Book Reviews

Waterstones Synopsis

Maurice, a streetwise tomcat, has come up with the perfect scam. Inspired by the Pied Piper tale, cat and kid lead a band of rats from town to town to fake invasions of vermin. The rewards to get the rats out of town are plentiful. It works perfectly – until their little con game is sussed.

This is a children’s Discworld novel, and number 28 in the series. The star of the show is Maurice, a cat who has learnt how to think and talk like a human. With his new intelligence he teams up with equally intelligent rats to con humans our of money by paying the rat’s Pier Piper to get rid of them.

Once again, Pratchett has taken a classic tale and put his own spin on it, and of course, it was a good book. It isn’t my favourite, but there were some wonderful moments in the story – like tap-dancing rats and the rat-catches drinking a whole load of laxatives! I liked the rat’s names as well – they were just random words taken from discarded packets of food.

As ever, this book was gripping, entertaining and well worth reading. It can be read as a stand-alone book as the only character which features in any of the other books that appeared in this one was Death. Of course, being my favourite Discworld character I was pleased with this!

I enjoyed this book and think that this is a must-read series.

3/5

Synopsis from Waterstones:

A short but perfectly formed complete Discworld novel, fully illustrated in lavish colour throughout, THE LAST HERO is an essential part of any Discworld collection. It stars the legendary Cohen the Barbarian, a legend in his own lifetime. Cohen can remember when a hero didn’t have to worry about fences and lawyers and civilisation, and when people didn’t tell you off for killing dragons. But he can’t always remember, these days, where he put his teeth …So now, with his ancient sword and his new walking stick and his old friends — and they’re very old friends — Cohen the Barbarian is going on one final quest. He’s going to climb the highest mountain in the Discworld and meet his gods. The last hero in the world is going to return what the first hero stole. With a vengeance. That’ll mean the end of the world, if no one stops him in time.

This is number 27 in the Discworld series and shorter than most because it is an illustrated novel. There is worry all around Ankh-Morpork’s senior leaders: the heroes are going to challenge the gods. This could be the end of life as they know it. So the solution? Team up Rincewind the wizard and Captain Carrot of the City Watch and send them off in a flying contraption to save the day.

I have one word for this story: genius! The idea of Rincewind and Carrot together is awesome. Both make me laugh and both I enjoy reading about. Rincewind because of his ability to get himself in trouble and Carrot because he is so nice he can manipulate others into doing what he wants. This story also featured the wizards. And I love Ridcully. I love how he is the Arch-Chancellor yet knows nothing useful.

Like with all Pratchett’s other novels, this is full of adventure and excitement; and of course Pratchett’s dry humour. I love his writing style – how he draws you in and keeps you gripped right to the end. He thinks up wonderful storylines that compel you to read them. He is descriptive and has a wild imagination that he is willing to share, and I love stepping into the Discworld.

I think from this book there is one image I will take away with me: the sight of the elephants holding up the Discworld as Rincewind and Carrot fly past. That to me is just awesome.

As always, this was not a let down. I am truely addicted to this series and recommend them all to everyone.

4/5

Synopsis from terrypratchett.co.uk:

IT’S THE NIGHT BEFORE HOGSWATCH. AND IT’S TOO QUIET.

Where is the big jolly fat man? Why is Death creeping down chimneys and trying to say Ho Ho Ho? The darkest night of the year is getting a lot darker…

Susan the gothic governess has got to sort it out by morning, otherwise there won’t be a morning. Ever again…

The 20th Discworld novel is a festive feast of darkness and Death (but with jolly robins and tinsel too).

As they say: ‘You’d better watch out…’

This has become my favourite Discworld novel. I love the Death novels, especially if you add in the humour that is the Wizards. This is number 20 in the Discworld series and it is the Christmas novel.

In this book the Hogfather is in danger. The Auditors want to change things and get rid of the Fat Man. To keep him safe, Death has decided to pretend to be the Hogfather to keep the belief alive. And while this is going on, Susan, Death’s granddaughter is fighting a man who is controlling children through teeth.

