Product Description
A useful and improving Almanack of Information, including Astonishing Recipes from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Great cookbook
This cookbook comes full of recipes and Terry Pratchett's charm. The recipes are easy to follow and create great food. The stories and sidebars are great too. Anyone needing to have a little fun in the kitchen should order this book. Anyone who has read any Terry Pratchett should order this cookbook! Great gift!

pratchett rocks
I love terry pratchett and I love nanny ogg and I love the cookbook.The recipes are great...well most of them.Plus its just so darn funny.

manners and recipes from one of the best, nanny ogg
the recipes are good and if your going to a sci-fi con could be necessary...the manners...too lovely for coherent description. a good read and alot of fun.

How can you NOT Love Nanny?
this was actually a gift from my elder sister (to stop me stealing hers....XD)I adore Terry Pratchett's writing and Paul Kidby's artwork. If I'm not laughing from Nanny talking about not-so-subtle sexual inuedos, I'm snickering at Nanny and her pipe glaring suspiciously at a No Smoking Sign. Greebo, of course, makes his adorably cuddly huge presense made -- the drawing of him padding happily on Nanny is sooo adorable. Even a grey ratty terrorist loves his Mummy.
I thourghly(sp)recommend every Pratchett fan to own or at least read Nanny's Cookbook.

Fun addition to the franchise
There have been quite a few spin-off books from Pratchett's Discworld series in the years that he's been doing them.Various maps, the Science of Discworld books, plays, films and now this.And I think we can all agree that spin-offs are never quite as good as the original.

Oh sure, there are laughs to be had - it is Nanny Ogg, after all.If you don't know who she is, then you need to go through a few of the books in the Witches track of the Discworld series.If you don't have time for that, then let me sum it up for you.

In the mountaintop village of Lancre, people still do things in the old ways.They have no real need for modern contrivances or newfangled ideas or, well, change.So in that way, they still see the need for witches where the rest of the world has decided that they're really nothing but interfering old biddies.Of course, they would never say so to their faces....

Lancre is the home to three witches.At least, there used to be three.One of them decided to trade it in to be a queen, leaving the elder witches to look after Lancre on their own.Granny Weatherwax is the elder of the two witches, and she is everything you expect in a witch.She's hard as nails, brooks no nonsense, and is the scariest thing in the mountains.She lives alone in her isolated shack, and takes great pride in people knowing that she was one of those people who didn't care what people thought.

At her side is the more amiable, but no less powerful, Nanny Ogg.She's usually described as having a face like an apple left in the sun for too long.Unlike Granny, she's a matriarch, the head of a vast family of Oggs, and lives among the people.She has an infectious laugh, chats on and on, and is always ready to try new things.

So, of the two, Nanny Ogg is the one who would naturally want to write a book.

It's a cookbook, certainly, and contains a great many recipes.I may try some of them sometime, actually, as they are real recipes.The fictitious publishers take great pains to remind us that many of the original ingredients are either inedible or offensive, so while the dishes contained therein many not be authentic, they at least will probably not cause you any discomfort.The recipe I am most eager to try out is Mrs. Whitlow's Artery-Hardening Hogswatch Pie, although the Patrician's recipe for bread and water is tempting, as is Leonard of Quirm's method of making a cheese sandwich.

There is a back half of the book as well, dealing mostly in the realm of etiquette and proper behavior.It's very amusing, and covers every situation from weddings to birth to death to visitations by semi-sentient scarecrows.What you really take away from it is that you should certainly be polite to everyone, and you should be especially polite to any witches you might come across.If you know what's good for you, anyway.

I will be the first to admit that I'm a huge fan of Pratchett and his Discworld, but there are bigger fans than myself, and it is really for those people that this book was written.For some readers, the original books will never be enough, and they will clamor for any additional content to make the world they love more real.Thus things like the Harry Potter spin-off books, the Dark Tower companion books, and the various additional Discworld texts.If the original books were deficient in some way, if they added extra depth and substance to the characters, then I would collect them all.

But this book doesn't really add anything to the Discworld because that world is already vivid and deep, a living world that the novels have brought to life over the last 25 years.I don't need a recipe book to tell me more about Nanny Ogg, and this recipe book doesn't tell me anything about Nanny Ogg - or any other Discworld characters - that I didn't already know.

This book is an entertaining gimmick, and I hope that the rabid fans who love this kind of thing have found it to be the kind of thing that they like, to paraphrase Lincoln.But it doesn't inspire me to buy any more non-novel Discworld books.But that's just me. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bearding the Lion
It takes a special kind of courage to write literary criticism on the works of Terry Pratchett. After all, this is the writer who in "Guards, Guards!" described Critters who devour good writing and excrete thin volumes of literary criticism. Even the dullest critic can see the special perils of attempting literary criticism of a brilliant satirist and parodist.

But Pratchett is an author who needs serious study. With something over forty books written now, some three-quarters of them set on the Discworld, and perennial high placement on the London Times best seller lists, this is an author who has had amazing success. Those of us who have read Pratchett's work know him to be an outstanding writer. He merits serious scholarship. Even at the risk of being a target of serious irony.

This series of essays is a first attempt at that difficult task. The level of analysis and understanding is uneven, but all the pieces are thoughtful and thought-provoking. I especially recommend Farah Mendelsohn's essay, "Faith and Ethics," which takes on the most challenging aspects of Pratchett's themes with skill and insight. Only a few of the essays fall into the intellectual trap of forcing Pratchett into some pre-conceived philosophical framework. Many of the essayists recognize that Pratchett is very nearly unique in his world view, and don't attempt to lash him to something he doesn't fit, chopping off the inconvenient bits. And all of the essays avoid the most obvious trap in analyzing Pratchett: stringing together your favorite scenes from your favorite books. There are quotes and references, but they are used for a purpose.

You don't have to read these essays to enjoy, appreciate or understand Pratchett. But good literary criticism can increase that enjoyment, appreciation and understanding. By that standard, the essays here are good, if uneven. Recommended to those who have read Pratchett and appreciate fresh insights; probably not a good starting point to those unfamiliar with his books.

Escaping reality or expanding imagination?
There are risks inherent in literary criticism.Is it justifiable to analyse a writer's work?Is there danger of "reading in" to what the author actually says?Can you derive an author's thoughts through assessment of the text[s]?What service does criticism provide the reader?Literary criticism has been compared to someone chewing on writing and leaving the residue in a nearby paddock - watch your step.That charge isn't valid in this collection on one of our most unique writers.Certainly, our most unique "fantasy" writer.It is the fantasy base that has allowed some critics to place Pratchett's work outside "mainstream" literature.This set of essays sets that displacement to rest as invalid.

Terry Pratchett has produced three dozen books on his Discworld theme, complemented by the Bromeliad and Johnny Maxwell series plus some "children's books".Anyone writing such a corpus without repeating himself has some special qualities.The authors of these essays examine those qualities and find them among the best of fantasy writing.Whether the theme is Comedy, Tragedy, Heroes and "Leaders" or the conditions of everyday urban life, the writers show how Pratchett eases reality into view.Everything he writes contains material valuable in understanding ourselves.Even his humour, say these authors, imparts views of reality we may both laugh at and reflect on.How many writers share that skill?

Some critics claim to know how an author thinks.Edward James' essay, in this anthology of fourteen, has the closest valid connection to Pratchett's thoughts.They exchanged letters when they attended different schools together.Many of Pratchett's early ideas were formulated in his teen years.Exploring some of those ideas resulted in "The Carpet People", a book Pratchett wrote twice."The Carpet People", his first venture into fantasy, was almost "formula" in it's character depiction.As several of these essays explain, Pratchett moved away from absolutes, creating unheroic heroes and compassionate evildoers.However Pratchett thinks, these writers assert, it's not in simple terms.His Discworld characters are far more complex than those of the "genre" fantasy.The comparison with Tolkien is inevitable, and several authors point out the distinctions between the two authors.

The writings here address Pratchett's characterisations - human, animal, anthropomorphic personifications and even a building complex.The list manifests the scope of Pratchett's grasp.Every reader will find a favourite, from Vimes to Vetinari.Although judging these contributions is difficult, perhaps Farah Mendelsohn's provides the most insight.She certainly tackles the most serious and difficult subjects.If nothing else, her comments justify the view that Pratchett is as much philosopher as fantasy author.Titled "Faith and Ethics", she describes how religion is dealt with in Discworld books.From "faith", she notes how ethics may rely on teachings - parental, academic or religious - but remains a question of how an individual deals with ethical challenges.Pratchett, eschewing absolutes as he does, produces scenarios in his tales that leave his readers clear that we must all make our own choices.There is no "escape from reality" here, she argues.We identify "self" not through others, but as we choose to see ourselves.As a "mirror of worlds" the Discworld confronts us with how to make that identification - and, "the Truth Shall Make You Fret".

