Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

I just finish reading Wintersmith, the third in Terry Pratchett's nominally young adult series, about the 'big wee hag' Tiffany Aching. For those few of you who have never heard of Terry Pratchett you have missed out on one of the comedic gems of the literary world.

When the almost thirteen year old Tiffany Aching, witch in training, accidently joins in the Dark Morris dance that marks the end of summer and beginning of winter, she comes to the attention of the Wintersmith, Winter himself. Winter, being a elemental force, doesn't know how to handle being in love with a mortal girl and causes all kinds of havoc trying to woo Tiffany. Tiffany herself isn't sure on whether she likes the attention, but it is kind of nice to have every snowflake look exactly like her.

Terry Pratchett has a keen ability to take what could be stereotypical characters and breathe full of life and humor. All three of the Aching novels are set in the Lancre mountains of his Disc World. The easiest way to let you know what you are in for when you open a Disc world novel is that the world is flat, resting on the backs of four giant elephants, who in turn stand astride a ten thousand mile long turtle that is swimming through space. Mr. Pratchett uses this bizarre magical world to hold a mirror to our own and has explored a wide variety of themes in the dozens of books set in the Disc World.

Wintersmith is classified as young adult, and that is the section I found the book at the local library, but there is nothing dumbed down or limited in his taking standard mythic fare (heroes, elemental forces, gods and humans interacting) and standing it all on it ear, shaking it a bit and watching the interesting things run around the room.

Most fun of all are Pratchett's little blue fairies the Nac Mac Feegle. Imagine if you would a tartan kilt wearing, sword wielding, red headed man six inches tall, instill him with the will and desire to fight anything and everything, drink whatever alchohol is close at hand, or not so close as the case may be, and take away any sense of property rights or privacy and its no wonder the pictsie Feegles are the only fairies to ever been kicked out of the homeland. Ach, crivens the verra thought is 'orrible, wailey wailey!

For the Feegles alone this book and its predecessors The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky are worth hunting down and reading. I'd rate it a solid 4 stars out of 5.

As an aside, Mr. Pratchett recently announced he has early onset Alzheimer's, hopefully he continues to write and entertain. The loss of his voice will be a great blow.