Rating: 
Summary: The Truth About Pratchett
Review: This book is the best example of why people read Terry Pratchett. Disc World, in Pratchett's hands, becomes a real place that never stops growing, changing, evolving. Pratchett takes our world and everything we know and turns it on it's head with wit and humor. He makes us look at ourselves, our history, our culture and see us for the bizarre beings we really have become.In this novel, Pratchett introduces some completely new elements: The Printing Press and the gung-ho, tell-the-TRUTH-at-all-costs reporter determined to blow the lid off of seamy underbelly of Ankh Morpork. Of course, nobody wants the truth - the REAL truth - to come out. As in real life, the people involved in the TRUTH don't want their business known - like what actually goes into making the meat pies that Dibbler sells - and the people take a "what I don't know won't hurt me" attitude. One good thing about this novel is that the main characters are new to the series. The new-comer to reading Pratchett doesn't need to rely on knowledge from previous books to catch on to what's going on here. Plus, you'll enjoy characters, and the city itself is a character, that are fully drawn with motivations, wit, charm ... even the trolls have a certain appeal. It makes for a good introduction to the series for those that don't want to start at the beginning - altho doing so is HIGHLY recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great Job - Sometimes the Truth Hurts!
Review: This is one of my all-time favorite Discworld novels - up there with "Men at Arms" and "Last Continent." Basically, William de Worde, younger son of one of Ankh-Morpork's most powerful rich men, seeks the truth, not only for his own class but for all levels of people. He begins as a private reporter for foreign dignitaries and ends up opening "The Ankh-Morpork Times," an upright and very nosy newspaper that seeks to find out the truth behind a plot to replace Vetinari with an impostor and take over the city. This obviously enrages his traditional father as well as just about everyone else, including Vimes and the Watch who don;t know quite what to do with William. Is he on their side or on his own side? Should they eliminate him or leave him alone to be useful? I thought the book was very good. Contrary to what some people say, I liked William and most of his staff. I didn't think William was a wimpy character - at least toward the end. He didn't compromise his principles, and he stood up to everyone - Vimes, Vetinari, the thugs Pin and Tulip, even his own father. He is one of the few upper class characters (like Sybil and Vetinari) that are actually nice and fair. He proves that being from a rich family does not make one an automatic snob - a refreshing point. It is worth reading this book just to see the surprise on the faces of Vimes and the gulid leaders when Slant tells them that William is within his rights to print unfavorable news about them, and they can't censor or stop him (at least legally). While the good guys were decent characters, Pin and Tulip (especially Pin) were disgusting but not new - the usual deranged villains (like Teatime, Carcer, etc. in other books). The -ing got a bit old, but Tulip's skill with art was funny. I just wish the they were better cast. Sacharissa and the dwarves were very funny, especially Goodmountain and his love for gold. But the best of all was the vampire Otto. It is worth it just to see a vampire photographer in action. Watching him explode or whatever everytime he flashed the camera was funny - it didn't get old, it was funny to watch him and see how William dealt with "putting him back together after." One other minor problem - I didn't understand about the dark light, but that was just me, not Pratchett's fault. All in all, a great book, even if only to see Otto. 5 stars!
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't entrance me
Review: 2 stars only as compared to the rest of Pratchett's novels. As a general book, I'd give it at least 3.5.
This book had something missing. Some of it was amusing, secondary characters such as Otto the recovering vampire were funny and we got to see cameos by Watch members and some of the Wizards, but it left me feeling pretty flat. This was made all the more noticeable by the fact that I read this directly after the Fifth Elephant, which has to be my favorite Discworld book.
Of course, this is purely a subjective review. To make it clearer where I am coming from on this: I like Pratchett's later books much better than his earlier ones, and as for his cast of characters, I love the ones in the Watch books and find myself bored by those in the Witches' books.
Some of the problems with the book were:
1. The villains. Neither scary nor original nor amusing. And the "-ing" got VERY tiresome after a while.
2. The plot: there are two many missing holes in the story, giving you the feeling that you've skipped something.
3. Most important: the lack of truly interesting characters. The reason I like the Watch books the best is because the characters in those books fascinate me. When I read a book, even a funny one, I want to care if a (semi)-main character will be in danger, even if it's only out of curiousity as to what facets of his/her personality I might have not yet discovered or in worry of losing comic relief. Well, Otto was welcome to dine on the whole staff of the newspaper as far as I was concerned.
Sacarissa and William were were flat characters. They did not amuse me, they did not intrigue me, and they certainly did not inspire me with a deep affection for them. The problem was made all the stronger because there were cameos by the characters I certainly wanted to read about (e.g. Vimes. Carrot, Angua, the Patrician, Nobby and Colon, and even Bursar and ArchChancellor), and yet the whole book was about those two boring, bland and (in William's case) even grating characters. I kept wanting to switch into the Watch House to see how the investigation was going, or go to the Unseen University, or even to hang out more with Gaspode under the bridge.
