Dogged

by Michael R. Fletcher

“Gut-wrenching and compulsively devourable, Dogged will make you laugh, cry, and want to tear a wizard limb from limb."
—FanFiAddict.com

“Bloodthirsty and heartwarming in equal measure. The novel I didn’t know my year was missing!”
—Andy Peloquin, author of the Darkblade series.

"Star ratings are fine and good, but the great ones are the stories that I still feel, months later. Dogged has made this list. Go read it"
—Fantasy Book Review

"...an excellent tale of purpose, loss, and friendship that every fantasy fan should sink their teeth into."
—ReadandFiled.com


WARDOGS ARE BORN TO DIE.

In the final days of the Demon Empire a lone wardog goes in search of the answer to the only question she cares Who murdered her mate?

Utterly unqualified to solve a mystery, Dogged Determination has but one She never, ever gives up.

From the heart of a massive empire to the deepest foreboding jungles, Dogged is an unstoppable force of will.

Genres: Fantasy

295 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 15, 2025

About the author

Michael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.

Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...

Twitter: @FletcherMR

Instagram: fletcher_michael_r

Reviews

[James Harwood-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

How the hell are you supposed to read with tears in your eyes? OMG I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much reading a book. My ribs hurt. 😂

Dogged is an absolute delight. It is absolutely absurd. Completely bonkers.

Word is the author spent months living as a dog would. Interacting with them. Drinking out of bowls. Chasing squirrels. 🐿️

Ok maybe not. But you would swear he did. He has nailed dog psychology 101. As I said before…I was crying. Hahaha.

Fletcher has always had a craziness to his worlds. Laced with his own trademark dark humour. In fact, the Obsidian Path series (which this belongs to) is one of my all time favourites.

I swear though, this one outdoes them all.

The pace of this book is incredible. It’s got all the action and gore you could expect. Wizards, dragons and wonderful nods to previous series for the Fletcher faithful. You don’t need to have read any of them to go into this one. (But definitely check them out!)

This adventure is one slobbery mess of hilarity and fun.

Absolutely fantastic.

Thanks so much to the author for this review copy.

Such a good boy. 🐕‍🦺

[Marco Landi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Divorato in due giorni.. è stato davvero divertente ritrovare l'impero di Khraen nel pieno del suo fulgore.. i piccoli cammei di Henka, Nhil, e le menzioni di Khraen, sono davvero fighi.. ma soprattutto l'intero libro è disseminato di richiami a tutti i vari mondi del Fletcherverso letti, da Manifest Delusion a Ghost of Tomorrow, dal mondo degli Askharo a City of Sacrifice.. assurdo.. (più gli omaggi a Rob J Hayes🤣🤣)..
Per il resto il libro è un frenetico e divertente susseguirsi di rocamboleschi indizi di un indagine che Dogged deve portare avanti.. capire chi sta minacciando l'impero e l'imperatore stesso..
La caratterizzezione di Dogged è semplicemente spettacolare.. Un enorme uomo-cane, anzi per la precisione donna-cane, che ragiona non come un essere umano ma come un cane per molte cose.. scene ironiche e fraintendimenti, ma soprattutto il giudizio canino per stupidi ragionamenti tipici umani.. insomma, diverso dal solito, originale, ma pieno di emozioni e sentimenti come al solito..
In uno degli eventi più importanti nella storia dell'impero di Khraen, Dogged si troverà al centro di tutto, e come il più fedele amico dell'uomo, sarà pronta a dare la vita per il suo branco.. bella storia, finale alla Fletcher, libro davvero riuscito!!!

[Charles Cavendish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've yet to read any of The Obsidian Path series but I'm very familar with Mr Fletchers other works so I jumped at the chance to receive an ARC of Dogged.

I throughly loved this from the first page to the last. Dogged Deterimination is a brutal killing machine with a heart of gold. Thrust into a world she doesnt feel ready for she undertakes a quest to solve a mystery and ends up learning more about herself than she bargained for. Just don't call her a "good girl" or you may just lose your head (literally!).

Demons, wizzards and horror lizzards abound in this brutal yet very endearing tale, that is as much about the meaning of loyalty and friendship as it is about rearranging your enemies internal organs

Wardogs were born to die......

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dogged is an emotional and layered story about a wardog — essentially, a giant, human/dog hybrid soldier — whom is assigned to investigate a tragedy at the empire’s capital city.

