack Ashmiller is the husband she’s been hitting. Esseny the Lily was a dancer who didn’t love him anymore.
Court of the Rogue
The Rogue is the king of the thieves, and Kayfer Deerborn is supposed to look out for the people of the Lower City. Ulsa is one of his chiefs; her district is Prettybone. Dawull holds the Waterfront District on both sides of the river.
Rosto the Piper is new in town and plays a pretty flute, and looks to topple the Rogue; he’ll hire on with Ulsa. The women with him are Koramin “Kora” Ingenstra, a mage (a mad child killer got her older sister), and Aniki Forfrysning, a swordswoman with an Anjel blade, one of Master Watson’s own forging, who’ll hire on with Dawull. All three of them move into Mistress Trout‘s lodging house in Nipcopper Close where Beka lives and a new tradition begins. Some of Aniki’s friends include Fiddlelad, Reed Katie, Lady Mae, and Bold Brian.
The Shadow Snake is a boogeyman used to frighten children, or so they thought.
Dogs are the law enforcement officials in Tortall and are divided into the lazy Day Watch, the energetic Evening Watch, and the slow, sullen, and lazy Night Watch. Puppies are the trainees. Kennels are the police stations. Cage Dogs handle the torture and the prisoners inside the jail. Dogs who are scent-handlers handle the dogs who can scent a trail. Happy Bags are bribes for the kennels the Dogs collect from the merchants and Rogue. It does go to pay for medicines, healers, and burials. Birdies are snitches for Dogs.
Pigeons are the Black God’s messengers and sometimes carry the ghosts of those who don’t want to go on to the Peaceful Realms. Dust spinners are clouds of spinning debris, usually dust from the streets who hear and retain whatever is said near them.
A filcher is a small-time criminal. A foist is a master pickpocket. Mots are women; gixies are girls. Coves are men. Rats can be criminals or simply inhabitants in the Cesspool, a bad neighborhood where Beka and her family used to live. They can also be a Dog’s prisoner. Rushers are thugs. A mumper is a beggar. Fire opals are fascinators, bewitchers. They’ll hold the attention of anyone a mage shows them to.
The Cover and Title
The cover is metallic in its golds and coppers while pigeons flock around a spare-looking Beka in her tunic, trews, and boots, her baton clasped crosswise her hips, and her hair braided, standing on cobblestoned streets while dust spinners swirl about her.
The title is what Beka is like in pursuing suspects — she’s a regular Terrier.