For the Pratchett reader, this is an indispensable book.For the newcomer to the Discworld or his other works, this will be a resource to appreciating his wide readership.Young and old alike take to Pratchett for his unique approach to fantasy, to his characters and to the insights he stimulates us to consider.It says much that since the first edition of this book, its content has been enlarged.So long as Pratchett continues to write, there will be reasons to reflect on his ideas.There will be another edition of this book.Read Pratchett while you're waiting.[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
Originally published in 2000 by the Science Fiction Foundation in the UK this new edition features 3 new essays on Terry Pratchett.All of the earlier essayists were given the opportunity to revise and correct their earlier essays - after all Pratchett has had a few books published since 2000!

The book was nominated for a Hugo and Locus Award and this new edition will be eligible for the Hugo again!

This edition is completely reset and redesigned.

Great reading for the Pratchett fan who has everything.

There's also a limited run hardcover but it is available only directly from the publisher.Remember: Google is your friend!



... Read more

Product Description

Something is amiss at Unseen Unversity, Ankh-Morpork's most prestigious (i.e., only) institution of higher learning. A professor is missing--but a search party is on the way! A bevy of senior wizards will follow the trail wherever it leads--even to the other side of Discworld, where the Last Continent, Fourecks, is under construction. Imagine a magical land where rain is but a myth and the ordinary is strange and the past and present run side by side. experience the terror as you encounter a Mad Dwarf, the Peach Butt, and the dreaded Meat Pie Floater.

Feel the passion as the denizens of the Last Continent learn what happens when rain falls and the rivers fill with water (it spoils regattas, for one thing). Thrill to the promise of next year's regatta, in remote, rustic Didjabringabeeralong. It'll be asolutely gujeroo (no worries).

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 (133)

great 2nd edition!
At first i was a bit hesitant in going into the 2nd edition, but now I just may not be able to stop readin Terry's books.

Another great Discworld book!
This is the second book in Terry Pratchett's series on the Discworld--a flat world, supported on the back of four massive elephants riding on the back of a planet-sized turtle; anything hilarious can happen here, and eventually does. Rincewind, failed wizard and reluctant bearer of one of the eight great spells of the Octavo, finds himself the center of attention at the end of the world. With a party of misfits converging on him, he must keep himself and Twoflower (the Disc's first tourist) alive--and save the world, if he finds the time.

It was on great books like this that Mr. Pratchett built his reputation! Terry's strength is the ability to run several stories simultaneously without losing the reader. Couple that with a hilarious storyline, and you've got a winner. This is a great book, one that I recommend to everyone!

Discworld starts to come into its own.

The first book in the series suffered from "the first book syndrome" too much information, not enough plot and character development. In book two, Pratchett really starts to find his voice. Things start to really get set into motion as Discworld faces true jeopardy and only Rincewind? can save the day. The giant turtle that transports the disc through space is on a collision course with a star and Rincewind's mind possesses the spell to put things right, or the spell possesses him...Pratchett likes to keep you fromthinking you have all the answers until the end. Now mix into this, smart trolls, a wizardly coup, and one of the greatest barbarian hero pastiches ever (Cohen the Barbarian!) and you'll find the series on a solid foundation for future additions. This is probably the only time I've enjoyed Rincewind as the lead character in the series; here Pratchett finds just the right blend of cowardice, humor, anger and pathos to make the Disc's most inept wizard worthy of center stage. The real highlight for me was Cohen, an aged barbarian hero, who through experience and guile is just as deadly as ever. This take on one of fantasy's most enduring figures is truly funny while remaining true to the epic spirit of this archetype. In this second book in the long running series, Pratchett really finds the tone and balance needed to make Discworld the success it has become.

A good start, but not one of the best Discworld books.
Compared to his later books, I'd say The Light Fantastic and the Color of Magic fall a bit flat on the humor scale, and the philosophical thoughtfulness.

Sure, there's the part with the trolls, which is both amusing and a bit thought provoking, but the rest of it isn't as good as his later books. It's still a good starting point, and I agree with the other reviews that say you need to read both of the first two to really understand either. However, if you're trying to find books to get someone interested in reading Discworld in the first place, I wouldn't recommend this one as a first book. There's others that could be better, and don't necessarily remove the plot by reading them out of order.

The Light Fantastic does have Cohen make his first appearance, and if you're a fan of him, it's worth getting for that.

Building on the Side-Splitting Fun of the First
This sequel, to the first novel in the discworld series named "The Color of Magic," triumphantly builds on it's predecessor to create a more coherent, fun, and spastic book than the first. The reason for this is Pratchett makes it easy to build relationships with the characters. Both of these books are fairly short, but by the end of the first one, the characters have begun to be fleshed out that Pratchett can focus more on just humor and no characterization; one-liners and situations became more funny

Concerning just this book, following the bouncing ball of the multiple plot lines and how they bounce right into the same basket at the end is probably the most enjoyable experience. Not to mention, Pratchett's book are a mish-mash of satire, fantasy, and commentary. There is plenty for anyone to enjoy here, from the shallow puns and situational humor to the more deep philosophical commentary and intricate story-telling.



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Product Description

The world will end on Saturday. Next Saturday. Just before dinner, according to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies written in 1655. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing and everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except that a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist.

Customer Reviews (582)

The alternative Apolcalypse ...
Really this book is way beyond five stars. It sends up the Apocalypse, The Omen and even provides an alternative explanation of the expulsion from the Garden of Eden. With a demon named A J Crowley and an Angel who keeps an Antique and Rare Book Shop all you need is an 11 year old Anti-Christ who, due to a bungle by the Chattering Order of Sisters at his birth is raised in an ordinary family without the Satanic influence Hell kept sending the wrong child, a Hellhound that looks like your average "Pavement Special" and develops a taste for mortality, chasing frisbees and rabbits and ... Let's just say several 'ineffable' plans get derailed as a result.

Let's not forget an updated set of Horsemen from the Apolcalypse and their alter-egos the "Other" Four Bikers ... Or the meeting in the Motorway Cafe "Which Chapter are you?" Answer: "Revelations 6..."

As someone else has said, don't read this in bed - unless you live alone. Don't even consider reading it on a train during your commute...

Pratchett and Gaiman have pulled off one of the master strokes in this genre and created something that crosses genres and creates one all its own. When I have recovered from the aching ribs I will read it again, and probably again and again when I need the laugh. I heartily commend it for its irreverence to all manner of beliefs and even the sciences. Imagine a nuclear power station pouring out electricity - without anything at all inside its reactors ...

Er, yes. No more spoilers...

Ironic and funny, but a bit scattered and campy at parts
I am a huge Gaiman fan and somehow I had never read this book.I was eager to read it since I used to read Pratchett's Discworld series and enjoyed the humor in that too.Overall this was a good book and fairly humorous.I thought the humor went a bit over the top at points; but overall still liked it.Think of this book as kind of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Apocalypse; it is written in that type of style with lots of footnotes.

When Crowley, original Crawley the serpent from Eden, gets the Antichrist he makes a mistake.The babies are switched out and Crowley and his arch-enemy Azrael spent a good portion of their lives trying to influence the wrong child.All you have to do then is get the Four Horsemen involved, a young woman who is a descendent of Agnes Nutter (the most accurate phophetess history has ever known, and a young man who is a witch hunter in the story and things begin to get out of hand.The real Antichrist, aptly named Adam, is making a bullocks of things using his unholy power to save whales and make nuclear power safer.General chaos ensues, legions of angels and demons prepare for war, and the world as we know it may or may not end.

This was a pretty good book.Given it's cult status I was expected it to be hilarious and to be blown out of the water by it.I really wasn't.The book switches viewpoint a lot, making it a bit hard to keep everything straight in the beginning.There are a ton of footnotes throughout (which I am not a huge fan off because they interrupt the story), and while some of them were funny, some of them were just plain silly and rambled on a bit too much.

The story takes a while to get going and I struggled to stay interested initially; but as events build to the final Apocalyse the pace picks up and the book is much more engaging. The characters are interesting but never really personable because you don't get to spend much time with them.I am thinking this book may be a bit dated and was more unique and original when it was written.To be honest this book reminds me a lot of the movie Dogma and in writing style, of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, books.

In general I have mixed feelings about this book.There are some funny parts and some excellent irony, some very creative ideas and characters.The story takes a bit to get going through and constantly switches viewpoint so it was hard to really engage with any of the characters.The humor got a bit campy at parts and some of the footnotes rambled on way too much.I thought it was missing the wonderful classic story structure and tone that most of Gaiman's books have.

