Love it., 06 Jan 2009
If having to go to work and not needing sleep, hadn't got in the way, I would have read this all in one go (as it was I'd read it in 24hrs). What was so good about it? The story, the characters, the thoughts and ideas and the hope. It was so well written I could see the Nation, and wanted so much to know what happened. I was worried that as it wasn't set on the Discworld it wouldn't be so good, but if anything it was better. I am already looking forward to forgetting enough of it to be able to read it again, but it was so good that it may take me a while to forget that much.

Brilliant, 06 Jan 2009
Keep it brief...

It's not Discworld, but that doesn't matter - Discworld fans should not be disappointed. It has a good, strong plot with plenty of hooks to keep you reading. It's thoughtful, intelligent and funny in the best Pratchett tradition. The end may have been a little predictable, but perhaps that comes from this reader's familiarity with his other works.

There are plenty of strong & varied characters (whatever some other reviewers have said) although the main characters, Mau and Daphne, are both "Pratchett clones" - they could have come from any one of many of his previous Discworld books.

Thanks Terry - keep 'em coming.

Good book!, 04 Jan 2009
As of every book it's the readers choice if he/she enjoyed it!
Can only speak for myself.........enjoyed it loads.

A return to glory, 01 Jan 2009
I've been a fan of Pratchett since I was eleven years old and read my mum's copy of Witches Abroad because I liked the cover art, but I've found the last handful of Discworld books to be seriously lacking in his old magic.

Nation is something like a breath of fresh air. The prose has the same sharpness, the same wit and wisdom as books such as Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods. I won't comment on the plot, but there are a lot of very, very ancient questions put into new and unique words that leave the reader torn between stopping to think about what's just happened, and ploughing on to find out what's going to happen next.

The purpose of my review is to say this: if you have fallen out of love with Pratchett's work recently, and are wondering whether to bother with Nation, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I came to it expecting to be disappointed, and my faith was restored. I hope yours is too.

A beautiful book, 30 Dec 2008
As always, Terry Pratchett's beautifully clever and incredibly entertaining writing style comes through in this book and adds to the touching story. The relationship that develops between Mau and Daphne is extremely well written and, as usual, the characters are incredibly unique and very funny. I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. I rate Terry Pratchett extremely highly and expect to love anything of his that I read, but this was just something else.

The book has a great deal of soul to it, the communities and cultures that Pratchett brings together in this story are beautifully conjured. The landscape of the island and its importance to the characters is incredibly well described and, of course, the narrative carries the story skilfully. It is very different to his discworld books but "Nation" is a very touching story that I would reccommend both to those who love Pratchett books and those who have previously not got along successfully with them. A Gorgeous story.

Love it., 06 Jan 2009
If having to go to work and not needing sleep, hadn't got in the way, I would have read this all in one go (as it was I'd read it in 24hrs). What was so good about it? The story, the characters, the thoughts and ideas and the hope. It was so well written I could see the Nation, and wanted so much to know what happened. I was worried that as it wasn't set on the Discworld it wouldn't be so good, but if anything it was better. I am already looking forward to forgetting enough of it to be able to read it again, but it was so good that it may take me a while to forget that much.

Brilliant, 06 Jan 2009
Keep it brief...

It's not Discworld, but that doesn't matter - Discworld fans should not be disappointed. It has a good, strong plot with plenty of hooks to keep you reading. It's thoughtful, intelligent and funny in the best Pratchett tradition. The end may have been a little predictable, but perhaps that comes from this reader's familiarity with his other works.

There are plenty of strong & varied characters (whatever some other reviewers have said) although the main characters, Mau and Daphne, are both "Pratchett clones" - they could have come from any one of many of his previous Discworld books.

Thanks Terry - keep 'em coming.

Good book!, 04 Jan 2009
As of every book it's the readers choice if he/she enjoyed it!
Can only speak for myself.........enjoyed it loads.

A return to glory, 01 Jan 2009
I've been a fan of Pratchett since I was eleven years old and read my mum's copy of Witches Abroad because I liked the cover art, but I've found the last handful of Discworld books to be seriously lacking in his old magic.

Nation is something like a breath of fresh air. The prose has the same sharpness, the same wit and wisdom as books such as Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods. I won't comment on the plot, but there are a lot of very, very ancient questions put into new and unique words that leave the reader torn between stopping to think about what's just happened, and ploughing on to find out what's going to happen next.

The purpose of my review is to say this: if you have fallen out of love with Pratchett's work recently, and are wondering whether to bother with Nation, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I came to it expecting to be disappointed, and my faith was restored. I hope yours is too.

A beautiful book, 30 Dec 2008
As always, Terry Pratchett's beautifully clever and incredibly entertaining writing style comes through in this book and adds to the touching story. The relationship that develops between Mau and Daphne is extremely well written and, as usual, the characters are incredibly unique and very funny. I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. I rate Terry Pratchett extremely highly and expect to love anything of his that I read, but this was just something else.

The book has a great deal of soul to it, the communities and cultures that Pratchett brings together in this story are beautifully conjured. The landscape of the island and its importance to the characters is incredibly well described and, of course, the narrative carries the story skilfully. It is very different to his discworld books but "Nation" is a very touching story that I would reccommend both to those who love Pratchett books and those who have previously not got along successfully with them. A Gorgeous story.

marvellous calendar, 02 Jan 2009
The graphics are excelent and beauty.
If You are a Terry Pratchett fan You will be enchantment.

I recommend It!

Calendar 2009, 25 Dec 2008
Great. Every month will be a treat. The artwork grasps the intricate characters in Pratchett's novels and brings them out into the limelight. You need only look at the cover, with the Nac Mac Feegle practically accosting you, to know what I mean. Crivens!

Love it., 06 Jan 2009
If having to go to work and not needing sleep, hadn't got in the way, I would have read this all in one go (as it was I'd read it in 24hrs). What was so good about it? The story, the characters, the thoughts and ideas and the hope. It was so well written I could see the Nation, and wanted so much to know what happened. I was worried that as it wasn't set on the Discworld it wouldn't be so good, but if anything it was better. I am already looking forward to forgetting enough of it to be able to read it again, but it was so good that it may take me a while to forget that much.

Brilliant, 06 Jan 2009
Keep it brief...

It's not Discworld, but that doesn't matter - Discworld fans should not be disappointed. It has a good, strong plot with plenty of hooks to keep you reading. It's thoughtful, intelligent and funny in the best Pratchett tradition. The end may have been a little predictable, but perhaps that comes from this reader's familiarity with his other works.

There are plenty of strong & varied characters (whatever some other reviewers have said) although the main characters, Mau and Daphne, are both "Pratchett clones" - they could have come from any one of many of his previous Discworld books.

Thanks Terry - keep 'em coming.

Good book!, 04 Jan 2009
As of every book it's the readers choice if he/she enjoyed it!
Can only speak for myself.........enjoyed it loads.

A return to glory, 01 Jan 2009
I've been a fan of Pratchett since I was eleven years old and read my mum's copy of Witches Abroad because I liked the cover art, but I've found the last handful of Discworld books to be seriously lacking in his old magic.

Nation is something like a breath of fresh air. The prose has the same sharpness, the same wit and wisdom as books such as Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods. I won't comment on the plot, but there are a lot of very, very ancient questions put into new and unique words that leave the reader torn between stopping to think about what's just happened, and ploughing on to find out what's going to happen next.

The purpose of my review is to say this: if you have fallen out of love with Pratchett's work recently, and are wondering whether to bother with Nation, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I came to it expecting to be disappointed, and my faith was restored. I hope yours is too.

A beautiful book, 30 Dec 2008
As always, Terry Pratchett's beautifully clever and incredibly entertaining writing style comes through in this book and adds to the touching story. The relationship that develops between Mau and Daphne is extremely well written and, as usual, the characters are incredibly unique and very funny. I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. I rate Terry Pratchett extremely highly and expect to love anything of his that I read, but this was just something else.

The book has a great deal of soul to it, the communities and cultures that Pratchett brings together in this story are beautifully conjured. The landscape of the island and its importance to the characters is incredibly well described and, of course, the narrative carries the story skilfully. It is very different to his discworld books but "Nation" is a very touching story that I would reccommend both to those who love Pratchett books and those who have previously not got along successfully with them. A Gorgeous story.

marvellous calendar, 02 Jan 2009
The graphics are excelent and beauty.
If You are a Terry Pratchett fan You will be enchantment.

I recommend It!

Calendar 2009, 25 Dec 2008
Great. Every month will be a treat. The artwork grasps the intricate characters in Pratchett's novels and brings them out into the limelight. You need only look at the cover, with the Nac Mac Feegle practically accosting you, to know what I mean. Crivens!

Making Money = Making Pleasure, 30 Dec 2008
While some may say it doesn't live up to Terry's past works I would dissagree. I found it wonderful!
In the same way that we've been able to follow Sam Vimes through his adventures and growth we can now see how falling out with Lord Vetinari Havelock has a longer lasting effect than one might think. Rather than just a one adventure wonder we see how Mr Von Lipwig applies his very special skills to an even greater challenge.
I found the storyline good and as always Terry has you in there living every moment. As always the story appears over two thirds of the way through but as always the final twist has you entrapped so you can't put it down.
For me an excellant addition to the Discworld series and one I can reread again and again so excellant value as always!

