Customer Reviews
Clever, funny but meaningless - By: Paul Sloane, 16 Jun 2008 
This was my first Pratchett book & I still don't know what all the fuss is about. It was cleverin a schoolboy sort of way & funnyin parts but by the end I found it rather tedious. TP has an amazing imagination & he takes us on a fantastic tour - but ultimately it is just froth - fun, lightweight & meaningless.
new to Pratchett - By: jenny, 19 Jan 2008 
This is the first Pratchett novel that I've read but I have to say that I'm very impressed & will definitely be repeating the experience. I found it a very quick read, which here is a compliment rather than anything else, because the storyline was so fast-paced without skimping on detail. It was frequently very funny & got a fair few laughs. Very satisfying & had a brilliant ending.
'If the first one was nougat it didn't count' - By: Sephie Poulter, 10 Feb 2007 
When I first borrowed this book I set it aside for quite some time, but when I actually read it I got really interestedin it. I think my favourite part was the chocolate philosophies, which cropped up a few times. Another advantage was that it had Susanin it, who is my favourite characterin the series, but what I really liked about it was that she meets Nanny Ogg, which, as is pointed out, is an educationin itself.
In this volume Susan is a schoolteacher, & seems to develop a more caustic side thanin her previous chronicles - as well as a weakness for chocolates (unless they contain nougat)
This time, however, a new descendant of an anthropomorphic personification (I pride myself on actually knowing what the words mean) is introduced - this time the son - or sons - of Time. The plural is a bit complicated & I won't go into it, but his name is Lobsang Ludd, but he didn't appeal to me as Susan did & thus I hope he won't crop up againin the series.
And there are other characters making an appearence - this time the Auditors (featuredin Reaper Man & Hogfather), this time assuming human form (and going by names of colours a la Resevoir Dogs - e.g. Mr. orange, Miss taupe & Mr. Dark Avocado - I personally think that there should have been a Mr/Miss Off-White.)
I found the plot a bit difficult to follow & I'm still not sure I've got the hang of it, but I quite liked it. Most of it, anyway.
Behold, the Fifth Surprise ! - By: cluricaune, 31 Oct 2006 "Thief of Time" is the twenty-sixth bookin Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series & was first publishedin 2001. He has gone on to win the Carnegie Medal for "The Amazing Maurice & his Educated Rodents" & was awarded the OBEin 1998.
Officially, The Auditors arein charge of the universe : they see that atoms spin, that gravity works & that things movein curves. However, they hate life - too many irregularities - & have tried several times to deal with those pesky humans. In "Thief of Time", they're at it again - only, this time, they're being a little more devious about it. Normally Death - wears black, bony knees, big grin, carries a scythe - would do what he could to thwart them. However, due to an impending Apocalypse, he has to gather his fellow Horsemen - Famine, War & Pestilence - for the traditional ride. (There's also the matter of the mysterious fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse, who left before they became famous). As a result, Death persuades his grand-daughter Susan into helping out with the fight against the Auditors. Susan is now a teacherin Ankh-Morpork, so she's used to fighting for her life on a daily basis. Thankfully, for this battle she has Death of Rats & Quoth the Raven to help her out.
The Order of Wen & is based at the Monastery of Oi Dongin the High Ramtops. It is known by several aliases - including the History Monks. It's up to them to see that history follows the right track (it doesn't just happen, after all), & when history breaks it's the Order's job to fix it. Their job is made easier by their ability to move & store time, largely thanks to their "procrastinators". Lu-Tze is one of the Order's most notable members. However, as a Sweeper at the monastery, few pay him any real attention - only the most enlightened know who he actually is. He is an expert at deja-fu, a form of martial arts, & particularly enjoys growing bonsai mountains. In "Thief of Time", Lu-Tze is assigned a difficult new apprentice : Lobsang Ludd. Lobsang was a foundling & was raised for a while by the Guild of Thieves. (In fact, it seems he was pretty good at what he did). However, he entered the Monastery after being discovered by Brother Soto, the Order's Field Operativein Ankh-Morpork. Lobsang shows an uncanny talent for the Order's work also : when there's a time leak, he manages the Procrastinators like an artist.
Jeremy Clockson, like Lobsang, is a foundling - though,in Jeremy's case, he was raised by the Guild of Clockmakers. He runs a shopin Ankh-Morpork & is a brilliant, though slightly erratic, clockmaker. He's on medication (senior Guild members make sure he takes it) but id officially sane (he has the certificate that proves it). Jeremy is hired by the mysterious Lady Myria LeJean to build a truly accurate glass clock. If you believedin fairy stories, it might just remind you of one where Time herself was trapped inside a glass clock...
A fast-moving & very enjoyable book - Lu-Tze,in particular, is very funny though I was a bit sorry Quoth & Death of Rats didn't feature more. Lady LeJean, surprisingly, became a very likeable character. Very highly recommended.
Quite OK for a Pratchett beginner too - By: P. Aarding, 30 May 2006 This was the first book I readin the series - I thought it was brilliant & I am now working my way through the others. Wish I'd discovered them years ago, but what fun I'm having now!
