Listen to Top 100 Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

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Title: Thud!

Subtitle: Discworld #30

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Stephen Briggs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-09-05

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2227 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Centuries earlier, in a hellhole called Koom Valley, trolls met dwarfs in bloody combat. Though nobody's quite sure why they fought or who actually won, each species still bears the cultural scars and views the other with simmering animosity. Lately, an influential dwarf, Grag Hamcrusher, has been fomenting unrest among Ankh-Morpork's more diminutive citizens. And it doesn't help matters when the pint-size provocateur is discovered beaten to death, with a troll club lying nearby.

Vimes knows the well-being of his city depends on his ability to solve the Hamcrusher homicide. But there's more than one corpse waiting for him in the vast mine network the dwarfs have been excavating beneath Ankh-Morpork's streets. A deadly puzzle is pulling Sam Vimes deep into the muck and mire of superstition, hatred, and fear, and perhaps all the way to Koom Valley itself.

Critic Reviews:

"Pratchett's fantastic imagination and satirical wit are on full display." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Better with each novel

Pratchett started out writing unusually good satire, began to develop character and story, became better and better at all three. With Thud! he goes beyond satire to allegory, makes characters breathe before our eyes and tells a story that is both painful and triumphant.

This is not the book to start reading Pratchett however. Go back to Men at Arms, then on to Feet of Clay, Jingo, The Fifth Elephant, and after going through the power of Night Watch you will be ready for Thud. Of course there are many other Pratchett stories to read in addition, these are just the ones that concentrate on Sam Vimes.

Reviews always mention how funny these books are. They are funny. But they are a great deal more than that.

Irony, parody and some really great laughs

Terry Pratchett's latest Vime's work is a wonder. Somehomw he manages to seemlessly weave parodying Da Vinci Code together with confronting the horrors of racial hatred and classic parental angst to create a story that is truly an entertaining marvel. Although, I can't say this is his best book it certainly is a lot better than some of his early work and follows his consistently trend of steady improvement. Terry Pratchett is a marvel of creative skill and talent and his latest outing is no exception to his extraordinary skill.

For Pratchett fans

Commander Vimes and the watch are back, sorting out an explosive situation between trolls and dwarves. This book shows Pratchett's characteristic clever word-play and has an underlying social commentary on fundamentalism and conflict. I enjoyed the reading very much, but cannot recommend this except to those who have already read at least six or so of Pratchett's books. The cast of characters is large, and it helps to know a lot about Vimes, Colon, Nobby, and the rest before tackling this book. This book also has an unusual lack of "Diskworld" aspects: there is a bit of magic, but the world seems a little less weird than the world in most of Prachett's novels.

A Pratchett Masterpiece

It is hard to write a review of your favorite Sam Vimes/Discworld book. Nothing is good enough - I have enjoyed listening to it many many times, in between other audios, about a month goes by and I am in the mood to hear it again.

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Title: Monstrous Regiment

Subtitle: Discworld #31

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Stephen Briggs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-23-04

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1916 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Ever since her brother Paul marched off to battle a year ago, Polly Perks has been running The Duchess, her family's inn, even though the revered national deity, Nuggan, has decreed that female ownership of a business is an Abomination. To keep The Duchess in the family, Polly must find her missing sibling. So she cuts off her hair, dons masculine garb, and sets out to join him in this man's army.

Polly is afraid that someone will see through her disguise; a fear that proves groundless when the legendary Sergeant Jackrum accepts her without question. Or perhaps the sergeant is too desperate to discriminate, which would explain why a vampire, a troll, a zombie, a religious fanatic, and two uncommonly close "friends" are also eagerly welcomed into the fighting fold. Soon, Polly finds herself wondering about the myriad peculiarities of her new brothers-in-arms. It would appear that Polly "Ozzer" Perks is not the only grunt with a secret.

Critic Reviews:

"Terry Pratchett's hilarious prose is significantly enhanced by the narrative skills of Stephen Briggs....Briggs and Pratchett are magnificent." (AudioFile)

"Thoroughly funny and surprisingly insightful." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Let the Socks do the Talking

Would you consider the audio edition of Monstrous Regiment to be better than the print version?

Yes!

I always have difficulty sorting out a horde of new characters and the various voices help do that for me.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Any time one of the Igor clan is in a Discworld book I expect to see the world in a new way; and with an Igor's help that could be literal!

