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Terrier has a snappy little bite. When readers return to Tamora Pierce’s legendary land of Tortall, Beka Cooper, a timid yet tenacious young woman, greets them with a skillful swing of her law-enforcing baton. These pages are her journal entries describing her training with the Provost Guard, commonly known as the Provost Dogs. As Beka trots along beside senior Dogs in a Puppy status, she sniffs out the bad guys with bold accuracy while maintaining an endearing humility.
Terrier is a prequel, offering a slice of Tortall’s history before the time of Alanna. The setting holds the same special combination of the mysterious and the magical as the author’s previous books. Tamora Pierce has a gift for effortlessly blending enchantments into the characters’ everyday lives, thereby creating a world at once familiar and fantastic. Unique vocabulary words are defined in the glossary, inviting readers to share these expressions with a more intimate understanding.
Beka Cooper is an intriguing mixture of femininity and fearlessness. Her childhood in the Lower City enables her to comprehend the motivations, fears and ambitions of the citizens, enhancing her ability to enforce the law and maintain peace. Beka’s magic allows her to hear the whispers of the dead from pigeons and dust spinners, which alerts her to a series of violent kidnappings and murders. Her ears strain to hear the clues as her heart breaks with sadness and her hands clench in anger. Written entirely in Beka’s own words, these journal entries capture the complex emotions that compel her to fight for justice. As her instincts and investigation lead her closer to the elusive murderer “Shadow Snake,” she must confidently trust her own abilities and the loyalties of those around her.
Terrier rightfully earns the praise “Good Dog!”
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Terrier (Beka Cooper)