Good Omens (by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman)

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I first read ‘Good Omens’ by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman back in the mid-1990s. I then read it aloud to my sons, who were teenagers at the time, in 2000, and we all enjoyed it very much. Since then it had sat on our shelves, borrowed several times by various friends, but not something I felt like rereading again.

Then, a few months ago, we watched the excellent adaptation of ‘Good Omens’ with David Tennant as the demon Crowley, and Michael Sheen as the angel Aziraphale. As far as I could recall, it kept very close to the book, although with a twenty-five year gap I couldn’t be certain. So I decided I should read the book again.

Due to the popularity of the series (which aired on BBC 2 as well as Amazon Prime video), the plot is probably well-known. There are several different strands to the story, as was common with Pratchett’s writing, and it’s a bit confusing, at first, working out what’s going on. It starts with a mix-up in a hospital - the baby destined to become the antichrist is given to a random British couple, who call him Adam. Their baby is given to an American diplomat and his wife. This section was followed very closely in the TV series.

We meet Crowley and Aziraphale and get some idea of their off-on friendship/rivalry, but without the different scenes over the millennia that the series was able to do. I’m not sure I ever had much of an idea of what either of them would look like when I first read the book, but although I’m not a visual person, I was definitely imagining David Tennant and Michael Sheen in all their scenes. Both the angel and the demon are unaware that the babies have been switched, and don’t realise their problem until eleven years later, supposedly a week before Armageddon, when a hound dog from hell is supposed to find his master…

Then there’s Anathema Device, an American witch who is descended from another witch called Agnes who wrote a book of extensive prophecies. These prophecies are called ‘nice and accurate’, and - when understood in more up-to-date situations - have all come true. Anathema has followed guidance in these prophecies to move to the UK. She has rented a cottage in the village where Adam and his family live, as that’s where she was guided, though she has no idea that he is supposedly a foul fiend. 

Finally there are four ‘horsemen’ - or, since it’s the 20th century, motorbike riders - who appear now and again. War is an angry woman, who travels around inciting anger and violence, though nobody realises that she is responsible. Famine looks like a sleek businessman, and has built up quite a business in junk and ultra-processed foods that make people obese without nourishing them. He also offers popular diet plans. The third rider, Pollution, has replaced the classic Pestilence, and revels in ordinary dirty and rubbish. And the fourth rider is familiar to Discworld readers. 

Adam, without either demonic or angelic prompting, has grown up to be an ordinary, creative and sometimes badly-behaved boy with a strong leadership ability. He has three close friends, and is the recognised (though unofficial) chief. This is mainly because he has the best ideas and the most persuasive arguments. He’s also kind, with a strong sense of justice. He’s very keen on ecology and saving whales, and other good causes. 

The book takes us slowly through the last week as the end of the world approaches. It’s clear that this is going to be a battle between the angels and the demons, primarily, although neither Aziraphale nor Crowley are keen for it to happen. They’ve both become quite fond of the earth in the millennia where they have been there, living in human form, and neither wants to see a lot of violence.

I knew, of course, that everything would be averted at the last minute; that Adam would surprise all concerned by his plans, if he were to rule the world. Having seen the TV series recently, I recalled quite a bit of the plot and some of the details. But I enjoyed rereading it again, perhaps understanding some of the complex scenes a bit better for having watched the adaptation.  There are some extra scenes in the TV series which were not in the book, and I can see why they were included, but the book is complete in itself.  

There are, as was typical with Terry Pratchett, several subtle (and not-so-subtle) references to literature or history, or similar; I smiled a few times, and almost laughed aloud at an unexpected reference to an old nursery rhyme. I appreciated the odd humorous moment in what was, at times, quite a tense book. 

Of course it's not to be taken seriously - this is essentially science fiction, after all. But there are Biblical references amongst the other literary ones, and the authors evidently had at least some understanding of the book of Revelation. While it might seem, at first glance, to make something of a mockery of it, there are some important and thought-provoking aspects for anyone wanting to look more deeply at the book. 

Definitely recommended. 'Good Omens' has been reprinted several times, and can often be found lurking in second-hand bookshops. 

Review copyright 2025 Sue's Book Reviews

The Shepherd's Crown (by Terry Pratchett)

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I first came across Terry Pratchett in the early 1990s, and was introduced to the Discworld series soon afterwards. I gradually acquired those that had already been published, and then as new ones were written we bought them, often in hardback. I read many of them out loud to our sons, and some to myself. But I had never sat down deliberately to read the entire series from start to finish. 

So I started a full re-read of the ‘Discworld’ series just over five years ago, not all in one chunk of time, but interspersed with other books. I finished ‘The Colour of Magic’, first in the series, at the end of March 2019. I haven’t quite managed to read one Pratchett book per month as I had hoped, which is why it’s taken me so long to read the 41 books. But at last I’ve completed them, with ‘The Shepherd's Crown’. It’s fifth in the Tiffany Aching sub-series, and the final volume of the Discworld books, published posthumously. I first read it in 2017, but hadn’t remembered anything much about it. 

Tiffany Aching is one of the most likeable Discworld characters, in my view. We first met her as a young girl in ‘The Wee Free Men’. That book was intended for younger readers: teenagers, or even older children (possibly as a read-aloud) to introduce them to the Discworld series. Unlike the main books, those featuring Tiffany have distinct chapters and a more straightforward storyline. 

In this book, Tiffany is an adult - we don’t know her exact age, but it’s made clear that she’s more than sixteen. And as such, I wouldn’t really recommend it to children, although it would be fine for teenagers. Tiffany has a young man, Preston, who is working as a junior doctor in Ankh Morpork. They correspond, and she would love to spend more time with him; but they are both passionate about their work, and know that it has to come first. Preston appeared in ‘I shall wear midnight’, and I was sorry that he doesn’t come into this story other than in Tiffany’s mind and heart.

The first few chapters of ‘The Shepherd’s Crown’ involve a dramatic and potentially very sad event which I thought was handled very well. Not wanting to give spoilers, it’s hard to say much more except that Tiffany has to take on a lot more responsibilities than she used to, and finds herself over-stretched and very tired. 

Alongside this, we learn that the elves of fairyland are planning an attack on the Discworld. These elves are not like Tolkien’s: they are selfish, manipulative and without any sense of morality or empathy. 