Making a mint, Discworld-style, 20 Dec 2008
The one where Moist von Lipwig makes a mint, pursues his sweetheart, and saves the city from its enemies using Golem power. Like its predecessor `Going Postal', this is a rather more serious story, with a good deal of wry musing on economics, the essential cluelessness of the financial system, and the human/machine interface. Absorbing enough, but not the same level of sustained comic entertainment as earlier works in the series.

Collateral Custard saves the day. Genius., 20 Nov 2008
Utterly stupendous ending saves this Pratchett Discworld novel of moderate worth.
Only a genius could come up with such a barmy original idea as Collateral Custard.
Mr Bent and Collateral Custard save the day

A tale for today, 12 Oct 2008
Reading this as the financial institutions of the real world totter and shudder made me wish that Moist von Lipwig had been around to run Lehman brothers. Its take on finance and economic modelling was very funny, though for me the funniest single moment was the reaction of Vetinari to - not to spoil the fun - the unexpected offer of dessert. A sparkling comic novel for our times...

Chuckle double effect!, 01 Oct 2008
Making Money is a Discworld novel and features the Man in the Golden Suit, Ankh-Morpork's Postmaster Moist von Lipwig.

Moist is bored. He misses his old, more adventurous life, back when he was Albert Spangler the con artist. So when he's not running the Post Office, he likes climbing to its roof at night, and has already picked all its locks.

But when Mrs Topsy Lavish, chairwoman and owner of 50% of the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork, but owner also of Mr. Fusspot the dog who owns 1%, dies and leaves her shares to her dog and bequeaths Mr. Fusspot to Moist... he has no choice but try and make it work again.

It starts with the Mint, which actually runs at a loss. Since making coins costs too much and people are already using stamps as currency, Moist devises the first bank notes, which soon have the same success as his stamps.

In the meantime, Cosmo Lavish tries to take Vetinari's identity and Moist's girlfriend Adora Belle Dearheart uncovers ancient golems buried in the desert. And all the while the Glooper gloops.

I really like the character of Moist von Lipwig and was glad to read about him again. The book is of course filled with references that make you chuckle twice: when you get them, and when you find yourself clever because to got them... it's the Discworld double effect!

Love it., 06 Jan 2009
If having to go to work and not needing sleep, hadn't got in the way, I would have read this all in one go (as it was I'd read it in 24hrs). What was so good about it? The story, the characters, the thoughts and ideas and the hope. It was so well written I could see the Nation, and wanted so much to know what happened. I was worried that as it wasn't set on the Discworld it wouldn't be so good, but if anything it was better. I am already looking forward to forgetting enough of it to be able to read it again, but it was so good that it may take me a while to forget that much.

Brilliant, 06 Jan 2009
Keep it brief...

It's not Discworld, but that doesn't matter - Discworld fans should not be disappointed. It has a good, strong plot with plenty of hooks to keep you reading. It's thoughtful, intelligent and funny in the best Pratchett tradition. The end may have been a little predictable, but perhaps that comes from this reader's familiarity with his other works.

There are plenty of strong & varied characters (whatever some other reviewers have said) although the main characters, Mau and Daphne, are both "Pratchett clones" - they could have come from any one of many of his previous Discworld books.

Thanks Terry - keep 'em coming.

Good book!, 04 Jan 2009
As of every book it's the readers choice if he/she enjoyed it!
Can only speak for myself.........enjoyed it loads.

A return to glory, 01 Jan 2009
I've been a fan of Pratchett since I was eleven years old and read my mum's copy of Witches Abroad because I liked the cover art, but I've found the last handful of Discworld books to be seriously lacking in his old magic.

Nation is something like a breath of fresh air. The prose has the same sharpness, the same wit and wisdom as books such as Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods. I won't comment on the plot, but there are a lot of very, very ancient questions put into new and unique words that leave the reader torn between stopping to think about what's just happened, and ploughing on to find out what's going to happen next.

The purpose of my review is to say this: if you have fallen out of love with Pratchett's work recently, and are wondering whether to bother with Nation, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I came to it expecting to be disappointed, and my faith was restored. I hope yours is too.

A beautiful book, 30 Dec 2008
As always, Terry Pratchett's beautifully clever and incredibly entertaining writing style comes through in this book and adds to the touching story. The relationship that develops between Mau and Daphne is extremely well written and, as usual, the characters are incredibly unique and very funny. I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. I rate Terry Pratchett extremely highly and expect to love anything of his that I read, but this was just something else.

The book has a great deal of soul to it, the communities and cultures that Pratchett brings together in this story are beautifully conjured. The landscape of the island and its importance to the characters is incredibly well described and, of course, the narrative carries the story skilfully. It is very different to his discworld books but "Nation" is a very touching story that I would reccommend both to those who love Pratchett books and those who have previously not got along successfully with them. A Gorgeous story.

marvellous calendar, 02 Jan 2009
The graphics are excelent and beauty.
If You are a Terry Pratchett fan You will be enchantment.

I recommend It!

Calendar 2009, 25 Dec 2008
Great. Every month will be a treat. The artwork grasps the intricate characters in Pratchett's novels and brings them out into the limelight. You need only look at the cover, with the Nac Mac Feegle practically accosting you, to know what I mean. Crivens!

Making Money = Making Pleasure, 30 Dec 2008
While some may say it doesn't live up to Terry's past works I would dissagree. I found it wonderful!
In the same way that we've been able to follow Sam Vimes through his adventures and growth we can now see how falling out with Lord Vetinari Havelock has a longer lasting effect than one might think. Rather than just a one adventure wonder we see how Mr Von Lipwig applies his very special skills to an even greater challenge.
I found the storyline good and as always Terry has you in there living every moment. As always the story appears over two thirds of the way through but as always the final twist has you entrapped so you can't put it down.
For me an excellant addition to the Discworld series and one I can reread again and again so excellant value as always!

Making a mint, Discworld-style, 20 Dec 2008
The one where Moist von Lipwig makes a mint, pursues his sweetheart, and saves the city from its enemies using Golem power. Like its predecessor `Going Postal', this is a rather more serious story, with a good deal of wry musing on economics, the essential cluelessness of the financial system, and the human/machine interface. Absorbing enough, but not the same level of sustained comic entertainment as earlier works in the series.

Collateral Custard saves the day. Genius., 20 Nov 2008
Utterly stupendous ending saves this Pratchett Discworld novel of moderate worth.
Only a genius could come up with such a barmy original idea as Collateral Custard.
Mr Bent and Collateral Custard save the day

A tale for today, 12 Oct 2008
Reading this as the financial institutions of the real world totter and shudder made me wish that Moist von Lipwig had been around to run Lehman brothers. Its take on finance and economic modelling was very funny, though for me the funniest single moment was the reaction of Vetinari to - not to spoil the fun - the unexpected offer of dessert. A sparkling comic novel for our times...

Chuckle double effect!, 01 Oct 2008
Making Money is a Discworld novel and features the Man in the Golden Suit, Ankh-Morpork's Postmaster Moist von Lipwig.

Moist is bored. He misses his old, more adventurous life, back when he was Albert Spangler the con artist. So when he's not running the Post Office, he likes climbing to its roof at night, and has already picked all its locks.

But when Mrs Topsy Lavish, chairwoman and owner of 50% of the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork, but owner also of Mr. Fusspot the dog who owns 1%, dies and leaves her shares to her dog and bequeaths Mr. Fusspot to Moist... he has no choice but try and make it work again.

It starts with the Mint, which actually runs at a loss. Since making coins costs too much and people are already using stamps as currency, Moist devises the first bank notes, which soon have the same success as his stamps.

In the meantime, Cosmo Lavish tries to take Vetinari's identity and Moist's girlfriend Adora Belle Dearheart uncovers ancient golems buried in the desert. And all the while the Glooper gloops.

I really like the character of Moist von Lipwig and was glad to read about him again. The book is of course filled with references that make you chuckle twice: when you get them, and when you find yourself clever because to got them... it's the Discworld double effect!

A wonderful book to enhance your Discworld experience, 07 Jan 2009
As a fairly long - term fan of the Discworld series, I found this book entrancing. I enjoy reading books on folklore and traditions, so this was right up my street, combining both interests. Sometimes I've read a Discworld passage and chuckled knowingly as to where Terry got THAT idea from - the gonnagles, Bel-Shamharoth, the Necrotelicomnicon for example. Some were ideas where nearly everyone can share the joke - Quoth The Raven, Cohen the Barbarian. I didn't know about Black Annis, though, the inspiration for Black Aliss, or that a stone in Rheims cathedral is said to have the marks of Christ's buttocks.

The book is full of interesting pieces, where Dr Jacqueline Simpson's deeply scholarly knowledge has explained some fact or told a story of which you were almost certainly previously unaware. If you are a person who has stumbled across this whilst looking for resources on folklore in general, it might be well worthwhile looking out for some of Dr Simpson's previous books - I certainly intend to. As for Sir Terry himself - this book is a worthy addition to the Discworld canon. I loved it.


