Synopsis:

High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own — populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this, but in truth: I loved it. John Connolly has played with the idea of fairy tales and children’s nightmares – he has taken them and made them into an adventure. The story centres around David, a boy whose life changes when his mother dies. His father re-marries and they move to the country. There David finds himself spending most of his time in the attic surrounded by old books. World War 2 is taking place, and one night, having thought he had heard his mother calling him David goes into the garden, just as a German bomber crash lands. David finds himself transported into another world. Here he faces wolves that have started to morph into men, monsters and Crooked Man.

I loved what Connolly did with this. The wolves, or Loups, came out of the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the monster which followed David came from his nightmares and the enchantress in the tower came from Rapunzel. Connolly has taken these childhood fairy tales and made them into violent, adult stories, and battles which David has to face. The worst for me was the Crooked Man, who steals children to expand his life. The descriptions of his actions and his torture chambers were horrific and not for the faint hearted.

I wouldn’t call this book scary but it is intense and some of the things David and his friends fight are quite chilling. This is quite violent and graphic, but so readable. I didn’t want to put this down, I was engrossed. I wanted to know what David would have to battle, what happened to the king and how the story would end. This book was exciting and full of adventure. There was not a dull moment in this book.

I loved the characters Connolly created and how they evolved. At first I felt empathy for David, then I was anxious for his welfare, and by the end I was confident in him and happily cheering him on. He matured and became fearless, and I liked how things worked out for him. The men who helped David were courageous and fun to read. I loved the dwarfs the most. They are not like they are in Snow White – and neither is she in this book. All I could do was laugh at the situation and their attitudes – they were very funny!

There was nothing to dislike about this book. I can easily give it 5/5. I loved it

Synopsis:

The Heroine: Tiffany Aching, incipient witch and cheese maker extraordinaire. Once saved world from Queen of the Elves. Is about to discover that battling evil monarchs is child’s play compared to mortal combat with a Hiver (see below). At eleven years old, is boldest heroine ever to have confronted the Forces of Darkness while armed with a frying pan.

The Threat: A Hiver, insidious disembodied presence drawn to powerful magic. highly dangerous, frequently lethal. Cannot be stopped with iron or fire. Its target: Tiffany Aching (see above).

The Nac Mac Feegle: A.k.a. the Wee Free Men. Height: six inches. Color: blue. Famed for drinking, stealing, and fighting. Will attack anything larger than themselves. Members include: Rob Anybody, Daft Wullie, and Awfully Wee Billy Bigchin. Allies to Tiffany Aching (see above).

The Book: Hilarious, breathtaking, spine-tingling sequel to the acclaimed Wee Free Men.

I am giggling even as I sit here and write this review – this is another genius book from Terry Pratchett. It is number 32 in the Discworld Series and the sequel to the Wee Free Men. The star of this story is Tiffany Aching, a very young yet powerful witch. She is fearless and happy to fight anyone. And who wouldn’t be, when your side-kicks are the Wee Free Men – angry, small, blue Nac Mac Feegle. They will fight anything – nothing holds them back. In this book the Hiver is trying to take over Tiffany, and she has to protect herself and others from it. The witch she is staying with can’t help her, so in comes Granny Weatherwax. Granny must teach Tiffany how to be a witch, and that way she will win.

This book is hilarious. I love Granny Weatherwax – especially when she is “borrowing” and has the sign “I aint’en dead!” She is clever and to the point, and very funny. Pratchett has started to show her frailness and age in these novels, which means sense as she is an old witch, but it would be a shame if she was to disappear from the Discworld. Tiffany is another fun character. Her focus on how she is good at making cheese is entertaining, and watching her discover herself is interesting. I like that even at 11 she is headstrong and determined, and so powerful! She is a good character. The best people in this book however were easily the Nac Mac Feegle. Rob Anybody is so funny! I love that they don’t need any encouragement, they just fight – it is genius! Their actions and words are hilarious. They are some of the best characters Pratchett has created I think.