There are references to so many of the earlier books that it would be hard to read this as a standalone novel, even though the story itself is complete. It’s not just the Tiffany Aching ones that are relevant, either. There are references to Tiffany’s forays into elvish territory in the first book about her, but also to the experiences that the older witches had, described in ‘Lords and Ladies’. 

There are also mentions of the railway - which comes to fruition in ‘Raising Steam’ - and the emancipation and personhood of the goblins, which starts in ‘Unseen Academicals’. The Disc has come a long way since the first books, and I love the way Pratchett helped the different races live in harmony - and they really are different races, not just humans with different shades of skin colour.

The Nac Mac Feegles have a lot of action in this book, most of it either raucous or violent or both. There’s a glossary of their pseudo-Scottish vocabulary in the back of the book, but I’m familiar enough with the words, used in earlier books too, that I only referred to it once or twice. 

And then there’s a new character, a sixteen-year-old lad called Geoffrey whose father is abusive, and who has left home. He travels with his highly intelligent goat Mephistopheles, making his way to Lancre where he has an unusual request for Tiffany. Geoffrey is an interesting person, full of diplomacy and also very caring. It’s sad that we won’t learn anything else about him; but his story is encouraging and he’s a nice addition to the book. 

The writing is good, although in places I wondered if there had been some non-Pratchett additions: a few phrases and uses of punctuation didn’t ring quite true to the other books. But it doesn’t much matter. There’s plenty that’s classic Pratchett, complete with literary and other references. It’s a good story, with a positive outcome, and makes an excellent finale to the lengthy series. 

Definitely recommended if you’ve read all or most of the others in the series. 

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

Raising Steam (by Terry Pratchett)

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I have been re-reading the entire Discworld series, written by the brilliant Sir Terry Pratchett, over the past few years, at a rate of about one per month. I have just finished the fortieth book in the series, ‘Raising Steam’, which was published in 2014. I was given a copy for Christmas that year, and read it in April 2015. I remembered that it involved the Discworld invention and adoption of a railway, but nothing else. 

It opens with a general explanation about people becoming more impatient, and wishing that products from the other side of the Disc might be fresher. And then we’re taken to the home of Dick Simnel, whose father managed to explode himself when Dick was ten. His father was an engineer, experimenting with steam, recognising its potential but not entirely harnessing it. Dick is more meticulous as he grows up, and studies his father’s research as well as trigonometry and the use of the ‘sliding rule’. 

Eventually the first Discworld train, ‘Iron Girder’, is unveiled. Lord Vetinari sees the potential, as does the self-made millionaire Harry King. Harry agrees to fund further research and development, and Vetinari appoints Moist von Lipwig as overseer and negotiator. Moist is already the manager of the Post Office, and the Bank and Treasury; he’s a visionary, excellent at persuading people to do whatever is necessary to achieve a goal. 

At the same time there’s an undercurrent of insurrection, as some of the dwarfs start objecting to the democratic way that people in Ankh Morpork are all considered equal. Despite having come to an agreement to live side-by-side with trolls, some of the ‘grags’ want to remain traditional in their habits. And they take this to a fundamentalist, sometimes violent degree. One of them wants to depose the ‘Low King’ of the dwarfs, who they believe is too liberal.

I also appreciated the many goblins who appear in this book: in the last couple, they were acknowledged as sentient beings and given the same rights as other races. Goblins were excellent at running the ‘clacks’, and it turns out that they have a gift for working in the railways, too. I very much liked the way that quite a few goblins in this book are working in different capacities, treated much better than in the past, and given names. 

I had assumed that this was the last of the Discworld books; when it was being written, Terry Pratchett was already showing signs of illness, and forty seemed like a good round number. However there is one more Discworld book, published posthumously, which I'm already looking forward to reading in another month or two. 

'Raising Steam' includes several of my favourite characters from the series: not just Moist von Lipwig and Lord Vetinari, but Sam Vimes and some of the Watch. The book encompasses many areas of the Disc as a brave venture begins, to run a train all the way to Uberwald. This has to be done even though tracks haven’t been laid all the way, and there are some dangerous areas to pass through...

As with all Pratchett’s writing, there are references to the ‘real’ world, and other random allusions, some of which I probably missed. But I was amused by the many synonyms for ‘moist’ used by one of the goblins, and also by some pointed references to the classic children’s novel ‘The Railway Children’. Some have said that this doesn’t read like classic Pratchett, possibly because he was no longer able to type, and had to rely on dictation for most of this novel. But I didn’t have any problem with it, and thought it made an excellent read.  

It could stand alone, as most Discworld books do, but it’s much more enjoyable for having read the previous books, particularly those involving the Watch and Moist von Lipwig. There are references to events in previous books which would make little sense to someone who had not read any of them.

Definitely recommended if you like the Discworld series and have not yet read this one.

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

Snuff (by Terry Pratchett)

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It’s been quite a long journey, re-reading the ‘Discworld’ series by the late Terry Pratchett. I’m nearing the end now, as I’ve just finished reading ‘Snuff’, 39th in the series (including those for teenagers). I read this book in 2014, and had entirely forgotten the story nearly a decade later. 

The book mainly features Samuel Vimes, Commander of the City Watch in Ankh Morpork. I didn’t like the ‘Watch’ books when I first starting reading Discworld books, but Vimes is a well-developed and ultimately likeable person with a great deal of integrity as well as some acknowledged faults. So I’ve come to appreciate this sub-series of the books. I particularly like the later ones when Sam is Sir Samuel, married to the voluptuous and delightful dragon-breeding Lady Sybil, with a small son, known as Young Sam. 

In this book, Sybil persuades Sam that he needs a holiday. So they travel into one of her family mansions in the countryside. Sam Senior is not at all sure what he will do. He appreciates time spent with his son but isn’t too sure about Young Sam’s obsessions with the ‘poo’ produced by different animals…

Then Vimes discovers that the countryside isn’t so quiet and peaceful as he had thought. He gets into a fight with the local blacksmith, who later disappears. And he learns that the folk in the area where he’s staying consider the goblin population to be ‘vermin’ rather than sapient beings. There have been brief mentions of goblins in previous books but in this they’re shown to be a race of people who have a very poor opinion of themselves. And yet they have extensive talents, including making special boxes, and - in some cases - composing and playing music.

