Everybody wants more time, which is why on Discworld only the experts can manage it -- the venerable Monks of History who store it and pump it f... read full description
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Dec 13, 2007
Katherine
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A small disclaimer for this review: I read this book mostly while I had a fever, so I can't be held accountable for accuracy.
This is the second Pratchett book I've read and though I enjoy him, it's hard for me to shake the thought that I'm reading Douglas Adams light, set in a Dungeons and Dragons fantasy land instead of sci-fi outer space. That's not altogether a bad thing though b/c I Adams is one of my very favorite authors and he did not leave this world with too many books.
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This is the second Pratchett book I've read and though I enjoy him, it's hard for me to shake the thought that I'm reading Douglas Adams light, set in a Dungeons and Dragons fantasy land instead of sci-fi outer space. That's not altogether a bad thing though b/c I Adams is one of my very favorite authors and he did not leave this world with too many books.
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Aug 31, 2008
Novac
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This was my first exposure to the work of Terry Pratchett. As a long-time Douglas Adams fan, I had heard Pratchett's name many times, but never took the time to actually read one of his books. I grabbed this one because the plot sounded interesting, and when I read the jacket at home, I noticed it was part of the "Discworld" series. Curious about how to properly start the series, a lump formed in my throat as I discovered that there are thirty-two Discworld novels, and that's not count
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Oct 05, 2008
Kristen
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I have been reading Pratchett's books in order and have now completed #26... I have to say that reading what has taken him a lifetime to write is actually a very interesting experiment in watching a writer grow at his craft. Early Discworld books are one joke after another, with the plot simply stringing together the insanity of the humor... but as time has passed, his style had become far more plot driven and far less interested in the humor. True this book is still amusing, but one would rea
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Feb 15, 2008
Mirna
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Dec 13, 2008
ivan
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OK, to start some trouble:
I couldn't get more than 15, or so, pages into this. I know Pratchett is much loved, but I can't figure out why.
It seemed to me that very little care went into the writing and none to the editing: It's glib, but not at all funny. Like someone nice trying to reproduce in conversation the feel of a funny book (one by Douglas Adams, say) someone once described to them.
I couldn't get more than 15, or so, pages into this. I know Pratchett is much loved, but I can't figure out why.
It seemed to me that very little care went into the writing and none to the editing: It's glib, but not at all funny. Like someone nice trying to reproduce in conversation the feel of a funny book (one by Douglas Adams, say) someone once described to them.
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Jan 13, 2012
Maurinejt
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This is a reread because I wanted to read more about Susan after finishing Hogfather and I thought perhaps I was too harsh in my judgement the last time I read it.
No, not really. Kind of a clunker with interesting bits. While I love Susan and appreciate that she has made peace with the side of her that is Death and is confident in her powers, she also is, for the first time, stodgy and stuck up. She knows she can do things others cannot and she looks down on everyone. She is right, More...
No, not really. Kind of a clunker with interesting bits. While I love Susan and appreciate that she has made peace with the side of her that is Death and is confident in her powers, she also is, for the first time, stodgy and stuck up. She knows she can do things others cannot and she looks down on everyone. She is right, More...
Dec 16, 2011
lancelot
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original @ http://literating.wordpress.com/2011/12/...
The wrath of my inner nerd has been appeased.
No one feared my inner nerd’s wrath because he possessed no nerd-smiting powers like DDOS attacks or Tesla coils. However, had my inner nerd such powers at his disposal – or had he even mild irritation – he would have come across Terry Pratchett’s supreme geek satire and laughed instead.
My first introduction to Pratchett – Thief of Time – reminded me just how much sc More...
The wrath of my inner nerd has been appeased.
No one feared my inner nerd’s wrath because he possessed no nerd-smiting powers like DDOS attacks or Tesla coils. However, had my inner nerd such powers at his disposal – or had he even mild irritation – he would have come across Terry Pratchett’s supreme geek satire and laughed instead.
My first introduction to Pratchett – Thief of Time – reminded me just how much sc More...
Jun 28, 2011
Ensiform
rated it:
A Discworld novel. Susan, schoolteacher and granddaughter of Death, is recruited to help find the son of Time so together they can stop the building of a glass clock that will stop time forever, which the faceless conclave of Auditors wish so they can file and count everything. At the same time, a humble sweeper and a disciple of the History Monks, who can control and shift time, set out to stop the clock as well.
I’ve read the first three Discworld books, but over a decade ago, and t More...
I’ve read the first three Discworld books, but over a decade ago, and t More...
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Feb 11, 2011
Bardi
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Now, as it happens, and as may people are aware, I have no sense of humour. And there were times in the book (roughly every two thirds of a page) when I saw a movement out of the corner of my reading that led me to think that I should be chuckling. Or snorting. Or on too frequent occasions guffawing. Thus as well for those around me that I do not have a sense of humour. Although I do not know then why they kept staring at me.
I am told that most of the Discworld series takes place on a More...
I am told that most of the Discworld series takes place on a More...
