【Product Information】
From one of the bestselling science fiction and fantasy authors and most beloved storytellers of all time comes a truly unmissable and beautifully illustrated collection of rediscovered short stories
INCLUDES A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN NEW SHORT STORY
With a foreword by Neil Gaiman
‘A fantastic collection of short stories… A must have for Terry Pratchett fans’ ***** Reader review
‘Keeps you entertained right to the end. I was mesmerized throughout and could not put it down’ ***** Reader review
‘Excellent, often laugh-out-loud early works. . . There isn’t a bad story in the bunch’ Publishers Weekly
From the multi-million copy bestselling author of the Discworld series, discover a truly unmissable collection of lost short stories, as well as a never-before-seen, recently found new tale.
Written under a pseudonym in the 1970s and 80s, these early tales hint at the worlds the legendary Sir Terry Pratchett would go on to create, containing all his trademark wit, satirical wisdom and fantastic imagination.
Through these stories, you’ll meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; go on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, and discover many more adventures…
Whether you’re looking for a title for a seasoned Pratchett reader or someone starting from the beginning, this incredible collection is perfect for any science-fiction and fantasy fan.
Readers love A Stroke of the Pen:
‘A real pleasure… full of the wit, fun and acute observation that made Pratchett such a successful and well-loved author’ ***** Reader review
‘Sir Terry did not disappoint… This book is an absolute must-read for any fans of Terry Pratchett, or for new fans-in-the-making who enjoy humorous and clever fantasy stories’ ***** Reader review
‘The greatest writer of all’ ***** Reader review
‘A delightful read from start to finish, perfect for longtime fans of Pratchett’s work and those wholly new to his writing’ ***** Reader review
‘A treasure trove glistening with lost gems’ Financial Times
‘Funny, sharp, warm, wise and always so, so readable’ Daily Mail
‘This delightful collection is inventive, entertaining and a little quirky, often with a twisty end’ Independent
‘Shows the beginnings of one of the UK’s best fantasy writers… A treat for seasoned fans and newcomers’ Sun
‘There’s much here to delight the open-minded, the fantasy aficionado and the Pratchett completist’ Observer
‘These early stories show Pratchett’s remarkable ability to poke fun at the absurdity of the real world through fantasy…much to love in these clever, funny, and tightly written tales’ Booklist
‘The earliest seeds of what later became Discworld are there for readers who still miss his inimitable style’ Library Journal
【Author Information】
Terry Pratchett
Sir 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.
