Wintersmith

(Discworld Novel 35)

By: Terry Pratchett, Paul Kidby

Narrated by: Tony Robinson

Tiffany Aching put one foot wrong, made one little mistake . . .

And now the spirit of winter is in love with her. He gives her roses and icebergs, says it with avalanches and showers her with snowflakes - which is tough when you're 13, but also just a little bit . . . cool.

And just because the Wintersmith wants to marry you is no excuse for neglecting your chores. So Tiffany must look after Miss Treason, who's 113 and has far too many eyes, learn the secret of Boffo, catch Horace the cheese, stop the gods from seeing her in the bath -

'Crivens!'

Oh, yes, and be helped by the Nac Mac Feegles - whether she wants it or not.

But if Tiffany doesn't work it all out, there will never be another springtime . . .

©Terry and Lyn Pratchett; (P)RHCB Audio

Critic reviews

In every sense fantastic

Pratchett's one-liners, the comic dialogue of the Feegles, the satire about teenagers and the credulousness of the ordinary folk make for a characteristically entertaining mix

Terry Pratchett kicks the bejaysus out of JK Rowling . . . If you haven't read Pratchett before then give yourself a treat and buy this book

Exhuberant energy and humour

Charming in every sense of the word. Beautifully written and at times highly comic, it is an extraordinary achievement

Sure to be as popular with both children and adults as all his other books

Lively wit, sly wisdom and compelling narratives

Pratchett's usual mix of uproarious comedy and deceptively serious thought

He's probably the funniest writer in English today . . . great themes with huge doses of comedy

Funny and winning as ever

Wait for the unabridged version

Another good Pratchett, the third in the Tiffany Aching series with the six-inch high, kilt-wearing, tattooed fighting Pictsies.
This time Tiffany is fighting but falling a bit in love with Winter, as the Wee Free Men help Prince Roland race to rescue Summer, and in true Pratchett absurdism, there is also a tartan-wearing sentient cheese, Horace.
I *love* Pratchett and his melding of old Celtic folklore, as well as the expressive reading of Tony Robinson, but the abridgment misses some salient plot points.
So, OK for an abridged version, but wait for the unabridged.