Dogged was nothing like I expected in a great way. Told from the point of view of a female war dog, our main character Dogged Determination introduces us to a world where their purpose in life is to go and fight the wars for the Demon King. When a portal slams shut, killing her mate unexpectedly, Dogged sets off on a quest to find out what happened. The writing and pov in this book was a breath of fresh air, exploring the wider world with Dogged gave me a great insight into not only this world but, their character too. If you like reading from a different pov than human, you will definitely enjoy this one.

Dogged is the story of the wardog Dogged Determination, a dog-human hybrid, one of thousands. Wardogs are simple and straightforward creatures - made to conquer worlds, fighting and dying on behalf of their master, the tyrannical Demon Emperor who they love unconditionally. They WEREN'T made to solve murder mysteries or untangle political intrigue. When Dogged winds up in that very role, she finds herself woefully unsuited for it.

Dogged might be the best book I've read all year. The pacing is sharp and professional — fast and action-packed, racing from one scene to the next, but never shorting the emotional and introspective moments that give the novel its depth. The worldbuilding is thick with interesting and original elements, but the novel never dwells on minutiae which don't serve the narrative or which Dogged wouldn't care about. On that point, the close POV writing is shockingly good — it feels like we're really in the head of someone halfway between a dog and a human. It's not just clever, it makes the story so much damn fun. I do love a strong narrative voice.

I can't pin this book down to a subgenre. It's grimdark, but also rich with comedy. The central plotline is a mystery, but it also gives me sword-and-sorcery vibes. Fletcher makes the blend work. The setting is dark and violent, and the story grapples with heavy themes (loss of a partner, indoctrination, etc), but there's a consistent vein of wholesomeness and humor that keeps the tone balanced.

Dogged (the novel, not the character) also offers an unexpectedly profound exploration of the human condition. I find that ironic, given that Dogged isn't human (the character, not the novel - but I guess also the novel). We all want our lives to have meaning. One of the most common, intuitive perspectives is that meaning comes from being part of something larger than ourselves. On my read, Dogged is a subtle but effective deconstruction of that perspective in favor of a different idea: that real meaning is found in our relationships with others and the tasks we choose to take on. Fletcher never bangs the reader over the head with any of this, but it comes through vividly in Dogged's journey. The story's ending hits just the right notes, and in a way that leaves me convinced that this thematic exploration was fully intentional.

Michael R. Fletcher has written plenty of dark, disturbing books, so I wasn't expecting Dogged to make me smile so much. Nor was I expecting one of the year's most lovable protagonists to be a seven-foot-tall murder hound whose entire philosophy boils down to, "Wardogs die. But first we kill."

The plot kicks off fast and rarely slows down. It starts as an investigation. Dogged, a wardog bred for war, loses her mate, Vigilant Aggression, when a portal fails during a military deployment. His death makes no sense, and because wardogs understand the world through purpose, loyalty, and duty, not understanding becomes unbearable. So Dogged sets out to answer a simple question: why?

It starts as a murder mystery. Then it turns into a survival story. Then a chase and a series of escalating disasters. People die, bones snap, guts spill. Fletcher keeps things moving at all times. If Dogged isn't fighting, she's tracking. If she's not tracking, she's running. If she's not running, something has gone very wrong.

Dogged herself is a fantastic lead. She's a giant, lethal wardog, a weapon "born to die," raised to serve the Emperor without question. She narrates the story in a blunt, literal voice that works incredibly well. She misses things. She forgets details. She acts first and thinks later, if she thinks at all. Fletcher essentially gives us a fantasy detective story narrated by a giant battle dog who understands almost nothing about philosophy, politics, or metaphor and interprets everything literally. The results are hilarious, entertaining, and occasionally heartbreaking.

The humor deserves special mention. Fletcher has always had a dark sense of comedy, but here it's restrained. Much of it emerges naturally from Dogged's literal-minded observations. Her confusion over things obvious to humans had me grinning.

If I have a criticism, it's that some of the villains veer into caricature. The main plot can feel unfocused at times, like it's constantly veering sideways. That said, given who Dogged is and how she sees the world, that lack of focus mostly makes sense.

More than anything, Dogged feels different. It's funny without becoming silly, dark without becoming oppressive, and emotional without becoming sentimental. Fletcher somehow combines fantasy, murder mysteries, eldritch empires, and giant battle dogs into something that feels completely his own.

Fletcher absolutely sticks the landing. It's sharp and emotional. Actually, it's one of his better endings, easily. If you like The Obsidian Path, it's a must-read. If you don't, it's totally worth your time anyway.