4. William: a big problem. I think this was a love it or hate it character, and I found that he intensely annoyed me. Maybe because a journalist as champion of truth, or milquetoast makes good, or sensitive boy frees himself from a tyrannical father are all such cliches (and are taken seriously in this book), or maybe it was his overall personality which failed to interest me even once over 300 pages, or his lack of charisma. I don't know what it was, but when Vimes had him temporarily locked-up, I wanted him to stay there.
I like Pratchett's later books better because all along with great humor they have well developed plots, intriguing characters, and even some serious issues. This book does not score high for any of those.
Rating: 
Summary: I Can't Figure Out Why It's Not Good
Review: This is the 25th of Pratchett's Discworld series. I've read it twice now, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why I think it's just not up to snuff. It's an OK book written in good Pratchett style, but it just seems to be missing something. It might be that since the Watch is involved in it, I expect a "Watch" book. But, alas, all the members of the Watch have mere cameo appearances. It could be that the newly introduced main characters don't seem to get much development. They're not two-dimensional or anything like that. It's just that you don't know all that much more about them at the end than you do at the beginning. The theme, plot and humor all seem to be pretty good. But, overall, it just doesn't click. The book's not bad. But, it's not great either.
Rating:
Summary: Whatever You Do...
Review: Do not, under any circumstances, read this book or any of the others in the series on a plane or train. Just as James Brown cautioned against playing a Kool and the Gang tape in your car because you might wreck the car, I caution against reading "Discworld" books where people who don't know you will be able to hear you laughing. I know this from personal experience in flight from London to Montreal. And laugh you will, at this and any of the other books in the series. Honestly, ther were one or two moments in this comedic masterpiece where I felt certain I was going to die laughing - Pratchett's writing style is influenced by "Hitch Hikers'" author Douglas Adams, in that he is capable of building joke upon joke in a wonderful morass of puns, perverted historical references, slapstick situations, cross-purposes dialogue and many other tricks of humour before giving the reader just enough time to catch their breath and wipe the tears of laughter away from their eyes...before releasing a killer joke upon his audience which not even the most perceptive could have seen coming. The plot here deals with the creation of the first newspaper in Ankh-Morporkh. The dwarves (who all have names based on printing pioneers and typefaces) do the printing, and one very put-upon human does the reporting. Until, that is, he hires a few other reporters to help out. In typical fashion, they're a bunch of misfits - including a girl whose parents don't want her working on the paper at all and probably the funniest character of them all, a vampire trying desperately to shake his addiction. What follows is pure insanity, beginning with the misrendering of the title of the broadsheet (the "Items" is bungled into the "tImes"). The ruler of Ankh-Morporkh is kidnapped and a host of strange situations follow, including a wonderfully-described encounter with a series of homeless people, each with his own little oddity. There are also the requisite subplots, including the identity of the warewolf in the ranks of the city police - a wonderful satire of foot-in-the-door journalism - and the attempts to shut down the Times. The standout moments, however, belong to the vampiric photographer who keeps getting disintegrated by his own camera (Pratchett continues his technique of adapting modern science to his own ends and melding the relevant bits of history into Discworld) and who needs to keep singing the vampire equivalent of Alcoholics Anonymous songs to keep from drinking the blood of the key sources. My one criticism of this book is that the scene where they are burrowing under the street wasn't very well-written. It seems as though Pratchett tried to get a bit too technical - however, this hardly effects the non-stop comedy of the novel. Not only is this a laugh-out-loud novel, it's one where you'll constantly by repeating sections to your friends and family. The only problem is that, unless they've read Pratchett, they won't understand what you're talking about. Still, I'm prepared to live with that. It's also a book to which you can come back again and again. There are a lot of in-jokes here which require some historical knowledge and I'm reasonably certain that I haven't got all of them just yet. There's also the fact - which I only picked up on mid-way - that the misrendering of "The Truth Shall Make Ye Free" (the motto of the Times, variously expressed as "...Make Ye Fret" or even "...Fred") is a direct precursor to what happens in that part of the book. A great read overall. It's always good to see a great writer at the top of his game making a worthy inclusion to his canon and "The Truth" is certainly Pratchett at his manic best.
Rating:
Summary: NEWS NEWS NEWS
Review: This amusing book takes a look at just what is the news! Witty and insightful... the trade of information for money is examined in depth!
Rating:
Summary: Back to the fold.
Review: Honestly, I've been a bit under whelmed by Pratchett's more recent Discworld books. This one changes all that. I loved it. I was absorbed and laughing through the whole thing. Added to the usual coolness, we get to see Pratchett's take on "Pulp Fiction".
