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Customer Reviews (2)

Discworld fans need this
I had some ideas of what Pratchett was writing about when he described Lancre, but it's so much nicer to have an aerial view of the castle, Bad Ass, the witches' cottages, and environs. I can place the scenes more easily now, and fill in ground-level views with my imagination. But with this little bit of artistry I feel like I understand the settings better than before with map in hand.

Makes a great piece for your wall.

Good, But The Other Maps Are Better
This map is a good map for those people (like me) who are addicted to Pratchett. Like the others, it helps so much with the visualisation of the places of the book (hubwise, rimwise - it all gets blurred after awhile).However, the map's only negative aspect was that it was a very large mapwith only a bit of detail here and there - Everything looked a bit spacedout. ... Read more

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In a distant and second-hand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly . . .

Customer Reviews (18)

It makes sense
The first time I read the opening novel to this series I was not really clear on the action going on. This graphic rendition makes clarity out of some of the mud I ran into.

Don't bother
Don't bother with this.The art is pretty sub-par, and the humor and wit of Pratchett's written world gets lost in the thought bubbles.

Seriously--just read the books.This isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Good rendition of a classic novel
This is a very good rendition of the first two diskworld novels.The art work is very nice for a comic but not on the level of the other diskworld art books (such as last hero.)Editing decisions were made with taste and good judgement.I got my teenager interested in the diskworld books which is a plus.

Bought as a gift
I didn't actually read this book because I bought it based on my friend's wish list.I certainly hope she likes it.

As advertised
I bought this for my granddaughter, who would have preferred the original novel. Grandma just didn't understand what a graphic novel is. ... Read more

Product Description

For more than two decades, Terry Pratchett has been regaling readers with tales of Discworld—a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants, which are standing on the back of a giant turtle, flying through space. It is a world populated by ineffectual wizards and sharp-as-tacks witches, by tired policemen and devious dictators, by reformed thieves and vampires who have sworn to drink no blood. It is a world that is vastly different from our own . . . except when it isn't.

Customer Reviews (21)

Terry Pratchetts funny bits
Excerpts of Terry Pratchetts comic expression from his novels
if you like TP this is a reminder of what and where
More interested in the Wyrdest Link (xmas present) of which I'm reading the answers rather than the questions for the background and the more obscure sources for some of his jokes. Both of these are 'dont read before the novels' books

just a collection of quotes
its laid out well and is very amusing, but it is just a collection of quotes from the books.only for the hardcore fan!

I want more!
The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld (Doubleday, 2007), compiled by Stephen Briggs, includes Briggs' favorite quotations from Terry Pratchett's Discworld books.Of course, it can't include them all.To accomplish that, as Briggs said, "I might as well have tied a set of the novels up with string and added a tag: 'The Complete Wit of Pratchett'."

He re-read every book in the Discworld series; since some gags and funny exchanges need too long a build-up, that eliminated a lot. In some cases he had to edit to convey the context.The quotes are included book by book--in order of publication.(Each book gets its own chapter; some are shorter than others.)And there is an index.I really enjoyed this book since it reminded me of my favorite lines and books.'Course now I'm re-reading the books because it's true that he couldn't include all the clever and fun word play and scenes.He didn't include the bull run scene in Witches Abroad, for instance, which is one of my favorite scenes--nor the Greebo scenes.Read this book!Then you must read the rest to see what you missed!!

I really enjoyed reading it
British Author Terry Pratchett OBE is widely known for his hilarious fantasy novels, most especially his incomparable Discworld books. In this great book, Terry Briggs, who has collaborated with Terry Pratchett on many Discworld projects, presents some of his favorite quotes from the Discworld books, from The Color of Magic through Making Money.

Overall, I thought that this was a great book. I really enjoyed reading through the many funny quotes, which took me back to some of the best hours I ever spent reading. Now, as you might expect with such a book, no two people will ever produce an identical list of "best" quotes. So, this isn't the best quotes, it's merely Mr. Briggs favorite quotes. Nonetheless, it is a great book, one that I really enjoyed reading.

Overview of Pratchett's Humor
I have read every DiscWorld book that Terry Pratchett has written and can't wait to get my hands on the next one.This book boils down some of the humor (you can't get it all unless you read the book itself) into the high points.If you are looking at a chance to get an overview of what to expect from DiscWorld, here is a place to start.Recommend. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (10)

What a waste of time and money...
I am so sorry I bothered with this. In the first place, the title is misleading...the Wee Free Men get not more attention than any other Pratchett character. Probably trying to capitalize on the coming movie...sigh.

The numerous website citations in the footnotes make a mockery of TP's footnote "genre"...sometimes the footnotes are the best part of a Pratchett story line. Not here...it looks like an anal-retentive college student who's had his/her hand smacked for citing Wikipedia without attribution. Again...sigh.

The inane humorous asides/nudge, nudge, wink, wink remarks were tiresome and silly. Very immature and boring.

I've read all the Pratchett books, several times, and this book didn't add to my enjoyment or extend my horizons one little bit. I think it was a total rip-off.

Fraudulent in every way
There are no "secrets" that are accurate.Writing, spelling, grammar and syntax are appalling, and accurate citation of sources is nearly nonexistent.I wouldn't accept this drivel from a sixth grader.
These writers have a very limited understanding of mythology, theology, comparative religions, history, literature or political science.
I bought this book when it was first offered, and it's taken me this long to cool off enough to write a reasoned review.
The authors and their publisher should be ashamed for inflicting this on an unsuspecting public.

Not what I expected
I love the DiscWorld novels and the Nac Mac Feegles so was looking forward to reading this book.I was disappointed when it seems to be more of a series of book reviews than an actual story and the authors keep referring back to themselves in the book.I was so disappointed that I only made it about 3/4 of the way through before giving up on it.Although I will admit that there was some information on where Pratchett may have gotten his inspiration for some of the characters that was a bit interesting.

A fun, interactive guide to Discworld's popular novels
Any collection strong in novels by Terry Pratchett will welcome this critical survey The Wee Free Men and Discworld: the Myths and Legends of Terry Pratchett's Multiverse. It provides a fun, interactive guide to Discworld's popular novels, analyzing his work and providing a foundation for underlying its underlying themes.

