Product Description

Suddenly, condemned arch-swindler Moist von Lipwig found himself with a noose around his neck and dropping through a trapdoor into ... a government job?

Customer Reviews (129)

Start a good addiction
If you have never read a Terry Pratchett Discworld book, start with Going Postal.You will be hooked and you will want to read them all.

This one shines brightly
Here's a perfect example of why it is difficult to find consistent criteria for rating a book. This is a less than perfect book. It's not among the finest books I've ever read. There's nothing earth shattering about a humorous and satirical exercise dressed up as a fantasy tale. I've rated other books very highly that were on an entirely different literary plane. And yet... I enjoyed this book so much that I have to give it high marks simply on that basis. And I don't intend to demean it with these comments. The enjoyment factor was a direct result of an expertly woven story, with so much fun and brightness on each page that it was easy to miss the very real deeper moments and themes thrown in. My first exposure to Pratchett was a resounding success.

Basically, we meet Moist von Lipwig as he is about to be hanged. The bright and humorous atmosphere is unexpectedly built during that opening scene. Moist is surprised when he survives to get another chance at life. The ruler of Ankh-Morpork gives him a choice. Death, or life as a new postmaster for the long defunct Post Office. Moist accepts the position. He meets his aging and odd staff, who still inhabit the decaying postal building. They exist by following daily postal routines, as outlined in regulations. Except mail hasn't actually been delivered for decades. Moist's conning and criminal mind immediately sees endless opportunity with his gullible staff. But he soon discovers that his staff actually like him, to his amazement. And they believe in him and all his lies he tells them about how they will be successful again some day. And confusingly, Moist begins to start believing his own lies.

It's all a lot of fun, and more. Moist's character is surprisingly complex. His staff are odd and lovable, one and all. And a nice story is built around the battle that Moist and the Post Office must wage against the other con artist in town, who runs the competition. It is a technological communications system that seems superior and more efficient. But it has a weakness. The manager is someone who Moist knows all too well - another con man. Moist believes the world is a show, and that it's all about who is the best showman. By the end, Moist and the reader see it a little more clearly. Maybe it is a show. But there may be some strange and powerful forces at work behind the scenes, gently guiding the actors by using their own tendencies against them. Or for them. Or maybe not. The fun is what is apparent throughout the book. A hint of some deeper themes creeps in, if you're not careful. And probably even if you are. Here is a thoroughly enjoyable book, too full of bright surprises to hold in any but the highest regard.

My first Pratchett novel, I loved it!
This was the first novel i read by Pratchett, i seem to have unearthed a great series of books and I'm looking forward to more from this hilarious and brilliant writer. I'm reading 'Making Money' now and will be going for 'Thud' next.

Kindle Version Lacking
For ($2 less than the paperback) Kindle version we don't get:
* Cover Art
* Table of Contents recognised by the Kindle as TOC

We do get:
* Italicized words merge into the next word

There may be more problems, but I've only just reached Chapter 2.

A delightful read!
I admit I am biased because I am a huge Terry Pratchett fan, however I do have to say that out of all the Discworld novels I have read so far this one is one of my favorites and would be a good read even if you have never read any of the author's other books before. Moist is a delightfully fun character, and it is interesting to see how the world this book takes place in -the Discworld- changes. I would highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Product Description

Terry's Pratchett's profoundly irreverent novels are consistent number one bestsellers in England, where they have catapulted him into the highest echelons of parody next to Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

Meet Granny Weatherwx, the most highly regarded non-leader a coven of non-social witches could ever have. Generally, these loners don't get involved inanything, mush less royal intrigue.but then there are those times they can't help it.As Granny Weatherwzx is about to discover, though, it's a lot harder to stir up trouble in the castle than some theatrical types would have you think.Even when you've got a few unexpected spells up your sleave.

Customer Reviews (90)

Give Pratchett a chance!
I almost gave this book 5 stars because it introduced me to three of my favorite characters and is a fun book in its own right. Then I mind battled it against later Discworld books and realized that while good Wyrd Sisters is more of a fun stepping block to bigger and better things. Is it fair to base my rating on other Pratchett books? nope. If you're new to Discwold this is a good place to start! And it's a classic for veteran fans.

Not wyrd...but brilliant
It seems to me that these first couple of Discworld books is dominated by witches. Introduction to series ('Colour of magic' and 'Light fantastic') is utterly unremarkable for me now (though I liked them as a kid), but the witches storyline remained powerful and gained on power over the years. It has been a long time since read this one and up to this days just had a vague remembrance of the plot and main idea. Remembered the coven, Magrat Garlick as a progressive witch who happened to get involved with Granny and Nanny and stuff like that. But, apart from the main plot-line everything was in a mist. Finding out how good this book was (or is) almost kicked me out of my chair.

Yes, it's another one of the Discworld novels which doesn't really have to do anything with fantasy and parody. Sure, Pratchett would like you to think so, but you'd be missing the better part of the book if you just stick with that reasoning. Sure, there is narrative causality present here as in the other Discworld books, there is parody on theatre and parody of lords and ladies, but underneath it all lies the debate about nature of power, concept of destiny, and the idea of a human being. Powers that do clash here, and whose struggle marks even our world, fall into a number of different categories. There is a power of words, gossip, rhetoric, oration, almost godlike power of theatre (i.e. fiction) clashed together with Granny's headology, power of illusion, appearances, grasping the inherent truth that lies dormant in everything. Lurking above them all is sheer power of rulers, power exercised for powers sake, consuming power which destroys humans and cities alike. Amongst the threads of these forces destiny shows up her head and Discworld characters will be hard pressed to avoid being crushed by its unrelenting pressure. Granny and her coven (even though Granny doesn't think much about such business as covens) will try to make everything right, will try to differentiate between the forces and help the world (Land) to restore its balance. Once again, Pratchett tries to re-establish status-quo of the world (Granny being the biggest adversary of anything new here), but in this case he does it in a way that makes sense, and sheer magic of his writing and usage of English language, his admiration for people and their flaws, pulls you right into the story from which you cannot escape until it's finished.

It almost seems like Pratchett decided to set aside comedy for this one (still bringing some of it up just for good measure), and started to write his own mimetic charade, one that does resemble the theater of the absurdity, one that does reflect the world in which we live in. His writing is the main advocate for the ideas presented in this book and it shows us that comedy bits of Discworld are just smoke on the water - charlatans trick to attract attention. Once we separate our minds from Discworld mode of storytelling, entire storyline shows itself like it is, grim and sad, but strangely comforting. Pratchett shows us people like they are, somewhat distorted through the lens of the fiction (which is precisely what Granny does with Duchess), he shows us the world in its bareness and leaves us to deal with it. And, surprisingly, upon seeing all of this, we don't feel despair. Book is strangely comforting just by pointing the fact that you're not alone in the world that looks like that. Just by reassuring you there are lots of people out there who notice this, and the ones who deserve a second chance. And this is something that we forget more often than not. It need reminding now and then - and "Wyrd sisters" do excellent job out of it.

my new favorite Pratchett, a hilarious take on Shakespeare
Discworld's take on Shakespeare (sort of a blend of King Lear, Macbeth, Hamlet, and Shakespeare himself) is my new favorite Terry Pratchett novel. Three witches decide that it might be best if they meddled in the affairs of the kingdom by saving the heir to the usurped throne. They have to deal with a sad Fool, the crazed Duke, an annoying ghost, and a tortured playwright who wants to rewrite history. The characters are brilliantly portrayed, the plot is delightfully twisted, and Pratchett's prose is both mind-bendingly clever and absolutely hilarious. I don't think I've laughed so hard at a book this year. Pratchett remains a master of the genre, comically bending it in order to wring more truth from it. And I personally always love a book that features a cat. Grade: A+

Not one of his best.
Story spotty and a little hard to fallow.It is a middle ground book for a very talent and funny writer.The Discworld is overall excellent, but this one let me down some.It did not flow like the other books he has done.

MacBeth-The Pratchett version
Take Granny Weatherwax- Pratchett's witch extraordinaire who everyone respects and fears just a bit, Nanny Ogg- The witch everyone actually likes, and Magrat Garlick- a New Age witch who really thinks a coven would be a good idea and Pratchett has on hand a cast that will play delightfully on The Fates, MacBeth, and the theater in general. The Kingdom of Lancre has put up with their less than beneficent rulers for some time, but when the kingdom is usurped by Duke Felmet and his rather power hungry wife, things get out of hand as the wanton acts of cruelty against the land and its people can no longer be tolerated. Enter the newly formed and rather dysfunctional coven, the king's fool, whose loyalty is threatened by newly found notions of romance, and a theatrical group who have a member who has a particular impact on the future of the kingdom. The story moves along quickly, bouncing from the duke's gradual descent into madness with the witches' comic infighting, with aplomb.Although the character of Tomjon has a bit too much Carrot Ironfoundersson in him with his ready command of those around him, Pratchett does pull a nice switch at the end as the king is perhaps not the best man but the right one. Not as strong as some of the other books but a fun read. ... Read more

Product Description
It's not over till the fat lady sings

There's a Ghost in the Opera House of Ankh-Morpork. It wears a bone-white mask and terrorizes the entire company, including the immortal Enrico Basilica, who eats continuously even when he's singing. Mostly spaghetti with tomato sauce.

What better way to flush out a ghost than with a witch? Enter the Opera's newest diva, Perdita X. Nitt, a wannabe witch with such an astonishing range that she can sing harmony with herself. And does.

To further complicate matters (and why not?) there is a backstage cat who occasionally becomes a person just because it's so easy. Not to mention Granny Weatherwax's old friend, Death, whose scythe arm is sore from too much use. And who has been known to don a mask...Amazon.com Review
There are strange goings-on at the Opera House in Ankh-Morpork.A ghost in a white mask is murdering, well, quite a lot of people, and two witches (itreally isn't wise to call them "meddling, interfering old baggages"), orperhaps three, take a hand in unraveling the mystery. Fansof the popular Discworld will be happy to see some old friends again inMaskerade, the 18th novel in the series. --Blaise Selby ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

Double Bogey, not even close to Par for Pratchett.
Maskerade is the 11th Discworld novel and 12th Pratchett book I've read (I have not been reading in any kind of order as I mostly buy used) and so far the worst.Though I completed the novel I found myself getting bored as the characters play out their all too predictable roles.There seems to be little motivation for any character's actions and when there is a minor reason it is awfully forced.

There wasn't even a motivation for the character that ended up being the "Ghost" to even be the Ghost at all.It turns out he was just "a crazy guy who didn't like opera" despite being the music director who worked there for years.It would have been better if there actually was a ghost.

Perhaps Pratchett fell into a rut in the mid-nineties as Interesting times, Maskerade and Feet of Clay (numbers 17, 18 and 19 in the Discworld series) are all sub par whereas earlier works and some of the newest that I have read have all had interesting plots, characters and character interactions and a story that was followable as it progressed.

Nice book shame about the binding.
I have long been a fan of Terry Pratchett so was thrilled to recieve this book for Christmas, paperback format of course.I was horrified when the book split into pieces on me.Harper Collins Publishers did a lousey job of binding it.

Recession or not the glue has to actually hit the paper to make it stick together.

What a shame that a marvellous read has been ruined by incompetent publishers.

Thank you
Thank you for providing me a book in great condition and in very good time. I would use this company again.

First Discworld book I've ever read.
Some years ago, I had a massive obsession with The Phantom of the Opera. Back then I'd always had a small curiosity about the Discworld series, but it wasn't until I found out that one of the books was based on The Phantom of the Opera that I decided to get serious and check it out. Well, Maskerade at least.

A spoof it is, and a remarkably funny one at that. The lovely, demure Christine is turned into a ditzy stereotypical dumb blonde with the sort of figure that only a high metabolism combined with a scanty diet can achieve. And the book is based in an opera house, managed by two men who don't know what to do with it. The witches are in the book too, and there's a lot of the usual hilarious bickering and bantering between them. The individual scenes of the book are varied and interesting.

Maybe I'm a little biased because it was the first Discworld novel I've picked up, but it will always be my favorite.

The Joy of Snacks
Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Maskerade" is the eighteenth novel in his hugely popular Discworld series and was first published in 1995. It's also the fifth book to feature Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld's greatest witch.

Granny is a fearsome character, and for quite some time has been the head of Lancre's famous coven - one that had been completed by Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. However, following Magrat's recent marriage to Lancre's King, the coven has lost a member - and it's a gap that Nanny is desperate to fill. Nanny, the raucous head of the Ogg clan based in Lancre town, is pretty much Granny's oldest friend...and has been keeping a very close eye on her since Magrat's departure. Granny is the most powerful witch since Black Aliss - some would say, she's even more powerful. However, Aliss went a little mad - she started turning people into gingerbread and building houses out of frogs. (She was eventually pushed into her own oven by a couple of kids...the resultant mess took about a week to clean up). Nanny's worried that Granny might be heading the same direction through sheer boredom...and realises the best way to save her is to find a new Magrat. However, it can't be just anyone who joins up...

