Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Tiffany Aching books by Pratchett

For anybody who liked Harry Potter, and for many who didn't, I warmly recommend the Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett. The first one is The Wee Free Men.

The witches were always my favorite characters of Pratchett's diskworld books. Unlike, say, the wizards, they are tough and dead-sharp people who know what they are doing. But of course written about with Terry's usual warm wit and inventiveness. So imagine my delight when some years ago a new and fresh witch character came around, and one of the toughest and sharpest ones ever, in the unlikely little frame of Tiffany Aching, who was only nine in the first book. She grows older as the books go on though, in the latest, I Shall Wear Midnight, she is sixteen.



Pratchett said that the books are "ostensibly" for young readers, and I couldn't agree more. There is nothing to distinguish his "young reader" books from his others, except that the characters are young and I imagine a young reader would love to grow up on them, like kids did with Harry Potter. But even experienced readers may find words and concepts he'll have to digest a bit, there are no weak blows here.

8 comments:

Raf said...

looks interesting. i have to say Harry Potter was unreadable compared to Enid Blyton.

The Dissonance said...

Thanks Eolake. I've ordered one of these books for my seven year old granddaughter who is a reading prodigy. It still freaks people out when she corrects adult writer's spelling and grammar. :O)

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I'll bet they are perfect for her.

john crossley said...

I loved them , but then I consider Terry to be so enjoyable that I will read his books any day, to cheer, amuse and to educate,always a joy

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Indeed. For me he probably has the highest hit/fail ratio of any author I know.
And by "fail" I just mean it was not right for me, I don't mean "bad book", I don't think he has written any such thing.

Alex said...

@Raf

Did you ever see "Comic Strip Presents: Five Go Mad in Dorset" or "Five Go Mad on Mescanlin".

French and Saunders, Robbie Coltrane, Ade Edmondson and Peter Richardson.

Alex said...

I really enjoyed "Wee Free Men", I don't think I've tried the others yet. They are definitely fun and worth reading. Has he done anything wrong yet, other than have too many books out there so that you o.d. on them if you're not careful. I burnt out on them after about 15 books, and had to take a break.

You must also have read the Bromeliad Trilogy.

I also love how Strata attacks the Discworld question from a very different angle.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

All well said.

Of course with any author, if you read a book a week of his, you'll get overdosed.