Rating:
Summary: Pressing business in Ankh-Morpork
Review: The Truth has the honour of being the 25th Discworld book. I haven't read all 25, but I have read a fair number of them, and I'd have to say this one is the best in awhile, even better than The Fifth Elephant. William de Worde, outcast son of a local rich family in Ankh Morpork, has been regularly supplying (via engraving) a news page to a few select people in the city and the surrounding areas. One day, he is literally run over by the power of the press, in this case allowed to run amok by a group of dwarves. After regaining consciousness, William sees what this press can do and the possibilities it represents to get the news out to people. Imagine, movable type! Thus begins the saga of the Ankh-Morpork Times. William enlists the dwarves, and hires a young lady, Sacharissa Cripslock, to be a reporter. She's got a nose for headlines and is able to use some feminine wiles to get sources to talk to her. He also hires Otto Chriek, a vampire, as a photographer. Poor Otto has a fascination with flash photography, but every time the flash goes off, he becomes a pile of ash and needs help reforming himself. When Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of the city, is accused of attempted murder, the City Watch is on the case, followed closely by William. Sometimes, too closely, as Commander Vimes has to deal with not only the crime, but also this new person breathing down his neck and asking questions. William thinks the public has a right to know what is going on. As the investigation continues, things get hotter and hotter for William, as he finds out that the search for the Truth isn't always a safe one. There are so many things that make this book stand out. The first is the character of William. He's a crusader, a second son of a rich family. In Ankh-Morpork, only first sons ever really do anything. Subsequent sons are expected to go to school, graduate, and stay out of the way. William doesn't do that, but instead wants to make a name for himself. He hardly ever lies and has a deep respect for the truth, which is why he's so dedicated in this book. He's a wonderful straight man, reacting to some of the absurd events that are surrounding him as if they're not absurd. Probably the best character, though, is Otto. He is so earnest in his profession, but he also has the funniest lines and situations. You would think that the repetition of "Flash! Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh!" would get boring after awhile, but it doesn't. The situations that it happens in are so varied that it never gets old. He's a very dedicated photographer, innovative (he is able to invent colour photography) and very loyal to William. He's also "on the wagon," which means that he doesn't drink human blood anymore. One of the funniest scenes in the book is when he's tempted (completely innocently and in a stressful situation) by Sacharissa. One of the more interesting aspects of this book, at least for long-time Discworld readers, is the City Watch. This is the first book (or at least the first I've read) where the Watch is featured very heavily, but it's not *about* the Watch. There are only two or three scenes that are from the viewpoint of somebody who's in the Watch. Thus, you get to see them as outsiders see them. You see the strangeness that can happen without seeing the inherent reasoning behind it, and that is refreshing. Vimes is the same as he always has been, but his reactions to William and this new idea of somebody actually trying to tell people what is truly going on are simply hilarious. He doesn't like it and he doesn't react well to it. The book mirrors the rise of newspapers very well, even down to the creation of tabloids (Mayor Stolen by Aliens!). Of course, the whole thing is condensed into a few weeks (and one investigative story), but it's still a nice parallel. Pratchett goes all out, showing not only the virtues of a free press, but also some of the faults. Most importantly, though, it shows the various reactions to this new medium: some fear it, some welcome it, some will take advantage of it (like the guy with the funny vegetables who wants them in the paper every day). Just like real life, only funnier. This book is definitely worth a read. It doesn't matter if this is your first Discworld book or your 25th, you'll love it.
Rating:
Summary: One of Pratchett's best
Review: The twenty-fifth discworld novel delves into that quagmire that is freedom of the press - although William de Worde (our protagonist) stumbles into each precept on his way to bringing Ankh-Morpork's first broadsheet to life with its serious news, obituaries and humorous funny vegetable columns.
The usual Ankh cast turn up in supporting roles, from the Watch to Foule Ole Ron in a seamlessly blended parody that makes Pratchett unique.
This installment has a disgruntled shadowy set of powerful men hiring Mr Pin and Mr Tulip through the zombie lawyer (Mr Slant) to effectively disgrace Lord Vetinari.
As is such with these carefully laid plans, they go slightly awry with Lord Vetinari's dog, Wuffles, surviving as a witness. This means William de Worde, ably accompanied by the reformed vampire, Otto de Chriek, Sacharissa and his printing gang searching for the Truth to free Lord Vetinari from disgrace.
A brilliant journalistic parody, Pratchett brings together a lot of previous Discworld novel themes and character types back to Ankh-Morpork and shows us a glimpse of the reality of both the city and its inhabitants away from the usual magic that permeates both.
Whilst nothing has yet beaten Reaper Man or Carpe Jugulum, this must rank in the top 5 Discworld novels.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Effort
Review: This is another terrific Discworld book. I loved the new characters and I enjoyed watching Ankh-Morpork assimilate this new cast into the city. The meandering plot about the rise of two competing newspapers and a conspiracy to depose the Patrician was a great set-up for the new characters. And this doesn't even begin to describe the details of the plot - featuring the dangers of a vampire who experiments with dark light, a parody of the Watergate Investigations, the comic team of the killers Mr. Pim and Mr. Tulip, the estranged relationship between William de Worde and his Father, and on and on. I thought William de Worde was a fine protagonist - and Otto Chriek was marvellous. I look forward to them as minor characters in future books - just as the Watch were minor characters in this book. Plus, Pratchett's philosophical musings were hilarious, and The Truth, as usual: "This is a newspaper, isn't it? It just has to be true until tomorrow."
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