A poor copycat of a better book
I have read, or am reading, most of the critical works about Terry Pratcett.Let us begin with the title, it is misleading.I bought the book impulsively, thinking it was an in-depth study of the Feegles; the book has perhaps one chapter dedicated to the Wee Free Men.

The other chapters attempt to provide insight to the other myths of the discworld.The worst example was the Watch chapter.Where the authors discuss Vimes and company, and Pratchett's historical sources.I'm sorry but, I did not find this section related to any thing remotely mythologoical.

Ultimately, I found this book to be insulting and rehashed for those so inclined.Most of the information it contains is available in the work "Terry Pratcett: Guilty of Literature", by Andrew M. Butler.Found here:

http://www.amazon.com/Terry-Pratchett-Literature-Andrew-Butler/dp/188296831X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217426299&sr=1-1

My rating of the "Secerts of the Wee Free Men": Bathroom reader.
... Read more

Product Description
Terry Pratchett's incredible Discworld, floating through space on the backs of four elephants* standing on a giant turtle, supports some of the most popular characters ever imagined in the world of fantasy fiction. But the Discworld people are real, and here they are, warts (except, of course, in the case of Granny Weatherwax) and all, from Rincewind the incompetent wizard to Greebo, the rather too human cat. *once there were five, but that's another story ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

awesome book, but only if you can find a good price
This is a nice little book of mainly pencil drawn character illustrations. It's great if you're a hardcore Pratchett fan or studying chracter design. Sadly, it's a very thin book and usually sold at a high price. If you happen to get lucky and find it cheap get it, but otherwise stick with the more recent Pratchett/Kidby art book. It's cheaper, larger, has more colored pieces, and is in general more bang for your buck.

For Discworld fanatics only
The Pratchett Portfolio is an impressive little book, but only serious Discworld fanatics will want to invest in acquiring it.It is quite large in format and quite thin in content, consisting of pictures and small biographical vignettes of some of the Discworld's most prominent personalities.Paul Kidby's illustrations are indeed lavish and impressive, consisting of black and white sketches alongside vibrantly colored portraits.I personally envision some of the characters, particularly Rincewind and Magrat, quite differently, but it is certainly interesting to see how a professional illustrator and bonafide Discworld fan envisions the denizens of my favorite flat planet.It must be said that Kidby ably captures the spirit of Pratchett's creations, and any favorite illustrator of Terry Pratchett's is a favorite illustrator of mine.Pratchett's biographical sketches of characters are fun to read, but there is nothing found here that cannot be found in the novels themselves.I would also note the fact that this portfolio was published in 1996, at which time only 18 Discworld novels had been published.If you are not a Discworld fanatic, you will most likely be disappointed by this item.If you are as fanatical as I am, though, the Pratchett Portfolio will take its place as an unusual, eye-catching, one-of-a-kind item in your collection.

Worthwhile addition for any Discworld fan
This is a short, large-format book that contains a collection of marvelous illustrations by master Discworld illustrator Paul Kidby, accompanied by Pratchett's descriptions of the characters depicted. It's a very nice addition to any Discworld fan's collection.

Good drawings, but not worth the price
First I must admit that I did enjoy the drawings in this "booklet". Paul Kidby did a great work, like anyone who saw his other works learns to expect. The reason I was disapointed is that for that price (more then $20) I expected much more content, and I expected to enjoy this book for much longer. For that price I can buy three books from the series.

Discworld lives!
You know how two different people never see the characters of a book the same? Well, Paul Kidby has drawn the people of Discworld exactly the way I always thought they should look like.

I have never liked it when myfavourite books were illustrated, but this book just made my day. It is apure work of art, from both Kidby and Pratchett. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (19)

Map of Discworld
If you are into Terry Pratchett's Discworld series then this map will tell you where you are going. Done on very nice heavy paper, BUT it doesn't have Granny Weatherwax's home town so you will have to interpret that one.

fun
The Good:
It's got some pretty funny stuff in it about the various explorers of the Discworld, and comments from Pratchett and Briggs about the making of the map.

The Bad:
It's not really a book, and there's not much to it.

The Verdict:
Great fun, though, and perfect for what it is. I'm thinking it'll be interesting to refer to next time I read a Discworld book.

Discworld Mapp
I found the mapp really helpful as it pinpointed spots on the Disc World featured in the various books.I was able to trace the travels of the witches and Rincewind The Wizard.I really love the Disc World books, especially the Witch and Night Watch ones.

Putting it all together
I love this. The art work is great and it always helps to have a map to get the big picture. The map called Death's Domain is also very good.

A nice addition to your Pratchett collection.
I bought The Discworld Mapp simply as an addition to my ever growing Discworld collection of books, and I am glad for the purchase. The Mapp itself could be removed from the cover - which is simply a carrier for the mapp and the accompanying 24 page booklet - and framed if so desired. I refer to the mapp during readings of various books, game play, or just out of curiousity.
If you are a diehard Terry Pratchett fan you will probably be happy with a purchase of The Discworld Mapp; if you are a little too practical though, you might be able to do without it ... Read more

Product Description

The town council wants to sell the cemetery, and its inhabitants aren't about to take that lying down! Johnny is the only one who can see the outraged ghosts, and the previously alive need his help to save their home and their history. Johnny didn't mean to become the voice for the lifeless, but if he doesn't speak up, who will?

Customer Reviews (19)

johnny maxwell-the creator of this book
johnny maxwell, the 12-year-old boy who just moved to grandpa's, found out his "power" to see the post-senior citizens when he went to the graveyard one day. however, one day, the post-senior citizens told johnny that people are taking over the graveyard for other uses. johnny then started to fight for the graveyard. i think this book is really incredible, and johnny is the creator or the soul of this book.

Johnny and the Importance of History
Terry Pratchett's second book in the Johnny Maxwell Trilogy starts out wonderfully.We find Johnny can talk to the dead, and as he does so, comes to learn more about the history of his town and good lessons about respecting the importance of those who came before you.This isn't to say it's a preachy book.It's a Pratchett book, meaning there is humor and cunning insight.

