Tag: Terry Pratchett

A Hat Full of Sky

A Hat Full of Sky

by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 2004); audiobook ready by Stephen Briggs (2004)

Book cover: “A Hat Full of Sky” by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 2004); audiobook ready by Stephen Briggs (2004)

Tiffany Aching again proves a winning protagonist, her precocious powers stemming from nothing more innate than a clear, logical, inquisitive mind. While the threat feels real, Pratchett has fun with the Nac Mac Feegle. Granny Weatherwax’s character benefits from an outside perspective.

Maskerade

Maskerade

by Terry Pratchett (Victor Gollancz, 1995)

audiobook read by Indira Varma (Penguin, 2022)

Book cover: “Maskerade” by Terry Pratchett (Victor Gollancz, 1995); audiobook read by Indira Varma (Penguin, 2022)

Pratchett takes aim at opera and in doing so makes some serious points about stereotyping. The mystery is a bit muddled, the humour at times over-egged (though still great fun). Indira Varma’s audiobook reading is perfect for Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents

by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 2001); audiobook read by Stephen Briggs (Isis, 2001)

Book cover: “The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents” by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 2001); audiobook read by Stephen Briggs (Isis, 2001)

Only nominally a children’s book. Pratchett puts a sardonic spin on the Pied Piper fairy tale, foregrounding the rats so as to take humans down a notch. Narrator Stephen Briggs soups up the audiobook by using his Sam Vimes voice for Darktan.

Sunset at Blandings

Sunset at Blandings

by P.G. Wodehouse (Chatto & Windus, 1977; revised Everyman’s Library, 2015)

Book cover: “Sunset at Blandings” by P.G. Wodehouse (Chatto & Windus, 1977; revised Everyman’s Library, 2015)

The final, unfinished Wodehouse novel. Much like Pratchett’s ‘The Shepherd’s Crown’, the un-fleshed-out text stirs memories of what was, while throwing light on the authorial process. In this instance, Plum-worship has led to the adding of copious and mostly inconsequential third-party annotations.

The Fifth Elephant

The Fifth Elephant

by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 1999); audiobook read by Stephen Briggs (Isis, 2000)

Book cover: “The Fifth Elephant” by Terry Pratchett

A relatively dour instalment that, uncharacteristically, loses a little upon re-reading. As per many City Watch stories, much rests upon Vimes’s world view (good) and a slow-burning mystery (muddled). The grating Fred Colon subplot serves only to highlight the paucity of humour.

Witches Abroad

Witches Abroad

by Terry Pratchett (Victor Gollancz, 1991); audiobook read by Nigel Planer (Isis, 1996)

Book cover: Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett

Lots of witchy dialogue ‘get the reference’ humour but overall a little too much icing, not enough cake. Nigel Planer’s Discworld audiobook readings are wonderful, but it’s a shame not to have had Celia Imrie continue her association with these all-female instalments.

Johnny and the Bomb

Johnny and the Bomb

by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 1996); audiobook read by Richard Mitchley (BBC Audiobooks, 1997)

Book cover: Johnny and the Bomb by Terry Pratchett

Pratchett gifts middle-grade readers the perfect introduction to time travel, albeit that his mid-1990s ‘now’ is itself receding into history, in rapid pursuit of the Second World War ‘then’. Thought-provoking and wryly funny, with memorable characters and a rich vein of dialogue.

 

 

Monstrous Regiment

Monstrous Regiment

by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 2003); audiobook read by Stephen Briggs (Isis, 2003)

Pratchett_Monstrous Regiment

Pratchett marries a senseless war with a young female protagonist of insight and independence, thereby taking aim at the way men in particular—and stupid people in general—make a mess of things. A droll standalone (albeit that Vimes makes a cameo).

 

 

Johnny and the Dead

Johnny and the Dead

by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 1993); audiobook read by Richard Mitchley (Chivers, 2001)

Pratchett_Johnny Dead

Inspired by the real-life selling off of cemeteries in Westminister, Pratchett brings back middle-grade protagonist Johnny Maxwell (Only You Can Save Mankind) in this droll commentary on modern society (as it was in 1993) and earnest entreaty that history’s value be recognised.

 

 

Equal Rites

Equal Rites

by Terry Pratchett (Victor Gollancz, 1987); audiobook read by Celia Imrie (Isis, 1995)

Pratchett_Equal Rites

Not the most substantial of storylines, yet a key work in the development of the Discworld. Pratchett sets Rincewind aside in favour of the far richer character Granny Weatherwax. In so doing he makes societal change a serious part of his worldbuilding.