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Bromeliad Trilogy #1-3
The Bromeliad
Hilariously inventive, witty and highly original, The Bromeliad is the enormously popular Terry Pratchett’s magnificent trilogy of tales about a race of little people struggling to survive in a world of humans.
569 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
128 people are currently reading
3680 people want to read
About the author
Terry Pratchett
684 books46k followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983–2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
July 6, 2024
Truckers - 4/5
Masklin is a tiny nome who lives outside. What once was a huge tribe is now a small tribe consisting mostly of elderly nomes. As the tribe has been suffering food shortages, the younger nomes have all left to look for a better place to live but they never came back. Masklin is now the only nome everyone turns to when it comes to food and protecting the tribe. One day, he makes the tough decision for the tribe to relocate.
Masklin and his tribe arrive at a department store where they meet a lot of nomes who didn’t even know there was something outside the store. Masklin thinks he’s finally made it to his destination. But it doesn’t take long for everyone to turn to poor Masklin to lead the way once again.
The core of this story is showing us how hard it is to challenge a society’s accepted beliefs when you discover new information. The way The Thing is used in particular helps speed things up, to keep the story going at a good pace. But it’s usually a process that can take quite a long time and a lot of energy to convince people that their accepted beliefs are wrong.
There’s also the importance of good leadership and the outdated gender roles. I lump these two together as they’re hilariously shown by one particular character. He’s the leader of a group of nomes. But every time he has to make an important decision, he immediately turns to his wife so she can make the decision for him.
Another thing worth mentioning is the importance of knowing your own history. To know where you come from. But also to know where you’re going. Or at the very least, to stop you from making the same mistake over and over again.
It’s a fun adventurous story about tiny nomes that’s got some very cute, funny and strong moments. The only flaw it has for me, is that the characters don’t really manage to stand out.
Diggers – 3,5/5
The nomes have made the quarry their new home. But once again, humans come to disturb the peace. This time, the nomes are not planning to give up without a fight.
Something very interesting happens here. Masklin was the point of view up till now. And he thinks the solution of their current problems, and thus the nomes’ future in general, lies in their past. So he just leaves with The Thing and a few other nomes, and Grimma becomes the new point of view. We see how Grimma and the others left behind have to deal with the threat of the humans.
The main theme here is change. For example, Granny Morkie feels she’s entitled to a seat in the council because of her age. All the members disagree because she’s a woman. But no one dares to tell her that, so she ends up joining the council anyway. And there’s also the more obvious change in terms of the nomes having to adapt to a new environment, new beliefs and a new attitude toward humans.
It’s a good continuation of the story, though it doesn’t quite reach the level of the previous book. And the impact of the ending here will depend on the next book, so this feels more like a transitional book in the series. It is quite interesting to find out why this is called the Bromeliad trilogy though.
Wings - 4/5
The events of this book happen at the same time as the events in the previous book, though here we get to see Masklin’s point of view as he takes The Thing and two other nomes on a journey to find the past and hopefully also the future of the nomes.
This story is more about the adventure and wrapping up the overarching story of The Thing and the nomes. Though it does also further explore the theme of understanding your origins as it can have a great impact on both your present and future. Knowing where you came from gives you a sense of identity. It can help shape your values and beliefs, and influence your decisions in a positive way, if you are willing to learn from lessons learned in the past by previous generations.
It’s a bit of a shame we already know the ending from the end of the previous book. I think it might have been better had the previous book ended with a cliffhanger, to raise the stakes and elevate the intensity of the adventure in this one. Apart from that though, this is another fun adventure story and it feels like a satisfying conclusion to the series as a whole.
Masklin is a tiny nome who lives outside. What once was a huge tribe is now a small tribe consisting mostly of elderly nomes. As the tribe has been suffering food shortages, the younger nomes have all left to look for a better place to live but they never came back. Masklin is now the only nome everyone turns to when it comes to food and protecting the tribe. One day, he makes the tough decision for the tribe to relocate.
Masklin and his tribe arrive at a department store where they meet a lot of nomes who didn’t even know there was something outside the store. Masklin thinks he’s finally made it to his destination. But it doesn’t take long for everyone to turn to poor Masklin to lead the way once again.
The core of this story is showing us how hard it is to challenge a society’s accepted beliefs when you discover new information. The way The Thing is used in particular helps speed things up, to keep the story going at a good pace. But it’s usually a process that can take quite a long time and a lot of energy to convince people that their accepted beliefs are wrong.
There’s also the importance of good leadership and the outdated gender roles. I lump these two together as they’re hilariously shown by one particular character. He’s the leader of a group of nomes. But every time he has to make an important decision, he immediately turns to his wife so she can make the decision for him.
Another thing worth mentioning is the importance of knowing your own history. To know where you come from. But also to know where you’re going. Or at the very least, to stop you from making the same mistake over and over again.
It’s a fun adventurous story about tiny nomes that’s got some very cute, funny and strong moments. The only flaw it has for me, is that the characters don’t really manage to stand out.
Diggers – 3,5/5
The nomes have made the quarry their new home. But once again, humans come to disturb the peace. This time, the nomes are not planning to give up without a fight.
Something very interesting happens here. Masklin was the point of view up till now. And he thinks the solution of their current problems, and thus the nomes’ future in general, lies in their past. So he just leaves with The Thing and a few other nomes, and Grimma becomes the new point of view. We see how Grimma and the others left behind have to deal with the threat of the humans.
The main theme here is change. For example, Granny Morkie feels she’s entitled to a seat in the council because of her age. All the members disagree because she’s a woman. But no one dares to tell her that, so she ends up joining the council anyway. And there’s also the more obvious change in terms of the nomes having to adapt to a new environment, new beliefs and a new attitude toward humans.
It’s a good continuation of the story, though it doesn’t quite reach the level of the previous book. And the impact of the ending here will depend on the next book, so this feels more like a transitional book in the series. It is quite interesting to find out why this is called the Bromeliad trilogy though.