Nanny finally pinpoints Agnes Nitt as the perfect replacement for Magrat. Agnes had previously dabbled a little with witchcraft but - unknown to Nanny - has decided on a career change...she's left Lancre, and has signed up at the Ankh-Morpork Opera House. While Agnes has the makings of a very fine witch, she's absolutely perfect for her new job - not only does she have an amazing voice, she is blessed with the 'traditional' opera singer's build. Unfortunately, opera in Ankh-Morpork is about to change - thanks to Mr Seldom Bucket, the Opera's new owner. Bucket has taken a hefty loan to buy the Opera House and the repayments include making Christine - the lender's daughter - the star of the show. Admittedly, she is stunningly beautiful and she does have a certain star quality...however, she is an appalling singer. Bucket leaves it to Mr Salzella, the Opera's musical director, and Dr Undershaft, the chorus master, to find a way of working around it...and the solution involves Christine and Perdita working very closely together.

Debts and massive repayments aren't Mr. Bucket's only problems though. As it turns out, the theatre is haunted by a character who wears evening dress known only as `The Ghost'. He'd always been a benign figure and apparently watched every performance from Box Eight...however, people are now turning up dead, and the ghost is being blamed. Luckily, Granny and Nanny are on the way - there's been a problem with the royalties for a book that Nanny wrote, and the publishing house is in Ankh-Morpork. Naturally, they'll stop by the Opera House to see how Agnes is getting along...

Another very funny book though, while the witches have previously had some fun with Shakespeare, "Maskerade" draws some inspiration from "The Phantom of the Opera". Plenty of laughs and a nice mystery for the witches to solve - absolutely recommended. ... Read more

Product Description

A nightmarish danger threatens from the other side of reality . . .

Customer Reviews (120)

Kindle Version Incomplete
This review is specifically about the e-book version of The Wee Free Men. I love this story, but am very displeased with the Kindle version for two reasons. First, the e-book is incomplete. It lacks an image of the book cover. Worse yet, all of those amusing footnotes found in Terry Pratchett novels are missing. I can see where they would have been, but they are not included in the e-book version. Since many of Pratchett's best jokes can be found in the footnotes, this is a shocking omission. Second, I am frustrated that in spite of the deficiencies of the e-book version, Harper Collins Pub. has the audacity to charge the same price as the paperback book. I adore Terry Pratchett's work, but plan to ask Amazon for a refund and refrain from buying any more Harper Collins e-books.

Wee Free Men - or Scots Wa-har
You know what to expect from a Pratchett discworld novel, probably even if you've never read one before. Fantasy world, with layers upon layers of satire and humor thrown in. But only Pratchett could make up a highland dialect that is totally incomprehensable and yet you still understand what the wee men are on about at a subconscious level. The Nac Mac Feegle are wonderful, if tiny, hells angels of this fantasy world and yet, it works on so many levels. Well written characters as usual, an escape from reality but with so many reminders of your own life and loved ones.

Not just for young adults ... old adults too
It is difficult to find enough adjectives of praise to do justice to Terry Pratchett's Discworld books (or his other works, such as Nation). He is the most consistently witty author of his generation, and of a few other generations as well. Some of the Discworld volumes are better than others, but the Tiffany Aching books stand out because they were intended as youth or young adult literature, and while I am sure they work very well as such, they also work on an adult level. The Wee Free Men / Nac Mac Feagles / Pictsies are a fabulous foil for the young heroine, and through all three volumes the dynamic between them, Tiffany and the various witches never becomes tiring. One of a true master's finest ....

The second best children's book -- ever!!
Consider yourself to have been grabbed by the lapels, shaken like a rag doll, and to have had me scream up your nasal passages, "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!"

The book's heroine, Tiffany Aching, is flat out the smartest character I have ever run across in fiction.She is so smart, I didn't even realize this is supposed to be a children's book until I found the sequel in the children's section at the library.It is worth the price of this book just to see Tiffany's mind working, never mind about the story.Or, if you're interested in the story, it goes something like this:

The Discworld and the Land of Dreams are colliding.The Queen of the Faeries has crossed over and stolen Tiffany's baby brother, taking him back to the Land of Dreams.On the face of it, this doesn't sound so bad until you realize that it's not those kind of dreams; it's the other kind.(Oh.)So, Tiffany picks up a frying pan, grabs an enchanted toad and sets out to rescue him by enlisting the aid of the Nac Mac Feegle, a.k.a. Wee Free Men a.k.a. pixies...er, picties.But they won't go because rescues aren't exactly in the playbook of these hand-sized, blue, kilt-wearing rascals.They stick to the five things they do the best:(1) stealing, (2) drinking, (3) fighting, (4) drinking and fighting, and (5) stealing and drinking and fighting.So Tiffany asks them to help her steal back her baby brother."Aye!Now yer talkin'!"

There's a magic portal she needs to find, and then monsters to overcome and the siren-lure of dreams and illusions to avoid.The Queen will commit any atrocity in order to stop her, from conjuring magical snow storms to slowing time to bringing in a team of lawyers.And the tale is told in Terry Prachett's celebrated whimsical fashion.Be prepare to laugh out loud, time and time again.

And if you're wondering about the best children's book, ever, that would be the sequel:Hat Full of Sky.

The Wee Free Men
The Wee Free Men is the story of Tiffany Aching, a wannabe witch, who goes to rescue her annoying little brother from the clutches of The Queen of Fairyland. It may sound like your run of the mill childrens' story but when you consider this comes from the genius of Terry Pratchett, it is anything but. Helping Tiffany are a swarm of tiny blue pictsies who live for stealing, fighting and drinking. Much to Tiffany's dismay she learns that they were previously banished from fairyland for being drunk and disorderly. So of course mayhem ensues.
What can I say about this book other than it is totally brilliant. I received the three Tiffany books as a present last year and have read them so many times the poor books are practically falling apart. Every time I need a pick-me-up I reach for them and even though I could almost quote passages I still find myself laughing out loud at the antics of the Nac Mac Feegles.
The two following books in this series are equally exceptional. There are wonderful new characters but I'm glad to say the Nac Mac Feegles are still the stars. As a lover of snow I have to say The Wintersmith is my personal favourite but The Hat Full of Sky is not to be missed. I am looking forward to the next in the series, in fact so much so I have already ordered my copy.
... Read more

Product Description
There was a time when no one knew about the Discworld, a huge disc supported by five elephants standing on the enormous giant turtle known as the Great A'tuin ...Rincewind was a perfectly ordinary failed wizard until he met Twoflower, the Discworld's very first tourist, and before he quite knew what had happened, he found himself employed, at an outrageous salary, as Twoflower's guide to this strange world. They started off in the Disc's oldest conurbation: proud Ankh and pestilent Morpork, the twin city known as Ankh-Morpork. Before too long the irrepressible Twoflower and Rincewind, who is both inept and cowardly, are forced to flee from the city. They meet up with an increasingly colourful cast of characters as they find themselves spending too much of their time being shot at, terrorised, chased, hanging from high places with no hope of salvation, or plunging from high places (likewise, with no hope of salvation) ...THE COLOUR OF MAGIC continues in THE LIGHT FANTASTIC, where an event is happening way overhead, far above the elephants and A'Tuin, where the very fabric of time and space is about to be put through the wringer.Amazon.com Review
The Colour of Magic is Terry Pratchett's maiden voyage through the bizarre land of Discworld. His entertaining and witty series has grown tomore than 20 books, and this is where it all starts--with the touristTwoflower and his hapless wizard guide, Rincewind ("All wizards get likethat ... it's the quicksilver fumes. Rots their brains. Mushrooms, too.").Pratchett spoofs fantasy clichés--and everything else he can thinkof--while marshalling a profusion of characters through a madcap adventure.The Colour of Magic is followed by The Light Fantastic. --Blaise Selby ... Read more

Customer Reviews (241)

Very funny.
Though not as entertaining (or long) as other Diskworld novels, "The Color of Magic" is still side-splittingly funny. You will see wonders of Diskworld along with Twoflower, the First Tourist, and run away from them along with Rincewind, the sort of Wizard.

It's ok
I was recommended to read this book because I was in search for something with the likes of the Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, but I'm only 75% into this book, and only finishing it just to finish the book. But I wasn't into it that much.

But for those that like books about wizards, and magicians and gargoyles and stuff like that, then this would be your book.

Wonderfully imaginitive fun
This is the first of a long series of books about the "discworld" and it's wonderful fun! I expect to read them all again and again!

First Experience Reading Pratchett, and Likely the First of Many
I guess everyone has those authors floating around in their peripheries, often recommended by friends and favorite authors, who you know you'll like but just never have gotten around to reading. Terry Pratchett has been one of those authors for me. Everything about my tastes has suggested that I'd like him, and sure enough, having read The Color of Magic, I expect I'll be reading more of Pratchett in the future.

I began with The Color of Magic because it's the first of the Discworld novels, even though I'd heard that it wasn't Pratchett's very best. I'll admit that it does feel, at moments, like a first novel. The plot is episodic, really several shorter stories with the same key characters. As the first in a series, the novel strays sometimes from the story itself to describe the Discworld universe. These moments seem tangential in the immediate reading experience, though I'm sure they're important for fleshing out a storyworld that can sustain the series.

Still, the novel has a certain undeniable magic. Pratchett has a talent for word-play, and the characters and situations are likable and absurdly funny. The running motifs, like the luggage and Death, are called upon deftly to create the best moments of the novel. And in the various creations in this novel alone--the circumfence, the imagined dragons, the eight spells, and Discworld itself--Pratchett exhibits a seemingly endless imagination. I've copies of the next Discworld novel and the recent, acclaimed Nation on my shelf, and look forward to exploring more of Pratchett's world.

The Colour of Magic
This is a timeless clasic from Terry Pratchet.

A must read for those of a mind for riding on a turtle ... Read more

Product Description

Discworld's only demonology hacker, Eric, is about to make life very difficult for the rest of Ankh-Morpork's denizens. This would-be Faust is very bad...at his work, that is. All he wants is to fulfill three little wishes:to live forever, to be master of the universe, and to have a stylin' hot babe.

But Eric isn't even good at getting his own way. Instead of a powerful demon, he conjures, well, Rincewind, a wizard whose incompetence is matched only by Eric's. And as if that wasn't bad enough, that lovable travel accessory the Luggage has arrived, too. Accompanied by his best friends, there's only one thing Eric wishes now -- that he'd never been born!

Customer Reviews (62)

Adds nothing to the Faust story
ERIC is one of the few total misfires in the Discworld series. In taking on the Faust story, Pratchett adds nothing to it, creating a forgettable, Faust-lite character in a teen aged Eric who thinks Rincewind (For reasons that stem from Sourcery)is the demon who will grant his wishes. Using the Faust template seems to be a natural for Pratchett but doesn't work in this book. The plot is wafer thin and the humor seems forced, often the problem when Rincewind is present in any capacity. When a series runs for awhile the quality can ebb and flow, this is definitely an ebb tide book.

Highway to Hell
"Eric" is the ninth novel in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series and was first published in 1990. It sees a return for Rincewind, who was last seen heading for the Dungoen Dimensions at the end of Sourcery. However, it seems he took a wrong turn somewhere and has finished up in Hell - though, unsurprisingly, he's desperate to escape.

To his massive relief, this book sees Rincewind find a way back home - when he's summoned as a demon by a teenage amateur demonologist called Eric Thursley. The spotty little twerp wants the usual three wishes - dominion over all the kingdoms, to meet the most beautiful woman who ever lived and eternal life - and he expects his summoned demon, to do as he commands. Rincewind, naturally, tries to point out that he isn't a demon but a pretty pathetic wizard. However, all the usual commands and restraits that were designed for demons are working on Rincewind...and somehow, when he clicks his fingers, he apparently CAN do as Eric commands. Unsurprisingly, these commands land them in all sorts of trouble - which is terrible news for Rincewind, as all he wants is a nice, quiet, boring life. Worse still, the Demon King is keeping a very close eye of how things pan out. Eric was supposed to have summoned Duke Vassenego...and he isn't at all pleased that Rincewind somehow took the Duke's place.

"Eric" is shorter and (somehow) a little 'lighter' than most Pratchett books. (I believe that originally it was heavily illustrated by Josh Kirby - though my copy is un-illustrated). It's most obviously a parody of "Faust", though there are nods in several other directions - the Aztec Empire and a couple of Greek legends for a start. Naturally, it's still very funny- and I was glad to see Rincewind getting back to the Discworld - but, overall, I'd still say Pratchett's done better.

