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The Offensive Use of Story
Fairy godmother Desiderata has died without really training a successor. In a last moment note, she bequeaths her fairy godmothering-wand to Magrat Garlick, and arranges matters so that Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax will help Magrat out. As a result, the entire coven is off to Genua. The witches are indeed abroad.
Fairy godmothers always come in pairs, and the other fairy godmother is Lilith, Granny Weatherwax's sister, who ran off some years ago after some Trouble, leaving Granny to be the Good Witch. Lilith has used the power of story - and extravagant use of mirror magic - to transform Genua into a kind of vicious fairy tale city. Magrat, Nanny and Granny must stop Emberella from kissing the Duc, or everyone will live Happily Ever After. Whether they want to or not.
Pratchett detests people who use people for their own ends. And Lilith uses the power of story to make people do what she wants, whether they like it or not. Emberella is destined to kiss the Duc whether she wants to or not, even though the Duc is creepy, has cold hands, an impossibly long tongue and eats flies. So while there may not be Black Magic and White Magic on the Discworld, there is Good and Evil, and Lilith, trying to control the lives of others, is Evil.
Like all Pratchett novels, this one will reduce you to helpless laughter. There are sly references to other fantasies (including an appearance by Gollum), multi-lingual puns (Nanny Ogg speaking Foreign), and an extended cameo by Greebo, Nanny's over-sexed tom cat. But as entertaining as "Witches Abroad" may be, like all later Pratchett books, there are thoughtful questions behind all that laughter. "Good," Pratchett demonstrates, is not the same as "Sweet," or even "Nice." No one writing today combines hysterically funny writing with thoughtful social commentary as well as Terry Pratchett. In Esmerelda Weatherwax he has created one of the great characters in fantasy. Very highly recommended.
How To Fight A Happy Ending
Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Witches Abroad" is the twelfth novel in his hugely popular Discworld series and was first published in 1991. It's also the third book (after "Equal Rites" and "Wyrd Sisters") to feature Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld's greatest witch.
As with "Wyrd Sisters", Granny Weatherwax is joined by the Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. Nanny Ogg, is the raucous head of the Ogg clan based in Lancre town. (She also owns a fearsome, one-eyed tomcat with an unbridled libido called Greebo). The other is Magrat Garlick, who has a few fanciful ideas about magic that Granny doesn't altogether approve of. She's always been fond of dancing, occult jewellery and runes, but now Granny thinks Magrat's gone funny in the head : there's the self-defence classes (despite being a witch), the attempts to 'find herself' and her refusal to marry Lancre's new King. (Despite never having been one, she refuses to be a 'sex object').
One of the trio's neighbours is Desiderata Hollow, a witch who specialises in fairy-godmothering. Despite the fact that witches know exactly when they're going to die, Desiderata never quite managed to train up a replacement. Instead, she has her magic wand delivered to Magrat, with a couple of very strict instructions : she's to travel to Genua to STOP a god-daughter marrying a prince, and she's to keep Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg from going with her. (In fact, Desiderata is banking on the two older witches tagging along : she knows she can only guarantee their attendance by forbidding them from travelling).
This isn't going to be an easy mission. Godmothers travel in twos, and Desiderata's counterpart - Lilith - wished for Embers (the god-daughter) to have beauty and power and to marry a prince. Whether or not the young lady actually wanted any of that was irrelevant, and Desiderata has been trying to do what's best for Embers. Unfortuantely, it's going to be very difficult to stop a good story...
Much of the humour comes from poking fun at fairy tales, though there's a touch of the Wizard of Oz, and a quick cameo from Gollum. There's also the renowned dwarf lover, Casanunda, the attempts to master 'speaking foreign' and the terrible privies in foreign parts. However, it's Nanny Ogg - with her fondness for a double entendre and a vulgar song - who provides many of the best parts. Thoroughly recommended !
Discworld
I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.
A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.
Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!
Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.
Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.
I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"
I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.
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