Wings - 4/5
The events of this book happen at the same time as the events in the previous book, though here we get to see Masklin’s point of view as he takes The Thing and two other nomes on a journey to find the past and hopefully also the future of the nomes.
This story is more about the adventure and wrapping up the overarching story of The Thing and the nomes. Though it does also further explore the theme of understanding your origins as it can have a great impact on both your present and future. Knowing where you came from gives you a sense of identity. It can help shape your values and beliefs, and influence your decisions in a positive way, if you are willing to learn from lessons learned in the past by previous generations.
It’s a bit of a shame we already know the ending from the end of the previous book. I think it might have been better had the previous book ended with a cliffhanger, to raise the stakes and elevate the intensity of the adventure in this one. Apart from that though, this is another fun adventure story and it feels like a satisfying conclusion to the series as a whole.
December 27, 2009
This book is technically written for children, but honestly, I have trouble believing that a lot of 5th-8th graders will get the satire in here. I would say that this is *appropriate* for children, but that it is a great book for readers of all ages. If you're looking for a laugh and enjoy British humor, then this is laugh-out-loud funny and I highly recommend it.
Basically, these three short novels tell the story of a group of gnomes trying to live their tiny lives in a big world. In the first book, a group of gnomes living in a department store believe that the store is the entire world and there is no "outside." The world was created by Arnold Brothers, Est. 1905. Then a couple of outsiders make their way into the store and inform them that they need to leave because the store will be demolished in 21 days.
There are religious wars and ideological battles. This is a parody of religion, science, group mentality, and a general social commentary. It can be enjoyed on a basic level, as a cute story and a good laugh, or you can look for deeper meanings and, IMO, enjoy it even more.
Basically, these three short novels tell the story of a group of gnomes trying to live their tiny lives in a big world. In the first book, a group of gnomes living in a department store believe that the store is the entire world and there is no "outside." The world was created by Arnold Brothers, Est. 1905. Then a couple of outsiders make their way into the store and inform them that they need to leave because the store will be demolished in 21 days.
There are religious wars and ideological battles. This is a parody of religion, science, group mentality, and a general social commentary. It can be enjoyed on a basic level, as a cute story and a good laugh, or you can look for deeper meanings and, IMO, enjoy it even more.
January 4, 2019
Well, f*** this. I had written a lengthy review, but clicked outside the box and *poof*, gone! All for nothing.
Every book is a page-turner, reads very fluently and certainly wasn't written for children. Well, maybe, but I doubt they fully understand Pratchett's humour, his take on life, religion vs science, politics, equal rights, migration, and more.
His classic themes are woven into the story, which is actually one big story cut in three. It's about nomes, little people. Not pixies, no. You have nomes on the Outside and nomes n the Store, founded by Arnold Bros. (est. 1905). The latter is a sort of god for the Store nomes. The Store is their world, with the planet and the lights being the sky, the stars, the sun. Seasons are determined by sales periods with their respective slogans. The Store nomes have occupied every department, which works like a nation: own rules, own leader, ... They do have an abbot for the religious position, just like humans have a pope, for example.
Store nomes have never seen the sun, never felt the rain. The Outside nomes are very much accustomed to the real seasons and weather types.
Women have no rights, aren't even allowed to learn to read, as this could overheat their brains. In contrast, the Floridians (nomes of Florida, also the name of some fruit juice, apparently) are lead by a female. Contrast in male-female domination and rights.
One day, a large group of Outside nomes come into the Store to join their Inside fellows, whom they've never met, by the way. And so the adventure begins: where will they stay? Who will guide and educate them into the world of the Store? Another theme: migration. In this day and age, even more actual than ever, even if the books were written about 30 years ago. As the Store is to close forever, suddenly both nome populations must work together for their survival.
What can you expect? Pure entertainment. Playing with the English language (signs, slogans, names, products, ... everything is taken literally or twisted around). Space-travel. More respect for little people. A more humanistic view on life. A lighter Pratchett, when it comes to convictions. To me, it's much later that he became more determined in his "beliefs".
Anyway, in short: The Bromeliad is one of Pratchett's finest works. If you can, get the omnibus, otherwise get the three books (Truckers, Diggers, Wings) themselves.
In the same vein, I can recommend his other book on little people: The Carpet People, as you can read here.
----------
Some details about the books, including spoilers:
Every book is a page-turner, reads very fluently and certainly wasn't written for children. Well, maybe, but I doubt they fully understand Pratchett's humour, his take on life, religion vs science, politics, equal rights, migration, and more.
His classic themes are woven into the story, which is actually one big story cut in three. It's about nomes, little people. Not pixies, no. You have nomes on the Outside and nomes n the Store, founded by Arnold Bros. (est. 1905). The latter is a sort of god for the Store nomes. The Store is their world, with the planet and the lights being the sky, the stars, the sun. Seasons are determined by sales periods with their respective slogans. The Store nomes have occupied every department, which works like a nation: own rules, own leader, ... They do have an abbot for the religious position, just like humans have a pope, for example.
Store nomes have never seen the sun, never felt the rain. The Outside nomes are very much accustomed to the real seasons and weather types.
Women have no rights, aren't even allowed to learn to read, as this could overheat their brains. In contrast, the Floridians (nomes of Florida, also the name of some fruit juice, apparently) are lead by a female. Contrast in male-female domination and rights.
One day, a large group of Outside nomes come into the Store to join their Inside fellows, whom they've never met, by the way. And so the adventure begins: where will they stay? Who will guide and educate them into the world of the Store? Another theme: migration. In this day and age, even more actual than ever, even if the books were written about 30 years ago. As the Store is to close forever, suddenly both nome populations must work together for their survival.
