Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett is a nice chap with a talent to entertain, who writes books that are easy and pleasant to read, and funny in places. So I've read most of them, although they vary in quality as you can see from my ratings below.

For a writer of comic fantasy, he has quite strong views on ethics and politics, but he doesn't seem to have put them together into a coherent ideology. Thus, although he has libertarian leanings and distrusts government, he seems to believe that some form of government is necessary. As to which form of government he favours, he ducks the question by giving his city of Ankh-Morpork a relatively benevolent dictator. This is convenient, of course, but it solves nothing: what happens when the man dies?

A quick introduction to the Discworld

Most of Pratchett's books are set on the Discworld, an improbable flat world operating by magic, where anything can happen, and frequently does. Many stories involve the medieval city-state of Ankh-Morpork.

The Discworld is populated by a rich set of characters, falling into various different groups. These include the City Watch (the police force of Ankh-Morpork), the wizards of Unseen University, the witches who live in the countryside, Death (the Grim Reaper) and his associates, Cohen the Barbarian and his associates, the History Monks... Sometimes a story may involve just one group of characters, but quite often they intermingle to some extent.

The main selling point of the early books was comedy, but the later books are becoming gradually more serious, particularly the City Watch books, which tend to involve crime and political events. Books involving the witches tend to be the most comic, although the witches also have serious powers and functions.

For more background information, see Wikipedia.

Discworld novels

I was initially sceptical about the Discworld books, but eventually started reading them in 1990. I've added my own ratings below, when I can remember enough about the book to rate it. Some of them are good in parts, so they get a mixed rating.

The colour of magic (1983) (last read 2008). On rereading this, I found it not quite as bad a book as I remembered. It's divided into four distinct parts, the first of which is quite good, really. The other three show considerable imagination, but there's a lack of any overall plot, and the reader may wonder at the end if his journey was really necessary. To say that the ending leaves matters unresolved is rather an understatement. First appearances of Rincewind the incompetent wizard, Twoflower the tourist, the Luggage, and Death.

The light fantastic (1986) (last read 2007). Like The colour of magic, this has a very slender underlying plot but it mainly consists of Rincewind and Twoflower undergoing a series of pointless adventures, followed around and sometimes assisted by the Luggage. It's readable enough but not really what I think of as a novel. First appearances of the Librarian and Cohen the Barbarian.

Equal rites (1987) (last read 2005). First appearance of Granny Weatherwax, who finds herself trying to look after a young female wizard. I'm fond of the first half, but the second half is disappointing. However, I think of this as the first 'real' Discworld book: from here on there's some continuity in style.

Mort (1987) (last read 2005). I think the Discworld's Death character is fine in small doses. I'm a bit doubtful about devoting a whole book to him, but this is quite a good one if you like that sort of thing.

Sourcery (1988) (last read 1997). It's not really bad, but I've never been keen on this one.

Wyrd sisters (1988) (last read 2008). The three witches join forces against an evil king, while the Discworld sees the rise of a superb actor and a dwarf playwright. First appearances of Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. The first thoroughly good Discworld book, and still one of his best.

Pyramids (1989) (last read 2005). I love the beginning in the Assassins' School, and I like Pteppic and Ptraci (who comes on later), but the actual pyramid stuff is a bit boring and the Ephebian philosophers are very boring (fortunately they're a small part of the book). First and last appearances of Pteppic, Ptraci, Chidder, etc.

Guards! Guards! (1989) (last read 2005). The first City Watch book. First appearances of Samuel Vimes, Fred & Nobby, Carrot, and Sybil.

Eric (1990) (last read 2007). This is a short book about Rincewind, its main virtue being that it's shorter than the other Rincewind books. Well, OK, it's quite fluently written and it has humorous moments, it's amiable enough, but as soon as you put it down you realize you've forgotten what it was about.

Moving pictures (1990) (last read 2005). I'm not very keen on this one, though at least it features the first appearances of Gaspode the dog and Mustrum Ridcully, the Archchancellor of Unseen University.

