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David McK (3425 KP) rated Raising Steam: (Discworld Novel 40) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
The 40th(!) Discworld novel, that probably best fits into the Industrial Revolution sub-series of such novels (i.e. [b:Moving Pictures|34510|Moving Pictures (Discworld, #10)|Terry Pratchett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320456553s/34510.jpg|1229354], [b:The Truth|51737|The Truth About Forever|Sarah Dessen|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362767907s/51737.jpg|1032900], [b:Monstrous Regiment|34511|Monstrous Regiment The Play|Stephen Briggs|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375908503s/34511.jpg|2073281], [b:Going Postal|64222|Going Postal (Discworld, #33)|Terry Pratchett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388236899s/64222.jpg|1636617] and [b:Making Money|116296|Making Money (Discworld, #36)|Terry Pratchett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386925136s/116296.jpg|144656] (possibly also including [b:Unseen Academicals|6250169|Unseen Academicals (Discworld, #37)|Terry Pratchett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388348045s/6250169.jpg|6432996] and [b:Snuff|1840511|Snuff|Chuck Palahniuk|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320410088s/1840511.jpg|2034926])), and is also the third book to feature Moist Von Lipwig as the main protaganist (after [b:Going Postal|64222|Going Postal (Discworld, #33)|Terry Pratchett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388236899s/64222.jpg|1636617] and [b:Making Money|116296|Making Money (Discworld, #36)|Terry Pratchett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386925136s/116296.jpg|144656]).
This one is to do with the introduction of the railway to the Discworld, and also offers many a reference to previous characters and situations in the series as a whole: indeed, at times, it almost feels as if Pratchett is trying to squeeze as many in as possible.
Unfortunately, it's also not his best: I have to admit, in general, I've found most of his Industrial Revolution novels to not be as good as, say, those based around either The City Watch or those based around The Witches. Like the locomotive on which it is based, I found this one to take a fair bit of time to gather steam, and to feel a wee bit ponderous and unwieldy - this, I have to say, is not a novel I would use to introduce somebody new to the delights of the Discworld. :-(
This one is to do with the introduction of the railway to the Discworld, and also offers many a reference to previous characters and situations in the series as a whole: indeed, at times, it almost feels as if Pratchett is trying to squeeze as many in as possible.
Unfortunately, it's also not his best: I have to admit, in general, I've found most of his Industrial Revolution novels to not be as good as, say, those based around either The City Watch or those based around The Witches. Like the locomotive on which it is based, I found this one to take a fair bit of time to gather steam, and to feel a wee bit ponderous and unwieldy - this, I have to say, is not a novel I would use to introduce somebody new to the delights of the Discworld. :-(
Wintersmith (3 KP) rated Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6) in Books
Jun 11, 2019
Christy V (0 KP) rated Good Omens in Books
Jan 24, 2020
David McK (3425 KP) rated Good Omens in Books
Jan 28, 2019
One of the few books in which Terry Pratchett collaborated with another author (in this case, Neil Gaiman), this is also one of the few non-Discworld books that he co-wrote for adults.
Heavily borrowing from 'The Omen', this novel concerns itself with a (possible) Armageddon scenario, including the four Horsemen (bikers) of the Apocalypse. As is usual for a Pratchett book, it also contains many footnotes in each chapter, and more than once had me laughing out loud!
Heavily borrowing from 'The Omen', this novel concerns itself with a (possible) Armageddon scenario, including the four Horsemen (bikers) of the Apocalypse. As is usual for a Pratchett book, it also contains many footnotes in each chapter, and more than once had me laughing out loud!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Equal Rites: Discworld Novel 3 in Books
Aug 10, 2017
Another great Discworld story
Terry Pratchett does it again with yet another great Discworld novel. Although the main protagonist Esk can be a little grating at times, Equal Rites introduces a fantastic character in Granny Weatherwax and tells an age old familiar story of men versus women, with a fantasy spin.
David McK (3425 KP) rated The Carpet People in Books
Jun 13, 2021
In the 'Author's Note' at the start of the edition I read (published in 1992), it is explained that this novel is really a joint effort between Terry Pratchett, aged 17, and Terry Pratchett, aged 43.
It's interesting to try to spot which aspects of the books belong to which period of life: which of them from the original (published in 1971, and written by a 17 year old) and which are from the more contemporary period. While understandably not as polished as Pratchett's later works - he himself says it's not the book he would write now - it's still impressive that the basis for this work was written by a (then) 17 year old.
You never know what goes on under your feet ...
It's interesting to try to spot which aspects of the books belong to which period of life: which of them from the original (published in 1971, and written by a 17 year old) and which are from the more contemporary period. While understandably not as polished as Pratchett's later works - he himself says it's not the book he would write now - it's still impressive that the basis for this work was written by a (then) 17 year old.
You never know what goes on under your feet ...
mmb02191 (81 KP) rated The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in Books
May 29, 2018
Humor (2 more)
Wit
Characters
Wonderful Story!
This book is hilarious from the first page to the last! The story of Arthur Dent and unfortunate events that lead up to him traversing the galaxy grab the reader! If you enjoy Science Fiction, humor, and a writing style akin to Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, definitely give this a read.
David McK (3425 KP) rated How Right You Are, Jeeves (Jeeves, #12) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Impossible to read without envisioning Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, who were perfectly cast in the roles of Jeeves and Wooster, respectively. PG Wodehouse's grasp of the English vocabularly is top-notch, as ever: his powers of description using only a few words are second to known and is equalled, in my opinion, only by Terry Pratchett.