What can you expect? Pure entertainment. Playing with the English language (signs, slogans, names, products, ... everything is taken literally or twisted around). Space-travel. More respect for little people. A more humanistic view on life. A lighter Pratchett, when it comes to convictions. To me, it's much later that he became more determined in his "beliefs".
Anyway, in short: The Bromeliad is one of Pratchett's finest works. If you can, get the omnibus, otherwise get the three books (Truckers, Diggers, Wings) themselves.
In the same vein, I can recommend his other book on little people: The Carpet People, as you can read here.
----------
Some details about the books, including spoilers:
September 6, 2009
Quite frankly, I see no reason why I should ever find myself in conversation with someone who HASN"T read this trilogy.....go read it!
An absolute must-have for children aged 12-13, but immensely enjoyable at all ages, loaded with Pratchett's ever so deceptive wisdom, and precisely observed human folly.
The story revolves around a civilisation of Nomes that have lived for generations in a department store, who do not believe that anything exists outside the store 'world'. But one Nome learns that the store is soon to be demolished, and he must convince these people that
a) The world is ending
b) They aren't as important as they think
c) They can all survive if they make some sacrifices and hard choices
A satisfying read on so many levels - if you are not moved by the plight of the tree frogs in the final book, then you very probably are a horrible person.
An absolute must-have for children aged 12-13, but immensely enjoyable at all ages, loaded with Pratchett's ever so deceptive wisdom, and precisely observed human folly.
The story revolves around a civilisation of Nomes that have lived for generations in a department store, who do not believe that anything exists outside the store 'world'. But one Nome learns that the store is soon to be demolished, and he must convince these people that
a) The world is ending
b) They aren't as important as they think
c) They can all survive if they make some sacrifices and hard choices
A satisfying read on so many levels - if you are not moved by the plight of the tree frogs in the final book, then you very probably are a horrible person.
December 1, 2021
Според мнозина „Трилогия за номите“ на сър Тери Пратчет е предназначена за деца. В такъв случай навярно всички сме деца, защото преди повече от 30 години маестрото е създал още една необикновена история, изкусно съчетала фантастика и приключенска комедия, с чийто възхитителен философски размах потупва другарски по рамото повечето представители на „сериозната литература за възрастни“ и ги праща с огорчени хлипове да се срамуват в ъгъла.
Замаскирани под непринуден смях и добродушни смигвания книгите разглеждат кавалкада от значими идеи и парадокси – за малките номи и големите хора, за бързото и бавното ��ивеене, за трудните и неизбежни житейски промени, за светоглед, ограничен между стените на провинциален хипермаркет или копнежи, устремени към безкрайните селения на Космоса, за създаването и еволюцията на религията, за сблъсъка на поколенията и мъчното общуване между половете… Все важни и големи теми, но предадени тъй незлобливо и сърдечно, че усмивката си стои на лицето, докато очите нетърпеливо се плъзгат по изписаните със ситен шрифт редове.
Ако още не смеете да пристъпите в Света на Диска, може би тъкмо тази самостоятелна и завършена история, която уж се развива в нашето съвремие, ще ви подтикне да се потопите в нови фантастични авантюри и да срещнете още от безбройните незабравими герои, родени в неизчерпаемото въображение на Тери.
Аз пък ревниво си запазих няколко любими цитата:
"Торит май стигаше до някакво заключение. Те учтиво изчакаха да го съобщи.
— Смятам — каза той. — Смятам, че трябва да изядем тоя плъх.
— Я си затваряй устата, бе — рече автоматично бабата.
— Аз съм вождът, нали? Нямаш право да говориш такива приказки на вожда — изхленчи Торит.
— Разбира се, ти си вождът — тросна се баба Моркий. — Някой да е казал, че не си? Аз поне никога не съм казвала, че не си. Вожд си.
— Точно така — подсмръкна Торит.
— А сега си затваряй устата — отсече тя."
"Абатът умря с очи пълни със звезди, но дори и той не разбра. Галактиката! Старецът си бе помислил, че това е просто голяма, огромна стая извън Магазина, просто най-големият съществуващ отдел."
"Смешното беше, че хора, които не са съвсем сигурни, че са прави, винаги се вживяват в една караница много повече от другите — като че ли се опитват да убедят предимно самите себе си...
Замаскирани под непринуден смях и добродушни смигвания книгите разглеждат кавалкада от значими идеи и парадокси – за малките номи и големите хора, за бързото и бавното ��ивеене, за трудните и неизбежни житейски промени, за светоглед, ограничен между стените на провинциален хипермаркет или копнежи, устремени към безкрайните селения на Космоса, за създаването и еволюцията на религията, за сблъсъка на поколенията и мъчното общуване между половете… Все важни и големи теми, но предадени тъй незлобливо и сърдечно, че усмивката си стои на лицето, докато очите нетърпеливо се плъзгат по изписаните със ситен шрифт редове.
Ако още не смеете да пристъпите в Света на Диска, може би тъкмо тази самостоятелна и завършена история, която уж се развива в нашето съвремие, ще ви подтикне да се потопите в нови фантастични авантюри и да срещнете още от безбройните незабравими герои, родени в неизчерпаемото въображение на Тери.
Аз пък ревниво си запазих няколко любими цитата:
"Торит май стигаше до някакво заключение. Те учтиво изчакаха да го съобщи.
— Смятам — каза той. — Смятам, че трябва да изядем тоя плъх.
— Я си затваряй устата, бе — рече автоматично бабата.
— Аз съм вождът, нали? Нямаш право да говориш такива приказки на вожда — изхленчи Торит.
— Разбира се, ти си вождът — тросна се баба Моркий. — Някой да е казал, че не си? Аз поне никога не съм казвала, че не си. Вожд си.
— Точно така — подсмръкна Торит.
— А сега си затваряй устата — отсече тя."
"Абатът умря с очи пълни със звезди, но дори и той не разбра. Галактиката! Старецът си бе помислил, че това е просто голяма, огромна стая извън Магазина, просто най-големият съществуващ отдел."
