DODGER, by Terry Pratchett, revises the world and times of Charles Dickens, so that the famous author actually interacts with the Artful Dodger, known as Dodger by everyone around him. Dodger is our hero -- as indicated by the title. He makes his living by going through the sewers of London, scavenging what other people lose or throw away, and making use of them, or getting the found items to people who can make use of them. He knows the underground of London like the back of his hand.
This comes in handy when he witnesses a young lady being brutalized and intervenes. Suddenly he is a hero, and in protecting the helpless young lady who happened to marry the wrong prince and get on the wrong side of his powerful father and interfere in the wrong way with political machinations and alliances and marriages ... well, Dodge finds himself suddenly in the spotlight and interfering with a lot of other things going on above ground, and meeting famous people, such as Charlies Dickens and Disraeli.
The Pratchett wit and social commentary and tongue-in-cheek humor are still there, just *sigh* toned down from what we're used to in the Discworld books. Still a fascinating story, and further proof positive that the late, great Sir Terry Pratchett was a master of his craft. He shall be greatly missed.
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