There’s more than one storyline, as is common with Pratchett’s writing. Sam is determined to catch a cold-blooded villain; he’s also eager to see goblins recognised in the law. In Ankh-Morpork there are many different races: people, dwarfs, trolls, golems, vampires… and more, mostly living alongside each other in reasonable harmony. Or, at least, acceptance. Out in the countryside, people are more traditional, and very good at turning a blind eye to some terrible crimes. 

There are classical allusions, of course, and one or two asides that made me smile, but mostly it’s quite a serious, thought-provoking story of good vs evil, on the broad topic of racism. I’m also currently reading the biography of someone brought up in the racist southern part of the United States in the middle of last century, and some of the attitudes are strikingly similar. 

It took me a couple of weeks to finish this book; I see, looking at my review from 2014, it took me even longer the first time around. I read the last hundred pages or so almost at one sitting, but it was a bit slow to get going and didn’t grab me at the start. Still, overall I liked it. I’d recommend this if you like the ‘Watch’ series in the Discworld, or as part of the series as a whole. But it wouldn’t make a good introduction to Pratchett, as there are so many references to events and people from previous books. 

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

I Shall Wear Midnight (by Terry Pratchett)

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I’m glad I decided to re-read all the ‘Discworld’ books by the late Terry Pratchett, in the order of publiciation as recommended by the official Discworld Emporium site. In this sequence, the fourth ‘Tiffany Aching’ book for older children and younger teens is 38th in the series. I last read ‘I Shall Wear Midnight’ back in 2011, not long after it came out in paperback. And I had totally forgotten the storyline. 

I do like Tiffany. In the first book about her, ‘The Wee Free Men’, she was nine: hard-working and likeable, but undisciplined, and unsure where she fitted into the world. She was very good at making cheeses, and fond of her old grandmother… she was thrust into adventure, and trained as a witch. Now, in this book, she is sixteen and established as the witch of the ‘Chalk’ area. 

As the local witch, Tiffany has to oversee births and deaths. She’s like a district nurse or health visitor, who assists elderly people, binds up wounds, looks after children, and is generally a good influence in the area. She’s often very tired but - on the whole - she loves what she does. She’s a bit miffed that her former friend Roland no longer seems to speak to her, and that he’s become engaged to a very fluffy girl called Letitia. But she’s very fond of his father, the elderly Baron, who is dying. Tiffany visits him regularly to ‘balance’ his pain, in a way that is explained somewhat scientifically, but is one of the more mystical or magical abilities she has. 

At the same time, Tiffany has a growing awareness that something evil is in the air. People who used to respect her are now suspicious; if a baby dies when she’s present at the birth, she is rumoured to be responsible. She learns about witches in former centuries who were burned at the stake, and discovers that, in kissing the Wintersmith (in the book simply called ‘Wintersmith’) she has unleashed an evil spirit, the ‘Cunning Man’, who had been benign…

Pratchett had a genius for weaving several different subplots together. Some of his Discworld books seem confusing for the first 50 pages or so, as so many viewpoints are introduced, with apparently unrelated storylines. This book is much less complicated, since Tiffany is the viewpoint character throughout, and although she’s older, it’s still intended for younger people, though probably teens rather than children. 

Some of the references to the ‘Cunning Man’ and his activities are potentially quite disturbing, as is the description of terrible domestic violence which happens early in the book. Nothing gratuitous, but not appropriate reading for a sensitive child, or even a younger teenager.

We also see both Tiffany and Nanny Ogg trying to explain the ‘facts of life’ to a young, innocent girl about to get married. Nothing explicit is said, but much is implied. It might go over the head of a younger child, but I suspect most children would find this novel a bit dull; there are no children in it.

There’s more of a crossover with the main Discworld books than there was in the earlier Tiffany Aching books. Tiffany has to visit Ankh Morpork at one point, and comes across ‘Wee Mad Arthur’ who is delighted to meet the Feegles - the small blue men who have sworn to protect Tiffany. She also meets someone I had given up hope of ever reading about again - the legendary Esk from the early book in the series, ‘Equal Rites’. 

I liked reading about Tiffany again. She has matured in positive ways since the earlier books about her. She’s kind and generous, and also quick-thinking and courageous. She’s quite determined, too, and mostly confident about her own abilities. There’s even a low-key romantic element for her, involving a young man with the brains to go to university, but no money.  

Inevitably there are some lighter parts of the book, and some humour, particularly where the Feegles are concerned. But it’s ironic humour, the kind that made me smile wryly here and there, rather than anything overtly funny.

Overall I thought this a very good addition to the Discworld books. Definitely recommended if you liked the earlier Tiffany Aching books, or if you’re a fan of the Discworld books in general. 

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

Unseen Academicals (by Terry Pratchett)

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Re-reading the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s lengthy Discworld series, there have been times when I wonder whether I should give up. It often takes me a while to get into them properly, and they’re not as enjoyable reading on my own as they were reading aloud to my teenage sons. But I’ve kept going, and, as I near the end, am glad that I did.

‘Unseen Academicals’ is 37th in the series.  I first read it in 2010, having borrowed it from one of my sons; I apparently liked it so much that we acquired our own copy, although I had not re-read it until just recently. I vaguely recalled that it was set mostly amongst the Discworld wizards and the Unseen University. I also remembered that it was about football. That’s not a subject which usually interests me in the slightest.

The book opens by introducing some of the staff who work at the Unseen University. There’s Glenda, an excellent cook and head of the ‘night kitchen’, for instance. There’s Juliet, a young, beautiful but not very bright young woman who works with Glenda. There’s Trevor, whose father died playing football, and who works with the candles. And there’s Mr Nutt.

I’d forgotten all about Mr Nutt, whose story runs through the book, giving a little mystery that isn’t solved until nearer the end. Mr Nutt has come from Uberwald and is considered to be a kind of goblin, but nobody really knows. He is a very private person, and extremely skilled at candle dribbling. He did not have a happy childhood, but he’s a polite, highly intelligent and well-read person. He sometimes gives offence accidentally - he’s like a Discworld version of a autistic person. 

Ponder Stibbons, who does most of the important jobs in the Unseen University, has discovered an old document stating that some ongoing finances will stop unless the wizards have a football team. Football has become a violent, unregulated sport in the streets. So a lot of the book involves the implementation of rules which (as far as I know) roughly resemble those of football as we understand it on Earth. 

It took me even longer than usual to get into this book despite some enjoyable asides and not-always-subtle references to literary or mythological figures, as happens so often in Pratchett’s writing. But gradually the story took hold of me; I was particularly keen to find out who exactly Mr Nutt is, and why he’s working so hard for so little pay in a job generally considered one of the lowest. 