Overall I am glad that I read it but it was not my favorite Gaiman or Pratchett book.It was a bit too campy for me and a bit too scattered.There are some funny parts though and the story itself is very ironic.If you like Christopher Moore or Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxay, or religion spoofs (like the movie Dogma) you will probably enjoy this book.

very funny
This is some really funny stuff. LOL as the saying goes.
4 stars because:
1 - It is dated. A recurring plot is the transformation of tapes left in a certain car. Young readers will be puzzled- what exactly is a tape deck and why would it be in a car?
2 - It is VERY obviously a takeoff on Douglas Adams. Nothing wrong with that per se, but anyone who has read Hitchhiker' Guide will realize this was two authors having fun with this writing style.

great tongue in cheek fun
This book is great tongue in cheek fun.I like wit, especially scathing wit.

Wickedly Fun
This is the first Neil Gaiman book I've ever read and I can safely say it is not the last.This man is deliciously witty and this story is pure fun from start to finish.The overall premise is that Armageddon has finally descended on the planet and is scheduled to erupt from a little village in rural England.From the birth of the antichrist, however, things go terribly awry and what is intended to be a modern day administration of the book of Revelation instead turns into a gong show.Angels, demons, witches, witch hunters, and riders of the apocalypse collide in a delirious tornado of social satire and I was absolutely laughing out loud at many a point throughout the story.Highly recommended! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

light reading
This was a fun and interesting way to see the beginnings of Terry Pratchetts literary career.

Down among the warp and woof
The story behind this story is nearly the best story of all:"This book had two authors, one aged seventeen, one aged forty-three.Both of them were Terry Pratchett."Having penned this tale and had it lapse into obscurity, Pratchett is impelled by his editors to revive it years later.Rightly so.For the dedicated PTerry fan, this example of his early writing is an illuminating read.Many views expressed in the Discworld books are readily perceived here.For someone new to Pratchett, it's a great introduction to the scope of his ideas and his writing skills.For any reader, it's simply a delight to enjoy.

The story is a fine example of Pratchett's ability to view the world from a fresh perspective.If there's a fantasy novel lacking a dark forest and mysterious creatures, i've missed it.Pratchett, never a formula writer, simply shrinks the scope.His forested world is a thickly napped rug.Instead of pines or oaks, it's nylon and wool "hairs".The creatures are there, the snargs, the hymetors and others - including silverfish, who live under the world.There are also people - the Munrungs, the Deftmenes and - the Dumii.They interact, sometimes violently.Deep down in the pile, these people and their communities are invisible to humans.Something, however, sends terror through the forest peoples - Fray.This immensely destructive force topples cities and obliterates villages.

Pratchett builds a story of the conflict of respected traditions countered by innovation and invention.There is an Empire, to which taxes are due.That means clerks, organisation, regulations.While the Munrungs have always met the demands for revenue, others have opposed the imposition, hence, the Empire.Could two such peoples find a common cause?It seems unlikely, but the best way to unite two dissimilar tribes is having a common enemy.

Except for the conflict of good and evil, this story avoids formula approaches to fantasy.There are many characters, all of them reflected by people around us.Snibril, a Munrung, stands out but a little from the rest.One of his attributes is that he suffers sinus trouble.This isn't normally a heroic virtue, but it proves valuable here.There's also a philosopher.Everybody thinks to some extent.Philosophers are typified by telling about it in an interesting way.This description, of course, fits Pratchett admirably. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

If nothing else, read the Introduction
The introduction to this book is the best part.I burst out laughing right in the bookstore.

The Carpet People is Pratchett's first published work but has been extensively rewritten since then.As he puts it, this is now "a collaboration" between the younger author and the older.

I love Pratchett's Discworld series and the only reason I can't give this book more stars is because his other work sets the bar so high.I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A look at Pratchett's Early Work
Many readers are familiar with Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and its delicious range of unforgettable characters, satirical creations and dialogue and thought-provoking themes. Less known are his earlier works, including The Carpet People, which Pratchett first wrote as a teenager and had published, then went back to years later and rewrote the book to reflect his change in viewpoint.

The Carpet People feels more like a children's, or young adult story, although if it can be found, it will often be placed with Pratchett's Discworld titles in the fantasy section. The story is a delightful bit of imagination, entire societies coexisting within the world of the Carpet. These tiny creatures go about adventure on the epic scale, with Pratchett's typical ironic observations and humorous interpretations. Our hero, Snibril has to set out on a quest to save a kingdom from enemies and to stop the destruction of a force known only as The Fray.

This is not one of Pratchett's most seamless works by a long shot. I don't think he intended it to be.A lot of the themes and world-building elements he puts into practice for this work are later fulfilled with much more skill and elegance in his Discworld novels and Bromeliad trilogy.For any Pratchett fan, this book is a delight simply from its standpoint in the evolution of Pratchett's writing.

I gave this book four stars because I do not feel it is Pratchett's best work. It shouldn't be, this story was one of his earliest.This is a wonderful way to introduce younger readers to Pratchett, along with his Bromeliad trilogy.If you are discovering Terry Pratchett with this book, be aware that his writing only gets better from here! ^_^

Great;
For kiddies and adults alike (just read the entire series). In a grand adventure the carpet people must be saved.It's in Pratchett's usual cheerfull, commical and enthralling style of writing.

Enjoy ;) ... Read more

Product Description
This is a book about reading a book,which turns into a different book.But it all ends happily! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Sick Humor? for Adults Only
I'm dashing this off as a public service to children and their parents. The cover is misleading. I picked this up in a used bookstore because my grandchildren love farm animal books. But many of the very realistic illustrations within(of sick, diseased, mishapen, dangerous, deformed, filthy, perverted, menacing, hideous modern street people) are the stuff of night terrors and definitely not what a loving parent puts in the hands of children. Ok, teens and adults, if this stuff is your idea of btilliant "humor," enjoy. But, parents, beware.

what mr. vimes reads to his son..
this is a lovely , silly, romp of a book. everyone should read this..even if you don't know disc world , you will recognize various characters easily.

My kids' favourite book
Both my sons have loved this book being read to them from a very young age. From the dream vista on the inside cover that seems to fascinate them, to the silly animal questions and then the "is that my daddy?" end. Strongly recommended.

A great parody
I teach Children's Literature on the college level, and I've recently become a Pratchett fan. I'm not sure if very small children would like this book, but I read it to myself, out loud, twice.Giggling madly.

Yes, it's a Discworld book, and it probably helps to have read those.But it's really a parody of children's picture books.Anyone who has had to read *Goodnight Moon* or *Are You My Mommy* over and over and over every single night would probably find this funny; anyone who has read a child's picture book and thought "hey, YEAH, why are all these books about sheep?Little Ralph here has never, ever seen a sheep, and isn't going to."

A word on the illustrations:I enjoyed these.Melvin Grant uses a somewhat realistic technique for the "real" characters--Sam Vimes, the beggars, the trolls, Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler.It's more realistic than Paul Kidby's fantasy-style illustration, but it works in contrast to the "baby book" illustrations of *Where's My Cow*, the book within the book, which uses simple outlines and a color palette reminiscent of *Pat the Bunny.*

I'm going to bring this in to my Children's Lit class next quarter.

Great for Fans
If you are a Terry Pratchett fan, you'll enjoy this book. My daughter who is 3, wasn't that crazy about it, but I really liked it. Some of the characters like Coffin Henry are kind of gross looking, which might have been a turn-off for a girl who prefers fuzzy bunnies. I enjoyed it a lot. ... Read more

Product Description

Postmaster general Moist von Lipwig, former arch-swindler and confidence man, has exceeded all expectations in running the Ankh-Morpork Post Office. So it's somewhat disconcerting when Lord Vetinari summons Moist to the palace and asks, "Tell me, Mr. Lipwig, would you like to make some real money?"

Customer Reviews (1)

Terry at his best!From going Postal- Moist Von Lipsvig returns to "save the City!Or to
The hero(?) from Going Postal gets a new challenge.MAKE money-Vetinari looses this great character on the world of banking.Very similar tale to our recent crash.Can a con man save Ankh-Morpork?With dainty Golems, crazy Artists, crasier bean counters and an Igor for color, Terry's swath of brilliance grows wider!The performer/reader is approaching Jim Dale in talent and enthusiasm.WARNING- if you do not like Puns- avoid this book/tape, (and get a life) ... Read more

Product Description
In the squalid, crime infested city of Ankh-Morpork - bifurcated seaport capital and oldest city of Discworld - one lives either by the sword or in the shadows... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An Excellant Collection from an Excellant Author
This collection of early Pratchett novels contains some of the funniest stuff in the series.Here's a rundown of the books; The Color of Magic, not much in terms of story, but entertaining enough to make up for it.The Light Fantastic, as entertaining as the first book but with a much better storyline.Sourcery, one of the best books of the Discworld series.Eric, the weakest volume of the collection, but still entertaining.All in all a very good collection, and one I highly recommend.