"Смешното беше, че хора, които не са съвсем сигурни, че са прави, винаги се вживяват в една караница много повече от другите — като че ли се опитват да убедят предимно самите себе си...
March 3, 2013
I love the way Terry Pratchett takes on large issues in a small way in this series. When an author can show how organized religion limits personal spiritual development, how personal perspective keeps us from seeing the world around us, how limits to our language limit our ability to think and comprehend, and how love and community can overcome all of these things... Well, then I have to salute that author. And, once again, I salute Terry Pratchett, who uses small people to demonstrate huge issues. Most importantly, I applaud his ability to explore such weighty issues while keeping me laughing at his characters, his world, myself, and my world. Thank you for this little escape from the real world and the way it took me for a wonderful ride before it delivered me back to a larger, more real world.
July 12, 2018
🇩🇪
Ein klassischer Pratchett, auch wenn dieses Buch nicht auf der Scheibenwelt spielt. Die Geschichte behandelt mit viel Witz große Themen wie Religion, Tradition und Gesellschaftsstrukturen. Dabei ist es amüsant zu sehen, wie die Nomen alltägliches menschliches Verhalten interpretieren. Insgesamt ist es ein Buch, das viel Spaß macht, aber auch Tiefe bietet.
🇬🇧
A classical Pratchett even though the book is not set on the Discworld. The story talks about big themes like religion, tradition, and social structures in e very fun and entertaining way. It is amusing to see how the Nomes (not sure if this is the correct English word) interpret common human behaviours. Overall, it is a very fun read with depth.
Ein klassischer Pratchett, auch wenn dieses Buch nicht auf der Scheibenwelt spielt. Die Geschichte behandelt mit viel Witz große Themen wie Religion, Tradition und Gesellschaftsstrukturen. Dabei ist es amüsant zu sehen, wie die Nomen alltägliches menschliches Verhalten interpretieren. Insgesamt ist es ein Buch, das viel Spaß macht, aber auch Tiefe bietet.
🇬🇧
A classical Pratchett even though the book is not set on the Discworld. The story talks about big themes like religion, tradition, and social structures in e very fun and entertaining way. It is amusing to see how the Nomes (not sure if this is the correct English word) interpret common human behaviours. Overall, it is a very fun read with depth.
August 20, 2023
Irgendwo zwischen "I liked it" und "I really liked it", aber ich runde mal auf, weil es wirklich amüsant und unterhaltsam war.
Pratchett als Name ist ja wohl überall bekannt, von den Nomen hatte ich dagegen noch nicht gehört. Das Buch war für mich in einem Überraschungspaket (und ist wohl auf deutsch sonst nur noch schwer erhältlich), sonst wäre ich nicht darauf gestoßen, denn irgendwie ist Pratchett ja gleich Scheibenwelt und das war's.
Wirklich schade, denn hier ist ein Juwel! Die Nomen sind kleine, zehn Zentimeter große Wesen, die es sich in der Menschenwelt gemütlich gemacht haben. Ihr Leben ist so kurz und ihr Wesen dabei so schnell, dass sie über die Jahre ihre eigentliche Herkunft vergessen haben. Es gibt eine große Gruppe Nomen, die in einem Kaufhaus lebt und das für ihr ganzes Universum hält ... Pratchett schreibt hier wirklich amüsant über die kleinen Leute und ihr Leben, das durch die Ankunft einer Gruppe von Draußen rund um den Nom Marklin und Grimma, ziemlich durcheinander gerät. Mit viel Unwissen, aber Tapferkeit und Zusammenhalt ziehen die Nomen in ihr großes Abenteuer, das in drei relativ kurzen Einzelbänden hier versammelt wurde in eine Gesamtausgabe.
Wenn man den Nomen und ihren Rätseln von der menschlichen Welt so folgt, ist, wie bei Pratchett zu erwarten, so die ein oder andere Weisheit über Menschen zwischen den Zeilen herauszulesen ...
Ich fand es wie schon geschrieben sehr amüsant zu lesen und konnte mit dem Humor mehr anfangen als bei einigen Scheibenwelt-Romanen, mit denen ich mich teilweise schwer getan habe.
Auf jeden Fall zu Unrecht so unbekannt(er).
Pratchett als Name ist ja wohl überall bekannt, von den Nomen hatte ich dagegen noch nicht gehört. Das Buch war für mich in einem Überraschungspaket (und ist wohl auf deutsch sonst nur noch schwer erhältlich), sonst wäre ich nicht darauf gestoßen, denn irgendwie ist Pratchett ja gleich Scheibenwelt und das war's.
Wirklich schade, denn hier ist ein Juwel! Die Nomen sind kleine, zehn Zentimeter große Wesen, die es sich in der Menschenwelt gemütlich gemacht haben. Ihr Leben ist so kurz und ihr Wesen dabei so schnell, dass sie über die Jahre ihre eigentliche Herkunft vergessen haben. Es gibt eine große Gruppe Nomen, die in einem Kaufhaus lebt und das für ihr ganzes Universum hält ... Pratchett schreibt hier wirklich amüsant über die kleinen Leute und ihr Leben, das durch die Ankunft einer Gruppe von Draußen rund um den Nom Marklin und Grimma, ziemlich durcheinander gerät. Mit viel Unwissen, aber Tapferkeit und Zusammenhalt ziehen die Nomen in ihr großes Abenteuer, das in drei relativ kurzen Einzelbänden hier versammelt wurde in eine Gesamtausgabe.
Wenn man den Nomen und ihren Rätseln von der menschlichen Welt so folgt, ist, wie bei Pratchett zu erwarten, so die ein oder andere Weisheit über Menschen zwischen den Zeilen herauszulesen ...
Ich fand es wie schon geschrieben sehr amüsant zu lesen und konnte mit dem Humor mehr anfangen als bei einigen Scheibenwelt-Romanen, mit denen ich mich teilweise schwer getan habe.
