The Discworld Homework Files

Terry Pratchett, as you probably know if you've landed here, is the most popular fantasy author writing in English today. The secret of his appeal to all ages, and an important point to note if you're going to study his work at any level, is that unlike most fantasy authors, he doesn't actually write fantasy: the books are more like satire or straight comic novels that happen to be set in a fantasy world.

As his fame grows, an increasing number of teachers are asking their students to write essays on Pratchett's work. Many students have difficulty completing these essays; perhaps they are unaccustomed to writing on a fantasy subject, perhaps they are overworked, perhaps they are just too busy. Whatever. We're not here to judge, just to help. This site is for your benefit.

These short essays have been compiled after extensive study and consultation with a wide range of highly qualified people, including teachers, students and literary analysts. We hope they'll be helpful in formulating your own ideas.

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Note: You'll notice that this collection of reviews is incomplete, in that there's a lot of books I haven't got around to yet. If you'd like to contribute to these pages, please see my Submissions Guidelines before writing to me.