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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
Out of pure nostalgia I'd give it five stars because the story tied up loose ends quite nicely. Honestly it had none of the intricacy or complexity of the earlier books. But never mind. Read it anyway.
Over the course of the last two plus years I’ve read 45 Discworld books. I followed various arcs from beginning to end, finishing the series with the “witches” arc. It concluded with the final book Terry Pratchett wrote before passing away.
I was expecting this book to feel less complete than it was. It was a moving story that stitched together many of the threads of Discworld, serving as a reminder of the tapestry of lore, characters, and humor that encases this wonderful world floating on the back of A’Tuin through space. It felt like a complete story; and there were only a few signs that it was still a work in progress.
There are gaps in characterization, and questions left unanswered with some characters, but this was an extremely satisfying story. I felt some of the other later books in the series began to feel more monotone than earlier stories, but Shepherds Crown manages to avoid some of that by just being a shorter more rapid fire tale. I was moved to tears multiple times, laughed out loud, caught jokes that sparkled like a twinkle in the eye (lumberjacks mentioning wearing lingerie in passing triggering memories of watching Monty Python when I was a kid, for example).
The main theme here is a message of friendship, compassion, empathy, and caring being the driving force that is necessary in ushering a new age of technology. In maintaining the fabric of our world. The Discworld has always been a shining mirror of our Roundworld, and this book contains a message as important and timely as any other book in the series.
I think I could go on for hours explaining why this series has meant so much to me. I spent nearly two years with somebody who was reading this series at the same time as me, enriching our relationship. I played games based on these books when I was a pre-teen, making some of my first online friends and sparking my imagination which in no small part led to my career in the game industry. Informing the proper way to treat people, how to see people for what they really are, how to read and tell stories, etc. Really I just hope that people will pick it up and find their own meaning in these wonderful books. And hopefully we can all start living out better stories for ourselves and our little marble of a world.
I was expecting this book to feel less complete than it was. It was a moving story that stitched together many of the threads of Discworld, serving as a reminder of the tapestry of lore, characters, and humor that encases this wonderful world floating on the back of A’Tuin through space. It felt like a complete story; and there were only a few signs that it was still a work in progress.
There are gaps in characterization, and questions left unanswered with some characters, but this was an extremely satisfying story. I felt some of the other later books in the series began to feel more monotone than earlier stories, but Shepherds Crown manages to avoid some of that by just being a shorter more rapid fire tale. I was moved to tears multiple times, laughed out loud, caught jokes that sparkled like a twinkle in the eye (lumberjacks mentioning wearing lingerie in passing triggering memories of watching Monty Python when I was a kid, for example).
The main theme here is a message of friendship, compassion, empathy, and caring being the driving force that is necessary in ushering a new age of technology. In maintaining the fabric of our world. The Discworld has always been a shining mirror of our Roundworld, and this book contains a message as important and timely as any other book in the series.
I think I could go on for hours explaining why this series has meant so much to me. I spent nearly two years with somebody who was reading this series at the same time as me, enriching our relationship. I played games based on these books when I was a pre-teen, making some of my first online friends and sparking my imagination which in no small part led to my career in the game industry. Informing the proper way to treat people, how to see people for what they really are, how to read and tell stories, etc. Really I just hope that people will pick it up and find their own meaning in these wonderful books. And hopefully we can all start living out better stories for ourselves and our little marble of a world.
Crivens! and so it goes. I could leave this review there. This is a sad, sad book. You say goodbye in so many ways, to the whole Discworld series and to the one you have loved with the fullness of your heart. (Although they would object to this. They are not after adoration, just doing their job.)
Tiffany is becoming the witch she deserves to be, and she is showing to the others how to combine the new way of witching with the old. It is beautiful to see how Discworld developed throughout all these years, but also how the core values have stayed the same (be kind to all.) This book is like going back to Equal Rites and Lords and Ladies, but with a softer, more humane way. Tiffany has to take the lead and stop the elves invading the world as the barriers between universes have thinned because of Granny's passing. What Tiffany shows is compassion and understanding to the Queen of fairies. She shows that knowledge can set us free. Narrow views only make everything rotten. This goes both with the Queen and her nature and who can be a witch. It is not tied to gender or the old ways.
The book contains so much soft wisdom. When I say soft, I don't mean "wishy-washy" things. No. I mean the wisdom of everyday life, which holds us together. Pratchett has always shown how normal life matters and how being kind to each other is the cornerstone of a good life and a society. This book follows that line. In addition, Pratchett shows how backwatered thinking in everyday life can jeopardize everything. A mother favoring her sons over daughter will create a sorrowful human life with possibility to go dark and twisty. Wives ignoring and bossing around their husbands makes them end up feeling inadequate and bitter, and they lose the sense of meaning. (This is not some chauvinist agenda, just reality that everyone needs to feel valued and loved. Your basic human needs.) The everyday ignorance for overlooking others' needs and humanity will make the world a tat horrendous place to be. On and on goes the chain. This is why I have loved all the Discworld books. Pratchett shows how important compassion is and how we should cultivate it. Also, he doesn’t shy away from showing where we go wrong. Good, because we need to hear it over and again. We do.
Thank you, Sir Terry Pratchett, for creating this wonderful world. I hope your words live forever, as empathy should never go out of fashion.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for sharing this Discworld journey with me. We all can make a difference. The first step is in our everyday life by not being a dick, and everything will be better. I would think that sums up all Pratchett wrote. A gentle and wise wordsmith.
