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Sep 21, 2011

Mike (the Paladin) rated it:

This book is hilarious.

The Auditors have decided that they need to "remove" the Hog Father...so they contact the Assassin's guild and Mr. Teatime (pronounce it "Teh-ah-tim-eh." ) is sent to "inhum" him (but Hog Father isn't human). As you can imagine chaos ensues. With Death taking over the Hog Father's role to keep belief in him alive, while Mr. Teatime (pronounce it "Teh-ah-tim-eh.") and Susan (Deaths grand daughter) are in the realm of the t More...

9 comments like (8 people liked it)

Jan 01, 2012

Anatha rated it:

I hadn't expected to like the Hogfather as much as I did, mostly because I didn't particularly like the Color of Magic when I had first read in high school. It was occasionally punny, and I liked that I knew what "Scrofula" was, since I assumed that the majority of my classmates didn't know and little elitist things like that, but otherwise it just didn't appeal to me. That kind of chaos wasn't... funny. It was merely bamboozling, poppycock-ridden, silly. Nothing stuck, and nothing was More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 07, 2011

Callista rated it:

As usual, plenty of humour with an edge. I did occasionally wonder where and how all the plot threads were going to meet up and how they were connected. I'm not sure the Auditors were strictly necessary to the plot, but maybe they figure elsewhere in Discworld novels I haven't read yet.
I enjoyed the hijinks at Unseen University more than I expected to. The daft old wizards were funnier than I'd seen them be before; underling wizard Ponder and the thinking machine, Hex, are charming.
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0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 10, 2007

Punk rated it:

Discworld. Someone's put out a hit on the Hogfather, but the show must go on, so this year Death's putting on the red suit and delivering the Hogswatch gifts. Every other year or so, I reread this at Christmas. It's about winter holidays, but also about that small wedge of truth where myth and belief meet. The story mostly focuses on Death and his granddaughter Susan Sto-Helit, but there are cameos by the Assassins' Guild, Foul Ole Ron's band of beggars, the Unseen University (and Hex!), and eve More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 05, 2010

Kevin rated it:

I first was exposed to this book by a TV show on an obscure cable channel. I initially couldn't believe the story line but once I got into it I was hooked. I don't know how I've missed the works of Terry Pratchett all these years and he reminds me a bit of Doug Adams. This could become the new Christmas holiday classic in my house. The bottom line is that it's a totally alt-world view of the Christmas holiday and Santa Claus, with Death, his granddaughter (don't ask) and a member of the Assassin More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 01, 2012

Kit rated it:

I listen to this book every Christmas!

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jul 08, 2010

Jamie rated it:

Hogfather is the 20th novel in The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, and it is a satirical take on British traditions at Christmas (Pratchett is famed for satirising the theme of each book with his distinct British humour). Hogfather follows a number of characters who attempt to save Hogswatch (read: Christmas) after an Assassin is hired to kill the Hogfather (Santa Claus). Enter the Tooth Fairy, bogeymen, wizards and a variety of magical entities including the Verucca Gnome and the Cheer Fai More...

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May 18, 2010

Sara rated it:

Terry Pratchett's character Death is one of the funniest I've come across. So when Death is called upon to stand in for the Hogfather, Discworld's version of Santa Claus, it's an explosively awesome combination.

The real Hogfather is incapacitated (in fact, mysterious forces are trying to kill him) and Death has to hitch up the hog-driven sleigh and make merry for the children of the Disc. It's in everyone's best interest to make sure they really believe in the Hogfather. Death t More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 10, 2010

Becki rated it:

The Hogfather, by Terry Pratchett, was the first of the Discworld novels that I read. It was this book that fused me (seemingly irreversibly) to the character of Death and his granddaughter, Susan. The Hogfather made me fall head-over-heels in love with the Discworld and with Terry Pratchett's always humorous and sometimes poignant characters.

I'm far from having read all of the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett, but I have read several of his books. Re-reading The Hogfather this pa More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 10, 2010

Thomas rated it:

Do you ever wonder what makes a human human?