Jan 26, 2011
Autumn
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As always, Pratchett is fantastic. Want good, smart, "you're as smart as I am so hop in" humor? Read Pratchett. It's like being in on the joke even if you've never heard it before; Pratchett knows you'll get it anyway and appreciate it.
Wonderful, as always, to have Susan in the story. I think we should follow her education methods more often. Death is always entertaining to have around, especially thinking about him drinking tea from a mug labeled, "World's Greatest Gra More...
Wonderful, as always, to have Susan in the story. I think we should follow her education methods more often. Death is always entertaining to have around, especially thinking about him drinking tea from a mug labeled, "World's Greatest Gra More...
Dec 30, 2010
Nicolas
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Comment fait Terry pratchett ? A chaque tome, je me demande si il pourra encore explorer de nouveaux aspects de son monde à tiroir, et à chaque tome, il le fait spectaculairement. Dans ce tome, il s'attaque, dans le désordre, aux cavaliers de l'apocalypse, aux vieux moines pleins de sagesse, au temps qui passe, en passant par les musées inutiles. Et chacun de ces sujets mérite qu'on en parle, ce qui est malheureusement très difficile sans déflorer l'intrigue, habilement construite comme d'habitu
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Mar 14, 2010
Kurtbg
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This is one of my favorite discworld novels. Time, time travel, quantum physics are added to the familiar wit, wordplay, and social references Terry Pratchett infuses into his books. Time is saved, redirected, and reused, but sometimes problems arise (how is time saved? by procrastinators, of course.)The time monks are watching and ready to repair rips, distortions, and leeks in time. A young rebel monk is apprenticed to an older monk who seems to enjoy a status outside the monastery hierarchy
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Mar 12, 2010
Apfel
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I did a project on this book last year. We had to look through the library to find a book to o a project on so, of course, I immediately set off to look for Terry Pratchett books. This was the only one I had not read that the had (other than Nation which my friend was reading) and I had wanted to do a sci-fiction book for the next project. I had a really hard time trying to convince my teacher this was not a sci-fiction book. She asked if this took place on another planet so I said yes so she de
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Aug 17, 2010
Lindsey
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In my experience, there are two types of Pratchett novels: those that start with a tight focus on a single character / plotline and explode outwards, and those that start with several characters / plotlines and converge inwards. To me, the former are far superior, the latter never quite coming together. I never feel like the plot totally makes sense, the characters keep you at arm's length ... and it never quite feels as if they've earned the resolution.
Unfortunately, Thief of Tim More...
Unfortunately, Thief of Tim More...
Feb 07, 2009
Adam
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Dec 27, 2009
Bill
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Despite being put off by "Small Gods," I had a bad cold and was looking for something easy to read so I tried Pratchett again - this time with "Thief of Time" which a friend had recommended. I liked this one much better. The characters are still cartoon-figures but have much more to enjoy about them than the characters in Small Gods.
I enjoyed the way the main philosophical/James Bond character takes common expressions from a landlady (e.g. "I wasn't born yes More...
I enjoyed the way the main philosophical/James Bond character takes common expressions from a landlady (e.g. "I wasn't born yes More...
Jan 08, 2012
Steve
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Thief of Time involves the Auditors who, continually disgusted at the disorganisation that is life, commission the building of a perfect clock, which, once built, will stop time in it s tracks, and all life will freeze in a single moment. Then the universe will be tidy. However they hadn t counted on a strange Monk of Time, Lu Tze, his strange apprentice Lobsang Ludd, and of course, Susan& [return][return]This is Terry Pratchett at somewhere near his best. Unlike many people, I don t auto
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Jul 14, 2009
Cory
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Excellent book. It's up there in my top 5 Discworld books. Lu-Tze is my second favorite character, after Sam Vimes. I first encountered him in "Night Watch", and I wasn't so sure he wasn't just a stereotypical characterization of a crazyish monk.. I should've known better, having read several of Pratchett's books by then. It's a very interesting plot that makes you laugh, smirk, and think along the way. As usual, the pacing of the story is excellent. There's no real lag, and thou
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Aug 11, 2011
Helen
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Death has a problem - the world is due to end next wednesday. Tradition demands that the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse ride out, but War has married a valkryie and is encouraging an ant world war in is spare time, famine and pestilence have also got other things to worry about, so it looks like Death's on his own.
And then there's the 5th horseman, the one who left due to "artistic differences" before they got famous... And he gets tied up in the end of time, as he happens to be right i More...
And then there's the 5th horseman, the one who left due to "artistic differences" before they got famous... And he gets tied up in the end of time, as he happens to be right i More...
May 15, 2011
Wade
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Once again, the Auditors are at it. This time, they're messing with Time itself.
Even though I've read this several times, it is still an absolute page-turner for me. Terry had mastered the art of multiple story-lines long before and this book shows off his learnings very well. He knows when to shift to another storyline and keep the reader asking "and what happens next!".
This story also shows his recent learnings about some of more esoteric pieces of science. He More...