Reaper man (1991) (last read 2007). In which Death gets his own lifetimer and experiences mortality for a while. The Auditors appear for the first time, and the Death of Rats comes into existence. The main thread of the story is OK, but the whole subplot about the wizards, the undead, and the supermarket trolleys strikes me as rather pointless and unsuccessful.

Witches abroad (1991) (last read 2007). In which Granny Weatherwax has to fight her evil sister, and Greebo the cat briefly becomes human. The trouble with this one is that Pratchett is trying too hard to make points and lecture, whereas I just want to read a good story and be entertained. However, it has its moments.

Small gods (1992) (last read 1995, or possibly later?). Quite a good book as far as I remember, though (a) it's about religion (not my favourite subject), and (b) it's rather an oddity in the Discworld series, not using any of the regular characters except Death.

Lords and ladies (1992) (last read 2007). In which King Verence of Lancre is set to marry Magrat, Ridcully meets Granny Weatherwax for the first time since they were both young, and Casanunda is trying to seduce Nanny Ogg; but there's a very serious invasion of evil elves that has to be stopped somehow. The mixture of comedy and horror is bizarre, but fairly successful.

Men at arms (1993) (last read 2007). An exciting City Watch story with good use made of various characters, and the first appearance of Angua the female werewolf.

Soul music (1994) (last read 2007). In which we make the acquaintance of Susan, Death's granddaughter; and Imp y Celyn (translation: Bud y Holly), the Discworld's first rock musician. This is also the one with the exotic restaurant menu ("Curry with Sweat, and Sore Balls of Pig"). I'm not really keen on the overall story, which gets a bit too cosmic; I think Pratchett is best when he keeps his feet on the ground. But the ingredients are all quite good.

Interesting times (1994) (last read 1996).

Maskerade (1995) (last read 1996). I don't have my own copy of this.

Feet of clay (1996) (last read 1997). A City Watch book.

Hogfather (1996) (last read 2007). Most of this book is pretty good; it has plenty of Susan, with side helpings of Ridcully; Death experiments with an alternative career, and shows his more likeable side. There are various new and different baddies. This is also the book in which a restaurant is obliged to make haute cuisine out of mud and old boots. But the story seems to go astray towards the end, I think because Pratchett starts trying to say Meaningful Things about Life, which means that he takes his eye off the ball.

Jingo (1997) (last read 2007). This is a sort of City Watch book, but one in which Ankh-Morpork attempts to go to war with Klatch. I previously read it nine years earlier, and it's a better book than I remembered, though primarily because of the amusing details and the use of characters. The story makes some sense but it's still a bit of a mess, and I dislike being preached at even when I agree with the message (in this case anti-war).

The last continent (1998) (last read 2007). Although just about readable if you're short of occupation, this is a remarkably tedious book by Pratchett's standards, mostly about Rincewind, the wizards, and the Discworld's version of Australia. I don't dislike Rincewind, but he's inherently rather dull, and his habit of fleeing from one predicament to another tends to lead to aimless, plotless stories that Pratchett seems to make up as he goes along.

Carpe jugulum (1998) (last read 2000). Witches versus vampires.

The fifth elephant (1999) (last read 2008). A kind of City Watch book, in that all the City Watch characters are involved, but in this one Sam Vimes is sent to Uberwald as an ambassador, so there's a heavy involvement of dwarfs and werewolves, with a light sprinkling of vampires. Rather improbably, Gaspode the talking mongrel also turns up again. The first half of the book is very promising, but the second half is rather too serious and downbeat. In passing, Sybil reveals that she's pregnant, and the City Watch acquires an Igor.

The truth (2000) (last read 2008). In which printing and newspapers come to the Discworld. Near the beginning, I laughed out loud several times, but it gets more serious as it goes on, which I think is rather a pity. Quite a good variety of characters, and I like Otto the vampire photographer. Mr Tulip, a thug with a talent for art appreciation, strikes me as rather implausible, but perhaps that's a strange comment to make about a Discworld character.

Thief of time (2001) (last read 2007). A rather confused book with a weak plot and too many characters, but good in parts. We get the continuing story of Susan (who meets Nanny Ogg here), and we're introduced to Lu-Tze the ancient monk, who follows the Way of Mrs Cosmopolite. There's quite an amusing Igor, and we learn something interesting about the yeti. But the Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse seems like an idea that needs more work; the abbot reincarnated as a baby is rather tiresome; and we have a horde of Auditors wandering around (I don't like the Auditors).

