Product Description
Dust jacket notes: "When readers visit the Discworld, they're most likely to end up in the odiferous city of Ankh-Morpork or the magic-filled land of Lancre. But in this three-in-one volume, you get to explore other places of interest on this tasty little pizza-shaped planet. Places like the tiny but ancient kingdom of Djelibeybi, which boasts more pyramids per triangular foot than any other; Holy Wood, a ghostly repository of celluloid dreams and terrors; and Omnia, desert home of a people dedicated to the Great God Om...." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Charming
This wonderful book combines all three stories of the Johnny Maxwell trilogy into one great book. In Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny must save a race of computer-generated space aliens from the depredations of the Earth's techno-nerd population. Johnny and the Dead tells what happens when Johnny Maxwell discovers that he can see the dead - who feel they have very little to be grateful about. And finally, in Johnny and the Bomb, Johnny and his friends go back in time to rescue a whole street full of neighbors from WW2 tragedy.

All three stories in this trilogy are quite charming, filled with lots of interesting characters and happenings. The dialogue is pure Terry Pratchett, with plenty of humor and delicious irony. If you like good fiction, and I mean great fiction, then I can't recommend this book enough. Yes, it is "young adult" fiction, but don't hold that against it - it's a great read. I highly recommend this book!

Aimed at young adults but sure to delight any Discworld fan
I've never understood why the books in the Johnny Maxwell series are so hard to find.Not only are they written by one of the world's most engaging, brilliant authors, they are a rare example of truly intelligent books aimed at a young adult audience; they are loads of fun for adults, as well.It seems a little strange to journey with Terry Pratchett to a place other than the Discworld, but this little jaunt is quite enjoyable - and future echoes of Discworld begin to emerge as the series progresses.Johnny Maxwell is just a normal twelve-year old kid, or at least he tries to be.When we first meet him, he is living in Trying Times, sort of left to take care of himself while his parents argue. Trying Times moves to Being Sensible About Things, and by the second book we find Johnny living with his grandfather.He's still a normal kid - it's just that things seem to happen to him that don't happen to anyone else - aliens inside a computer game surrender to him and name him their Chosen One, dead people start talking to him, and he even manages to stumble into time travel.

Like any kid, Johnny enjoys a good computer game every now and then, and his friend Wobbler supplies him with just about any pirated game he could want.He has destroyed all but the last alien ship in the game Only You Can Save Mankind when a message suddenly appears on the screen: We wish to talk.Thus begins a journey that takes him inside the game as the Chosen One, the human who will lead the alien ScreeWee race back to safety beyond The Boundary.The reptilian captain of the ScreeWee is tired of fighting; the human fighters appear out of nowhere, kill and destroy ships in her fleet, and keep coming back no matter how many times they are killed. She has seen what happened to the Space Invaders and would rather surrender than die fighting.

As always with Pratchett, the characters are well-developed and quite remarkable.I really liked Wobbler, the future hacker who designed his own game called Journey to Alpha Centauri to be played in real time, meaning all the thousands of years it would take to reach Alpha Centauri is how many years the game would take you to actually finish it.Beyond the comedy present in this story, there is also a message.The backdrop of the earth-based events of the book is the Persian Gulf War, and the juxtaposition of this war that is real but seems like a game with the computer game that becomes real for Johnny Maxwell conveys a message about violence and one's attitude toward it.It is not an overbearing theme, but it is there to some degree, helping make this short novel much more than just a juvenile read intended to entertain the reader and nothing more.

Johnny often takes a short cut to school through a local cemetery, and it is there that he meets the Alderman, the long dead and buried Alderman.He and the rest of the good folks residing in the cemetery are quite put out by the fact that the cemetery has been sold by the city to a corporation planning on putting office buildings there.Since Johnny is the only human who can see them (and why Johnny can see them is rather a mystery, although the Alderman thinks it is because he is too lazy not to see them), the dead look to him to save their eternal resting place.Stopping a big corporation from doing something the city has granted it the legal right to do is no easy task, especially for a twelve-year-old boy and his friends, but Johnny is wonderfully resourceful.

Johnny and the Dead rings quite distinctly at times of the type of humor showcased by the author in his Discworld novels.The dead people add a lot of life to this book, oddly enough.Their vibrant personalities more often than not clash in a number of very funny ways as they all try to cope with modern life - or the lack of it.

In my opinion, Johnny and the Bomb is the best book in the series.It bears a strong resemblance to Pratchett's Discworld ideas and characterizations, containing much more social commentary, satire, and sidesplitting comedy than the first two books.This time around, Johnny becomes a time traveler - quite unexpectedly.The whole gang (Johnny, Wobbler, Bigmac, Yo-less, and Kirsty) goes back in time to 1941, the very day preceding an accidental bombing of the town.They try to be careful not to mess the future up, but Bigmac and Wobbler seem to have a natural attraction to trouble.Finding their way back home to the future is a difficult task; arriving back home without Wobbler and having to figure out a way to go back and retrieve him is even harder, especially since it involves convincing the 1941 authorities that the town is going to be bombed at a specific time.

The characters of Johnny's remarkable friends are fleshed out in this novel to a much greater extent than they were in the previous two novels.Time displacement forces the kids to deal with issues of racism and sexism, for example.Serious issues aside, though, the book is just hilarious; the proffered hypotheses about the different legs of the Trousers of Time is vintage Pratchett material.This adventure really is the type of thing you might expect to happen on the Discworld, and I daresay any Pratchett fan of any age should enjoy this book (and the whole series) immensely.I find myself wishing for more Johnny Maxwell stories; I feel as if I know these characters now, and they are a fascinating, increasingly funny bunch of guys to hang around with.

