The Wee Free Men

Thoroughly enjoyable. I listened to the talking book narrated by Steven B. He's so good. I wanted to start this series because the end of it is Shepard's Crown, and I'm keen to learn what happens in it, but I ant to read up to it through the Tiffany Aching series. As a character, Tiffany reminds me a lot of Sarah Seagull: independent, thinks for herself, and has pretty good intuition about people and relationships. I was also pleased to be running into Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax. (I hadn't met Miss Tick before). I especially appreciated his descriptions of Tiffany's (and Grandma Aching's) relationship to the land - the Chalk - as creatures f their native clay, and as shepards not just of their sheep but on the whole biome / show more landscape. A bit druidic in nature. I also love how Pratchett thinks about witches and witchcraft: it's much less about actual magic and casting spells as it is about changing the way you think about the world, the people in it, and how to handle situations. He give us at least two examples, in how Granny Aching handles the Baron's sheep-killing dog, and how she handles the tinker that beats his donkey. I also love how Granny Aching never says a word about being a witch to anyone, but clearly is taking care of the land and her people all the time with her quiet power.

The Wee Free Men were also delightful - a wonderful culture of rambunctious, argumentative, magical wee men that fight and drink and can do just about anything that needs doing. A perfect vehicle for the Pratchett sense of humor.

Looking forward to reading more in this series. I gave my hard copy of this book to Sophie Wimmer - an 8 year old girl - in the hopes that I can win over one other Pratchett fan in the family. show less

Certo, é praticamente um infanto-juvenil e eu sou um marmanjo, mas Terry Pratchett tem o talento e a capacidade de tirar a gente do sério. Nessa história de fantasia, Tiffany Aching, uma menina determinada a ser uma bruxa, vê-se às voltas com monstros e perigos da "Terra das fadas". Para resgatar seu pequeno irmão sequestrado, conta com a ajuda do hilário exército dos Wee Free Men, seres azuis com 15 centímetros de altura, cabelo vermelho e espadas tão grandes quando eles. Sua especialidade? Beber, roubar, lutar e... fazer a gente rir muito.
O melhor do humor inglês, com pitadas de filosofia Pratchiniana: "Tenho uma ou duas lembranças de ter sido um humano, claro, mas o que é uma memória? Só um pensamento em seu cérebro. show more Você não pode ter certeza de que seja real.” show less

Of all of the Discworld subseries, Granny Weatherwax has had the hardest time drawing me in. What i apparently needed was Tiffany Aching and her wee free friends. This had the right pacing, a perfect antagonist, and just excellent humour throughout. The spectacle was a little subdued compared to some of Pratchett's other work, but I am most definitely okay with that.

Tiffany Aching is a young witch-in-training, which is complex enough. But now her spoiled, troublesome little brother Wentworth has been kidnapped by the Queen of the Elves of Fairyland (these aren't Tolkien's fair, nice Elves -- they can be quite mean), and in true legendary tradition, Tiffany has to find him.

Like all of Pratchett's best heroes, Tiffany isn't the typical kind. She has a talking toad, "First Sight and Second Thoughts," fights evil with a frying pan, and has a lot of doubts. In short, she is quite likable and sympathetic. (And anyone with an annoying little brother or sister will understand her thoughts about Wentworth.) The Elf Queen is a fantastic villain; the talking toad serves is an excellent foil for Tiffany. But show more the Wee Free Men steal the show.

The Wee Free Men are a bit reminiscent of ancient Celts and Picts with their tattoos, sheep, drinking and swords. They are, however, only six inches tall. These guys are funny additions to the ever-growing flat world and hopefully we'll see more of them.

Pratchett's dialogue is funny and sharp. His writing style is minimalist, sort of a funnier, lighter version of Robert Zelazny. But, even though this book is labelled as being for the kids, there's no dumbing-down. Kids and adults alike will enjoy "The Wee Free Men," with its quirky humor and likable characters. show less

Tiffany Aching is 9 years old and lives on the chalk. She has a sticky little brother named Wentworth and works fairly happily in the dairy on her family's farm. But then Jenny Green-Teeth appeared in the river and tried to steal Wentworth and Tiffany found herself with a Nac Mac Feegle infestation. And then Wentworth went missing and there was no one else to go get him back.

Tiffany Aching is one of my favorite Discworld characters. Her practical nature and second and third thoughts have always intrigued me. The Wee Free Men are rowdy pictsies and I adore them. One of my favorite Discworld books.