Like all the other Discworld books, I was gripped from the start and thoroughly enjoyed myself as I was immersed in this world. There is adventure, fighting, magic, stuck-up little girls, drink, scary Nac Mac Feegle wives and Granny Weatherwax – everything a good book needs! Pratchett is not short of imagination, and this book is testament to that. He is descriptive so you feel like you are there watching the action and his humour is awesome. I laughed a lot during this novel. I always find it so easy to recommend his books because they are extraordinary in so many ways. Pratchett is intelligent, witty and a gripping writer. His books are never dull, there is always something funny going on and the characters are unique and often very special. I can easily give this 4/5. What would have made it better was Nanny Ogg alongside Granny Weatherwax, and maybe a larger role for Death!

Review Does Contain Spoilers!

Synopsis:

Lena has lived her whole life near the beach—walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves—the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.

But her father – a former surfer himself – refuses to allow her to take lessons. After a near drowning in his past, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.

Yet something lures Lena to the water … an ancient, powerful magic. One morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman—with a silvery tail.

Nothing will keep Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.

And soon … what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life …

I had seen this book around and saw it had good reviews, so I was very pleased when I found I could review it! My copy comes from netGallery.

The star of the story is Selena, or Lena as she is known to her friends. She is an ordinary girl but seems to be experiencing weird goings-on. She often spaces out completely and regularly sleep-walks to the beach. She has always been drawn to the sea, and really wants to learn to surf. Her dad won’t let her though, so she learns in secret. But her reason for learning, and then taking on waves at one of the most dangerous coves is because she has seen a mermaid, and she wants to meet her properly. When the mermaid comes to her rescue she gives her a gold key. Lena finds the box it opens, and with it the discovery of the mirror and why she is drawn to the sea will change her life forever.

This book is written for young adults but will be enjoyable for adults too. The book contains adventure, sea, love, magic and fantasy. I would class this a woman’s read, but I really enjoyed it. The story was gripping from the start, and intriguing. I found myself wanting to know why she was sleep walking and about this mermaid. The identity of the mermaid was easy to guess, as was the ending, but that didn’t spoil the book for me.

There are two worlds explored in this book – land and sea. I liked how when Lena was on land we caught just a glimpse – the odd paragraph at the end of a chapter – about the sea world, and vis versa when she was in the sea. Both worlds were fascinating and full of characters you couldn’t help but like. I liked that Madigan didn’t create an underwater world similar to that in The Little Mermaid. She created a modest village made out of rocks – there were no castles or anything! I think I preferred the land world to the sea world because I didn’t like the cloak that Lena had to wear to survive. It took away her memories so she couldn’t remember her family or friends – it was quite manipulative, keeping her in the sea world, taking away the option of land.

The book was full of great characters. I loved Allie, Lena’s step-mum, because although she married Lena’s dad Brian when Lena was 9, she had slipped into such a good mother’s role that Lena called her Mum and they had a great mother-daughter relationship. I loved Nix, the merman.  He was very easy to fall for. I was gutted that he didn’t follow Lena to land. Their love had to end, and although him becoming human might have been too far-fetched and predictable, I would have really liked it. I did like Lena, although she could be stubborn sometimes, and I didn’t like how she sneaked around. My favourite character was easily her 6 year old brother Cole though. My heart melted for his character. He was so cute. He was eager about sports and adored Lena. I loved their relationship and I was glad it was Cole that Lena came home for.

I got very involved with this book and really enjoyed it. I laughed and at one point nearly cried. I was hooked and read this in under 24 hours. I would give this 4/5.

This will be book number 10 in the Romance Challenge for me:

Books Read:

1. Nicholas Sparks: The Wedding
2. Sarah Dessen: Lock and Key
3. Debbie Macomber: 44 Cranberry Point
4. Judy Blume: Forever
5. Rachel Hore: The Memory Garden
6. Elizabeth Noble: The Girl Next Door
7. Debbie Macomber: 50 Harbour Street
8. Allison van Diepen: The Oracle of Dating
9. Sarah Dessen: Along For the Ride
10. L. K. Madigan: The Mermaid’s Mirror
    

For July only Daniel A. Rabuzzi’s début novel is FREE!

