The Wee Free Men

ISBN 10: 143523278X ISBN 13: 9781435232785

Synopsis

The first in a series of Discworld novels starring the young witch Tiffany Aching.

A nightmarish danger threatens from the other side of reality. . . .

Armed with only a frying pan and her common sense, young witch-to-be Tiffany Aching must defend her home against the monsters of Fairyland. Luckily she has some very unusual help: the local Nac Mac Feegle--aka the Wee Free Men--a clan of fierce, sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men.

Together they must face headless horsemen, ferocious grimhounds, terrifying dreams come true, and ultimately the sinister Queen of the Elves herself. . . .

About this title

Review

When you have an author as good as Terry Pratchett writing for children, you expect that the result will be a novel of great invention, assured comic timing and a generally all-round highly readable fantasy tour de force. Readers of The Wee Free Men will not be disappointed. After winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal award for his previous story of Discworld for younger readers, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, Pratchett has followed up with another irresistibly entertaining adventure.

Miss Perspicacia Tick, a witch of some renown, is worried about a ripple in the walls of the universe--probably another world making contact. Which is not good. This errant activity is centred on some chalk country--where traditionally good witches simply do not grow well. Fortunately, Miss Tiffany Aching of Home Farm on The Chalk, nine years old, misunderstood and yearning for excitement, wants to be a witch and has just proved herself to be of great potential by whacking a big Green Monster from the river with a huge frying pan while using her annoying younger brother as bait. Miss Tick is impressed. So, after travelling to the chalky downs at once and dispensing some stop gap advice to Tiffany about holding the fort until she gets back with more help, Miss Tick is off.

Any hesitation Tiffany may have had about the seriousness of the situation expires when the Queen of the fairies kidnaps her younger brother. With the help of a talking frog, loaned by Miss Tick, and an army of thieving, warmongering, nippy, boozy wee free men called the Nac Mac Feegle (who used to work for the Queen but rebelled), Tiffany sets off rescue her kin.

There's humour at every turn, and the situations that follow are both wonderfully dramatic and preposterously unreal. Pratchett really is the master of his genre and it's difficult to imagine a more entertaining read. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay

Review

With its wry wit and acerbic collision of the mystical with the mundane, the latest book in Pratchett s internationally popular Discworld, is good solid storytelling done in a style that reads like Celtic mythology fused with the girl power of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with dialogue by Robert Burns. --New York Times Book Review"

A smart retelling [that] delves into weighty issues but keeps its sense of dark humor. --USA Today"

An enthralling and rewarding read. --Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

Set in a chillingly unrecognizable fairyland, this ingenious melange of fantasy, action, humor, and sly bits of social commentary contains complex underlying themes on the nature of love, reality, and dreams. The Carnegie Medal-winner s fans will not be disappointed. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"

Perfect for anyone who enjoys The Princess Bride and the works of Douglas Adams. A wonderfully funny fantasy for all ages. --KLIATT (starred review)"

A glorious read. --School Library Journal (starred review)"

Exuberant and irresistible. Pratchett s tale recalls a whole variety of texts in which underestimated heroines confront the forces of darkness Meg Murry of A Wrinkle in Time, Coraline of Neil Gaiman s recent novel, Lyra Belacqua of The Golden Compass, Miss Bianca of The Rescuers, even Buffy the Vampire Slayer. --Washington Post"

"With its wry wit and acerbic collision of the mystical with the mundane, the latest book in Pratchett's internationally popular Discworld, is good solid storytelling done in a style that reads like Celtic mythology fused with the girl power of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with dialogue by Robert Burns."--New York Times Book Review

"Exuberant and irresistible. Pratchett's tale recalls a whole variety of texts in which underestimated heroines confront the forces of darkness--Meg Murry of A Wrinkle in Time, Coraline of Neil Gaiman's recent novel, Lyra Belacqua of The Golden Compass, Miss Bianca of The Rescuers, even Buffy the Vampire Slayer."--Washington Post

"A smart retelling [that] delves into weighty issues but keeps its sense of dark humor."--USA Today

Wonderful language, genuinely scary explorations, and a young girl whose growing up is believable and exciting."--Chicago Tribune

"Perfect for anyone who enjoys The Princess Bride and the works of Douglas Adams. A wonderfully funny fantasy for all ages."--KLIATT (starred review)

A glorious read."--School Library Journal (starred review)

"An enthralling and rewarding read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Set in a chillingly unrecognizable 'fairyland, ' this ingenious melange of fantasy, action, humor, and sly bits of social commentary contains complex underlying themes on the nature of love, reality, and dreams. The Carnegie Medal-winner's fans will not be disappointed."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A glorious read."--School Library Journal (starred review)

About this edition

• ISBN 10: 143523278X
• ISBN 13: 9781435232785
• Binding: Library Binding