Wyrd Sisters is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.
It is unapologetically satirical and seizes upon a well-fleshed-out genre and turns it upon its head, making every last detail into a caricature that somehow creates more interesting, realistic characters than fantasy ever could.
His witches aren’t really mystical but don’t mistake that for lacking power. They’re more like indomitable grandmothers you don’t dare cross.
This book has everything from ghosts to prophecies to bastard sons and lost heirs of the kingdom. Nothing turns out the way you’d expect.
Terry Pratchett’s genius includes an anthropomorphized thunderstorm waiting in the wings after appearing briefly in the opening scenes, only to surprise you with a grand performance in the final act, just when you’d thought it was a very random start to a topsy-turvy story. I’ve never laughed so much!
'Destiny is important, see, but people go wrong when they think it controls them. It's the other way around.'
Three witches gathered on a lonely heath. A king cruelly murdered, his throne usurped by his ambitious cousin. A child heir and the royal crown, both missing.
Witches don't have these kinds of leadership problems themselves - in fact, they don't have leaders.
Granny Weatherwax is the most highly regarded of the leaders they don't have. But even she finds that meddling in royal politics is a lot more complicated than certain playwrights would have you believe. Particularly when the blood…
I love fantasy adventures. Always have. I think The Hobbit was one of the very first books I ever read from start to finish. The way fun-filled adventures draw you in with intricate worlds that ignite the imagination and keep you sucked in with amazing characters and story is comparable to nothing else. That feeling of emptiness after reading a great story is indescribable and something I have always tried to create with my own books.
What I liked most about this book of the Discworld series, in particular, is the characters. They are very well written and the dialogue of banter between them is fantastic. The world, too, is something I will always remember, how it sucks you in and is so vivid.
But the best part of this book is Ricewind's ability to stumble into trouble and always come out on top.
On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There's an avaricious buy inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course The Edge of the planet...
I must confess to being a late convert to Terry Pratchett’s hilarious Discworld.
As a younger man, I was disparaging of comic treatments of the fantasy genre. In short, I took myself too seriously! Since I got over myself, I have been romping through the Discworld canon, and particularly enjoy the books featuring Death as a character. This may sound morbid but he is one of the great fictional creations of the past fifty years.
Hogfather is a perfect Christmas read (although I read it in the unexpected heat of a Scottish highland September), the twists keep coming as Death tries to save the day. Involved, gut-wrenchingly funny, and, as always, surprisingly profound, this book takes you to the very heart of what it is to believe in something. Never afraid to poke fun at human frailties, Pratchett does so with a warm affection that leaves me feeling he understands…
'Has the energy of The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the inventiveness of Alice in Wonderland' Sunday Times
The Discworld is very much like our own - if our own were to consist of a flat planet balanced on the back of four elephants which stand on the back of a giant turtle, that is . . .
OH, THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE STOCKING THAT MAKES A NOISE, said Death, OTHERWISE WHAT IS 4:30 A.M. FOR?
Superstition makes things work in the Discworld and undermining it can have Consequences. It's just not right to find Death…
I could say I’ve had a hard life (and I have), but who hasn’t? Life is one adversity after another, and we need all the help we can get. Without that help, moods suffer, hope falters, and our souls are diminished. During my own personal journey through this quagmire called life, I have often been lifted up and out of the mud whilst reading the books I suggest below and more. These books either made me laugh and cry, made me think, or made me change the way I approached things. Quite often, they did all four at the same time. Their insights were invaluable.
No one has taught me more about life than Terry Pratchett. No one has taught me how to wrestle with my demons (both literal and metaphorical) or how to be a better person no matter what fate befalls me. Humanists don’t need a bible, but if they did, the collected works of Terry Pratchett would be that book.
More than just fantasy, humor, or satire, his words work at a profound and subtle level. All of his books are favorites of mine, but this one is my most favorite of all. It’s a book about witches and magic and fairy tales. It’s also a story that contains stories within stories, but most of all, it’s a book about knowing who you are.
'You can't go around building a better world for people. Only people can build a better world for people. Otherwise, it's just a cage.'
There's power in stories. The Fairy Godmother is good. The servant girl marries the Prince. Everyone lives happily ever after . . . don't they?
The witches Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick are travelling to far-distant Genua to stop a wedding and save a kingdom. But how do you fight a happy-ever-after, especially when it comes with glass slippers and a power-hungry Fairy Godmother who has made Destiny an offer it can't refuse?
I have been thinking about spiritual things since I was around 9 years old, and as soon as I was old enough, I was off learning experientially in the world. This has allowed for deep learning and understanding of a wide range of subjects, particularly spirituality and ultimate reality. I teach philosophy, religious studies, and politics in my day job, and so, now on the cusp of 46 years, I can truly say I love spiritual and philosophical thought. I also think it’s hard to write books about these topics and I love how allegory and fable can be so accessible.
I laughed out loud and had moments of deep philosophical reflection, normally at the same time, with this book. I loved the clever and deep meanings and parodies of faith and the divine. I think that this book taught me to always take things with a pinch of salt, and I started thinking critically because of it.
I could not stop reading it and devoured the other books in the series and I think this is one of my favourite authors. I am inspired to emulate some aspects of the author’s thinking and this book is why.
Fans of Sir Terry Pratchett will love this stunning graphic novel adaptation of his bestselling standalone Discworld novel Small Gods. Beautifully brought to life by illustrator Ray Friesen, it takes a close look at religion's institutions, its people, its practices and its role in politics in Pratchett's unique way...
