“Maskerade” by Terry Pratchett

I’m steadily working my way through the Witches books. These are a subseries of the Discworld fantasy series. The stories all take place on a flat world that lies on the backs of four elephants that stand atop a giant turtle floating through space. The books are all light, amusing reads.

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Genre

Fantasy

Series

Discworld, book 18
Witches, book 5

Pubbed

1995

From Goodreads

Death, to be precise. And plenty of it. In unpleasant variations. This isn’t real life – it’s worse. This is 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 mask and evening dress, with a penchant for lurking in shadows, occasional murder, and sending little notes full of maniacal laughter and exclamation marks. Opera can do that to a man.

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“Lords and Ladies” by Terry Pratchett

Here’s another one I read a while back and have waited too long to chat about.

It’s the fourteenth novel in the Discworld fantasy series, which takes place on a flat world that lies atop the backs of four elephants that stand on the shell of large turtle floating through space.

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Genre

Fantasy

Series

Discworld, book 14
Witches, book 4

Pubbed

1992

From Goodreads

It’s Midsummer Night – no time for dreaming. Because sometimes, when there’s more than one reality at play, too much dreaming can make the walls between them come tumbling down.

Unfortunately, there’s usually a damned good reason for there being walls between them in the first place – to keep things out. Things who want to make mischief and play havoc with the natural order.

“The Colour of Magic” by Terry Pratchett

Surprisingly, I struggled to read this one. I picked it up in February to read for a Turtle Recall readalong, but it took me the entire month of February to complete it. I didn’t expect to struggle so much with a Discworld book.

Genre

Fantasy

Series

Discworld, book 1
Rincewind, book 1

Pubbed

1983

Quick Summary

The Colour of Magic is the first novel in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, a satirical fantasy series set in a flat world that lies on the backs of four large elephants — Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phon, and Jerakeen — that stand on the pockmarked shell of a giant turtle, the Great A’Tuin, who’s flying through space. It contains four short stories centered on the adventures of Rincewind, a failed wizard who dropped out of Unseen University after learning just one spell, as he tries to protect Twoflower, a tourist visiting Discworld from the Counterweight Continent with his Luggage made of sapient pearwood in tow. The Luggage follows Twoflower wherever he goes.

“Witches Abroad” by Terry Pratchett

I picked this up to continue my journey through the Discworld series via the Witches subseries. I read this at a time when I felt a reading slump coming on and, luckily, this helped to offset that feeling.

I was immediately hooked on the story and had such a great time reading it. It was delightful and thought-provoking and placed many a twist on fairytales and stories that have been around for ages: vampires, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, etc.

Genre

Fantasy

Series

Discworld, book 12
Witches, book 3

Pubbed

1991

Goodreads summary

Be careful what you wish for…

Once upon a time there was a fairy godmother named Desiderata who had a good heart, a wise head, and poor planning skills—which unfortunately left the Princess Emberella in the care of her other (not quite so good and wise) godmother when DEATH came for Desiderata. So now it’s up to Magrat Garlick, Granny Weatherwax, and Nanny Ogg to hop on broomsticks and make for far-distant Genua to ensure the servant girl doesn’t marry the Prince.

“Wyrd Sisters” by Terry Pratchett

I managed to read another Terry Pratchett book and guess what?? I enjoyed it too! 😊

I read it for a Turtle Recall group read, which I was happy for because it motivated me to get started on this yearlong Discworld readathon. I was hoping to wrap up the Witches subseries of the Discworld books in May, but that didn’t happen so I might do so next month. Who knows? Anyway, my thoughts on Wyrd Sisters…

Genre:

Fantasy, humor

Series:

Discworld, book 6
Witches, book 2

Pubbed:

1988

Quick summary:

“You’d have to be born a fool to be a king,” said Granny Weatherwax

Book Haul #11: F**k that Book-Buying Ban

I am supposed to be on a book-buying ban but I’ve changed my mind. I think I’ll stop doing them for a few months and just monitor my spending wisely and be more rational when it comes to books.

The following are books I acquired before and after my very short book-buying ban.

A Legend Has Passed: Terry Pratchett (and other bookish news)

Terry Pratchett (April 1948 – March 2015)

Terry Pratchett is an author I’ve often heard of but never got around to reading. His books are always recommended but for some unknown reason, I’ve never placed them on my TBR list until a few months ago. Though I’m unfamiliar with his work, I was still shocked when I read he had died.

Pratchett, a British author of comic fantasy novels, died on Thursday, March 12. He was 66. Along with his zany stories such as the Discworld series, which is set on a disc-shaped world that is balanced on the backs of four elephants that stand on a giant turtle’s shell, Pratchett is also noted for his satire, which is compassionate rather than biting. In 2008, it was revealed to the public that Pratchett suffered from a rare form of Alzheimer’s. Due to his diagnosis, Pratchett advocated for assisted suicide and began the formal process for it in 2011. His publisher claims that his death was not due to suicide.

May his soul rest in peace.