Eric
Looked brand new!Got it for my boyfriend who is a huge Terry Pratchett fan, and he enjoyed the book.

Not bad, but perhaps my least favorite Discworld book
ERIC is definitely worth reading, but it doesn't compare very well with the other Discworld books.As many have noted, it is a pastiche on FAUST, but it borrows nearly as much from THE AENEAD and Dante.The whole idea of Rincewind -- not, I have to confess, one of my favorite Discworld characters -- serving as Mephistopheles to Eric's Faust, was a good one, but I frankly enjoy Pratchett's more original stories than his parodies of more established classics.There are a number of good moments in the book and I always enjoy scenes with the Sapient Pearwood Luggage, but the overall story isn't as strong as his other books.I'm absolutely delighted to have read the book and at some point I'll probably reread the entire series again.I definitely won't skip it.But having finished it, I'm now nearly a quarter of the way through my goal of reading all the books in the order of publication, now having read nine of the thirty-eight books.I've already started MOVING PICTURES.Terry Pratchett is such a treasure.I pray that his health holds up for many years (I strongly recommend the BBC documentary that he recently made -- TERRY PRATCHETT: LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S) and that he is able to complete many more books in the series.

very glad to do business with you
I'm glad to have done business with this company. the book came in a blink of an eye and it was in great shape. I would enjoy making other purchases with this company. ... Read more

Product Description

Something is coming after Tiffany ...

Customer Reviews (80)

Another great listen
I really enjoy Stephen Briggs reading Terry Pratchett. Even though the main character of this book is a girl, it's not bothersome in one bit to have the story read by a man.

Pratchett at his best
To me one of the best of Terry Pratchett.
It is standalone but it might be even more enjoyable if read after "The Wee Free Men".
I read them in reverse order and still think it is one of the best.
Other tops on my short list:
Guards guards
Jingo
The fifth elephant

An absolute delight
Not a typical Discworld book...but a wonderful story arc with the typical and unrivalled Pratchett humour.Perfect for all ages.

A Hat Full Of Sky - Pratchett does it again
Yes, Terry Pratchett does it again, with another feather in the cap of the Discworld many and varied population. This spin off works on many levels, Discworld fans get a different slant on their favorite witch characters and new or young fans get a well written novel that is populated with full 3 dimensional characters. Although offered as a "young adult" book, this story satisfys the adult reader aswell. He is a superb observer of human nature and never fails to shine a light on the emotions, thoughts and actions of his characters. An enjoyable and well written story to be enjoyed by fans of any age, with the usual mix of worry and fun that reflects real life in a fantasy world.

A Hat Full of Sky
this is one of the three about Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men - typical of Terry Pratchett's style. I was sorry to finish them - Pratchett's sense of humour and bizarre imagination can be relied on for a great read.

They seem to be classified as children's books, but apart from the fact that it is about a young girl, the stories are as entertaining as all of the other Terry Pratchett stories. The idea of the Wee Free Men is brilliant and their speech, a brogue, is perfect. I hope there are more in this series. ... Read more

Product Description
Discworld's pesky alchemists are up to their old tricks again. This time, they've discovered how to get gold from silver -- the silver screen that is. Hearing the siren call of Holy Wood is one Victor Tugelbend, a would-be wizard turned extra. He can't sing, he can't dance, but he can handle a sword (sort of), and now he wants to be a star. So does Theda Withel, an ambitious ingénue from a little town (where else?) you've probably never heard of.

Customer Reviews (56)

Contrived
Too contrived, too many riffs on existing motion pictures and not enough good one-liners and story events compared to prior books.Sure,ha ha ha, one more joke referencing existing motion pictures and how they work, but it got boring after a while until the main story needed some action to finish the book.

Hooray for Holy Wood!
Terry Pratchett's MOVING PICTURES is his hysterical take on Hollywood, which in the book becomes the Holy Wood.It features a host of great characters, including a couple of my favorites, the Librarian ("Oook") and Gaspode the Wonder Dog.On the million to one chance that Terry Pratchett reads this review (which, of course, by Discworld logic means that he will without any possible question read this review), I would like to make the following request:Sir Terry, please include Gaspode in your next book.Thank you.

I'm now at approximately the one quarter point in my goal of reading and re-reading all of the Discworld books in order (I previously had read all of the City Watch books as well as three or four others).It honestly doesn't make a huge difference reading the books in order.Pratchett has done an incredible job of simultaneously making each book stand on its own while at the same time building upon what has gone before.Thus Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler assumes a far more important role here than in GUARDS! GUARDS! Or other Discworld novels, but while it is fun seeing his character expand in this book, it isn't really important to know the role he played there.

In some ways I didn't care for this book as much as earlier books such as PYRAMIDS or GUARDS! GUARDS!, but that really is a meaningless distinction.For me much of the joy of the Discworld books derives from the gradual accumulation of detail and the overall richness of the universe that Pratchett describes.And with each book I become increasingly grateful for this great good thing that Pratchett has brought into the world.

Follow the Yellow Sick Toad.
"Moving Pictures" is the tenth book in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld Series and was first published in 1990. It gives a starring role to Victor Tugelbend, Theda "Ginger" Withel appears as his leading lady and marks Gaspode the Wonder Dog's first appearance. (It also gives supporting roles to Dibbler and the Unseen University's wizards).Unsurprisingly, the book pokes fun at the movie industry.

The book opens about thirty miles down the coast from Ankh-Morpork, in a battered, dusty shack on the shore. Deccan Ribobe has just died...and, since he never managed to find an apprentice, has just become Holy Wood's Last Keeper of the Door. With no-one to chant the chants and to keep the fires lit, its magic will find a way out...and before long, a wild idea makes it thirty miles up the coast. It starts with the Alchemists - who, having being inspired to invent octo-cellulose, start making movies - before it switches to Dibbler's fertile mind. Everyone agrees the city's light is all wrong for moving pictures. Strangely, the know just the right place for filming, though they can't quite remember where they heard of it...

Victor Tugelbend, meanwhile, is a very skilled student at the Unseen University and a friend of Ponder Stibbons. Thanks to the terms of an uncle's will, he's realised he'll always be very well off...just so long as he never actually graduates. (Naturally, he can't fail his exams too badly either - so, every year he carefully scores an 84). This year, however, he misses his exams altogether...with the call of Holy Wood proving too strong, he blows town and heads along the coast. It isn't long before he's a massive star, forming a successful double act with Ginger Withel. However, the pair soon realise that the popularity of their movies has a very dangerous side-effect...

Unsurprisingly, given that Pratchett wrote it, "Moving Pictures" is a very funny book There are nods in the direction of any number of actors, actresses and movie classics - including the Blues Brother, Indiana Jones, the Wizard of Oz , Marilyn Monroe, Lassie, Singing in the Rain, King Kong, the War of the Worlds, Tarzan and the Fred Astaire - Ginger Rogers double act. Very enjoyable, definitely recommended.

Not Pratchett's best, but still entertaining
The Guild of Alchemists have created a new form of entertainment - moving pictures! Soon Ankh-Morpork is gripped by this latest craze and everyone's trying to break into the business as more and more 'clicks' are made out at Holy Wood. The speed with which the phenomenon spreads is quite strange and soon reluctant actors Victor Tugelbend ("Can't sing, can't dance, can handle a sword a little,") and Theda Withel (aka 'Ginger') are caught up in epic events set against the backdrop of a world gone mad! With a thousand elephants! Once the order arrives, of course...

Moving Pictures is a bit of a 'fallback' Discworld novel. That is, whilst still entertaining, funny and enjoyable, there's also the feeling that Pratchett simply came up with a cool idea and let it meander around for a bit aimlessly rather than being really fired-up and inspired by the concept. His taking of a real-life phenomenon and turning it into a Discworld novel is a pretty consistent way generating stories throughout the series (he also does Discworld takes on the theatre, the post office, rock music, organised banking, Christmas, war and newspapers in future books, with football and taxation still to come), but it does feel like he hasn't put much more effort into the book than what he did with, say, police procedurals in Guards! Guards!

Of course, Pratchett on an off day is still considerably more entertaining than a lot of fantasy authors at their best, so Moving Pictures is still a decent novel. Pratchett is clearly a big movie fan and it's fun trying to find all the references to various films in this book, from Gone with the Wind and Charlie Chaplin through Laurel and Hardy to The Blues Brothers and Back to the Future, not to mention a particularly hilarious inversion of King Kong. There's also some nice prescience on Pratchett's part: the book is now twenty years old and his comments on product placement and the culture of celebrity seem more relevant today than ever before. Characterisation is also pretty good, and the regular cast continues to grow with the arrival of Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, Gaspode the Wonder Dog (don't ask) and most of the regular cast of Unseen University, led by the formidable Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully (finally ending the tendency of UU archchancellors in the series to have the lifespan of a colony of terminally depressed lemmings living near the Grand Canyon).

The book has a rather unusual problem for Pratchett, which is pacing. Pratchett usually handles pacing pretty well in his books, with a slow introduction to the story followed by rising action and a (usually) well-handled climax. Moving Pictures isn't quite like that, and stutters a few times with a start-stop feel to the action. In fact, it appears that the main problem has been solved two-thirds of the way through the book, followed by the 'real' grand climax in Ankh-Morpork which also turns out to be a fake-out before we get the final, somewhat anti-climatic, ending in Holy Wood. It's a bit all over the place, to be honest. In fact, it feels like on of those really big Hollywood action blockbusters which goes on for about half an hour too long after the movie should really have ended, which I suppose is quite appropriate.

That said, whilst Moving Pictures is not one of the stronger Discworld novels, it's still better than the earlier, less-well-written books and many of the individual characters and episodes in the book are funny and intelligently-handled, as always.

Moving Pictures (***½) is available now in the UK and USA.

A Very Moving Book
"Moving Pictures" for some reason is ranked low on the scale by some hardcore Pratchett fans.Being one to buck a trend, I hereby declare it to be near the top.It's ingenious, well-written, and outright hilarious, combining a gigantic cast of the usual suspects with several newcomers and lots of action.

It begins with the alchemists.One has developed "banged grains" that can be buttered and served in bags.Combine that with a new contraption that records images on octo-cellulose and the town of Holy Wood is about to hit the big time.A mysterious pull draws various characters in that direction, including aspiring actors and actresses, animals with a newfound tendency to talk (and bang each other with frying pans), and the notorious C.M.O.T. Dibbler.All will soon be working to produces clicks for the theatres in Ankh-Morpork.

Yet all is not well in Holy Wood.Something is stirring in the nether regions that lie between the universes, waiting for its opportunity to hit the big time.While the studios grind out bigger and better pictures, a door long closed is starting to open, and bad things are starting to happen.

"Moving Pictures" is an excellent novel, massively complex yet never missing a beat.Those familiar with the golden age of Hollywood will appreciate a sizeable number of in-jokes.References to silent films from the 20's and 30's fly fast and furious.Yet even those who have never studied Hollywood history in depth should enjoy this wild romp through Discworld.
... Read more

Product Description

It's murder in Discworld! -- which ordinarily is no big deal. But what bothers Watch Commander Sir Sam Vimes is that the unusual deaths of three elderly Ankh-Morporkians do not bear the clean, efficient marks of the Assassins' Guild. An apparent lack of any motive is also quite troubling. All Vimes has are some tracks of white clay and more of those bothersome "clue" things that only serve to muck up an investigation. The anger of a fearful populace is already being dangerously channeled toward the city's small community of golems -- the mindless, absurdly industrious creatures of baked clay who can occasionally be found toiling in the city's factories. And certain highly placed personages are using the unrest as an excuse to resurrect a monarchy -- which would be bad enough even if the "king" they were grooming wasn't as empty-headed as your typical animated pottery.Amazon.com Review
In Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett continues the fantasy adventures on Discworld--where anything goes.Anything but murder, that is. CommanderVimes of the Watch must investigate a puzzling series of deaths, with help from various trolls and dwarfs.Pratchett's humor and excellentwriting skills draw the reader effortlessly into his zany world. Feetof Clay is 19th in the series. --Blaise Selby ... Read more

Customer Reviews (102)

Forensics comes to Discworld
I've always had a particular affinity for the Discworld books featuring Sam Vimes and his Watch. Whether it's Vimes, with his dogged determination to see justice served or Carrot, a true believer in the good in all (Sometimes they just need some help finding it and Carrot is always there with a helping hand and a werewolf girlfriend.), these characters seem to bring out the best in Pratchett. This one introduces a dwarf named Littlebottom who has been asked to leave the Guild of Alchemists and who is now brought in by Vimes to discover what's behind the white substance at the scene of a few murders and what's killing Lord Vetinari. With Littlebottom hiding a secret as well, this proves to be a great mix of an interesting mystery, a discussion on the nature of religion and free will and...golems. Have fun.

