I have to admit, however, that unlike Collins or Doyle at thier best, I never really felt if any of the central characters were in any danger in any way. This isn't due to the fact that the book is YA. I felt a sense of danger in the Tiffany books. Here, the plot seems incididental to the characters, at least to the eyes of this adult reader.

Solomon Cohen, an elderly craftsman who lives with Dodger in the Seven Dials rookery and acts as his mentor. He has a very smelly dog called " Onan" which Dodger likes to spend time with. Solomon's past is alluded several times in the novel, such as fleeing Russia from persecution and travelling the world afterwards. On his journeys he apparently had befriended a young man named Karl. He is Jewish but has a liberal view about many things and he is a member of the Freemasons. 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. It is impossible for me to read a new Terry Pratchett without my vivid recollection of him, eyes twinkling from under the brim of his hat, as he signed my precious books, and answered my breathless "Mr (it was ages ago) Pratchett, thank you so much for all the hours of reading pleasure" with "Madam, thank you so much for all your money." Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close Simplicity helps take down the Outlander. Emerging from the bushes in which she is hiding, she helps Dodger to overcome and defeat the Outlander. With the assassin out of the picture, Dodger fakes Simplicity’s death so they can lead a stress-free life together. Feeling reborn after her “death,” Simplicity chooses to rename herself “Serendipity.”

Other new drama series announced today include sci-fi mystery Silverpoint, live-action Princess Mirror-Belle based on the best-selling books by Julia Donaldson, and comedy-adventure series Nova Jones Silverpoint (w/t)

Mister Dodger is so sharp that one day his name will be known on every continent, possibly as the benefactor of mankind, but also quite possibly as the most charming scoundrel ever to be hanged!” First, a disclaimer: As virtually a life-long Pratchett fan, I would probably buy anything he publishes. If he were to release a book titled World of Poo, I would probably...oh. Nevermind.

displays the fighting skills of Greebo: the skinny teenager easily outmanoeuvres the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and professional assassins it is to your credit that you recognize that if he was a monster then it was other monstrous things which made him so. The iron forged on the anvil cannot be blamed for the hammer...”