One has to suspend reality on the Disc, of course; but there are some quite thought-provoking discussions about racism, and how different kinds of people (trolls, vampires, dwarfs, humans etc) can learn to get along with a few concessions. There’s also a foray into the fashion industry, and even a very low-key romantic thread. And there’s football, but somehow Pratchett managed to turn even that very dull subject into an enjoyable part of the plot.

Definitely recommended if you’re a fan of the series. Although it stands alone, it’s undoubtedly best to have read some of the earlier books, particularly those involving the wizards. Many names recur and it’s confusing enough for someone like me who is reasonably familiar with most of them. 

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

Wintersmith (by Terry Pratchett)

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When I started re-reading Terry Pratchett’s lengthy ‘Discworld’ series a few years ago - at a rate of about ten per year - I began by reading in order of publication. The series gradually develops, and some characters recur, so it’s often useful to read in order. I wasn’t quite sure where the five ‘Tiffany Aching’ books for older children and teens would fit in, so I searched and found this recommended reading order. 

However I didn’t always remember to consult it, so after reading ‘Going Postal’, and ‘Thud’, I went on to ‘Making Money’, and only thought to check the recommended order afterwards. It doesn’t particularly matter, since each book is complete in itself; I’ve now re-read ‘Wintersmith’, so I’m back on track, with only five more in the series to read. I last read this book in 2007, so although I recalled the basic storyline, I had entirely forgotten the details. 

‘Wintersmith’ - like ‘The Wee Free Men’ and ‘A Hat Full of Sky’ - is shorter than the Discworld books intended for adults. It’s divided into chapters, and written from the perspective of young Tiffany Aching, one of the trainee witches. She turns thirteen in this book, and has been working with Miss Treason, an elderly witch who looks after the affairs of the local village. Tiffany is aware that much of what she does is listening, caring and soothing - a bit of ‘headology’ as the main series puts it - and also that Miss Treason has some other secrets…

Tiffany is taken to watch some ‘dark’ Morris dancing. Miss Treason tells her that she must stay where she is, and observe but not talk. But Tiffany sees a gap in the dance, inviting her in. Her feet tap, and she’s unable to resist the temptation of joining in…

Which leads to a situation not dissimilar to CS Lewis’s Narnia under the White Witch. Except that winter is personified in this book, as the ‘Wintersmith’ - an elemental who suddenly starts thinking, and attempting to feel, and tries to learn how to woo. 

It’s hard to say much without giving spoilers, but perhaps it doesn’t matter as the outcome is inevitable, given that it’s a children’s book; what matters is how the characters reach the concluding chapters. Tiffany is a very likeable, generous person who’s even willing to help others who consider themselves superior to her. I love her ‘second thoughts’ and even ‘third thoughts’, as she argues with herself, or sees where a conversation is going. 

She’s also, as always, aided (or otherwise) by the small blue caricatures of Scottish Highlanders, the Nac Mac Feegle. They have sworn to look after her - and think nothing of opening her private mail, or reading her diary, or hiding in her bedroom. They’re risk-taking, vicious, greedy and easily angered, but they’re also immensely loyal and willing to do anything for those they care about.

Pratchett always used literary allusions in his books, and this is no exception. Stories are important, and familiarity with standard fairy-tales helps in appreciating some of the asides. It’s definitely better to have read the two earlier Tiffany Aching books, and - ideally - at least some of the ‘Witches’ books, since both Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg feature in ‘Wintersmith’. 

Overall I thought it a very enjoyable book, and am glad I’ve re-read it. As with the two earlier books for young people, it would make an excellent introduction to the Discworld; but it’s also well worth reading by adults as part of the whole series.

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

Making Money (by Terry Pratchett)

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In my gradual re-read of Terry Pratchett’s long Discworld series, I reached ‘Making Money’, which is apparently the 36th book by publication date.  I first read it towards the end of 2007, shortly after it was published but have not re-read it since. So I had pretty much forgotten the storyline.

Unlike the majority of the Discworld series, this book is divided into chapters, and mainly follows the activities of just one individual: the ingenious, intelligent former criminal Moist von Lipwig. While this book stands alone, as all the books in the series do, it’s definitely best read after ‘Going Postal’. That's the book where Mr Lipwig was introduced: saved from the hangman’s noose, he went on to revitalise the Ankh Morpork Post Office.

However, Moist is becoming somewhat bored. He’s an innovator rather than a maintainer. Everything is going smoothly, and his girlfriend is away trying to rescue some golems… so he starts taking risks, seeing if he can still break into places not because he wants to steal anything, but to see if he can. Moist is a very clever creation: a conman and crook at heart, yet also fair-minded and something of a pacifist. He never commits physical violence, and he only cheats people who are trying to cheat him… 

The Ankh Morpork bank is struggling, in the hands of the greedy and snooty Lavish family. The head of the family, and chairman of the board, is an elderly lady who meets Moist and immediately likes him. Lord Vetinari offers Moist the opportunity to take over the bank, but Moist refuses… until circumstances force him to take a hand. 

I have very little financial understanding, but it’s not essential to enjoy this book - and I did like it, rather more than I did first time around. Rather than having lots of classical allusions, this book deals more in similarities with financial institutions and - although I had not taken it in while reading - subtle references to the game of Monopoly. 

So Mr Lipwig invents the idea of a paper note rather than relying on coins and gold bullion, and persuades people to deposit their money, however small an amount, with the promise of interest. He rather shocks Mr Bent, the very uptight and slightly weird chief cashier of the bank whose affinity with numbers is astounding, as he does complex mental arithmetic without flaws in just a few seconds. Mr Bent clearly has some kind of secret but I had entirely forgotten what it was, and had not guessed. 

There’s also a sideline about golems, the people of clay who have featured in several of the other Discworld books. Moist’s girlfriend works for the Golem Trust, ensuring golems can be freed. She travels the Disc finding abandoned or buried golems, and ensuring their release. However she’s not prepared for Gladys, a golem working for Moist, who insists on wearing a dress and reading books on etiquette for young ladies.

It’s a very readable book, although it took me ten days to finish. This is possibly because I didn’t care sufficiently about the main plot to want to keep reading at every moment. But I did like it, and may well read it again in another ten or twelve years. 

Recommended as part of the Discworld series, or as a sequel to ‘Going Postal’. 