A must for hardcore PTerry groupies
Don't limit yourself to the Discworld series. Terry Pratchett shines just as brightly in his other literary works. The Johnny Maxwell trilogy is one of these. So if you've ever harbored any ideas that you were special and different as a kid, you'll find great joy in Johnny's experiences.

Find this and read it quick
I admit it's a guilty pleasure, finding it in the Young Adult section of the library.I'm sure they'd be interested in some of the language, in the back room at the Central Branch, but never mind -- excellent read.TP seems to falter slightly with the first novel (ONLY YOU CAN SAVE THE WORLD) but persevere!He hits his stride with JOHNNY AND THE DEAD, and is a bit too complex for his own good but resolutely enjoyable with JOHNNY AND THE BOMB.Highly recommended.Six stars, only they won't let you do that. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Not something I was looking for
I was looking for something to produce with the middle school kids. I borrowed some Briggs' adaptations of Pratchett's novels from the library. I've read one. It was "Monstrous Regiment".It was hard to read. I caught myself sleeping with the book in my hands number of times. I asked myself why. Dialogs are supposed to be funny and I am supposed to enjoy all these humors and witty language. I thought that probably something is wrong with me, but I did not try to read from cover to cover others Briggs' adaptations which I had from a library and one more I purchased on Amazon. I went to read other authors. And I have found number of plays which I was able to read from cover to cover without stop and forgetting about the world around me. I thought about Pratchett's - Briggs' writing again and I decided that this is about nothing. All these characters seem do not have things important enough to do to make the story interesting for me. They do not have strong motives and they lack feelings related to motives. It looks that all what they care for is to say funny line, and for me the line for it's own sake is not funny. Briggs' do not feel a theatre as I do. At least in this play I've red. Maybe he feels a stage, but I would say that this is more about something like stand-up comedy where funny line matters most, not about theatre where when you do not have clear and strong character's characterization and motivation the effect is boring. Briggs' made lot of choices to make the novel into the play. But his play is kind of narrative anyway. He stacks dozens of characters into a play, what doesn't help to make it more clear and meaningful.
Kids may like this style of writing. And probably some teachers may find the way to make this meaningful for kids. But I was looking for something else. This year I am doing with my kids "Still Life with Iris" by Steven Dietz. Read this one. You will know what I meant above. And if you are teen-ager try it to. You will find the very different style then one by Pratchett and Briggs.

Not something I was looking for
I was looking for something to produce with the middle school kids. I borrowed some Briggs' adaptations of Pratchett's novels from the library. I've read one. It was "Monstrous Regiment".It was hard to read. I caught myself sleeping with the book in my hands number of times. I asked myself why. Dialogs are supposed to be funny and I am supposed to enjoy all these humors and witty language. I thought that probably something is wrong with me, but I did not try to read from cover to cover others Briggs' adaptations which I had from a library and one more I purchased on Amazon. I went to read other authors. And I have found number of plays which I was able to read from cover to cover without stop and forgetting about the world around me. I thought about Pratchett's - Briggs' writing again and I decided that this is about nothing. All these characters seem do not have things important enough to do to make the story interesting for me. They do not have strong motives and they lack feelings related to motives. It looks that all what they care for is to say funny line, and for me the line for it's own sake is not funny. Briggs' do not feel a theatre as I do. At least in this play I've red. Maybe he feels a stage, but I would say that this is more about something like stand-up comedy where funny line matters most, not about theatre where when you do not have clear and strong character's characterization and motivation the effect is boring. Briggs' made lot of choices to make the novel into the play. But his play is kind of narrative anyway. He stacks dozens of characters into a play, what doesn't help to make it more clear and meaningful.
Kids may like this style of writing. And probably some teachers may find the way to make this meaningful for kids. But I was looking for something else. This year I am doing with my kids "Still Life with Iris" by Steven Dietz. Read this one. You will know what I meant above. And if you are teen-ager try it to. You will find the very different style then one by Pratchett and Briggs.

Even better than the novel
I loved the novel and I think I like this play even more!
My year 12s are looking for a play to perform and I wasn't sure that this play would be suitable but I'm very pleased that it is. We only have 10 actors but I think with a combination of live action and cinematic theatre we will be able to stage it. That's what I love about Stephen Briggs' adaptations: they are so simple and easy to work with! (NB Performance rights are also very reasonably priced!)
Play has a cast of 24 but many are very small parts. Written in a style that is very easy to stage. Retains the discworld flavour without needing a prior knowledge of discworld to enjoy it!

Hm... I DO wonder why the others did NOT review the play...
This is a good adaption of a great book. When reading it, one has to keep in mind, that it is just that: an adaption and not an original work. You should NOT (under no circumstances!!!) read this instead of reading the novel. As with all the other adaptions of Pratchett's books, it is very true to the spirit of the novel and the discworld. Of course one might have different views what should be included in the play and what can be left out, but this is a good start... So, buy it, stage it and enjoy it...