Synopsis:

London, 1812 | Yount, Year of the Owl

What would you give to make good on the sins of your past? For merchant Barnabas McDoon, the answer is: everything.

When emissaries from a world called Yount offer Barnabas a chance to redeem himself, he accepts their price — to voyage to Yount with the key that only he can use to unlock the door to their prison. But bleak forces seek to stop him: Yount’s jailer, a once-human wizard who craves his own salvation, kidnaps Barnabas’s nephew. A fallen angel — a monstrous owl with eyes of fire — will unleash Hell if Yount is freed. And, meanwhile, Barnabas’s niece, Sally, and a mysterious pauper named Maggie seek with dream-songs to wake the sleeping goddess who may be the only hope for Yount and Earth alike.

This book has been chosen as Book of the Month at Wowio, which means for the whole of July it can be downloaded for free. From wowio:

Described as “vibrant” and rich with “verve and wit,” it’s a seagoing fantasy yarn that is like “Gulliver’s Travels crossed with The Golden Compass and a dollop of Pride and Prejudice.”

This WOWIO-exclusive edition also includes a bonus insert with previously unpublished artwork for The Choir Boats by Deborah Mills.

Click HERE to go get your copy! Happy reading

I have been very lucky to receive this book to review and to get an interview with the author Melanie Ray.

Interview:

Tell us in your own words about the book

My book is both a comedy and a tragedy. If you are looking for a lighthearted read, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for intense drama on every page with seriousness, you won’t find it there either. If you’re looking for something that shows the tragedies of real life along with the comedy that is also real life, you’ll find yourself rooted in a world you cannot turn away from. And yes, it’s a fantasy but that doesn’t mean there have to be wizards, elves, dragons and fairies. Well…elves I don’t know. The aliens are between 3-4 feet tall. I guess I’ll give into that.

The first novel of The Great Destruction Series, ‘In the Beginning’ introduces us to the different lives of our alien characters. The first you meet is Yed, who is a smooth guy. I’d say Mr. Cool, but he’s not invincible, and he has a touch of something that keeps him from running amok saying how great he really is. He has a past (not fully revealed in book 1) that keeps him from getting too cocky. He ends up in a difficult situation when he is set up by his own Kingdom to have intimate relations with a woman he met once. (Pheromones: Powerful, like the Axe effect.) Only thing is he is a Protector and is not allowed to associate with any female romantically. Females…are their clients. Things get even harder when he realizes she was his childhood friend, Ezra. He ends up being allowed to be her Protector if he does not say anything about the Kingdom. If he does, its treason and he will receive a painful death.

Where did the idea for Great Destruction come from?

The original idea for The Great Destruction was one book long, and it was originally called The Great Destruction. I was working through about halfway with my usual little lighthearted ditties. I’m not much into drama, I like a smidge of romance and lots of fantasy and comedy. In the middle of it though, something terrible happened in my family. Someone very close to me was dying of lung cancer. I don’t want to get into details, but I had never had anyone so close to me being taken away and I didn’t know how to handle it. I found myself suddenly restructuring my story altogether, and it ended up becoming a series outline. Through the rises of triumph and overwhelming pitfalls of despair, you can feel it in the book. You’ll go from segments that make you laugh right out loud to a few chapters later, crying your eyes out. Such is life. It’s not all good hearted comedy, but it’s not all about tragedy. My story is fantasy, there’s no doubt about that, but the ideas for The Great Destruction Series comes straight out of overwhelming Tragedy. Whether the Series itself has a happy ending, I won’t reveal but I will say after the last book that the characters, like me, will all have some sense of closure.

How did you come up with the aliens and the Warno and Waryes worlds?

Alien worlds are easy. I knew Earth had to be one of course. The other planet Fala, well not everyone is going to act the same. I wanted a race who was self serving but powerful…but had the flair of a horribly spoiled teenage girl. Even if they were guys. There will be others ahead in the story too. And the Warno/Waryes world Pagnia is naturally colorful, although there water is not naturally colorful. That idea came from my husband who is a chemist. And if he ever reads my story, I will never hear the ending of it.