A fun omnibus
This book contains four early Pratchett Discworld novels:The Color of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery, and Eric.All four volumes follow the adventures of the less-than-competent wizard, Rincewind.Pratchett's satire in these volumes is mostly directed at the sword-and-sorcery genre.Frankly, a little bit of that is fun, but four books is a bit much.The stories aren't particularly different from one another, either. I much prefer Pratchett's later works, particularly The Truth and Guards!Guards! which satirize modern society more than they do a rather arcane literary genre. ... Read more

Product Description
To the thousands of tiny nomes who live under the floorboards of a large department store, there is no Outside. Then they hear that the Store - their whole world - is to be demolished. And it's up to one nome, Masklin, to mastermind an unbelievable escape plan that will take all the nomes into the dangers of the great Outside. The first title in a magnificent trilogy about the nomes, a race of little people struggling to survive in a world of humans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

A must-read, action-packed and hilarious fairy-tale
Now it has taken long enough. Masklin, a four-inch-tall nome, has enough of dragging big rats and other garbage to his home. Not that he doesn't like doing these chores. It's just that he's the only one left performing them. Apart from Grimma, a young female nome, and a few older folks all others have died or disappeared. It's time to go on a quest for other tribes. But the big question is: how will they travel. Luckily they are living close by a truckers rest stop, so hitchhiking should not be a big problem. Then Masklin discovers that there are other worlds out there...

Terry Pratchett, mostly known for his Discworld series, does not always write stories about flat worlds. Sometimes he diverts and creates some little treasures of humorous fairytales without linking them to his bestselling series. The Bromeliad Trilogy is one of those excellent, but lesser known stories. It all starts with Truckers, the first book of the trilogy. Again Pratchett shows how fluently he creates fantastic characters that will be remembered and sets scenes for some wonderful adventures. Although not as full of jokes as is typical for the Discworld series, the dosage of humor versus action is much more balanced. For me is was actually the first time that I needed to continue reading, not because of the jokes, but because of the action-packed narrative. I can't wait to start reading Diggers, the second book of this trilogy.

fantastic. must read. a classic.
Truly a classic -- a must read for anyone studying young adult/ children's literature as well as parents who'll love the deeper philosophical edge ... and, of course, kids themselves. Have at it.
(Dig into the whole series ...)Pratchett is one of the greats.

-- Julianna Baggott (aka N.E. Bode) --
www.juliannabaggott.com
www.theanybodies.com

Pratchett at his best
This is the first book in Terry Pratchett's Bromeliad Trilogy, and it gets the series started well. It is about a group of nomes who live in a department store--but they have lived there so long that they have forgotten there is a world outside. The only problem is that the store will be demolished in 21 days. It's up to a group of just 8 outside nomes to convince thousands of stubborn people to leave a place they think is the entire universe, then hijack a truck and leave. This book has a perfect blend of humor, mystery, and plot, but the in my opinion the greatest element is the characters. The seemingly emotionless yet somehow smug spaceship computer known only as the Thing provides a touch of science in a world whose inhabitants don't even know what the word "thousand" means. Dorcas del Icatessen, the mad scientist of the nomes, who has complete control over the store elevator system. Angalo de Haberdasheri, who is fanatic about the possibility of life outside the store and has a pet rat named Bobo, and finally Grannie Morkie, the annoyingly apocalyptic nome elder. The final scene, in which hundreds of nomes wielding levers, pullies, and wires manages to hijack a truck and drive it on a chaotic romp through the city, might be one of the cleverest and funniest scenes in the history of fiction. One of the greatest quotes: "Give me a big enough lever, and a firm enough place to stand, and I could move the Store." The next two books in the trilogy are even greater, and do a good job of developing the already marvelous characters.

Very nice and noncondescending writing for younger readers
Pratchett is best known for his off-the-world Discworld yarns, but he also has produced a number of highly engaging, wryly funny, and thoroughly humane novels for younger readers. This one, the first of the "Bromeliad" trilogy, introduces the "nomes," four-inch-high people (well, humanoids) who live on highway medians and under the floors of buildings. They live fast (ten years is a very advanced age for a nome) and humans strike them as slow and stupid. Masklin, in escaping danger in the back of a truck with the last remnants of his tribe, finds himself in the Store -- "Arnold Bros. (est. 1905)" -- where there are thousands of nomes. These are divided into contending tribes by store departments, live a good life in the Food Hall, and worship Arnold Bros. And then he becomes aware that the store is about to be demolished. The strength of the story is Masklin's struggle to convince everyone else of the danger when most of them don't even believe in the existence of Outside, and then to organize an exodus by stealing a truck and learning to operate it. (Think lots of long levers, pulleys, and bits of string.) But the nomes turn out not to be "little people" at all. The nomes' interpretation of the signs they see will give you thoughtful pause, as will their unthinking belief in a nome-centered God in the sky. Or on the top floor. Pratchett fans will enjoy this, regardless of their age.

"Truckers" away
Terry Pratchett's Bromeliad trilogy is a mix of childlike fantasy and offbeat SF. While the opening book, "Truckers" lags in places and takes quite some time to really get moving, it's imaginative and very funny. Certainly it's a good place to start off with Pratchett's fiction.

Masklin and the other nomes are tiny people who scavenge on the streets, and now there are only a handful of them left. In an act of desperation, they climb into a lorry and ride to... The Store. Also known as Arnold Bros (est. 1905), where a complex civilization of nomes (about two thousand) live in semi-peace and prosperity. They either are dazzled by the idea of "Outside," or insist that the whole world is in Arnold Bros (est. 1905).

Seemingly, everything is fine for Masklin and his friends, especially when the mysterious Thing (a black box that is a spaceship's flight computer) comes to life and tells them more about their history. But suddenly their world is disrupted by the news of "All Things Must Go -- Final Sales." Now the nomes must escape the Store and find yet another place to live.

Tiny people living in a department store? Who are from another planet? That is something that could have bombed easily and hideously. But it doesn't, at least not in "Truckers." Clever plot elements like the sign-based religion (they take "everything under one roof" seriously!) and the department-based clans (Stationari, Corsetri) keep this unlikely plot afloat.

While "Truckers" is a self-contained story in itself, it has plenty of loose threads (mostly involving the Thing and the origins of the nomes) at the end, for the second and third books of the trilogy. The writing has Pratchett's usual sparseness and wit; the only problem is that it takes forever for the nomes to do anything. At least it's a fun slow ride. The wacky truck drive near the end is one of the best parts of the book.

Masklin and his nome band (especially the indefatigable, vaguely frightening Granny) serve as a good window into the nome civilization, since they're learning about it too. The better-off nomes are a bit snottier but eager to explore the Outside. But the Thing steals the show; despite being just a computer, it has a better idea than the nomes what is going on.

"Truckers" will delight fans of Pratchett, but you don't need to be a fan already to enjoy this story. While the plot takes awhile to go anywhere, the quirky characters and wonderful worldbuilding make it worthwhile. ... Read more

Product Description
While filling his pages with reports of local club meetings and pictures of humorously shaped vegetables, William accidentally discovers dark forces plotting to overthrow the city's ruler. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

My favorite Pratchett novel
Terry Pratchett is an insightful master of satire and literary/historical allusions. I can't help but feel that categorizing Prachett as "fantasy" is misleading, because there is much much more to his work than wizards and trolls; the fantastic elements serve as a background more than anything else, while the meat of his work focuses on much more universal themes.

The Truth is the first Pratchett novel I ever read, and remains a favorite after all these years. At first I was a bit hesitant by the suggestion - after all, I really have no interest in reading about dwarves and elves and things of the like - but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Although there are several elements of "traditional" fantasy in Pratchett's Discworld books, the motifs are as much a part of his larger satirical work as the "main" subjects. You can take nothing in Pratchett's novels at face value, and his work is a delight for literature enthusiasts (I remember studying obscure 18th-century literature as an undergraduate, and stumbling across a reference to some of the same texts in a Pratchett book I happened to be reading).

The Truth follows a hapless William de Worde as he accidentally becomes involved in the publication of Ankh Morpork's first newspaper. Pratchett creates a world of fabulous characters as he examines how something as pedestrian as a newspaper can change the political and social landscape of a society - for better and for worse. He tackles subjects such as wealth and privilege, politics, and racial prejudices as he effortlessly satirizes all elements of various social institutions. No one is safe from Pratchett's scrutiny and wit, and the result is a truly entertaining and intelligent novel.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Discworld novels, I always recommend The Truth first. I really feel that it has something for everyone, and serves as a wonderful introduction to Pratchett's style while delighting audiences of all kinds.

Investigative Journalism comes to Ankh-Morpork!
William de Worde didn't WANT to become a journalist.However he was good at writing and he found that people would PAY HIm to print up the details of day to day life in Ankh-Morpork.The reason basically being that Morporkians are basically voyeurs and love keeping abreast of other people's business.

Thus William De Worde made an alliance with some dwarves who owned a printing press and THE TIMES was born.

The story progresses and rapidly becomes more than simply a way of making money.When the Patrician is arrested for attempted murder, William thinks the whole thing looks funny.Certain details don't add up.Why attack his own secretary?And if Vetinari (a graduate of the assassin's guild) wanted to kill somebody, why would they end up merely wounded and not dead?And why would an assassin be stupid enough to call out, "I've killed him!", after dealing a merely wounding blow?