Wonderful!
One of my favorite discworld novels!If you like this one, you might also like Going Postal! and Making Money.

Terry Pratchettis Thomas Pynchon
Has anyone else noticed this?Thomas Pynchon and Terry Pratchett are the same guy!Their concerns are the same, their love of humanity, their understanding of the need for hope and compassion; their delicious word-play is the same.It's the same guy!
Pynchon took 11 years to write his masterpiece, "Against the Day."Why?Because he was ALSO writing a Discworld novel every year.Pynchon is notoriously reclusive, and now we know why!He's really Terry Pratchett.
This is a great novel: touching, hopeful, kind, funny, wise.One of Pratchett's very best, and that means one of the best novels of our time.But why would we expect any less of Pynchon?
I once wondered which of these two authors would win a Nobel prize first.And now I know: both of them, at the same time.

I love Terry Pratchett but I have to be honest...
You will read one book in his series and love it and you will read a second book and like it a lot but by the time you get to the third book weather it is "Feet of Clay" or some other book you will have trouble keeping the story lines separate in your mind.

Overall-What you will get in the end is a Chinese food feeling; a book that is and great funny but it is so great and funny that you will remember the humor and word play and not the actual story.Terry Pratchett is a great author and his current situation is a tragedy but that is the way I see it.

a watch book!
sam vimes.
carrot.
anagua.
nobby nobs.
colon.
gaspod.
detritos.
and more new guards to join the fun. some of the most bizzare and funny moments in the series.the fantasy version of a robot revolution.
when i finishd this book, my face hurt from a constant loughter.
terry is a god. ... Read more

Product Description
A short but perfectly formed complete Discworld novel, fully illustrated in lavish colour throughout, THE LAST HERO is an essential part of any Discworld collection. It stars the legendary Cohen the Barbarian, a legend in his own lifetime. Cohen can remember when a hero didn't have to worry about fences and lawyers and civilisation, and when people didn't tell you off for killing dragons. But he can't always remember, these days, where he put his teeth ...So now, with his ancient sword and his new walking stick and his old friends -- and they're very old friends -- Cohen the Barbarian is going on one final quest. He's going to climb the highest mountain in the Discworld and meet his gods. The last hero in the world is going to return what the first hero stole. With a vengeance. That'll mean the end of the world, if no one stops him in time.Amazon.com Review
A new Discworld story is always an event. Terry Pratchett's The Last Hero is unusually short, a 40,000-word "Discworld Fable" rather than a full novel, but is illustrated throughout in sumptuous color by Paul Kidby.

The 160 pages cover the series' longest and most awesome (but still comic) journey yet, a mission to save all Discworld from a new threat. An old threat, actually. Aged warrior Cohen the Barbarian has decided to go out with a bang and take the gods with him. So, with the remnants of his geriatric Silver Horde, he's climbing to the divine retirement home Dunmanifestin with the Discworld equivalent of a nuke--a fifty-pound keg of Agatean Thunder Clay.

This will, for excellent magical reasons, destroy the world.

It's up to Leonard of Quirm, Discworld's da Vinci, to invent the technology that might just beat Cohen to his goal. His unlikely vessel is powered by dragons, crewed by himself and two popular regular characters, and secretly harbors a stowaway. Before long we hear the Discworld version of "Houston, we have a problem...."

Kidby rises splendidly to the challenge of painting both funny faces and cosmic vistas. As Pratchett puts it, The Last Hero "has an extra dimension: some parts of it are written in paint!" New characters include Evil Dark Lord Harry Dread, who started out with "just two lads and his Shed of Doom," and a god so tiresome that his worshippers are forbidden chocolate, ginger, mushrooms and garlic.

Pratchett's story alone is strong and effective, with several hair-raising frissons contrasting with high comedy; Kidby's paintings make it something very special. Not to be missed. --David Langford, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (97)

Ordinarily I'm a HUGE fan of Terry Pratchett, but....
..this book was a real disappointment.

Both tedious *and* confusing --bad combination for a novel. The artwork is fabulous. That's why I gave it three stars, also the characters are wonderful. But Pratchett has already given us better portraits of those characters elsewhere. The blueprints and anatomical studies are interesting enough. But I kept searching for a real story, and that was thin on the ground. Yeh, a bunch of them are going to the mountain, and a bunch of others want to stop them. Eh, so what?

I got as far as I could in this book, until I realized I'd rather do something else, like sort my laundry. Considering how I usually treasure Terry Pratchett's books, reading them over and over, this one was a real let down for me.

Unexpected but fantastic
I thought I was just buying my son the next book in a series, and expected another paperback like the rest. Instead, what can only be described as a "graphic novel" arrived and my son was over the moon about it.

Revisiting Old (Heh) Discworld Friends
"The Last Hero: A Discworld Fable", is a basically Discworld novella by Terry Pratchett that is lavishly illustrated by Paul Kidby, coming in at around 160 pages, about half of which are in large-font text which tells the story, and the other half are illustrations, character portraits, and other fun stuff.

Back in the 1980's, I discovered Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels not too long after he began publishing them, and I eagerly bought each new book as it was released.My favorite leading character was Rincewind, but as time went by, Mr Pratchett centered his books around other, different leading characters and poor Rincewood faded mostly away.Nothing wrong with that, as to a certain extent, Rincewind is pretty much a one-trick pony, and Mr Pratchett couldn't grow the Discworld universe around just one character, but I wasn't as interested in many of the newer characters.After about 20 or so books, I kind of lost interest in the series, but I've generally kept my eye out for any stories containing Rincewind in any significant degree. So, I was pleased to recently discover "The Last Hero".

The story focuses around the aged Cohen the Barbarian and his Silver Horde's attempt to return fire to the gods by delivering the Discworld equivalent of a nuclear bomb.Unknown to Cohen, this act basically would destroy Discworld.Cohen is old, and having basically beaten, robbed, or conquered everything on Discworld at one time or another, is bored and doesn't want to die of old age.He doesn't really believe he can beat the gods, though, and just wants to go out in a blaze of glory.However, Cohen being Cohen, he could potentially pull it off.

Various well-known characters and factions on the planet find out about Cohen's attempt, and band together to put a team forward to attempt to deflect Cohen from his purpose.(Rincewind, happily, is an involuntary part of the team.)The story is well written and entertaining, and the illustrations fit well with the text.My favorite illustration is of Verna the Ravenhaired, who basically looks like the kindly (but still deadly) grandmother she's become, but is dressed in chainmail and clutching a long, well-used sword.

I enjoyed the book and enjoyed re-visiting Discworld again after so long of an absence.

Fantastic
An exelent story, writen by a man fighting his own battle with age, one las hurrah for the last hero on the Disk, whom the gods have let grow old...

Cohen and the horde
The usual stunningly funny, outrageous story from that master of the word picture, from Terry Pratchett. ... Read more

Product Description

Winner of the 2001 Carnegie Medal

One rat, popping up here and there, squeaking loudly, and taking a bath in the cream, could be a plague all by himself. After a few days of this, it was amazing how glad people were to see the kid with his magical rat pipe. And they were amazing when the rats followed hint out of town.

They'd have been really amazed if they'd ever found out that the rats and the piper met up with a cat somewhere outside of town and solemnly counted out the money.

The Amazing Maurice runs the perfect Pied Piper scam. This streetwise alley cat knows the value of cold, hard cash and can talk his way into and out of anything. But when Maurice and his cohorts decide to con the town of Bad Blinitz, it will take more than fast talking to survive the danger that awaits. For this is a town where food is scarce and rats are hated, where cellars are lined with deadly traps, and where a terrifying evil lurks beneath the hunger-stricken streets....

Set in Terry Pratchett's widely popular Discworld, this masterfully crafted, gripping read is both compelling and funny. When one of the world's most acclaimed fantasy writers turns a classic fairy tale on its head, no one will ever look at the Pied Piper -- or rats -- the same way again!

Customer Reviews (86)

Witty, Hilarious and Thoughtful
What would happen if a cat and some rats all CHANGED such that they could talk to one another, and think, and plan adventures of questionable legality? What would happen if Terry Pratchett used this premise as a story? The answer to these questions is "The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents," which is witty, hilarious, and thoughtful all at the same time.

The story takes us into the thoughts of Maurice the cat, and the rats he hangs with. Unlike many other stories from the point-of-view of the animals, Pratchett takes the premise itself as an issue for the characters themselves. They all - Maurice and the rats - remember life before the Change, and deal with the effects after it.

"Maurice wasn't like other cats anymore. Other cats were, suddenly, stupid. Maurice started to hang around with the rats instead. They were someone to talk to." Maurice's approach is very pragmatic. The rats, on the other hand, "spent a lot of time worrying about why they were suddenly so clever." The rat Dangerous Beans is the one most preoccupied with that mystery. He is an albino runt with very poor eyesight. And a restless, changed mind.

To propel this unlikely, but fascinating, premise, Pratchett employs the Pied Piper plot. More correctly, Maurice employs that plot, for financial gain. Finding a "stupid kid" with a pennywhistle, Maurice hatches a plan to pay for this odd troupe's way in the world. It's a variant of the protection racket: they'll find a little town with no major rat problem, infest it with their own clever rodents, terrorize the inhabitants, and then bring in the kid with the pipe to save the day. For a handsome fee.

The book begins with the troupe spying out their newest target. We see how they work together to dupe the local bourgeoisie out of some money and power, and get a taste of the thinking of cats and rats as Pratchett imagines it. Then the story takes us to a town with a mystery: no rats at all. Soon our heroes are themselves in danger, and theirs isn't the only scheme going down. Amidst trying to solve this mystery, and keep themselves alive, they all ask some very hard questions - about the nature of their `cleverness,' the future of their cooperative relationship, and the burdens and responsibilities of conscious thought.

I applaud Pratchett for his skill in telling an enjoyable story with characters worth rooting for, and wrestling with questions and issues worth tackling.

Beware School & Library Binding-Fail!
Comments ONLY pertain to School-Library Binding-

An insulting and wretched edition of a splendid book. For one thing, the cover art is different than that shown. This wouldn't be so bad unless, like me, you're trying to match cover styles for a gift- you see the cover, read 'library binding', and recall what the book at the library looks and feels like, not to mention its physical size. Yep, just what you wanted.

Then this this fragrant little turd shows up. Turns out 'School-Library Binding'doesn't mean a durable, well-made book printed on nice stock and a pleasure to hold and read. It really means, 'cheap nasty mass market paperback with flimsy, glossy hard covers slapped on and no dust jacket'. Who knew?
It's even the same size as a mass market paperback, but the hard cover destroys a paperback's ability to fairly easily tuck into a pocket.

Perhaps I should have read the description a bit more carefully, but I had seen and purchased the version pictured before, so it just never occurred to me. Also, I have yet to see something this awful on a library shelf that doesn't have a paper cover instead of the chintzy cardboard. If you 'look inside!', you do get a warning that this is a different edition. But no visual reference as to what it truly looks like. I had no need look inside, since I knew the book already.

Had I any idea that travesties like this existed, you can bet that I'd have never ordered. This isn't a book-it's a cruel hoax. Mr. Pratchett's incandescent words deserve better. I ordered this embarrassment for a friend's birthday. She also deserves better.

That said, it's a helluva tale. Being Pratchett, though, that's pretty much a given. Zero stars for the edition, ten for the writing.

Speaking of fragrant, it smells bad, too-like bargain basement newsprint. Epic fail as a physical book. It's already packed up for return.

Witty and Entertaining
I'd love to live in a world where cats and rats talked, although around here they'd probably only say things like, "Not dry food again," or "Don't touch that piece of cheese." However, in the middle school book by Terry Pratchett, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, a cat and a group of rats can not only talk, but they plot, scheme, and foil evildoers.

Pratchett, the author of this children's story (that adults will love too), tells a lively, humorous tale starring Maurice, a scruffy con artist of a cat; Dangerous Beans, a thoughtful albino rat who ponders the meaning of their newfound intelligence; Darktan, a streetwise rat bristling with derring-do; and Peaches, a female rat who is the conscience of the group. Many other rats have walk-on parts. Two humans appear in supporting roles: Keith, a quiet boy who plays musical instruments, and Malicia, the Mayor's daughter, who tries to make everything that happens turn out like a story in a book.

As the story opens, Maurice and the rats arrive at a new town and the cat convinces the rats to pull the same trick they've used in other towns: the rats will invade all the homes and swim in the cream, widdle on the muffins, and generally make nuisances of themselves. Then Maurice will negotiate a fee with the town Mayor for removing the rats. When the fee has been paid, Keith will play a flute and "lure" the rats out of town. But the scheme goes wrong when the Maurice and the others discover that the local rat catchers are up to no good and that deep beneath the town lives a mysterious something that has the power to control minds.

