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122 of 128 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent as (almost) Always, 3 Oct 2009
I was a little bit apprehensive about the idea of Unseen Academicals. I couldn't see how even a writer as gifted as Terry Pratchett could make football something true to the spirit of Discworld. Happily, the book manages to meld the strange worlds together in an energising and entertaining whole. I wasn't sure I was going to like it when it arrived, but as usualy Terry Pratchett delivers something much more than we have any right to expect.
Some parts of the book are an unusual departure in terms of the theme of the book - not so much inconsistent but as part of a continual evolution of the character of Ankh-Morpork and its various inhabitants. More so than any other Discworld book, I got the feeling from this novel that things are genuinely changing in the world. People are moving on and growing up, sometimes with surprising results. It genuinely feels like the book moves the continuing story of the Discworld on a few years.
I don't want to say too much about the plot itself, but it manages to avoid that which I had feared - the 'gimmick of the episode' style thing so common to the later stages of popular franchises. It's never the case that the football element is crowbarred in - it emerges rather nicely from the usual serendipitious circumstances that we come to expect. That's especially welcome, because not being a fan of football myself, the whole theme of the book is somewhat alien to me. However, really it's not about football - it's about the people, the mythology, and the spirit of the game. In the same way that the West Wing is not a show about politics, and House is not a show about medicine, this isn't a book about football. Football is just the vehicle used to deliver some important lessons about the nature of community and belonging.
It's a wonderful book, and a very worthy addition to the Discworld canon. Thanks, Terry!
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48 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
sheer bliss, 8 Oct 2009
The academics of Unseen University have gotten themselves into trouble, they must win a football match or lose a cushy bequest they have - and they must do this while being banned from using magic to win. This story isn't, however, one that's all football, in fact the football is only a very small amount of the story itself - a very good thing for me (I've been raised on Rugby League, not football). Football has appeared previously in Jingo (even if it was just in passing). I don't want to say much more about the plot because I don't want to ruin it for anyone else.
Over the course of the Discworld books I have watch the development of Ankh-Morpork; seen the invention of various technologies and secretly enjoyed the nose-thumbing at some of our modern aspects of life. This book follows in the same vein, in some cases I found that some of the changes which have occurred seem a little more noticeable than in past books, but it does not spoilt the story - if anything it merely casts a mirror to our own rapidly changing world.
I was so happy to see that many of my old favourites were back (Vimes, Rincewind, CMOT, etc), and even though they are secondary to the plot they don't appear out of place or rammed in to make the long time reader happy - each has their place in the story and that place is important, even if it is only small.
The new characters are more engaging than in some of the more recent books of Mr Pratchett.
I found myself sniggering at certain things that were said and done, something which I didn't do with Nation. I have to admit that I have missed the older more established groups like Rinccewind, the UU crew, the Watch, and the Witches (I'll keep my fingers cross for a new witches story - hopefully next year).
This is Sir Terry back to his best, a wonderful story with great characters. Sheer bliss.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unseen Academicals, 11 Oct 2009
Terry Pratchett's recent form has been criticised by many. "Nation" divided fans. "Making Money" couldn't live up to the standard set by "Going Postal" a few years before, much like "Wintersmith" with the two previous Tiffany Aching novels. But one thing was clear about these books, it was that Pratchett, even when slightly off the top form we have cme to expect from him, can still win awards for his books and is usually leagues ahead of the competition.
"Unseen Academicals" on the other hand, is utterly joyful to read. On the outside it seems like a book about football, but as the quote on the back quite aptly points out, "The important thing about football is that it isn't about football." What we have here is a novel about the uncontrollable culture of football and the broad range of football zealots, from the lovers of the game and the men with the skills to the angry old women shouting "kick 'im in da nutz!" and violent hooligans that dominate the Shove.
But wrapped even more deeply is a realisation that Pratchett was actually warning us with that back cover quote. It really isn't about football. The sub-plot, surrounding Mister Nutt, an intelligent and incredibly polite goblin, and his Unseen University colleagues, Glenda the Night Kitchen cook, her assistant Juliet and candle dribbler, Trev Likely. This sub-plot, however, takes up at least 60% of the book, so to call it so would be an injustice. And further so, because it is a wonderful tale of romance, adversity and acceptance. Pratchett has created something quite special with the character of Mister Nutt, who will be a favourite of fans for years to come.
The laughs are more frequent than "Making Money" and the novels of the last few years, with the Wizards, Archchancellor Ridcully in particular, and his ever present number two, Ponder Stibbons, always nearby when something is making you laugh out loud. Only Pratchett has the ability to bring such a clever wit to the level of blurt-out embarrass yourself in public laughter, and you'll experience this many times while reading "Unseen Academicals." Fans of Rincewind, be aware that he has only a cameo appearance in this book and is by no means the main character. But you will not be disappointed, because Ridcully, Nutt, Vetinari and Glenda will be more than enough to keep you entertained.
"Unseen Academicals", while not one of the overall best in the Discworld series, like "Night Watch" or "Mort", is certainly in the second tier of greats and is the best Pratchett for many years, and when the final whistle blows, you'll be wishing for more!
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