The problem, however, is that Pratchett seems to rush the last half of the novel.I wonder if perhaps the smaller length found in the young adult novel proved to be a bit too cumbersome for his storytelling.There's enough plot here for at least a hundred more pages, but I'm guessing editors made him cut it down.In the process, the conclusion of the story rushes by and all the build up ends up being a bit of a let down.It's still a wonderful book though, and worth a read by children and adults alike.

Classic Pratchett Fun for Early Teens
I love Briggs' adaptations of Pratchett and this is no exception. With 23 speaking roles and a couple of voice only roles as well as 3 non-speaking parts this is perfect for reading in a classroom and has some great activities to use as well.
As an English teacher, this is an incredibly effective text because the activities are relevant and easy to use and the text is interesting.
As a drama teacher the text is interesting although I would prefer a smaller cast.
It's kind of similar to "I see dead People" but with a much more lighthearted take on the topic.

Charming
Johnny Maxwell is an ordinary boy, living in the all-too ordinary town of Blackbury. However, when Johnny takes a short-cut through the local cemetery, he finds out he can see the dead. Their not ghosts...at least they don't think that they are ghost, they are just...post-living citizens. However, there's trouble afoot - the council has sold the cemetery to a developer, and the dead are determined to do something about it. Just what has Johnny started?

This is the second book in Terry Pratchett's charming Johnny Maxwell trilogy. The story is fantastic, and yet, at the same time it is quite ordinary. There are no monsters (though an old Pratchett favorite, Death (capital "D", he's the man, or rather the anthropomorphic personification) puts in an appearance), no body snatching, no horror, just life...well, sort of.

If you like good fiction, then I can't recommend this book enough. And even though it is part of a trilogy, you can read it by itself and feel like you missed nothing. This is a charming book, with interesting characters, and a highly entertaining storyline. I highly recommend this book!

Charming
Johnny Maxwell is an ordinary boy, living in the all-too ordinary town of Blackbury. However, when Johnny takes a short-cut through the local cemetery, he finds out he can see the dead. Their not ghosts...at least they don't think that they are ghost, they are just...post-living citizens. However, there's trouble afoot - the council has sold the cemetery to a developer, and the dead are determined to do something about it. Just what has Johnny started?

This is the second book in Terry Pratchett's charming Johnny Maxwell trilogy. The story is fantastic, and yet, at the same time it is quite ordinary. There are no monsters (though an old Pratchett favorite, Death (capital "D", he's the man, or rather the anthropomorphic personification) puts in an appearance), no body snatching, no horror, just life...well, sort of.

If you like good fiction, then I can't recommend this book enough. And even though it is part of a trilogy, you can read it by itself and feel like you missed nothing. This is a charming book, with interesting characters, and a highly entertaining storyline. I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Product Description
The great anthology of short novels by the masters of modern fantasy.

Robert Jordan relates crucial events in the years leading up to The Wheel of Time in "New Spring."

Ursula K. Le Guin adds a sequel to her famous books of Earthsea, portraying a woman who wants to learn magic, in "Dragonfly."

Tad Williams tells a dark and enthralling story of a haunted castle in the age before Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, in "The Burning Man."

Terry Pratchett relates an amusing incident in Discworld, of a magical contest and the witch Granny Weatherwax, in "The Sea and Little Fishes."
... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Excellent Glimpses into Wonderful Worlds
Many years ago, when this series of three books first came out in paperback, I bought the first volume because of the Stephen King Dark Tower Story.I love the Dark Tower series and when I accidentally stumbled on this story, I was very excited.Needless to say, I loved the novella but I also read the other novellas in the volume and quickly became an Orson Scott Card fan and have read the Ender series written by Card because of this volume (I was already a fan of Sci-fi so the Ender series was a logical place to start on Card books).This volume also got me interested more in the fantasy genre and before this had only read the Stephen R Donaldson series "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" which I still highly recommend as being one of the best fantasy series available.However, since reading volume 1 of the Legends series, I have become a huge fantasy fan.

So, I finally ran across this particular volume (Legends Volume 3) in a used book store and when I saw that Terry Pratchett and Tad Williams had contributed novellas, I had to buy it.To start off, I have not yet read any of the Jordan "Wheel of Time" series because I have heard so many different opinions about his style of writing.His books are huge to say the least so that has made me shy away from his series.I must say though, that after reading "New Spring" (which he has since expanded on to make a prequel novel) that I am interested in the series and plan on reading the first book to see if I like it.Yes, it was confusing for the first half of the story since I had no background to this series, but I was intrigued enough to keep reading and ended up enjoying the story.

The second story is Ursula LeGuin's Story "Dragonfly".This story is simply beautiful.I have read some of LeGuin's other stories but never any full novels.I WILL be reading this series, though I know the series is older than the others in this volume.

Tad Williams' story is also well written and as great as I had expected.I own the "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" series but have not read it yet, though I have been looking forward to reading it.I have read his "Otherland" series (over 4000 wonderful pages) and loved every word of it.From reading the "Otherland" series, I consider Mr. Williams one of my favorite authors, right up there with Stephen King with character development and making the reader feel like you are there with the characters sharing the adventure with them.This guy is one of the greatest.

The last story is "The Sea and Little Fishes" by Terry Pratchett, another one of my favorite authors.This novella is just as funny and well written as any of his books.It is a great introduction to his Discworld universe and provides an excellent example of this series.Read this story, laugh, and nod your head in agreement to the social commentary that he throws in and I bet you will want to read more.Pratchett's Discworld series will have you laughing and even on the verge of tears in some places.I would recommend starting with Wyrd Sisters (one of the Granny novels), "Guards! Guards!" (a great dragon story and introduction to the Night Watch of the Discworld series), or "Mort" ( a hilarious story about a favorite Discworld character known as "Death".Did you know that the great stallion that "Death" rides is named "Binky"? How funny is that?)

Anyway, I went on a lot more about these stories then I intended.Get the Legends series, all three books and then get the new Legends II series which also has some great novellas by authors like Terry Brooks and another one by Tad WIlliams which is based on that great "Otherland" series.You will not be disappointed.It is well worth the money you spend.