This book for middle school readers has as many twists and turns as the dark, creepy tunnels beneath the town where it is set. The dialogue is witty and I laughed out loud many times. I found some scenes touching as well--who knew I would care what happens to rats? The plot is like a good soup--it keeps thickening; new threats keep popping up to make things worse. Danger and death lurk around every corner and even wily, selfish Maurice the cat rises to heroism.

OK its for young folk, but I liked it too (60 yr old)
The pied piper was never so funny.This happy story must be a take off of the potential of three mile island or Chernoble.Talking animals (OK the dog was ok, but Cats and Rats?YES!!!!!!!!!!!And their out look on live is well done yet again.

Somehow I thinkTerry could also be a philosopher or maybe he is.

One of the best of Discworld
A stupid looking young boy arrives in the town of Bad Blintz, along with a scruffy looking cat and a troop of rats. This is the Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. No, Maurice isn't the boy. Maurice is the cat, who talks and is the brains of the operation. Maurice is, to put it bluntly, a con artist. The rodents also talk, courtesy of the garbage pile behind the wizard's university. They are intelligent and self aware, and in fact are evolving their own system of ethics and religion. They do this in between running scams on towns where the rats invade people's homes, eating their food, widdling in the cream, and then the boy pipes them out of town. Oh, by the way, this is a Discworld novel. Knowing that might make all this more understandable.

In Bad Blintz, things don't go the usual way. They can find no regular rats, but food is disappearing at an incredible rate, and the two town rat catchers are coming up with a huge number of rat tails to show what they're catching. And a girl named Malicia Grim sees through the boy and Maurice right off the bat. Soon the merry band is embroiled in a life or death adventure.

The story is adventure, comedy, mystery, a bit of horror and a commentary on society. The plot moves swiftly and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. But the best part was watching the rats (and Maurice) develop emotionally and philosophically. They aren't just animals who can speak about their instincts; they are now self aware and capable of thinking in the abstract. Great stuff!
... Read more

Product Description

It is rare and splendid event when an author is elevated from the underground into the international literary establishment. In the case of England's best-known and best-loved modern satirist, that event has been long overdue.

The plot is a version of an earlier Discworldnovel, Lords andLadies, with the predatory elves of that novel being replacedhere by suave and deadly vampires, and the tiny kingdom of Lancrebeing defended by its witches. But plot is the least of Pratchett'sappeal, and Carpe Jugulum is loaded with marvelous characters(not least the witches themselves, about whom we learn a deal more),comic touches and scenes of genius, and even some of the renowneddown-to-earth Pratchett wisdom (about the inner ethical conflicts weall face and the wrongness of treating people as things). Pratchett'svampires are elegant Bela Lugosi types, and they come up against anunlikely but engaging alliance of witches; blue-skinned pixies likeRob Roy Smurfs; a doubting priest with a boil on his face; and amagical house-size Phoenix in a seamless, completely absorbing, andfeel-good-about-the-universe mixture. Highly recommended. --AdamRoberts, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (84)

Granny's dilemma
Pratchett's Disworld always works best where there is the right balance of drama and humor and CARPE JUGULUM is a prime example of that balance. Granny Weatherwax, the Disc's greatest witch, is tired of being taken for granted. While respected by the community, she is tired of her role as the feared "crone" of the coven and decides it is time to move on to another life. Of course this is exactly the wrong time for Granny's despondency as a family of vampires (I'm sorry "vampyres", conditioned to ignore common deterrents like garlic and sunlight, have decided to take control of the kingdom and use the local populace as cattle. Nanny Ogg and Perdita do their level best but without Granny's guidance things look pretty grim.
Pratchett creates great foes for Granny with his darkly funny vampire family set on entering the modern world.Well-mannered to the point of ridiculousness while stills seeing the locals as food, these creatures are at turns deeply funny while trying to conquer the superstitions that have kept vampires in their place but also create an excellent sense of menace that always is present in the background and occasionally rears its ugly head. Granny Weatherwax also gains levels of complexity in this novel with Pratchett showing her in a position of something other than complete authority; humanizing her and adding more to an already intriguing creation. CARPE JUGULUM easily stands with the better novels in the Discworld series.

A great light read for fantasy lovers
As far as vampire parodies go, you could do better. But you could certainly do worse.

Pratchett isn't at his funniest here, but the read is entertaining, insightful and jaunty; a 'good' reader should be able to get through it in a few days worth of casual reading. It has some religious themes in it that manage to be insightful without being offensive, and the book ends cheerfully. I think that might be it's key flaw: It almost ends TOO cheerfully, as if none of the conflicts ended badly for anyone. I mean, even the characters who die don't have it bad.

At any rate, it manages to be a more relevant vampire novel than 'Twilight.'

Lots of fun, but some dead ends along the way
While I love Pratchett's complex and gleefully intricate plotting, there are times in his books where it feels as though he loses track of it a little bit along the way. Or, perhaps, to put it better, he knows exactly what's going on, but loses the reader a little along the way. Such is the case with Carpe Jugulum, which begins with a royal birth and ends up containing violent gnomes, modern vampires, a traditionalist Igor, a phoenix, several cases of possession, religion, and witches. Juggling that many elements isn't a problem for Pratchett, who brings something interesting and novel to each of them, most notably in the form of the Omnian priest, a character which works as a continuation of the themes began in Small Gods (a book which is referenced directly here). The problem is that not all of the elements feel necessary, and by the book's end, I was a little confused as to what some of them had to do with anything. Still, I enjoyed all of the scenes, even if some went nowhere, and that goes a long way to excusing the book's faults. It's definitely second-tier Pratchett (with the exception of the Omnian priest storyline, which is brilliant), but that merely means that it's "very good" and not "excellent".

Granny Wetherwax, Vampires & the Nac Mac Feegle
I Love Terry Pratchett and this is definitely one of his. Always bringing his unique perspective onto reality. any novel that involves the Nac Mac Feegle is ok by me

Hlisten to Zer Chiltren Off Der Night
Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Carpe Jugulum" is the twenty-third book in his hugely popular Discworld series and was first published in 1998. It's set (mostly) in Lancre and features Granny Weatherwax's famous coven of witches.

The Lancre coven is now made up of Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Agnes Nitt. Agnes has taken over Magrat's old cottage and is a little rotund. Like they say, though, inside every fat girl, there's a thin girl trying to get out. In Agnes's case, the thin girl is called Pedita...an imaginary friend from her childhood who refused to grow up and move out. Perdita has her own voice and personality and - while she and Agnes don't get on very will - Perdita does have a big part to play in the story).

Magrat, Agnes' predecessor, retired from witching when she married Verence, Lancre's King. The Royal Couple are now a Royal Family, and - when the book opens - the baptism of the newly-arrived Royal Daughter is approaching. However, Verence is looking to raise Lancre's profile and has invited a number of foreign dignitaries to join the royal celebrations. Foolishly, he's included the Count de Magpyr, a vampire from Uberwald, on the guest list...the Count brings his wife and two children - Vlad and Lacrimosa. They arrive fashionably late in their own stylishly black coach, driven - naturally - by an Igor. They're a progressive bunch - they occasionally drink wine instead of blood and they're trying to build up an immunity to garlic, sunlight and religious symbols. However, they have chosen to hang on to the mind-control. (Igor doesn't approve of these new-fangled ways at all and, around the stately castle, he's very much in favour of traditional squeaky doors, billowing curtains, spiders and dribbling candles.) Unsurprisingly, the de Magpyrs have decided to take over...and they're not at all worried about the famous Granny Weatherwax. In fact, the Count seems certain that Granny Weatherwax won't be long in switching sides...

Granny, Nanny and Agnes have, of course, also been invited... it is a little worrying, however, that although Granny's invite was sent she never actually received it. (Rather awkwardly, she was also supposed to be the Godmother, so her presence would have been vital even without the vampires). Worse, thinking she has been forgotten about, Granny now aparently sees the coven as Nanny, Magrat and Agnes...and believes she is no longer needed in Lancre.

Usually, christenings in Lancre are performed by Brother Perdore but - having fallen sixty feet down a gorge - Verence has sent for a priest from a neighbouring Omnian mission. Nanny is outraged, since Omnian priests have been known to set witches on fire. However, the priest in question - Mightily Oats - proves to be a useful ally in time...as do the Nac Mac Feegle, who make their debut in this book. (The Feegle are a race of small blue skinned Pictsies whose m ain hobbies are drinking, fighting and rustling livestock).

Another very funny and enjoyable book by Pratchett - I was glad to see a bit of room being made for Magrat in this one. She has changed a little - she isn't quite so drippy and, now that she's married, gets most of Nanny's crude jokes. There isn't any great rivalry between her and Agnes either - in fact, in the few moments the pair spend together, they seem to get on quite well. Thanks to Mightily, there were also a couple of nods to Brutha, from "Small Gods" - Brutha was Om's last great prophet, and is revered by Omnians everywhere. ... Read more

Product Description

For those who haven't made this underrated author's acquaintance, Monstrous Regiment is as good a place to start as any. Readers will encounter Pratchett's subtle and disarming wit, his trademark footnoted asides along with a not-too-shabby tale of honor, courage, and duty in the face of absurd circumstances. --Jeremy Pugh ... Read more

Customer Reviews (122)

A More Mature Discworld Novel
Borogravia is a small, backwards country that wages constant war on all of its neighbors. It is ruled by the Duchess, or rather a picture of the Duchess since nobody has seen her for eighty years. Their God is Nuggan, who has a list of "abominations" that include things such as the color blue and babies.

For Polly Perks, Borogravia is home, one she is willing to fight for, so she cuts off her hair and joins the army. She thinks her disguise might not be good enough, but when her squad consists of a vampire, a troll, an Igor, a religious nut, and the infamous Sergeant Jackrum, Polly doesn't need to worry about fitting in.

Monstrous Regiment to me has adifferent tone than the other Discworld books. Perhaps because there's no villain, no face of evil that the main characters are trying to stop. Perhaps it's because Borogravia is such a backwards country, and I'm used to the new, forwards-thinking Discworld with clacks towers and affirmative action for racial minorities (such as dwarves and zombies). Borogravia is one of the last places to refuse these modernizations.

But perhaps most of all, it's the lack of Discworldy-ness. No A'Tuin the Great Turtle, no magic, no million-to-one chances. In fact, if it weren't for the inclusion of fantasy creatures (werewolves, pixies, trolls, an Igor, etc), there's not too much to say this happens on the Discworld at all. It could have happened on Earth.

Pratchett's writing style also seems to have significantly matured, especially when compared to his earlier works. Today's lampoon is Gender Discrimination. The idea of a woman running off to war isn't new, but when put into the context of the Discworld things get very interesting. Funny, definitely, but funny with room for thought.

If you're a fan of the Discworld series, you'll enjoy Monstrous regiment. It's another fresh take on a tired subject, with lots of laughs and the occasional cameo from more familiar characters from Discworld books. On the other hand, if you're new to the series, this is probably a bad place to start. The book starts off with the assumption that you already have a grasp on the fundamentals of Discworld. Many of the jokes (Sir Samuel "The Butcher" Vimes, who eats raw meat and has come to terrorize the good Borogravian soldiers!) are references to earlier books. If the parentheticals meant nothing to you, don't start here.

Huh?
There needs to be a way to say"I don't remember this so don't ask me to review it"

Monstrously Hilarious!
This is the first Terry Pratchett book I've ever read and If the rest of his stories are as imaginatively funny as this one I'll soon be a life long fan...
Monstrous Regiment is about a barmaid named Polly who lives in Borogravia where the proud people war with anyone and everyone around them. Polly chops off her hair, pulls on some trousers and signs up to be a soldier in the Borogravian army to track down her brother and bring him back home.
Her journey takes her on a wonderful adventure filled with vampires, werewolves, Igors and trolls. You'll be surprised and delighted by her discoveries along the way and grinning like a fool the whole way through...
Couldn't for the life of me put this book down...

The Original Title Was:War, What is it Good For?
In the remote country of Borogravia, war is the national pasttime.The problem is that lately Borogravia has been as successful at war as the Detroit Lions are at football.Like desperate countries everywhere, though, they claim they're winning, despite the evidence to the contrary.

Because of all this war, villages are pretty much down to the elderly, children, and women.One of these women named Polly Perks decides to cut off her hair and join the army so she can find her brother Paul, who disappeared years earlier in the war with neighboring Zlobenia.She soon joins a regiment (really more of a squad) with other young people including a pyromaniac, a potential psychopathic killer, and schizophrenic, as well as a troll, a vampire, and an Igor--the latter being one of those hunchbacked assistants to mad scientists everywhere.

