Mort

I shall just say this one thing before I commence on the utter uselessness that is this blog...TERRY PRATCHETT IS A FRIGGIN' COMIC GENIUS!!! Phew, now that's out of my system, I can start to talk rationally about this book. Terry Pratchett weaves a brilliant storyline, adding in a couple of dry observations of the Discworld races that will literally make you laugh out loud, then begin to cry and roll around on the floor with hysteria. Well, that's what happened to me, at any rate. My family thought I was going mad for a full three days. There was one part in the book that I thought was truly gifted in the comedy department; Death is tired of his day job (you know, taking souls, delivering people from their boring lives, etc.etc) and starts to look for a new one. So, natch, he goes to the job finder person in Ankh-Morpok-the Disc's main city-who attempts to find him a job. (Keep in mind that Death carries a scythe as it is very important to get this piece of comic genius is you happen to forget this very important fact. Just saying...)
"Do you have any special skills?"

"Erm, I have a lot of experience with agricultural implements?"
That one had me screaming with laughter for hours on end. Honestly, it was all in the delivery.

As well as being very gifted in terms of comedy, Terry Pratchett creates fantastic characters and story lines. Death is a pure work of art; he is human in feelings and wants, but inhuman in only shape and form. The first point that we realise he is just as human as the rest of us is on the fifth page or so, when he appears for the first time, falls off his horse (called Binky) and says in a very human way "Oh, bugger". Again, comic genius. Mort himself is apparently your average human boy of sixteen; he appears to be all limbs and no muscle, has great ideas but is rather awkward when forming them in actual words, the list could go on. However, enough has been revealed about Mort that he is actually conscientious, empathetic, and loving. Like all mortals, though, he has his moment of weakness. When Death goes off to find his "proper job" mentioned before, Mort starts to turn into Death. He starts to speak like him and his appearance changes-his formerly brown eyes start to change into tiny specks of blue, just like Death's.

The story is full of unexpected twists and turns, surprises both pleasant and otherwise, and dry humour that cannot fail to amuse. I thoroughly recommend that anyone reading this blog immediately open a new tab, go onto Amazon.co.uk and purchase a copy of this mind-boggling book. Next I'll be reading The Christmas Books: Volume I by Charles Dickens, so watch out for further updates!