Be careful, the revs & book info for all 3 vols are mixed up
I purchased this book looking for the stories by King and McCaffrey, only to find out that they are in a different volume.The reviews and book info are the same for all three volumes, so I suppose this review will also be listed on all three.Anyway, this is a review for LEGENDS 3!

There are four stories in Legends 3:

New Spring, by Robert Jordan, a Wheel of Time story.

Dragonfly, by Ursula K. Le Guin, an Earthsea story.

The Burning Man, by Tad Williams, a Memory, Sorrow and Thorn story.

The Sea and Little Fishes, by Terry Pratchett, a Discworld story.

This is a case where they saved the best for last :)Each story gets progressively better.I thought I would go ahead and read this book rather than return it since I am always on the lookout for new (to me) fantasy writers.After all the hype about Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, I must say I was sorely dissappointed.The story was fairly interesting, and maybe the books are better than this short story, but I can't say I'm in much of a hurry to buy them now.However, I think maybe my daughter might like the children's versions.

Dragonfly was better, and the ending was the best part of all.If this was the beginning of the series, I'd be much more likely to want to buy the books, but from what I can figure out, this happens at the end of the series.Will we ever find out what happens next?I kinda doubt it.There hasn't been a new book in this series for a long time.But, I might eventually check this series out.

The Burning Man was pretty cool.It seemed to kinda stand alone though.Can't really imagine what the series is like.

The Sea and Little Fishes was the coolest.The whole Discworld thing, the world being flat and flying thru space on the backs of four elephants riding on a giant turtle was a little weird, but that hardly had anything at all to do with the story.It was about witches, not so much about magic as how they interacted with one another and with the mortals all around them.I think I'd like to read more of these.

I hope you find this helpful and don't make the same mistake that I did, thinking all of these stories are in one book, because they are actually in three.If you did find it helpful, please vote that you did.Thanks!

Terry Pratchett Junky
Yes I know it's probably outrageous to the other authors of this book (but I don't care); I bought it for the Terry Pratchett short novel. The Terry Pratchett short novel "All the little fishes" (in case your wondering) takes place on discworld, revolving around Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg and the witch trials. These are the trials they have at the Ramtops every year where each witch proves her worth and shows off her magic ability. If you have the Nanny Ogg cookbook or want to learn more about the witch trials there are references to it in there. It is an excellent short story around 80 pages. However what makes it worth reading is that it really has the No-nonsense gritty fun of Granny Weatherwax proving she is the best of all the witches! Nothing like a contest of wills to bring out the wickedness. If you like Granny weatherwax or are at least smart enough to be afraid of her this story is for you! The other authors are worth a glance too, after all they got famous for some reason or other. I do have to admit Anne McAffery also tempted me to get the book as there is a pern dragon saga story as well, and her stuff is also a good read for sci-fi fans.

A Good Prequel chapter
If you are craving a new story in the Wheel of Time, try this one.It is a great look into the past of Moiraine and Lan.It is something that was hinted at in the main novels, but it certain expands on the readers knowledge of their relationship.Lan for much of the series is stone cold and he is hard to relate to, much like Rand 7-10.Lan is much like the boy Rand used to be, except a warrior.

It has to be read after 4 or 5, or it won't be as thoroughly enjoyed (thats for newbies).The great thing is Robert Jordan expressed an interest to do another such novella if the opportunity arose.Little stories can be found in "The World of Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time" til the next book comes out.

As Amazon predicted, I indeed loved this.
I read Legends in one piece, so please bear with me reviewing here. Legends (and Far Horizons) as well, were a brilliant move. Short stories about the worlds you know and love, in one book with yet unexplored worlds... it's awesome, both from the fan's and the publisher's point of view.

The quality of the stories was high. King's story was beautiful and enchanting, I am not a great fan of Pratchett, though, Feist and Goodkind's stories were entertaining enough, if not a little predictable.

I felt myself also highly attracted to Williams' story for some reason. And I havent even read the series. Still gotta find the first book somewhere. :)
Jordan's story, as a WOT fan, was nice enough. It was nice to be back in the WOT world again (this was during the wait for book 9). For me, it grabbed hold and didnt let go. Although I agree that it might be a little vague and incomprehensible for the people who are not familiar with the Wheel of Time.
The big thing about Legends though, has got to be the Hedge Knight. It got me to reading Martin's work, and it had got me to favoring Martin above Jordan as soon as I was done with the series.

Legends did what it was made for - introduce fans into worlds they havent explored yet, and show them a little bit more of the worlds they know and love. So yes, Legends was brilliant. ... Read more

Product Description
"This is how the Discworld began..."--BOOK JACKET. "In The Colour of Magic the failed wizard Rincewind burst upon the world and hasn't stopped running since."--BOOK JACKET. "This was the book that started the phenomenally successful series. Here is the sapient pearwood luggage, a mobile trunk which launders any clothes put in it and incidentally homicidally defends its owner. Here is Twoflower, an innocent tourist in a world of nightmares and fairy tales gone wrong. Here is Cohen the Barbarian, the world's oldest and greatest hero. Here is Death, not such a bad sort when you get to know him..."--BOOK JACKET. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Color of Madness
I have never read anything like this story. It takes a while to get used to his style of writing, but by the time it is over you don't want it to end. This story is crazy and it never slows down, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. It is filled with dry, witty British humor, and the characters are vivid and lively. These 2 stories(The Color of Magic, and The Light Fantastic)should definitely be read together, and that is why I give this publication my review and recommendations.

Good. Very good.
Not only is The Color of Magic the beginning of an amazing series, there is something about the book that you can't put your finger on that makes it one of the best I have ever read. Rincewind and Twoflower are good characters and the sheer randomness and hilarity of the books makes them excellent aside from everything else.

Where the laffs emerged.
Having started reading Discworld books further into the series, I was worried that the first two stories would be lacking in quality. I needn't have worried that standards or style would be inferior, in fact the first two books are now my favourite in the series.

Pratchett begins his exploration of the Disc with parody of the fantasy genre. Later on in the series he focuses more on developing the mechanisms and realism of the Discworld, but here there are more laughs, and more subversion of the genre.