What does Stephen Briggs bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

As with all audiobooks you get an added dimension by hearing the story rather than reading it. Steven Briggs brings exquisite pacing and depth to the characters he becomes. I think he really understands what is being said, why it is important to the people in the scene and he loves (or hates) the characters as much as I do. I can see Sergeant Jackram, big as a bull and twice as loud; a John Madden-type in a different uniform.

Briggs doesn't just read the book, he gives it color - octarine to be precise.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Monstrous Regiment is satire, so generally you either love it or hate it. It picks at war, which I think Americans of our generation have not experienced in the same way that Europeans of the same age have, so each will see the book in a different light. There were hardships on all sides, we all lost people, but in the US we didn't lose our homes or our food supply on top of it all. The story is darkly humorous.

It also picks at fundamental religions of the type where people follow "the word" blindly and draws a clever little parallel to the Fourth Estate.

My favorite piece of the book, and the first place I laughed right out loud is paraphrased as follows:Having dismissed the newspaper reporter (i.e., war correspondent) who is reluctant to end the interview, Lt. Blouse, in full uniform with his sword across his knee says, "It is said that the pen is mightier than the sword", and while the reporter is acknowledging the statement the Lt.

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Title: The Last Continent

Subtitle: Discworld #22

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Nigel Planer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-21-03

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1292 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

It's hot. It's dry...very dry. There was this thing once called The Wet, which no one believes in. Practically everything that's not poisonous is venomous. But it's the best bloody place in the world, all right?

And it'll die in a few days, except...

Who is this hero striding across the red desert? Champion sheep shearer, horse rider, road warrior, beer drinker, bush ranger and someone who'll even eat a Meat Pie Floater when he's sober? A man in a hat whose luggage follows him on little legs, who's about to change history by preventing a swagman stealing a jumbuck by a billabong?

Yes...all this place has between itself and wind-blown doom is Rincewind the inept wizard who can't even spell wizard.

Still...no worries, eh?

Also, Terry Pratchett would like it to be known that The Last Continent is not a book about Australia. It's just vaguely Australian.

Critic Reviews:

"Pratchett is the funniest parodist working in the field today, period." (The New York Review of Science Fiction)

"Terry Pratchett is simply the best humorous writer of the 20th century. Wodehouse, Waugh, Sharpe, etc. all have their merits, sometimes considerable, but Pratchett really is a cut above the rest." (Oxford Times)

Members Reviews:

No worries, mate

Either you get it, or you don't. For those who "get" Terry Pratchett and his madcap enchantment of Discworld, this book is another delight.

Rincewind, the hapless galactic runaway, finds himself unintentionally stranded in the weird land of XXXX (pseudo-Australia).

He also runs through a string of acccidental heroics wherever his sandals set down in this sun-scorched continent. Pratchett goes to great lengths to poke fun at everything Australian (especially the names) and wonderfully entertains us in the process. Meanwhile, the

"real" wizards back at home are desperately seeking Rincewind to help them cure the Librarian. Good story, good laughs, time well wasted.

I don't think 'No Worries' means what you think.

A very entertaining read, especially after seeing the video of Rincewind getting zapped to Sydney. (youtube Run Rincewind Run!)

The story is very parochial, the plot is a very regularly defined problem; lack of The Wet. At the same time many parts of the novel are extremely original laterally creative spin-offs on modern logical theory, like the Island.

Even for Terry Pratchett, there are some wonderful 'Easter Eggs' in this book which make it a humorous gem of a read on cultural development and evolutionary theory, even if every few paragraphs someone says 'no worries,' which is not a phrase I would use in a country where sea cockroaches grow to the size of a toddler, and the snakes and giant spiders are vying for future species supremacy. I do not think it means, what you think it means Australia. Unless it's a 'Dancing in the light of your burning bridges (--with snakes on)' affectation.

4X - Australian for beer.

I was delighted that Rincewind was finally rewarded with a return to UU and boredom. The sound quality was good and I enjoyed the gently probing into the cause and effect of creation. I shall forever be alert to the dangers of pineapples, prawns and letting wizards draw animals into being.

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Title: Pyramids

Subtitle: Discworld #7

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Nigel Planer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-03

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1641 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

And then you've got to deal with all these assassins, sphinxes, huge wooden horses, mad high priests, philosophers, sacred crocodiles, gods, marching mummies, jobbing pyramid builders and Hat, the Vulture-Headed God of Unexpected Guests.

