British Author Challenge 2025 Wildcard: Susanna Clarke & Terry Pratchett

Works
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Piranesi
The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories
The Wood at Midwinter

I've wanted to feature Susanna Clarke for ages, but she hasn't published quite enough for me to justify featuring her for an entire month; fortunately, we have the Wildcard!

Selected Works
Discworld series
The Bromeliad series
Johnny Maxwell series
The Long Earth series
Good Omens
Nation
Dodger
The Carpet People
Strata
A Slip of the Keyboard
A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories

Terry Pratchett was featured back in 2017, but I figured that's long enough that people wouldn't mind seeing him pop up again, especially with the recent publication of his lost stories.

There's a dedicated group for Pratchett that's still active, All Things Discworldian - The Guild of Pratchett Fans, and a planned read of the Tiffany Aching books in this group at https://www.librarything.com/topic/366861#

The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke, illustrated by Victoria Sawdon

A dreamy kind of fairy tale that's more about mood than story. I liked it very much, although I wish it was a bit longer.

If someone wants to read Terry Pratchett without getting into the Discworld books (much as I love them), then I strongly recommend Nation as an excellent one-book read to see what themes Pratchett is passionate about.

also recomend Jingo, for the same reasons

US e-book sale: Tiffany Aching Complete 5-Book Collection by Terry Pratchett is on sale for $3.99.

Amazon link

Barnes & Noble link

Google Play link

US e-book sale: Tiffany Aching Complete 5-Book Collection by Terry Pratchett is on sale for $3.99 again.

Amazon link

Barnes & Noble link

Google Play link

Susanna Clarke has a new short story set in the world of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell out, "The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City." Unfortunately it's not on a free site, but it's available to anyone who can spend 20 pounds for a year's subscription.

https://www.fictionable.world/stories/the-bishop-of-durham-attempts-to-surrender...

Ive finished wee free men, a hat full of sky, winter smith and I shall wear midnight think winter smith was my fave, but they all have Sir T word craft, humor and understanding of how people work. lots of fun

Most Discworld fans tell people not to start at the beginning of the series since the first few books aren't nearly as good as later ones, but I did a re-read of The Colour of Magic and think it's better than it gets credit for being. It's a bit silly, but it is a fun parody of sword and sorcery fantasy.

I also finally got around to reading A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories. None of the stories are great, but they're entertaining and it was wonderful to see the evolution of Pratchett's writing.

US e-book sale: Tiffany Aching Complete 5-Book Collection by Terry Pratchett is (yet again) on sale for $3.99 again.

Amazon link

Barnes & Noble link

Google Play link

There's a new thread over in the Green Dragon asking which Discworld character you are or aspire to be.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/375025#