Though of course Borogravia is winning the war (wink, wink) there's no time to train the new recruits in warfare.But before they can get to the front, they come under attack from Zlobenian forces.Polly uses all her cunning to defeat the enemy, but from then on this monstrous regiment is on the run.Their only hope is to retake their country's stronghold and free the prisoners inside, including Polly's brother.To do so, though requires the regiment to put themselves in great danger from the enemy--and their own superior officers.

In "Jingo" Pratchett took on war from the perspective of the invader.Now in "Monstrous Regiment" it focuses mostly on the defender.The key point is that Polly and the other Borogrovians are not bad or evil.They're just doing their job and defending their country--and each other.It's the ones in charge, like the insane god Nuggan or the never-seen Duchess, who are the bad ones.That's good to remember because in any war there's a tendency to demonize the other side so that they seem like demons instead of real people.Otherwise it would be hard for a country to want to go to war and kill other humans not so different from them.

Though I'm sure this was unintentional, the conflict between Lieutenant Blouse and Sergeant Jackrum reminded me of Mailer's "The Naked and the Dead."In both the inexperienced young officer thinks he's in charge while the sergeant thinks he should be the REAL boss because of his experience and the officer should just be a figurehead.Things go much better for the lieutenant in this book though.

While Borogravia and Zlobenia sound more like the Balkans, there are references to the second Iraq war with the term "shock and awe" and the concept of embedded reporters.That allows readers to easily relate to the story, despite the presence of fantasy elements.William de Worde and Otto the vampire photographer of "The Truth" (Volume 25) make a cameo as the aforementioned embedded reporters while Sam Vimes and members of the City Watch also appear in the story.

The one knock I have on this book is one that I've had on a couple other of the Discworld ones.Sure there's a vampire, troll, and Igor in the regiment but they don't really contribute much to overall story.Actually the vampire and troll sit out most of the conclusion.Other than the vampire's jitteriness at needing coffee (to keep him from draining people's blood) that allows for a couple of Vietnam allusions predating "Tropic Thunder", he doesn't do much and the troll does less.At least the Igor serves as the medic.They could easily have not been in the book and it wouldn't have affected the story much.The example I used before was it's like having a few pieces left over after putting together a jigsaw.The pyro, schizo, and even the psycho all have their uses in the story, but the most monstrous characters seem just there to make the jacket sound more interesting.A pity.

Still, this is a good book with humor that doesn't dumb-down it's very non-humorous subject matter.

Join me now in a verse of "War, what is it good for?Absolutely nothin'!"

That is all.

Pratchett at his best
A book I couldn't put down; every page makes you laugh out loud.The story and characters are simply wondrous, with plenty of hilarious observations an events that only Terry Pratchett could create.Top stuff. ... Read more

Product Description

Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent, bestselling novels have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody next to the likes of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

Customer Reviews (122)

Read it in one go
I don't know how many discworld novels I have already read. But I decided to stick to the publishing order now and that was number three. I loved the book and the always impressive imagination of Terry Pratchett and his way of describing things. I can easily recommend this book to anyone and even if this would be your very first Discworld novel you would not be lost. I gave it four stars because there are true five star discworld novels in the series. Still quite an entertaing book to read.

Equal Rites?
I absolutely adore Terry Pratchett and the Discworld series. I have decided to start reading the series in order so this was my first introduction to a plot line other than that which includes the stories of Rincewind and Twoflower. I was very excited to be exposed to a different part of the world - especially since it seemed to have a feminist theme - but I was slightly disappointed in what it had to offer considering what was promised in the synopsis.

I'm certainly glad that I had read The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic before reading this one because I'm not sure I would have became as engrossed in the series if I had started with this book. I feel as if I was craving more adventure which I had found to be very appealing in the first books. I am excited to see Granny Weatherwax later on in the series again as I feel she was the most well rounded character of them all presented in this story, but I do worry that she will not quite measure up to how I feel about previously introduced characters like Twoflower. Something seemed to be lacking with the characters in this book, which is why I'm not too incredibly upset that Esk will not appear in the later books. She wasn't a strong enough character for me. I was waiting for her to come of age in the story and truly change the dynamics of Unseen University. From what I have heard about the rest of the series, however, this is not the case. I feel Esk did not make a strong enough impact in order to enact true change at UU, which disappoints me being a female who would very much like to be a wizard.

I also was shocked with how little I laughed out loud during this book! Terry Pratchett has an incredible ability to make me laugh out loud as I am reading which is very rare for me with most fiction. This one was funny, just not laugh out loud funny.This is what makes the difference between four and five stars for me.

The book certainly hasn't discouraged me from reading the rest of the Discworld novels in the slightest. I certainly enjoyed the book and read it very quickly. I just figured Pratchett's talents combined with the great ideas presented in the synopsis gave this story the potential to be one of my favorites in the series, but it simply did not turn out to be so.It is definitely worth reading if you're trying to read all the books in the series - I just feel if you're looking for your first taste of Terry Pratchett you should maybe try one of the later stories or another novel such as Good Omens.

Laughed, laughed, laughed.
I love Terry Pratchett's writing and a great introduction to his witty and pun-filled style is Equal Rites. I often think of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg and marvel at their antics, and unique personalities. Long before J.K.Rowling was Terry Pratchett. All of the other books written about DiscWorld are equally intertaining, and I find myself saying over and over "Oh No! He didn't!"...as I laugh and laugh.

Introducing the best witch of them all
On the Discworld legend goes that the eighth son of an eighth son is destined to become a wizard. That is why, a few moments before he has an appointment with Death, the wizard Drum Billet is on his way to the village of Bad Ass. Indeed, the wife of Gordo Smith is about to give birth to their eight heir. Drum Billet has to hurry, because he hasn't got that much time to give his staff to the newborn baby. But he is about to make a big mistake. And it's up to Granny Weatherwax to get it fixed.

Although the story of Equal Rites is not that special, the book is a milestone in the Discworld saga because it introduces one of its most beloved characters: Granny Weatherwax. The funniest parts of the book are also related to her: for example her memorable out-of-body experience and her experiments with getting control of a flying broomstick. You cannot but fall in love with that character. Ah, and she will become so much more interesting when joined with Nanny Ogg, but for that you will have to until the sixth Discworld novel Wyrd Sisters.

The equality theme is rather conspicuously interwoven in the novel, but Terry Pratchett never reaches that level of shrewdness we are so accustomed to. Actually this topic never gets deeper than the wizards proclaiming that "women are not allowed in the Unseen University". In my opinion this is certainly a missed opportunity.

Nevertheless Equal Rites is a good read and certainly a must read for every fan of the Discworld.

Equal rites by terry pratchett
Item shipped quickly as ordered - Book in great condition.Very satisfied with this order! ... Read more

Product Description
"May you live in interesting times" is the worst thing one can wish on a citizen of Discworld -- especially on the distinctly unmagical sorcerer Rincewind, who has had far too much perilous excitement in his life. But when a request for a "Great Wizzard" arrives in Ankh-Morpork via carrier albatross from the faraway Counterweight Continent, it's he who's sent as emissary. Chaos threatens to follow the impending demise of the Agatean Empire's current ruler. And, for some incomprehensible reason, someone believes Rincewind will have a mythic role in the war and wholesale bloodletting that will surely ensue. (Carnage is pretty much a given, since Cohen the Barbarian and his extremely elderly Silver Horde are busily formulating their own plan for looting, pillaging, and, er, looking wistfully at girls.) However, Rincewind firmly believes there are too many heroes already in the world, yet only one Rincewind. And he owes it to the world to keep that one alive for as long as possible.Amazon.com Review
Marvelous Discworld, which revolves on the backs of four great elephantsand a big turtle, spins into Interesting Times, the 17thouting in Terry Pratchett's rollicking fantasy series. The gods areplaying games again, and this time the mysterious Lady opposes Fate in amatch of "Destinies of Nations Hanging by a Thread." --Blaise Selby ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

Rincewind...eh. Cohen...Hurray!
Pratchett's continual returns to Rincewind fascinate me. There is only so much you can do with the fantasy version of Scooby-Doo and Shaggy. "And he bravely ran away," was funny for a bit in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Special Edition) but to do it in book after book gets old. I guess as Rincewind is the character that started it all Pratchett feels required to have him make occasional returns. Looking at the other reviews I realize I'm in the minority here, but with so many great characters, it seems a shame to waste words on Rincewind. Luckily, Cohen The Barbarian, one of Pratchett's greatest creations also makes an appearance leading a wonderfully ancient and vicious "horde" with a school teacher strategist that leads to some great comedic scenes as civilization is introduced to these hard core barbarians. Mix this with hilariously skewed looks at imperial China and Mao's Red Army. About 100 pages longer than it needed to be, INTERESTING TIMES is OK, but when compared to the best of the Discworld series it comes up a bit short.

One of the best of the series - and that's high praise indeed
Every time I pick up a new Discworld book, I always feel a little anxiety. With one exception (Monstrous Regiment [Mass Market Paperback]), I've loved every one I've read, and I feel like I'm overdue for a misfire. And yet, time after time, I'm blown away by the hilarious writing, the brilliant plotting, and the incisive satire. Interesting Times, in which Rincewind is sent to Discworld's version of China in an effort to prevent (or maybe start) a massive civil war, is no different, except that it's so good that it manages to become one of my favorites of the series in one read. Pratchett tosses in so much - Rincewind, scheming dynasties, a plot to kill the emperor, folk legends, an invading barbarian horde (of sorts), a retired teacher attempting to teach said barbarians some manners, and that's just for starters - that almost any other author would lose their way. Instead, Pratchett juggles it all beautifully, tying together all the disparate threads so neatly and smoothly that you never see the collisions until you're upon them. The fact that he does it all while making me laugh out loud and embarrass myself in public - well, that's just icing. But what really sets apart Interesting Times for me is its quiet but firm stance on war. The message it carries - about the disconnect between those ordering the fighting and those doing the fighting - is hardly a new one, but it's executed with such quiet power and grace that it gives the book even greater impact. In the end, I loved every second of the book, and as it drew to a close, I only wished that it was longer - and I can't think of any higher praise to offer to a book than that.

Strange Time, rather!
Interesting, and strange!, times indeed.Cohen and the Silver Horde are a wonderfully odd group, always good to see Rincewind and his luggage in action [and the luggage has some interesting "action" of its own!]
As always, wonderfully entertaining, which great twists on historical facts.

Old People Are Cool!
Rincewind's tales may be one of my least favorite sub-sets of Discworld lore, but this is one of my favorite books (I've read all but maybe 2 of the Discworld series). Pratchett does a remarkable job making you believe in these elderly warriors. The whole idea that they're capable because they've survived so long is amazingly clever, and it's even better in execution. It simultaneously plays off old-people and Asian stereotypes in a loving yet hysterical way.

Interesting Times is a great one-off Discworld book for those unfamiliar with the universe. If you like humor, it's a must-read.

Great Ball of China
Brilliant stuff, as usual. An original idea, a pun or a twist on a long-held assumption in almost every paragraph. Where does Pratchett get it from? This book explains the Discworld history of the Chinese revolution, the orgin and purpose of the terracotta army, and the ultimate fate of Cohen the Barbarian among other things. Plus a few observations on the sex life of luggages. ... Read more

Product Description

They say there are only two things you can count on ...

But that was before DEATH started pondering the existential. Of course, the last thing anyone needs is a squeamish Grim Reaper and soon his Discworld bosses have sent him off with best wishes and a well-earned gold watch. Now DEATH is having the time of his life, finding greener pastures where he can put his scythe to a whole new use.

But like every cutback in an important public service, DEATH's demise soon leads to chaos and unrest -- literally, for those whose time was supposed to be up, like Windle Poons. The oldest geezer in the entire faculty of Unseen University -- home of magic, wizardry, and big dinners -- Windle was looking forward to a wonderful afterlife, not this boring been-there-done-that routine. To get the fresh start he deserves, Windle and the rest of Ankh-Morpork's undead and underemployed set off to find DEATH and save the world for the living (and everybody else, of course).

Customer Reviews (105)

one of the best of the series
I admit it, I am a hopeless Disc World fan.That said, this is one of the more enjoyable books of the series and has made Death one of my favorite characters.It' *fleshes* him out quite well and Disc World fans will not be disappointed.

Man, Reaper Is Funny
I never really read funny fiction while growing up. Perhaps it was due to a generally introspective temperament. Maybe it was because those kinds of stories don't typically garner mainstream accolades. I even might owe it to teachers and librarians simply failing to put the right sort of book in my impressionable hands. Whatever the reason, the extent of my foray into humorous storytelling was pretty much limited to James and Deborah Howe's Bunnicula, which features a vampire rabbit that drains vegetables dry. Cute, but I soon moved on to Very Serious Books, the sort that may break your heart or raise your righteous ire, but won't ever make you laugh. Now having read Terry Pratchett's Reaper Man many years and volumes later, I'm beginning to think restricting myself to those highfalutin titles left a large gap in my literary education.