And all you really wanted was the chance to do something for young people and the inner cities.

Critic Reviews:

"There's no end to the wacky wonders...No fantasy is as consistently, inventively mad...wild and wonderful." (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine)

Members Reviews:

Almost perfect

Although Pyramids doesn't seem to be in the top ten fav list of Terry's books, it should be. It has all the normal Pratchett intricately woven craziness and I highly recommend it.

My one big gripe is not with the book, but with the narration. Nigel Planer is, in general, very good, but whoever told him how to pronounce the name of the lead feminine character should be shot.

In the annotations portion of L-Space (an on-line site devoted to Terry Pratchett that every fan should visit) they say that Terry says that the name Ptraci should be pronounced "Tracy" with a silent 'p'. Part of the reason is that the name Tracy is common British slang for a clueless female.

Throughout the entire book, Nigel insists on pronouncing the name PaTRAchee which absolutely drove me crazy. I found myself shouting "It's TRACY!!" as I drove down the road. Luckily, I have air conditioning so my windows are always rolled up (I live where it's always warm).

Nevertheless, if you can deal with PaTRAchee, it's a wonderful book in the delightful Terry Pratchett tradition.

Wonderful

Pyramids may not be my favorite Discworld novel, but I loved it nonetheless. It fits in perfectly with the rest of the Discworld universe and was absolutely wonderful to read.

My only issue is that 3-4 hours in, the narration changes from Nigel Planer to someone who sounds more like Stephen Fry and then a few more hours later it goes back to Nigel Planer (the same thing happened in Sourcery). Both voices are great for narration and it doesnt hurt the story in any way. I just found the switch to be a bit odd. Otherwise, the book is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it to anyone delving further in to the Discworld universe.

Clever as always...

I felt like all the style and feel of a Pratchett book was here but the story was somewhat lacking. A lot of clever dialogue and fun imagery as always. Nigel Planers reading is entertaining in an of itself. Still fun but not as satisfying as other TP audiobooks.

Why walk a mile with a camel?

Perhaps because camels have the most brilliant mathematical minds ever incarnate in living flesh? Well, you need Pratchett's explanation for this, but believe me, it's plausibly funny. Just in case you wonder what REALLY happened to the ancient Egyptian civilization with all its priests, slaves, and demigod-like rulers, this book provides an answer. An answer that will have you chuckling if not laughing out loud.

Stands well on its own, even if you haven't already read others of Pratchett's prolific Discworld series.

Disappointed Pratchett fan

I found this book to be tedious and overwrought with cute observations and flights of fancy that didn't really advance the story, which is unfortunately thin on substance.

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Title: Small Gods

Subtitle: Discworld #13

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Nigel Planer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-24-03

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1968 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Brutha is a simple lad. He can't read. He can't write. He's pretty good at growing melons. And his wants are few.

He wants to overthrow a huge and corrupt church. He wants to prevent a horribly holy war. He wants to stop the persecution of a philosopher who has dared to suggest that, contrary to the Church's dogma, the Discworld really does go through space on the back of an enormous turtle. (Which is true, but when has that ever mattered?) He wants peace and justice and brotherly love. He wants the Inquisition to stop torturing him now, please.

But most of all, what he really wants, more than anything else, is for his god to choose someone else...

Please note: This is a vintage recording. The audio quality may not be up to modern day standards.

Critic Reviews:

"Pratchett is the funniest parodist working in the field today, period." (The New York Review of Science Fiction)

"Terry Pratchett is simply the best humorous writer of the 20th century. Wodehouse, Waugh, Sharpe, etc. all have their merits, sometimes considerable, but Pratchett really is a cut above the rest." (Oxford Times)

Members Reviews:

Enjoyable

I thought this went on a tiny bit longer than it needed to, but overall I was very impressed. I loved Pratchett's sense of humor and enjoyed the narration very much. I have never read (or listened to) any other Pratchett novels in this series, and I didn't feel that hindered my understanding or enjoyment of this one.

More Transparently Cerebral, Flawlessly Executed

If you're coming to "Small Gods" from nearly any other Pratchett Series it may fee 'slower'; Pratchett is tackling Organized Religion here, and not in his usual appetizer portions: this is breakfast, lunch, and dinner and it takes a little more time to set the table, but never at the expense of Pratchett's trademark humor, insight, and wit.

I, too, felt this was slow; until I realized it just wasn't as manic as Pratchett's other books.

