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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Sourcery: Discworld: The Unseen University Collection in Books
Aug 2, 2017
Another great Discworld book
I wasn't too sure about the Rincewind books when I first started, but he really is growing on me. Like The Light Fantastic before it, Sourcery is completely bonkers and moves on at an incredible pace. As with all Discworld books, it's very funny in parts and I love the fact that yet again I've found myself laughing out loud whilst reading. My only criticism would be that I don't believe some of the supporting characters have been quite as good as those from other books like Twoflower, the Luggage didn't seem as prevalent as it did in the past. Still a great entertaining read though.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Going Postal in Books
Jul 25, 2017
Sheer brilliance
I tried reading the first Discworld book (The Colour of Magic) years ago & I couldn't get into it. Skip forward to this year & a conversation with some of my learned Pratchett reading colleagues who advised that starting at Book 1 wasn't advisable & instead offered a few alternative starting points - Going Postal being the favourite.
All I can say is that I will be forever thankful for this book. Not only was it a fantastic way of getting into the Discworld series, but it is now among my favourite ever books of all time.
It's beautifully written - full of humour and wit. It's also a great alternative take on industrialisation and the introduction of the postal service. Moist Von Lipwig is a brilliant character, flawed but still loveable, and the supporting characters too all have their charms. Mr Pump especially raised quite a few laughs.
This is Pratchett at his best and if youre ever thinking about tackling the mammoth Discworld series, this is the place to start.
All I can say is that I will be forever thankful for this book. Not only was it a fantastic way of getting into the Discworld series, but it is now among my favourite ever books of all time.
It's beautifully written - full of humour and wit. It's also a great alternative take on industrialisation and the introduction of the postal service. Moist Von Lipwig is a brilliant character, flawed but still loveable, and the supporting characters too all have their charms. Mr Pump especially raised quite a few laughs.
This is Pratchett at his best and if youre ever thinking about tackling the mammoth Discworld series, this is the place to start.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Mort in Books
Nov 20, 2019
In lots of ways Mort is the first book which feels like a 'proper' Discworld novel, fusing the fantasy setting, humour and allegorical commentary together into a delightful, coherent whole.
The story itself is a good one: Death takes on Mort as an apprentice so he can take a break. When Mort breaks the rules he causes a wound in space/time that needs to be healed. And the more Mort does the job of Death the more the job begins to take its toll on him.
There is so much to like about this book. The humour is spot-on with some great one-liners, characters and footnotes. The exploration of the mechanics of how Death really operates on the Discworld fits perfectly with the logic of how the rather unique world operates and is the first glimpse into just how complex and rich the series of books could be.
The Discworld was still evolving rapidly at this point and Mort represents a real statement of intent for the future.
The story itself is a good one: Death takes on Mort as an apprentice so he can take a break. When Mort breaks the rules he causes a wound in space/time that needs to be healed. And the more Mort does the job of Death the more the job begins to take its toll on him.
There is so much to like about this book. The humour is spot-on with some great one-liners, characters and footnotes. The exploration of the mechanics of how Death really operates on the Discworld fits perfectly with the logic of how the rather unique world operates and is the first glimpse into just how complex and rich the series of books could be.
The Discworld was still evolving rapidly at this point and Mort represents a real statement of intent for the future.
David McK (3361 KP) rated Making Money (Discworld #36; Moist Von Lipwig #2) in Books
May 26, 2019 (Updated Oct 4, 2020)
The second - and, following his untimely death in 2015, last - of the late, great Sir Terry Pratchett's Moist von Lipwig sub-series of Discworld novels (after 'Going Postal'), that see's Moist himself put in charge of the ailing Ankh-Morpork central bank, and introducing - shock! gasp! - a new form of paper currency.
To my recollection, this also is one of the few Discworld novels (41 in total, of which this was number 36) in which the Patrician plays a central role - he's in more than a few, yes, but not always to this extent - and in which he is fleshed out as a character. I would loved to have seen where his plans for Moist would have taken him ...
To my recollection, this also is one of the few Discworld novels (41 in total, of which this was number 36) in which the Patrician plays a central role - he's in more than a few, yes, but not always to this extent - and in which he is fleshed out as a character. I would loved to have seen where his plans for Moist would have taken him ...