Who was your favourite character to write and why?

Oh, that’s a toughie. I love all my characters or I wouldn’t have created them. Let’s see…well Yed is definitely a favorite, along with Ezra. M-Win has her moments, but I really fell for Zaria more. Regwallis too, even though he doesn’t pull too much at you now, he will in the future. And of course Xiam, I could not forget about him! He is a tough character to pull off. Not in Book 1 so much as Book II. His love/hate relationship, it’s a doozy.

Have any books been an inspiration for you?

Monster by A. Lee Martinez. His style of writing persuaded me into publishing my own work. It’s his way of not describing every little thing from the head to the toes, or not always taking a whole paragraph to describe the setting. He stays on focus, and if he is describing it, it’s because its important, not just a description.

Where do you your writing?

Over my entertainment center, standing, so my toddler can’t reach it. She’s too young and had once torn off a key on our older laptop I had before we moved to a new one. I like to write in my head a lot too, when I’m just thinking or riding along in the car, my thoughts often form into the writing later.

Is fantasy your favourite genre to read, or do you like others?

I love some Romance and I love Comedy. I do love only a small amount of horror, but unfortunately Dropcloth Angels isn’t published yet. I also read non-fiction if it’s something I need, but not want. Like 101 Ways To Keep Your Two year Old From Driving You Insane. That’s just a fake example, but those have made up a good percentage of my reading list lately.

What can you tell us about the next in the series?

Oh gosh…well, with the way Book 1 ends, I can’t tell much without giving away anything. I will tell you that the book is going to have three main characters that each start off in a place on Earth called Aryu Institution. From there, one is kidnapped and it is up to one of our main characters to remember what is going on and who he really is, if he has any chance of saving the other character. From there, the book just explodes into so many different angles.

I know I am really bad. But you know what? Sign up for a five dollar membership at http://readitin7days.com and you’ll get more than a scoop, you’ll get a chance to read it as it progresses.:)

My Review:

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting – every time I went to get up I couldn’t because I wanted to read more! The story follows Yed, who lives on the planet Fala. He is a Protector, but he has perfect lineage so he is set up by the King to have relations with someone else with pure lineage. The problem is, the Female is an old family friend. He has an important decision to make: keep the secret or commit treason. And on top of that, a war breaks out!

This is a fantastic read. I loved the world of Fala – although it is fairly similar to Earth. It was interesting to read Earth as the  alien planet – and how Yed and co. weren’t too keen on going there! I think Ray wrote a great story. She incorporates fantasy with comedy and romance. I didn’t find the love story over-powering and I would not class this as “chick-lit” because there is the fantasy and the comedy.I was interested in how the story unfolded and the decisions people, especially the King made. There is a whole range of ideas throughout the story – from keeping the pure lineage to the war with the Waryes’.

I liked all the characters, especially Yed. He was funny and strong-headed. His reactions to people often made me laugh. I also liked how once he found out he was cheated by the King he was determined to find a way to make it right. I liked Ezra – the other cheated character. She was sensible and sensitive and easily likeable. There are a whole range of characters who make this very readable.

Overall I loved this book. Like I said, I read it in one sitting and was hooked right from the start. This is not the usual genre I read but I loved this fantasy book. There were some great story lines throughout the book and wonderful characters. I loved Fala and the idea of the two tribes, the Warno’s and the Waryes’. I have nothing bad to say about this book and I cannot wait for the next one! Top marks from me

Synopsis:

Polly becomes Private Oliver Perks, who is on a quest to find her older brother, who’s recently MIA in one of the innumerable wars the tiny nation of Borogravia has a habit of starting with its neighbors. This peevish tendency has all but expended Borogravia’s ranks of cannon fodder. Whether Sergeant Jackrum knows her secret or not, he can’t afford to be choosy, as Perks and her/his comrades are among the last able-bodied recruits left in Borogravia. This collection of misfits includes the aforementioned vampire (reformed and off the blood, thank you), troll, and macabre Igor, who is only too happy to sew you a new leg if you aren’t too particular about previous ownership. Off to war, Polly/Oliver learns that having a pair of, um, socks is a good way to open up doors in this man’s army.

