D (Bad).

Every now and then, something in this book will almost make sense.

(Oct. 2023) ( )

Never read a Discworld novel that I didn't like. No exception here. ( )

If you like early books from the Discworld series and would like more of the same but slightly different, this could be a great book for you! It uses all the themes, patters, and storybeats that Pratchett developed over the years and gives them new clothes.

It's about football but nothing is just about football, so it touches on typical for Pratchett themes of stereotypes, identity, individuality, and progress (among others). Although the main characters are new, they feel very familiar, being an echo of ones we got to know before in Maskerade, Monstrous Regiment, Thief of Time, Soul Music... The story is also a song we've heard before, from the first act we know what's about to happen and it does in the end.

Where this book really shines is in the background. Ankh-Morpork is a character on its own and you can see how it works and how it has changed since the first time we visited it in The Colour of Magic. Also characters of mages, the Patrician, and some other good old firends make fine appearances. I think that Partchett was saying goodbye to his beloved characters here, not being sure if he will be able to produce another book. So this is really touching and I got the feels while reading some parts completely unrelated the main plot.

Speaking of the plot, there is not much here. There's quite a long build-up and anticipation for a big finale that's rather disappointing. Many threads dwindle and go nowhere, or have little impact on the characters. The writing is what one expects from Pratchett, although he doesn't seem to trust his readers as much as he did in his earlier books. Everything is written, explained, and reiterated - either in a dialogue or internal monologue - which I find annoying. Some things are better unsaid and left for readers to figure them out. Pratchett was a master of writing in a way that reader sees his "wink-wink" and gets the message. Here, all the situations and jokes are explained which makes them half as funny as they could be.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, mostly for the nostalgia factor and seeing how the city of Ankh-Morpork evolved throughout the whole Discworld series. It was great to walk its streets again. ( )

3.5*
I would probably have liked this more if I was a football/soccer fan. As it was, it seemed a bit too long. ( )

Takes a while to get going, could have been a little shorter perhaps. A middling book in the series, but still pretty good with some hilarious highlights. ( )