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

Thud (by Terry Pratchett)

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Re-reading my way slowly through Terry Pratchett’s ‘Discworld’ series, I reached ‘Thud’, the 34th series. We bought the hardback edition shortly after it was first published, towards the end of 2005, and I read it aloud to my teenage sons - finishing just before my elder son left home. I hadn’t read it since then, and had entirely forgotten what it was about.

‘Thud’ is one of the ‘Watch’ books, a direct sequel to ‘Monstrous Regiment’, at least as far as Sam Vimes goes. He has a young son now, known as Young Sam, who lights up his world in a way he had not expected. However most of his time is taken up with his work - and tensions are brewing in the city, as the trolls and dwarfs clash. A dwarf has been killed, and a troll club found nearby. Koom Valley day is approaching, and the patrician - Lord Vetinari - is worried that battles might break out in Ankh Morpork.

I’m not sure I followed all the intricacies of the plot, which involved several investigations, a game called ‘Thud’ played on something like a chessboard, and some more dwarf fatalities. There’s a new recruit to the Watch, a vampire known as Sally, who rather likes the look of Captain Carrot. Angua the Watch werewolf dislikes vampires intensely, but finds herself partnered with Sally more than once…and in some unusual predicaments. 

Then there’s a subplot involving the strange Nobby Nobbs, who is going out with a beautiful but very insecure young woman who works as a pole dancer.  And there’s a very important event which Sam Vimes must be present at every evening.  He has a ‘gooseberry’ - a Discworld style electronic organiser, powered by an imp who tries very hard to get Sam to fulfil his obligations.  

For the first hundred or so pages (as with most Discworld books, there are no chapters), I didn’t find this book all that interesting; I was never a huge fan of the Watch books, although I’ve liked them more this time around. But by the time I was half-way through I was liking the character interactions, and even appreciating the storyline, although I didn’t follow everything. I certainly didn’t grasp the rules of ‘Thud’ - perhaps I wasn’t supposed to. 

While some Discworld books could be read as standalones, this one involves a lot of characters from previous books. Although the plot is complete in itself, the characters in the Watch have developed over the course of the books, and it’s better (in my opinion) to read them in order.  

Definitely recommended if you’ve read and liked earlier ‘Watch’ books in the series.

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

Going Postal (by Terry Pratchett)

(Amazon UK link)

I was quite looking forward to reaching ‘Going Postal’ in my gradual re-read of the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s lengthy Discworld series. It’s one of the books I read aloud to my teenage sons in 2005, having bought it in hardback soon after publication, and I recalled liking it very much.

I had even remembered what happened in the first chapter - a very dramatic opening to the book - which results in the condemned crook Moist von Lipwig being appointed as the new Postmaster General for the Ankh Morpork post office.  The post office has been entirely dormant for some years and there have been others appointed to this role, but they all suffered unpleasant accidents… some quite recently. However Moist has no option but to accept, and no chance to escape as he is determinedly followed and tracked down by a Golem known as Mr Pump. 

Most of the former post office staff have long gone, but two remain. There’s the elderly Mr Grout, who believes in dosing himself with all kinds of dodgy remedies, and never washes. There’s also the younger Stanley, a gangly, nervous young man who only becomes enthusiastic when talking about his all-consuming hobby of collecting pins.

Moist has worked as a conman and swindler all his life, and was apparently very good at it, but he isn’t entirely lost to emotion, and does have a kind of standard of decency. He will engage in a fair fight, although he prefers to avoid physical pain, but he tries to avoid hurting the innocent, where possible, and is proud of the fact that he’s never killed anyone. Not directly, anyway…

It’s a good story, the first of the main Discworld books to be written in chapters; that’s something I had not remembered. And I’d forgotten most of the details of the book. Moist does not just have to restart a post office that’s stopped doing anything, he has to wade through mountains of undelivered mail, some of it going back decades, blocking up doorways and covering furniture everywhere in the huge post office. 

He also finds that he’s in competition with the ‘clacks’ towers - a kind of Discworld semaphore-based phone system that uses Disc-style computers and geeky people who like numbers… but which has been taken over by a ruthless conman who’s as talented as Moist, but without his hint of humanity.

Lord Vetinari appears several times, smooth and tyrannical, yet doing what he can for the city. And there’s a wonderful section about the invention of stamps which I appreciated very much. 

Still one of my favourite of the Discworld novels, probably because it’s so character-based and Moist is a wonderful, complex character who’s likeable despite his criminal tendencies. I hope it won’t be another eighteen years before I read it again.

Definitely recommended if you’re a fan of these books. If you haven’t read any Discworld books before, this could make a good starting point, as most of the characters are new to this story.

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

Monstrous Regiment (by Terry Pratchett)

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In my gradual re-read of Terry Pratchett’s lengthy ‘Discworld’ series, I had reached ‘Monstrous Regiment’, which I only previously read once in March 2004. It was shortly after publication date, and I read it to my two sons, who were teenagers at the time. We had mixed feelings about it at the time, and I recalled it being about a girl who joined the army… so I didn’t think it would be all that appealing.

It turned out to be more interesting than I had expected. Polly is the main character, and we meet her dressed as a boy so that she can join her country’s army. There are always wars, and recruiting officers tour around looking for likely lads. Polly has been working as a barmaid in her father’s inn, and has thus had the opportunity to observe a lot of men and listen to male conversation in a way that would not normally be possible for teenage girls in that era.

She is accepted, kisses the picture of ‘The Duchess’, who is a somewhat odd figure, something between a minor god and a monarch, whom nobody has seen for a long time. But The Duchess apparently tells some people what they should be doing. One of Polly’s new colleagues is a devout worshipper. They’re quite a mixed bunch - there’s a vampire (reformed); there’s a troll, and there are other different shapes and sizes of new recruits. Polly realises there may be problems when she needs to use the ‘facilities’, but she manages, although it’s not long before she starts to wonder if others of her group may also be of the female persuasion…

Polly is a quick thinker, and asks a lot of questions which makes her unpopular with one of the officers, although the other, a very large sergeant, is more benign and generally well-disposed. And they start out on their way to fight battles with no training, because the army is running out of people…

There’s quite a bit of politics in the book, Discworld style, which I skimmed. I lost track of who was attacking whom, and how the different ambushes, battles and so on worked. I was more interested in Polly’s story, her growing friendships with her new acquaintances, and the difficulties she finds in a man’s world, contrasted with her very different life prior to joining up. It’s a theme Pratchett explored in ‘Equal Rites’ in rather a different way.

