This is the first book of the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. This series is about a young girl who wants to become a witch and is part of the discworld series.

The Wee Free Men

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Tiffany Aching, a young girl on the Chalk decides that she wants to become a witch. She gets the opportunity to prove herself when another world makes contact with hers. A dark, cold and parasitic world, and it’s ruler, the Queen of the Elves, kidnaps her little brother.
With a weapon (her mother’s frying pan), her granny’s magic book (Diseases of the Sheep) and the help of the Nac Mac Feegle (aka the Wee Free Men) the fighting’, thieving’, tiny blue-skinned pictsies who were thrown out of Fairyland for being drunk and disorderly, she is going to get steal her brother back.
What could possibly go wrong?
Guest appearances: Miss Tick, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.

Review:

Rating: 10/10 or
This is Terry Pratchett at his best. Witty, entertaining, hilarious and the book contains lots of references to contemporary society and other stories. Terry Pratchett is probably the only author that can make me laugh out loud while reading. The Scottish dialect of the Nac Mac Feegle slows down the pace of reading a bit, but even as a non-native English speaker I find it understandable and very funny.
In this book Terry Pratchett defines what separates witches from the common folk. Witches have First Sight, the ability to see what is really there, and Second Thoughts, the thoughts you think about the way you think. This could as well be the definition of a skeptic.

With over 30 discworld novels it is sometimes difficult to know where to get started. The first discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, is an obvious good choice, there are some more or less stand-alone novels like Pyramids and Small Gods, and there is the Tiffany Aching series. You don’t need any prior knowledge of the discworld series to enjoy this novel.  The Wee Free Men is the first in a series and is followed by A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith. A forth Tiffany Aching novel is in the making: I shall Wear Midnight.
This series is intended for young adults and teens which makes it more accessible than his other work. His books are so full of wisdom, sarcasm, and references to contemporary society, classic stories, movies, … that I sometimes have the impression that I am missing something. It is what makes rereading his books so much fun; each time I discover new references and puns.

I have been a discworld fan since I read my first one some 15 years ago. Terry Pratchett is one of the maybe a handful of writers of which I keep on rereading the books, some even for the 5th time. I keep on discovering new jokes and references. For those not familiar with Terry Pratchett’s work, his books contain lots of references to contemporary society, economy, politics, computer networks, Shakespeare, the press, religion, movies, TV-series, Taoism, … While rereading his work, you sometimes discover new references.

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

Unseen Academicals

Football has come to the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork — not the old fashioned, grubby pushing and shoving, but the new, fast football with pointy hats for goalposts and balls that go gloing when you drop them. And now, the wizards of Unseen University must win a football match, without using magic, so they’re in the mood for trying everything else.

The prospect of a Big Match draws in a street urchin with a wonderful talent for kicking a tin can, a maker of jolly good pies, a dim but beautiful young woman, who might just turn out to be the greatest fashion model there has ever been, and the mysterious Mr Nutt, who no one knows much about. As the match approaches, four lives are entangled and changed forever.

Because the thing about football – the important thing about football – is that it is not just about football. (Text was taken from the cover)

Review

How does Unseen Academicals compare to the other discworld novels? Well, for a discworld novel it’s below average. I would rate most discworld novels 9 or 10 on a scale of 10 and this one only deserves an 8/10 or 4 stars. However, a book with a 4 star rating is still a very good book.

The quality of the book is uneven. The first half is wittier and better worked out than the second half, which feels a bit like a rush job. There are several plots that go nowhere. The second half is also darker than the first half.
It’s a typical Pratchett book in the way he takes on issues in contemporary society (self-worth, xenophobia, power games, football, idolization). He is still a master of sarcasm and parody, and one of the funniest and wittiest authors around, but this book sparkles a bit less. Some people think that Alzheimer’s disease is starting to affect his writings, but I don’t want to go there. This book still shows his genius, but especially the second half could have used some more fine-tuning and editing.
I also expected a greater role for Rincewind, but he might have well been no part of this story at all. There are 3 well-known discworld protagonists that gain a lot of depth in this novel, but that will only appeal to and be noticed by experienced discworld readers.

Conclusion

Rating: 8/10 or
Has this book worth? Yes, it sure does.
Is it a good book to start reading the discworld series? No, The Colour of Magic, Small Gods, Pyramids, The Wee Free Men, Going Postal … are better suited for this.

I am looking forward to the next discworld novels Raising Taxes and I shall Wear Midnight.