Reviews
13 year old Davis is so happy.
Look, that spoiler is still like a whallop to the gut, but it's the last chapter that really makes me lose it. (Farmer Cape, bless him, makes it worth it in my book.)
It didn't actually take me 4 months to read this-- we first got it on audiobook, but I didn't finish it then, then my brother took the book out of the library to read, but then Mom took it thinking I'd already read the book. I only finally got it out of the library for myself.
As an avid fan of Tamora Pierce's books for years now, I've eagerly awaited this newest publication and started it right off. When I first started it I was all prepared to drop the rating to four stars at least. I have to confess that I needed a bit to get into it. This is the third and last part of a series (although all three books are stories on their own, all featuring the same heroine, it's not big story arc/plot), so I naturally compared this book with the last two, Terrier and Bloodhound. I loved both of them and always like to read or listen to the stories again. The best part about the series certainly are the characters. I loved the Goodwin/Tunstall bickering in the first book as much as Rosto, Aniki and Kora. Pounce is awesome, of course and Achoo is simply sweet. Goodwin without Tunstall still managed to make me love her as much in Bloodhound as in Terrier. Now we get to Mastiff and meet Beka a few years after Bloodhound. Tunstall is her partner and Achoo still her scent hound. In the middle of the night they are called away from Corus on royal orders to investigate a raid on the Summer Palace and find a kidnap victim. Tunstall and Beka are accompanied by Pounce and Achoo, of course, as well as Tunstalls lover, Lady Knight Sabine of Macayhill and a mage called Farmer Cape. I noticed quickly that Tunstall without Goodwin misses some of the flair Tunstall and Goodwin or even Goodwin on her own have. I always missed some of the other characters I've come to know and like in the previous books. Also the setting is different. While the first two books were set in the city, this follows Beka and her companions while they track the raiders through the countryside. So it took me some time to get used to the book, the reason simply being that it is different. I also didn't have as much time as I would have liked to really plunge into it, so getting into it was a bit more different than usual. Once I got accustomed to Beka's new companions and environment, I began to like it just as much as the previous books. Beka has grown up since we first met her in Terrier. She is an experienced handler now and works well with Achoo and Tunstall. She is still a heroine I like. Farmer as the new character deserves some mentioning as well. He is a great character. At first one doesn't know what to make of him, but I soon came to like him and his way. Now here come some major spoilers, so don't read if you don't want your fun at the end spoiled: (view spoiler)[ 1st: TUNSTALL! I couldn't believe it. I mean. He was Beka's training dog and you have to admit that he and Goodwin always gave off the impression that they were above those Dogs who could be bought. Well, obviously not. Although the reason given for his betrayal is understandable at least, I still had troubles with really believing what I read. My mind has still trouble with catching up and I'm in a total state of denial. Well, that probably shows that nobody is above turning, if there's only the right inscentive. Still I am very sad that he couldn't have trusted his lover enough, because Lady Sabine obviously loved him as he was and to be honest, had his plan succeeded and she somehow learned of his, I am not so sure she would still had loved him. 2nd: The epilogue. While the diary entry in the beginning of Terrier was nice to introduce me to Beka's world, I felt that the epilogue at the end of Mastiff felt forced. The writing was inconsistent as well. It beginns as George's diary entry (George kept a diary?!) and suddenly it switches to third-person narrator and Pounce's point of view? I understand why that part was necessary, but couldn't it have been done a smoother way? 3rd: The last chapter in Beka's journal. I liked that very much. I actually had tears in my eyes when King Roger read the proclamation about slaves. That is the reason I like Tamora Pierce's books so much, they always move me. The uniform from Beka's sisters is also very sweet and I am really happy with Farmer becoming Beka's man. I am surprised to say that I really find that he suits her andn I can imagine them together way better than I ever could Rosto. I would have liked at least a short dialogue between Beka and Goodwin, perhaps when she learned of Tunstall's betrayal, but well, one can't have everything. (hide spoiler)] To sum it up: I really liked Mastiff as much as the first books, once I got into it. It gripped me. It made me laugh. It surprised me. It made me fear for the heroine and her friends. It moved me to no end. I will certainly listen to this as audiobook just as much as to every single other book written by Tamora Pierce and can't wait for Tamora Pierce's next book (Battle Magic, as of now due for publication sometime next year).
I really loved this book alot. Beka is one of my favorite heroines on the whole world. I thought this book was very well plotted with some elements that had me yelling at my audiobook. I loved the slow burn of a romance development. I missed most of the characters we saw the last two books because we were in a different location. I love the tie back to the first book in the series. Very nice ending to the whole series!