Samuel Vimes of the Ankh Morpork Watch is in this book, in a fairly minor role until the end, but most of the characters are new so it’s certainly possible to read this as a stand-alone story. I prefer to read a series like this in chronological order where possible, but it’s not necessary. Still, a working knowledge of the way different races (humans, trolls, vampires, wizards etc) manage to co-exist in the Disc is a useful background. Knowing who Vimes and the other Watch members are is a nice bonus.

‘Monstrous Regiment’ is still not my favourite of the Discworld books, but I liked it better than I did nearly nineteen years ago.

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

A Hat Full of Sky (by Terry Pratchett)

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In gradually re-reading Terry Pratchett’s lengthy ‘Discworld’ series, I’ve taken a slight detour from the main books to revisit the first couple of Tiffany Aching books, which were written for younger readers, although they’re enjoyable for people of all ages.

I re-read ‘The Wee Free Men’ back in July, and liked it very much. I last read its sequel, ‘A hat full of sky’ in 2005 and had entirely forgotten the story. Although it took me a day or two to get into it, I thought it an excellent book. As ever there are quite a few characters and more than one storyline, and it works best read as a sequel rather than a standalone.

Tiffany Aching, who is now eleven, is on her way to work for Miss Level. Her parents think she’s going to be a kitchen maid or similar, and have no idea that she’s going to learn to be a witch. Tiffany’s grandmother was - kind of - a witch but died before the first book started, and she still misses her; but she feels quite a pull to continue her work.

She’s not entirely sure that she’s cut out to be a witch, however; just riding on a broomstick makes her feel queasy. And she’s pretty sure that she’s the only one who is followed around by the Nac Mac Feegles - the six inch high ‘Wee free men’ of the first book - who have sworn to protect her. She’s also a bit disillusioned when she realises that most of her work with Miss Level is in fact cleaning, and checking animals, and helping people in the village who are sick, or elderly, or just need company.

But Tiffany is being followed by a ‘hiver’, an invisible being that preys on the vulnerable. And it seems likely that it will catch up with her at some point, and we don’t know what will happen. I hadn’t remembered at all; obviously it was all going to work out in the end, as this is a children’s book, but I had no recollection of what happened, or how the hiver was persuaded to leave Tiffany, or what happened later in the book to ensure it didn’t return.

Nor do I know whether the word is pronounced 'high-ver' (to rhyme with diver) or 'hivver' (to rhyme with shiver). It might even be 'heaver'.

I suspect that some of the book would go over the head of younger children who could, nevertheless, read it as an exciting adventure. Tiffany is an excellent heroine, who is a little naive but kind, practical and determined - and stronger than people realise. She’s also very good at making cheese.

Definitely recommended if you like Pratchett’s writing, or just want something a bit different for an older child or teenager. But do read ‘The Wee Free Men’ first, even if you haven’t read anything else set in the Discworld.

There are three more books about Tiffany Aching, but I'm going to return to the main Discworld series for a few more books before continuing with them, reading the entire series roughly in publication order.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Wings (by Terry Pratchett)

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It had been a long time since I last read any of Terry Pratchett’s ‘Bromeliad’ series. They are intended for children, but enjoyable by adults too. So I was pleased when my eight-year-old grandson asked me to read ‘Wings’ to him. He’s heard it before, but apparently it’s his favourite of the three books. The other two in the series are ‘Truckers’ and ‘Diggers’. I last read them, as well as 'Wings', back in 2008.

It’s best to have read at least ‘Truckers’ before this book, but since I remembered the story, I didn’t mind just reading ‘Wings’. The background is that some outdoor ‘nomes’ (who bear no resemblance at all to the plastic creatures sold in some garden centres) were struggling to survive. They hitched a lift on the back of a truck, and found themselves at a huge department store.

There they discovered tribes of indoor nomes, who had no idea that anyone could exist outside. The store nomes had developed a kind of structure, almost a theology, revolving around the store creator, the legendary ‘Arnold Bros’. Much of this section goes over the head of a child, but I found it very amusing when I first read it.

In ‘Wings’, the nomes have heard from their black box, a kind of ancient nomic computer, that they need to travel to Florida so it can get in touch with a spaceship that’s been waiting for nomes for many centuries. Not exactly an easy undertaking for people who are just six inches high, and unknown to humanity, but with the leadership skills of Masklin and the assistance - or otherwise - of a couple of other nomes, they make it.

There’s also an entirely different storyline, in typical Pratchett style, involving some tree frogs… again, this makes slightly more sense after having read the earlier books, but I’m pretty sure when I first read ‘Wings’ I didn’t make the connection until it was explained. The trees where the frogs live are bromeliads - hence the unlikely name given to the series of books.

The writing is excellent, the story quite exciting even when we knew the outcome, and in places there’s some gentle humour, which I very much appreciated. My grandson didn’t understand all the references, but laughed out loud a few times. I’m sure as he matures, and maybe reads it for himself, he’ll appreciate it all the more.

Definitely recommended, but read ‘Truckers’ first, and ideally ‘Diggers’ too. For children of all ages….

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

The witch's vacuum cleaner (and other stories) (by Terry Pratchett)

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I have very much enjoyed the late Terry Pratchett’s writing since I first came across the children’s trilogy ‘Truckers’, ‘Diggers’ and ‘Wings’ back in the mid 1990s. I have acquired many of his books over the years, and am currently in the middle of gradually re-reading the lengthy ‘Discworld’ series.

But it’s only recently that I realised that Terry Pratchett also wrote a lot of short stories for children, many of which have been collected in books. I understand that they represent some of his earliest writing and that many of them were published in magazines before he became well-known.

So when my eight-year-old grandson chose ‘The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner (and other stories)’ from the library, I was quick to volunteer to read them aloud to him. And the first story, which involved a magician suddenly discovering that he could do magic rather than tricking his audience, was all we could have hoped for. My grandson was laughing and I was chuckling as the story progressed. The ending was perhaps a tad strange for a children’s book but it didn’t matter. We liked it very much.

However we weren’t quite so impressed by the next stories, which I read one at a time over the next few days. Several of them involve an imaginary town in the ‘Wild West’ of Wales, where sheepboys take part in rodeos, and there’s a spate of sheep rustling. While I liked some of the ironic references, some of the stories themselves lack any real plot or resolution. That doesn’t matter with just one or two, but we found they rather dragged in places.