Auf jeden Fall zu Unrecht so unbekannt(er).
August 7, 2024
THIS WAS IMMACULATE!!
im sorry HUH?? this book was so good i actually couldn't stop reading. the gnomes were amazing and Granny Morkie is girl boss. she is such a baddie for dissing literally everyone at least once. Grimma is also a baddie and i could feel her blood boiling when Gurder said women can't be Stationeri because they can't read. The end of the final book was honestly beautiful, and Thing is my spirit animal. along with dobby.
read it and weep folks, your girl has gained another spirit animal. crap, dobby stop crying immediately or you'll never get the sock.
im sorry HUH?? this book was so good i actually couldn't stop reading. the gnomes were amazing and Granny Morkie is girl boss. she is such a baddie for dissing literally everyone at least once. Grimma is also a baddie and i could feel her blood boiling when Gurder said women can't be Stationeri because they can't read. The end of the final book was honestly beautiful, and Thing is my spirit animal. along with dobby.
read it and weep folks, your girl has gained another spirit animal. crap, dobby stop crying immediately or you'll never get the sock.
November 20, 2009
First off I read the Bromeliad trilogy written by Terry Pratchett, Truckers, Diggers and Wings. Truckers was my favourite book, getting to know the Nomes and the way they lived in the Store and how they saw humans (and Arnold Bros (est. 1905)) :P I liked Diggers least because three of my favourite characters hardly participated in it (but were thankfully fully present in Wings). I did like the way the ladies came up for themselves though :P And finally in Wings the whole voyage they take and their coming home. The thing which struck me was how the Nomes thought they were so different from humans but in so many ways they are so much the same, the way they interact among each other and what is important to them. It's so much like Pterry to make a world which seems so different at first glance but is really just a (bit distorted) mirror of our own society.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2015
Not funny in universally appealing way but endearing. This trilogy got better towards the ending.
October 11, 2024
Рекомендації мого нареченого - найкращі! 💘
Одна з найсмішніших філософських книжок, що я коли-небудь читала. Підійде як дітям та підліткам (нема тяжких чи непристойних моментів), так і дорослим (ви не пожалкуєте!). Єдине, про шкодую, так це що не знала про неї раніше. Вона допомогла мені зрозуміти, що найбільше я люблю книжки, які змушують мене сміятися вголос. А Пратчетт ще й жартує по-доброму, що є рідкісним талантом.
Естетика й сама ідея маленьких людей цікавила мене з дитинства, особливо після прочитання The Borrowers. Трилогія Пратчетта - це добувайки для дорослих, з класним гумором, чесним поглядом на суспільство та людську природу, й глибокими роздумами про життя, Всесвіт і взагалі.
Навіть не знаю, в кого я закохалася більше, в Грімму, Маскліна, Доркаса чи Грудера? Мабуть, в Анжело - хотіла би я так любити водити машини. Розвиток персонажів неймовірний, вони тепер для мене дійсно ніби існують в реальності.
Сподіваюся, що цю трилогію скоро перекладуть і видадуть українською. Хочу, щоб мої діти вже в 12 років дізналися, яке відношення мають квітки Бромеліада до маленьких істот, що живуть в Магазині.
Одна з найсмішніших філософських книжок, що я коли-небудь читала. Підійде як дітям та підліткам (нема тяжких чи непристойних моментів), так і дорослим (ви не пожалкуєте!). Єдине, про шкодую, так це що не знала про неї раніше. Вона допомогла мені зрозуміти, що найбільше я люблю книжки, які змушують мене сміятися вголос. А Пратчетт ще й жартує по-доброму, що є рідкісним талантом.
Естетика й сама ідея маленьких людей цікавила мене з дитинства, особливо після прочитання The Borrowers. Трилогія Пратчетта - це добувайки для дорослих, з класним гумором, чесним поглядом на суспільство та людську природу, й глибокими роздумами про життя, Всесвіт і взагалі.
Навіть не знаю, в кого я закохалася більше, в Грімму, Маскліна, Доркаса чи Грудера? Мабуть, в Анжело - хотіла би я так любити водити машини. Розвиток персонажів неймовірний, вони тепер для мене дійсно ніби існують в реальності.
Сподіваюся, що цю трилогію скоро перекладуть і видадуть українською. Хочу, щоб мої діти вже в 12 років дізналися, яке відношення мають квітки Бромеліада до маленьких істот, що живуть в Магазині.
March 15, 2024
Cóż mam rzec – kapitalna książka! Bawiłam się świetnie, a w nomach jestem zakochana! Żałuję, że wcześniej nie skończyłam ich czytać – gdybym wiedziała, jakiej rozrywki mi one dostarczą, nie zwlekałabym aż tak długo.
Nomy to najpoczciwsze stworzenia na świecie! Wyobraźcie sobie małego ludka, który jest całkiem człowiekiem, poza swoimi tyci gabarytami. Towarzysz idealny!
Wśród wielu nomów ciężko było mi wybrać tego jedynego, jednakże w końcu i tak mi się udało. Dorcas, Angalo i Masklin to moi ulubieńcy, aczkolwiek wynalazca jednak mimo wszystko i tak wysuwa się na prowadzenie!
Jeśli chcecie poznać świat z perspektywy nomów, uciec ze sklepu, przejechać się ciężarówką, żyć w kamieniołomie, lecieć na gęsi, by w końcu uciec do gwiazd kosmicznym statkiem, a wszystko to w otoczeniu nomiej inteligencji i uroczego, infantylnego postrzegania świata "ludzi" to "Księgi Nomów", spisane przez Gurdera, są absolutnie przeznaczone dla Was!
Nomy to najpoczciwsze stworzenia na świecie! Wyobraźcie sobie małego ludka, który jest całkiem człowiekiem, poza swoimi tyci gabarytami. Towarzysz idealny!
