Discworld: The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett

The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett

Published: 2015
Read: May 2023

This is the last Tiffany Aching book and, indeed, the last Discworld book full stop. Like the other late-period Discworld I've read, one senses that it's not Pratchett at the height of his powers—though it is considerably better than the final City Watch novel.

Like all the books, it's about Tiffany's progression into adulthood and responsibility, and also about her connection to her place of origin. Like all Discworld books, it has some brilliant moments... that said, the book doesn't feel totally unified, on either a plot or thematic level. Seemingly important subplots vanish for big chunks; things are set up that go nowhere. Apparently Pratchett would write a complete draft, then go back and flesh it out by adding scenes, and I think you can tell he didn't get all the way through the process here. It's good, and certainly if you've read every other Tiffany book you'll want to read this one, but I think it's not as great as it would have been had Pratchett not been cruelly snatched away from us too soon.

Still, the adventures of the boy witch and his goat were hilarious. And all the stuff about Granny is amazing.

Discworld: I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

This book is the third of a trilogy about Tiffany Aching growing into the responsibilities of being a witch, and this book engages with the downsides of it: when you're willing to do the things no one else is willing to do, but society needs done to keep going, then you might find yourself under a bit of suspicious from the rest of the community.

Originally published: 2010
Read: May 2023

I really liked this. I enjoyed the second through fourth Tiffany books a lot, but this one was my favorite of all of them. It's the darkest, opening with a posse coming for a man, and Tiffany being the one who protects him even though he kind of deserves what he gets; when there are neglected children, only Tiffany stands up to protect them. As the old lord dies, Tiffany comes under suspicion, and suddenly finds herself at odds with her old boyfriend, the old lord's son.

Pratchett is at his best when he uses the Discworld to shine a light on the issues of our world, the dimensions of power and prejudice, and this book is as strong an example of it as I've seen. While the City Watch novels let him explore state power, this explores the issues of social prejudice on a personal level; the Watch novels looked at those who directed the power, but Tiffany—for all her magical powers—is the person that power is directed against.

And yet, Tiffany keeps on going, because there are jobs to do, and is she doesn't do them, who will?

Marvelous stuff, if not perfect; the big bad, in particular, seems taken care of a bit too easily. But this book is the kind of magic ones goes to the Discworld for. Probably my favorite of the thirteen I've read, other than Jingo.

Discworld: A Hat Full of Sky / Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith
by Terry Pratchett

Originally published: 2004
Read: December 2022

I sort of struggled with the first Tiffany Aching book, but I blame that on the fairies. I don't know what it is about fairies, but they kill my interest in anything stone dead. Therefore, I was open to enjoying the later ones more—and thankfully I did. I'm going to take two of them into one post here 1) in the interests of catching up, and 2) because I read them a bit ago and they've blurred together.

A Hat Full of Sky sees Tiffany begin her education as a witch, taken on as an apprentice and leaving home for the first time. It begins to delve into what it actually means to do witchcraft, as Tiffany comes into conflict with other apprentice witches who are more into it for the glamour than for helping other people. There's a lot of good comedy with the Feegles, the little blue men who in this one travel across country to warn Tiffany about impending danger by working as a group to operate a suit of clothes. Good jokes, good themes; I did feel (as I often do with Pratchett) that the end was a bit of a fizzle, in this case a bit drawn out, but otherwise this has a lot to recommend it.

Originally published: 2006
Read: February 2023

Wintersmith continues the themes of A Hat Full of Sky, as Tiffany has to teach one of her fellow apprentices about what it means to be a witch. Honestly, the ostensible central conflict of the novel—about the Wintersmith—comes across as almost ancillary, but I didn't mind, because there's a lot of good stuff along the way. The climax to this one, though, is again a bit disappointing. I mean, I love the Feegles journeying into the afterlife, but Tiffany gets sort of left out in favor of them and Roland. (Though I did like Roland too.) But those are quibbles: much as the City Watch books work their way through the details of the intersection of violence and politics and law, the Tiffany books spend their time working out something even more basic, what it means to be a person who helps. It's serious work... but that doesn't mean it can't also be funny.

The three middle Tiffany books (stay tuned for my comments on the fourth one soon) feel like a distinct unit, a little trilogy; I think what distinguishes them from The Wee Free Men is that Pratchett figured out what he wanted to say through Tiffany by the time he wrote Hat Full of Sky, about what it means to be a witch: to do the hard work that needs doing because it helps others, and for no other reason. Wee Free Men is more of a prologue and The Shepherd's Crown more of an epilogue to all this than part of it.

Discworld: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

The Illustrated Wee Free Men: A Story of Discworld by Terry Pratchett
illustrated by Stephen Player

After enjoying my trip through the City Watch, I figured my next Discworld subseries would be the Tiffany Aching ones, as my wife owns all of them (and they are much beloved by her).

Illustrated edition published: 2008
Novel originally published: 2003
Read: November 2021

But actually, we couldn't find her copy of The Wee Free Men anywhere! It seemed that she had likely loaned it out and never gotten it back. Which was a shame, because she owned the deluxe hardback illustrated edition. I had bought this for her as a Christmas present in 2010; new, it cost me $18. A decade on, it's out of print, and when I bought a replacement, it cost me $40 for a used copy with a torn dust jacket! But it was that or downgrade to a mass market edition.

Anyway, I expected to love this... and I didn't. I liked it a lot at first. Very funny, very real, as Tiffany Aching begins to recognize the strangeness going on around her. Very Pratchett, basically. But somewhere in the middle, as the actual plot began to emerge... I kind of lost interest. I wasn't really sure why I cared about what these people were trying to accomplish. It might not be the book's fault; I read it at a stressful time and in sort of fits and starts between Hugo finalists, so I don't know that it ever totally sunk in. But yeah, probably the least grabby Discworld I've read so far except for Snuff.

Still, when I have a chance, I'll dip back in and keep going. I have enjoyed enough Discworld novels to know to give Pratchett the benefit of the doubt!