Pratchett’s imagination is genious in this book. I loved Susan and the poker – a great way to deal with monsters and it added to a nice finale in the book. Death made me laugh all the way through. I especially liked it when he gate-crashed the shopping mall and his pigs urinated on the floor. I just laughed everytime a child mentioned it.

This book is full of humour and action. We see a lot of the Discworld and a range of characters. Pratchett throws in Susan, Death and the Wizards, tooth fairies and the assassins.

I was gripped from the beginning, laughing most of the way through and was eager to be reading it when I wasn’t. I have no complaints of this book and it is definately my favourite. I loved the plot, the characters and I love the way Pratchett writes. He is always descriptive, he writes great events and just keeps the reader wanting more.

10/10

Waterstones Synopsis

Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded shops, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That’s just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they’ll skip the holiday altogether. Theirs will be the only house on the street without a rooftop Frosty the snowman; they won’t be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash; they aren’t even going to have a tree. They won’t need one, because come December 25 they’re setting sail on a Caribbean cruise. But, as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences – and isn’t half as easy as they’d imagined. A classic tale for modern times, Skipping Christmas offers a hilarious look at the chaos and frenzy that has become part of our holiday tradition.

I have only read a couple of John Grisham books, which I have enjoyed, and even though this is not his ‘classic’ work, I really enjoyed this book too. In Skipping Christmas Grisham looks at the madness that Christmas has become – throwing huge parties, drunkenness, spending heaps of money, and the ridiculous decorations. He looks at the idea of just not participating in this game, and the reactions people have to that idea. And he did it so well.

This book is very funny. From a practical sense I can see why someone would be tempted to miss out the celebration – especially in the case of the Krank’s, when they were paying over $6000 on the holiday. I think Grisham is writing a brave book here because people do spend a large amount of money and he seems to be questioning if that is OK. I think he did it very well – although as lovely as the ending is I think he wimped out a bit. That said – parts of the ending were just hilarious, especially the incident with Frosty…

I liked the Krank’s, I found them very likable and enjoyable to read. I found myself feeling very sorry for them when they were seemingly victimised, especially by their neighbours. I also laughed along with them, and panicked when the phone call from their daughter came. I really connected them, and that made the book even more enjoyable.

This book is 200 pages long, and I read 150 pages in one sitting. It is quick, funny and hugely enjoyable. This is a really good Christmas novel. With a slightly different ending this would get tops marks.

8/10

Synopsis from www.terrypratchatt.co.uk:

Mightily Oats has not picked a good time to be priest. He thought he’d come to Lancre for a simple ceremony. Now he’s caught up in a war between vampires and witches.

There’s Young Agnes, who is really in two minds about everything. Magrat, who is trying to combine witchcraft and nappies, Nanny Ogg … and Granny Weatherwax, who is big trouble.

And the vampires are intelligent. They’ve got style and fancy waistcoats. They’re out of the casket and want a bite of the future. Mightily Oats knows he has a prayer, but he wishes he had an axe.

Carpe Jugulum is Terry Pratchett’s twenty-third Discworld novel – but the first to star vampires.

As the synopsis says, this is the 23rd book in the Discworld series, and the stars of this book are the Witches. In this adventure they are fighting vampires – or vampyres as they wanted to be known as. These are modern vampires, who want to fit in with the population, until they need to fed of course. Influencing people with mind tricks they are set on domination. Except they picked a fight with Granny Weatherwax. Seemingly old and weak, how will Granny fight back?

I love the Witches novels. Nanny Ogg is my favourite. She has a vast collection of rude jokes and carries everything she could possibly need in her knickers. She is practical, blunt and just hilarious. I had to laugh at Agnes as well, with her second mind.

There is a lot of humour in this book. Pratchett is very good at writing books which make me laugh. I loved the idea of modern vampires and them learning how to become immune to things such as garlic. The Count and his enthusiasm made me laugh. Pratchett also writes a good adventure and great fight scenes. This book had me gripped and I finished in within a couple of days. I loved it. I laughed and cringed, enjoyed the characters, loved having vampires in the book and alongside Death, the Witches are my favourite Discworld characters. I have no complaints about this book. Top marks from me.