Fascinating, 12 Nov 2008
While I was never a fan of the Science of Discworld series, I picked this one up since it seemed to approach things from an interesting new angle. I'm certainly not disappointed - there is a whole gamut of folklore covered within, showing the links and relationships between Discworld and the Earth. It's very well written, and flows like fine honey!

However...

There isn't an awful lot of 'meat' to a lot of the content. It's very much a case of 'Here's a thing from Discworld, and here's it's real world equivalent.', and then after a paragraph or so it moved on to the next thing. I would have liked it to be a bit more in-depth, but there is a bibliography provided at the end that helps flesh out the detail.

I wholeheartedly recommend it, though.

worthy of the discworld series, 05 Nov 2008
There have been a number of books recently that have tried to be guides to the discworld series, most of which have been truly awful. This and the "unauthorised" Turtle Moves are two of the best I have seen.

As suggested by the title the books looks at the lore and legend which are used in the discworld stories and their links to earth lore and legend.

I found it gripping from beginning to end, and there were points that I really wished the author had expanded on further. If I have one problem with the book it is that it is far too short. Maybe it should have been in 2 volumes rather than the one book.

This is a book that has been produced for the growing US market, and it shows. Every chapter has a beautifully drawn interpretation at the beginning. It only goes to show that when something is produced for the US market they put a little more effort and thought into it.

Outstanding book, a must for Discworld fans everywhere.

Nineteen versions??, 20 Oct 2008
Folklore, ancient or modern, is one of the major foundation stones of the Discworld books. Human nature being another, one assumes. Discworld folklore is a trivia test among Discworld fans who will slyly ask one another [generally over a pint], if they can identify the origins of a certain figure or idea. With some slight discrepancies between UK and North American versions, such exchanges can become, well, spirited. "Elves or elfs?" is always good for starting an evening.

Pratchett and Simpson sort all this out - and much else besides - in this delightful work on matters folklorish. Typically, the prompt for the book was Pratchett chanting as he signed a previous release: "How many versions of the Magpie Song do you know?" A distinguished-looking lady gave the query a moment's thought and responded "about nineteen" Thus began the wonderful collaboration leading to FoD. It's typical also of the theme of the book. Discworld and Roundworld [Earth] are linked by the universal presence of narrativium, which Dimitri Mendeleev inexplicably omitted from the Periodic Table. Pratchett knows all about narrativium, carefully explaining how it drifts between universes, carrying ideas or stimulating new ones. Folklore on the Discworld compared to that of Earth may demonstrate strong similarities, or just vague likenesses that have been severely modified. The process is unhelpful, the authors note, in determining which world is the source of the story, which is sometimes a let-down.

The book's organisation is appropriate for what it must cover - it begins with the entire universe. From there it works its way through Dwarfs and Elves, giving us an interesting account of how the Elves, feared and despised on Discworld for their dark and evil ways, have somehow become transformed in modern times into charming little creatures who make toys for children. Drifting through space, narrativium must form some bizarre isotopes. The two witch types - those from Lancre and the Witches of the Chalk Downs are described. The Nac Mac Feegle are given a full chapter, which might be viewed as insufficient as you read it. Granny Aching truly deserves a book of her own. The chapter on Heroes is extensive, justifiably, when you discover the variety of Heroes Pratchett has introduced to us. Finally, almost as icing on a delicious cake, the authors provide a "Bibliography and Suggestions for Further Reading". Plan your book budget carefully.

For those in North America who think this book might be too limited in scope to be worth the investment, think carefully of your own family ancestry. While much of the material is limited to the British Isles, no small part is derived from the rest of Europe and elsewhere. Those tales and legends your ancestors took on board ship to cross the Atlantic didn't go over the rail with breakfast at the first roll of the vessels on the high seas. Those stories survived to take root here and sprout new versions of themselves in the new environment. Go through this book and see if you can't find a few you recognise. Besides the bloody elves and the obese bloke with the demented laugh. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A comprehensive overview of the stories and traditions that helped create Discworld, 06 Oct 2008
This is a great well of knowledge of the sources that helped inspire many of the Discworld characters, motifs and situations. It's really wonderful to have so much secondary information on the series in one book, an encyclopedia-esque store of the kind of cultural tidbits that are fascinating in their own right as well as in relation to to Discworld. However the writing style, while clear, is a bit dull and sometimes the line between human mythology and its Discworld counterpart is not exactly clear all the time, at least to me. I was also disappointed by a reference made to the Robin of Sherwood TV series in which the author dismisses a great reimagining of the classic folktale with some pedantic complaints about its apparently archaic use of the Herne the Hunted story. Nevertheless Ms Simpson is very knowledgeable and the book is comprehensive and very informative. A great way to dip one's toes in the pools of folklore. I can't wait to read some of the texts she and Terry have listed in the references.

The Colour of Magic is Terry Pratchett's maiden voyage through the bizarre land of Discworld. His entertaining and witty series has grown to more than 20 books, and this is where it all starts--with the tourist Twoflower and his hapless wizard guide, Rincewind ("All wizards get like that... it's the quicksilver fumes. Rots their brains. Mushrooms, too."). Pratchett spoofs fantasy clichés--and everything else he can think of--while marshalling a profusion of characters through a madcap adventure. The Colour of Magic is followed by The Light Fantastic. --Blaise Selby, Amazon.com

Love it., 06 Jan 2009
If having to go to work and not needing sleep, hadn't got in the way, I would have read this all in one go (as it was I'd read it in 24hrs). What was so good about it? The story, the characters, the thoughts and ideas and the hope. It was so well written I could see the Nation, and wanted so much to know what happened. I was worried that as it wasn't set on the Discworld it wouldn't be so good, but if anything it was better. I am already looking forward to forgetting enough of it to be able to read it again, but it was so good that it may take me a while to forget that much.

Brilliant, 06 Jan 2009
Keep it brief...

It's not Discworld, but that doesn't matter - Discworld fans should not be disappointed. It has a good, strong plot with plenty of hooks to keep you reading. It's thoughtful, intelligent and funny in the best Pratchett tradition. The end may have been a little predictable, but perhaps that comes from this reader's familiarity with his other works.

There are plenty of strong & varied characters (whatever some other reviewers have said) although the main characters, Mau and Daphne, are both "Pratchett clones" - they could have come from any one of many of his previous Discworld books.

Thanks Terry - keep 'em coming.

Good book!, 04 Jan 2009
As of every book it's the readers choice if he/she enjoyed it!
Can only speak for myself.........enjoyed it loads.

A return to glory, 01 Jan 2009
I've been a fan of Pratchett since I was eleven years old and read my mum's copy of Witches Abroad because I liked the cover art, but I've found the last handful of Discworld books to be seriously lacking in his old magic.

Nation is something like a breath of fresh air. The prose has the same sharpness, the same wit and wisdom as books such as Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods. I won't comment on the plot, but there are a lot of very, very ancient questions put into new and unique words that leave the reader torn between stopping to think about what's just happened, and ploughing on to find out what's going to happen next.

The purpose of my review is to say this: if you have fallen out of love with Pratchett's work recently, and are wondering whether to bother with Nation, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I came to it expecting to be disappointed, and my faith was restored. I hope yours is too.

A beautiful book, 30 Dec 2008
As always, Terry Pratchett's beautifully clever and incredibly entertaining writing style comes through in this book and adds to the touching story. The relationship that develops between Mau and Daphne is extremely well written and, as usual, the characters are incredibly unique and very funny. I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. I rate Terry Pratchett extremely highly and expect to love anything of his that I read, but this was just something else.

The book has a great deal of soul to it, the communities and cultures that Pratchett brings together in this story are beautifully conjured. The landscape of the island and its importance to the characters is incredibly well described and, of course, the narrative carries the story skilfully. It is very different to his discworld books but "Nation" is a very touching story that I would reccommend both to those who love Pratchett books and those who have previously not got along successfully with them. A Gorgeous story.

marvellous calendar, 02 Jan 2009
The graphics are excelent and beauty.
If You are a Terry Pratchett fan You will be enchantment.

I recommend It!

Calendar 2009, 25 Dec 2008
Great. Every month will be a treat. The artwork grasps the intricate characters in Pratchett's novels and brings them out into the limelight. You need only look at the cover, with the Nac Mac Feegle practically accosting you, to know what I mean. Crivens!

Making Money = Making Pleasure, 30 Dec 2008
While some may say it doesn't live up to Terry's past works I would dissagree. I found it wonderful!
In the same way that we've been able to follow Sam Vimes through his adventures and growth we can now see how falling out with Lord Vetinari Havelock has a longer lasting effect than one might think. Rather than just a one adventure wonder we see how Mr Von Lipwig applies his very special skills to an even greater challenge.
I found the storyline good and as always Terry has you in there living every moment. As always the story appears over two thirds of the way through but as always the final twist has you entrapped so you can't put it down.
For me an excellant addition to the Discworld series and one I can reread again and again so excellant value as always!

Making a mint, Discworld-style, 20 Dec 2008
The one where Moist von Lipwig makes a mint, pursues his sweetheart, and saves the city from its enemies using Golem power. Like its predecessor `Going Postal', this is a rather more serious story, with a good deal of wry musing on economics, the essential cluelessness of the financial system, and the human/machine interface. Absorbing enough, but not the same level of sustained comic entertainment as earlier works in the series.