This is the first “Discworld for Children” book I have read, and the first one in the series that follows young new witch Tiffany Aching. Since it was written for children, the story is simpler, it is less satirical with fewer layers and fewer references than the adult series has, and of course, no innuendo (also no Nanny Ogg)! But otherwise Pratchett doesn’t change his tone and never talks down to a younger audience; this is definitely Discworld, and I was impressed!

Our new protagonist, Tiffany, is a child character. She is 9 years old, but she is very smart and independent and not, blessedly, in a precocious way. Tiffany is an intelligent character who always stops and thinks, and draws her conclusions based on evidence, and she show more is open to learning without thinking she knows best. So in that way, she’s a nice contrast to Esk from Equal Rites. I generally prefer characters who act more thoughtfully and less from impulse. Like a true witch, Tiffany only tries magic when she really has to, and has a natural inclination towards Headology, even if she doesn’t know what it is called yet. I thought she was fantastic!

Tiffany is the lone human for a lot of the book, but she does have help from the Nac Mac Feegle. These little blue tattooed “pictsies” (think Smurfs but drunk, violent and Scottish) were introduced in Carpe Jugulum, so it’s fun to see them back with a more central role! She also has a toad companion, left to aid her by the witch Miss Tick, who she’s away looking for grown-up witches to help them ward off the fairy Queen.

Granny and Nanny do briefly show up at the very end of the story, and Granny is impressed. The end is a little melancholy as Tiffany has been changed by her adventure, and now with knowledge and growing power, she also has a responsibility, but it is poignant, and I am excited to read more of her books and see her grow as a witch!

“And what do you really do?” said Tiffany.

The thin witch hesitated for a moment, and then:

“We look to…the edges,” said Mistress Weatherwax. “There’s a lot of edges, more than people know. Between life and death, this world and the next, night and day, right and wrong…an’ they need watchin’. We watch ’em, we guard the sum of things. And we never ask for any reward. That’s important.”

This book was wonderful, and the audiobook narrators were brilliant again. Not only Indira Varma, who I loved from the Witches series, but Steven Cree is doing the voices for the Nac Mac Feegle! (Crivens!) I definitely can see myself returning to this in the future!

This book also does good duty in the Law of Fives reading bingo this year: first in a series, magical creatures, and won the Lotus Award for young adult book (2004).

REVIEW SUMMARY
I LIKED

Tiffany is a fantastic character. I loved her.
The Nac Mac Feegle are also hilarious.
Doesn’t talk down to a younger audience.
A cameo from Granny and Nanny at the end! show less

Reread 2026: This was fun! I love the Feegles. I also picked up a lot more of the folklore inspirations for Tiffany's trip through fairy land this time around.

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There's trouble on Aching farm. A strange green monster has appeared in the river. A headless horseman has been seen riding about. Things from nightmares have been spotted in the hills. And now Tiffany's little brother has gone missing and it's up to her to get him back. She grabs her weapon (a frying pan), her magic book (granny's old copy of Diseases of Sheep) and some unlikely allies, the Nac Mac Feegle, the Wee Free Men, the fightin', thievin', tiny blue-skinned pictsies who were thrown out of Fairyland for being Drunk and Disorderly. Feeling as prepared as show more she'll ever be Tiffany sets off on her quest to find her brother and put a stop to the strange goings on around the farm.

The Wee Free Men is Terry Pratchett's the 30th Discworld book and first in the Tiffany Aching story line. This is designated as a YA book which I found odd because, aside from Tiffany being a 9-year old girl, this book easily stands up with the rest of the Discworld novels. This time around Pratchett takes on classical fairy tales and gives them his own imaginative twist. This is combined with his typical moments of laugh out loud funny situations and a surprising philosophical depth that those familiar with the series have come to expect.

All the new characters are wonderful. Tiffany is a highly capable young lady who thinks she may be a witch like Granny Aching was and has taken it upon herself to rescue her brother when he's abducted by the Fairy Queen. Not because she really likes him exactly, he is sticky and whiny, but because he's hers. Tiffany has the First Sight and Second Thoughts, making her uniquely qualified for her trip into Fairy Land. She also has a frying pan and is not afraid to use it! The Nac Mac Feegle are a group of "pictsies" and are a mad, drunken, fightin' family of wee free men that have decided to help Tiffany on her quest. They a decidedly Scottish feel to them by speaking with brogue and wearing kilts and I found them absolutely charming. They have a full history and a surprising amount of depth and nuance to their characters and motivations.

If you are a Discworld fan and have not picked up the Tiffany Aching books due to the YA classification, put those fears aside. This is an absolutely delightful entry to the series. show less