That was true, too, of other stories: of a man who goes back in time due to a faulty television, and another who is taken up in a balloon and travels widely. The characters are likeable and some of the situations are mildly amusing. And, as with all Pratchett, they were quite satisfying to read aloud. His use of language is always excellent, and we could imagine some of the bizarre scenes quite well. But there isn’t much plot; instead they recount incidents, and then stop. Our least favourite involved an ant and a bee who decide to rebel and leave their colonies. Nice idea, but it didn’t really go anywhere.

However we did very much enjoy the final story, which involves some very small gnomes living, unseen, in a large store. In many respects this is clearly the precursor of the wonderful ‘Truckers’ trilogy. I’m glad Pratchett did start out with short stories, which are certainly different from most, and which gave him the opportunity to expand on some of his unusually creative ideas and imaginings without having to plan an entire novel.

Perhaps they shouldn’t have been collected and published; they really aren’t as good as the more polished, longer books, and I suspect he wouldn’t have wanted his early works read by the world. On the other hand, they do give a good introduction to the author for young children who aren’t yet ready for the Discworld books. And with the short story format they make good bedtime reading aloud, or could be read by children of around eight or nine and upwards who prefer reading to themselves.

Recommended in a low key way to children of about seven and up who appreciate bizarre short stories and don’t mind too much about plots - or for diehard fans of the late Sir Terry who will appreciate having more of his writing on their shelves.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

The Wee Free Men (by Terry Pratchett)

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In my gradual re-reading of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, I reached a point at which - chronologically - it was time to diverge slightly from the main books and into those written for younger readers. So I picked up ‘The Wee Free Men’ a few days ago, and have just finished reading it. I had only read it once before, nearly two decades ago, when I read it aloud to my teenage sons. I had a general recollection of the plot, but had entirely forgotten the details.

This book is set in the ‘Chalk’, an area I don’t recall from earlier books in the series. And the reason it’s intended for children rather than adults is that the heroine is nine-year-old Tiffany Aching. She is a hard-working girl who lives on a farm. She is full of integrity and also some self-righteous judgementalism. She’s very bright, and likes learning the meanings of long words. Every so often, teachers come to town and her parents encourage her to go and get a bit more education, paid for in farm produce.

Tiffany’s main expertise is in making butter and cheese, but she has also helped with lambing, and has many daily chores. One of them is watching her small brother Wentworth who must be about two-and-a-half. At the start of the book, is fixated on either sweeties or going to the toilet. Tiffany feels a sense of duty, and some loyalty, but on the whole she finds her brother annoying. So when danger threatens, she decides quite cold-bloodedly to use him as ‘bait’.

We learn early in the book that Tiffany is probably a Discworld witch. She is observant, and blessed with what the author describes as ‘first sight’, and ‘second thoughts’. The latter is the ability to observe herself thinking and analyse her thoughts. And she’s a highly analytical person. She’s not entirely sure what being a witch involves, but it appears that her late grandmother was probably the local witch when she was alive, although most of her life was taken up with delivering or rescuing lambs.

Danger threatens the Disc, and Tiffany appears to be the only person who can do anything to avert it - particularly when her small brother is stolen by a Queen of another world. Her parents are distraught, and she knows she must fetch him back. In this aim she is aided (mostly) by the ‘Wee Free Men’ - the Nac-MacFeegles, who are small ‘pictsies’ with blue skin, kilts and strong Scottish accents. They are very courageous, and love nothing better than fighting or drinking. They’re also convinced they are dead…

It’s an enjoyable story, free of some of the ‘adult’ innuendoes that tend to pop into some of the main Discworld books. There are not so many literary references, either, although there’s more than a nod to some classic children’s fantasy: Two of the Narnia books, for instance, came to mind in scenes involving snow and dreams coming true. I was also forcibly reminded of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ more than once. There are plenty of references to classic fairytales too, as the book progresses; Tiffany wonders if witches must live in gingerbread houses, or if they’re in danger of being thrown into their own ovens. She feels that they often get a bad rap in the stories.

The writing is classic Pratchett, and the storyline as complex as I have come to expect in his writing; Tiffany is never entirely certain when she’s dreaming or what the nature of reality is. And she’s a strong, likeable heroine who is quite confident, even when terrified. She’s perhaps rather mature for a nine-year-old, but that doesn’t matter; children of that age and older seem to enjoy the book, but it’s entirely appropriate to be read by adults as part of the entire series.

Recommended as an introduction to the Discworld series for anyone aged about eight or over, or as part of the series.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Night Watch (by Terry Pratchett)

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It’s been an interesting experience re-reading Terry Pratchett’s lengthy ‘Discworld’ series, many of which I only read once before; in some cases nearly twenty years ago. That’s the case with ‘Night Watch’, 29th in the Discworld series, which I first read - aloud to my teenage sons - in 2003. I didn’t remember liking it particularly; I wasn’t much of a fan of the ‘Watch’ books, and almost missed it out this time.

However I’m glad I decided to reread it for the sake of continuity, although it’s taken me over a week to complete. This book features Sam Vimes, both as Sir Samuel, Commander of the Watch (soon to be a father), and as the young recruit Lance Constable Sam Vimes, a couple of decades earlier.

At the start of the book there have been some nasty killings by a really unpleasant character called Carcer. Vimes is determined to catch him, and almost does so in the University library… except that it’s an area of high magic, where time and space don’t necessarily function in their normal way. And due to some complexities which only the history monks understand, both Vimes and Carcer find themselves in the past, a few days before a terrible scene of violence in the city which Vimes and some of his friends had been recalling, wearing lilac blooms in their helmets.

It’s a bit of a complex plot, one that doesn’t really follow other time-shift or time-travel books: in the Discworld understanding, there are millions of universes, where anything that might happen does happen in at least one of them. There’s no problem with Vimes meeting his younger self, although he calls himself John Keel; I didn’t quite get why he does this, but he remembers that John Keel taught him all he knew. And in this particular past, John Keel is dead, by the hand of Carcer.

So events have changed, and if young Sam is to turn into a man of integrity he needs a mentor… and the only person who can do that is the older Vimes, known as Keel.