10/10

Amazon description:

There’s a werewolf with the pre-lunar tension in Ankh-Morpork. And a dwarf with attitude and a golem who’s begun to think for itself. But for Commander Vimes, Head of Ankh-Morpork City Watch, that’s only the start…There’s treason in the air. A crime has happened. He’s not only got to find out whodunit, but howdunit too. He’s not even sure what they dun. But soon as he knows what the questions are, he’s going to want some answers.

To be honest, this has been my least favourite Discworld novel. I actually found myself mildly disappointed with it. This is book number 19 in the Discworld series, and although enjoyable, not as humorous or engaging as the rest of the series.

This is is Watch novel and we follow Vimes as he leads the team, which includes a dwarf and a werewolf as they investigate a crime that has not been authorised by any of the city’s Guilds. We meet golums that have created their own king, but the said creation has gone wild and is killing people. It is thinking for itself, which a golum should not do.

I usually enjoy Watch novels, but there was something lacking in this book. We are transported to the Discworld in Pratchett’s usual way; and this book contains some characters we are fond of, such as Corporal Carrot, but I felt it lacked the usual adventure and endless humour that the Discworld books usually entail. There is so much potential for this book, I just didn’t feel it delivered the goods. I wasn’t really a fan of the golum’s – they didn’t interest me much. And being such a key part of the story, I think this was the problem.

Although not a bad book, this is the worst one of the series so far.

6/10

Synopsis from Amazon:

THE SHOW MUST GO ON, AS MURDER, MUSIC AND MAYHEM RUN RIOT IN THE NIGHT…

The Opera House, Ankh-Morpork…a huge, rambling building, where innocent young sopranos are lured to their destiny by a strangely-familiar evil mastermind in a hideously-deformed evening dress…

At least, he hopes so. But Granny Weatherwax, Discworld’s most famous witch, is in the audience. And she doesn’t hold with that sort of thing.

So there’s going to be trouble (but nevertheless a good evening’s entertainment with murders you can really hum…)

This is book 18 in the Discworld Series, and one of my favourites. This is Terry Pratchett’s take on The Phantom of the Opera. Now I love that musical, and this book just added to my love. I will definitely watch it in a completely different light now.

This is a Witches novel, and sees Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg travelling to Ankh-Morpork to see an opera. Yet there are strange goings-on in the opera house. There are a series of murders and money disappearing out the window. It seems that there is an Opera Ghost, who likes to leave notes that just say: “Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!!!!!” The fear is rife in the opera, but the show must go on. So Granny sets herself up to investigate, while the show goes on, and unmasks the Opera Ghost.

This is classic Pratchett. I love the Witches novels. Both Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax are hilarious. This is a very funny take on The Phantom of the Opera – mainly mocking the idea that a small mask that only covers the eyes would hide someones identity. Death features in this book as well, and he is probably my favourite character. Pretty much all he says is funny, and I enjoyed his game of poker with Granny.

Pratchett yet again transported me to Ankh-Morpork and incorporated some of the funniest characters in this adventure. Of course it is unrealistic, but it is an amazing fantasy novel. I have no complaints and as ever, I am eager for the next Pratchett book. This is a great series, full of adventure, humour and amazing characters. I highly recommend this novel. It is very, very good.

10/10

Synopsis from Amazon:

Mighty battles! Revolution! Death! War! (and his sons terror and panic, and daughter Clancy). The oldest and most inscrutable empire on the Discworld is in turmoil, brought about by the revolutionary treatise What I did on My Holidays. Workers are uniting, with nothing to lose but their water buffaloes. Warlords are struggling for power. War (and Clancy) are spreading throughout the ancient cities. And all that stands in the way of terrible doom for everyone is: Rincewind the Wizard, who can’t even spell the word ‘wizard’…Cohen the barbarian hero, five foot tall in his surgical sandals, who has had a lifetime’s experience of not dying…and a very special butterfly.

This is book 17 in the Discworld series, and as enjoyable as the rest. In this novel we are taken on an adventure with the not-so-great wizard Rincewind. Known to get himself into trouble, he finds himself a pawn in the god’s game. Sent by the wizards at Unseen University Rincewind ends up in an unknown kingdom were they were planning a very civilised revolution. He is believed to be The Great Wizard, and again, through running away he gives off this impression. Working alongside Cohen the Barbarian – not that either realise it – they embark on an adventure to take over the Empire and see which god is going to win their game.

