Review of 'Unseen Academicals'
Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett
32nd book in the 'Discworld' series
}Yet another Discworld novel from the mind of Terry Pratchett. It is no wonder that every time a new book comes out here in the UK he goes to the top of the bestseller list.
This time Pratchett's wit is trained on football with the Unseen University drawn into a football match where they are not allowed to use magic and where the rules of football have only been just invented. On the plus side they have the librarian in goal (who is a orangutan for reasons embedded in Discworld folklore) as well as an orc…There is, of course, added to the mix the best cook in the university (perhaps in Anhk Morpork and some candlestick fillers…(!) The match at the end lives up to it's promise and is easily the highlight of the story.
I can't say I am a big fan of football but this novel is certainly entertaining enough though I did not really find it as engrossing as his earlier novels. It has been quite a few years since I have picked up a Discworld and read it cover to cover within a week. The writing seems to be as good as it ever was except that today it seems so much more interested in numerous characters and “in jokes” that perhaps the story suffers somewhat. Now it takes several months as I can't really seem to get into the characters and feel anything for them. Still, it is a good laugh…
Rating: “A bit better than average”
Review Date: 2010-11-06
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Corgi
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0385609340
Other reviewed books in the 'Discworld' series:
- The Colour of Magic (Book 1)
- The Light Fantastic (Book 2)
- Feet of Clay (Book 19)
- Hogfather (Book 20)
- Jingo (Book 21)
- The Fifth Elephant (Book 24)
- The Truth (Book 25)
- Night Watch (Book 27)
- Monstrous Regiment (Book 28)
- Going Postal (Book 29)
- Thud! (Book 30)
- Making Money (Book 31)
Other reviewed books by Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett:
Other reviewed books by Terry Pratchett:
- Feet of Clay (Book 19 of Discworld)
- Going Postal (Book 29 of Discworld)
- Hogfather (Book 20 of Discworld)
- Jingo (Book 21 of Discworld)
- Making Money (Book 31 of Discworld)
- Monstrous Regiment (Book 28 of Discworld)
- Night Watch (Book 27 of Discworld)
- The Colour of Magic (Book 1 of Discworld)
- The Fifth Elephant (Book 24 of Discworld)
- The Light Fantastic (Book 2 of Discworld)
- The Truth (Book 25 of Discworld)
- Thud! (Book 30 of Discworld)