Yours, Tom

Teryy Pratchett has done it again!
Mort is another magnificent addition to the Discworld series.With all the fun and excitment of the other novels, Mort stills shines through. Mort is a goofy country boy who's looking for a job.So he decides to go to a local job fair.As the last in line, Mort finds a tall, dark, mysterious figure, waiting fo him.The man offers him a job he simply can't refuse. As Death's new apprentice, Mort learns all the tricks of the trade.Like how to walk through walls, how to pull things from a 'cloak of eternity', and how to sever the very thread that binds people to the realm of the living.And he does all this, in Death's neat clothing. However, Mort finds out that taking Death's work into his own hands doesn't please him very much.Indeed, ticking off the Master is not good at all. ... Read more

Product Description
The world is flat. It rests on the back of four giant elephants, who in turn stand on the back of great A'Tuin, the only turtle to form the basis of an entire branch of astrophysics.
Events on the Discworld have been chronicled in the best-selling works of Terry Pratchett. Fans have learned of the adventures of Rincewind the incompetent wizard, Granny Weatherwax the witch (known to trolls as "She Who Must Be Avoided"), Captain Carrot the six-foot dwarf, Archchancellor Ridcully, Susan Sto Helit (granddaughter of Death), and a cast of strange and unique characters.
The Discworld Roleplaying Game is not a new edition of GURPS Discworld - it's a reprint. By changing the name and adding the "Powered by GURPS" logo, we're making it even clearer than before that this is a complete roleplaying game. You need no other books to play. Making the title begin with "Discworld" will make it easier for series fans to find it, too ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Discworld all over again
To those who wished to play trolls and have fun hating on dwarves once more, oh how I love you discworld

Excellent and Self-Contained (mostly) FRPG rule-set.
I have the original paperback version of this book.It is an adaptation of Steve Jackson's Generic Universal Role-Playing Game System (GURPS) to Terry Pratchett's Discworld as a Role-Playing environment.A pretty good "GURPS Lite" extract of the basic GURPS rules is included as an appendix (32 pages) at the end of the book, so you technically don't need anything other than pen(cil)s, paper, and ordinary six-sided dice to run and play a Discworld-based Fantasy Role-Playing Game (FRPG).

For a Discworld fan who doesn't want to play role-playing games, this book may still be of interest: it includes informative capsule summaries of most of the major characters in the Discworld novels, and Pratchett-approved insights into the metaphysics of the Discworld universe.It also contains many monochrome drawing by illustrator Paul Kidby.

For a Discworld fan who has never tried role-playing games, but is interested (and has a reasonable number [2 to 6] of similarly-interested freinds), this is an excellent choice.For a hard-core FRPG player, they probably already know about (and have) lots of GURPS stuff - the relavent parts can easily be used with and in a Discworld GURPS game.

While this was explicitly intended to be (and is) an "all-you-need" gamebook, there is now a "supplement" as well: GURPS Discworld Also (a backhanded pun on "Too" instead of "Two"), that is basically more of the same - more Discworld-specific character-information, rules, etc.The supplement is not needed, but is nice to have...

Never played and still enjoyed.
The Discworld RPG is a great read even if you don't play GURPS. It's not bad even if you hate RPGs. The book is bursting with source material and backgrounds - it's not uncommon for personality descriptions to take a full column. If you're a gamer, it's nice to have the actual writeups. If you're not a gamer, the art and small storylines through the book are still entertaining. Of particular interest to me was the magic section - not so much for how it's used in the game but for the Disc's philosophy of how it works. Also, without this book, I never would have known that all native-born Ankh-Morporkians are born with Disease Resistance. And a shiv... ... Read more

Product Description
Be a MAN in the City Watch! The City Watch needs MEN! (or dwarves or trolls or gargoyles or ...) The City Watch is a bumper volume in which those noble defenders of Ankh-Morpork, the greatest city of the Discworld*, come face to face with some of the most heinous crimes in history. GUARDS! GUARDS! Sees some night-time prowler turning (mostly) honest citizens into something resembling small charcoal biscuits. In MEN AT ARMS, there's a murder to be solves so that the world-weary Captain Vimes can be married at noon and retire happily ever after. And in the Discworld Howdunnit FEET OF CLAY, someone is murdering harmless old men and poisoning the Patrician ...and the golems are committing suicide ...*Which is flat and rides throughspace on the back of four elephants who stand on the shell of an enormous turtle, as everyone knows. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The return of a king.Any king.
The first book in "The City Watch Trilogy," "Guards!Guards!" is actually the eighth book in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. In it the hero of all three novels in this trilogy, Captain Sam Vimes of Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch gives up drinking, gets engaged, and rescues Patrician Vetinari from his own dungeon--well, sort of.

Ancient Ankh-Morpork is as quiet as it ever gets until the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren decides, with a little prompting from its Supreme Grand Master, to conjure up a dragon.The dragon is to cause enough death and property damage (including a vegetable stand with a rude owner and a brother-in-law's shiny new carriage) so that when the Supreme Grand Master's nephew rides into the city with his sharp, shiny sword and slays the beast, the grateful citizens will proclaim him king.

This plot works well, except that the dragon decides that it wants to be king and cremates its would-be slayer.Its requirements are simple and traditional:one well-bred virgin per month, and all of the gold, silver, and jewels in Ankh-Morpork for its hoard.

The only three surviving members of the Night Watch, Captain Vimes, Sargeant Colon, and Corporal Nobbs must somehow slay the dragon and rescue the virgin, who just happens to be Sam's wife-to-be.

The second novel in the trilogy, "Men at Arms" has Captain Sam Vimes at the point of retiring and marrying the virgin he rescued in "Guards! Guards!"The Night Watch itself is becoming an equal species organization with a little prodding from Patrician Vetinari, and Gaspode the Talking Dog falls in love with new recruit, Angua, the werewolf.She has just joined the Night Watch under the Equal Species Act, along with Detritus the Troll and Cuddy the Dwarf.

No wonder Sam, who is a bit of a male chauvinist speciesist is going to retire.

But before he gets his gold watch, Captain Vimes and his command must investigate the murder of Beano, the clown.Sam is also under orders from his wife-to-be to find a missing swamp dragon, which is likely to explode if it comes under stress.