This is number 31 in the Discworld series, and one of the better ones The star of this story is Polly, who has disguised herself as her dead brother Oliver so she could join the army. She wants to go fight in order to find her older brother Paul. She thinks she is the only girl in the regiment, but then someone gives her a pair of socks to use as an area of her anatomy, and she starts to suspect there is another girl amongst the men, but who is it? Along with that, Polly and her comrades have become feared, after taking out a group of bandits. Polly sets off to war, and learns many things along the way.

This book had me laughing most of the way through. Terry Pratchett wrote another book that is full of adventure, humour and imagination. This novel is all about girl-power, coffee and a pair of socks! There are several images that will stay with me for a long time I think – such as Malachai the vampire having caffeine withdrawal symptoms, which I found very funny!

Again, Pratchett wrote a book full of weird and wonderful characters. I liked Polly, she was headstrong and clever; and I loved her band of brothers. Working out who was female was fun, and they were all funny in their own ways. I don’t know how Pratchett came up with characters like vampires who like coffee not blood or Egors, who mend themselves with other people’s body parts. His imagination is incredible.

I really enjoyed this book. It is one of my favourite from the Discworld series and I would highly recommend it.

Synopsis:

Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love. His adventures in the magical land will keep you turning pages as fast as you can–he and the star escape evil old witches, deadly clutching trees, goblin press-gangs, and the scheming sons of the dead Lord of Stormhold. The story is by turns thrillingly scary and very funny. You’ll love goofy, earnest Tristran and the talking animals, gnomes, magic trees, and other irresistible denizens of Faerie that he encounters in his travels. Stardust is a perfect read-aloud book, a brand-new fairy tale you’ll want to share with a kid, or maybe hoard for yourself. (If you read it to kids, watch out for a couple of spicy sex bits and one epithet.) –Therese Littleton

This is the first Gaiman novel I have read, and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t a long read but it was full of imagination and fun. The story follows Tristran as he goes through The Wall to catch the fallen star, to bring her back to his “true love”. Except, the Star is not overly happy to be joined to Tristran, especially when he saves her and she is in debt to him. They encounter all sorts of fantastical creatures, including trees that gave out advice, and witches who changed people into animals.

This was a great book. There is so much imagination and life in this book – and I liked the Star most. I thought it was great that she was so stubborn – not what you would expect. Tristran was a great read too. I liked how his character changed and matured. There were so many different characters in this book which all added to the story, I loved it! There were other stories that ran through book, including the witches who wanted to be young again and the brother’s fighting to rule the kingdom – but they were all linked by the star. I liked that there were sub-plots throughout the book, made for a more interesting read. And I found the ghosts of the brothers hilarious!

Gaiman reminds me of Terry Pratchett – and I know they have worked together. Both have amazing imaginations and write thoroughly entertaining books. Some of the creatures they both create I would never have dreamed of, but now I have encountered them and love them! I will be reading more Gaiman I think, because this was a fun, exciting, gripping book. Gaiman’s descriptions are very good and his characters are so much fun! If you like fantasy and humour, this is for you.

This is also a film, which I thoroughly enjoyed

Synopsis:

“Another world is colliding with this one,” said the toad. “All the monsters are coming back.”"Why?” said Tiffany.

“There’s no one to stop them.

There was silence for a moment.

Then Tiffany said, “There’s me.”

Armed only with a frying pan and her common sense, Tiffany Aching, a young witch-to-be, is all that stands between the monsters of Fairyland and the warm, green Chalk country that is her home. Forced into Fairyland to seek her kidnaped brother, Tiffany allies herself with the Chalk’s local Nac Mac Feegle — aka the Wee Free Men — a clan of sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men who are as fierce as they are funny. Together they battle through an eerie and ever-shifting landscape, fighting brutal flying fairies, dream-spinning dromes, and grimhounds — black dogs with eyes of fire and teeth of razors — before ultimately confronting the Queen of the Elves, absolute ruler of a world in which reality intertwines with nightmare. And in the final showdown, Tiffany must face her cruel power alone….