Wśród wielu nomów ciężko było mi wybrać tego jedynego, jednakże w końcu i tak mi się udało. Dorcas, Angalo i Masklin to moi ulubieńcy, aczkolwiek wynalazca jednak mimo wszystko i tak wysuwa się na prowadzenie!
Jeśli chcecie poznać świat z perspektywy nomów, uciec ze sklepu, przejechać się ciężarówką, żyć w kamieniołomie, lecieć na gęsi, by w końcu uciec do gwiazd kosmicznym statkiem, a wszystko to w otoczeniu nomiej inteligencji i uroczego, infantylnego postrzegania świata "ludzi" to "Księgi Nomów", spisane przez Gurdera, są absolutnie przeznaczone dla Was!
December 1, 2019
I grew up reading Terry Pratchett, and this is a fantastic book full of lots of humour and adventure. The book itself has a really nice design and is well made.
December 19, 2007
I was perusing the library's catalog last week & noticed they had a Pterry book I hadn't read yet: The Bromeliad Trilogy: Truckers, Diggers, and Wings.
In the first of the 3 books, we meet Masklin, the putative leader of a small band of Nomes, trying desperately to survive in the English countryside. Only 4 inches high, but stockily built, they have evaded human attention (more or less) for many, many years. His tribe hitchhikes on a truck and ends up at The Store - which is inhabited by thousands of their compatriots.
Naturally, there's a culture clash, but when The Thing (a mysterious artifact that Masklin's tribe has guarded for generations) comes to life and tells them the Store is to be demolished in a few weeks' time, they must band together. The second and third books deal with their further adventures after escaping the store and discovering their true heritage.
Once again, Terry Pratchett covers some meaningful topics in the guise of entertainment: fear of The Other and insular viewpoints vs. being aware that there's something bigger out there for you to explore; as well as class struggles and the Religious vs. the Scientific. He pokes fun at all of these (sometimes gently, other times not so much) as he shows that they all must find a middle ground for society to truly succeed. The story behind the trilogy's name (not explained until the second book) is a lovely parable.
I found myself thinking of Mary Norton's Borrowers, but the Nomes are much more realistic and a lot more fun for adults to read about. Recommended to fans of The Little People who have a sense of humor.
In the first of the 3 books, we meet Masklin, the putative leader of a small band of Nomes, trying desperately to survive in the English countryside. Only 4 inches high, but stockily built, they have evaded human attention (more or less) for many, many years. His tribe hitchhikes on a truck and ends up at The Store - which is inhabited by thousands of their compatriots.
Naturally, there's a culture clash, but when The Thing (a mysterious artifact that Masklin's tribe has guarded for generations) comes to life and tells them the Store is to be demolished in a few weeks' time, they must band together. The second and third books deal with their further adventures after escaping the store and discovering their true heritage.
Once again, Terry Pratchett covers some meaningful topics in the guise of entertainment: fear of The Other and insular viewpoints vs. being aware that there's something bigger out there for you to explore; as well as class struggles and the Religious vs. the Scientific. He pokes fun at all of these (sometimes gently, other times not so much) as he shows that they all must find a middle ground for society to truly succeed. The story behind the trilogy's name (not explained until the second book) is a lovely parable.
I found myself thinking of Mary Norton's Borrowers, but the Nomes are much more realistic and a lot more fun for adults to read about. Recommended to fans of The Little People who have a sense of humor.
February 7, 2008
This is a children's novel (most of my favorite books are children's books). A bunch of nomes.... try to find their way home. There are lots of great barbs towards religion (some of the nomes live in a giant Store, and semi-worship "Arnold Bros (est. 1905)". They have religious wars over whether or not there is anything outside of the store - the main argument of the "store only" faction being that The Store has "Everything Under One Roof", so.. duh - nothing else outside! Their arch nemesis is Prices Slashed, who wanders the hallways at night, with his horrifying beam of light!
But.. it's cute, and it's funny, and I'll probably finish the trilogy by the end of the week.
But.. it's cute, and it's funny, and I'll probably finish the trilogy by the end of the week.
August 11, 2019
if your just coming to learn who Terry Pratchett is i must say you have to start here if you like theses then you will have no problem with disc world.
honestly once you finished the books you will be like wow must read them again i give this a massive 10/10 but i have to say my mother in law got me in to it and now im Pratchett crazy
honestly once you finished the books you will be like wow must read them again i give this a massive 10/10 but i have to say my mother in law got me in to it and now im Pratchett crazy
May 12, 2022
Not a weak link in this trilogy
Read
July 8, 2017Note: Pratchett originally published Truckers, Diggers, and Wings as three separate volumes. The omnibus volume is titled The Bromeliad.
A bromeliad is a flower that grows on the tops of trees in the South American rain forest. Water accumulates in the flowers and tiny frogs live there. The swim around, mate with other frogs, lay eggs, do what frogs do, and die and the life cycle renews itself with the next batch of tadpoles. We’d call it a microcosm.
So what does a bromeliad have to do with nomes (minus the g)? Everything.
For thousands of years, nomes have lived on Earth, hiding in the walls and floors, the bushes and scrub brush. Their sense of time is much faster than humans who are slow and clumsy to them (and very big), and speak like records on the wrong speed (though one would think that nomes sound like records on too high a speed for the human ear). Thousands of nomes have lived in The Store, Arnold Bros. (est. 1905). They have food and clothing, books (though few nomes can read), central air and heat, and even religion. The nomes in The Store never go Outside. They no longer believe that an Outside even exists, just Arnold Bros. (est. 1905), who built The Store for them. The Store nomes don’t believe what is so readily apparent to the reader: they live in a microcosm.
