Discworld Books: Tiffany Aching

Planned read order:

January: Wee Free Men

March: A Hat Full of Sky

May: Wintersmith

July: I Shall Wear Midnight

September: The Shepherd's Crown

November: The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

December: Tiffany Aching: Guide to Being a Witch

Thanks Rachel and happy reading in 2025!

Yippee! I know I read all these but the earlier ones are kinda fuzzie. Looking to readign them again

Thank you Rachel - and there are only a few days left until the fun begins!

Thanks for setting this up, Rachel. I’ll be rereading until November—somehow I never got around to The Amazing Maurice!

Thanks, Rachel. I'm in. Actually, I was in last year as well but never got around to posting about it. I'm actually still finishing up Carpe Jugulum. I know I had read it before but remembered practically nothing about it. Love the Tiffany Aching books.

I am probably in, because I am always up for a Pratchett re-read in theory - but I have real trouble actually reading things once I've said I'll do it, so in practice we will see...

Added this to the group wiki, by the way!

>6 ronincats: I'm still finishing Carpe Jugulum, too. But I'm going to start Wee Free Men on audio after I finish the book I'm listening to.

I dropped the ball at Masquerade but I am looking forward to rejoining this group for 2025.
I've been on a Pratchett binge already this year so I will have to pull Wee Free Men off the shelves and get it started soon.

I've been feeling like it's time for a Tiffany Aching reread so I may join in as well!

Finished it and loved it!

It is wonderful to be back spending time with Tiffany who I think is one of Sir Terry's best realised characters. Also as a career teacher I always enjoy Terry's observations of the Education profession on the Discworld, so when Tiffany goes to get an egg's worth of education...

"I would like a question answered today," said Tiffany.
"Provided it's not the one about how you get baby hedgehogs," said the man.
"No," said Tiffany patiently. "It's about zoology."
"Zoology, eh? That's a big word, isn't it."
"No, actually it isn't," said Tiffany. "patronising is a big word. Zoology is quite short."

>13 bryanoz: love that! I suspect Tiffany is really Terrys daughter Rhianna who was probably of the age when he wrote the book

>10 catseyegreen: I too dropped the ball at Maskerade. So I feel like I need to finish the 2 witches books before moving on to Tiffany Aching. But maybe I should be realistic and start with a clean slate. Then work back if I can.

there are no rules. you can start Tiffany and move on to the witches or completely turn around and check out Nights Watch books.

>16 cindydavid4: Thanks! It's less about rules and more about incompleteness making me itchy. But fears about following through make me want to cut my losses and start at zero instead of negative numbers.

I finally finished Carpe Jugulum and am astonished as to how little of it I remembered. But so good!

I love the Tiffany Aching books. I will go ahead and say now, because you will have forgotten about it before we get there, that I think that I Shall Wear Midnight was the perfect culmination of the series. I am sorry that Pratchett went on with The Shepherd's Crown because it is only a shell of the book it would have been before his Alzheimer's kicked in.

I dunno, that beginning was pretty powerful.

>14 cindydavid4: cindydavid4 you might be onto something there!

"Well, that still makes them familiars, doesn't it?" Tiffany retorted, feeling annoyed. "Witches have animals they can talk to, called familiars. Like your toad there."
"I'm not familiar," said a voice from among the paper flowers. "I'm just slightly presumptuous."

Can I suggest that we squeeze in Tiffany Aching's Guide to Being a Witch, maybe in December?

>21 bryanoz: that's fine. I didn't know there was another.

I'm starting today!

>22 The_Hibernator: oh thats such a fun book, written by Sir Ts daughter Rhianna

Finally, chapters! They make navigating the ebook so much easier! I'm jumping in with The Free Wee Men and will circle back to the remaining Witches books. Looks like Tiffany Aching's Guide to Being a Witch is not part of my Humble Bundle, but otherwise, it's been a great deal.

I finished "Wee Free Men" this weekend while I was on a roadtrip. It was the perfect length. I needed a book that my dad could begin and end on the drive. He loved some of the jokes, especially the one about the unicorn being a horse that comes to a point.