I love this series. I have really enjoyed all of them, and this one is no exception. Rincewind novels make me laugh because he finds himself in the oddest situations and yet still comes out looking like a hero. I particularly enjoyed the return of Two Flower and Cohen the Barbarian. The Barbarian Horde were probably my favourite characters because they were all in their 90s or older and yet won many battles and still sniggered at sexual innuendoes. Their whole mentality and them trying to become ‘civilised’ was great reading.

I enjoyed the storyline of this book too. Emperors dying, the Red Army rising out of the ground, and a polite revolution – it was good fun. As ever, Pratchett leads headlong into the Discworld and his writing is so good he makes it seem real. He is witty, writes a good adventure and well worth reading.

As with his other novels, there is not a lot I can complain about – this is just a really good story that I enjoyed immensely. The Discworld books are high on my list of recommendations.

9/10

Synopsis from Amazon:

Be a MAN in the City Watch! The City Watch needs MEN!

But what it’s got includes Corporal Carrot (technically a dwarf), Lance-constable Cuddy (really a dwarf), Lance-constable Detrius (a troll), Lance-constable Angua (a woman…most of the time) and Corporal Nobbs (disqualified from the human race for shoving).

And they need all the help they can get. Because they’ve only got twenty-four hours to clean up the town and this is Ankh-Morpork we’re talking about…

Ankh-Morpork is in trouble. There are a series of mysterious murders, a student who wants a king put on the throne and the “Gone”, a very dangerous weapon with a mind of its own. So who is there to solve this mystery? The Night-Watch, consisting of an adopted dwarf, a real dwarf, a werewolf and a troll. How will pan out….?

This is another Discworld classic. It is number 15 in the series. I found this book just as enjoyable as the others. Pratchett’s writing was engaging and inviting. As ever, Ankh-Morpork is described so well that you lose yourself there. The characters have been seen in other books, and were hilarious at times. My favourites were Death, who makes a  couple of appearances, with some very witty one-liners; Corporal Carrot, a very simple human who was adopted by dwarfs and Gaspode the talking dog. His manipulation of humans was classic. The conversations between Cuddy and Detrius were amusing, as trolls and dwarfs traditionally dislike each other, so they rivalry had to continue for show. Detrius learning to count and his use of numbers had me laughing too. Pratchett is very original with his ideas of a Fools Guild, an Assassin Guild and even a Dog Guild. This is a very well thought out and well written book.

I recommend this book because it is engaging, full of danger, and adventure and hilarious. This is a grea fantasy book and well worth reading.

9/10

Synopsis from Amazon:

THE FAIRIES ARE BACK – BUT THIS TIME THEY DON’T JUST WANT YOUR TEETH…

Granny Weatherwax and her tiny coven are up against real elves.

It’s Midsummer Night. No time for dreaming…

With a full supporting cast of dwarfs, wizards, trolls, Morris dancers and one orang-utan. And lots of hey-nonny-nonny and blood all over the place.

This is the 14th book in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. This adventure sees the return of the elves, and they are not as pretty and nice as they seem… Granny Weatherwax is up for a big fight – aided by the wizards.

This book is up there with my favourites. I found it very entertaining. I really enjoy the Witch books, I have found all of them to be funny and exciting, and this one was no different. In fact, the humour of this book was aided by the fact a selection of the wizards had come along. I like the Librarian – what a great character.

As ever, Pratchett’s imagination is just incredible. He draws you into this alternative world, full of fighting and mythical characters, and just lets the action unfold. His descriptions are just amazing, and I really want to travel to the Discworld.

Nanny Ogg is fast becoming one of my favourites character. She is witty and generally humorous, and a great companion to the hilarious Granny Weatherwax. I thought the old love flame between Granny and the Arch Chancellor was great, it added another dimension to the books.

As always, I really enjoyed this Discworld book, and this has to be top rated. It was full of great fight scenes, humour and pure adventure. A really good read.

10/10