One has to accept all kinds of unexpected, bizarre circumstances in the Discworld books, so time travel isn’t particularly difficult to take in. Sam Vimes, knowing what’s coming, and absolutely on the side of the rebels of Ankh Morpork, brings some of his natural tact and diplomacy to the fore, possibly changing what happened, but knowing that eventually he will be able to return.

I found it an engaging story. Sam Vimes, at both ages, is a likeable person; angry at times, potentially dangerous, but essentially honest, kind and fair. He does the job in front of him, finding some nostalgic pleasure in being a Sergeant again, treading the streets in boots lined only in cardboard. He meets some dubious characters, and befriends an excellent, if unconventional doctor.

There are some brief mentions of the history monks, who were introduced in the previous book ‘Thief of Time’, but it’s not necessary to have read it first. It would probably help to have read the earlier ‘Watch’ books, however:, in particular ‘Guards, Guards!’, ‘Men at Arms’, and ‘The Fifth Elephant’.

Well worth reading as part of the Discworld series, or just as part of the ‘Watch’ series.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Thief of Time (by Terry Pratchett)

(Amazon UK link)

In my gradual re-reading of Terry Pratchett’s ‘Discworld’ books, I reached the 26th in the series, ‘Thief of Time’. I’m surprised how much I’m liking some of the books, including this one. It wasn’t unputdownable - some days I read only a few pages, so it took me over a week to finish - but the plot is cleverly done, and some of the concepts stayed with me even though I had totally forgotten the story itself. Not surprising, really, since I had only previously read it once, back in 2001 when it was new and I read it aloud to my teenage sons.

As with many of the Discworld books, there are several scenarios introduced, running roughly parallel as the story progresses, until they gradually start to converge. ‘Thief of Time’ is no exception. One section is set in a kind of monastery. Lobsang Ludd is a new recruit but he seems angry, unwilling to study, and yet remarkably intelligent. It’s felt that there’s nothing he can be taught. So he’s given as an apprentice to Lu-Tze, who works as a sweeper but is in fact a very senior monk with many talents.

The monastery features ‘history monks’, one of my favourite of Pratchett’s creations. They work to keep time running smoothly, ensuring that events happen. I’m not sure I understand the details, but they snip time from places it’s not really needed, adding it into scenarios where more time is needed. Nobody is aware that this is happening, although people do sometimes comment that time seems to have raced by, or that a moment has lasted a long time…

Meanwhile another young man, a brilliant clockmaker called Jeremy, has been approached by a slightly odd lady and asked to make a glass clock that will keep perfect time. Money is no object, and she even sends an ‘Igor’ to help him. We quickly learn that Lady LeJean is not quite who she appears; but the longer she keeps her persona, the more human she seems to become.

Then there’s Susan Sto Helit, the granddaughter of Death, who is mostly human and works very successfully as a classroom teacher of small children. She is very strict but also creative in her methods, and regularly takes her class to places they could not possibly have gone to without leaving the school. Susan doesn’t want to get dragged out of her classroom, but after reading a fairy tale about a glass clock, she realises that once again she is needed in her grandfather’s world.

Naturally there are all kinds of surprises in the book, alongside some humour and many references to the ‘real’ world, Discworld style. Pratchett pokes gentle fun at everyone - the way people cleaning the streets are often ignored, for instance; or random clichés treated as enlightened wisdom.

Although Susan has appeared in other Discworld books, and the history monks were mentioned in at least one of the others too, this book stands alone. Having said that, it’s taken for granted that the reader understands about the different guilds in Ankh-Morpork, and the way gods and monks work; there are also a couple of brief (but very important) cameo scenes involving Nanny Ogg. But it’s certainly not necessary to have read all the earlier books before this one, and for someone with a vague idea about the Discworld series, it could make a good introduction to the series.

Definitely recommended if you like the series, or even if you struggled to get into some of the earlier books and would like to try something different.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

The Truth (by Terry Pratchett)

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I’m mostly enjoying re-reading Terry Pratchett’s lengthy ‘Discworld’ series, more so with the later books, although for most I have only previously read them once. That’s the case with ‘The Truth’, 25th in the series, which we acquired in hardback shortly after it was published in 2000. I read it aloud to my sons, who were teenagers at the time, in March 2001.

I didn’t remember much about this book, other than that it involves a newspaper. I had quite forgotten the young and enthusiastic William de Worde, hero of this book, who is compulsively truthful. When we first meet him, he writes a monthly newsletter to a few dignitaries, letting them know what’s going on in Ankh Morpork. It’s a tedious process, writing the information longhand, then having someone from the Engravers’ Guild carefully cut out the writing - backwards - and print it on paper half a dozen or so times.

But some of the mechanically-minded dwarf population have developed a printing press, with movable type. When William discovers this, he realises that he can print dozens - maybe hundreds - of his newsletters. And as one of the dwarfs points out, if he sells lots of them inexpensively, he can earn considerably more than selling a few at high price.

And so it escalates. More copies are made, more are sold, and people become hungry for news. So William starts to produce a new ‘paper of news’ daily, employing more people, spending more money, publishing items that seem of low significance but which prompt citizen letters or even visits…

But this is Pratchett so there’s not just one main storyline. There’s also a significant one involving Lord Vetinari, the Patrician, who has been taken into custody after apparently trying to kill his secretary. William reports on what he knows, and the Watch attempt to figure out what’s going on, but they are hampered on all sides. The reader quickly learns how the apparent crime was committed, but it’s a difficult one to solve.

I’m not sure I followed all the threads fully, but the Vetinari one involves two unpleasant people who have worked all around the Disc, extorting, cheating and getting away with all kinds of nasty things - mostly employed by others who don’t want to get their hands dirty. Mr Pin is the brains of the pair, Mr Tulip the brawns, with a limited vocabulary and an urge to scrag people and destroy evidence.

Other interesting characters of significance in ‘The Truth’ involve Foul Ol’ Ron and his cronies, Gaspode the talking dog, Otto the vampire, who is an excellent iconographer, and the dodgy zombie lawyer Mr Slant. Pratchett’s writing was, in my view, at its peak with the middle Discworld novels, satirising the newspaper and printing industries, and showing - in a low-key way - the importance of all races, and the way unpleasant people are biassed. And they really are different races on the Disc, not people of the same race with different shades of skin colour.

I liked this book very much; it makes a great addition to the series, and would probably work well as an introduction to the series, too; while some characters have appeared in earlier books, most of the main ones (including William and his staff) are newly introduced in this story.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews