Mastiff (novel)
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| Author | Tamora Pierce |
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| Cover artist | Jan Gerardi |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Provost's Dog |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Random House |
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Publication date
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October 25, 2011 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 608 |
| ISBN | |
| Preceded by | Bloodhound |
Mastiff is the third novel in Tamora Pierce's Provost's Dog trilogy, about a young Provost guard-woman in a fantasy kingdom called Tortall. The novel, as with all the Beka Cooper books, is written in first person diary form. The actual diary is said to be written in a mixture of Dog code and Beka's personal code
Three years have passed since Beka Cooper almost died in the sewers of Port Caynn, and she is now a respected member of the Provost's Guard. But her life takes an unexpected turn when her fiancé is killed on a slave raid. Beka is faced with a mixture of emotions as, unbeknownst to many, she was about to call the engagement off.
It is as Beka is facing these feelings that Lord Gershom appears at her door. Within hours, Beka, her partner Tunstall, her scent hound Achoo, and an unusual but powerful mage are working on an extremely secretive case that threatens the future of the Tortallan royal family, and therefore the entire Tortallan government. As Beka delves deeper in the motivations of the criminals she now Hunts, she learns of deep-seated political betrayal and corruption. These are people with power, money, and influence, and they are able to hire the most skilled of mages, well versed in the darkest forms of magic, all of which makes them nearly impossible to identify.
This case—a Hunt that will take her to places she's never been before—will challenge Beka's tracking skills beyond the city walls, as well as her ability to judge exactly whom she can trust with her life and her country's future.
The book opens in the beginning of June 249 H.E. at the funeral of Holborn Staftstall, Beka Cooper's fiance and a five-year Dog also at the Jane Street kennel. All the Dogs realize that Holborn's impetuous nature got him killed in the line of duty. Beka feels guilty that she wasn't able to influence him to be more careful and that she was on the verge of ending their relationship. She is sad that he is gone, but not that he isn't in her life any more. She struggles whenever someone references that she looks sad and must be missing Holborn throughout the book. Rosto, the Rogue of Corus and a friends, takes care of her that evening.
The next morning, Beka's companion Pounce, a constellation in the form of a cat, wakes her before dawn. Lord Gershom, Beka's patron and Lord Provost, comes with the news that she and her scent hound Achoo are needed on a Hunt. Her partner Matthias Tunstall is at the Peregrine Dock, who will join the Hunt. All that is known is that the Hunt calls for utmost secrecy, a small team, and a scent-hound. A mage magics the Peregrine ship to bounce off the waves, allowing for very fast trips; the ride is so rough that all passengers and crew are tied to bunks/part of the ship, and all but a couple crew members are made to sleep. The ship stop at Blue Harbor to pick up Master Farmer Cape, a Provost's mage unknown to Beka and Tunstall.
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