Unseen Academicals (Discworld Series #37)

by Terry Pratchett

Overview

The wizards of Unseen University in the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork must win a football match, without using magic, so they're in the mood for trying everything else. As the match approaches, four lives are entangled and changed forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062335005
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/28/2014
Series:	Discworld Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	528
Sales rank:	123,837
Product dimensions:	4.10(w) x 7.50(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Terry Pratchett's novels have sold more than eighty-five million (give or take a few million) copies worldwide. In January 2009, Queen Elizabeth II made Pratchett a knight in recognition of his "services to literature." Sir Terry lives in England with his wife.

Hometown:

Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Date of Birth:

April 28, 1948

Place of Birth:

Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England

Education:

Four honorary degrees in literature from the universities of Portsmouth, Bristol, Bath and Warwick

Editorial Reviews

In short, this is as busy and as daft as any other Discworld yarn, which means it is the quintessence of daft. Nobody writes fantasy funnier than Pratchett.” — Booklist

“At its heart, this is an intelligent, cheeky love letter to football, its fans and the unifying power of sports. — Publishers Weekly

“This account of Unseen University’s entry into the world of soccer (or, as they occasionally call it, “foot-the-ball”) pushes past the usual conventions of satire to offer equal parts absurdist philosophy and heartwarming romance....A witty addition to the long-running fantasy series” — Kirkus Reviews

“Thirty-seven books in and . . . Discworld is still going strong . . . and doing so with undimmed, triumphant exuberance. ” — The Guardian

“A triumphant effort.” — The Independent on Sunday

From the Publisher

It’s a triumphant effort

The Independent on Sunday

In short, this is as busy and as daft as any other Discworld yarn, which means it is the quintessence of daft. Nobody writes fantasy funnier than Pratchett.

Booklist

Thirty-seven books in and ... Discworld is still going strong...and doing so with undimmed, triumphant exuberance.

The Guardian

In short, this is as busy and as daft as any other Discworld yarn, which means it is the quintessence of daft. Nobody writes fantasy funnier than Pratchett.

Booklist

Sir Terry Pratchett's 37th Discworld novel, the first since he made the announcement that there might not be too many more, contains plots, subplots, side plots, thwarted plots, romance, comedy, soccer, and more. Set in the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork, Unseen Academicals seizes all the things you thought you understood, shakes them vigorously, and invites you to watch with snow globe sensations. On the shortlist of the most invigorating authors on the planet.

In the magical universe of Discworld, the dithering and very dotty wizards at Unseen University struggle to master the arcane rules of football as they enter a violent street sport competition. The challenges include getting the sedentary and distracted professors to play with some enthusiasm (and without magic), defending themselves against their opponents’ unsportsmanlike behavior, and naturally, to win. It’s not easy to track the multitude of characters, but Stephen Briggs gives each of them a distinctive voice. Briggs has been adapting Pratchett’s novels to the stage since 1991, and the recurring characters are his to command. His performance brings out the best of the satirical humor and Pratchett’s really good bad puns. Fans of Discworld will not be disappointed. A Harper hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 31). (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Imagine Harry Potter rewritten by Monty Python: That's the mood of Pratchett's return to Discworld (Making Money, 2007, etc.). This account of Unseen University's entry into the world of soccer (or, as they occasionally call it, "foot-the-ball") pushes past the usual conventions of satire to offer equal parts absurdist philosophy and heartwarming romance. Here, all the professors are ponderous buffoons as well as wizards, though occasionally they indulge those they consider their inferiors with "the sarcasm of a born pedagogue." Those inferiors generally have a whole lot more common sense and occasionally more learned erudition, particularly in the case of our hero, Mr. Nutt. A lowly candle dipper who is also a goblin and may well be something else as well, the humble Nutt ultimately reveals more brain power than anyone else in the novel, along with a variety of other powers, even though his background makes this intellectual range and depth seem unlikely. When Unseen University decides to field a soccer team, Nutt emerges as the coach, the driving force and the potential star, using his "talent for pattern recognition in developing situations" to train a team of players who previously had no conception of teamwork. In the process, Nutt not only falls in love with a worthy cook no one else considers lovely, he also helps his mate win the heart of the cook's helper, who has somehow become the rage of the land as a fashion model. Pratchett has great sport with a university that employs a Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography and Chair of Indefinite Studies and spouts platitudes such as "if we can make a tradition out of not observing another tradition, that's doubly traditional." Ofcourse, that's not such a weird comment in a society whose adages include "the leopard may change its shorts" and "thirst springs eternal."A witty addition to the long-running fantasy series.

Kirkus Reviews

"It’s a triumphant effort"

The Independenton Sunday

Would a cook at wizard-filled Unseen University fall in love with a soccer coach even if he ate all her pies? Would a shy kitchen maid wear a fake beard to make it big as a fashion model? Of course they would, and nobody is more delighted to read Terry Pratchett's 37th novel (or so) than longtime Discworld aficionado and narrator Stephen Briggs. He has a perfect accent and character voice for every vampire, dwarf, wizard, and human in this insightful spoof on college athletics, sports fans, and the fashion industry. Like Pratchett, Briggs loves the comic rhythm, sound, and very taste of words—just for their own sake. So order up a tuna-spaghetti-jam sandwich (with sprinkles) and be prepared for a wonderful time. B.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2009 - AudioFile