With no training whatsoever, William still thinks like an investigative journalist and asks all the right questions and gradually uncovers the truth.

I'm something of a fan of investigative journalism, so this book that takes Ankh-Morpork's first journalist and turns him into a hero really appeals to me.

Commander Vimes, Sergeant Angua, Sergeant Detritus and Corporal Nobbs also make cameo appearances in this story.I only mention them as the City Watch is traditionally my favorite part of Ankh-Morpork.Also William manages to outsmart Angua as she's she's tailing him in werewolf form.And anybody who can outsmart a werewolf that's picked up their scent and get away free and clear is a very cunning and admirable opponant and the sort of person who is not to be underestimated.

Wonderful book!
Okay, how can you not like this book? Again we are featured in Ankh-Morpork, in the dawning of a new revolution in print technology. Movable type. Now, can William de Word, the editor of the Ankh-Morpork Times live to sell their paper when they find out about the dastardly plot to incriminate the city's Patrician?

Funny as always
This book was very funny, and as usual when I read a Pratchett book, I find myself laughing aloud as I read it.

This particular book is about the creation of the newspaper industry in the fictional Discworld. It reminded me a lot of "Going Postal" (the first book in this series I read) which traced the beginning of the Postal service in Discworld.

Also thrown in is a parody of the Watergate/ Deep Throat story, and some light parodies of Nixon era conservatism and conservative values:
"Apparently he says he's looking forward to a new era in our history and will put Ankh-Morpork back on the path of responsible citizenship, sir....Apparently he wants a return to the values and traditions that made this city great."
"Does he know what those values and traditions were?" said Vimes, aghast.

The photographer for the newspaper is a vampire with a fascination for flash photography. And if you think a vampire is the last person who should be playing with bright lights, perhaps you can see where some of the humor is going.

Also like the other books in the discworld series, Pratchett does a clever job of explaining away potential anachronisms in his sword and sorcery era fantasy world. For example, there are cameras and tape recorders in this novel, but they are all powered by magical imps. (It is kind of similar to the old Flinstones gag of having all the modern appliances performed by dinosaurs.) Some of it boarders on corny, but mostly its good fun.

THIS IS A PLAY
Just wanted to note that this is the stage adaptation, not the novel.The reviews coming up on this page seem to be reviews of the original book, not the play.I'd hate for anyone to buy the wrong version. ... Read more

Product Description
The nomes are ready for their
Bright New Dawn!

But the trouble with Bright New Dawns is that they're usually followed by cloudy days. With scattered showers. Life Outside the Store is much colder than the four-inch-tall nomes expected. And there aren't any walls . . . it's all very unsettling.

Still, the nomes are finally adjusting to their new home at the abandoned quarry, when a Sign arrives announcing the quarry is to be reopened. The humans are coming to mess things up (as usual), but this time the nomes might just fight back -- if they can find a way to rouse the mysterious Dragon in the Hill. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

The in-between book
Now that Masklin and Torrit have left to explore the place where those big metal things take off into the air, Grimma has to fend for herself. That is, she has to take care of the nomes that have taken shelter at the quarry. But they are not alone. A very insistent human being is trying to invade their place. Grimma has to be creative to keep that pesky big annoyances away, but is afraid that they ultimately will have to flee to The Cottage. Luckily Dorcas, the techno geek of the nomes, has a secret weapon at hand: Big John.

Diggers is the second part of the Bromeliad trilogy, an adventurous fable about gnomes that want to return to their original homestead, intended for a younger audience. But the weak point of many trilogies also applies here: the second episode is a bit lost in between. The setting has been neatly composed in the first book and the finale has to wait until the next book. So, narratively it isn't a great novel, but it still is a good read. It's always nice to look at our world from the perspective of a little gnome. The best part is that it nicely introduces the final volume Wings, which as I type this is lying next to me. I can't wait to start reading.

More big problems for little people
In Truckers, Masklin rescued the other nomes from the store before its demoliton. Then, he led them to a quarry, a place that they could call home. But now, Masklin realizes that the nomes can never really be at home in the human's world, so he sets off to find the airport, and the spaceship that brought the nomes to Earth some 15,000 years ago. But for the nomes left at the quarry, now led by Grimma, things go from bad to worse, and worse still. Where is Masklin, and who will save the nomes?

This book is as funny as the last one. The nomes are so very human, and yet so very different. Plus, the story kept you at the edge of your seat, right up to the surprise finale. What a wonderful book!

Great reading for young adults
In this second volume of the "Bromeliad" trilogy (the title of which has to do with tiny Amazonian frogs living in tree-top flowers, who know nothing about the world at large), the focus is on Grimma, the somewhat feminist love interest of Masklin, who led the four-inch-high nomes out of The Store to safety in a small hillside quarry outside the town. While Masklin and the other two leaders of the community go off to the local airport to investigate the possibilities of further escape, humans show up at the quarry and post signs that make it clear the operation is to be reopened -- threatened the nomes' existence once again. The hard part is Grimma's gradual realization that the humans aren't out to get her people -- they don't even know they're there. It's a human world and the nomes appear to be irrelevant in it. Finally, as the only alternative to starving in the dark, Grimma organizes the capture, Gulliver-style, of the human watchman, while Dorcas, their scientist/tinkerer, rehabilitates an aging backhoe to facilitate a second escape. As always, the author also has some astute observations of what it means to be human -- or nome. And the ending is a real cliffhanger, so be sure you have the third volume ready to hand.

The Bromeliad Trilogy
Having come late to Terry Pratchett's writing and his wonderful sense of humor, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed all three of the Bromeliad books.The insights into human nature clothed in truly funny just plain stupid thoughts and actions by the nomes resonated with me on a primal level.I'm one of those who sees something funny when nobody else does, and only see poignant or tragic many times others' sides are splitting.What a story of triumph of the little fellow!Now I can't wait to read the rest of Terry's books!

Return of the nomes
Terry Pratchett's lovable nomes return in "Diggers," the second book of the Bromeliad trilogy. It's an improvement on the first book "Truckers," with a steadier pace and a new twist on this tiny-aliens-among-us plotline. It gets a bit silly at times, but doesn't wear out its welcome.

When last seen, the peculiar, lovable nomes had managed to drive a truck away from the Arnold Bros. store, and had set up a new home in an abandoned quarry. Masklin and his little band are doing fine, although many of the more pampered nomes are having to get used to the idea of farming and living in a place with no heating and too much open space.

Then everything changes. A human brings a paper to the quarry, and the nomes learn that the quarry is going to be reopened -- and the nomes risk discovery unless they can find a new place to live. When Masklin ventures off to the mysterious Florida, to find the descendent of Arnold Bros., a fanatic called Nisodemus takes the opportunity to rally the nomes in rebellion. Just then, Dorcas (a sort of nome technogeek) reveals the Cat (a bulldozer), which might help them against the humans.

Terry Pratchett seems to have found more solid footing in "Diggers." The book feels a lot steadier and surer, now that he's established the groundwork. He weaves in a little subtle social commentary (particularly on religious fanatics); it's not as subtle as it could be, but it isn't too annoying.

"Diggers" is also faster-moving than "Truckers." His sense of quirky humor (like the idea of Florida being made of orange juice) is present constantly, but he doesn't do it in a mean-spirited way. You laugh with the innocent nomes, not at them. Probably the biggest problem is that "Diggers" ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, with the line "I'd very much like to know what Masklin has been doing these past few weeks."

Masklin and the Thing aren't present for most of the story; they show up again in the third book, "Wings." So most of the focus is on Grimma, the girl Masklin wants to marry, and Dorcas the nome technogeek. Their characters are well-drawn, and their struggles to deal with the fanatical nome is tense and well-plotted.

While it's not his best work, Terry Pratchett is in good form in the second book of the Bromeliad trilogy. "Diggers" is a good return for the nomes, and a fun fantasy read. ... Read more

Product Description
The Discworld is, as everyone knows, and no one should now need to be told, flat. It rides through space on the back of four elephants* which, in turn, are standing on the shell of an enormous turtle. But just because it is being borne through space on the back of a turtle, doesn't mean it doesn't need gods ...The Gods Trilogy is a bumper volume containing the complete text of three of Terry Pratchett's celebrated novels: SMALL GODS Brutha is the Chosen One. His god has spoken to him, admittedly while currently in the shape of a tortoise; and Brutha now has a mission. PYRAMIDSIt isn't easy, being a teenage pharaoh: you're not allowed to carry money; uninhibited young women peel grapes for you and the Great Pyramid has just exploded because ofparacosmic instability ...HOGFATHERIt's the night before Hogswatch ...and it's too quiet. There's snow, there're robins, there're trees covered with decorations, but there's a notable lack of the big fat man who delivers the toys ...He's gone. *There used to be five, but that's another story entirely ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Humourous Read!
I think it is misleading to put these together in a Trilogy as although each is about a god or gods of Discworld, but are separate stories apart from that. Each stands well alone and are all excellent books.