There are not only no familiar characters here (except the Librarian and Death), but there are fewer characters in general and, for a fair portion of the book there are only two making their way through the desert engaged, for the most part, in conversation.

And this is where Pratchett shows his chops: no dwarfs, no trolls asking "what be a safety catch?" No carnivorous luggage, no zombies, no wizards, no nac mac feegles; yet long after I had finished "Small Gods' I found myself thinking about the characters in this book, how they suffered, changed, and grew, and pondering the story's insights long after I had put space between me and 'Small Gods' with a number of other Pratchett greats.

I listened to 'Small Gods' again, and it was even better. and no less funny.

Come on: Planer as a self-absorbed God trapped in the body of a tortoise? This is a very, very funny book. Through and through. I not only think this is Pratchett at his best, I think this is the place Pratchett most likes to be.

I've probably converted half a dozen literary snobs to Pratchett and "Small Gods" is where I start.

Perfect narration for a perfect book

Small Gods should be considered one of the greatest books of all time.

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Title: Grass for His Pillow

Subtitle: Tales of the Otori, Book Two

Author: Lian Hearn

Narrator: Kevin Gray, Aiko Nakasone

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-12-03

Publisher: HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3360 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In Book I of the Otori trilogy,

, Lian Hearn created a wholly original, fully-realized fantasy world where great powers clashed and young love dawned against a dazzling and mystical landscape. Nightingale was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, one of Book magazine's best novels of the year, and one of School Library Journal's Best Adult Books for High School Readers.

In this second tale, we return to the story of Takeo (the young orphan taken up by the Otori Lord and now a closely held member of the Tribe) and his beloved Shirakawa Kaede, heir to the Maruyama, who must find a way to unify the domain she has inherited. In a complex social hierarchy, amid dissembling clans and fractured alliances, there is no place for passionate love. Yet Takeo and Kaede, drawing on their unusual talents and hidden strengths, find ways both to nurture their intense personal bond and to honor the best interests of their people.

Like its predecessor, Grass for His Pillow is a transcendent work of storytelling: epic in scope, shimmering with imagination, and graced in equal measure with rapturous writing and exhilarating action.

Critic Reviews:

"With quick, direct sentences like brushstrokes on a Japanese scroll, [Hearn] suggests vast and mysterious landscapes full of both menace and wonder." (Publishers Weekly)

"Lian Hearn has created a world I anticipate returning to with pleasure." (The New York Times Book Review)

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

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Title: The Fifth Elephant

Subtitle: Discworld #24

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Stephen Briggs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-03

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2458 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Sam Vines is a man on the run. Yesterday he was a duke, a chief of police, and ambassador to the mysterious, fat-rich country of Uberwald. Now he has nothing but his native wit and the gloomy trousers of Uncle Vanya. And if he can't make it through the forest to civilization, there's going to be a terrible war. But there are monsters on his trail. They're werewolves - and they're catching up. Sam Vines is out of time and already out of breath...

©1999 Terry and Lyn Pratchett; (P)2000 Isis Publishing, Ltd.

Critic Reviews:

"Unadulterated fun. Pratchett parodies everything in sight." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Members Reviews:

Discworld: Worth Visiting Again and Again

Terry Pratchett's Discworld is custom-made for audio. Even though I own and have read (and re-read) every one of his Discworld novels, listening to them lets me experience them with the fullness of leisurely thought and imagination.

With my purchase of The Fifth Elephant, we now own all 22 of Terry Pratchett's titles that have been released by Audible.com, and would be extremely grateful if Audible would add the missing titles as soon as possible

All Hail Sir Pratchett

For once they knighted the right man in Sir Pratchett. This 'Watchmen' audiobook and its fellows are the perfect antidote to the boredom of commuting or queues. The escapades of Sir Samuel Vimes and his cadre, this time in out of Ankh-Morpork and into the werewolf-ridden steppes of Uberwald, are as always not just fantasy, or fiction, or humour, but ethics and science and sociology and pathos.

Unlike a few other reviewers, I prefer Mr. Briggs's narration/direction to Nigel Planer's: the female characters no longer sound like the Kray Brothers, and there is a Welsh cadence in the voices of dwarves of all heights, look you.

Warning: listening to this in public will draw strange looks as you laugh out loud.

I look forward to the next 'Watchmen' audiobook.

