This short Discworld fable is so much fun. Cohen and his Silver Horde are returning fire to the gods and the crew from Ankh Morpork are on a mission to stop them. The gorgeous illustrations absolutely make this book a delight on top of PTerry at the top of his form.
The cover calls this a Discworld fable. I loved it. Cohen and his Silver Horde are going to bring fire back to the gods, but doing so could cause the end of the world. The Ankh Morpork crew of wizards, Watch, and Leonard of Quirm leap to the rescue...
This fully illustrated book is full of the Pratchett sense of humor mixed with apt, wry observations on human nature. And gorgeous color illustrations!
I have owned this volume for over a decade and never read it until now. I have no idea what was wrong with me. I look forward to reading it again and again.

Lately, the Terry Pratchett books I've read have either been from his middle period, when he was acknowledged as a master of Important Satire; or from his later life, when the decline caused by his "embuggerance" was becoming more and more evident. So reading this turned into a delightful trip back to the times when Pratchett was a purveyor of comedy first and foremost. In this, he was helped by Paul Kidby's illustrations - more precise and all-encompassing than the late Josh Kirby's work for the earlier illustrated Discworld title, Eric, and a true enhancement to this story.

The story? Oh, if you insist: Cohen the Barbarian, feeling his age, brings together his Silver Horde to help wreak revenge on the Gods of the Discworld for old age, by returning fire to them - in the military sense, it seems - and going out in a blaze of glory. To prevent this, and the destruction of the Disc that would follow the concomitant disruption of its thaumaturgical field, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork enlists the aid of his captive mechanical and artistic genius, Leonard of Quirm, plus the wizards of the Unseen University. To reach Cori Celesti, the mountain at the Hub of the Disc and abode of the Gods, in time to thwart Cohen, Leonard designs a wooden spaceship, powered by captive dragons, and crewed by himself, Captain Carrot of the City Watch, and Rincewind. The rest may not be history, but it does threaten to become Legend.

Perhaps one of the greatest delights of this book is the number of Easter Eggs concealed within its pages. Kidby's illustrations of Leonard's spaceship and its crew are directly out of "Ye Right Stuffe", and Rincewind makes a passing reference to being a wizard who advocates running very fast in a straight line, which will make those of a certain age think about a classic short indie fantasy film (everyone else go and look up Mike Jittlov). And Mad Hamish of the Silver Horde appears to be channelling Father Jack Hackett from Father Ted...

This is well worth seeking out in its glorious large-format original. Avoid all other format reductions. ( )

We all think we're Leonard of Quirm, but it's far more likely we're at best Ponder Stibbons. ( )

The artwork on this is really amazing even if it's not his strongest tale ( )

I don't think it's possible to not enjoy a Discworld novel, but in the grand scheme of things, so far, this may be my least favourite outing.

I mean, 27 books into a 41-book series, one of the stories has to be a least-favourite, doesn't it? That does not, however, mean I didn't enjoy it. I absolutely did. But Cohen the Barbarian is one of my favourites and—I can't put my finger on exactly why—this one didn't quite present him the way I expected.

Likely more a failing on my part than Pratchett's, to be honest. ( )