Collateral Custard saves the day. Genius., 20 Nov 2008
Utterly stupendous ending saves this Pratchett Discworld novel of moderate worth.
Only a genius could come up with such a barmy original idea as Collateral Custard.
Mr Bent and Collateral Custard save the day

A tale for today, 12 Oct 2008
Reading this as the financial institutions of the real world totter and shudder made me wish that Moist von Lipwig had been around to run Lehman brothers. Its take on finance and economic modelling was very funny, though for me the funniest single moment was the reaction of Vetinari to - not to spoil the fun - the unexpected offer of dessert. A sparkling comic novel for our times...

Chuckle double effect!, 01 Oct 2008
Making Money is a Discworld novel and features the Man in the Golden Suit, Ankh-Morpork's Postmaster Moist von Lipwig.

Moist is bored. He misses his old, more adventurous life, back when he was Albert Spangler the con artist. So when he's not running the Post Office, he likes climbing to its roof at night, and has already picked all its locks.

But when Mrs Topsy Lavish, chairwoman and owner of 50% of the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork, but owner also of Mr. Fusspot the dog who owns 1%, dies and leaves her shares to her dog and bequeaths Mr. Fusspot to Moist... he has no choice but try and make it work again.

It starts with the Mint, which actually runs at a loss. Since making coins costs too much and people are already using stamps as currency, Moist devises the first bank notes, which soon have the same success as his stamps.

In the meantime, Cosmo Lavish tries to take Vetinari's identity and Moist's girlfriend Adora Belle Dearheart uncovers ancient golems buried in the desert. And all the while the Glooper gloops.

I really like the character of Moist von Lipwig and was glad to read about him again. The book is of course filled with references that make you chuckle twice: when you get them, and when you find yourself clever because to got them... it's the Discworld double effect!

A wonderful book to enhance your Discworld experience, 07 Jan 2009
As a fairly long - term fan of the Discworld series, I found this book entrancing. I enjoy reading books on folklore and traditions, so this was right up my street, combining both interests. Sometimes I've read a Discworld passage and chuckled knowingly as to where Terry got THAT idea from - the gonnagles, Bel-Shamharoth, the Necrotelicomnicon for example. Some were ideas where nearly everyone can share the joke - Quoth The Raven, Cohen the Barbarian. I didn't know about Black Annis, though, the inspiration for Black Aliss, or that a stone in Rheims cathedral is said to have the marks of Christ's buttocks.

The book is full of interesting pieces, where Dr Jacqueline Simpson's deeply scholarly knowledge has explained some fact or told a story of which you were almost certainly previously unaware. If you are a person who has stumbled across this whilst looking for resources on folklore in general, it might be well worthwhile looking out for some of Dr Simpson's previous books - I certainly intend to. As for Sir Terry himself - this book is a worthy addition to the Discworld canon. I loved it.


Fascinating, 12 Nov 2008
While I was never a fan of the Science of Discworld series, I picked this one up since it seemed to approach things from an interesting new angle. I'm certainly not disappointed - there is a whole gamut of folklore covered within, showing the links and relationships between Discworld and the Earth. It's very well written, and flows like fine honey!

However...

There isn't an awful lot of 'meat' to a lot of the content. It's very much a case of 'Here's a thing from Discworld, and here's it's real world equivalent.', and then after a paragraph or so it moved on to the next thing. I would have liked it to be a bit more in-depth, but there is a bibliography provided at the end that helps flesh out the detail.

I wholeheartedly recommend it, though.

worthy of the discworld series, 05 Nov 2008
There have been a number of books recently that have tried to be guides to the discworld series, most of which have been truly awful. This and the "unauthorised" Turtle Moves are two of the best I have seen.

As suggested by the title the books looks at the lore and legend which are used in the discworld stories and their links to earth lore and legend.

I found it gripping from beginning to end, and there were points that I really wished the author had expanded on further. If I have one problem with the book it is that it is far too short. Maybe it should have been in 2 volumes rather than the one book.

This is a book that has been produced for the growing US market, and it shows. Every chapter has a beautifully drawn interpretation at the beginning. It only goes to show that when something is produced for the US market they put a little more effort and thought into it.

Outstanding book, a must for Discworld fans everywhere.

Nineteen versions??, 20 Oct 2008
Folklore, ancient or modern, is one of the major foundation stones of the Discworld books. Human nature being another, one assumes. Discworld folklore is a trivia test among Discworld fans who will slyly ask one another [generally over a pint], if they can identify the origins of a certain figure or idea. With some slight discrepancies between UK and North American versions, such exchanges can become, well, spirited. "Elves or elfs?" is always good for starting an evening.

Pratchett and Simpson sort all this out - and much else besides - in this delightful work on matters folklorish. Typically, the prompt for the book was Pratchett chanting as he signed a previous release: "How many versions of the Magpie Song do you know?" A distinguished-looking lady gave the query a moment's thought and responded "about nineteen" Thus began the wonderful collaboration leading to FoD. It's typical also of the theme of the book. Discworld and Roundworld [Earth] are linked by the universal presence of narrativium, which Dimitri Mendeleev inexplicably omitted from the Periodic Table. Pratchett knows all about narrativium, carefully explaining how it drifts between universes, carrying ideas or stimulating new ones. Folklore on the Discworld compared to that of Earth may demonstrate strong similarities, or just vague likenesses that have been severely modified. The process is unhelpful, the authors note, in determining which world is the source of the story, which is sometimes a let-down.

The book's organisation is appropriate for what it must cover - it begins with the entire universe. From there it works its way through Dwarfs and Elves, giving us an interesting account of how the Elves, feared and despised on Discworld for their dark and evil ways, have somehow become transformed in modern times into charming little creatures who make toys for children. Drifting through space, narrativium must form some bizarre isotopes. The two witch types - those from Lancre and the Witches of the Chalk Downs are described. The Nac Mac Feegle are given a full chapter, which might be viewed as insufficient as you read it. Granny Aching truly deserves a book of her own. The chapter on Heroes is extensive, justifiably, when you discover the variety of Heroes Pratchett has introduced to us. Finally, almost as icing on a delicious cake, the authors provide a "Bibliography and Suggestions for Further Reading". Plan your book budget carefully.

For those in North America who think this book might be too limited in scope to be worth the investment, think carefully of your own family ancestry. While much of the material is limited to the British Isles, no small part is derived from the rest of Europe and elsewhere. Those tales and legends your ancestors took on board ship to cross the Atlantic didn't go over the rail with breakfast at the first roll of the vessels on the high seas. Those stories survived to take root here and sprout new versions of themselves in the new environment. Go through this book and see if you can't find a few you recognise. Besides the bloody elves and the obese bloke with the demented laugh. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A comprehensive overview of the stories and traditions that helped create Discworld, 06 Oct 2008
This is a great well of knowledge of the sources that helped inspire many of the Discworld characters, motifs and situations. It's really wonderful to have so much secondary information on the series in one book, an encyclopedia-esque store of the kind of cultural tidbits that are fascinating in their own right as well as in relation to to Discworld. However the writing style, while clear, is a bit dull and sometimes the line between human mythology and its Discworld counterpart is not exactly clear all the time, at least to me. I was also disappointed by a reference made to the Robin of Sherwood TV series in which the author dismisses a great reimagining of the classic folktale with some pedantic complaints about its apparently archaic use of the Herne the Hunted story. Nevertheless Ms Simpson is very knowledgeable and the book is comprehensive and very informative. A great way to dip one's toes in the pools of folklore. I can't wait to read some of the texts she and Terry have listed in the references.

Welcome to the Discworld, 20 Dec 2008
The one where we are introduced to incompetent wizard Rincewind, who accidentally becomes a guide to Twoflower (the Discworld's first tourist) in a series of escapades controlled by the gods, who are (literally) playing dice. Features dragons, the horribly carnivorous but loyal Luggage, and space travel - well, almost. Pratchett's humour takes a while to get used to, but stick with it - there's a whole world waiting to be discovered in the Discworld series, of which this is the very first instalment. `The Light Fantastic' picks up where this work finishes.

Wonderful fantasy world, 10 Dec 2008
Synopsis from Amazon:

It is fantasy? No - it's a different and more eccentric reality, where the world is flat and moves through space on the back of a giant turtle, Death stalks glumly about his duties, and dragons only exist if you believe in them. And your luggage follows you around on hundreds of little legs...

Follow Twoflower the naïve tourist and his inept guide Rincewind in their hilarious search for thrills, adventure and opportunities to not get killed. Follow them all the way to the Edge - and beyond...


This is the first Pratchett novel I have read, and I am glad I did, what a funny book!

Pratchett leads us through a fantastical world filled with gods, dragons, trolls and the like. This book was not a disappointment. Everything was described in such a way that it was easy to imagine and be transported there.

I loved Twoflower, I found his character hilarious. Pretty much all he did and said was funny. My other favourite character was Death. He had some great one-liners.

My only problem with the book was there were so many events and adventures and characters I slowly forgot who was who and what had happened before. However, this didn't really spoil the story for me.