When a large hole is blown in the headquarters of the Assassin's Guild, Sam has a pretty good notion of what caused the explosion.What he really wants to know is whether this latest calamity has something to do the Beano's death.After all, the Assassins are right next door to the Guild ofFools and Clowns.

What he does not yet know is that mad genius, Leonard of Quirm's deadliest invention has fallen into the hands of a rabid monarchist who will do everything in his power to restore Ankh-Morpork's rightful king---and that king is a member of Sam's own Night Watch.

The monarchists are still plotting away in this trilogy's third novel, "Feet of Clay."

Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, of Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch pays a visit to the Dragon King of Arms at the urging of his new wife, who thinks Sam needs his own coat-of-arms now that he's been knighted.Unfortunately, one of Sam's ancestors was a regicide so his descendent is denied an armorial bearing by the College of Heralds.He does learn that one of his watchmen is actually the Earl of Ankh:the inimitable Corporal Nobbs, who is forced to carry around a piece of paper signed by Ankh-Morpork's Patrician certifying that he's really human.

Well, this is a bit of a come-down for Sir Sam, but he's got more important matters on his mind, including the murders of two harmless old men. One of them was beaten to death by a loaf of Dwarf bread.His body was discovered by Captain Carrot and Corporal Angua, the only werewolf in the Night Watch, when they visited the Dwarf Bread Museum on their day off.

The only link between the two corpses is a trace of white clay at both murder scenes.

Subplots zigzag every which-way through "Feet of Clay."Corporal 'Earl of Ankh' Nobbs is being courted by a group of well, nobs who haven't given up on the notion that Ankh-Morpork should be ruled by a king.Captain Carrot, hereditary king of Ankh-Morpork who wisely refused the crown in "Men at Arms," is busy tracking murderers and emancipating golems.Sargeant Colon is about to retire if he lives through a trip through the sewers with Wee Mad Arthur.Corporal Angua helps a new dwarf recruit come to terms with a yen to wear lipstick.

Eventually, all of the story lines tie together very neatly according to character, and the monarchists get their final comeuppance.

This trilogy is a great introduction to Pratchett's award-winning Discworld fantasies, now numbering thirty.If you'd like to read all of the Night Watch novels in order of publication, they are: "Guards! Guards!" (1989); "Men at Arms" (1993); "Feet of Clay" (1996); "Jingo" (1997); "Night Watch" (2002); and "Thud!" (2005).
... Read more

Product Description
A must-have accessory for the most dedicated Pratchett fans — a Discworld cut-out book for adults.

The phenomenal Discworld series has a new addition to its growing hoard of artifacts — a cut-out book for adults. An extraordinary feat of paper engineering, the cut-out book contains the makings of a detailed 3-D model of the Unseen University, Discworld’s most ancient and complex building.

Colourful and intricate, this paper sculpture will provide hours of fun for the true Discworld aficionado. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

New Hobby
I've never been the "hobby type," but after picking up this book (initially for my 6th grade male students), I found myself captivated. I've dreamed about working on the structures and have even awakened early in the morning to work in it before heading off to school. My biggest struggle was finding the best glue, but once found, the rest was easy. I'm clearing off a space on my mantle to display the finished product.

Fantastic for paper modelers
Great looking book, almost to good looking to cut up.It is printed on A4 size paper and is 3/4 of an inch thick or around 20mm.The artwork is very good, the instructions are very good, and there is a bit of humor to the notes from the collaborators.The parts are not die cut.A highly recommended book for anyone interested in paper modeling.

Unseen University
As an avid paper modeler and Pratchett fan, this was a must-buy item for me. The book, when it arrived, was everything I expected it to be, with outstanding artwork and instructions.

Once I got up the nerve to take the book apart and start cutting, my enthusiasm dimmed just a bit.

As I said, the artwork is excellent, and the engineering is solid and perhaps just a but too much in places, but the model would have benefitted from just one more full test build of the finished product: there are fit problems in many areas, with some structural parts being smaller than the spaces they are supposed to fit by as much as a millimeter, and some other parts being too long or too wide by a similar amount to fit where they belong.

Careful test-fitting and trimming is an absolute must in order to build this, but the result is worth the extra effort.

Any serious Pratchett fan should have one of these, whether it ever gets built or not. Any paper modeler who enjoys a challenge and has a lot of room to display this monster when it's finished should also have one, or probably two: one to build and one to keep!
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Not for me
Nicely done, but not what I expected.I bought it because I saw Terry Pratchett's name.Great thought I, because I love Terry Pratchett books, and thought it would be something along those lines.But a Terry Pratchett book it is definitely not.Far from it.That's not to say other people wouldn't enjoy it, but not me.I would call it a coffee table book - one you toss on your coffee table for other people to thumb thru, but you never read yourself.It's one of those books that if I had seen it in a bookstore, then thumbed thru it, I never would have bought it.

Be sure you know what this book is about first.
In it's own right, this book is spectacular. The information is thorough and the pictures are considerably exceptional. Here's the thing. Don't be fooled by it's title. It most definitely is NOT an encyclopedia of fantasy creatures and the like. What it does detail on are movies, books, and other media that include such creatures. Personally I was looking for a book that details on the fantasy creatures themselves, and this book absolutely failed to do that. Look for another book to do that.

Not Free SF Reader
A recent update of this publication, it seems.

Taking a slightly different approach to the Science Fiction version of this that I have seen (which admittedly is older), this book takes a broad media look at the fantasy genre, and covers movies, television, books, role playing games, and computer games.

