Dodger

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The series is written by Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery with Charlie Higson guest writing an episode. Rhys Thomas also directs alongside Hildegard Ryan. Perhaps it isn't surprising that these working class heroes - who were fighting for a fairer society for everyone - were not included. Because Dodger is fundamentally a rags-to-riches tale, where the audience is asked to empathise with and applaud Dodger's rise to join the upper classes, while throwing out the occasional sixpence whenever he feels a twinge of guilt. Appropriately, the book ends with the new Sir Dodger engaged in the robbery of a priceless historical treasure: a tiara once belonging to Marie Antoinette. No, he is not intending to sell it, and distribute the money to the many starving orphans/girls driven to prostitution who populate the book: in an Animal Farm like ending, Dodger is stealing Marie Antoinette's tiara for his new wife, a former Princess. Great lesson for the kids, Terry.

The other surprise was the language of the book. To be completely honest (and I'm really embarrassed to admit this.) when I started reading the book, I thought that Terry's Alzheimer's had finally progressed to such a degree that it had *really* damaged his ability to write at the sentence-level. Lastly, wtf was up with Dodger's mentor, Solomon? When we first meet him, he is apparently so down-at-heel that he lives in a slum, and eagerly awaits Dodger's scavenged scraps of meat: a few chapters later and it turns out that he is known and well spoken-of by the most influential and wealthy people in the country - he exchanges a secret handshake with Prince Albert, and shares a laugh with him regarding their mutual acquaintance...the King of Sweden. Willing suspension of disbelief can only be stretched so far. Before I started in the Pratchett I'd already flirted with the writing of Stephen King, Dean R Koontz, Wilbur Smith and Shaun Hudson. I was about eleven and once I'd started learning things that were probably a bit beyond my ken at that point (Snuff movies in the book Dead Heads for example) I felt it was time to try and find a safe non sexy, non murdery half-way house for junior teens. Et voila, up steps Pratchett. In his afterword, Terry Pratchett apologises for the fact that this is a work not of historical fiction but of historical fantasy. The story is set “broadly in the first quarter of Queen Victoria’s reign,” which would be between 1837 and 1853. However, he had to “tweak” history a little, as he says, to get the combination of persons he wanted in place. For instance Sir Robert Peel is Home Secretary in the novel, a role he filled under Queen Victoria’s predecessor, William IV.

I doubt there will be another volume in the story of Dodger, though I certainly wouldn't mind reading more about him, both before and after the incidents described in this book. Despite the above issues, this could have been an engaging read if the antagonists had been more fleshed out: something that Pratchett is normally incredibly good at. If we had been introduced to the Outlander and her (possibly conflicted?) henchman earlier, and been led to feel truly terrified and slightly awed by the assassin's ruthlessness and cunning, as well as sympathy for her henchman, it might have broken up the Gary Stu-ness of the tale (it might also have given us a true sense of fear for Dodger and Simplicity). Additionally, it would have been a chance to show us early Victorian Britain a through the eyes of an outsider.

It isn't awful, and there is plenty of fun historical trivia, but I wouldn't recommend it. Instead I would steer newbie readers to the City Watch, William dW or Moist vL episodes of Discworld. Sir Terry Pratchett is most famous for his Discworld series, which is already running 39 books, and although I have given these books a fair chance I just never could quite get into them. When the chance arose to review Dodger, a stand-alone young-adult book, I just had to give it another shot. From the short synopsis I didn't really know what I was in for, but it turned out to be unique, fresh and gave me a sense of urgency to finish it. Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, in 1983. In 1987, he turned to writing full time. Most of Pratchett's books are aimed at adults but they're written in such a way that they're easily accessible to those making the kid reads to adult reads transition without too much mental scarring (see above re snuff movies). And so my love of Pratchett and the colourful historically and culturally skewed other-worldness of the Discworld has sustained me well into my adult years. Simplicity is a mysterious girl that Dodger rescues from being beaten by two men at the beginning of the story. It is implied that she is of noble heritage and married to a prince from one of the German states. After a series of incidents of domestic violence, she fled to England, only to be pursued by her husband and his father, which prompts Dodger to try to defend her. She is given the name "Simplicity" by Henry Mayhew's wife and her real name is never revealed. After Dodger helped her fake her death, she calls herself " Serendipity".

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As Dodger's triumphant path ultimately brings him honour from the very highest rank of society, we cannot help but cheer not only for his success, but also for the success of this ebullient, funny and delightful novel. A rare, unexpected moment that works makes us sympathize with a tortured Sweeney Todd, traumatized by the battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars.

The story opens on a dark, wet night(almost the cliched "a dark and stormy night" but Pratchett never lets you see it) as a carriage comes careening through the streets, carrying a damsel in distress, under threat of death. Out of the darkness comes Dodger, a whirl-wind beating off thugs and saving the day. Produced by Channel X North, the executive producers are Alan Marke and Jim Reid. Still So Awkward will air this summer on CBBC and BBC iPlayer. Princess Mirror-Belle Produced by Zodiak Kids, with co-producers ZDF Enterprises, the series is created by Lee Walters, Lead Writer, and the Executive Producer is Steven Andrew. Filming starts later this month in Northern Ireland for transmission in 2022. Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Amy Buscombe. Nova Jones receives not one, but two, fairy-godfather like make-overs and is accepted by the cream of London society at a fancy soireePrincess Mirror-Belle (13x22’) is a live-action drama from BBC Children’s In House Productions. The 13-part series for CBBC follows Ellen and her mischievous mirror double. Based on the best-selling books by Julia Donaldson, the series will feature both new adventures and classic stories from the books. Being set in London at the time that it was, there was, of course, some crude comments and innuendo, though not overly so. If you love Terry Pratchett novels you will love this, if you haven't read any off Terry's works before and want to start, you can't go wrong here.