The end is nicely set up for the next in the series, and I am looking forward to carrying on the adventure :-)

8/10


Don't start with this one if you're new to the series, 16 Jul 2008
This is certainly not one to start the series with if you are new to Terry Pratchett - it is thematically quite different (which is understandable considering that it's the first of his Discworld books) and rather rough in parts. It's certainly one to read once you're familiar with the world, but you'd be better off starting with something like Mort or Soul Music to get a better flavour of what Discworld is all about.

Discworld Begins., 30 Apr 2008
Ok you dont need to read every discworls novel, nor do you need to start here but I think it helps. This is one of the best, Rincewind has always been my favourite Pratchett Character anyway.

I loved it, 26 Apr 2008
I loved the book and all its characters down to the tiniest atom. Rincewind and Death are now official favourite characters of mine and I am now a Discworld fan. I have read through 13-14 books so far and hope to read more, but this one I always come back to.
People may have thought It wasn't that great, but it was better than [[The Last Continent]]!

Love it., 06 Jan 2009
If having to go to work and not needing sleep, hadn't got in the way, I would have read this all in one go (as it was I'd read it in 24hrs). What was so good about it? The story, the characters, the thoughts and ideas and the hope. It was so well written I could see the Nation, and wanted so much to know what happened. I was worried that as it wasn't set on the Discworld it wouldn't be so good, but if anything it was better. I am already looking forward to forgetting enough of it to be able to read it again, but it was so good that it may take me a while to forget that much.

Brilliant, 06 Jan 2009
Keep it brief...

It's not Discworld, but that doesn't matter - Discworld fans should not be disappointed. It has a good, strong plot with plenty of hooks to keep you reading. It's thoughtful, intelligent and funny in the best Pratchett tradition. The end may have been a little predictable, but perhaps that comes from this reader's familiarity with his other works.

There are plenty of strong & varied characters (whatever some other reviewers have said) although the main characters, Mau and Daphne, are both "Pratchett clones" - they could have come from any one of many of his previous Discworld books.

Thanks Terry - keep 'em coming.

Good book!, 04 Jan 2009
As of every book it's the readers choice if he/she enjoyed it!
Can only speak for myself.........enjoyed it loads.

A return to glory, 01 Jan 2009
I've been a fan of Pratchett since I was eleven years old and read my mum's copy of Witches Abroad because I liked the cover art, but I've found the last handful of Discworld books to be seriously lacking in his old magic.

Nation is something like a breath of fresh air. The prose has the same sharpness, the same wit and wisdom as books such as Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods. I won't comment on the plot, but there are a lot of very, very ancient questions put into new and unique words that leave the reader torn between stopping to think about what's just happened, and ploughing on to find out what's going to happen next.

The purpose of my review is to say this: if you have fallen out of love with Pratchett's work recently, and are wondering whether to bother with Nation, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I came to it expecting to be disappointed, and my faith was restored. I hope yours is too.

A beautiful book, 30 Dec 2008
As always, Terry Pratchett's beautifully clever and incredibly entertaining writing style comes through in this book and adds to the touching story. The relationship that develops between Mau and Daphne is extremely well written and, as usual, the characters are incredibly unique and very funny. I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. I rate Terry Pratchett extremely highly and expect to love anything of his that I read, but this was just something else.

The book has a great deal of soul to it, the communities and cultures that Pratchett brings together in this story are beautifully conjured. The landscape of the island and its importance to the characters is incredibly well described and, of course, the narrative carries the story skilfully. It is very different to his discworld books but "Nation" is a very touching story that I would reccommend both to those who love Pratchett books and those who have previously not got along successfully with them. A Gorgeous story.

marvellous calendar, 02 Jan 2009
The graphics are excelent and beauty.
If You are a Terry Pratchett fan You will be enchantment.

I recommend It!

Calendar 2009, 25 Dec 2008
Great. Every month will be a treat. The artwork grasps the intricate characters in Pratchett's novels and brings them out into the limelight. You need only look at the cover, with the Nac Mac Feegle practically accosting you, to know what I mean. Crivens!

Making Money = Making Pleasure, 30 Dec 2008
While some may say it doesn't live up to Terry's past works I would dissagree. I found it wonderful!
In the same way that we've been able to follow Sam Vimes through his adventures and growth we can now see how falling out with Lord Vetinari Havelock has a longer lasting effect than one might think. Rather than just a one adventure wonder we see how Mr Von Lipwig applies his very special skills to an even greater challenge.
I found the storyline good and as always Terry has you in there living every moment. As always the story appears over two thirds of the way through but as always the final twist has you entrapped so you can't put it down.
For me an excellant addition to the Discworld series and one I can reread again and again so excellant value as always!

Making a mint, Discworld-style, 20 Dec 2008
The one where Moist von Lipwig makes a mint, pursues his sweetheart, and saves the city from its enemies using Golem power. Like its predecessor `Going Postal', this is a rather more serious story, with a good deal of wry musing on economics, the essential cluelessness of the financial system, and the human/machine interface. Absorbing enough, but not the same level of sustained comic entertainment as earlier works in the series.

Collateral Custard saves the day. Genius., 20 Nov 2008
Utterly stupendous ending saves this Pratchett Discworld novel of moderate worth.
Only a genius could come up with such a barmy original idea as Collateral Custard.
Mr Bent and Collateral Custard save the day

A tale for today, 12 Oct 2008
Reading this as the financial institutions of the real world totter and shudder made me wish that Moist von Lipwig had been around to run Lehman brothers. Its take on finance and economic modelling was very funny, though for me the funniest single moment was the reaction of Vetinari to - not to spoil the fun - the unexpected offer of dessert. A sparkling comic novel for our times...

Chuckle double effect!, 01 Oct 2008
Making Money is a Discworld novel and features the Man in the Golden Suit, Ankh-Morpork's Postmaster Moist von Lipwig.

Moist is bored. He misses his old, more adventurous life, back when he was Albert Spangler the con artist. So when he's not running the Post Office, he likes climbing to its roof at night, and has already picked all its locks.

But when Mrs Topsy Lavish, chairwoman and owner of 50% of the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork, but owner also of Mr. Fusspot the dog who owns 1%, dies and leaves her shares to her dog and bequeaths Mr. Fusspot to Moist... he has no choice but try and make it work again.

It starts with the Mint, which actually runs at a loss. Since making coins costs too much and people are already using stamps as currency, Moist devises the first bank notes, which soon have the same success as his stamps.

In the meantime, Cosmo Lavish tries to take Vetinari's identity and Moist's girlfriend Adora Belle Dearheart uncovers ancient golems buried in the desert. And all the while the Glooper gloops.

I really like the character of Moist von Lipwig and was glad to read about him again. The book is of course filled with references that make you chuckle twice: when you get them, and when you find yourself clever because to got them... it's the Discworld double effect!

A wonderful book to enhance your Discworld experience, 07 Jan 2009
As a fairly long - term fan of the Discworld series, I found this book entrancing. I enjoy reading books on folklore and traditions, so this was right up my street, combining both interests. Sometimes I've read a Discworld passage and chuckled knowingly as to where Terry got THAT idea from - the gonnagles, Bel-Shamharoth, the Necrotelicomnicon for example. Some were ideas where nearly everyone can share the joke - Quoth The Raven, Cohen the Barbarian. I didn't know about Black Annis, though, the inspiration for Black Aliss, or that a stone in Rheims cathedral is said to have the marks of Christ's buttocks.

The book is full of interesting pieces, where Dr Jacqueline Simpson's deeply scholarly knowledge has explained some fact or told a story of which you were almost certainly previously unaware. If you are a person who has stumbled across this whilst looking for resources on folklore in general, it might be well worthwhile looking out for some of Dr Simpson's previous books - I certainly intend to. As for Sir Terry himself - this book is a worthy addition to the Discworld canon. I loved it.


Fascinating, 12 Nov 2008
While I was never a fan of the Science of Discworld series, I picked this one up since it seemed to approach things from an interesting new angle. I'm certainly not disappointed - there is a whole gamut of folklore covered within, showing the links and relationships between Discworld and the Earth. It's very well written, and flows like fine honey!

However...

There isn't an awful lot of 'meat' to a lot of the content. It's very much a case of 'Here's a thing from Discworld, and here's it's real world equivalent.', and then after a paragraph or so it moved on to the next thing. I would have liked it to be a bit more in-depth, but there is a bibliography provided at the end that helps flesh out the detail.

I wholeheartedly recommend it, though.

worthy of the discworld series, 05 Nov 2008
There have been a number of books recently that have tried to be guides to the discworld series, most of which have been truly awful. This and the "unauthorised" Turtle Moves are two of the best I have seen.

As suggested by the title the books looks at the lore and legend which are used in the discworld stories and their links to earth lore and legend.

I found it gripping from beginning to end, and there were points that I really wished the author had expanded on further. If I have one problem with the book it is that it is far too short. Maybe it should have been in 2 volumes rather than the one book.

This is a book that has been produced for the growing US market, and it shows. Every chapter has a beautifully drawn interpretation at the beginning. It only goes to show that when something is produced for the US market they put a little more effort and thought into it.

Outstanding book, a must for Discworld fans everywhere.