The relationship between Rincewind the cowardly student wizard and Twoflower the naive, good natured tourist is always amusing and compelling. The plot is perhaps slightly less complicated than later books, but still strange and magical, while firmly rooted in the cynical common sense of the English.

Also the books feature my favourite Discworld character, the tenacious, slightly sinister Luggage! It's an easy read that flows well and has some spot-on humour.

Excellent Opening To Discworld Marred By Poor Publishing
I have reviewed the two opening books to Discworld separately elsewhere.Needless to say both works begin one of the most imaginative and original series ever to grace the world of fantasy fiction, and, because of their inseparable relationship in terms of story, their republication as one work makes perfect sense.Unfortunately, Pratchett's new publisher, Collins, has not presented these gems in a manner for which the work is deserving.The text is riddled with punctuation and spelling errors, at times forcing the reader to reread the text for sense, a problem that was equally in evidence in "The Fifth Elephant."Collins is fortunate to have this author now in their stable of fantasy writers---they certainly have no other fantasy author of his stature---and should feel a responsibility---to the work, to the author, and to the readers---to present Mr. Pratchett's marvelous fiction in a manner equal to the riches of its contents.For this reason, don't waste your money on an inferior packaged product.There are still good hardbound copies of the original publications around, if you desire these works in cloth, as I do, that justify their expense, both in terms of presentation and text.This is merely a shoddy reprint, undeserving of purchase, and it is for this reason I have given it only three stars.Pratchett's work deserves far better.

This is how it all began...
There are now about 24 books in the DiscWorld series, possibly 25 if you live in Britain. But these are the two books that began the series. This is where it started.

I don't usually like parody. Harvard Lampoon's"Bored of the Rings," for example, has never impressed me. ButPratchett has brought parody, and parody of the fantasy genre inparticular, to a new level in the DiscWorld series.

Pratchett's writingin these early books, as you would expect, isn't nearly as good as it getslater, but his characters are just as wonderful and his sense of the absurdis working overtime. There are outright parodies (Cohen the Barbarian, alifetime in his own legend), homages (Firtz Leiber's Ffahrd and the GreyMouser) and horrible puns ("luters, I expect"). No fantasy novelemerges unscathed.

Like most parodists, the plotting here is weak, withRincewind, the most incompetent wizard in literature, and Twoflowers, thequintessential tourist, careening from disaster to disaster. In laterbooks, Pratchett's plotting is impeccable, but here it's just not thatgood. But you don't read these two books for the plot, you read them forthe laughs, for the fun of recognizing characters and books, and for thesheer hysterical madness.

The books are a delight. I caution you againstreading them in bed - your laughter will disturb your partner - butotherwise whole-heartedly recommend them. ... Read more

Product Description

When Tiffany Aching sets out to become a witch, she faces ominous foes and gains unexpected allies. As she confronts the Queen of Fairies and battles an ancient, bodiless evil, she is aided (and most ably abetted) by the six-inch-high, fightin', stealin', drinkin' Wee Free Men!

Customer Reviews (25)

Deceptive cover and info
I loved the 2 original books about the Wee Free Men, "The Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky" and really thought this was a prequel to those. Needless to say it isn't a prequel, it's just the two original books bundled together.This was a great disppointment and I feel that I've been scammed and decieved...there is nothing easily discernable or obvious on the Amazon site warning customers of this...you have to really spend alot of time searching the site to find anything that would even give a slight hint of the fact that it's a compendium of 2 previously published books.
Shame on you Amazon

Disappointing for oldtimers, bonus for newcomers
What a letdown! I was thrilled to see what appeared to be not one, but TWO new Pratchetts available, only to discover that this one is merely a disguised reissue; a base deception that does not dispose me favorably toward buying from Amazon any more.
That having been said, this author's works are uniformly brilliant and I recommend them to all ages, regardless of what edition you buy!

Ripped Off!
Like the others I too bought this book thinking it was a prequel .... I am bitterly disappointed - I received the author alert that there was a new book and obviously being a fan I just went ahead and purchased it without reviewing its content, why would I?I love his work and would always give new titles a go!!So lesson learned... buyer beware!

Waily, waily, waily, a Bigjob trick
The Wee Free Men, or Nac Mac Feegle, distrust Bigjobs (large people like us), writing, and reading.If they knew that the first two books about them were being reissued in one volume, with no fair warning, they'd cry "Waily, waily."

That said, if you or your child haven't read the Tiffany Aching series yet, by all means start with this one, and maybe you'll be caught up by the time the fourth one comes out.They take place in Discworld, and witches like Nanny Ogg play an occasional role, but you don't need any introduction to that series to enjoy this one. Each story is a further step in a young witch's coming of age, in which she must use her wits to rescue those most important to her, such as the entire world.

NOT A NEW BOOK
Not trying to be Captain Obvious...this has been pointed out by several reviewers...Amazon was nice about accepting this as a return...but I would expect that at this point everyone knows.However...if you have not read all of the Feegle books...this has what you need!Laugh-out-loud funny! ... Read more

Product Description
Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

cross-dressing and the Queen's shilling
Polly Perks disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the Army of the Duchess Annagovia in order to find her beloved brother, Paul.Not only does she have to cut off her long, blonde hair (which is an abomination unto the local god, Nuggan), she also has to learn how to pick her nose, scratch her crotch, and fart loudly in public.

So far the Borogravian army very much resembles a major league baseball team.

By the time she has been enlisted for a day in the Tenth Foot (also known as the 'Ins-and-Outs') under the command of the sadistic Corporal Strappi, Polly is cursing every folksong she ever heard on the romance of disguising herself as a boy and following the drum.Her fellow recruits, including a troll, an igor, a vampire, and a religious nut, fare no better, although the corporal goes easy on the vampire.

Then Corporal Strappi learns that he himself is going to be sent to the front, along with his band of raw recruits, and steals off into the night.Now fat, jolly Sergeant Jackrum is in charge.

Anyone who has ever read a fantasy or gone to a movie where a cunning, experienced sergeant takes charge, will know that the new recruits are now in for the ride of their short lives.Polly's life perks up (sorry) when a shadowy figure in the privy hands her a pair of socks and advises her to stuff them into her trousers. The advice that comes with the socks:

"'It's a funny thing," said the voice, 'but they notice what's missing more than they notice what's there.Just one pair, mark you.Don't get ambitious.'"