Dogged Determination (one of many great names in this book) believes that wardogs are born to die. This is a mantra repeated throughout the ranks of the wardog battalion. Wardogs embody the traits of dogs — unflappable loyalty, single-minded focus, questionable intelligence — and they’re a perfect mercenary group, sent to other dimensions by the Emperor for conquest and expansion. Or as Dogged calls it, “bringing the Emperor’s peace.”

While Dogged isn’t conventionally intelligent — or so she thinks — her narration and insight offers wisdom and the tendency to cut to the quick of any situation. She is literal, without a sense of humor (though others might disagree), and doggedly determined to please the court and solve the mystery.

Fletcher gives the reader space to form our own conclusions. He gives just the right amount of information to loosely shape the history and culture of the empire, all seen through the lens of one of its most loyal soldiers. There’s a sweet sadness behind it all, which balances nicely with humor and the ultra-violent battle scenes.

Dogged is almost like a child being exposed to the world for the first time as she travels the land in search of answers. It is compelling to see how someone so prone to knee-jerk violence learns to adapt to social situations.

The book’s conclusion is among Fletcher’s best. This is a story that cut me deep enough to know that its impact will resonate over time.

I’ve read a lot of books this year. Star ratings are fine and good, but the great ones are the stories that I still feel, months later. The Raven Scholar. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. Acts of Caine. And now Dogged has made this list. Go read it.

[Andrew Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A genuinely heartwarming story full of friendship, and plenty of violence. Dogged is such a good dog.

Set 3000 years before the events of the Obsidian Path books, there's no need to read them first, but there's some nice hints and easter eggs throughout for those who have.

More please!

[Jan Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely awesome book. Michael R. Fletcher does it again.

As with with all his books, there is plenty of blood and gore, but also so much humour and heart. A great tale of found family and being part of a pack. loved Dogged.

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

>me, reading Dogged without having read The Obsidian Path trilogy first

Hmm, I wonder if this guy named the Demon Emperor is a baddie or not...

[Seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Wardogs are meant to die."

Absolutely outstanding. If you love dogs, This us a must read.
Witty, sad, uplifting, nerve racking....

I hope there is a sequel.

[Paul Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upto now my favourite books by Mr Fletcher were ghosts of tomorrow and norylska groans, this surpasses those in my opinion, heartfelt and violent what more do you need to know, I read the physical book but will also be getting the audio if and when it comes out

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional fun

Enjoyed this immensely. Fast paced and action packed. Real character development throughout. I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter now.

[Paul Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

received ARC review coming.

[Chris Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purpose. Loss. Heartbreaking. Heartwarming. Dogged Determination.

Dogged Determination is a wardog under the command of Khraen, the Demon Emperor, whose purpose is to wage war in new realities the Demon Emperor wishes to "bring peace." Wardogs serve one purpose: crush entire realms under the submission of the Demon Emperor. Wardogs were born to die...

En route to a new mission, Dogged's mate, Vigilant Aggression, is murdered and she is tasked by the leadership in PalTaq to investigate the murder. She has only known how to kill with her pack and must now adjust to a solo expedition to Aszyyr in search of answers.

This book takes place in the world of the Obsidian Path, and while it is a stand-alone novel, there is much to be discovered by readers having experienced the three numbered volumes in this series. Returning characters like Khraen, Henka, Nhil, and even Saath strike the pages, bringing you right back into centuries' worth of lore. While there is great benefit in having read the other three books, Dogged stands strong on its own as an adventure of epic proportions.

The characters in Dogged are so well developed that it becomes easy to dive in and lose yourself in this adventure. Dogged finds herself traveling with the companionship of Sahar, a traveling elementalist and Captain Balenwick Soframe of the BlackThorne. The trio works together throughout and shares ups and downs as they grapple with unrelenting wizards on their path to the truth.

Wardogs can't make jokes and have no humor, although Fletcher expertly works in satire and comedy throughout an otherwise dark and merciless tale that can liven even the most brutal of murders. The world-building here is exceptional as I've come to expect from Fletcher's writing. The grime, despair, heartbreak, struggle, and friendship are tangible and not soon forgotten.

Dogged's character arc and development is one of pure inspiration, rooted in never giving up. There is no challenge too large or situation too unfamiliar to tackle, or at least to try. At best, she can do what she is intended to do and conquer. At worst, she can do what she was born to do, and die.