I think for a reasonably shallow, graphics and pictures heavy book this is a pretty good idea, and being reasonably familiar with a lot of this it appears to be done pretty well.

If you are looking for literature heavy bibliography, look elsewhere.

Being of the pommie variety there are a few digs at American junk (admittedly some of them well deserved), and probably less at cheesy UK equivalents, particularly as far as movies and tv goes.

There are also sections on famous fantasy characters, and famous fantasy plaes - e.g. Conan, Middle-Earth and that sort of thing.

All in all, rather well done, and should be interesting to most, and really useful for someone coming in brand new to get some ideas of where to start.



4.5 out of 5

Eh, alright...I guess.
This book isn't all that great. When I got it, I thought it would be about mythical creatures and things and people in fantasy. Such as, witches, wizards and so on. But instead this book is about a Fantasy Media. So it tells you about things such as fantasy movies, books, and video games. But it is also kind of old, and I've noticed that it doesn't have anything before 1997, and maybe even before. So it doesn't even talk about classic shows like: Charmed, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Supernatural, Smallville, or anything else. It doesn't even have the classic Harry Potter books! So, if you're looking to remember old time movies and books in fantasy, then this is the book for you, if not, don't get it.

Fun, informative book
I've really enjoyed this book so far, it's very informative, and is beautifully designed.In 250 pages you can only cover so much of the fantasy universe, but I think they did a good job.

I did notice that there are a lot of opinions, but there are many more facts, and the opinions make for a slightly more interesting read than just facts, as long as you take them with a grain of salt.I didn't notice overly negative opinions though, I saw a mix of positive and negative.And face it, a lot of pulp and mass-produced fantasy entertainment isn't of the best quality, that's just reality; I don't think it's unreasonable to call those types of items 'derivative'.

In summary, definitely a fun book to browse through; even extends into gaming (learning the origins of D&D, etc was very cool).I never would've thought that I'd learn the origins of the name 'Wendy' from this book! ... Read more

Product Description
Original essays on J.R.R. Tolkien from bestselling fantasy writers George R.R. Martin, Orson Scott Card, Terry Pratchett, Harry Turtledove, and many more. To tie in with the release of the first blockbuster film in New Line Cinemas Lord of the Rings trilogy, Meditations on Middle-Earth presents a collection of insightful, original essays by todays top fantasy and science fiction authors on the importance of The Lord of the Rings to their lives and their work. Additional bestselling and award-winning authors include: Raymong E. Feist, Ursula Le Guin, Gene Wolfe, Charles de Lint, Poul Anderson, and more! Also included is stunning original art by John Howe, the worlds foremost Tolkien illustrator, who is working closely with director Peter Jackson on the upcoming films. This blockbuster book is an absolute must-have for Tolkien fans.Amazon.com Review
If you remember where you were when you first read The Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings trilogy, then this collection of essays by some of fantasy and science fiction's most popular authors is worth a look.J.R.R. Tolkien's impact on fantastic fiction--and its writers--is explored in contributions that range from intensely personal expressions of the power and beauty of Tolkien's work to more analytical examinations of his style, language, and influences.

Standouts include Michael Swanwick's thoughtful and powerful meditation on heroism and consequences; Ursula K. Le Guin's analysis of narrative rhythm and language in the trilogy; Terri Windling's moving reflection on an escape from abuse fueled by the power of fairy tales; and Douglas A. Anderson's examination of the critical response to Tolkien's work.

This is an uneven collection, with a couple of downright clunkers, but it should appeal to Tolkien aficionados who are interested in the master's influence on those working in the field today. --Roz Genessee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

splendid anthology
I love anthologies where I read *every single* item..I bought this originally for the essay by Diane Duane, one of my favourite authors.I was pleasantly surprised to find I liked every single essay, even the ones with conflicting points of view, even the one by Poul Anderson..(although I did find that one the dryest).That said, these are all by professional authors, so the disease that so often blights academic collections, i.e. wonderful ideas completely killed by inedible prose, is not present.The subjects of the essays vary greatly; there are lots of personal recollections of reading Tolkien for the first time, Esther Friesner talks about how hot people with pointed ears are, Orson Scott Card talks about critical approaches to Tolkien (and it's *fun*!), Ursula K Le Guin talks about rhythmic pattern in Tolkien's prose.There are essays by: Raymond Feist, Poul Anderson, Michael Swanwick (another funny one!), Esther Friesner, Harry Turtledove, Terry Pratchett, Robin Hobb, Ursula Le Guin, Diane Duane, Douglas Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Charles de Lint, Lisa Goldstein, Glenn Hurdling (interviewing the Hildiebrant brothers), and Terri Windling, along with two introductions by Karen Haber and George R R Martin (they had to get the author with the most similar name to J R R Tolkien..).Anyway, if you like the fiction of any of these, you'll probably like the essays.

Interesting for reasons beyond Tolkien
This book was clearly published with the expectation that it'd ride the wave of publicityfor the LOTR movies, and perhaps it did. With the movies all on DVD now, maybe it seems less relevant than it once did. As other reviewers have mentioned, the essays in this book vary quite a bit in quality, and they approach the "What Lord of the Rings Means" question from different angles.

However, I think the book is worth reading -- once -- for a slightly different reason than Tolkien or LOTR. If you like Tolkien but aren't fanatical about the subject (not *all* of us feel the need to re-read the trilogy once a year), you may still enjoy many of these essays because you can hear how your favorite authors think, the unique way in which they were influenced by what they read... the author's own voice, in other words, rather than the stories they tell.