Have a great day <3
Tiffany is becoming the witch she deserves to be, and she is showing to the others how to combine the new way of witching with the old. It is beautiful to see how Discworld developed throughout all these years, but also how the core values have stayed the same (be kind to all.) This book is like going back to Equal Rites and Lords and Ladies, but with a softer, more humane way. Tiffany has to take the lead and stop the elves invading the world as the barriers between universes have thinned because of Granny's passing. What Tiffany shows is compassion and understanding to the Queen of fairies. She shows that knowledge can set us free. Narrow views only make everything rotten. This goes both with the Queen and her nature and who can be a witch. It is not tied to gender or the old ways.
The book contains so much soft wisdom. When I say soft, I don't mean "wishy-washy" things. No. I mean the wisdom of everyday life, which holds us together. Pratchett has always shown how normal life matters and how being kind to each other is the cornerstone of a good life and a society. This book follows that line. In addition, Pratchett shows how backwatered thinking in everyday life can jeopardize everything. A mother favoring her sons over daughter will create a sorrowful human life with possibility to go dark and twisty. Wives ignoring and bossing around their husbands makes them end up feeling inadequate and bitter, and they lose the sense of meaning. (This is not some chauvinist agenda, just reality that everyone needs to feel valued and loved. Your basic human needs.) The everyday ignorance for overlooking others' needs and humanity will make the world a tat horrendous place to be. On and on goes the chain. This is why I have loved all the Discworld books. Pratchett shows how important compassion is and how we should cultivate it. Also, he doesn’t shy away from showing where we go wrong. Good, because we need to hear it over and again. We do.
Thank you, Sir Terry Pratchett, for creating this wonderful world. I hope your words live forever, as empathy should never go out of fashion.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for sharing this Discworld journey with me. We all can make a difference. The first step is in our everyday life by not being a dick, and everything will be better. I would think that sums up all Pratchett wrote. A gentle and wise wordsmith.
Have a great day <3
The Shepherd's Crown is a fitting end to the Discworld stories. There was no diminuition of the characters or story telling, despite Pterry's illness he kept this one up to his usual standard right to the end. I'm sure he knew this would be his last Discworld book, there are some interesting nods to that in the story.
This is a Tiffany Aching story, although it also includes the other witches, and the Lords and Ladies too. There are some interesting new characters too, not just old favourites. I particularly liked Geoffrey, the calm weaver, and the old boys of Lancre who helped with the denouement. The Nac Mac Feegle are in there too, along with some of the lyrics from the Steeleye Span discworld album.
The book starts with Granny Weatherwax preparing for her demise, and laying the foundations for what comes next. The plot is about the consequences of Granny's death, how the other witches take it and their manoeuvring. The elves sense it too, and they also have their actions as a result. As always social commentary and fantastic observation of people and how they act makes the story flow. It works on many levels and entertains. There are also belly laughs at times, especially with the Nac Mac Feegles!
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it and am sad that I will never read another new Discworld novel again. I shall just have to go back and read them all again.
This is a Tiffany Aching story, although it also includes the other witches, and the Lords and Ladies too. There are some interesting new characters too, not just old favourites. I particularly liked Geoffrey, the calm weaver, and the old boys of Lancre who helped with the denouement. The Nac Mac Feegle are in there too, along with some of the lyrics from the Steeleye Span discworld album.
The book starts with Granny Weatherwax preparing for her demise, and laying the foundations for what comes next. The plot is about the consequences of Granny's death, how the other witches take it and their manoeuvring. The elves sense it too, and they also have their actions as a result. As always social commentary and fantastic observation of people and how they act makes the story flow. It works on many levels and entertains. There are also belly laughs at times, especially with the Nac Mac Feegles!
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it and am sad that I will never read another new Discworld novel again. I shall just have to go back and read them all again.
Thank you SIR Pratchett for such a wonderful story. What a treat to watch young Tiffany Aching grow from a not so confident young girl into the hag of hags. All while laughing my butt off.
I grew up reading the Tiffany Aching series, first introduced to me in a book club in middle school. While I am sad to see the end of the series, and of the Wee Free Men, I found myself to be very satisfied with the book and with the conclusion to the series.
This story felt rushed and not fully developed. The main story seemed to happen too quickly and focused on the least interesting character and her development. I also think this book lost some of the wordplay and witty remarks that were a staple of his early work.
The very last Discworld book, especially emotional.
This made my heart ache when I finished it. Terry’s last book seemed like he had more story to tell but I’m so thankful for one last book with Tiffany Aching. I think this is my favorite series I’ve read with my kids. Just wonderful books. Highly recommend them for adult/child reading time.
Tiffany is learning to manage all the demands on her as the only witch of the chalk when the unthinkable happens: Granny Weatherwax, an absolute cornerstone of the Discworld, passes away! Not only has Granny's death left a vacuum in the Ramtops witch community but her last wish is to pass her holding onto Tiffany. These are big boots to fill and as the elf Queen pushes the boundaries Tiffany needs to make sure she can be everything Granny expected of her.
Granny Weatherwax has been a consistent character from the 3rd book in the series and it was fitting for Pratchett to choose her death to conclude the series before he, himself, passed away.
Granny Weatherwax has been a consistent character from the 3rd book in the series and it was fitting for Pratchett to choose her death to conclude the series before he, himself, passed away.