Polly follows her mysterious friend's recommendation, and the rest of "Monstrous Regiment" is a jolly-but-serious series of Terry Pratchett-falls as the recruits capture their first prisoners-of-war, visit their first tent-of-ill-repute, and generally learn how to survive in a war that their country is definitely losing.

But if Borogravia is losing, why are the recruits being stalked by newshounds from Ankh-Morpork, who insist they're war heroes?Why has 'Butcher' Vimes put a werewolf on their trail?

And why, oh why did Private Polly have to kick the presumed Heir of Duchess Annagovia right in his sock drawer?

"Monstrous Regiment" is vintage Pratchett and if I ever decide to cross-dress and take the Queen's shilling, here is the book that will guide me.
... Read more

Product Description
Twelve-year-old Johnny Maxwell can see the dead. And he’s got bad news for them: the council wants to sell their cemetery as a building site. But the dead won’t take it lying down…


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

stupid, stupid, stupid!
This book is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BORING!!!!!!! I think I'd rather eat the paper than read it! My friend gave it to me to read cos she said terry pratchett was really good BUT IT WASN'T! I dont like terry pratchett- I've tried Five of his books and I still cant get to the end of the 2nd chapter!!!! Dont waste money on this idiotic book- it was sooo bad that for a while after I read it I didn't even feel like reading cos I was SCARED- yes, SCARED- of finding such a bad book like this one! If you are a fan of this book then you might as well be a fan of eating feet! I dont even think Johnny and the Dead derservse 1 star! Dont waste your time!

You don't really live until you're dead
Johnny Maxwell is just a normal twelve-year old kid, or at least he tries to be. Things just seem to happen to him that don't happen to anyone else - aliens inside a computer game surrender to him and name him their Chosen One, for example (as told in the first book of this series). Compared to that adventure, seeing dead people almost seems rather prosaic. The Trying Times Johnny has been living in have advanced past his parents' shouting and Being Sensible About Things to Phase 3, which sees him now living with his grandfather. He often takes a short cut to school through a local cemetery, and it is there that he meets the Alderman, the long dead and buried Alderman. His friends Yo-less, Bigmac, and Wobbler can't see dead people the way Johnny suddenly can, but events soon convince them that Johnny isn't just fooling around with them. Johnny meets all of the dead people in the cemetery, all of whom are quite put out when they learn that their cemetery, a place which the rules of being dead say they cannot leave, has been sold by the city (for only five pence) to a corporation planning on building office buildings there. Since Johnny is the only human who can see them (and why Johnny can see them is rather a mystery, although the Alderman thinks it is because he is too lazy not to see them), the dead look to him to save their eternal resting place. Stopping a big corporation from doing something the city has granted them the legal right to do is no easy task, especially for a twelve-year-old boy and his friends, but Johnny is wonderfully resourceful.

The ending of this book didn't have much spark to it, but overall Johnny and the Dead is an even better read than the first Johnny Maxwell novel Only You Can Save Mankind. It also rings quite distinctly at times of the type of humor showcased by the author in his Discworld novels. There is one bit early on that is just hilarious. Wobbler puts the idea in Johnny's head that dead people basically lurch around like the zombie types in Michael Jackson's Thriller video, and this indirectly leads to the Alderman trying to moonwalk in the cemetery. The dead people as a whole put a lot of life into this book, oddly enough. Among the fascinating, entertaining dead folks we meet are an ardent suffragette, an inventor who is quite proficient at manipulating electronic equipment, a brilliant man named Einstein - Solomon Einstein the taxidermist, and a dyed-in-the-wool Marxist who is quite disappointed at the way things have gone in the world since his death. The vibrant personalities of the dead men and women more often than not clash in a number of very funny ways as they all try to cope with modern life or the lack of it.

This book does stand up fairly well on its own, but the characterization of Johnny and his friends is not detailed enough for you to really get to know them without having read Only You Can Save Mankind already. This is considered juvenile fiction, but as with everything Terry Pratchett writes, men and women of all ages, providing they have at least a nascent sense of humor, will find much to enjoy and laugh about in these pages. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Fascinating
Normally I like to imagine the scenes in my mind, but the incredible drawings of DiscWorld and Death's Domain make this a wonderful addition to the books.Recommend.

Discworld Mapp
This goes right along with the other maps of Pratchett's Discworld Series. not necessarily a must have, but a good thing for the Discworld fan.

The weakest of the Discworld Mapps published so far
I have very mixed feelings about this Mapp. I bought it because it's Discworld, and a serious Discworld fan like me will want to have this in their collection regardless of what rating it gets!

Nevertheless, compared to the other Mapps (The Streets of Ankh-Morpork, The Discworld Mapp and A Tourist Guide to Lancre) it's not quite up to par.

True, the Mapp itself is gorgeous and there are some nifty pencil drawings inside the book (some of which can however also be found in The Art of Discworld). And there is some really funny dialogue between Albert and his master about playing golf...

But mostly, this Mapp is rather boring. Unlike the others, it just doesn't add much to the Discworld series.
The books describe the INSIDE of Death's house in much detail but the Mapp focuses on the outside of it only - which looks like an areal picture of any old manor and grounds. OK, with less green and more purple/black, but other than that...

We now know the exact location of Death's bee hives and where the stables are - but so what? Who really cares? We also learn where Death built Susan's swing but we can't actually see what it looks like, it's just a dot in the trees. The wheat field is just a patch of yellow in the distance. And then there are lots of frankly boring additions that AFAIK have never been mentioned in the books (The Pointy Tree Avenue? The Wood of Silence? The Gazebo? Give me a break...)

In short, there is just not much CONTENT. What is shown isn't bad, I just think that a plan and images of the INSIDE should really have been included as well.

Yet as it is, the steep price should make many Discworld fans wonder: do I really need this? My recommendation for casual fans is to spend the money on a Discworld novel instead...

