Mastiff (novel)
A Provost guard hunts kidnappers threatening Tortall's royal family.
The third book in Tamora Pierce's Provost's Dog trilogy, Mastiff came out in 2011 from Penguin Random House. It follows a young female guard in the fantasy realm of Tortall. Like the other Beka Cooper books, it uses a first-person diary format, blending Dog code with Beka's own personal code.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Tamora Pierce
- Cover artist
- Jan Gerardi
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Series
- Provost's Dog
- Genre
- Fantasy novel
- Publisher
- Random House
- Published
- October 25, 2011
Facts from the source article.
Plot Introduction
Three years after nearly dying in the sewers of Port Caynn, Beka Cooper is a respected member of the Provost's Guard. Her fiancé is killed on a slave raid, though she had been about to end their engagement. Lord Gershom soon recruits Beka, her partner Tunstall, her scent hound Achoo, and an unusual mage for a secretive case threatening the Tortallan royal family and government. The criminals have power, money, and influence, hiring skilled mages versed in dark magic, making them nearly impossible to identify. The case takes Beka beyond the city, testing her tracking skills and forcing her to assess whom she can trust.
Plot summary
The story begins in early June 249 H.E. at the funeral of Holborn Staftstall, Beka Cooper's fiancé and a Dog of the Jane Street kennel for five years. The other Dogs understand that his reckless behavior led to his death. Beka carries guilt for failing to make him more cautious and for planning to break off their engagement. That night, Rosto, the Corus Rogue, looks after her. Before dawn, Pounce, a cat-shaped constellation and Beka's companion, wakes her. Lord Gershom, the Lord Provost, arrives to say Beka and her scent hound Achoo are required for a Hunt. At Peregrine Dock, her partner Matthias Tunstall joins them. A mage enchants the ship to skip over waves for rapid travel; everyone is strapped to bunks, and most are put to sleep. They stop at Blue Harbor for Master Farmer Cape, a Provost's mage neither Beka nor Tunstall knows. The group proceeds to the Summer Palace, where the royal family has been staying. The palace shows severe damage: many people are burned, slashed by swords, stabbed, or even melted. Four-year-old Prince Gareth was taken while the king and queen were out for the evening. Both parents are devastated. King Roger III is in conflict with the Chancellor of Mages over licensing and taxing mages, as well as raising noble taxes after the bread riots of 247 H.E. Master Farmer discovers that the palace's protection spells, which the Chancellor renewed the previous month, had been torn apart. The king and queen's personal mages, Ironwood and Orielle, were unaware of this sabotage and feel insulted by Farmer's involvement.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Mastiff (novel) published?
Mastiff was published on October 25, 2011.
Who illustrated Mastiff (novel)?
Mastiff was illustrated by Jan Gerardi.
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