Provost's Dog

Infobox Novel series
name = Provost's Dog
books = Terrier Bloodhound Elkhound
author = Tamora Pierce


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country = United States
language = English
genre = Young adult, fantasy
publisher = Random House
pub_date = 2006 – present
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media_type = Print (hardcover and paperback)
preceded_by = Daughter of the Lioness
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The "Provost's Dog" trilogy is an ongoing series of young adult fantasy novels by best-selling author Tamora Pierce. The series is a prequel to Pierce's first quartet, "The Song of the Lioness", and is set in the fictional kingdom of Tortall two hundred years earlier. It details the adventures of Beka Cooper, a sixteen-year-old recruit of the Lord Provost, originally from a lower city family and now in service to the Provost's Guard.

eries

*"Terrier" (October 2006)
*"Bloodhound" (to be published in 2009)
*"Elkhound"' (to be published in 2010)

Characters

*Rebakah "Beka" Cooper – A young, up-and-coming member of the Provost's Guard and protegée to the Lord Provost. Ancestor of George Cooper. Beka has magic that allows her to hear restless spirits on the backs of pigeons and dust spinners. She is sometimes referred to as Fishpuppy, a reference to her first night as a "Puppy", when she was tripped while chasing a cutpurse and landed in a pile of fish guts. She is also sometimes referred to as "Terrier", due to the fact that she "sticks her teeth in and never lets go", a reference to how she never stops until she has brought criminals to justice, shown by her tedious pursuit of a drunk mot through the entire length of the Lower City. She is also the object of Rosto's flirtations; although she discourages him.

*Lord Gershom of Haryse – The Lord Provost, in command of Corus's city guard, and Beka's benefactor.

*Pounce – A black cat with purple eyes, Beka's foundling pet, whom only she can hear speaking like a human being. It has been suggested by some characters that Pounce is a constellation (called the Cat) that has come to live on Earth.Fact|date=June 2008

*Acton of Fenrigh – Watch Commander of the Jane Street Kennel, where Beka is posted.

*Kebibi Ahuda – A constantly beleaguered Watch Sargant that is said to have a soft spot for Beka.

*Ersken Westover and Verene – Trainee guards from Beka's year.

*Matthias (Mattes) Tunstall and Clara (Clary) Goodwin – Veteran guards assigned to train Beka during her probationary year.

*Rosto the Piper – The protagonist, comedy relief, and potential romantic interest. He is a Scanran Rusher who encounters Beka. Originally she is not attracted to him, but as they meet and when he eventually moves into her boarding house with Kora and Aniki, they become slow friends. As the Shadowsnake case becomes more serious, their relationship grows. With the book's progression, his appearances in the book and importance to the plot increase as well. Rosto is described as a twenty two year old who stands at five feet and ten inches (254 mm) . He is skinny but well muscled. Extremely pale with nearly white hair but black eyes. On his left eyebrow he has a sideways forked scar.

*Aniki Forfrysning – Scanran rusher and swordswoman, friend of Kora, Beka and Rosto.

*Koramin (Kora) Ingensra – A rogue and mage. Ersken's lover, as of Terrier.

*Sabine of Macayhill – A lady knight, and Mattes' love interest.

*Phelan – A second year Dog, friend of Ersken and Beka, Verene's lover.

*Ammon "Crookshank" Lofts – A slumlord in Corus's Lower City.

*Tansy Lofts – Crookshank's grandson's wife and Beka's childhood friend. Tansy's son, Rolond, was killed by a mysterious "Shadow Snake".

*Annis Lofts – Crookshank's daughter-in-law, mother of Herun Lofts, and Tansy's mother-in-law.

*Kayfer Deerborn- King of the Rogues in the Lower City.

*Deirdry Noll- A Lower City baker who has several stands throughout the Lower City's markets.

Terminology

*Birdie – Provost's Guard nickname for informants
*Black God - The hooded and robe God of Death, recognized as such throughout the Eastern and Southern Lands
*Black God's Option - Suicide
*Bugnob – a person with little brains
*Cages – holding cells for prisoners of the kennel
*Cityman – a person who is noble
*Cove – male
*Cracknob – a madman
*Cuddy – slob
*Dog – member of Provost's Guard
*Douse – to murder
*Doxie – female prostitute
*Ducknob – a person with little intelligence
*Filcher – small-time criminal
*Foist – master pickpocket
*Gixie – girl
*Hobble – to tie up or arrest
*Kennel – prison/police station
*Mot – female
*Puppy – trainee of Provost's Guard, not yet a full Dog
*Rat – Provost's Guard nickname for criminals
*Spintry – male prostitute

External links

* [http://www.tamora-pierce.com Tamora Pierce's official site]
* [http://www.tamora-pierce.com/terrier.htm Excerpt from "Terrier"]