I finished The Wee Free Men just in time, my third reread I think and it was great to be reminded why it is one of my favourite discworld books. The balance between Tiffany's youth and seriousness, and the Nac Mac Feegles comic irrelevance and bravery is brilliant! A Hat Full of Sky is next.

https://a.co/d/0tRpgOT
All 5 Tiffany Aching books for $3.99

Came across this and thought I would share.

thx! I thought I had the first three but they got lost, have the other two

Hope you all have located and dusted off your copy of A Hat Full of Sky ready for Saturday!

yup. just finished three free men and liked it, it was more fun the first time but I was much younger then. Like thats how he introduced readers to Nanny Org and Granny Weather Wax. wondering did he write this before DW or after

>30 bryanoz: Of course, I am looking forward to a reread after 10 years.

>31 cindydavid4: I believe Granny was introduced in Equal Rites.

It is the first of March here in Australia so I'll begin with the introduction/blurb, written by Sir Terry himself (I think).
"A real witch can ride a broomstick, cast spells and make a proper shamble out of anything.
Eleven-year-old Tiffany Aching can't.
A real witch never casually steps out of her body, leaving it empty.
Tiffany does.
And there's something just waiting for a handy body to take over. Something ancient and horrible, which can't die.
Now she's got to fight back and learn to be a real witch quickly, with the help of arch-witch Mistress Weatherwax and the truly amazing Miss Level...
"Crivens! And us!?
Oh yes. And the Nac Mac Feegle - the rowdiest, toughest, smelliest bunch of fairies ever to be thrown out of Fairyland for being drunk at two in the afternoon. They'll fight anything.
And even they might not be enough..."

thanks I dont remember reading that first time around but it was a very long time ago. looking forward to readint it again

"He turned to Jeannie. 'It's a bad case o' the thinkin' he's caught, missus. When a man starts messin' wi' the readin' and the writin' then he'll come down with a dose o' the thinkin' soon enough. I'll fetch some o' the lads and we'll hold his heid under water until he stops doin' it, 'tis the only cure. It can kill a man, the thinkin'." Wise words from page 98 in the original hardcover.

Read it, Loved it, Finished it!

enjoying hatful of sky and yes >33 The_Hibernator: you are correct, my bad

I am reading a chapter a day, up to Chapter 10.
A few random thoughts, quotes:

Chapter 7. The Matter of Brian. Nice to get a mention!

"How many fingers am I holdin' up?" he said.
"Five, whispered Miss Level.
"Am I? Ah, well, ye could be right, ye'd have the knowin' o' the countin'," said Rob, lowering his hand.

.."What's your name, pictsie?"
"Awf'ly Wee Billy Bigchin Mac feegle, mistress."
"You're very small, aren't you?"
"Only for my height, mistress."
Great fun!

Have finished A Hat Full of Sky (for the third time) and have thoroughly enjoyed Tiffany's growth into her career as a witch. Happy reading!

Loved it!

It's time! I have to finish up the book I'm currently reading first.

It's 30°C outside - it's time for the Wintersmith!

Oh, its a good un.lots of good Sir Ts humor reread for me, and age has made it much more interesting to me Enjoy

not sure I can wait till July for Midnight but if I post there wont be any spoilers

Starting my reread today, maybe a chapter every 2 days, happy reading!

Excellent! I just finished A Hat Full of Sky and opened Wintersmith right away. But it will have to wait until I finish the book club selection due in 3 days and the other book club selection to be discussed next week...

I am up to chapter five and enjoying catching up again with You, Horace, Petulia and the Nac Mac Feegles. All the while the plot is thickening...

Seems like we have all been busy this month, I finished my Wintersmith reread today and have really enjoyed being back with Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegles. One last quote...

"I hope I've got it right, though," said Roland. "My aunts say I'm too clever by half."
"Glad tae hear it," said Rob Anybody, "cuz that's much better than bein' too stupid by three-quarters! Now grab the lady and run!"

love it! ready to start i shall wear midnight even if its for next month

I'm starting my reread of I Shall Wear Midnight tomorrow, anyone else?

I'll start next week. I need to finish a book first.

I am starting it today.
Yay it is July!

>52 bryanoz: already started my re-read. its been years so it will be like a new book!

Nanny knew all the old, dark stuff- old magic, magic that didn't need witches, magic that was built into people and the landscape. It concerned things like death, and marriage, and betrothals. And promises that were promises even if there was no one to hear them. And all those things that make people touch wood and never, ever walk under a black cat. p. 13

So far I am reading a chapter every two days and appreciating some of my favourite discworld characters.
"Thank you, Rob, she said. "I don't think I could have managed by myself."
"I reckon that maybe ye could," said Rob Anybody, while they knew that she couldn't. "It just so happened that I was passing by, ye ken, and not following ye at all. One of them coincidences."
"There have been a lot of those coincidences lately," said Tiffany.
"Aye," said Rob grinning," "it must be another coincidence."

