A Stroke of the Pen

Description

Far away and long ago, when dragons still existed and the only arcade game was ping-pong in black and white, a wizard cautiously entered a smoky tavern in the evil, ancient, foggy city of Morpork…

A truly unmissable, beautifully illustrated collection of unearthed stories from the pen of Sir Terry Pratchett: award-winning and bestselling author, and creator of the phenomenally successful Discworld series.

Twenty early short stories by one of the world’s best loved authors, each accompanied by exquisite original woodcut illustrations.

These are rediscovered tales that Pratchett wrote under a pseudonym for newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s. Whilst none are set in the Discworld, they hint towards the world he would go on to create, containing all of his trademark wit, satirical wisdom and fantastic imagination.

Meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and go on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, which begins in the ancient city of Morpork…

A STROKE OF THE PEN is a must-have collection for fans of all ages.

Praise for Terry Pratchett

‘Pratchett is a master storyteller’ – A. S. Byatt, Guardian

‘The Discworld novels have always been among the most serious of comedies, the most relevant and real of fantasies’ – Independent

‘Compulsively readable, fantastically inventive, surprisingly serious exploration in story form of just about any aspect of our world . . . There’s never been anything quite like it’ – Evening Standard

‘Like most true originals, Pratchett defies categorisation’ – The Times

‘Pratchett found something better than literature’ – Frank Cottrell Boyce, GuardianYou always feel the push of the inimitable Pratchett behind them — funny, sharp, warm, wise and always so, so readable—Daily Mail

Terry Pratchett’s short tales from the 70s and 80s reveal a young talent bursting with invention and wit… there’s much here to delight the open-minded, the fantasy aficionado and the Pratchett completist—Observer

Funny, fantastical and slyly smart—Mail on Sunday

A new Pratchett! Clear the bestseller decks: this book is heading for the top.—Guardian

Shows the beginnings of one of the UK’s best fantasy writers… A treat for seasoned fans and newcomers—The Sun, Pick of the Week *****

A Stroke of the Pen shows [Pratchett] at a stage when he was stopping at the first or second tree. Soon he would plunge into the forest—The Sunday Times

The wit, wisdom and intelligence are interspersed with a lively dose of naivety, with entertaining results—Herald

This delightful collection is inventive, entertaining and a little quirky, often with a twisty end… a fun read—Independent

A treasure trove glittering with lost gems—Financial Times

Expect comic fantastical fragments riffing on everything from cave people to Father Christmas.—Guardian, Best Books for Autumn

Biggest books for autumn—The Times

One for the completists—SFX

This delightful collection is inventive, entertaining and a little quirky, often with a twisty end—Press Association

Enjoyable literary bonbons—i Paper

Delicious, bite-sized stories—My Weekly

A collection of 20 excellent, often laugh-out-loud early works. . . . Pratchett devotees will be moved and gratified by this unexpected gift and even casual readers will be utterly charmed. There isn’t a bad story in the bunch.—Publishers Weekly

These early stories show Pratchett’s remarkable ability to poke fun at the absurdity of the real world through fantasy full of irreverent wordplay, silly authority figures, and subverted endings. . . . Pratchett’s legion of fans will relish the view through this almost-overlooked window into the author’s evolution, finding much to love in these clever, funny, and tightly written tales.—Booklist

A short and slightly bittersweet portrait of Pratchett as a young writer, as seen through this collection of long-lost and forgotten short stories. . . . They reflect an author in search of his craft, but there are hints of the Discworld to come. . . particularly in the standout story in the collection, ‘The Quest for the Keys’ . . . . The earliest seeds of what later became Discworld are there for readers who still miss his inimitable style.—Library Journal

A collection of lost stories from early in Pratchett’s career. . . . Several stories set in the fictional town of Blackbury have a genial, tall-tale feel, and the “proto-Discworld” in ‘The Quest for the Keys’ is a true treat—Kirkus ReviewsTerry Pratchett was the acclaimed creator of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. In all, he was the author of over fifty bestselling books which have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal. He was awarded a knighthood for services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest service to literature was to avoid writing any.

www.terrypratchettbooks.comGB

Additional information

Weight	13 oz
Dimensions	5.0625 × 7.8125 in
Imprint	Transworld
Format	General Trade
ISBN-13	09781804992593
ISBN-10	1804992593
Author	Terry Pratchett
Audience	General / adult
BISAC	FIC029000, FIC028120
Subjects	fantasy novels, science fiction books, sci fi, short story anthology, Fantasy novel, fiction books, books fiction, long story short, short story collections, fantasy book, sci-fi, sci fi books, sci fi book, sci-fi books, short stories collections, science fiction novels, books science fiction, pratchett, FIC028120, fantasy, adventure, magic, horror, comedy, fiction, mystery, paranormal, supernatural, FIC029000, science fiction, novels, short stories, fantasy books for adults, anthology, urban fantasy, science fiction and fantasy, fantasy fiction