Death has a problem. The tripartite emptinesses called the Auditors of Reality have convinced the galaxy-swallowing entity named Azrael that Death doesn't know what he's doing. Why? Well, the problem's right in front of you -- that word "he." Death shouldn't be a "he," the Auditors argue. "He" implies personality, and personality only causes problems. It's time for a replacement. So much to his chagrin, Death learns that he's soon going to, well, die. An awkward situation, but Death decides to make the best of it. He certainly isn't going to spend his remaining time drudging away at his day job. No, he's going to live it to the full, which causes some problems for 130-year-old wizard Windle Poons. Poor Windle really ought to have shuffled off the proverbial mortal coil by now, but try as he might he can't seem to perish. It's up to him and a motley crew of undead to try and restore the natural order of things.

Though I hadn't encountered any of the massive Discworld series prior to Reaper Man, I knew Pratchett's oeuvre was almost uniformly funny. What I didn't know was how many sorts of humor he could squeeze into a single book. You might compare the approach to painting a room with dynamite. Pratchett wraps subtle ironies, outright absurdities, corny one-liners and cheesy puns around a hexogen core, then splatters every page with them. You run into crotchety mayflies, nostalgic pine trees, suicidal zombies, existentially challenged embodiments of destruction, gastronomically obsessed wizards, peddlers who sell what that don't (in the strictest sense) actually own -- and that's only in the first fifty pages. You have to read on to get to the amorous weremen, bashful bogeymen, carnivorous piles of compost, predatory shopping malls and orangutan librarians. Sure, the approach can feel a little scattershot at times, but that doesn't make it any less delightful. Who knew Death could be hilarious?

Not perfect, but nonetheless filled with many extraordinary moments
Most Terry Pratchett Discworld novels have a number of plots, and in this one I absolutely loved the A plot with Death getting fired and taking a job as a farm hand, I enjoyed the B plot featuring an elderly wizard who finds himself continuing to exist as a kind of zombie after Death's firing, and didn't care much for the C plot of magics going wrong due to the fragmentation of The Death into many smaller Deaths.

For most Discworld fans there are two recurring characters (apart from the members of the Watch) who provoke perpetually delight, and who luckily are in most of the books:the Librarian and Death.Although the Librarian has only a small role in REAPER MAN, from the title you can tell that it is mainly about Death himself.So, although some of the plotting isn't up to Pratchett's usual standards, the book is hugely entertaining simply from the presence of death.The book also has some of his best and most humorous prose, with some great zingers and some genuinely moving passages.How can you not love bits like Death being asked if he can dance, and his replies, "I am famous for it."

Unfortunately, the next novel in the series concerns the witches.I can't say that the witches are my favorites in the Discworld.The Wizards are usually pretty good, Death is always a winner, and the Watch is the best.But the great thing is that all of it is at least good.

Everything We've Come to Expect
This is another strong work showcasing the zany characters and situations from discworld. There are tons of things to be introduced to: new societies, new characters, new info on the nature of discworld, new Gods, new locals, new almost everything. In all honesty, it's a bit too much new. There are more things going on in this book than normal(and that's saying something for a Terry Pratchett novel), which makes it hard to keep up with multiple story arcs, esoteric descriptions of events, and all the new characters.

It was more loosely written; usually, everything at the end is tied up in a nice little package with all story elements coming together in a harmonious ending. This novel had way too many loose ends floating around to reach that level. This novel still reaches an amazing level of humor though with several sections being exquisite laugh-out-loud moments. I would still recommend it, even though it might not be the most tightly spun Pratchett novel I've read.

Readable, but somewhat disappointing
The Auditors of Reality are unhappy with the Death of the Discworld, who has shown signs of individuality and - shudder - a personality. They decide to fire Death and recruit a replacement. Death accepts this decision stoically, and decides to spend his last few days of existence sampling life, adopting the alias of handyman Bill Door and going to work on a remote farm.

Unfortunately, Death's absence causes some anomalies. Windle Poons, the oldest wizard on the Disc, is upset to discover that, despite dying, he can't move on to the next life. As a result, he has to spend the interim as a zombie but, thankfully, he finds some help from Ankh-Morpork's resident undead rights movement. At the same time, an unusual plague of odd novelty items is afflicting the city. The wizards of Unseen University investigate and discover that something rather unusual is taking shape outside the city walls...

Reaper Man is, in the sometimes complicated hierarchy of Discworld novels, the second book to feature Death in a major role (following on from Mort and running ahead of Soul Music) and the first to feature the Unseen University wizards in a major role (although, confusingly, many of them appeared in a supporting capacity in Moving Pictures and the Librarian has been around since The Light Fantastic). Some of the City Watch (from Guards! Guards!) also crop up.

This slightly complicated arrangement probably adds to the schizophrenia of the novel. In all of the Discworld books prior to this, the storylines usually converge at the end and the story is usually quite focused. Reaper Man instead sprawls, with Death/Bill Door's adventures and the subplot of the wizards/Windle Poons not really gelling together. There is a vague link between them, but otherwise the two stories don't really intertwine, resulting in a rather disconnected feeling to the book. This is added to by the wizards stuff being quite funny and the Death stuff being quite serious (the advent of the Death of Rats aside).

Pratchett is also pursuing another satirical target here, following on from films in Moving Pictures and police procedurals in Guards! Guards! Unfortunately, the target is rather weak - Pratchett apparently doesn't like shopping malls, hates muzak and isn't keen on combine harvesters - and there's a distinctly half-hearted feeling to proceedings here. The book never really seems to come together and fire up like the best books in the series, despite many individually good moments and some funny lines. Ultimately this appears to be a case of Pratchett trying to be serious and even moving but also trying to throw some chaotic comedy into the mix as well, and it doesn't work. It's notable that when Pratchett separates the two out - as he does in the double-whammy of the more serious Small Gods and the funny Lords and Ladies - he does very well, but the mix here does not work as effectively.

Reaper Man (***) is readable and interesting, but definitely one of the less successful books in the series. It is available now in the UK and USA. ... Read more

Product Description

Be careful what you wish for...

Once upon a time there was a fairy godmother named Desiderata who had a good heart, a wise head, and poor planning skills--which unforunately left the Princess Emberella in the care of her other (not quite so good and wise) godmother when DEATH came for Desiderata. So now it's up to Magrat Garlick, Granny Weatherwax, and Nanny Ogg to hop on broomsticks and make for far-distant Genua to ensure the servant girl doesn't marry the Prince.

But the road to Genua is bumpy, and along the way the trio of witches encounters the occasional vampire, werewolf, and falling house (well this is a fairy tale, after all). The trouble really begins once these reluctant foster-godmothers arrive in Genua and must outwit their power-hungry counterpart who'll stop at nothing to achieve a proper "happy ending"--even if it means destroying a kingdom.

Customer Reviews (65)

Sadly Dull.
I'm nearly positive that everyone has been in the horrible (awkward/nerve-wracking/uncomfortable) social situation where everyone but you is laughing uproariously at a joke that you just can't fathom why it would tickle anyone's funny bone.
This is exactly how this book made me feel; hard for me to say, being a Pratchett fan and generally finding his books satirical hilarity.
It took me three tries to finally read this entire book; reason being, it doesn't pick up until around page 165 - when faerie tales start coming true in typical Pratchett zany-ness. Even then, the dialogue is almost constant (rarely making sense) and leaving little room for plot. As a review in the front page of the book says, "You can never pick up all the jokes he makes in one reading". Sadly, this book left me never wanting to pick it up again. Alas, I'll never "pick up" on all those (possibly hilarious/possibly just as horrendous as I thought) jokes.

Pratchett does it again
Terry Pratchett has done it again. He's written a book that is funny while being touching, serious and satirical at the same time, and never, ever boring!! Witches Abroad is another culinary delight of literary sustinance that every fantasy fan should gobble up toot-sweet. Don't take my word for it though. Read it for yourself. You won't be disapointed.

Classic Pratchett
Nanny, Granny, and Magrat are off on an adventure.It revolves around classic fairy tales and a bit of Granny's past.As usual, Pratchett references other literary works, weaving them into his stories to provide that twisted humor that is his trademark.Great reading!

Absolutely hysterical
I'll be honest.I was not previously a huge fan of the witches in the Discworld books and was not looking forward to reading this.But since I'm currently engaged in reading or rereading all of the Discworld books, skipping this was not an option.Luckily I was absolutely delighted with this book and, in fact, found it to be as funny as any of the earlier novels in the series.As usual, Pratchett shows almost endless inventiveness in telling the story of a witch who is recruited to be a Fairy Godmother and the two older witches who were manipulated into helping her.And also as usual, Pratchett does a brilliant job of sending up a host of other stories, in this one CINDERELLA in particular but several others along the way.In fact, this one is in part about an evil witch, one who uses mirrors, who wants to use stories to conquer the world.Therefore almost all key moments in the story end up having resonances with other stories.

I liked this one so much that it is one of the novels in the series that I would recommend to newcomers to the Discworld.Unless, like I am now, you want to read all of the books in order, this is a splendid first taste of the best delights that the novels have to offer.It is a book that offers a string of truly funny and even hysterical moments and Pratchett's prose is as sharp as ever.And of course, some of his finest characters manage to put in token appearances, such as (of course) Death and the Librarian.Even Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibler manages to appear in one of his many guises as the author of a self-defense program.

Terry Pratchett is one of the great gifts of our age to the world.Earth is a funnier and therefore better place thanks to the Discworld.

A very solid Discworld novel
When a fairy godmother learns she is about to die, she realises she must pass her vital mission onto a wise and respected witch to complete. Unfortunately, the only witch on hand is Magrat Garlick. Suddenly given an onerous and responsible quest to undertake, Magrat is soon off on a journey to the distant city of Genua, accompanied by Granny Weatherwas, Nanny Ogg and the latter's psychotic feline companion Greebo.

As they calve a trail of mayhem across the continent, they learn that in Genua all the stories must have a happy ending. Whether the people involved want one or not...

Witches Abroad, the twelfth Discworld novel, is the second novel to focus on the Lancre witches (and the third to feature Granny Weatherwax). With Lancre recovering from the events of Wyrd Sisters, Pratchett decides to take the witches off on a jobbing holiday. This neatly divides the book into two halves: the first covers the witches' journey from Lancre to Genua via various castles, villages, dwarf mines and boats and run-ins with wolves and vampires, whilst the second covers events in Genua. The former is highly enjoyable, if rather episodic, whilst the latter is rather cleverer, featuring a Discworld spin on the legend of Baba Yaga and is basically Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella mashed up and set in New Orleans. This works a lot better than it may sound.

Pratchett's grasp of character, humour and pacing is as expertly-handled as ever. The characters of the three witches continue to expand and be explored in greater depth (Nanny Ogg in particular benefits from a deeper exploration of her character) and whilst Pratchett is on familiar ground here, exploring the idea of myth and stories, he still comes up with some great ideas. He even has a - somewhat uncharacteristic - 'twist' in the ending which is unexpected and works quite well.

On the negative side, there is a rather artificial plot device designed to raise tension where Granny Weatherwax refuses to tell the other witches what's going on, even though there is no real reason for her not to. An interlude in which Greebo becomes briefly human also appears to be there only because Pratchett thought it would by funny to see Greebo as a human (as indeed it is) rather than because there's a real reason for it in the plot.

Still, these are not major issues in what may be very much a typical Discworld novel, but still a good read. Also watch out for the debut of Casanunda, master swordsman and both the World's Greatest Liar and its Greatest Lover (stepladder-assisted).

Witches Abroad (****) is a solidly entertaining and decent entry to the Discworld series, although it isn't its most exciting instalment. ... Read more

Product Description
World war breaks out in Discworld play script Discworld goes to war, with armies of sardines, warriors, fishermen, squid and at least one very camp follower. As two armies march, Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch faces unpleasant foes who are out to get him...and that's just the people on his side. The enemy might be even worse. Jingo makes the World Cup look like a friendly five-a-side. Jingo was the twenty-first in Terry Pratchett's phenomenally successful Discworld series and the eighth title to be adapted by Stephen Briggs and published as a play script by Methuen,; Eighth great stage adaptation by Stephen Briggs of Terry Pratchett's best-selling novel; Pratchett has sold over 27 million books worldwide and has been translated into 27 languagesAmazon.com Review
Terry Pratchett is a phenomenon unto himself. Never read aDiscworld book? The closest comparison might be Monty Python and the HolyGrail, with its uniquely British sense of the absurd, andside-splitting, smart humor. Jingo is the 20th of Pratchett'sDiscworld novels, and the fourth to feature the City Guard ofAnkh-Morpork.As Jingo begins, an island suddenly risesbetween Ankh-Morpork and Al-Khali, capital of Klatch. Both citiesclaim it. Lord Vetinari, the Patrician, has failed to convince theRuling Council that force is a bad idea, despite reminding them thatthey have no army, and "I believe one of those is generally consideredvital to the successful prosecution of a war."Samuel Vimes,Commander of the City Watch, has to find out who shot the Klatchianenvoy, Prince Khufurah, and set fire to their embassy, before warbreaks out.