Pyramids is about the Kingdom of Djelibeybi and its ruler PTeppicymon. He has to return home to the Kingdom when his father dies and having trained as an assassin in Ankh-Morporkfinds the adjustment rather difficult.This is obviously based on the Gods of Egypt and some of the myths that go with them, but is written in such a wonderfully funny way. You can't help but feel sorry for those Mummys!

Small Gods is about an Acolyte called Brutha and his god Om. Due to a lack of belief Om is currently a Tortoise and Brutha is the only person who can hear him.Together they battle corruption in the church and restore faith.Along the way they try to prevent a war and stop the Inquisition from torturing people. I particularly enjoyed the clever scenes and dialogue with the Philosophers.Another very good and funny read from Terry Pratchett.

The Hogfather is about the Discworld equivalent of Santa Claus. The discworld auditors want him eliminated so they hire the Assassins Guild to get the job done.When the Hogfather goes missing someone has to step in and cover for him, whilst Susan Sto Helit finds him.The stand in this time carries a scythe instead of a sack with very funny results.Pay particular attention to the scenes in the Toy Store. HO HO HO! Now available on DVD too!

Excellent!
This is the anthology of Pyramids, Small Gods and Hogfather. Although not technically a trilogy, as they're not really related except that they're part of the Discworld series, they're all excellent books. The best is probably Small Gods, followed by Hogfather and then Pyramids. It's great! ... Read more

Product Description
Stage adaptation of the latest Discworld blockbuster Moist von Lipwig was a con artist and a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. But he's got to see that the mail gets though, come rain, hail, sleet, dogs, the Post Office Workers Friendly and Benevolent Society, the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. Maybe it'll take a criminal to succeed where honest men have failed, or maybe it's a death sentence either way. Or perhaps there' s a shot at redemption in the mad world of the mail, waiting for a man who's prepared to push the envelope...; Brilliant stage adaptation by Stephen Briggs of Terry Pratchett's latest best-selling novel; Pratchett has sold over 27 million books worldwide and has been translated into 27 languages ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a play.
The reviews for this product don't make it clear that this edition is a STAGE ADAPTATION. Yes, I know it says "adapted for the stage" on the cover, but I didn't notice it when I bought it. I thought it was the novel.The play is FABULOUS! However, if you want to read the whole thing first, purchase the hardcover edition. ... Read more

Product Description
Somewhere out there, the ship is waiting to take them home . . .

Here's what Masklin has to do: Find Grandson Richard Arnold (a human!). Get from England to Florida (possibly steal jet plane for this purpose, as that can't be harder than stealing the truck). Find a way to the "launch" of a "communications satellite" (whatever those are). Then get the Thing into the sky so that it can call the Ship to take the nomes back to where they came from.

Customer Reviews (21)

Wings brings the Bromeliad trilogy to a higher level
The task at hand for Masklin is very clear: find the Ship that will get the nomes away from Earth. But it should have been explained with a bit more detail. For starters: where is that Ship located? The Thing says that it is hidden somewhere in space, but that completely ignores that space turns out to be bigger than everything. At least Masklin has found out that there is a way to get into space. It's to be found in Florida. Now it is only a matter of getting in that big white bird, with the strange name of Concorde. At least that is the start of a plan.

With Wings Terry Pratchett concludes his Bromeliad Trilogy. This book tells the story of Masklin's quest for The Ship and plays in parallel to the second book Diggers. The story really gets going now. The action is hilarious and the contact with the Humans gives the book an added edge. Not only is this episode funnier that the previous two, but it also has an extra layer of depth. The analogy with the Bromeliad frogs becomes clear and shows us a nice piece of moral fairytale. Wings clearly brings the trilogy to a higher lever and you can take that literally.

A triumph for nome-kind!
In Diggers, the nomes living in a quarry found themselves besieged by humans. In the end, Masklin rescued them with nothing short of a miracle. This book is the story of that miracle.

This book is so funny that I often found myself laughing out loud while reading it. Not only that, the action is gripping, and the ending is touching. This book is a wonderful buy.

In many ways, nomes are what humans OUGHT to be. . . .
This is the wrap-up volume of the author's "Bromeliad" trilogy (the title of which has to do with tiny Amazonian frogs living in tree-top flowers, who know nothing about the world at large, or even that it exists) -- though it runs parallel, actually, to the second volume, which followed the exploits of Grimma and the nomes who stayed behind at the quarry while Masklin and a couple of others went to investigate the nearby airport. Now it turns out that, in their quest for the Ship waiting for thousands of years somewhere out in space, the three bickering adventurers have managed to stowaway aboard the Concorde and have gotten to Miami and then to Cape Canaveral. There, they meet other nomes, much more widely traveled than themselves (thanks to migrating geese), get close to a rocket launch, and make use of the Thing to contact the Ship. As always, Pratchett tells a delightful, very humane story with lots of humor (the nomes tend to be VERY literal), while at the same time commenting on subjects like interspecies relations, religious dogma, and the whole point of society. Written for adolescents but enjoyable for any thinking reader.

The Book of Nomes
DON'T READ THIS BOOK INTILL YOU READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE BROEIMLEAD TRILOGY. This book is about when Masklin (a nome) trys to find this one ship that while supposedly send the nomes to a different planet. This ship is faster than light. The one thing that leads them their is a thing. This thing is like a box with lots of electric inside, and only if this thing is by something that is powered by electric it works. Now in this book Masklin, Gurder, Angalo, and the thing go out to find the ship. At the beginning they fly on a airplane to Florida. When they get their they find more nomes (which they never knew that there was any other nomes). Now they have get the ship to them somehow. Read this wing of a book to find if they find the ship.

Solid conclusion
The Bromeliad trilogy soars to a grand finale with "Wings," the companion volume to "Truckers" and "Diggers." This tale runs parallel to the second book of the series, and brimming over with Terry Pratchett's usual wit and satire... and a mild dose of insanity.

Now that humans are returning to the quarry where the tiny nomes live, the nomes must somehow find a new place to live -- and fast. So Masklin is following the instructions of the Thing (a computer who is smarter than all the other characters put together) and going on a secret mission with Angalo and the Abbot to Florida.

After they sneak aboard the Concorde, freak out the stewardess and hijack the plane, the nomes learn that none other than Richard Arnold (grandson of Arnold Bros, founder of The Store) is on board. Now they must somehow send the Thing into space, so it can contact the spaceship and whisk the nomes away. Easy? No way.

Technically, anybody who has read the end of "Diggers" will know exactly what will happen in "Wings." But like flying on the Concorde, it's the ride that's half the thrill. "Wings" is a little tighter and funnier than its predecessors, partly because ithas a much smaller cast -- the small bickering trio, plus the Thing. It doesn't get much better than that.

The nomes are fun protagonists, partly because they're so likably naive about the world in general. If they were left alone, they would probably produce a cute little civilization, and their naivete produces plenty of entertaining humor (Concerning the sound barrier: "All right, own up. Who broke it?"). Pratchett manages to make us laugh with the nomes, not at that.

The long-suffering Masklin has a new slew of problems the moment he leaves, ranging from the Thing refusing to talk to him to Angalo razzing the stewardesses. Atheistic Angalo and the abbot just avoid biting out each other's throat. But it's the Thing's dry, superior guidance that really steals the show.

Pratchett brings his Bromeliad trilogy to a close full of action, suspense, and frogs. A witty and wild ride on the Concorde, and not one to be missed. ... Read more

Product Description
The 2011 DISCWORLD CALENDAR is an inspired collection of paintings by illustrator Josh Kirby, who had his own unique interpretations of Terry Pratchett's phenomal Discworld. Each full-page illustration also appears as a thumbnail image on the back. The calendar dates are exhaustively researched and include major real-time calendrical data for the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. It also includes notable Discworld dates like the Creator's Birthday, Samedi Nuite Morte, and the Uberwald League of Temperance Day (Remember: Not One Drop!). ... Read more

Product Description
The Company builds planets.

Kin Arad is a high-ranking official of the Company. After twenty-one decades of living, and with the help of memory surgery, she is at the top of her profession. Discovering two of her employees have placed a fossilized plesiosaur in the wrong stratum, not to mention the fact it is holding a placard which reads 'End Nuclear Testing Now', doesn't dismay the woman who built a mountain range in the shape of her initials during her own high-spirited youth.

But then come a discovery of something which did intrigue Kin Arad. A flat earth was something new... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Kind of a Let-Down
I did not know that this book was written before the rest of the Discworld series when I read it, so I was disappointed when it turned out to be sci-fi 36 books into a series that I thought was strictly fantasy.