David McK (3361 KP) rated Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind #5) in Books
Nov 7, 2021
Last seen in (I believe) <i><s>Mort</s>Eric</i>, Terry Pratchett returns to his original Discworld characters of Rincewind and TwoFlower (and Cohen the Barbarian). In this entry, Rincewind is 'rescued' by the Wizards of Unseen University - a University that has changed since he was last there - from his desert island, only to be sent to the Counterweight Continent, where war is brewing ...
For some reason, this is not one of the Discworld books I would return to all that often (never found the Rincewind stories to be amongst the most enjoyable), but still has plenty of laugh out loud moments, alongside some other shrewd observations about life in general.
For some reason, this is not one of the Discworld books I would return to all that often (never found the Rincewind stories to be amongst the most enjoyable), but still has plenty of laugh out loud moments, alongside some other shrewd observations about life in general.
Cori June (3033 KP) rated Guards! Guards! Discworld Novel 8 in Books
Dec 3, 2018 (Updated Jun 16, 2021)
Sam Vines (2 more)
wit
L-space
I've reread the book, its been a couple of years. As an introduction to Discworld this is a good place to start. I really enjoy the fact that you don't have to read the Discworld series in order to grasp the main themes and ideas, most of the story arcs are self contained.
Samuel Vines is one of my favorite characters.
If you want a popular fantasy trope(s) flipped on its head this is a great series to read. Funny and surprisingly deep this story is an enjoyment for all. It's an adult book and it does deal with some dark things like alcoholism and other adult themes, but I'd let my nephews read it or I'd read it to them.
Samuel Vines is one of my favorite characters.
If you want a popular fantasy trope(s) flipped on its head this is a great series to read. Funny and surprisingly deep this story is an enjoyment for all. It's an adult book and it does deal with some dark things like alcoholism and other adult themes, but I'd let my nephews read it or I'd read it to them.
David McK (3361 KP) rated Jingo (Discworld, #21; City Watch, #4) in Books
Jan 9, 2022
It's hard to pick your favourite Discworld book.
It's hard even to pick your favourite that utilises a core set of characters.
If I was asked for my favourite Witches book, it would be a toss up between 'Lords and Ladies' and 'Maskerade'. My favourite stand-alone? Probably 'Small Gods'. My favourite Death? 'Soul Music'.
My favourite City Watch? Quite possibly this one.
It's hard even to pick your favourite that utilises a core set of characters.
If I was asked for my favourite Witches book, it would be a toss up between 'Lords and Ladies' and 'Maskerade'. My favourite stand-alone? Probably 'Small Gods'. My favourite Death? 'Soul Music'.
My favourite City Watch? Quite possibly this one.
David McK (3361 KP) rated Soul Music (Discworld, #16; Death, #3) in Books
Jul 1, 2024
You gotta love a bit of Terry Pratchett.
Only he could take The Grim Reaper, and turn him into not-so-much a figure of fun, but use him to examine life and mortality and the nature of human existence.
I think there's five such books in which he takes a starring role in the entire Discworld series - those would be (in order) 'Mort', 'Reaper Man', this one, 'Hogfather' and 'Thief of Time'], with all but the first featuring the Death of Rats ("SQUEEK"), and with the latter three also featuring his grand-daughter Susan.
That, thus, makes this the first novel to do so, with plenty of puns and jokes around the music industry here as a new force comes into being on the Discworld: that of "Music with Rocks In".
For my money, this is top-tier Pratchett.
Only he could take The Grim Reaper, and turn him into not-so-much a figure of fun, but use him to examine life and mortality and the nature of human existence.
I think there's five such books in which he takes a starring role in the entire Discworld series - those would be (in order) 'Mort', 'Reaper Man', this one, 'Hogfather' and 'Thief of Time'], with all but the first featuring the Death of Rats ("SQUEEK"), and with the latter three also featuring his grand-daughter Susan.
That, thus, makes this the first novel to do so, with plenty of puns and jokes around the music industry here as a new force comes into being on the Discworld: that of "Music with Rocks In".
For my money, this is top-tier Pratchett.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Light Fantastic: Discworld Novel 2 in Books
Jul 27, 2017
Absolutely bonkers
This is possibly one of the craziest adventure books I've ever read, and I wouldn't expect any less of a Discworld book. It's bonkers, funny and such an entertaining read. Rincewind has really grown on me too as a character, although I don't feel Twoflower's eccentricities were highlighted quite as much in this book as in The Colour of Magic. Such a fun read.