The world is dark and grim with detail that puts the reader directly in each scene. From the kennels in PalTaq to the crumbling wizard guild tower of Aszyyr, each setting is thoughtfully crafted together and paints a vivid image. Reading Fletcher's work is like eating a fine stew with pepper when you've only ever had raw meat prior.

For those familiar with Fletcher's work, you will know that there are hidden meanings, ties to other books, and what I find most compelling, ties to life itself scattered within every book. Dogged is no exception and at its very least makes multiple calls and connections to the Obsidian Path numbered entries throughout the book, although I am also driven to feel it means so much more.

"Vengeance was important. Friends, even more so."

"Everyone has a plan until they get stabbed in the guts."

"Wardogs were born to die."

I would recommend Dogged to any fan of fantasy, dark fantasy, or grimdark. This is an excellent tale of purpose, loss, and friendship that every fantasy fan should sink their teeth into. A resounding five-star read that has an incredible ending yet still might just leave you with more questions to ponder.

[Andy Peloquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

TL;DR Review: Bloody, gritty, action-packed, and…heartwarming? The novel I didn’t know my year was missing!

Full Review:
I’ve always associated Michael R. Fletcher’s works with GRIMDARK (yes, all caps), so going into Dogged, I was expecting blood and guts and gore. And boy, did I get it—but also so much more.
The story opens with our heroine, a human-canine hybrid known only as Dogged, marching with her fellow war dogs toward a portal that will disgorge them onto an enemy planet to be unleashed in bloody conquest for their Emperor. Only something goes terribly wrong: the portal closes right in front of her eyes, literally shearing her mate in half. (There’s all the blood and guts I was expecting.)
Dogged is determined to find out why this happened—easier to go hunting an enemy than to feel her pain—and sets off into the Imperial Palace to ask questions of the wizards and demonologists to track down the culprit. What she finds leads to a pursuit that spans an entire continent, leading her to cross oceans, trek through brutal jungles, and face down enemies human, monstrous, and hellish.
Dogged has a character very similar to Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy. Largely well-meaning but with very little in the way of social graces and nuanced understanding of the world, she is more than willing to crack heads (literally) and tear off limbs (more of that blood I mentioned) to get the answers she seeks.
But the farther into the story we go, the more we begin to see that yes, it’s solving a weird and terrible murder mystery, and yes, we’re going to find ourselves in all sorts of delightfully violent situations, but in reality, it’s a story about processing grief and finding a way to move forward after loss.
Dogged’s stubborn determination to find the one responsible for her mate’s death allows her to push her grief and pain to the back of her mind, but only for so long. Eventually, she is forced to confront it—and she does so thanks to the humans who become part of her pack. There is plenty more loss and suffering to come, but by the end, she is no longer the single-minded Dogged we met at the beginning of the story.
This ended up being one of my favorite indie reads of 2025, and showed me just how much I’ve been missing out with by not reading everything the author has written—a mistake I intend to rectify in 2026. If you want bloody action, heartwarming character growth, spilling guts and breaking hearts, grim twists and tear-jerking moments of goodness and decency, Dogged is the book I cannot recommend highly enough.

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

Michael R. Fletcher is one of my favorite authors, and I’m always eager to check out one of his books. Dogged didn’t disappoint.

This novel is set in the world of The Obsidian Path. Technically, it can be read on its own. Practically, I don’t think that’s a great idea. There are a lot of nods to the main series (characters, politics, power structures) that land much harder if you already know the setting. You can follow the story without that context, though.

The plot kicks off fast and rarely slows down. It starts as an investigation. Dogged, a wardog bred for war, is looking into her mate’s brutal death. 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. That rough narration helps excuse some of the story’s bumps, and I choose to believe that’s deliberate.

This is not Fletcher at his bleakest. It’s still dark, no doubt, but there’s room for humor here. Cool, dry humor, often unintentional on Dogged’s part. The contrast works, especially as she slowly, awkwardly starts forming friendships and that's something she was never designed to do.

I do have a couple of caveats. 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.

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, I’d recommend starting there first - then coming back to this.

[LordTBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gut-wrenching and compulsively devourable, Dogged will make you laugh, it’ll make you’ll cry… it’ll make you want to tear a wizard limb from limb. Fletcher is an ace storyteller.