Granted, I could see how some of the fantasy elements in the rest of the series could be explained by a a lot of the technology in Strata, but there are also other aspects which do not compute--such as the existence of zombies and all of the chaos that happens when Death neglects his duties.

In other words, it's good for what it is--a novel about the Discworld which comes from the science end of the literary spectrum--but since I was expecting fantasy and got sci-fi (not that I don't love sci-fi in its own right) it's nowhere near as good as the rest of the series.I firmly believe that genres shouldn't be mixed in a series or story unless they're all present from the start.

What Came Before
This is a book by Terry Pratchett and it is about a disc-shaped world, but it is NOT a Discworld book.That's an important note.Strata was first published two years before the first Discworld book, The Color of Magic, so you can think of it as sort of a precursor to the series.

Kin Arad wrote the book on terraforming--literally.Thanks to gene engineering and other stuff she's lived over two hundred years, most of it for The Company, which is in the business of terraforming planets to make them habitable for humans.The idea is for humanity to spread out as much as possible to ensure the continuation of the species.The technology for the terraforming comes from artifacts left behind by a dead species known as the Spindle Kings.Another interesting side note is that in this universe Rome was founded by Remus and called Reme and Vikings colonized North America (called Valhalla), mating with Native Americans (or Native Valhallans I suppose) and eventually taking over Europe.

Then one day Kin is paid a visit by a supposedly lost space pilot called Jago Jalo, who shows her a cloak of invisibility and tells her there's more goodies to be found on a mysterious planet.She decides to travel with him to this planet, along with a Kung (a four-armed paranoid alien who sees violence as the first and best solution) named Marco and a Shandi (a big bear-like alien with walrus tusks who eat a very specialized diet--mainly each other) called Silver.Jago soon dies of a heart attack, but the other three go on to find a planet that is completely flat and contained in a sort of bubble with its own stars and planets.(Unlike the Discworld, this flat disc-shaped world is not carried by four elephants on the back of a giant turtle.)

Unfortunately, their ship crashes on this planet, where they soon bump into Vikings who are searching for North America, which doesn't exist here.Not long after that they come under attack from dragons.Demons, genies, flying carpets, and even the Grim Reaper also call this strange place home.But who built it and why?That is the question.

This was an OK book, but not really great.I read somewhere that it's a parody of "Ringworld" by Larry Niven, which I've never read; if I had I might have understood this better.That Kin's "real" Earth is an alternate history just makes things more confusing than they already are.Some of the action scenes were a little confusing as well.Having read all the Discworld books, I know Pratchett is capable of better, but then this was one of his earliest works, so it's not right to punish him just for setting a higher standard for himself later on.

Really there are some books, including a few of the Discworld books, that should be shorter, but this is a case where a little more length might have been helpful.I felt like I didn't really get to see enough of this flat world with all its magical inhabitants.As well Kin and the other characters felt a little flat--pun intended--so a little exposition might have been nice.(But character development has never been Pratchett's strong suit, even in the Discworld books.)

Another thing to note here is that while the Discworld books are fantasy, this is aimed more at science-fiction readers with space travel and aliens and whatnot.Of course there is some fantasy as well, just not as much of it.

Overall I'd say there's no reason to read this unless you're a big Discworld fan, or like me you got it in a box of other books and had a couple hours to kill.

That is all.

HInts of the future
Terry Prachett has written better books than Strata, but what makes it worth the reading is the fact that it contains seeds of Discworld. There are hints here and there of Terry Prachett's future works and it is facinating to see the possibilites in this modest work.
One of my favorite things is to find the very early books of some of my favorite writers and see how they developed as they mastered their craft. In comparing Strata to his later books it is obvious that Terry Prachette has truly mastered his craft of fantasy.

The Early Pratchett Flat World
Before Terry Pratchett wrote his first Discworld novel - there are nearly 40 of them now - he wrote Strata, a technologically rationalized version of his now-famous flat planet. Strata is also a lovely satire of Larry Niven's Ringworld, which only adds to the fun.

Kim Arad is well into her third century, and spends her time designing planets. She is also the author of a famous book proposing a history of creation in which mankind and its predecessors have invented the universe rather than the other way around. When she is approached by Jago Jalo, an explorer long presumed dead, who has technological miracles in his pocket, she is intrigued. When he offers her a chance to visit the mysterious world where that technology originated, she can't say no.

She's accompanied by the requisite aliens - this is a Niven satire, remember - and, of course, crash lands on the mysterious flat world, which bears a more-than-passing resemblance to ours. Kim and her alien allies must come to terms with a mechanical world populated by humans and their mythical monsters, a construct that is falling apart from old age. They are in a race against time - and one of the alien's descent into starvation-induced madness - to find the creatures in charge.

The story stands on its own just fine, although the writing is not as strong and self-assured as later Pratchett. But the last thirty pages give you a glimpse of the great skills Pratchett would develop: the ability to make thought-provoking, intelligent points in an entertaining, even amusing way. This is a science fiction novel, at least within the limits of Clarke's Law ("Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."), but there are hints of Discworld-to-come. Among other things, the aliens note that humans have myths about flat worlds riding on the back of elephants, standing on turtles.

A good story for any fan of sci-fi or fantasy. A great novel for Pratchett fans who haven't yet read it. Strongly recommended.

Weak
This is the weakest of Pratchetts books.
It is not a Discworld and is more sci-fi than fantasty in genre.
For true fans only.
Not a good introduction to the Pratchett-verse.
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Product Description

Who would want to harm Discworld's most beloved icon? Very few things are held sacred in this twisted, corrupt, heartless -- and oddly familiar -- universe, but the Hogfather is one of them. Yet here it is, Hogswatchnight, that most joyous and acquisitive of times, and the jolly old, red-suited gift-giver has vanished without a trace. And there's something shady going on involving an uncommonly psychotic member of the Assassins' Guild and certain representatives of Ankh-Morpork's rather extensive criminal element. Suddenly Discworld's entire myth system is unraveling at an alarming rate. Drastic measures must be taken, which is why Death himself is taking up the reins of the fat man's vacated sleigh . . . which, in turn, has Death's level-headed granddaughter, Susan, racing to unravel the nasty, humbuggian mess before the holiday season goes straight to hell and takes everyone along with it.

Fans will welcome back Susan, Death of Rats (the Grim Squeaker),Albert, and the wizardly faculty of Unseen University, and revel innew personalities like Bilious, the "oh god of Hangovers."But youneedn't have read Pratchett before to laugh uproariously and thinkseriously about the meanings of Christmas.--Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (113)

Poking fun at Christmas
It's Hogswatch eve and the Hogfather is missing.Without someone to deliver presents to children around the world, the sun won't rise, so Death finds himself wearing a red suit and a fake beard, trying his best to fill the void.Meanwhile, his granddaughter, Susan, must figure out why the Hogfather is missing and set things right.Mix in the usual ineptitude of the wizards of Unseen University, and you get another fun adventure in Discworld.

As usual, Pratchett provides a biting satire of our world and traditions.Here he does a lovely job of lampooning the crass commercialism of the modern Christmas celebration, with a delightful scene that has Death playing Hogfather at a shop.But Pratchett also has some serious subtext in here about the power of imagination, both for good and for evil.His idea that childhood fantasies prepare us to believe in more important abstract concepts (such as justice and equality) provide some interesting food for thought, even while the story itself provides a great deal of entertainment.

One of the funniest of Pratchett's Discworld books

In The HOGFATHER, Pratchett takes on the commercialization of Christmas, but also remembers it true meaning in this funny and intriguing addition to the DISCWORLD mythos.I've never found the Death themed books to be my favorites, but in this one as Death takes on the role of the Hogfather (Father Christmas) and looks at the events of the holiday with his own, shall we say, novel approach to the nature of giving; I found myself really enjoying the character for the first time. In the earlier books, Death's search for a better understanding of human nature have felt like Pratchett's takes on other stories from books and films, but this one was something very different. Just imagining Death's attempts to portray the spirit of Christmas or Hogswatch, if you prefer, were laugh out loud funny. Add to this Death's granddaughter's Susan's valiant effort(with thehilarious assistance of the God of Hangovers) to set things right against Mr. Tea-Time's(Pronounced teah-time, if you please) machinations to bring about the Death of the Hogfather...well, you can see this one's pretty manic and finds Pratchett in fine form..

Another great Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett
This novel focuses on belief in general, and the difference between myth and reality in specific. Death is a major player of course, but his grown-up daughter is the hero.

Happy Hogswatch!
The first time that I read one of Pratchett's novels I was a bit confused. His writing style is so drastically different from most novelists I've read - something I've learned to appreciate. He doesn't use chapter breaks, tends to have several, if not dozens of characters active in each book, and even includes foot notes...some of which can be drastically long.