Finished it and loved it.
And the time until September is so long...

I have made my way to Chapter Ten, couple of observations:

Wee Mad Arthur's interest in ballet, 'Oh aye, it's grand! Last week I saw Swan on a Hot Tin Lake...'

And Tiffany's 'You hold on to that shovel, Brian Roberts!', which just happens to be my name!

Happy reading all.

Tiffany hadn't seen very many dungeons, but people said that the one in the castle was pretty good by dungeon standards and would probably earn at least five ball and chains if anybody ever decided to write a Good Dungeon Guide. p.219

So that is I Shall Wear Midnight done and a thoroughly enjoyable reread it was! It was great to see Preston stepping up to become Tiffany's prospective 'boyfriend'! See Discworld readers in September for The Shepherd's Crown. Happy reading.

I can hardly wait.

I think I shall wear midnight is sir terrys best book of his YA work. Has magic, romance humor darkness a smart little girl and I love that eskarina smith from equal rights she appears again
the shepherds crownwas his last book and there is a lot of emotions going on here. but im ready to read it again perhaps with less kleenex boxes

Agreed!

september soon!!!! shepherds crown time!

Whoo hoo!!

And it is September now!

Yay!

The blurb...

A SHIVERING OF WORLDS.

Deep in the Chalk, something is stirring. The owls and the foxes can sense it, and Tiffany Aching feels it in her boots. An old enemy is gathering strength.
This is a time of endings and beginnings, old friends and new, a blurring of edges and a shifting of power. Now Tiffany stands between the light and the dark, the good and the bad.
As the fairy horde prepares for invasion, Tiffany must summon all the witches to stand with her.
To protect the land. HER land.
There will be a reckoning...

This will be a reread for me and I'll be reading a chapter every two days or so, happy reading!

I have some sad news. Mrs Lee has passed away over labour day, from a stroke .for mori info see Next Group Reads: Suggestions and Discussion in Green Dragon she will be sadly missed here and elsewhere

That's too bad! ☹️

Well I took my time but have finished my reread of The Shepherd's Crown.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page, of course there was sadness with the loss of a certain main character, the knowing that this was the final Discworld story, and not knowing for sure how Tiffany's and Preston's future would be, although I'm sure they were together happily ever after!
Will be back in November for the Amazing Maurice, happy reading until then.

Time to find your copy of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents! I will begin today but we are away travelling from November 17 so will finish by then, a reread for me but a fun journey, anyone else going to read this?

I actually finished a little early because I miss-timed my queue. But it was awesome!

Finished it and loved it!

Any votes on what we read next year? I will not be able to read more than one book every two months, so if that is the vote, I'll have to bow out of the group read.

How about the Night Watch series beginning with Guards, Guards, reading one book every two months?

that is the one series that Ive rather neglected. Its not my fav topic, but perhaps its time to make a serious attempt. and I have no problem reading one book every two month!

Sounds good!

The Night Watch series is my favorite.

Better late than never? All 5 Tiffany Aching books are on sale on Ammy for $1.99.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKIRZQ?ref_=pe_170810_1312410280_tdfy-mdw&...

The Amazing Maurice read and enjoyed!
There are 8 books in the Night Watch series:
Guards, Guards, Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, The Fifth Elephant, Nightwatch, Thud, and Snuff. So reading one book every two months will take eighteen months but we can easily find another three books to take up the rest of the year.
We are away until mid-December so happy reading!

>81 bryanoz: Maybe Pyramids and Small Gods?

I think Monstrous Regiment is a good companion to the Watch books.

>82 The_Hibernator: small gods and soul music were the first of his books I read; id gladly reread those! love jingo as well

>83 elorin: That could be the third book?

Gonna make new thread tonight!

yeah! all rerady to go!

Looking forward to it, are we reading the Night Watch series beginning with Guards, Guards?

Ok, I guess I meant today. 😂🤣

https://www.librarything.com/topic/377080

Ok, that's the thread. Hopefully that is the expected order. Let me know if I did it wrong.