This is book number 30 in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novel. This is a Tiffany Aching novel, a young adult twist on the Witches novels. Tiffany is called upon to rescue her brother from the Queen in an alternative universe and for help she has the Wee Free Men and a Toad. She calls upon powers she didn’t know she possessed – the witch in her comes out as she fights the Queen of the Elves with just a frying pan.

I found this story slow to start but by half way through I was hooked. The Wee Free Men are hilarious! I loved that they just wanted to drink and fight! The end made me laugh, when poor Rob Anyone thought he might have to marry Tiffany – his fear was funny! I liked Tiffany too. She was headstrong, determined and inventive. She kept fighting and wouldn’t let anyone take/insult her brother – although it was OK for her too.

As usual, Pratchett has written a fantastic novel. It is funny, full of action and with great characters. I would have liked Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax to feature more in this book but Tiffany was a delightful character. This is aimed at young adults but that doesn’t come through or ruin this book. This has everything you would expect from Pratchett and is well worth reading.

Synopsis:

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

I love the Twilight Saga and therefore I was excited and sceptical about this novella. This story follows Bree, a girl we meet at the end of Eclipse as she is prepared to go into battle against the Cullens. This means that we don’t see Edward, Bella and co. until the end of this story. Is that a problem? At first yes, but once I adjusted to that fact even though this is Twilight we wouldn’t read about the original characters the story picked up. This novel is more gory than the others. We do read about the odd blood bath, which we don’t get with the Cullens. That surprised me but didn’t put me off the book.

I found myself liking Bree. Riley, her coven’s leader was trying to keep the new vampires stupid and away from Victoria, but Bree, even though a newborn was intelligent. She kept herself hidden in the coven’s hideout and was able to see the truth in the situation. I liked Fred as well. He was also in the coven, but he had powers which meant he could repel others and make himself invisible. He protected Bree and I liked reading about the way he made people gag if they got too close – that made me laugh!

I can’t say I’m a fan of the ending – although having read Eclipse I did know what was going to happen to Bree. I did love meeting the Cullens and Bella though. The first sighting we get of them is with Carlisle, and he is showing compassion, which reminded me why I love his character!

I read this in a day and did enjoy it. I can’t say I was gripped like I was with the other novels in the Twilight saga but I do recommend it to Twilight fans. The effect of the book is I now want to re-read all the Twilight books and I cannot wait for the film. It has ignited my Twilight spark but I would have preferred a novel about one of the main characters. I’m still hoping Meyer will finish writing Midnight Sun. I think I would have enjoyed a novel about the Cullens or Jacob more, but this is still a good read.

I read this online at: http://www.breetanner.com/ It is free until 5th July 2010

Synopsis:

Time is a resource. Everyone knows it has to be managed. And on the Discworld that is the job of the Monks of History, who store it and pump it from the places where it’s wasted (like the underwater – how much time does a codfish need?) to places like cities, where there’s never enough time. But the construction of the world’s first truly accurate clock starts a race against, well, time for Lu Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd. Because it will stop time. And that will only be the start of everyone’s problems. THIEF OF TIME comes complete with a full supporting cast of heroes, villains, yetis, martial artists and Ronnie, the fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse (who left before they became famous).

This is number 26 in the Discworld series – another one I read out of order. Since reading this novel I have read over a dozen other novels, and as I sit here to write the review, this does not jump to the front of my memory. This is a shame because I love Pratchett’s novels, and this is the first time that I can’t fully remember the novel.

There are many things I do remember however: I loved Ronnie. The idea of the fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse made me laugh. I liked all the Horsemen to be honest. It made me laugh that while Death was trying to round them up they couldn’t be bothered to ride out, and that their wives were holding them back. Genius!

Of course, I love Death. Every time I meet him in a book I laugh. I liked that Granny Ogg got a mention – I always enjoy the witches. And I love Susan, especially her interactions with Death. She always seems exasperated with him, she reminds me of a reluctant, moody teenager.

Like I said, I don’t really remember the story but the characters do stick out and I think that is important. For me, this is the weakest Discworld novel and that is a shame.