Better than I remembered the only other Discworld novel that I have read to be (The Colour of Magic), but still not quite to my taste, and I’m not sure if this is entirely my taste, or some bit of bias that I’ve picked up against Pratchett. I heartily enjoyed his collaboration with Neil Gaiman, Good Omens, but it’s been like pulling teeth to get me to try another Pratchett solo work. For some reason, I keep wanting to compare Pratchett to Piers Anthony, which is a severe low blow to Pratchett, who would have to stoop a long way to achieve the level of hackdom that Anthony has mired himself in. Still, I’d like to see Pratchett hang up the Discworld and do more stand-alones like Good Omens. At the end of this book, I asked myself if it had been worth reading. Did I learn anything? No, but I really hadn’t expected to. Had I been amused? Slightly, even once laughing out loud. Was I entertained? Not enough.

[Finished 10 April 1993]