And he's hilarious. Pratchett writes satire with such flair that it's staggering and brilliant in his execution. Sometimes, while I'm reading, I can't help but wonder if he didn't just aimlessly picked up his pen and decided to give it a go that day and oh look, it happened to work out. The truth is he is brilliant, although I get the sense he'd never admit it. Not only do his plot lines connect in ways the reader would never suspect but while creating this great story he interweaves some amazing characters at the same time. Each character stands on their own, even the supposed "flat" characters and I'm always left with the intense feeling that he could write a book on each of them, if he hasn't already.

Hogfather is a perfect example of this. Parodying our belief in Santa Clause, (or any other fictional being, such as the Tooth Fairy and Bogeymen) the Disc World has their own holiday icon - the Hogfather. But this year he's missing and something is terrible amiss.

So while the Hogfather is MIA, someone has to take up the reigns (literally and figuratively) and make it a jolly Hogswatch night. Who better the reigns than one of Pratchett's beloved characters, Death? Death is so literal, so innocent, so perfect of a character that it is incredibly hard not to love him. (Read Reaper Man for more!) The way he interacts with humans is always amusing and when he's out of his element, it's even more enjoyable.

Throughout the novel hilarity and sometimes a great sense of fear go hand-in-hand. Susan is clever, determined and quite dry. Teatime makes you hope and pray you never meet anyone like him and Death, bless him, does his best to continue the belief in the Hogfather. The very interesting thing about this is how clever the storyline becomes. It's not just about believing in the Hogfather, but why do we believe in the entities we do believe in? Where are their origins from and what would happen if one day, we stopped? The conclusion (Pratchett doesn't really give conclusions, more of allusions to...) is very well done and thought out. I can honestly say, his writing is completely new and unique each time, unlike many stories that feel recycled time and time again....but that's another post.

Hilarious, yes, but also profound and thoughtful.
At this point, I think I've read about two-thirds of the Discworld books, so take that into account when I make this next statement: Hogfather is probably the funniest of any of the Discworld books I've read. The disappearance of Discworld's version of Santa Claus leads Death to take over the reins, and the resulting madness is hilarious, horrifying, and absolutely brilliant. (A long sequence involving the replacement of a mall Hogfather had me laughing uncontrollably.) But as usual, what really makes Pratchett's work so magical is not just the way he exerts a masterful control over his plot - really, any other author would lose control of all this madness, but Pratchett juggles it all perfectly - but the way that he spins it into something more profound and meaningful. Only in Discworld could a story about retiring Tooth Fairies, a profoundly disturbed Assassin, a Death with a fake beard and belly, and a Hangover God turn into a complex and thoughtful meditation on the nature of humanity and the importance of our dreams and fantasies. Hogfather is in the upper-tier of Discworld books, and given the high quality of the rest of the series, that's high praise indeed. A thoughtful, hilarious, moving, unsettling joy to read. ... Read more

Product Description
Everybody wants more time, which is why on Discworld only the experts can manage it -- the venerable Monks of History who store it and pump it from where it's wasted, like underwater (how much time does a codfish really need?), to places like cities, where busy denizens lament, "Oh where does the time go?"

Although there are 25 other Discworld novels and many of thecharacters appeared first in previous books, you don't need to have readeven one to enjoy The Thief of Time.(If you're the sort of readerwho hates to miss anyreferences, you might want to track down a copy ofThe DiscworldCompanion.)As a bonus, this book is a painless introduction towhat quantum physics says about the nature of time. --Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (107)

I'm hooked!
I was introduced to Terry Pratchett when I found "The Color of Magic" and "The Hogfather" on Netflix. My wife and I loved them so much we picked up several of his books. This was the first one I read. I know this isn't the best book to start with, but I had enough background and familiarization with Discworld from the movies that I didn't at all feel lost. This was an awesome book! Loved it! I couldn't put it down.My wife would occasionally give me weird looks when I randomly burst into a chuckle.I'm definitely hooked on Terry Pratchett. I figured I'd start the Death Series from the beginning with "Mort".So far, I haven't been disappointed by anything he has written.He has a way of interlacing some profound, if not simple wisdom into his dialogue. His books are silly, intelligent, and of course, very entertaining!

In the interest of time, a brief review
To sum it all up, a clock made entirely of glass has never worked before. Until now. A mad genius is certain he has it figured out, to the detriment of humanity. The possible consequence is that time itself will tear the fabric of human reality apart, and so a large cast of characters get involved to sort it all out. They include witches and incarnations, and history monks. The writing is clever, and there are plenty of cool images conveyed with Pratchett's creative writing. The story itself got a little too crowded with events for me, and following developments became difficult after about half the book. Characters are also quite creative, but development is sparse, which lessened the enjoyment for me a bit. I'm not an expert on Pratchett books. I've read a few, and this one was okay. The others I've read were better, and I enjoyed them more. But I would recommend this one. It certainly is entertaining enough to satisfy a lot of readers.

and I don't even like time travel...
I generally dislike stories that deal with time travel. The innate paradoxes always trouble me and even in fantasy I find it less than reasonable. But of course, Pratchett finds a way to make me enjoy it! This book is filled with all the things that make Pratchett a master of the genre, great characters like Lu-Tze, the simple sweeper who is the fixer for the monks that guard history, is an amazing blend of the wise mentor found in almost any martial arts movie and Groucho Marx and the villains of the piece (I won't say who) make a startling discovery about the human condition that is extremely funny and ranks with some of Pratchett's best stuff. The reader also gets to travel around the Disc,and once again be reminded how strange, (Wait until you see how Yetis can help you get around!) and yet logical Discworld is and just when you think you're starting to understand it Pratchett throws in another great curve ball.

Time enough to laugh
This may be his best yet.Susan has to save the world while DEATH rides.The horsemen are demented or at least demoralized.The history monks are wonderful and the sweeper is second only to the Abbot (2 yr old?) in the portrayal of the strength and the confusion of a well functioning bureaucracy.Meet and despise the Auditors and ALWAYS carry chocolate (trust me here)

I have a real soft spot for Terry's treatment of DEATH- if you haven't yet, read an enjoy REAPER MAN and Morte. I thank him for both works.

Hilariously Entertaining!
This is the first Terry Pratchett book I read. In the beginning, it was difficult for me to get through first pages. The characters and dialogues sounded so absurd with no obvious story line. But once I reached 3 - 4 chapters, it got clearer. Then I got so engaged, I finished it immediately. I must say, this book really deserved the 5 stars review it got from many of its readers.

There were dialogues about universe with its physical, spiritual aspects, and inhabitants, which I know belongs to different religions teaching and quantum physic theories/ concepts. Mr. Pratchett juggled and wove all those into a hilariously entertaining story. Never had I found such a heavy concepts blended so well into a story book, and still managed to be fun-to-read at the same time.

Thief of Time story revolved around these major characters:

Master Wen, who knew the answers to many questions. But said one of the most difficult ones to answer was what to have for breakfast.
Lobsang Ludd, because of who he was, could be doing many things. And yet found the most pressing thing to do after saving the universe, was to learn the fifth surprise of Lu-Tze's garden.
Jeremy, a clock maker, who was going to build a glass clock so accurate, it could have measured universe's tick.
Lady Lejean, formerly member of the auditors, who could not resist the temptation of chocolate.
Lu-Tze , a monk who found some of his Way in Ankh-Morpork, the city with merchants whose ad claimed to have everything, and the lady innkeeper Mrs. Cosmopilite, who was not born yesterday.
The Auditors, who avoided death by never going so far as to get a life.
Miss Susan, Death's granddaughter, who practically had practical answer to everything.
Death, one of the Four Horsemen, who found that after Wednesday one o'clock, there would be no future.
The Fifth Horsemen, who was actually the first of the horsemen, but withdrew from the history, before he got famous. He was back, though.

And these few characters whose brief appearance, made this book even more amusing:

Soto, a monk, who was bald under all the hair.
Yeti, who had found the secret of growing back the chopped off head.
Clodpool, who knew for sure, it was too early in the morning for it to be too early in the morning.
The Abbott, who was currently at growing teeth stage, again.
Igor, who had never worked for a sane person before, until the Clock Maker.
The White Clothed Angel, who after waiting for thousands of dull, boring, wasted years, found out he had been edited out from the Book of Prophecy.
War, one of the Four Horsemen, who got married to a former Valkyrie.
Famine, one of the Four Horsemen, who did not care.
Pestilence, one of the Four Horsemen, who was frightened.
Nanny Ogg, the edge witch, who delivered the twin.

I love all the characters that made this story. I can even relate to Clodpool or Mrs. Cosmopilite, the regular human who remains much oblivious and ignorant to the religious/physical concept of universe or life, and yet, live the day-to-day life according to those concepts. I found the absurdity of many dialogues were so hilarious, bursting into laugh almost every page turn.And I have come to love the Discworld, too, a world carried by four elephants on the back of a giant turtle.

The whole Discworld series now has reached 37 books. I am excited now by the prospect of reading the rest of them. Can't wait!
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