Even though I've read this several times, it is still an absolute page-turner for me. Terry had mastered the art of multiple story-lines long before and this book shows off his learnings very well. He knows when to shift to another storyline and keep the reader asking "and what happens next!".
This story also shows his recent learnings about some of more esoteric pieces of science. He More...
Dec 23, 2009
Mike
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I liked this a lot, and I'm glad I've finally experienced Terry Pratchett solo (I had previously read "Good Omens", his collaboration with Neil Gamian, which I also liked quite a bit.) There's really nothing I can say about this book, or my impression of Pratchett in general, that hasn't been said by others of his legion of fans, or appreciative critics- but... Pratchett's stuff is like a mash-up of Douglas Adams and JRR Tolkien, with the imaginative volume turned up to 11. Very fun
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Oct 05, 2010
Rebecca
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Thief of Time by Terry Prachett was an enjoyable contribution to the Discworld canon; however, as a the conclusion to the Death Arc, I found it to be somewhat lacking. In comparison to the other books in this arc, such as Mort, Reaper Man, and The Hogfather, all three of which are some of my absolute favorites, Thief of Time seems to fall oddly flat and to lack much of Prachett's usual trademark sparkle and wit. This is not to say that this book is a bad book by any means, it is simply that I wo
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Aug 19, 2009
Mel
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Jeremy Clockson is so keen about being accurate that he drives his fellow clock makers around the bend. One day, a woman comes to him with a challenge: to create the most accurate time piece ever conceived, what people call a "glass clock." As you can imagine, this draws the ire of The Monks of History, last seen in Small Gods. Toss in Lu Tze and Lobsang, martial arts flicks, rock bands and how teaching should be done according to Susan Sto-Helit running afoul of her school's princip
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Mar 31, 2008
Laura
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I enjoy Pratchet's protrayal of Death and the way that his books seem to span so much time and yet none at all...I love how the characters from one will appear in another but the books can be read individually and completely out of order.
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Jul 27, 2011
This is easily one of the most philosophical of the Discworld novels, dealing as it does with time and our differing perceptions of it. Death's grand-daughter, Susan Sto Helit, has grown up since the events of 'Soul Music' and is now a frighteningly effective and efficient school teacher - but while her grandad is busy reforming the Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Kaos left before they got famous) in order to deal with the Auditors of Reality again (this time involving *lots* of chocolate), Sus
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Aug 18, 2010
Matt
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Another excellent novel from Pratchett, with quite a few side-rippers. Dealing with the the meaning of what it is to be human and the complexities of time travel, I an unsurprised to have read reviews that posited that it is like reading a fantasy novel by Douglas Adams.
It perhaps drags a little towards the end, but otherwise has great pace throughout the book.
It did revolve around some of the more mythical characters in Discworld, so perhaps it shouldn't be surprising it More...
It perhaps drags a little towards the end, but otherwise has great pace throughout the book.
It did revolve around some of the more mythical characters in Discworld, so perhaps it shouldn't be surprising it More...
May 18, 2009
Jennifer
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Another excellent one from Pratchett. This one didn't grab me the first time around, but this time it caught me at the right moment. I still find Susan unlikeable, even downright hypocritical, but the story was interesting enough for me to put up with such an unpleasant character.
It must be fun for Pratchett to write a character like Susan, since he usually makes all of his central characters a pleasure to read. None of them are ever bad people, and although they might have object More...
It must be fun for Pratchett to write a character like Susan, since he usually makes all of his central characters a pleasure to read. None of them are ever bad people, and although they might have object More...
Dec 21, 2008
The other John
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I looked for Night Watch at the Friends of the Library Sale. Didn't find it. Picked up this instead. It's also a Discworld tale. It's also amusing. It's about the building of the perfect clock--which is a bad thing. The first time they built one, time stopped. Fortunately it wasn't exactly perfect, so it broke and time was restored. This latest perfect clock, however, threatens to be new and improved. It must be stopped. Well, more like not started, since you can hardly stop before you start. Un
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Jan 03, 2009
Susan
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Terry Pratchett's novels of Discworld are always delightful. Although this is more serious than some, it is still filled with Pratchett's humor and verve. Foundling Jeremy, a socially-challenged clock-maker, is hired by the mysterious Lady LeJean to build a completely accurate clock. What Jeremy doesn't know, and his Igor only begins to suspect, is that there's something strange about Lady LeJean. She may not even be human. Meanwhile, Miss Susan, a schoolteacher who is also Death's granddau
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May 26, 2010
Noni
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This is the first Terry Pratchett book I read. In the beginning, it was difficult for me to get through first pages. The characters and dialogues sounded so absurd with no obvious story line. But once I reached 3 - 4 chapters, it got clearer. Then I got so engaged, I finished it immediately. I must say, this book really deserved the 5 stars review it got from many of its readers.
There were dialogues about universe with its physical, spiritual aspects, and inhabitants, which I know b More...
There were dialogues about universe with its physical, spiritual aspects, and inhabitants, which I know b More...