Nineteen versions??, 20 Oct 2008
Folklore, ancient or modern, is one of the major foundation stones of the Discworld books. Human nature being another, one assumes. Discworld folklore is a trivia test among Discworld fans who will slyly ask one another [generally over a pint], if they can identify the origins of a certain figure or idea. With some slight discrepancies between UK and North American versions, such exchanges can become, well, spirited. "Elves or elfs?" is always good for starting an evening.

Pratchett and Simpson sort all this out - and much else besides - in this delightful work on matters folklorish. Typically, the prompt for the book was Pratchett chanting as he signed a previous release: "How many versions of the Magpie Song do you know?" A distinguished-looking lady gave the query a moment's thought and responded "about nineteen" Thus began the wonderful collaboration leading to FoD. It's typical also of the theme of the book. Discworld and Roundworld [Earth] are linked by the universal presence of narrativium, which Dimitri Mendeleev inexplicably omitted from the Periodic Table. Pratchett knows all about narrativium, carefully explaining how it drifts between universes, carrying ideas or stimulating new ones. Folklore on the Discworld compared to that of Earth may demonstrate strong similarities, or just vague likenesses that have been severely modified. The process is unhelpful, the authors note, in determining which world is the source of the story, which is sometimes a let-down.

The book's organisation is appropriate for what it must cover - it begins with the entire universe. From there it works its way through Dwarfs and Elves, giving us an interesting account of how the Elves, feared and despised on Discworld for their dark and evil ways, have somehow become transformed in modern times into charming little creatures who make toys for children. Drifting through space, narrativium must form some bizarre isotopes. The two witch types - those from Lancre and the Witches of the Chalk Downs are described. The Nac Mac Feegle are given a full chapter, which might be viewed as insufficient as you read it. Granny Aching truly deserves a book of her own. The chapter on Heroes is extensive, justifiably, when you discover the variety of Heroes Pratchett has introduced to us. Finally, almost as icing on a delicious cake, the authors provide a "Bibliography and Suggestions for Further Reading". Plan your book budget carefully.

For those in North America who think this book might be too limited in scope to be worth the investment, think carefully of your own family ancestry. While much of the material is limited to the British Isles, no small part is derived from the rest of Europe and elsewhere. Those tales and legends your ancestors took on board ship to cross the Atlantic didn't go over the rail with breakfast at the first roll of the vessels on the high seas. Those stories survived to take root here and sprout new versions of themselves in the new environment. Go through this book and see if you can't find a few you recognise. Besides the bloody elves and the obese bloke with the demented laugh. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A comprehensive overview of the stories and traditions that helped create Discworld, 06 Oct 2008
This is a great well of knowledge of the sources that helped inspire many of the Discworld characters, motifs and situations. It's really wonderful to have so much secondary information on the series in one book, an encyclopedia-esque store of the kind of cultural tidbits that are fascinating in their own right as well as in relation to to Discworld. However the writing style, while clear, is a bit dull and sometimes the line between human mythology and its Discworld counterpart is not exactly clear all the time, at least to me. I was also disappointed by a reference made to the Robin of Sherwood TV series in which the author dismisses a great reimagining of the classic folktale with some pedantic complaints about its apparently archaic use of the Herne the Hunted story. Nevertheless Ms Simpson is very knowledgeable and the book is comprehensive and very informative. A great way to dip one's toes in the pools of folklore. I can't wait to read some of the texts she and Terry have listed in the references.

Welcome to the Discworld, 20 Dec 2008
The one where we are introduced to incompetent wizard Rincewind, who accidentally becomes a guide to Twoflower (the Discworld's first tourist) in a series of escapades controlled by the gods, who are (literally) playing dice. Features dragons, the horribly carnivorous but loyal Luggage, and space travel - well, almost. Pratchett's humour takes a while to get used to, but stick with it - there's a whole world waiting to be discovered in the Discworld series, of which this is the very first instalment. `The Light Fantastic' picks up where this work finishes.

Wonderful fantasy world, 10 Dec 2008
Synopsis from Amazon:

It is fantasy? No - it's a different and more eccentric reality, where the world is flat and moves through space on the back of a giant turtle, Death stalks glumly about his duties, and dragons only exist if you believe in them. And your luggage follows you around on hundreds of little legs...

Follow Twoflower the naïve tourist and his inept guide Rincewind in their hilarious search for thrills, adventure and opportunities to not get killed. Follow them all the way to the Edge - and beyond...


This is the first Pratchett novel I have read, and I am glad I did, what a funny book!

Pratchett leads us through a fantastical world filled with gods, dragons, trolls and the like. This book was not a disappointment. Everything was described in such a way that it was easy to imagine and be transported there.

I loved Twoflower, I found his character hilarious. Pretty much all he did and said was funny. My other favourite character was Death. He had some great one-liners.

My only problem with the book was there were so many events and adventures and characters I slowly forgot who was who and what had happened before. However, this didn't really spoil the story for me.

The end is nicely set up for the next in the series, and I am looking forward to carrying on the adventure :-)

8/10


Don't start with this one if you're new to the series, 16 Jul 2008
This is certainly not one to start the series with if you are new to Terry Pratchett - it is thematically quite different (which is understandable considering that it's the first of his Discworld books) and rather rough in parts. It's certainly one to read once you're familiar with the world, but you'd be better off starting with something like Mort or Soul Music to get a better flavour of what Discworld is all about.

Discworld Begins., 30 Apr 2008
Ok you dont need to read every discworls novel, nor do you need to start here but I think it helps. This is one of the best, Rincewind has always been my favourite Pratchett Character anyway.

I loved it, 26 Apr 2008
I loved the book and all its characters down to the tiniest atom. Rincewind and Death are now official favourite characters of mine and I am now a Discworld fan. I have read through 13-14 books so far and hope to read more, but this one I always come back to.
People may have thought It wasn't that great, but it was better than [[The Last Continent]]!

the ultimate weapon, 04 Jan 2009
one of the latest releases in the series of doctor who novels published by bbc books, telling an original story not seen on tv. featuring the tenth doctor as played by david tennant on screen. Presumably somewhere after the end of the fourth season on tv, as the character is travelling without a companion here.

the book runs for 248 pages, and is divided into fifteen chapters split into two parts of equal length, and it also has a short prologue. It can be read and enjoyed by readers of all ages. and a certain familarity with the tv shows helps as there's not really any concession to those who've not seen it.

the story involves the doctor arriving on a world where civilisation collapsed years before when a strange dark tower appeared out of nowhere. those who survived struggle to maintain an existence, strange ghosts haunt the ruins of their city, and in the tower lurks an incredibly powerful weapon. the doctor is determined to destroy the weapon. but there are strange aliens out there that would like to get their hands on it. and it may also be the key to salvation for the planet.

everyone involved has a lot of hard choices to make.

the first part of this grabs instantly with an excellently portrayed civilsation. the life the survivors life and the choices they have had to make are very believable. one character looks as if she will be the doctor's companion for the story but things don't quite work out that way. her motivations are very believable. and this is all told in very good and very readable prose, making it a real page turner.

come part two of the book the doctor enters the fortress and the aliens, a race of scavengers called the eyeless, come into play. these are quite an original creation also with some very believable motivations. and again characters have to make hard and believable choices to obtain what they think is best for their worlds. this part isn't quite as strong as the first because like a fair few original who novels there is a lot of running around involved, and it probably would have worked quite well without the eyeless. but it's still very good.

the ending is well tnought out and does arise out of the actions of the characters.

this is a very good read and one of the best I've come across in the bbc range, almost on a par at times with the best of the novels featuring the eighth doctor that they used to publish. If part two had been quite as good as part one this would have merited five stars, but it's still very good indeed and well worth reading

Good, but very much an episode in writing, 04 Jan 2009
15 years ago the Fortress appeared from nowhere in the city of Arcopolis, wiping out the entire population in an instant. Now the Doctor has arrived, determined to destroy the devastating weapon house at the heart of the Fortress. But he discovers the remnants of the civilisation, a generation raised with curiosity in their minds and wanting to know what secrets the city holds.

Now the Eyeless arrive and discover the Fortress, wanting its secrets for themselves. Can the Doctor reach the weapon before the Eyeless and avoid a catastrophe or will they prevail and wipe out everything?

I came to this book through a comment on the blog at the start of December - a comment was left in the monthly releases post saying that they had heard this could be one of the best Doctor Who novels for a while and the best that Lance Parkin had written. I was very intrigued by this and really wanted to see what the Doctor Who novels had to offer compared to the TV series (of which I'm a viewer, but not the biggest of fans). So what did I think? Read on...

I did enjoy The Eyeless for various reasons, but equally I had some issues with it. The story is a decent sci-fi one and offers some good looks and descriptions of a ruined and abandoned city and remaining population. The motivations of the characters are believable (as are the characters themselves) and the generation gap between the surviving adults and their children born since the disaster is looked at and explored nicely. The Eyeless and the Fortress are both mysterious, we know about them and, to an extent, what they can do, but it isn't until later on in the novel when we really find out more about either of them. I won't go into spoilers, but suffice to say that it is all very much Doctor Who, and that's where my problem lies.

