Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com

TERRIER is the latest from a brilliant author whose earlier works you've got to read if you haven't already! My expectations for this book, as it is by Tamora Pierce, were, of course, quite high, and I was not disappointed. This might be my new favorite of hers (though it still might be beat out by the SONG OF THE LIONESS quartet--it's close), which is certainly saying a lot.

It's the story of Beka Cooper, a Lower City girl and member of the Provost's Guard who lives centuries before Alanna the Lioness and those characters of her world known to fans of Tamora Pierce's other work. Beka lives in the dark time spoken of in one of the Alanna books when every sword, whether held by a man or a woman, was needed. Indeed, Alanna was not the first Lady Knight; hundreds of years before, women could earn their shields without having to hide who they were. In fact, one of the many fascinating characters known to Beka is a Lady Knight named Sabine. She reminded me of Alanna. Mattes, one of the guardsmen whose job it is to train Beka in their ways, reminds me of one of Alanna's friends, Raoul. Rosto is quite like George Cooper (whose ancestor Beka is!), as well. And fans of the SONG OF THE LIONESS quartet will also recognize Beka's cat, Pounce!

When Beka trains to be a Puppy in the Guard, she knows someday she'll be a Dog, and she wants to be a good one. She's quite excited to be assigned to one of the best pairs in the Lower City; indeed, in all of Corus! She knows it'll be hard work, that Mattes and Clary will work her hard, but she's ready for it. This is what she wants to do. She's aided by her friends, her cat, and her magical Gifts of listening to the winds and to the pigeons who carry the souls of the dead.

Soon after she starts her work, Beka learns of some dangerous goings-on in the Lower City, and it's up to her to stop it, as only a true Lower City girl could--one with Beka's listening talents, at that. She knows the people, she knows their ways, and she is uniquely fit for figuring out what's going on in her neighborhood, and that is what she will do.

The format of TERRIER is different from that of Pierce's other books. It's told as Beka's journal, for one thing, meaning it's in first person. All of her other novels are in third person! It's certainly a change, but she does quite well with it. The only problem is the length of some of these journal entries! Beka is tired from her work as a Puppy; she's not going to write twenty, thirty pages in her journal at night! She probably won't even remember enough to write such long entries! That is the only flaw I found in this book, and that's easy to overlook. This is a page-turner, a wonderfully written story, with amazing characters. Whether you're a fan of Tamora Pierce, of fantasy, or of books in general, read this book! ( )

Tamora Pierce is excellent at creating both likable characters and an intriguing believable world, and then weaving the two together to sucker the reader into reading four or five hundred pages all in one day (even if staying up until four in the morning is involved). Bekka Cooper is a strong female character. She is incredibly shy but doesn't let it get in the way of following her developing sense of justice. Terrier is also an interesting look at the evolution of police work and ideas of equal rights. ( )

In her latest novel Tamora Pierce tells the story of Rebekah "Beka" Cooper - an ancestor of George Cooper, the City's Rogue in the time of Alanna (a setting and characters familiar to readers of her other novels). Beka is starting her first year as a trainee Dog, known as a Puppy, nicknames for the Provost's Guard, those who keep peace in the city of Corus. She is assigned to the Dog team of Tunstall and Goodwin, two of the best Dogs in the Evening Watch - and two who have never before taken a Puppy.

Beka has her work cut out as Tunstall and Goodwin begin her training, never letting her forget that she may have knowledge but that experience is all on the streets of the Lower City. So when Beka starts sniffing out two linked plots - one to mine the City of precious fire opals and one to steal away the Rat's children as blackmail for the Shadow Snake - she has to learn who to trust as she tries to uncover the details and hobble the minds behind it.

Originally a shy girl who struggles to speak in public or make friends with others, Beka gradually opens up to Dogs and rushers alike and realises how strong her friendships really are - especially considering she is known in the Lower City as being one who speaks to the dead.

Here Pierce utilises a new style of storytelling - Beka speaks in the first person and keeps a daily journal where she records the happenings in the two cases she is 'sniffing'. Beka is a true daughter of the Lower City and uses rough vernacular and the language of the Provost's Dogs (essentially a police force) alike. This brings Beka to life via dynamic characterisation, letting the reader experience everything that happens to her - from the fierce joy of her first hobbling to the embarrassment of being called Fishpuppy after an unfortunate accident on one of her first evenings on duty. Pierce even offers a glossary of terms in the print I read, to enable the reader to follow all the new terms she introduces.

This is a fast-paced rollicking adventure, with both tense moments and times of comedy. Beka's cat Pounce - a truly mysterious character that readers of the Alanna quartet will find extremely lovable - offers some of the best lines in his dry assessment of the goings-on in her life.

I did feel that the book could have been shorter by a few hundred pages (than the 563 it clocks in at). Pierce usually writes shorter novels that are all the sharper for it - and some of Beka's language (such as 'peaches') doesn't quite work, but overall this is another fine work by Pierce. It is rich with detail about the rough side of the capital city Corus, and pays homage to the crime genre in many places. Beka is another plucky heroine in the spirit of Alanna and Daine, and I'm sure she will be quickly taken to the hearts of readers. Definitely one for the girls, although boys will no doubt find much to secretly enjoy. Highly recommended. ( )

Excellent! Strong voice, strong characters and I cannot wait for the next. Ending made me cry a little... *sniff, sniff* ( )

Beka wants to be a member of the Provost's Guard, and she's good at her job, but there are more than the usual problems plaguing the rough part of town in which Beka lives. With an unusual magical heritage, Beka is being followed by the ghosts of children and workers who've been murdered as part of the mysterious activities that have been taking place. In such a poor and dangerous part of town, the Guard is always overwhelmed and underpaid, but Beka is determined to bring justice to those who are being hurt.

It was interesting to see a Tamora Pierce story set among the poorest in Corus instead of the nobility. I also enjoyed the moral ambiguity among the people considered to be "Rats" and the richness of the relationships between them at the lawful. I've enjoyed Beka's story so far. ( )