The Plot
Outside nomes come to The Store with their Thing (a sophisticated computer). The Store nomes have trouble believing in Outside, and believing that these nomes came from beyond the confines of The Store where “Everything Is Under One Roof.” The Thing announces that The Store will be demolished in a matter of days and the nomes must go. Rather reluctantly go, they do, with a couple of emergent leaders: Masklin and Grimma, two Outside nomes, Gurder, the abbot, Dorcas, the engineer, and Angalo, a young nome who likes machines.
The nomes leave The Store and settle in a quarry about five miles away. Eventually though, they come to the realization that they must leave the quarry also--the quarry is no longer safe for them since humans keep invading. Dorcas and Grimma are left to deal with the humans that come closer and closer to discovering the nomes every day, battling starvation, and ultimately escaping the quarry. In the meantime, the Thing tells Masklin that nomes aren’t originally from earth, but from somewhere else in the universe. Masklin, Gurder and Angalo begin a quest to find a way to the nomes’ spaceship, parked on the moon (what’s a fantasy novel without a quest?). The trio meets other nomes in their quest and realizes that the world is a lot bigger than they had previously thought.
The Point
And that’s the point. Don’t many of us live in our own little microcosms, completely unaware of the rest of the world, or in this case, the universe? I’ve come into contact with the provincial attitudes of Pratchett’s nomes so many times. When I went off to college in Arkansas, two thousand miles away from my hometown, I was amazed by how many students were from that state and still live there. When I returned to my hometown for my ten-year high school reunion, most of my classmates actually lived in town or within driving distance.
Travel is one way, possibly the most traditional, to break out of our microcosms, to experience new things. Learning in all forms is another. Now we have the internet to reach out to people of different cultures and backgrounds with telephones and satellites.
Another theme that appears, toward the end of the book, theorizes that humans are lonely. We are lonely here on our planet, isolated from everything else in a vast sea of nothingness, and that’s why we’ve invented pixies and leprechauns and Star Trek and have experts in extraterrestrial life when we’ve never come in contact with it. We want our microcosm to be a part of something greater.
The Writing
Terry Pratchett is his usual dry-witted self in The Bromeliad. Though this book is not nearly as hysterically funny as the Discworld series, The Bromeliad holds it own while Pratchett skewers conventional thought once again. (Another of Pratchett’s favorite themes seems to be the equality of women and The Bromeliad is no exception. After all, if women are taught to read, their heads might explode. Too bad he’s British or Terry Pratchett would have my vote for President, or at the very least, President of NOW.)
Conclusion
Like most of Pratchett’s writing, this book has two levels: the first is merely for entertainment and diversion, completely suitable for children and adults alike. The second level is the one that makes us think about “the way things are” in our microcosms, on the off-chance that we just might ask a couple of questions, or look over the tip of the petal and discover other frogs living in other flowers on top of other trees.
A bromeliad is a flower that grows on the tops of trees in the South American rain forest. Water accumulates in the flowers and tiny frogs live there. The swim around, mate with other frogs, lay eggs, do what frogs do, and die and the life cycle renews itself with the next batch of tadpoles. We’d call it a microcosm.
So what does a bromeliad have to do with nomes (minus the g)? Everything.
For thousands of years, nomes have lived on Earth, hiding in the walls and floors, the bushes and scrub brush. Their sense of time is much faster than humans who are slow and clumsy to them (and very big), and speak like records on the wrong speed (though one would think that nomes sound like records on too high a speed for the human ear). Thousands of nomes have lived in The Store, Arnold Bros. (est. 1905). They have food and clothing, books (though few nomes can read), central air and heat, and even religion. The nomes in The Store never go Outside. They no longer believe that an Outside even exists, just Arnold Bros. (est. 1905), who built The Store for them. The Store nomes don’t believe what is so readily apparent to the reader: they live in a microcosm.
The Plot
Outside nomes come to The Store with their Thing (a sophisticated computer). The Store nomes have trouble believing in Outside, and believing that these nomes came from beyond the confines of The Store where “Everything Is Under One Roof.” The Thing announces that The Store will be demolished in a matter of days and the nomes must go. Rather reluctantly go, they do, with a couple of emergent leaders: Masklin and Grimma, two Outside nomes, Gurder, the abbot, Dorcas, the engineer, and Angalo, a young nome who likes machines.
The nomes leave The Store and settle in a quarry about five miles away. Eventually though, they come to the realization that they must leave the quarry also--the quarry is no longer safe for them since humans keep invading. Dorcas and Grimma are left to deal with the humans that come closer and closer to discovering the nomes every day, battling starvation, and ultimately escaping the quarry. In the meantime, the Thing tells Masklin that nomes aren’t originally from earth, but from somewhere else in the universe. Masklin, Gurder and Angalo begin a quest to find a way to the nomes’ spaceship, parked on the moon (what’s a fantasy novel without a quest?). The trio meets other nomes in their quest and realizes that the world is a lot bigger than they had previously thought.
The Point
And that’s the point. Don’t many of us live in our own little microcosms, completely unaware of the rest of the world, or in this case, the universe? I’ve come into contact with the provincial attitudes of Pratchett’s nomes so many times. When I went off to college in Arkansas, two thousand miles away from my hometown, I was amazed by how many students were from that state and still live there. When I returned to my hometown for my ten-year high school reunion, most of my classmates actually lived in town or within driving distance.
Travel is one way, possibly the most traditional, to break out of our microcosms, to experience new things. Learning in all forms is another. Now we have the internet to reach out to people of different cultures and backgrounds with telephones and satellites.
Another theme that appears, toward the end of the book, theorizes that humans are lonely. We are lonely here on our planet, isolated from everything else in a vast sea of nothingness, and that’s why we’ve invented pixies and leprechauns and Star Trek and have experts in extraterrestrial life when we’ve never come in contact with it. We want our microcosm to be a part of something greater.