Here's a conversation between DEATH and His grand-daughter, Susan, that I think answers the question appropriately:

"'.... Now...tell me...'
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU HADN'T SAVED [THE HOGFATHER:]?
'Yes! The sun would have risen just the same, yes?'
NO.
'Oh, some on. You can't expect me to believe that. It's an astronomical fact.'
THE SUN WOULD NOT HAVE RISEN.
She turned on him. 'It's b More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 19, 2009

Mel rated it:

The subject of Hogfather is Christmas. Except on Discworld, it's called Hogswatch, the jolly old fat man is the Hogfather, and he rides around in a sleigh pulled by four large boars named Gouger, Rooter, Tusker and Snouter. Like Santa Claus, the Hogfather goes about climbing down chimneys and leaving presents for children. But this year, things are a little different. The Hogfather seems to have gone on a diet because he's nothing but skin and bones--well, actually, just bones. It seems the More...

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Dec 23, 2011

Corrin rated it:

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Oct 08, 2011

Sarah rated it:

Als ich dieses Scheibenwelt-Buch in der Bibliothek entdeckte, musste cih es auch unbedingt mitnehmen. Ich wollte nämlich aufgrund eines gewissen Online-Rollenspiels, in dem ich sehr gerne mitgespielt habe, mehr über den Auftragsmörder Kaff-eh-trin-ken erfahren. Und ein Scheibenweltroman, in dem TOD eine wichtige Rolle spielt, kann ja nur toll sein.

So ist es. Der Schneevater ist verschwunden, aber irgendjemand muss ihn vertreten. Doch ob TOD dieser Aufgabe so gerecht wird? Dessen Enke More...

2 comments like

Aug 12, 2009

Melanie rated it:

The subject of Hogfather is Christmas. Except on Discworld, it's called Hogswatch, the jolly old fat man is the Hogfather, and he rides around in a sleigh pulled by four large boars named Gouger, Rooter, Tusker and Snouter. Like Santa Claus, the Hogfather goes about climbing down chimneys and leaving presents for children. But this year, things are a little different. The Hogfather seems to have gone on a diet because he's nothing but skin and bones?well, actually, just bones. It seems the More...

0 comments like

Dec 14, 2010

James rated it:

I have absolutely nothing to say about this book. But I'm making an effort to write about the books I read. So here it goes.

This is a Discworld book. If you know what that means, then you already know the most important things one could say about Hogfather. If you don't know what the Discworld is? There's a wealth of material about it on the Internet, but suffice it to say that the Discworld is a comedic fantasy realm where magic and gods and minor deities all act in concert to prod More...

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Dec 15, 2010

Ami added it

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Jan 21, 2009

Andy rated it:

What's funnier than Death? Death dressed as Santa Claus (or in Discworld, the Hogfather).

This is the third Discworld book I read (previously reading the first two), and have since read several others, but this is probably my favorite so far.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 06, 2011

Raj rated it:

Hogfather is, in my view, one of the better New Pratchett books and one that I tend to come back to as an old favourite. It's got Death, the Wizards, the Grim Squeaker and Susan (before she became really annoying) in a plot that involves belief, questioning one's place in the world and plumbing.

Death's continuing desire to understand, and become more like, Humanity plays a central role as he has to take the Hogfather's place and deliver presents to children all over the Disc, while More...

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Aug 11, 2011

Helen rated it:

The Hogfather is classic mid winter festival, Father Christmas type belief focus for a pig based economy. He rides a huge, rustic wooden sleigh pulled by 4 hogs. And he appears to be missing. Dead isn't quite the word, if he doesn't return, it will be as if he never existed. And it takes a very special type of assassin to have "killed" the Hogfather, one that is, frankly, so far round the bend he makes a corkscrew look straight.

But someone has to deliver the presents to all the childr More...

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Jan 05, 2010

Sebastian rated it:

In Hogfather, a novel by Terry Pratchett, Death is covering for the Hogfather (a character similar to Santa Claus) on Hogwatchnight because the Hogfather has been kidnapped. Death feels very strongly about giving all of the children, rich or poor, the same quality of presents, in his opinion everyone is equal and should be treated equally. Death's assistant Albert strongly disagrees. Death's understanding of Hogwatchnight is that everyone should be happy and get good presents. Everyone, meaning, More...