'An intriguing satire on institutionalized religion corrupted by power...' - Independent 'Deftly weaves themes of forgiveness, belief and spiritual regeneration' - The Times 'I loved this book. I wish it could go on and on and on because it was so enjoyable to read. I wish more books are like this…
Terry Pratchett never ceases to amaze me. Serious philosophical points, political and religious dogma, current affairs, social commentary on what affects our lives today. He wraps it all up in a fantasy world which is sailing through the universe on the back of four giant elephants carried on the back of a gigantic turtle. Oh and there are jokes and satire too. Lots of jokes.
A new stage adaptation of one of Pratchett's best-selling novels The Monstrous Regiment in question is made up of a vampire (reformed and off the blood, thank you), a troll, Igor (who is only too happy to sew you a new leg if you aren't too particular about previous ownership), a collection of misfits and a young woman discovers that a pair of socks shoved down her pants is a good way to open up doors in a man's army."One of the funniest English authors alive" (Independent)
I am a food blogger and cookbook author who has been making up recipes for fictional foods from fantasy and science fiction since I was old enough to walk and talk. I love building a bridge between stories, imagination, fandom and food. For over a decade, with a lot of research and some really bad puns, I have been helping other geeks and nerds all over the world make their fictional food fantasies come true.
Written by the late and great Terry Pratchett himself, this is obviously a must-have for any Discworld fanatic. The actual recipes in this tome range from questionable to delightful, the “narrator,” Nanny Ogg, is the real star of the show. Nanny Ogg’s er… life advice, this book will have you giggling and the recipes will have you intrigued.
'They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach which just goes to show they're as confused about anatomy as they gen'rally are about everything else, unless they're talking about instructions on how to stab him, in which case a better way is up and under the ribcage. Anyway, we do not live in a perfect world and it is foresighted and useful for a young woman to become proficient in those arts which will keep a weak-willed man from straying. Learning to cook is also useful.'
Nanny Ogg, one of Discworld's most famous witches, is…
We first met about 10 years ago at Sheffield Hallam University, bonding as work colleagues over a love of enabling students to understand wealth management and finance in a way that we hoped they would find interesting and accessible. The books we chose mix our love of storytelling and making finance accessible by using real-world experiences. They do this in a unique way, challenging the reader to think about their understanding and perspective, something we try to do every day. It has been lovely to reread these books before writing the reviews, reminding us of what makes us tick. We hope they help you to find your tick too.
From the moment I first read a Discworld novel, I was hooked by the unique and whimsical twist, given by Terry Pratchett, to the situations his characters find themselves in. His clever use of humor allows him to entertain his readers while making complex financial concepts accessible to readers of all backgrounds. This use of humor and the underlying message that finance is as much about human nature as it is about numbers underpins my teaching and writing.
He highlights the quirks and motivations of bankers and entrepreneurs which I recognised from my time in the industry. But importantly he highlights the personal transformation and ethical dilemmas a quest for wealth can bring. For me, this resulted in really considering the true meaning of success.
That said he doesn’t shy away from addressing economic disparities. But overall, when I read this I was given a chance to view the finance…
This title features M19, F10, and Extras. This play can by played at various simple settings. Lord Vetinari wants to overhaul the banks of Ankh-Morpork so he appoints former con-man Albert Spangler, aka Moist von Lipwig, to the position of Mater of the Royal Mint, attached to a senior post at the Bank of Ankh-Morpork. Then Mrs Lavish, the bank manager, dies, leaving her dog Mr Fusspot - who also happens to be the majority shareholder - to Moist. Suddenly he finds himself in charge, and his life being threatened by resentful members of the Lavish family. His talent for…
The 14th century had it all: the 100 Years' War, near-constant famines, and, of course, the Black Plague. As a medievalist studying the art of the time, I was struck by the representations of Death that emerged from this near-perfect storm of misery. Yes, Death was often portrayed accompanied by demons and devils, lumped willy-nilly with evil. But it was more often portrayed in the Danse Macabre as a skeletal partner, leading everyone—Pope and Emperor, Lord and Laborer—on a merry dance. I know it was meant as a warning, but I found the Danse Macabre to be oddly comforting, a vision of an ultimate democracy, with Death the final partner and companion to us all.
We all know what happens when Death takes a holiday, but what happens when Death is given notice?
Dismissed from the only job he’s ever known, Death must decide how to spend the time he has left. Taking on the random name “Bill Door,” he offers his talents scything hay, “one blade at a time, one time, one blade.” Death is a recurring character in Discworld and has the casually brutal forbearance of someone who has seen it all.
Seen, but not experienced and it is the dawning comprehension that I love most about Reaper Man: “[Death] wondered if he’d ever felt wind and sunlight before. Yes, he’d felt them, he must have done. But he’d never experienced them like this; the way wind pushed at you, the way the sun made you hot. The way you could feel Time passing. Carrying you with it.”
One of the "Discworld" humorous fantasy series. Death is missing. Dead Rights activist Reg Shoe suddenly has more work than he'd ever dreamed of, and newly-deceased wizard Windle Poons wakes up in his coffin to find that he has come back as a corpse.
I have been reading Terry Pratchett’s Disc World novels since my teens, and I will never stop! Pratchett’s genius comes from his ability to tell us about our own world through wonderful characters who are werewolves, wizards, and golems. However, my favorite character is in Men At Arms, and he is very human.
Sam Vines is in charge of the police and the social commentator of the novels, describing the hierarchies and injustices of the world, such as the "Boots" theory of socioeconomic unfairness. The story is gripping, the characters are funny, and they highlight the disparities in our own society, so it educates and does good as well as entertains.
There's evil in the air and murder afoot. The City Watch needs all the help it can get, as Captain Vimes is about to hang up his badge. From the author of "Small Gods" and "Lords and Ladies", this book is part of the "Discworld" humorous fantasy series.