The Writing
Terry Pratchett is his usual dry-witted self in The Bromeliad. Though this book is not nearly as hysterically funny as the Discworld series, The Bromeliad holds it own while Pratchett skewers conventional thought once again. (Another of Pratchett’s favorite themes seems to be the equality of women and The Bromeliad is no exception. After all, if women are taught to read, their heads might explode. Too bad he’s British or Terry Pratchett would have my vote for President, or at the very least, President of NOW.)
Conclusion
Like most of Pratchett’s writing, this book has two levels: the first is merely for entertainment and diversion, completely suitable for children and adults alike. The second level is the one that makes us think about “the way things are” in our microcosms, on the off-chance that we just might ask a couple of questions, or look over the tip of the petal and discover other frogs living in other flowers on top of other trees.
June 26, 2020
The (g)nomes have to leave their home, all ten of them, as the ressources decline and they can't find enough food for everybody. They climb onto a lorry and hope that it will bring them to a place where they can live.
The lorry brings them to a department store, and what do you know - there live other nomes!
The nomes are the intelligent people here, though some of them have their suspicions about the humans, who may sound weird and mooing but look disturbingly similiar to themselves - only so much bigger.
This was not what I expected it to be, and that's the fault of the German translation who uses "Nomen" for the nomes - which means noun. The name of the trilogy is Nomenklature which is a grammatical term. Don't know how they work with it, as I waited all these years to read the original version.
It was fun. Not as silly as Discworld, but still. I had planned on reading the third book next week, after the Magical Readathon's Hogsmeade Trip, but realised I can't leave them after reading two thirs of the story and finished it yesterday.
The lorry brings them to a department store, and what do you know - there live other nomes!
The nomes are the intelligent people here, though some of them have their suspicions about the humans, who may sound weird and mooing but look disturbingly similiar to themselves - only so much bigger.
This was not what I expected it to be, and that's the fault of the German translation who uses "Nomen" for the nomes - which means noun. The name of the trilogy is Nomenklature which is a grammatical term. Don't know how they work with it, as I waited all these years to read the original version.
It was fun. Not as silly as Discworld, but still. I had planned on reading the third book next week, after the Magical Readathon's Hogsmeade Trip, but realised I can't leave them after reading two thirs of the story and finished it yesterday.
June 9, 2019
I love Pratchett he always has a way of describing our world but with another element. This time it’s nomes who find each other, one set living in a department store the others the outsiders who find their way into the store and this where the adventures begin. This book is all three stories together and I think my favourite was wings the last in the series as it takes all the concepts built in the first two and brings them together for a fast paced and thoughtful journey for the nomes and reader too. It will make you think how you view the world and your little piece of home and your place in it. As always Terry Pratchett delivers in a good story with a thought provoking side. Read it you won’t be disappointed
January 30, 2024
A wonderful omnibus containing the three stories of the Nomes by Terry Pratchett. It's full of whimsy, wonder and large doses of classic Pratchett humour, albeit with a family friendly slant.
Well told stories, equal parts enjoyable and engrossing with good pacing and loveable characters.
A pleasure for the young and the young at heart.
PS - this is the first Pratchett book I've read from this period in his life for many years and it was genuinely heartwarming to be back in his presence again.
RIP Sir Terry.
Well told stories, equal parts enjoyable and engrossing with good pacing and loveable characters.
A pleasure for the young and the young at heart.
PS - this is the first Pratchett book I've read from this period in his life for many years and it was genuinely heartwarming to be back in his presence again.
RIP Sir Terry.
September 30, 2020
Funny, clever, adventurous, and provocative.
A pseudo-allegory about struggling from provincial superstitions toward rationalism, wrapped up in a highly entertaining and comedic quest/adventure story, that strikes me as unparalleled even with twenty additional years of reading behind me. It's got elements of Asimovian or Clarke-esque sci-fi anthropology, tropes from post-apocalyptic group survival stories, and of course, Pratchett's signature absurdist wit and gift for imparting plausibility where there ought to be none.
Looking forward to reading these again.
A pseudo-allegory about struggling from provincial superstitions toward rationalism, wrapped up in a highly entertaining and comedic quest/adventure story, that strikes me as unparalleled even with twenty additional years of reading behind me. It's got elements of Asimovian or Clarke-esque sci-fi anthropology, tropes from post-apocalyptic group survival stories, and of course, Pratchett's signature absurdist wit and gift for imparting plausibility where there ought to be none.
Looking forward to reading these again.
October 8, 2021
--tiny people try to make their way in a big world.
I re-read the first book in the series, then went on to finish the other three. I have to say I liked the first one best. In Truckers, the world-building, themes, and plot came together in a way they didn't manage to in either Diggers and Wings. The places were the series shines are about what people are like. The way they belief what they would prefer to be true. The need to coordinate, and how hard that is to do.
I re-read the first book in the series, then went on to finish the other three. I have to say I liked the first one best. In Truckers, the world-building, themes, and plot came together in a way they didn't manage to in either Diggers and Wings. The places were the series shines are about what people are like. The way they belief what they would prefer to be true. The need to coordinate, and how hard that is to do.
September 19, 2022
This was a good Terry Pratchett book. A fun and witty story with interesting characters. It got better along the way and I was close to giving four stars. But I must admit that I enjoyed this less than some of the discworld series. I just kind of miss the discworld, and although this here is fun and cute, it just isn't as perfect without death and the watch, haha. I am sorry, I have high expectations and for this only I am to blame. I still recommend this book series, it's really an entertaining book and I loved the Thing a lot. That was the best character of the book for me, haha!!
December 5, 2019
Lots of smile-worthy moments and even a few out-loud chuckles.
April 8, 2020
Like a lot of project this is a fun and easy read. A great distraction right now
February 7, 2022
10/10 will be giving to my niece when she can read idk when babies learn to read she's like 3 idk if that's young or old
March 4, 2024
A very funny but insightful story which explores some fairly deep concepts in an accessible way. First read this as a kid and decided to reread a an adult an equally enjoyable.
April 15, 2024
Not what I usually read, very good.
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