Tough start but triumphs

I really miss Nigel Planer. It takes a good hour to 'get into' Mr Briggs. But once I adjusted to the characters new voices, I was engrossed in this wonderful fantasy. The story examines new characters and gives some interesting personal developments. Plots within plots and fanciful fun really make this another entertaining book in the series.

A Surprise Favorite

I had put off getting this discworld book because the name and description just didn't interest me. What a surprise it was to find that it is now one of my favorites in the 'Sam Vimes' books. He travels with his wife into political intrigue and exciting experiences with werewolves, vampires, and dwarves. There is also a great side plot of sorts between Capt. Carrot & Lt Angula. I am about to listen to it a third time...

(please excuse any mispellings in the names since I only get the audiobooks)

Wonderful

As usual, this Discworld book is wonderfully done. Stephen Briggs uses a number of accents that convey cultural meaning in this world as well as they might in the Discworld. He also chooses voices that are spot-on the characters as I imagined when I was reading the book. Detritus sounds like I think a troll might, whereas in previous audiobooks he might sound like an enthusiastic Scotsman.

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Title: Maskerade

Subtitle: Discworld #18

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Nigel Planer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-04-03

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1395 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The Opera House, Ankh-Morpork...a huge, rambling building, where innocent young sopranos are lured to their destiny by a strangely familiar evil mastermind in a hideously-deformed evening dress...

At least, he hopes so. But Granny Weatherwax, Discworld's most famous witch, is in the audience. And she doesn't hold with that sort of thing.

So there's going to be trouble (but nevertheless a good evening's entertainment with murders you really hum...)

Critic Reviews:

"Consistently, inventively mad...wild and wonderful!" (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine)

"The funniest parodist working in the field today." ( New York Review of Science Fiction)

Members Reviews:

A Couple of Nights at the Opera

The Marx brothers would have been green with envy at the savaging given opera here (Wagner - 3 days of the gods screaming at each other interspersed with about 20 minutes of good tunes). This one had me laughing out loud during my commute - on I-95! - in Southeast Florida, no less! Pratchett is at the top of his form in this one. Even though I have a slight preference for the novels about the night watch, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg get in to mischief that is some of the author's best (try the chocolate pudding with SPECIAL sauce). Listen, it's great. And so is Nigel Planer's reading, as always.

Great Fun

Terry Pratchett had a great time poking fun at opera and I had a great time listening. Almost as good as Night Watch. One of my favorite authors and readers.

-show must go on- definitely go on listening

This story follows right after Witches Abroad and is even better. It introduces a new witch (who was mentioned slightly before) and the character is very likeable. It has murder mystery and show must go on with interfering witches humor. Very engaging plot. If you like opera you will enjoy the references and if you hate opera you will laugh out loud at those references to the same. The story is great, the author and the narrator are so perfect together, I think both of their talents must have come to being in some intrinsically magical and definitely related way.

Never trust a man who spells out his laughter.

You won't need a history with opera to LOVE this book! I heartily recommend it, despite my shaky rating. I just wish Nigel Planer had diversified his characters a bit more.

In Pratchett's Carpe Jugulum, Agnes and Perdita have very different accents, and are clearly defined from the narration. I own Maskerade in print. I bought the audible in order to hear Planer's play on Agnes's vocal audition, and how he pulls off a sentence with multiple exclamation marks. Perhaps Planer is simply too sane to manage it, or he didn't want to deafen us.

Although his performance may not have met my over-enthusiasm, he does give a rock solid story. He won't ever blow your ear drums out, and you'll never have to fidget with your volume settings. Also, his interpretation of Greebo is absolutely the BEST I've heard!

There are less outright jokes, and more witty jabs in this book then Pratchett's other witch novels, but it was still a fun read.

It's a hoot!

The Discworld novels are great fun. They are light fare and not too deep or thought provoking, yet if you look closely they often have a point or two to make. This one is no exception.

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Title: Eric

Subtitle: Discworld #9

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Stephen Briggs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-14-03

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1126 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Eric is 14, lives on the famed and magical Discworld, and is the first ever demonology hacker. Fortunately, he doesn't succeed in raising any devils, but he does raise Rincewind (the most incompetent wizard in the universe) and the Luggage (the world's most dangerous travel accessory).

When Eric turns them loose on an unprotected world, the idea is that Rincewind will grant him his three rather adolescent wishes. You know, the usual three - live forever, rule the world, meet the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Simple, really.

Getting marooned at dawn of Time, changing the future, and meeting history's most embarrassing god is only the start. Creating life on the Discworld is a mere detail. Because Rincewind ends up going through Hell. Literally.