Pratchett's characters are both sympathetic and outrageously entertaining,from Captain Carrot, who always finds the best in people and puts it towork playing football, to Sergeant Colon and his sidekick, Corporal Nobbs, whohave "an ability to get out of their depth on a wet pavement." Then thereis the mysterious D'reg, 71-hour Ahmed.What is his part in all this, andwhy 71 hours? Anyone who doesn't mind laughing themselves silly at theidiocy of people in general and governments in particular will enjoyJingo. --Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (112)

Pratchett takes a look at war with just the results you would expect.
JINGO is Pratchett's insightful and humorous take on the nature of war. From the ridiculous causes of war to the insane prejudices it brings out in the populace, nothing is safe from Pratchett's perceptive and cynical pen. Using the black and white perspective of Vimes in conjunction with the behind the scenes machinations of Vetinari (In a sub with Colon and Nobby?) Pratchett examines war from different perspectives and is very successful at it. It even effectively echoes current world politics; the confusion and chaos over just what is being fought for. Discworld at its best takes a look at the big picture and often skewers it with a humor that is based on logic and intelligence; JINGO is no exception.

more pratchett for your buck
Ankh-Morpork goes to war, and somehow Samuel Vimes and the rest of the Night Watch find themselves at the forefront.Is the dashing Carrot there? check. Super-chick Angua? check. The wonderfully mad Leonard da Quirm? check. The Patrician? check.And he's even found a way to keep Nobby from nicking anyone's boots (it took a long journey and a bout with cross-dressing, but it worked).

This is the longest Discworld novel I've found, and at 448 pages, you'll enjoy yourself at every page.As with any Discworld novel, you don't have to start in any particular place to get caught up.Just dive in, and hang on!

Veni vermini voomui
"Jingo" in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series, was first published in 1997 and is the fourth to focus on Sam Vimes and Ankh-Morpork's City Guard.

Sam is the Commander of the City Guard, and - having married Lady Ramkin - a member of the nobility. It's fair to say he's not your typical hero : he doesn't like the Undead (particularly vampires), Assassins (they keep trying to kill him) and - in keeping with an old family tradition - Kings (not an ideal musketeer then). However, despite being terminally suspicious, he is also a very likeable and fair man. While in the past Sam has dealt with the `small' crimes, Jingo sees him moving in a new environment : war and - even more dangerously - politics. The book opens with a mysterious island called Leshp rising from beneath the sea, exactly halfway between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Both, naturally, claim it as their own...

Klatch is a huge, multi-ethnic empire, and rivals Ankh-Morpork commercially. Furthermore, it's far ahead of Ankh-Morpork in terms of technology and scientific knowledge. Yet, the average Morporkian - despite having an enormous appetite for Klatchian curry and kebabs - seems to look down on "Johnny Klatchian" as some sort of primitive coward. Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth : the D'regs, for example, are a terrifying desert tribe who trust no-one and will fight anyone on a matter of principle.

In an attempt to resolve the situation - Klatch's Prince Khufurah arrives in the city for discussions with Vetinari. Depressingly, anti-Klatchian tensions rise in Ankh-Morpork...which naturally makes things very difficult for those of Klatchian extraction living in the city. So, when someone tries to assassinate Khufurah - apparently a lone bowman - nobody seems too surprised. Naturally, this only cranks things up at a `diplomatic' level, and - with the heads of the city's Guilds raising private armies - Sam is really up against it...

Although numbers in the Watch continue to rise, Sam still relies most on those he knows best. His most capable officer is Captain Carrot - who was born human, although raised as a dwarf. Carrot is an incredibly innocent and honest character, though many believe him to be Ankh-Morpork's rightful King. (Sam has - to date - refrained from beheading him). Carrot's girlfriend, Angua, is also a member of the City Guard though - particularly useful, given that she's a werewolf. Sergeant Detritus, a troll, seems a natural and likeable cop...though, unfortunately, he becomes a little more stupid as the temperatures rise. Unfortunately, Sam has to do without his most experienced officers for much of the book - Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs (a confirmed slacker and probably human) are roped into a secret mission... although he has some help from two new recruits : Fred Shoe, a zombie, and Buggy Swires, a gnome.

Another very funny book from Pratchett, with a storyline 'underneath' that would have made cracking thriller. The anti-Klatchian attitude of the average ignorant, bigoted, ill-informed Morporkian was a little depressing at times...even more so, given how attitudes have hardened in the real world in recent years. An excellent book though, and highly recommended.

Excellent Political Pratchett
Not one of his _very_ best, but as a meditation on the first Gulf War and all subsequent ones, you could hardly find anything more digestible.Vimes and the Patrician are in their elements, and Pratchett's incredibly decent, non-glib humane sympathy for the Other is in good form.

Also it's fun.Leonard of Quirm is delightful.

All-encompasing enjoyment
What a fun read! This one had everything you'd expect from Pratchett: it's well written, quite funny (especially if you're already familiar with the series) and offers up some interesting insights into various things, especially xenophobic jingoism.I got a hoot out of the parody references to Oswald/JFK, too, so the book gets extra marks.

I will say that if you're looking for a brainless beach-reader, get some SPF20 because Jingo will probably cause you to get sunburned from actually paying attention to it: there are multiple interconnected sub-plots you have to follow. Plus, there's fare to actually *think* about.A couple previous reviewers felt that the anti-militaristic commentary in this was too heavy-handed for their taste, though I kind of suspect said reviewers were jingoists themselves who just didn't *agree* with Pratchett's view. I mention all this mostly as a caveat to potential readers: if you're turned off by such things, you might want to pass on this one.It'll be your loss, though.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description

In a world whose seasons are defined by Christmas sales and Spring Fashions, hundreds of tiny nomes live in the corners and crannies of a human-run department store. They have made their homes beneath the floorboards for generations and no longer remember -- or even believe in -- life beyond the Store walls.

Until the day a small band of nomes arrives at the Store from the Outside. Led by a young nome named Masklin, the Outsiders carry a mysterious black box (called the Thing), and they deliver devastating news: In twenty-one days, the Store will be destroyed.

Now all the nomes must learn to work together, and they must learn to think -- and to think BIG.

Part satire, part parable, and part adventure story par excellence, master storyteller Terry Pratchett’s engaging trilogy traces the nomes’ flight and search for safety, a search that leads them to discover their own astonishing origins and takes them beyond their wildest dreams.

Customer Reviews (29)

Terry Pratchett Classic
My friend in England strongly recommended I try to locate this trilogy. She was entirely correct!

love pratchett
I love pratchett. Just love him.His books are quite funny and a little bit smart arsy.

Bromeliad Explores Religion and Expanding Worldviews while Accessible for all Ages
There's little I can say about Terry Pratchett's fantastic work that hasn't already been said here or elsewhere on the web. I first read this book in high school, and I was surprised to find it even better coming back to it years later as an adult. One of my favorite characteristics of Terry's young adult writing is that he treats younger readers with the same respect as adults -- he does simplify the writing, but he never dumbs it down, and he never fails to address the big issues, as always, in his inimitable comic satire way. The Bromeliad Trilogy is especially noteworthy for the way the characters change and grow as they are constantly exposed to a bigger and bigger world, and I think the book is a great platform for talking about larger issues of religion, how beliefs are formed, and critical thinking about changing perspectives as we grow to learn more about the world around us. It's also a fun read with a lot of great comic lines. :)

Read the book, then bought it!
I borrowed this book from the local library, having only a vague idea who Terry Pratchett is. I couldn't put it down. It bounces along at a great pace, is incredibly funny (with lots of literary and historic references that most people would be familiar with, just to add to the humour).
So, having read it and enjoyed it so much, I decided to buy it to pass around family and friends.
The copy I received is in excellent condition, and it arrived well ahead of the expected delivery date.
A good, fun read!

Little people get into big trouble, and out again
Unknown to the humans, they share the Earth with another intelligent race, the nomes. The reason they don't know about the nomes is that they are four inches tall, and live at a pace ten times that of humans. This is the story of Masklin, and other heroic nomes who lead their people out of the dangerous world of humans, in search of their home. In the course of this story the overcome great obstacles, all with wit and humor.

This book is actually a collection of three book: Truckers, Diggers and Wings. The stories showcase Terry Pratchett's wit and humor, his ability to examine the human experience from a very different viewpoint. The action is gripping, and the humor outrageous. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

It's just a game . . . isn't it?

Customer Reviews (24)

Disappointing
In the beginning, there was an Idea: 21 first century war is very similar to a video game.

And on this, he has built a book. However, this is not sufficient for a book.

However, this is Terry. Likeable book. And the story contains at least one interesting character - the side-kick.

It's not just for kids
I've always liked Pratchett's Disc World stories and bought this solely out of curiosity. It has the Pratchett humor all through the book. The story is understated and has a somewhat Douglas Adams flavor to it also. We see the world through a 12 year old's eyes, and those eyes are somewhat jaded due to circumstances that he is involved with and are totally out of his control.
A lot of YA novels are wholly suited for adult readership and this is definitely one

Another Great Pratchett Book
This is the best of his Johnny Maxwell Triology definitely. (Others being Johnny and the Bomb, and Johnny and the Dead) It is very imaginative and great fun to read. Another great Terry Pratchett book.

Quite a Departure
There's no familiar Discworld in this Terry Pratchett book, but the thought-provoking way of looking at the world still remains in Only You Can Save Mankind, book one of the Johnny Maxwell Trilogy. Surprisingly enough, this book, geared towards young adults, proves to be one of Pratchett's most political and moralistic work yet. There is discussion about divorce, socio-economic conditions, race, class, and finally war. War seems the main focus, with the message of the book being quite anti-war, even in video games. Based around the Gulf War (the first one), there' s a strong message aimed at kids to remember that war isn't a game, despite all the new technology and media that makes it seem like one.

Regardless of the books morals and messages, it still retains Terry Pratchett's humor. While not one of his funniest, it still manages to keep his messages wrapped in pleasant packaging. Overall, this is a surprisingly different book, but a very nice display of Pratchett's writing range.

Space Aliens Unite!
The Johnny Maxwell books are not Terry Pratchett's usual Discworld books. They are set in a very ordinary run down town in England, centering around Johnny Maxwell and his three friends.

In this book, the first of the trilogy, Johnny, whose parents are going through Trying Times, is playing his favorite video game when the aliens suddenly surrender to him instead of fighting back. He and his friends suspect a computer virus but things get even stranger when Johnny finds himself in incredibly lifelike dreams piloting a star fighter, leading the alien fleet home where they will be safe from mankind, and communicating with a girl who also is dreaming of the alien fleet. Pratchett adds those extra touches that regular readers love such as when they go by the ruined hulks of Space Invader ships tumbling in space and the aliens then use them as examples to show each other what happens when you take a stand against the humans. His special genius, to my way of thinking, comes in how he treats the conversations and thinking of the kids, along with those little unexpected twists. There is no one for Pratchett at reminding us what it is like to be young like Johnny and his friends, as well as commenting on the human condition and our mindless attitudes at the same time. As we can see in this excerpt:
----------------------
It was a very small ScreeWee. Most of its scales were grey. Its crest was nearly worn away. Its tail just dragged behind it. When it opened its mouth, there were three teeth left and they were huddling together at the back.

It blinked owlishly at them over the top of the trolley it had been pushing. Apart from everything else, Kirsty had been aiming the gun well above its head.

There was one of those awkward silences.

"Around this time," said the Captain behind them, "the crew on the bridge have a snack brought to them."

Johnny leaned forward, nodded at the little old alien, and lifted the lid of the tray that was on the trolley. There were a few bowls of something green and bubbling. He gently lowered the lid again.

"I think you were going to shoot the tea lady," he said.

"How was I to know?" Kirsty demanded, "It could have been anything! This is an alien spaceship! You're not supposed to get tea ladies!"

The Captain said something in ScreeWee to the old alien, who shuffled around slowly and went off back down the corridor. One wheel of the trolley kept squeaking.

Kirsty was furious.

"This isn't going right!" she hissed.

"Come on," said Johnny, "Let's go to the bridge and get it over with."

"I didn't know it was a tea lady!" That's your dreaming!"

"Yes, all right."

"She had no right to be there!"

"I suppose even aliens get a bit thirsty in the afternoons."

"That's not what I meant! They're supposed to be alien! That means slavering and claws! It doesn't mean sending out for ... for a coffee and a jam doughnut!"
... Read more