2008-02-16 One of my favourites

This has become one of my favourite books. I've always loved the "witches" series and the "nac mac feegle" who appear in Carpe Jugulum invaded my brain, kicked a few bottles around and dossed down.

This is, as others have said, the third in the "Tiffany Aching" series. I admit I enjoyed the first, wasn't too struck with the second (to start with), but with this one Pratchett is back to his best. It hooked me from the start.

Pratchett's talent and skill is in the folklore and the facts which he uses in the books, the little things, like the old belief in summer and winter Gods, the laying out and sitting with the dead, etc. For me it is these small factual titbits that add to the story and make it more than your typical 'story book'. Some of the in-jokes seem to be based on this 'secret' knowledge and understanding (Da Vinci Code but much much better and not boring).

If you've never read Pratchett before then I would heartily recommend this series - Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith.

If you're unsure try the library first. Annoyingly this series tends to be found in the children's section of book shops and libraries - so if you're going in to a library to look at one, take a child with you, or do as I did, and borrow a friend's child.