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Dec 16, 2010

Maria rated it:

What a delight to find myself reading a Christmas themed book at Christmastime. This was sheerly by accident, but I'd recommend it for anyone thinking of giving Hogfather a try.

This Disc World book is part of the Death series, so it should be read after both Mort and Soul Music. As a character, Pratchett's Death is almost always in the same plot--freaking out about being Death, so I consider it to be one of the less-compelling storylines. This is a bit of a shame because Death is such More...

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Dec 17, 2009

Peggy rated it:

This one is really special. It’s a satire on Christmas that features Death filling in for the Hogfather (the Discworld Santa) with predictably bad results. This book also introduces us to Bilious, the God of Hangovers, perhaps my favorite Pratchett creation yet

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 01, 2010

Thee_ron_clark rated it:

In Hogfather, Terry Pratchett takes his readers to an alternate reality where myth and fantasy are a part of the world. A Santa Clause like figure known as Hogfather has disappeared and another is working to perform his duties on his yearly gift-giving holiday.

At the same time, an assassin is contracted to murder a mythical being, a tooth fairy is kidnapped, and numerous new mythical beings begin to appear throughout the world.

I don't know how to say much more without giv More...

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Dec 19, 2010

Helen rated it:

I loved this book, it's a wonderful twist on the Christmas tale. Perfectly adapted though to the idiosyncrasies of the Discworld. Easy to read even if you have never read any of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books before and a lovely one to read at this time of year as the nights draw in and Christmas approaches. This book stars two of my favourite Discworld characters Death (it makes sense when you read the books) and Susan.

On the subject of the character Death I have always found it More...

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Dec 24, 2008

Mike rated it:

Have I really read that much Pratchett? OK, my daughter really likes him, and he's lots of fun. What's your excuse?

I don't think the Pratchett books are really "great literature", though Hogfather is probably the best. The connection between belief, blood, childhood, ritual, and mass culture works--and works on a deep level. In his other books, there's less than meets the eye, but this one's the real thing.

And Susan Sto Helit is a great character.
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Feb 11, 2012

Christopher rated it:

I've been listening to my son praise Terry Pratchett to the heavens. even going so far as to attend the audience with Pratchett at the Opera House last year; and all before reading the novels. The Colour of Magic was a riot, but this book was better. I think Pratchett has a wonderful understanding of the function of belief in human psychology and society: it's ironic that his skepticism leads him to make serious points in comic form, and I would make the same points from a more theological pers More...

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Sep 17, 2011

Ahmed rated it:

It's Christm- I mean, Hogswatchnight on Eart- I mean, the Discworld, and something's gone terribly wrong with Santa Cl- I mean, the Hogfather, and it's up to Susan Sto Helit, the anthropomorphic-personification-of-Death's granddaughter, to find out what's going on before children all around the Discworld disbelieve in the Hogfather for not giving them presents.

This book was unlike any other Discworld book, with a moral undertone of Christmas' historical significance and the people's More...

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Dec 27, 2009

Ashley rated it:

Reading it again, actually. Rereading it helps me get though the holiday season with my sanity intact.

This is one of my favorite Terry Pratchett books. It is a satire of Christmas for people who actually like Christmas (as it might well be said that all Terry Pratchett's books are satires of human beings for readers who actually like human beings). It pegs all the things that drive us crazy about Christmas, but also identifies what makes those things worth putting up with.

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Mar 12, 2010

Nathy rated it:

I’m very fond of Pratchett’s Discworld set in general, but this one is unfortunately so far away from his witty best that it set a new level in disappointment as far as I stand.

I love the Death character, Susan being the next in line, both of them being the sole reason I gave this novel two stars.

I think Terry got very confused on this one as he had material for a pretty good 200 to 250 page book, but just couldn’t find more than fillers to make it up to the 450 pages he More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 15, 2009

Peter rated it:

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1 comment like (1 person liked it)

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