Raising Steam
By Terry Pratchett
- Release Date: 2014-03-18
- Genre: Fantasy
Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The international bestselling author of the hilarious Discworld series—a writer who’s been compared to Mark Twain and Kurt Vonnegut—introduces the first steam engine into his complex, zany fantasy world.
“Everything that makes Pratchett one of the world’s most delightful writers.” —Cory Doctorow, author of Boing Boing
Mister Simnel has produced a great clanging monster of a machine that harnesses the power of all the elements—earth, air, fire, and water—and it’s soon drawing astonished crowds. To the consternation of Ankh-Morpork’s formidable Patrician, Lord Vetinari, no one is in charge of this new invention. Who better to take the lead than the man he has already appointed master of the Post Office, the Mint and the Royal Bank?
Moist von Lipwig is not a man who enjoys hard work—unless it is dependent on words, which are not very heavy and don’t always need greasing. He does enjoy being alive, however, which makes a new job offer from Vetinari hard to refuse. Moist will have to grapple with gallons of grease, goblins, a controller with a history of throwing employees down the stairs, and some very angry dwarfs if he’s going to stop it all from going off the rails.
Reviews
Raising Steam by Terr Pratchett
5By Ellen BierhorstCapital! [Or would that be ‘capitol’?] Never a disappointing moment, a rollicking ride through delicious plot twists and all with the inimitable Pratchett “joie d’écrire”!Fantastic as always
5By JayWLeoEasy to read, a deep plot, engaging characters, an exceptional way to bring in old favorites.Good but not great
4By jo jo devilAnother good disc book, but a bit lackluster compared to other Lipwig storiesSir Pratchett's Finale?
5By TaierAs an avid fan of Sir Pratchett's Discworld, reading this book was both a joy, and somewhat mournful. This particular story seems to lack the wit and cynicism typical of his earlier works. While still a compelling read, a small part of me felt as though this book was Sir Pratchett's way of saying goodbye to his beloved characters of Ankh Morpork. Suffering from Alzheimer's, writing has been difficult for the famed author in his latter years, and this book didn't feel like it had the wit and tounge-in-cheek attitude his works usually have. That said, I devoured this story, and Sir Pratchett's gift of storytelling, his characters, and his understanding of human nature are strong as ever. If this is to be his final chapter of Discworld, it is a fitting end. I truly hope this is not the case,and pray for another book from Sir Terry soon.A Purpose.....
4By Lost DepthMoist, Vimes, and Veternari among others put in appearances in an enjoyable read about technology coming to the Disc. Avid Terry Pratchett fans might notice that the circular logic used may be just a little too circular, and the humor is not quite as off-beat and lopsided as usual. As a reader, instead of the usual oblivious and enjoyable ride in the back seat, I found myself being imbued with a purpose....as Mr..Pratchett might say, all of my fangles were encouraged to be new ones while reading this book. Nevertheless, worth reading if only for the exploration of the difference between species.Vintage Pratchett
5By PfosingerI've read and loved every one of Mr. Pratchett's books, and this one stands with the best of them. Considering recent health reports, I had imagined he would be winding down, but this shows no evidence of that at all. I'm looking forward to finishing this one so I can start it over.Raising Steam
5By BelleShadowFunny and deep as only Pratchett does it.