Neat little novelty
This thing is like a book, it has a few pages discribing Death's domain. But what's really neat is that is has a huge fold out map of the entire world that Death lives in. It's so cool! It filled up a very good size portion of my wall and is really neat to walk in to see. It's got nice artwrok and everything. Even if you've never read the discworld series it's nice to have. Actually it kind'a made me want to read some of the discworld books.

inimitable pratchett
As is usual any addendum to the Discworld series is an asset to any collection.Deaths Domain gives a whole new perspective to your imagination.You have in print what until now has only been in your minds eye.
An excellent piece of work on the part of the artistand author. ... Read more

Product Description

There's trouble on the Aching farm: monsters in the river, headless horsemen in the lane—and Tiffany Aching's little brother has been stolen by the Queen of Fairies. Getting him back will require all of Tiffany's strength and determination (as well as a sturdy skillet) and the help of the rowdy clan of fightin', stealin' tiny blue-skinned pictsies known as the Wee Free Men!

Customer Reviews (8)

Dunkirk
Already a devoted Terry Pratchett reader, this was a wonderful addition to my collection.I already had the book and CD, but could not resist having this as well.I'm sharing this copy with friends who have children, although I was almost hesitant about letting it out of my sight.Wonderfully done pictures that capture the essence of the book.

Better quality than I expected
Great book, I am very pleased with the paper and print quality. The words and the pictures are fused in a way that it makes this book an art peace.

Good book, lousy Amazon sticker
Great book.Good pictures.Lousy sticker.

The book came with an Amazon barcode sticker on it, covering up the ISBN barcode.This would've been OK if it were a quality sticker, like Borders uses at retail; but it was a cheap sticker, which has left nasty crud behind.If I ever see one of these stickers on a book I buy from Amazon again, I will return it as defective, and go buy the book at retail.

If you like fantasy/ humor/ art you should probably buy this book
My title pretty much says it all. This is a great book for preteens to adults and is currently being sold at a killer price. I paid $25 for mine. I believe Stephen Player isn't thrilled with the quality of the printing of his pictures (the colors got a little warped) but I doubt any reader will see a problem with them.

A humorous fairy tale for youth and adult readers
The Illustrated Wee Free Men is a fanciful fairy tale told with an enormous amount of wit and humor.This is the newest version of Pratchett's Discworld story.The original was released as a novel geared for youth, though it is sure to be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Nine-year-old Tiffany Aching is growing up on a sheep and dairy farm and longs for a bit of magic in her life.Unlike the wizards and witches who wave wands and chant spells, young Tiffany offers a healthy dose of common sense and practical determination combined with an unhindered view of the world that allows her to see the realm beyond the ordinary and do what must be done to save her community and her young brother from the evil faerie queen.

Tiffany teams up with the fierce pictsies, the Nac Mac Feegle, also known as the Wee Free Men.The fact that the Nac Mac Feegle are blue and only six inches tall does not lessen their status as the most feared warriors amongst all faerie races. They are ruthless fighters, hearty drinkers, and unrepentant thieves who celebrate life and death with equal abandon.

Stephen Player's illustrations lend much to the tale and make this version of Wee Free Men a potential collectible.The drawings almost dance along the pages, often inserted as background shadow images or borders along the page.At times, the text on a particular page is re-arranged to accommodate the insertion of artwork in unusual places.Player's depictions of the expressions and physical stances of both Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men exactly capture how I would picture them to be when reading the story.

Pratchett's interesting characters have the wonderful habit if popping up now and again throughout his various novels.This continues to be the case with Wee Free Men.Whether you are new to Pratchett's Discworld series, or a longtime fan, I enthusiastically recommend The Illustrated Wee Free Men as one to add to your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume contains "Mort", "Reaper Man" and "Soul Music", all starring Death, the "Discworld's" most endearing characters, his steed Binky, his granddaughter Susan, the Death of Rats and all the various denizens of the "Discworld". ... Read more

Product Description
In this hilarious sequel to Truckers strange things start to happen when thousands of tiny nomes begin to move into the ruined buildings of an abandoned quarry.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Collectors item
by the time anyone is reading this this book is probably no longer being sold for under $200. If you don't know, the "diaries" are like year-planners with an informationthing at the beginning. not really worth paying for if your not a collector.

Discworld yearly planner
The discworld diary and yearbook (actually more of a yearly planner, with special 10-15 page introduction to the guild its representing)range from 1998-2003; this being the 2001 edition. It comes with a pretty ribbon book marker, and lots of quotes and fun facts about the guild. And don't forget those great Paul Kidby illustrations. If you like this one, you can get the 2002 and 2003 discworld diaries off of the Amazon UK website, along with other Terry Pratchett goods they don't offer here. The diaries go in order of 1998 Unseen University Yearbook, 1999 Ank-Morpork City Watch Yearbook (I really love the drawings of Sam Vimes a true coper's face!), 2000 Assassins Guild Yearbook, 2001 Fool's Guild Yearbook, 2002 Thieves' Guild Yearbook and 2003 Vampires Yearbook (sort of a vampires Alnon). What is really enjoyable about each yearbook is that they have an introduction from the head of the Guild, such as this one from Mr. Whiteface pictured on the cover. Surprise a freind who likes Terry Pratchett; these are the perfect stocking stuffers and so rare and unsual (like the Discworld music CD, or 4 video games) that they are really worth it! May you live in Intresting Times.

Not Just a place to note birthdays!
The discworld yearly diaries are a lot of fun for the discworld fans and this diary is no exception.The pathetic nature of the fool's existence becomes understandable when your discover the "other" portion of a fools duties.(See Court Jesters)

The illustrations are at the same high standard and I love these explorations into the minutia of the various guilds.

Always buy these as they become available, cause when they are gone, they are gone. ... Read more

Product Description
In Britain it has been estimated that 10% of all books sold are fantasy. And of that fantasy, 10% is written by Terry Pratchett. That means that 1% of all books sold in Britain are written by Terry Pratchett.

So throwing caution to the wind, let's enter a world where the Librarian is an orang-utan, luggage has legs, and where Death may come to visit, on his holidays. A world which is flat and balanced upon elephants stood on the back of a giant turtle. Welcome to Discworld.