Although good, The Eyeless read very much like a Doctor Who episode, from the arrival of the Doctor, the inevitable issues with the culture and the endless infinite knowledge of the Doctor. As this Doctor is the David Tennant incarnation he is always in my mind when the Doctor is on the page. Lance Parkin has written the Doctor very well in this sense - all the mannerisms are there and he does an excellent job of portraying many of the elements of a complex story very effectively.

The Eyeless was a good, quick read, but perhaps one suited for fans of the Doctor Who universe rather than just general sci-fi fans. All in all this is a very worthy addition to the universe, just not entirely my cup of tea.

Love it., 06 Jan 2009
If having to go to work and not needing sleep, hadn't got in the way, I would have read this all in one go (as it was I'd read it in 24hrs). What was so good about it? The story, the characters, the thoughts and ideas and the hope. It was so well written I could see the Nation, and wanted so much to know what happened. I was worried that as it wasn't set on the Discworld it wouldn't be so good, but if anything it was better. I am already looking forward to forgetting enough of it to be able to read it again, but it was so good that it may take me a while to forget that much.

Brilliant, 06 Jan 2009
Keep it brief...

It's not Discworld, but that doesn't matter - Discworld fans should not be disappointed. It has a good, strong plot with plenty of hooks to keep you reading. It's thoughtful, intelligent and funny in the best Pratchett tradition. The end may have been a little predictable, but perhaps that comes from this reader's familiarity with his other works.

There are plenty of strong & varied characters (whatever some other reviewers have said) although the main characters, Mau and Daphne, are both "Pratchett clones" - they could have come from any one of many of his previous Discworld books.

Thanks Terry - keep 'em coming.

Good book!, 04 Jan 2009
As of every book it's the readers choice if he/she enjoyed it!
Can only speak for myself.........enjoyed it loads.

A return to glory, 01 Jan 2009
I've been a fan of Pratchett since I was eleven years old and read my mum's copy of Witches Abroad because I liked the cover art, but I've found the last handful of Discworld books to be seriously lacking in his old magic.

Nation is something like a breath of fresh air. The prose has the same sharpness, the same wit and wisdom as books such as Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods. I won't comment on the plot, but there are a lot of very, very ancient questions put into new and unique words that leave the reader torn between stopping to think about what's just happened, and ploughing on to find out what's going to happen next.

The purpose of my review is to say this: if you have fallen out of love with Pratchett's work recently, and are wondering whether to bother with Nation, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I came to it expecting to be disappointed, and my faith was restored. I hope yours is too.

A beautiful book, 30 Dec 2008
As always, Terry Pratchett's beautifully clever and incredibly entertaining writing style comes through in this book and adds to the touching story. The relationship that develops between Mau and Daphne is extremely well written and, as usual, the characters are incredibly unique and very funny. I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. I rate Terry Pratchett extremely highly and expect to love anything of his that I read, but this was just something else.

The book has a great deal of soul to it, the communities and cultures that Pratchett brings together in this story are beautifully conjured. The landscape of the island and its importance to the characters is incredibly well described and, of course, the narrative carries the story skilfully. It is very different to his discworld books but "Nation" is a very touching story that I would reccommend both to those who love Pratchett books and those who have previously not got along successfully with them. A Gorgeous story.

marvellous calendar, 02 Jan 2009
The graphics are excelent and beauty.
If You are a Terry Pratchett fan You will be enchantment.

I recommend It!

Calendar 2009, 25 Dec 2008
Great. Every month will be a treat. The artwork grasps the intricate characters in Pratchett's novels and brings them out into the limelight. You need only look at the cover, with the Nac Mac Feegle practically accosting you, to know what I mean. Crivens!

Making Money = Making Pleasure, 30 Dec 2008
While some may say it doesn't live up to Terry's past works I would dissagree. I found it wonderful!
In the same way that we've been able to follow Sam Vimes through his adventures and growth we can now see how falling out with Lord Vetinari Havelock has a longer lasting effect than one might think. Rather than just a one adventure wonder we see how Mr Von Lipwig applies his very special skills to an even greater challenge.
I found the storyline good and as always Terry has you in there living every moment. As always the story appears over two thirds of the way through but as always the final twist has you entrapped so you can't put it down.
For me an excellant addition to the Discworld series and one I can reread again and again so excellant value as always!

Making a mint, Discworld-style, 20 Dec 2008
The one where Moist von Lipwig makes a mint, pursues his sweetheart, and saves the city from its enemies using Golem power. Like its predecessor `Going Postal', this is a rather more serious story, with a good deal of wry musing on economics, the essential cluelessness of the financial system, and the human/machine interface. Absorbing enough, but not the same level of sustained comic entertainment as earlier works in the series.

Collateral Custard saves the day. Genius., 20 Nov 2008
Utterly stupendous ending saves this Pratchett Discworld novel of moderate worth.
Only a genius could come up with such a barmy original idea as Collateral Custard.
Mr Bent and Collateral Custard save the day

A tale for today, 12 Oct 2008
Reading this as the financial institutions of the real world totter and shudder made me wish that Moist von Lipwig had been around to run Lehman brothers. Its take on finance and economic modelling was very funny, though for me the funniest single moment was the reaction of Vetinari to - not to spoil the fun - the unexpected offer of dessert. A sparkling comic novel for our times...

Chuckle double effect!, 01 Oct 2008
Making Money is a Discworld novel and features the Man in the Golden Suit, Ankh-Morpork's Postmaster Moist von Lipwig.

Moist is bored. He misses his old, more adventurous life, back when he was Albert Spangler the con artist. So when he's not running the Post Office, he likes climbing to its roof at night, and has already picked all its locks.

But when Mrs Topsy Lavish, chairwoman and owner of 50% of the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork, but owner also of Mr. Fusspot the dog who owns 1%, dies and leaves her shares to her dog and bequeaths Mr. Fusspot to Moist... he has no choice but try and make it work again.

It starts with the Mint, which actually runs at a loss. Since making coins costs too much and people are already using stamps as currency, Moist devises the first bank notes, which soon have the same success as his stamps.

In the meantime, Cosmo Lavish tries to take Vetinari's identity and Moist's girlfriend Adora Belle Dearheart uncovers ancient golems buried in the desert. And all the while the Glooper gloops.

I really like the character of Moist von Lipwig and was glad to read about him again. The book is of course filled with references that make you chuckle twice: when you get them, and when you find yourself clever because to got them... it's the Discworld double effect!

A wonderful book to enhance your Discworld experience, 07 Jan 2009
As a fairly long - term fan of the Discworld series, I found this book entrancing. I enjoy reading books on folklore and traditions, so this was right up my street, combining both interests. Sometimes I've read a Discworld passage and chuckled knowingly as to where Terry got THAT idea from - the gonnagles, Bel-Shamharoth, the Necrotelicomnicon for example. Some were ideas where nearly everyone can share the joke - Quoth The Raven, Cohen the Barbarian. I didn't know about Black Annis, though, the inspiration for Black Aliss, or that a stone in Rheims cathedral is said to have the marks of Christ's buttocks.

The book is full of interesting pieces, where Dr Jacqueline Simpson's deeply scholarly knowledge has explained some fact or told a story of which you were almost certainly previously unaware. If you are a person who has stumbled across this whilst looking for resources on folklore in general, it might be well worthwhile looking out for some of Dr Simpson's previous books - I certainly intend to. As for Sir Terry himself - this book is a worthy addition to the Discworld canon. I loved it.


Fascinating, 12 Nov 2008
While I was never a fan of the Science of Discworld series, I picked this one up since it seemed to approach things from an interesting new angle. I'm certainly not disappointed - there is a whole gamut of folklore covered within, showing the links and relationships between Discworld and the Earth. It's very well written, and flows like fine honey!

However...

There isn't an awful lot of 'meat' to a lot of the content. It's very much a case of 'Here's a thing from Discworld, and here's it's real world equivalent.', and then after a paragraph or so it moved on to the next thing. I would have liked it to be a bit more in-depth, but there is a bibliography provided at the end that helps flesh out the detail.

I wholeheartedly recommend it, though.

worthy of the discworld series, 05 Nov 2008
There have been a number of books recently that have tried to be guides to the discworld series, most of which have been truly awful. This and the "unauthorised" Turtle Moves are two of the best I have seen.

As suggested by the title the books looks at the lore and legend which are used in the discworld stories and their links to earth lore and legend.

I found it gripping from beginning to end, and there were points that I really wished the author had expanded on further. If I have one problem with the book it is that it is far too short. Maybe it should have been in 2 volumes rather than the one book.

This is a book that has been produced for the growing US market, and it shows. Every chapter has a beautifully drawn interpretation at the beginning. It only goes to show that when something is produced for the US market they put a little more effort and thought into it.

Outstanding book, a must for Discworld fans everywhere.

Nineteen versions??, 20 Oct 2008
Folklore, ancient or modern, is one of the major foundation stones of the Discworld books. Human nature being another, one assumes. Discworld folklore is a trivia test among Discworld fans who will slyly ask one another [generally over a pint], if they can identify the origins of a certain figure or idea. With some slight discrepancies between UK and North American versions, such exchanges can become, well, spirited. "Elves or elfs?" is always good for starting an evening.