I kept imagining that I was attending a panel about "what LOTR meant to me" at an SF convention, and that many of the authors had interesting things to say. If you take the book from that viewpoint, you'll probably enjoy it. And if you're a writer yourself, you should definitely grab a copy.

For instance, Robin Hobb writes about being blown away by Tolkien's ability to create the setting in a novel. ("True setting is far more than descriptive passages about birch trees in winter, or picturesque villages. Tolkien's setting invoked a time and a place that was as familiar as home to me, yet unfolded the wonders and dangers of all that I had always suspected was just beyond the next hill.") Hobb's novels are masterworks of setting, so you see both the influence on the developing writer, and the reason for their impact.

Similarly, Ursula LeGuin sees the books in terms of word rhythms;Charles deLint writes about the impact of the Fairy Story (in the larger, romantic sense). This book gives you a unique view into the minds of the authors you may admire.

It also, alas, shows that not all of them are as skilled at writing an essay as they are with fiction. Esther Freisner does a damned good job (funny, too), but a few of the others wander around aimlessly, forgetting to make a point. Again, it's rather like a panel at an SF Con.

You shouldn't feel compelled to acquire a copy of this book, but don't pass it by, either. Good library fodder, or perhaps a read-and-pass-on book.

An almost-perfect celebration of Tolkien
Mostly good, this collection did have some serious downfalls. For the positives first, in general this was a great celebration of Tolkien's enduring effect on the fantasy field, and of his works. Most of the contributers to this wanted to share their experiances and debts to Tolkien's works, but a few seemed just as happy to grab their own fame out of this enterpriese. An essay-by-essay review in the order that they appear...

George R.R. Martin: Unfortunatly stuck with the intro, Martin discusses Tolkienesque and epic fantasy, the latter being his main style. Engaging and interesting, and much too short.

Raymond E. Fiest: So-so essay, entertaining but not overly informative or interesting.

Poul Anderson: I remember nothing of this one save that it was the only essay that I couldn't finish...and it wasn't even that long.

Michael Swanwick: My memory of this one is sketchy as well, but a wonderfully tied-together essay that was much more united than many of these, and inspiring. A new author to me, this essay impressed me with his style and appriciation and understanding of Tolkien's works.

Esther M. Friesner: Not very on-topic, but it made me laugh...different style, but good enough.

Harry Turtledove: Never did get the point he was trying to make, I don't think he did either. Rambling and random, but not boring at least.

Terry Pratchett: Pratchett was a bit condesencing (or more than a bit) in his essay, and it appeared to me that he came into the deal just to help sell the book with his popular name. No insights in this, and his lack of passion for Tolkien is apparent.

Robin Hobb: A refreshingly fluid essay, sharing her personal experiances and thoughts about the books. Loved this one, and I agreed with her on almost everything she said. Respectful of Tolkien in the way that I am...not forceful, but deeply passionate in a quiter way.

Ursula K LeGuin: Took me awhile to finish this one, but left me with a much better understanding of Tolkien's styles in prose. If you're shooting for new but not radical ideas and thoughts, this is worth the price of the book!

Diane Duane: More of a personal experiance essay, okay and entertianing enough, but not much substance.

Douglas A. Anderson: He said some things I didn't agree with, but his essay was excellent and informative, while being engaging. A nice history of Tolkien both personal and historical, nicely done.

Orson Scott Card: A bit rambling, but, though some of his ideas were questionable for me, very good. Card once again demostrates his understanding of the genre and its history and mechanics, conveying this in his usual intimate, sometimes sarcastic, fast-moving and informative fashion that I love so much.

Lisa Goldstien: Never heard of her, but a nice essay on why Tolkien was so different, important, and nessecary to our world.

Charles De Lint: I feel that he has seriously mis-interpretted certain bits of the book, seeing it as a bit too allegorical, and only grasping the points of it that he wants to understand. Poltically correct, this essay started good and went bad.

Hildebrant brothers: Can't say enough bad about them. They did this just for their own publicity, and I got very, very tired of hearing about how wonderful they were, and how perfect their interpretations were, and how much fun it is to illustrate...bleh. They are arrogant, concieted, and condecending, trying to compare themselves to Tolkien, and getting all upset over the lack of feminism in the books. Good for Tolkien, I say! I'm a woman, it doesn't bug me, and I don't need a bunch of guys looking out for my best intrests. I can do that myself! Burn this conversation, folks. It was awful.

Terri Windling: Nice conclusion to the book, inspiring and hopeful, and very touching. A bit feministic for my tastes, but a true tribute to Tolkien.

Overall, nice essays in general. If you're wondering, buy it. It's good light reading. But if you're looking for a serious academic study of Tolkien, buy Tom Shippey's "J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century" instead.

Brings out my own memories
This book really brought back some great memories. And not really in the vein of Tolkien amazingly enough. ( I am a major FAN of Tolkien). No, I was shockedthat when reading these essays I was quickly thrown back into my teenage years where I would read nothing but sci-fi/fantasy. I had almost forgotten how most of these authors had written in a basic, easy to read style that appealed to a young lad caught up in an adventurous, romantic mind set. I read these books as if I were love starved housewife needing my "Fabio on the cover" fix.
The good news is that I eventually outgrew this fixation, learning to read books that weren't written in under a month. But this book made me want to read some of their newer works, and, (gasp), reread some of them.
But seriously, this book is well worth the read. Some of the authors aren't all that great at writing non-fiction, (or even fiction for that matter), but it is nice to see them rahpsodizing about Tolkien. It is is also very nice to see John Howe's sketches scattered throughout, and his artwork on the cover was one of my favorite pictures long before I ever heard his name. He is an excellent artist, and I am so glad they used him as a conceptual designer on the LOTR' movies.
I give here a brief review of half the essays.
Karen Haber- Even though she was the editor of this book, her preface wasn't anything to write home about. Okay, I'll say it. It was DUMB.
George R.R. Martin- Martin, being stuck with the introduction, gives a short, concise read of what fantasy is and how Tolkien changed it. Well written and likable.
Michael Stanwick- I have never had the pleasure of reading Mr. Stanwick, but this gives me the desire to. He relates his experiences reading LOTR, gives a very nice piece on some of the dynamics of the characters, and talks of Tolkien's thoughts on allegory. He then finishes with a wonderfully heartwarming rendition of him reading the books to his young son, and how much more Sam's last words "Well, I'm back." meant to him then.
Esther Friesner- This essay was just plain funny. That is all I really remember. She didn't seem to have much to convey, but she did make me laugh.
Terry Pratchett- In true Brittish style, Pratchett brings real comic relief to this book. Just reading a short work as this brings to mind Monty Python, Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and his very own Discworld. This time he jumps headlong into the question" why is LOTR's still considered a cult classic, when it is the most popular book of the twentieth century?".He answers this in a way that would make Terry Gilliam or John Cleese proud to have written, showing how Mona Lisa and Pride and Prejudice fit into the equation. Bravo.
Ursula K. LeGuin- This was probably the best written of the bunch. Bypassing the "this is how I was first introduced to Tolkien's work" that pervades this book, Ursula gives a nice review of how Tolkien wrote his prose almost in a poetic metre. Taking one chapter of the fellowship, she shows how the different beats of action all corelate into a masterful work. Wish I had wrote it.
Orson Scott Card- The first page or two was alright, but after that it quickly detiorated into a study of "serious" vs. "escapist", that lost me in almost every paragraph. While making a few interesting points, it seemed mostly like he was just writing at random, and then forgot to put it into a cohesive format. All I can say is that Card should stick to writing fiction.
Hildebrandt Brothers- Before I write anything else, let me say this. I have never liked the brothers art. Sorry, but my bias will probably show in this one. Personally, I don't think that this should have been included in the book. Why not have John Howe or Alan Lee write something instead of this (rather lame) interview. Mostly they just banter back and forth about how skilled they are, talking about all their various projects, and occasionally thanking Tolkien for giving them the source material that made them famous. Pass.
Terri Windling- More so than all the others, this essay truly moved me. It recalled the wondefully romantic (in the classical sense of the word) thoughts, ideas, and feelings that I have always ascoiated with Tolkien, Indeed all fantasy in general. Interestingly enough, it wasn't the LOTR's that made her feel this way, But Tolkien's excellent lecture "On Fairy Stories", a beautiful work on the role of fantasy in the adult life. She also makes some great points about how Disney has changed the way we look at fairy tales, making them something just for children. Placing this essay at the end of the book definatly makes it feel as if they left the one of best for last.

Should you read this book? If you are a fan of tolkien, and don't mind a little light-hearted writing about him, then yes. If however you just happen to like a particular contributer, then you should probably shy away from this one.

Insightful collection of essays
MEDITATIONS ON MIDDLE EARTH is a collection of essays focusing on J.R.R. Tolkien's works, especially the Middle Earth saga.Some of the more renowned fantasy authors of today evaluate the series that made fantasy a household name.Surprisingly, though everyone agrees that Professor Tolkien opened up the genre to the middle class, not all of the contributors are fans of the actual novels.Insightful and entertaining, each essay is well written with the writer's particular spin.However, this anthology will be loved by those readers analyzing the various cultures in a way that cultural anthropologists would envy or by those fans who cherish Beowulf, which Tolkien felt is the forefather of the genre.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description

When Johnny Maxwell finds himself mysteriously transported through time to the Second World War, he knows when and where bombs will fall. If he tells anyone, he risks changing the future. If he doesn't, innocent people will die. . . .

Customer Reviews (14)

It's a Pratchett book, what's not to like?
What can I say?It's a Terry Pratchett book.Not a Discworld series book, but still Terry Pratchett.I think any Pratchett fan will enjoy this.

Charming
Johnny Maxwell is an ordinary boy, living in the all-too ordinary town of Blackbury. However, when he discovers that a crazy old homeless lady is really a time traveler begins to wonder what is really going on. There was a terrible incident during World War 2 when a whole street in Blackbury was wiped out (the "bomb" of the title), and something seems to be pushing him towards doing something about it. Now, Johnny and his friends are in a race across the decades to make a real difference in their world!

This is the third book in Terry Pratchett's charming Johnny Maxwell trilogy. The story is quite great, pure Terry, with lots of interesting characters and happenings. The storyline is wonderfully interesting and complex, as history bends itself it pretzels as Johnny and his friends have adventures.

If you like good fiction, and I mean great fiction, then I can't recommend this book enough. And even though it is part of a trilogy, you can read it by itself and feel like you missed nothing. This is a charming book, with interesting characters, and a wonderfully entertaining storyline. I highly recommend this book!

Remarkable
So epic. redefines the time continuum. an incredible thought provoking jorney through time to one of the darkest ages known to man. A superb read, Johnny and the bomb all the way!

Saving The Best For Last
Terry Pratchett's Johnny Maxwell trilogy is a fun and light-weight series of books. Okay, some of the slang and references the kids use can be a bit cringe-worthy, having been written by someone who has left childhood behind a long time before, but there's an undeniable charm that keeps you going despite the occasional groan.

