The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett

The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It is sad to say, but this is the first Pratchett book that I didn't really enjoy. It was simple but a bit hard to follow. I still have no idea who or what was going on. There were a lot of different, random characters that showed up, yet they seemed to have no real purpose in the story other than as filler. They were there and then gone and I found I was losing track of the actual story.

Nothing was explained or even made much sense. It seemed as though none of the questions that the story posed were ever answered. The story concept was cute but it just seemed to be lacking (in my eyes anyway). What was it lacking, you might ask? Quite a lot. For the fact that he was only 17 when he wrote it, I did give a little. I'm just glad that this slowly lead to the creation of the Discworld series. Don't judge Pratchett's writing on this book alone. He is an amazing author and definitely worth checking out.

'The Lord of the Rings on a Rug'

The Carpet People was published in 1971, It had a lot of things wrong with it, mostly to do with being written by someone who was seventeen at the time.
And it sold a bit, and eventually it sold out. And that was it.
And then about seven years ago the Discworld books began to sell, and people would buy them and say, "Here, what's this book The Carpet People by The Same Author?' and the publishers got so fed up with telling people that there was no demand for it that they decided it was time for a new edition.
Which was read by Terry Pratchett, aged forty-three, who said: hang on. I wrote that in the days when I thought fantasy was all battles and kings. Now I'm inclined to think that the real concerns of fantasy ought to be about not having battles, and doing without kings. I'll just rewrite it here and there...
Well, you know how it is when you tweak a thread that's hanging loose...
So this is it. It's not exactly the book I wrote then. It's not exactly the book I'd write now. It's a joint effort but, heh heh, I don't have to give him half the royalties. He'd only waste them.
You asked for it. Here it is. Thanks.
Incidentally, the size of the city or Ware is approximately ->.

Terry Pratchett
15 September 1991

   

I'm with this girl here. We both are so happy that this his not where Pratchett ended is writing career! Now chant it with me!!

DISCWORLD

DISCWORLD

DISCWORLD

Thud! by Terry Pratchett

Thud! by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I say? I can't stay away from Discworld...

Troll vs. Dwarf, that age old feud brought to life again... Commander Vimes got quite the adrenaline rush in this tale, constantly in fear for his life as well as the life of his wife and son, young Sam.

Vimes has changed drastically since his first appearance in Pratchett's novels. Now that he has a son, he is very determined to make it home to read to young Sam. It is sweet watching Old Sam's transformation throughout the series. He protects his family better than he protects himself.

In this book, the reader gets to see a bit of the history as to where the animosity between the dwarves and the trolls comes from. The thought and creativity that Pratchett put into the story is amazing. He really knows how to spin a tale that gets the reader excited. Once again, another Pratchett novel that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. His novels are appropriate for all ages, even though the youngins might not get all the puns and wit...

And on that note...

WHERE'S MY COW?!?!

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Going Postal must be one of my favorite Terry Pratchett books. It was so creative and fun. To win a battle of wits without much in the way of wits is pretty impressive. It is quite true that once someone gets angry, they do lose a bit of self-control and don't think as clearly. Pratchett really pulled that aspect into play in this book. It was fun to follow the characters and their 'angel' through the rebuilding of the post office.

Stanley was one of my favorite characters in all the Pratchett books. He may have only had a small part but he made me laugh. I have known quite a few collectors in my time and Stanley sure fits the extreme definition (yet some people really are that into collecting things). A good lesson to be learned? Never mess with a hardcore collector when it comes to something that truly matters to them...

The only downfall of this book, in my opinion, is that the old letters never get delivered. They were the cause of all the problems in the first place, demanding to be delivered, and yet the letters gave up on being delivered without any mention of it whatsoever. They stopped delivering the old ones almost right away and only seemed to focus on the new ones that were coming in because that brought in revenue for the city.

And don't forget, they did a 2-part TV adeptation of this great book! I saw the previews for it when I was in London last year and was disappointed that I was leaving the country 2 days before it aired. I know I still need to watch it and so do you! Check it out now on Sky TV! 

A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching, #2) by Terry Pratchett

A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching, #2) by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The joys of returning to Terry Pratchett are inumerable. It never fails to get me chuckling aloud, causing strange looks to be directed at me. Pratchett has such a way with words, quite the amazing imagination.

While many authors, that write in a pun-filled style led by sarcasm, lose the swing of things very early (or the reader gets bored because the style gets old), Pratchett seems to keep going strong. This is book 32 and his style is still going strong, keeping me very interested!

One of my favorite parts of this book was the fact that you get to see Mistress Weatherwax as an actual human, showing respect to another for the first time. To make things better, she was actually kind and helpful. I guess even grumpy old ladies aren't always grumpy...

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This tale of cross-dressing soldiers brought a smile to my face, in a way that only Terry Pratchett can! I can only imagine that, back in the day, women really did dress as men to be able to join the military.

While giving bit parts to some old favorites, Pratchett introduces a whole new cast of characters to entertain the reader, in this book. Continuing with the theme of all Pratchett books, this will make any reader laugh, not only at the fantastical humor but also at the silly puns incorporated within...

This is another of the Discworld series that does not require having read any of the previous books to be able to enjoy it. It would be a great stand alone novel for someone looking for a quick read.

And ladies, remember that socks are the key...

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld, #28)

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All I can say is that I would love to have a talking cat like Maurice. Also, I'm not the fondest of rats but the whole crew (especially Peaches) really keeps the reader, as well as the towns they appear in, on their toes.

Pratchett draws a picture that makes the reader feel for the characters, even if they are trying to pull one over on the town's inhabitants. Each time I find myself back in the Disc World, I find myself chuckling from beginning to end. The puns that Pratchett comes up with never get old and I find myself quoting bits and pieces. Most authors only write lines every so often that really stick in my head. With Pratchett's work, I can't even count how many there are!

In conclusion, this is definitely worth the read. It is book 28 in the Disc World series, yet doesn't require the other books to be read, as it seems to be a standalone as well. It's cute, silly and you won't be able to put it down!

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is no better way to pass the day than by reading (or listening as the case is here) to a novel that makes you laugh out loud from the shear silliness of it all. I've been in love with Terry Pratchett's novels for some time now and can never seem to get enough!

His creative mind and the puns he uses will keep any reader turning the pages. Carpe Jugulum - Go for the Throat!

On a side note, Nigel Planer is my absolute favorite narrator, when it comes to audiobooks. He's very animated and seems capable of really making me want to press play!