Browse all

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Critic Reviews:

"He is screamingly funny. He is wise. He has style." (Daily Telegraph)

Members Reviews:

Good things in small packages.

Despite having this in print, I avoided purchasing the audiobook for a long time because of its shortness and because I had it in my mind that this is one of his lesser works - it is not. Pratchett's limitless command of the English language, his razor sharp world view and martini-dry sense of humor should make him a national treasure. It may only be 3-1/2 hours long, but you will never find a more superbly crafted 3-1/2 hours. Who else could cover the big bang, governemnt, religion, the fall of Troy, and what to do with with a half naked parrot in 3-1/2 hours? Like the previous reviewer, I laughed out loud during my commute.

Ah, Pratchett

I almost didn't download this one because it is much shorter than the other Discworld novels. After listening to all the others, I decided to go ahead and try it. I'm so glad I did. This book is a little gem in the Discworld crown. Better even than some of the longer ones. Get it. It's worth it.

Excellent

The story was great and Briggs' performance was excellent.

Rincewind saves the day!

The only problem with this story is that it's too short and I want to know what happens next! Rincewind is my favorite anti hero. He always wins if only because he has perfected the art of running away.

Short but fantastic.

I love to listen and wonder what he is going to parody next! I particularly liked the Helen of Troy and Trojan war references. Hilarious!

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Title: Moving Pictures

Subtitle: Discworld #10

Author: Terry Pratchett

Narrator: Nigel Planer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-24-03

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1525 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Thrill as Victor Tugelbend ("Can't sing. Can't dance. Can handle a sword a little.") and Theda Withel ("I come from a little town you've probably never even heard of") battle the forces of evil and cinema advertising...

Scream as Gaspode the Wonder Dog nearly saves the day...

Eat popcorn as you watch the filming of Blown Away, the oddest Civil War picture ever made... "A Passionate Saga set Against the Background of a World Gone Mad! With a Thousand Elephants!"

(And afterwards, why not dine at Harga's House of Ribs, for the best in international cuisine; only two minutes from this book...).

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Critic Reviews:

"Philosophical humor of the highest order." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Unadulterated fun. Pratchett parodies everything in sight." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Members Reviews:

The narration really adds something

As the other reviewers noted, Nigel Planer adds something special to the narration of this audiobook.

Although I'm a Terry Pratchett fan, I never thought much of "Moving Pictures." I feel the book is an uncomfortable transition from his earlier Discworld novels, where he mostly parodied the characters and themes of typical fantasy novels, to his later Discworld books, in which he satirizes aspects of modern society. "Moving Pictures" is a rather unsubtle poke at the movie industry; I think Pratchett has done better.

I've listened to Nigel Planer read other Terry Pratchett books, and I thought I'd give this one a try. I'm glad I did. Somehow, Planer's itnerpretations smooths out Pratchett's rough spots. I enjoyed listening to "Moving Pictures" much more than I enjoyed reading it years ago. This is a case where a skilled reader can make a big difference in how you appreciate a book.

Funny and smart. Escapism at its best.

Nigel Planer does an amazing job bringing Terry Pratchett's characters to life. From Gaspode the Wonder Dog's dry wit to Victor's inept heroism, Moving Pictures is full of belly-quaaking laughs. If you have enjoyed other books in the Discworld setiers, I am sure you will be equally pleased with this one.

If you haven't read any Pratchett novels, I started the series at Audible with Rincewind in the first book. Moving Pictures is my twelfth (and defintiely not the last I will read) in the series. The Discworld series does an incredible job of lightening my usually heavy reading list of serious non-fiction. So I heartily recommend this and the rest of the Discworld series.

Great as usual

Nigel Planer adds a whole layer to this book that I didn't do while reading it. I am usually reading so fast that I miss some of the smaller details, such as the accent that Rock and Morrie have. It's the same as Fat Bastard from Austin Powers, and I would never have 'read' it that way from the printed text.

A new fantasy twist

No one is more imaginative than Pratchett at creating pastiches of different fantasy worlds. Incorporating the budding years of the movie industry into Discworld was a brilliant idea. Early Hollywood was all about fantasies and dreams and Pratchett takes advantage of all the opportunities to play on the possibilities of Hollywood fantasies on top of "traditional" fantasy fiction. That said, the underlying story is one Pratchett has used multiple times.