Mastiff by Tamora Pierce (Beka Cooper, book 3); young adult, fantasy, mystery, adventure; 608 pages (about 18 hours on CD)Provost's guard Beka Cooper has been keeping order in the royal city for four years. She loves the city, but after burying her betrothed, she need to get away for a time. The chance comes when she is called in to track a kidnapped child with her partner Tunstall, and her scenthound, Achoo. The team soon learns that it's not just any noble's child that has been lost--this boy is Prince Garreth, the only son of the king, and heir to the throne. His kidnapping can only point to treason, and it's up to Beka and her friends to find the prince and save the realm before civil war breaks out.
I enjoyed the bulk of this book, but I wasn't completely happy with the ending: some of the characters didn't seem quite right, and the romantic interest just seemed a little too neat and tidy (and sudden). Overall, though, this was a fun read. I especially liked the way Pierce tied this series in with the more "modern" Tortall books through the epilogue: Beka is an ancestor of George Cooper (one of my favorite characters from the series), so it ends with him musing over her figure in his ancestors' shrine.
Sadly, this means that I've officially read all of the Tortall books (at least until Pierce writes some more!). On the up side, I still have her Circle of Magic series to read--hopefully I'll love them as much as I love these!
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