The success of the best-selling Discworld series has been so phenomenal that there have been radio serialisations, TV adaptations, numerous plays, dozens of audiobooks, pottery figures, calendars, diaries, an encyclopedia, a couple of computer games, a quizbook, a CD of music inspired by Discworld, several fanzines, newsgroups, fanclubs and a couple of Discworld Conventions. There was even a whole volume of criticism discussing Terry Pratchett's work. And this one makes it two.

This volume is a book by book analysis of the complete Discworld series and of the other novels by Pratchett. From The Carpet People to Strata, the Bromeliad, The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy, Good Omens, The Science of Discworld, the Discworld sequence from The Colour of Magic to Thief of Time, and not forgetting a cat that is Unadulterated, this book covers the lot.

Customer Reviews (14)

Brilliant piece of Pratchett literature from the past.
I am a huge Terry Pratchett fan and have all of the Discworld books up to this point.I had to go backwards in time to get something new, so I did.This book is a great piece of science fiction that really helps highlight the changes of Pratchett's writing style as he matured.It is great to see the possible seedlings of themes we see expanded on in later books.In this day of mind numbing reality shows and tv programs designed to increase stupidity (granted not all of them, just the majority) when even many books seem to be a mindless reading activity for general entertainment it is great to find something that encourages gaining knowledge and thinking in different ways as well as entertainment. It is definitely not a modern pice, but very much worth a read, and perhaps even a re-read.

The Jokers Among Us
The Dark Side of the Sun (1976) is a standalone SF novel.It is set in a timeline when 52 intelligent species have developed in known space within the last five million years.Previously, only the Jokers existed as sentient creatures.The existence of the Jokers is hard to refute when they have left towers and other exotic signs throughout known space.

In this novel, Dom Sabalos is a human, the second child of John III and Vian.He is scheduled to become Chairman of the Planetary Board on the following day.

John Sabalos III was the father of Dom.He was one of the most talented probability mathematicians of his time.He predicted that his son would die on the day that he became Chairman of the Planetary Board of Widdershins.

Hrsh-Hgn is a phnobe.He is Dom's tutor and an amateur student of probability math.

Korodore is an Earth-born human.He is the director of security for the Sabalos family.

Isaac is a Class Five robot.As such, he is considered a living being despite his mechanical nature.

In this story, Dom captures a windsail and takes it to the nearby Joker tower.He approaches the tower and touches it briefly.The walls suck body heat from his fingers.Then he walks around the tower.

A beam passes his face and hits the tower. He dives to the ground and rolls, then runs for the water. Another beam hits the ground ahead of him.As he dives into the water, a beam grazes his chest and he sinks into the water.

Dom come to consciousness on a floating island forty miles from the tower.A phnobe has pulled him from the water and contemplates cutting his throat.Instead, it gives Dom a swamp ig and drops him off near his flyer.

Dom returns to the main Sabalos dome.He passes the class three sentry and goes to ask Hrsh-Hgn about probability math and his father.Then he goes to face Korodore and his grandmother.

The next day, Dom inherits the title of Chairman.He also receives presents, for it is his birthday.One present is Isaac.Dom feels foolish owning a class five robot and tries to free Isaac, but is refused.

The affair is attended by a crowd of people.Korodore is watching everybody.He notices a man in a blue cloak and tracks him.The man stands on one leg and raises his arm.While Korodore wonders at the strange stance, his sensor is destroyed by a beam.

Dom hears the explosion.Korodore jumps on top of him and takes him down.Then both are hit with a high energy weapon.

Dom finally awakes after bad dreams to find himself with light green coloring.His body has been regrown from a small piece of his former body.He has been dead and resurrected.

This tale takes Dom offworld in a quest for the Joker homeworld.This is said to be on the dark side of the sun.But which sun?And how could it have a dark side?

Dom travels with Hrsh-Hgn, Isaac and his swamp ig.He meets a sentient planet and a sapient lake in addition to all the other types of life that can communicate with mankind.Then word gets around about his quest and ships gather.

This is the second novel by the author, following The Carpet People.Both are relatively hard to find.But his third novel -- The Color of Magic -- is still in print.Yet some hints of the Discworld series can be seen within this novel.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Pratchett fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of advanced technology, strange lifeforms, and a fated quest.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Barely Competent
The biggest problem of this novel is that it's about a universe instead of being about people. The lead character and his quest never become more than a reason to explore a reasonably inventive worlds that Pratchett created. The search for The Joker's World is nothing more than a Mcguffin and the ultimate reveal comes across as a Grand Finally, not a Grand Finale.

Beneath the surface, you can see the emerging charm of Pratchett's writing, but mostly you're wading through disjointed and often confusing encounters with various alien races.

Give it a pass,unless you're compelled to read everything Pratchett has written.

Dark Side of the Sun
Book was not in the best condition.

Story was convoluted. The conclusion drawn left you with a feeling of "What?". The characters were not well developed. The story had plenty of immagination, but lacked enough detailed to bring it together.

This is the only story that I have read, that was written by Terry Pratchett, that I did not enjoy.

An early work... and it shows[2 1/2 stars]
If you've never read Pratchett, DO NOT START HERE.

This was written many years before he found his niche doing Discworld novels.Unlike Discworld, which is sarcastic fantasy, this is straight science fiction with the occasional quip or one-liner tossed in.

This novel actually has some potential, in that there are a few ideas scattered throughout which --had they actually been developed-- might have been interesting.Unfortunately, he chose to stick to a conventional, linear plot and not go off exploring any of the hinted tangents.

DSOTS didn't work for me on a number of levels: too many alien races which are too hard to tell apart, ***WAY TOO MANY*** plot contrivances, and an ending that was as forced as it was unsatisfying.

Admittedly, I did get a couple of chuckles out of it, and it was fun to catch the occasional Discworld-before-he-wrote-Discworld reference (Hogswatchnight, Soul Cake Friday, etc.)

Clearly, Pratchett was still struggling to find his voice and his medium when he wrote this.If you're a completionist or just curious to see his evolution as an author, then keep your expectations at the low end of reasonable, and check it out.Otherwise, stick to Discworld. ... Read more