A review by mpclemens
Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

4.0

In most of the Disc books, the Wizards of Ankh-Mopork are demoted (or devoted) to chaos, comedy, and a general low level of competence that leads one to think that Sir Terry had a axe to grind with academics and academic institutions. Against a slowly-unrolling backdrop of star-crossed loves and street football, Pratchett gives the Wizards -- or Mustrum Ridcully, at least -- something they have lacked in previous books: a tiny amount of respect. Begrudging, maybe, and comic, certainly, but this is the most kind treatment I can recall in any of the Disc series.

The football device is more MacGuffin than plot. All the maneuvering happens in the pages before, and the ending(s) really have little to do with the Match proper than with matchmaking and pie-baking, with a dash of fashion for color.