Night watch (2002) (last read 2007). In which Samuel Vimes is thrown back in time about thirty years, to the darker days of his own youth, when Ankh-Morpork was ruled by a paranoid tyrant and was about to rebel. Although there are occasional brief moments of levity, this is possibly Pratchett's most serious book (Wintersmith is also pretty serious), and it works very well. It's an excellent book with an absorbing story, hard to put down; and incidentally it won the Prometheus Award in 2003, which must have come as a bit of a surprise.

Monstrous regiment (2003). I don't think I've ever read this.

Going postal (2004) (last read 2008). The first Moist von Lipwig book, in which he's put in charge of the Ankh-Morpork Post Office. A fairly compulsive read, with good characters.

Thud! (2005) (last read 2007). A City Watch book, with the first appearance of Sally, her interaction with Angua, and new background information about dwarfs and trolls.

Making money (2007) (last read 2008). The second Moist von Lipwig book, in which he's transferred against his will from the Post Office to the Royal Mint and Bank of Ankh-Morpork, which he proceeds to turn upside-down in various ways. Neither the story nor the characters are particularly memorable by Pratchett's standards, but the book is witty and entertaining and perhaps even mildly educational. The chief baddy (Cosmo Lavish) is rather tiresome.

Other adult novels

The dark side of the sun (1976). I don't think I've ever read this.

Strata (1981) (last read sometime in the 1980s). I bought and read this when Pratchett was still completely unknown (pre-Discworld), and thought it a minor oddity. Not bad; but I didn't go out looking for more Pratchett at the time. In fact I either lost or got rid of my copy of the book.

Good omens (1990) (last read 1991).

Juvenile Discworld novels

The amazing Maurice and his educated rodents (2001) (last read 2007). Slightly reminiscent of the nome trilogy (further down this page) but somewhat darker.

The wee free men (2003) (last read 2007). We meet the nine-year-old Tiffany Aching, a witch in the making, who temporarily becomes kelda to a clan of Nac Mac Feegles. All very well so far, but later on she has to rescue her little brother from the Queen of the fairies, and the story turns into an exercise in surrealism, too weird for my liking.

A hat full of sky (2004) (last read 2007). In which Tiffany, now 11, is apprenticed to an older witch, meets some other young witches, and is possessed by a hiver (which is usually fatal). There are moments when the weirdness threatens to get out of control, but overall I think this is the best and most rereadable of the Tiffany stories.

Wintersmith (2006) (last read 2007). In which Tiffany, now 13, is pursued by the Wintersmith (an elemental force, the bringer of winter), who has fallen in love with her after she unwisely joined in a special dance. This is a well-crafted and mainly serious fantasy novel with humorous moments, but there's a coldness about it in more ways than one. Tiffany's adventures in each book are so frightening that you wonder how she can emerge sane from all this.

Other juvenile novels

The carpet people (1971) (last read 1995). I don't have my own copy.

Truckers (1989) (last read 2007). The first of the nome trilogy (otherwise known as the bromeliad trilogy). This is a great book, with a coherent story, distinct characters, and some lovely humorous touches. Pratchett makes a genuine effort to imagine what it would be like to live four inches high in a world of humans. I also like the fact that the whole trilogy is sf rather than fantasy, for a change.

Diggers (1990) (last read 2007). This is the filler section between the two ends of the trilogy. Not as good as the other two, but worth reading in context.

Wings (1990) (last read 2007). A good finish to the story of the nomes, in which they hijack a Concorde airliner, meet Grandson Richard, and realize their destiny.

Only you can save mankind (1992). I haven't read this one.

Johnny and the dead (1993) (last read 2006). A minor book, but better than you might expect. I don't have my own copy.

Johnny and the bomb (1996). I haven't read this one.

Other things

There are various Discworld spin-off productions and other oddments, often produced by other writers or in collaboration with other writers. Some of them have merit but I don't feel motivated to talk about them here.