The series reaches it high point here with Johnny and his friends journeying back to WWII, trying to put right on their second trip what they accidentally put wrong on their first. Pratchett avoids a lot of the pitfalls of the time-travel genre with his "pants trousers of time" theory, which allows them a great deal of freedom in their journey (since every outcome leads to possible futures, none of which are essentially bad), but brings a level of suspense to the proceedings that was absent in the early efforts. Their mission isn't to keep the Germans from winning the war or anything so melodramatic, but to reunite all the friends in the present. While failure will mean... free burgers for life.

A fitting and enjoyable conclusion to a enjoyable trilogy of books.

Johnny and the Bomb (The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy)A great book!
Johnny and the Bomb (The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy) is a great book for kids as well as adult fans of Terry Pratchett. ... Read more

Product Description
Lu-Tze is a senior History Monk, also known as Sweeper. Although thought to be 800 years old, there are some who claim he is older yet ...5,200 years older, in fact, because for the History Monks, time is a resource to manipulate, and they do ...Lu-Tze, a bald, yellow-toothed little man with a wispy beard, has a faintly amiable grin, as if constantly waiting for something amusing to happen, and a handy epithet for every occasion. In his life, Lu-Tze has done everything, and his past deeds are legend amongst the History Monks. He is a follower of The Way of Mrs Marietta Cosmopilite. He also grows Bonsai mountains. LU-TZE'S YEARBOOK OF ENLIGHTMENT (including The Way of Mrs Cosmopilite) is the ideal companion for those seeking truth and harmony and, well, the meaning to life - though he doesn't guarantee it will be the right meaning... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Lu-Tze
I absolutley loved this! I used it all year! It had space for me to write a brief descrip of my day, and the calendars inside the covers of the book were v. useful. I really enjoyed the quotes placed in the book- The Wisdom of Mrs. Cosmopolite. The brief features inside the book, such as the one on flower clocks was also pretty neat. I really liked the different types of monks- including the monks of cool. I loved this! I want the next yearbook!

If you can't afford a Gooseberry, this will do
Any Pratchett fan should appreciate this day planner/guide to the Way of Mrs. Cosmopolite, especially those who love Nightwatch and Thief of Time and anything to do with the monks of No Such Monastery.

Months are listed by both round-world and Discworld names; international and interreligious holidays and Discworld days of note (such as Hogswatch) are duly cited; and of course each week has an eighth day (handy for catching up with your busy schedule.) Plenty of room is provided for your own reminders.

25 May bears this note: "Wear lilac if you were there."

A great addition to your Terry Pratchett collection!
This hardcover day planner type book, is a wonderful addition to my collection. It has enough space inside to mark out and keep track of important events, blurbs for the day (as a minimilast journal) and is full of the wit of Discworld.
From the musings of Mrs. Cosmopolite and various entries concerning The Megabiotic Diet, and Lobsang Dibbler, this is also a light read intended to bring a smile to your day - all year long.
In keeping with both Roundworld and Discworld traditions, the months are listed as Grune/July and October/Sektober as needed. There are also many entries for RW and DW holidays and ICK has it's own entry.

All in all I have been pleased with each of my Terry Pratchett purchases and this is no exception. ... Read more

Product Description
Terry Pratchett is one of the most interesting and critically under-rated novelists we have. The Times 20080906 In this first novel for young people set outside of Discworld, Pratchett again shows his humor and humanity... The main characters are engaging and interesting, and are the perfect medium for the author's sly humor. Daphne is a close literary cousin of Tiffany Aching in her common sense and keen intelligence wedded to courage. A rich and thought-provoking read. Titles inclued in this Set : 1.Nation 2. A Hat Full of Sky 3.Wintersmith 4.The Wee Free Men ... Read more

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THE UNSEEN UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE:

Trolls have smashed down the door, there's a banshee on the roof, the river's caught fire, the librarian has turned into some kind of ape, and this is your starter for ten...

Questions about figgins, DEATH, mind-destroying footnotes, carnivorous Luggage with lots of little legs, quantum butterflies, the magico-numerical significance of what we must always call twice four or seven plus one, and even the precise sex of the Great Turtle who supports Terry Pratchett's phenomenal planet (via four elephant middlemen).

This is a quizbook for fans of fantasy and fun alike - and the ultimate challenge for all Discworld aficionados. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unseen University Challenge
If you want to find out just how much you really don't know about Discworld, this is the book for you! I thought I remembered so much until I went thru the U.U. Challenge! ... Read more

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Product Description
Pratchett Fiction Collection Eight-Book Set
For a limited time get eight books in Terry Pratchett‘s Discworld series in one easy-to-order package, including Pratchett’s 28th installment in the series, Night Watch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Experience a new world - Discworld.
Terry pratchett creates a world of fantasy and memorable characters that are truly enjoyable to his many fans. From the Wizards at the Unseen University, Cut-Me-Own-Throat-Dibbler selling his sausages in a bun, Corpral Carrot the the six foot tall dwarf and the figure of death. This is just a puddle on the edge of the river of memorable characters created in this world and the unique events of their lives.

I recommend you pick up one of his books to try and I would recommend these books myself.

1) The Truth (included in this set) - The city's first news paper trys to get the truth out and its not easy with a non assasination plot in the air.

2) Men at Arms - The city is set to explode in violence after a museum piece is stolen from the Assasins Guild and violent demises start to occur. Can the Night watch of Commander Vimes step up and stop the major changes someone has planned for the city.

3) Jingo - It is okay and contains many of the Discworld characters.

4) Guards! Guards! - The introduction of Corporal Carrot and the Night Watch.

This is a good collection and a good value but the only note would be that Pratchett fans (like myself) already have all the books in this collection.

I recommend - Try one, then try them all. ... Read more