Dogged

by Michael R. Fletcher

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 about: Who murdered her mate?

Utterly unqualified to solve a mystery, Dogged Determination has but one advantage: 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, Fiction

295 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 15, 2025

About the author

Michael R. Fletcher lives in the endless suburban sprawl north of Toronto. He dreams of trees and seeing the stars at night and being a ninja. He is an unrepentant whiskey-swilling reprobate of the tallest order and thinks grilled cheese sandwiches are a food group.

His novels include the Manifest Delusions trilogy (BEYOND REDEMPTION, THE MIRROR'S TRUTH, A WAR TO END ALL), the Obsidian Path trilogy (BLACK STONE HEART, SHE DREAMS IN BLOOD, AN END TO SORROW), the City of Sacrifice trilogy (SMOKE AND STONE, ASH AND BONES, SIN AND SORROW), and the standalone novels, SWARM AND STEEL, GHOSTS OF TOMORROW, THE MILLENNIAL MANIFESTO, NORYLSKA GROANS (co-written with Clayton W. Snyder). He also has a short story collection A COLLECTION OF OBSESSIONS.

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. 🐕‍🦺

[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.

[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......

[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!

[Michael Fletcher]

WHO THE FUCK IS THIS FLETCHER GUY ANYWAYS?!

Awrighty. I wrote The Last Wardog for Grimdark Magazine (issue 37). It was one of those stories that stuck with me long after I'd written it. I wanted to write more about wardogs. I played around with a few short story ideas but none of them clicked.

At some point it hit me that I needed to write a wardog novel. After that, everything came together rather quickly.

While sketching out some basic character traits i realized I knew the main character's name. Following in the tradition set in the short story, she became Dogged Determination.

I hope you enjoy reading her adventures at least half as much as I enjoyed telling her tale (sorry).

[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.

[Chip · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up. A little different in style (less grimdark, more (well-done) humor) than Fletcher’s other books I’ve read - and my favorite to date of his books. Part of a shared universe of books but absolutely can be read as a stand-alone.

[Stacey Markle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. 
Dogged herself is one of the best characters I've read. Truely a dog, smell centred feelings and incredible skills as a Wardog. There is incredible sadness, both for the losses experienced and for the belief that Wardogs are born to die. That theme runs through the entire book and yet, there is humour and hope. A wonderful found family story, it's also grimdark and the author gets to it!

[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

[Graham Bonner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, I wasn’t expecting that 😊

This was a really different story, not one I was expecting, but it kept a great pace and got better all the time.

[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.

[Zane Pinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tasty treat

I just finished this with my dog asleep on my feet. We both liked it a lot.

I find Fletcher's books so hard to put down and this was no different. A worthy addition to the Obsidian canon.

[Matthew Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael R. Fletcher does it again. Dogged is a brutal, emotionally charged triumph of grimdark fantasy. From the moment I cracked this open, I knew I was in for something special. The visceral violence, meticulous worldbuilding, and raw intensity are unmistakably Fletcher, but this story also delivers remarkable emotional depth and character focus.

Dogged Determination is one of the most perfectly named protagonists I’ve ever encountered, stubbornness incarnate, equal parts strength and flaw. Fletcher explores grief, loyalty, duty, and identity with incredible nuance, creating character arcs that hit just as hard as the action. This is grimdark with a soul.

The world is absolutely unhinged in the best way: dragons, war mages, assassins, demons, and the most terrifyingly cool giant dog-like wardogs you’ll ever meet. Their rigid hierarchy, unwavering obedience, and singular purpose, kill for the emperor or die trying, is chilling and endlessly fascinating. The kennel masters alone are worth the price of admission.

Dogged is the perfect blend of relentless action and emotional resonance. It’s the kind of book that crawls into your head and refuses to leave. Not just because of its creativity, but because of the heart buried beneath the blood. Fletcher continues to prove why he’s one of the absolute masters of grimdark fantasy.

[Hobart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader. If you like this post, you might like others on that site. Consider checking it out!
---
WHAT'S DOGGED ABOUT?
Dogged Determination and her mate, Vigilant Aggression, are Wardogs, a canine-humanoid race. They, like the rest of their squad are dedicated to going to other worlds to spread the Emperor’s peace (which could look like conquering a civilization and subduing the populace to someone who isn’t a Wardog). One fateful day, they are marching in formation through a wizard’s portal off to the next mission, and the unthinkable happens—the portal collapses, and the line in front of Dogged is caught half-in/half-out of the portal, leaving chunks (for lack of a better word) of the soldiers on each side.

She and her Kennel Master, stunned, go to report to the Emperor and get the permission of one of the advisors for Dogged to investigate what happened.

The one thing that she has going for her is her determination (she’s aptly named)—when she starts something, she sees it through. She’s not the brightest, she’s not subtle, putting together clues is not probably where she’ll shine But she will not stop looking until she knows what happened to her mate, the others, and why.

THE HUMANS
Along the way she inspires the interest—and eventually loyalty—of the first mate of a commercial ship. Well, acting captain of a ship following a dispute between Dogged and his former captain. There’s sort of a friendship that builds between the two, and Balen sees that Dogged’s just not up for the task ahead of her and decides to help her out—basically acting as her human to Wardog translator. Not long after that, they encounter an elementalist who joins up with them.

The three of them together form a new pack of sorts, providing a kind of connection that Dogged was unprepared for and didn’t seem to know was possible. I don’t want to overplay this idea, but it’s really like Balen and Sahar found a lonely and sad dog at a rescue shelter and decided to bring her home with them. And in them, Dogged may have found her forever home (at least emotionally).