Pratchett and Simpson sort all this out - and much else besides - in this delightful work on matters folklorish. Typically, the prompt for the book was Pratchett chanting as he signed a previous release: "How many versions of the Magpie Song do you know?" A distinguished-looking lady gave the query a moment's thought and responded "about nineteen" Thus began the wonderful collaboration leading to FoD. It's typical also of the theme of the book. Discworld and Roundworld [Earth] are linked by the universal presence of narrativium, which Dimitri Mendeleev inexplicably omitted from the Periodic Table. Pratchett knows all about narrativium, carefully explaining how it drifts between universes, carrying ideas or stimulating new ones. Folklore on the Discworld compared to that of Earth may demonstrate strong similarities, or just vague likenesses that have been severely modified. The process is unhelpful, the authors note, in determining which world is the source of the story, which is sometimes a let-down.

The book's organisation is appropriate for what it must cover - it begins with the entire universe. From there it works its way through Dwarfs and Elves, giving us an interesting account of how the Elves, feared and despised on Discworld for their dark and evil ways, have somehow become transformed in modern times into charming little creatures who make toys for children. Drifting through space, narrativium must form some bizarre isotopes. The two witch types - those from Lancre and the Witches of the Chalk Downs are described. The Nac Mac Feegle are given a full chapter, which might be viewed as insufficient as you read it. Granny Aching truly deserves a book of her own. The chapter on Heroes is extensive, justifiably, when you discover the variety of Heroes Pratchett has introduced to us. Finally, almost as icing on a delicious cake, the authors provide a "Bibliography and Suggestions for Further Reading". Plan your book budget carefully.

For those in North America who think this book might be too limited in scope to be worth the investment, think carefully of your own family ancestry. While much of the material is limited to the British Isles, no small part is derived from the rest of Europe and elsewhere. Those tales and legends your ancestors took on board ship to cross the Atlantic didn't go over the rail with breakfast at the first roll of the vessels on the high seas. Those stories survived to take root here and sprout new versions of themselves in the new environment. Go through this book and see if you can't find a few you recognise. Besides the bloody elves and the obese bloke with the demented laugh. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A comprehensive overview of the stories and traditions that helped create Discworld, 06 Oct 2008
This is a great well of knowledge of the sources that helped inspire many of the Discworld characters, motifs and situations. It's really wonderful to have so much secondary information on the series in one book, an encyclopedia-esque store of the kind of cultural tidbits that are fascinating in their own right as well as in relation to to Discworld. However the writing style, while clear, is a bit dull and sometimes the line between human mythology and its Discworld counterpart is not exactly clear all the time, at least to me. I was also disappointed by a reference made to the Robin of Sherwood TV series in which the author dismisses a great reimagining of the classic folktale with some pedantic complaints about its apparently archaic use of the Herne the Hunted story. Nevertheless Ms Simpson is very knowledgeable and the book is comprehensive and very informative. A great way to dip one's toes in the pools of folklore. I can't wait to read some of the texts she and Terry have listed in the references.

Welcome to the Discworld, 20 Dec 2008
The one where we are introduced to incompetent wizard Rincewind, who accidentally becomes a guide to Twoflower (the Discworld's first tourist) in a series of escapades controlled by the gods, who are (literally) playing dice. Features dragons, the horribly carnivorous but loyal Luggage, and space travel - well, almost. Pratchett's humour takes a while to get used to, but stick with it - there's a whole world waiting to be discovered in the Discworld series, of which this is the very first instalment. `The Light Fantastic' picks up where this work finishes.

Wonderful fantasy world, 10 Dec 2008
Synopsis from Amazon:

It is fantasy? No - it's a different and more eccentric reality, where the world is flat and moves through space on the back of a giant turtle, Death stalks glumly about his duties, and dragons only exist if you believe in them. And your luggage follows you around on hundreds of little legs...

Follow Twoflower the naïve tourist and his inept guide Rincewind in their hilarious search for thrills, adventure and opportunities to not get killed. Follow them all the way to the Edge - and beyond...


This is the first Pratchett novel I have read, and I am glad I did, what a funny book!

Pratchett leads us through a fantastical world filled with gods, dragons, trolls and the like. This book was not a disappointment. Everything was described in such a way that it was easy to imagine and be transported there.

I loved Twoflower, I found his character hilarious. Pretty much all he did and said was funny. My other favourite character was Death. He had some great one-liners.

My only problem with the book was there were so many events and adventures and characters I slowly forgot who was who and what had happened before. However, this didn't really spoil the story for me.

The end is nicely set up for the next in the series, and I am looking forward to carrying on the adventure :-)

8/10


Don't start with this one if you're new to the series, 16 Jul 2008
This is certainly not one to start the series with if you are new to Terry Pratchett - it is thematically quite different (which is understandable considering that it's the first of his Discworld books) and rather rough in parts. It's certainly one to read once you're familiar with the world, but you'd be better off starting with something like Mort or Soul Music to get a better flavour of what Discworld is all about.

Discworld Begins., 30 Apr 2008
Ok you dont need to read every discworls novel, nor do you need to start here but I think it helps. This is one of the best, Rincewind has always been my favourite Pratchett Character anyway.

I loved it, 26 Apr 2008
I loved the book and all its characters down to the tiniest atom. Rincewind and Death are now official favourite characters of mine and I am now a Discworld fan. I have read through 13-14 books so far and hope to read more, but this one I always come back to.
People may have thought It wasn't that great, but it was better than [[The Last Continent]]!

the ultimate weapon, 04 Jan 2009
one of the latest releases in the series of doctor who novels published by bbc books, telling an original story not seen on tv. featuring the tenth doctor as played by david tennant on screen. Presumably somewhere after the end of the fourth season on tv, as the character is travelling without a companion here.

the book runs for 248 pages, and is divided into fifteen chapters split into two parts of equal length, and it also has a short prologue. It can be read and enjoyed by readers of all ages. and a certain familarity with the tv shows helps as there's not really any concession to those who've not seen it.

the story involves the doctor arriving on a world where civilisation collapsed years before when a strange dark tower appeared out of nowhere. those who survived struggle to maintain an existence, strange ghosts haunt the ruins of their city, and in the tower lurks an incredibly powerful weapon. the doctor is determined to destroy the weapon. but there are strange aliens out there that would like to get their hands on it. and it may also be the key to salvation for the planet.

everyone involved has a lot of hard choices to make.

the first part of this grabs instantly with an excellently portrayed civilsation. the life the survivors life and the choices they have had to make are very believable. one character looks as if she will be the doctor's companion for the story but things don't quite work out that way. her motivations are very believable. and this is all told in very good and very readable prose, making it a real page turner.

come part two of the book the doctor enters the fortress and the aliens, a race of scavengers called the eyeless, come into play. these are quite an original creation also with some very believable motivations. and again characters have to make hard and believable choices to obtain what they think is best for their worlds. this part isn't quite as strong as the first because like a fair few original who novels there is a lot of running around involved, and it probably would have worked quite well without the eyeless. but it's still very good.

the ending is well tnought out and does arise out of the actions of the characters.

this is a very good read and one of the best I've come across in the bbc range, almost on a par at times with the best of the novels featuring the eighth doctor that they used to publish. If part two had been quite as good as part one this would have merited five stars, but it's still very good indeed and well worth reading

Good, but very much an episode in writing, 04 Jan 2009
15 years ago the Fortress appeared from nowhere in the city of Arcopolis, wiping out the entire population in an instant. Now the Doctor has arrived, determined to destroy the devastating weapon house at the heart of the Fortress. But he discovers the remnants of the civilisation, a generation raised with curiosity in their minds and wanting to know what secrets the city holds.

Now the Eyeless arrive and discover the Fortress, wanting its secrets for themselves. Can the Doctor reach the weapon before the Eyeless and avoid a catastrophe or will they prevail and wipe out everything?

I came to this book through a comment on the blog at the start of December - a comment was left in the monthly releases post saying that they had heard this could be one of the best Doctor Who novels for a while and the best that Lance Parkin had written. I was very intrigued by this and really wanted to see what the Doctor Who novels had to offer compared to the TV series (of which I'm a viewer, but not the biggest of fans). So what did I think? Read on...

I did enjoy The Eyeless for various reasons, but equally I had some issues with it. The story is a decent sci-fi one and offers some good looks and descriptions of a ruined and abandoned city and remaining population. The motivations of the characters are believable (as are the characters themselves) and the generation gap between the surviving adults and their children born since the disaster is looked at and explored nicely. The Eyeless and the Fortress are both mysterious, we know about them and, to an extent, what they can do, but it isn't until later on in the novel when we really find out more about either of them. I won't go into spoilers, but suffice to say that it is all very much Doctor Who, and that's where my problem lies.

Although good, The Eyeless read very much like a Doctor Who episode, from the arrival of the Doctor, the inevitable issues with the culture and the endless infinite knowledge of the Doctor. As this Doctor is the David Tennant incarnation he is always in my mind when the Doctor is on the page. Lance Parkin has written the Doctor very well in this sense - all the mannerisms are there and he does an excellent job of portraying many of the elements of a complex story very effectively.

The Eyeless was a good, quick read, but perhaps one suited for fans of the Doctor Who universe rather than just general sci-fi fans. All in all this is a very worthy addition to the universe, just not entirely my cup of tea.

Another great Discworld novel, 29 Dec 2008