THE TONE
Dogged is the best kind of unreliable narrator—she’s not lying (deception is hard for her), but her understanding of the world and people outside her experience and training is limited, so the reader will constantly be interpreting her first-person narration. Like any good dog, her observations and reactions will make an observer smile.

At the same time, Dogged is a warrior. She is great with a spear—and not bad with (human-sized) bladed weapons. But even without that, she’s a walking weapon: full sets of claws at the end of her hands, vicious and sharp teeth, and strength to go up against Conan and his mighty thews. And, yes, she’s trying to learn new ways of dealing with problems and questions—she’s being forced to, anyway. But for her entire life, all she’s ever been given to use is a hammer—every instinct, reflex, and response he has is to treat things as nails.

A lot of blood gets spilled, organs are torn, limbs are severed—starting in the opening scene, and it doesn’t let up.

You get this great mix of bloody violence, canine innocence, and heart. It’s hard to explain—but Fletcher pulled off something fantastic here.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT DOGGED?
I think I just said it. This is a fantastic read.

The cover appealed to me and made me look into it. Some of the reviews—starting with Andy Peloquin’s—convinced me that I’d probably enjoy this book. Boy howdy, did they undersell it.

On some other day, I might not have relished this the way I did. But there’s no day where I don’t have an absolute great time with it.

I’m on the verge of overhyping this here. I don’t know what else to say that’s not potentially overblown.

This was the right book for me at the right time—I didn’t expect it, but it’s the case. One of my favorites of 2025—probably the 2020s as a whole. I dunno—let me get some distance on it before I start saying things like that.

I’m just telling ya—get this, you won’t be sorry.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post—I read the book because I wanted to, and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Chez Za · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wardogs are born to die...

This was a great read. Dogged, our main character, is given a quest to find out what/who caused the death of her mate. She is separated from her pack for the first time, but finds her new family/pack to protect.

The way Dogged's inner monologue is written is great. Enough to let you know what is happening, but also enough to let us know that she doesn't think like a human.

There is a quest, there is war, there is death and injuries. There is also a great plot and found family. Definitely looking forward to the books that follow.

[Douglas Lumsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark fantasy with a quirky sense of humor. I enjoyed the outsider's perspective on human foibles provided by an affable demon dog. Dogged (the main character) is monstrous, yet lovable. Ultra cool scene: Dogged wandering inside the body of a god and tearing off pieces of raw meat for an invigorating snack. I appreciated the author's forebearance in never referring to the female canine protagonist as a bitch.

[Paul Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

received ARC review coming.

[Read & Filed · 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.

[Jenny T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my goodness. This book will break your heart and put it together again. Dogged Determination is a Wardog, born to fight and die in the Demon Emperor’s wars of conquest. But when her mate is killed, she is sent away from her pack on a journey alone to discover the reason why.

On her journey, she meets trader Captain Balenwick Soframe and Sahar, a woman with a talent for elemental magic. She faces demons and dragons and uncovers more of a mystery than she expected.
The world here is dark and gritty and bad things happen to good people. That said, the writing is gorgeous, the voices distinct, and there ARE good people here, of which Dogged is the best and most memorable. The story is told through her perspective, and her view of the world, like her senses, is different than ours – she revels in earthy scents and eats raw meat (though she prefers stew) and feels things very deeply. She’s pragmatic and brave (“If I was careful, I’d be back in PalTaq and I’d never find my answer. Careful is the one thing I can’t be. Only by being dangerous will I find what I seek”), fiercely loyal and hates cats. I love her and I’d follow her anywhere. I would love to see her again.

I haven’t read Fletcher’s other Obsidian Path books, but this was a good introduction to the world, and I look forward to seeking them out.

[Clint Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you run across books so good it makes you neglect your family for a day or two. This is one of those books.

If you're familiar with the Obsidian Path series, this book is for you. If you crave some gritty ass dark fantasy but aren't familiar with the Obsidian Path series, this book is still for you. Dogged, the character, was a delight to read. There's humor, heart, and plenty of organ eating to satisfy any wardog (contrary to belief, they do have a sense of humor... probably). On one paw, I'm so glad I flipped through the pages so quickly, it was a fun ride. It made for a quick read. On the other paw, I'm sad it's over.

[Lel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did really like this story. I liked the exploration of having a non human main character and the author trying to frame the story from their point of view and with their motivations. I will say that I think I would have liked this book more if I hadn't previously read Dog's of War by Adrian Tchikovsky. That book has a very similar main character and I think more emphasis was placed on the thoughts of the main character in that book and it had a more complex look at existence for the character in that one. That being said, this book was a lot of fun, with a lot of humour and I found it really entertaining. I will definitely look into more books by this author.

[Veselin Stanchev · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a dog-ridden book. A bit weaker than the main Obsidian series, but still very good. Excellent entry point in Obsidian path universe for new readers before jumping into the main Demon's portal. It would be a jump into the unknown too, because 88 ;)

[Trey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up because of how much I enjoy this author. You should read the other obsidian path books before this one for world building (and you’ll know by then if you like the style or not). This book was a light and fun read in a world I very much enjoyed and recommend to my friends.

[Kris Ronan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is Wolfy OK?

Drax but a wolf. Funny violent and very good. Nice world building too. Interested to read more about the Demon Emperor.

[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.