User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Literarily speaking, Sir Terry Pratchett is one of my best friends.
It’s as though I met Terry Pratchett at a party and we hit it off immediately. You like Monty Python, I LOVE Monty Python! Seinfeld, WHAT???, I’ve seen them all “Art Vandelay, nice to meet you.” No way! What about The Big Lebowski? “How’s the smut business, Jackie?” To which he replied, “I wouldn’t know, Dude.”
Ha!
And so it was with me when I read my first Discworld novel, in this case Mort (#4 on the list). Discworld is Terry Pratchett’s hilarious fantasy universe which is medieval flat, balanced on the back’s of four great elephants and all riding on the back of a great cosmic turtle. Each of the stories all share the same universal laws and truths, have numerous recurring characters and all spring up Athena like from the head of great Zeus Pratchett.
Mort is an inquisitive, gangly lad, all elbows and knees, who becomes the apprentice to Death. Written a few years after On a Pale Horse, the similarity to Piers Anthony’s work is recognizable but that is where the familiarity ends.
Mort is told with wit and sterling British humor. Two parts Douglas Adams and One part Monty Python, but all fun.
** 2015 - Sir Terry died a few days ago and we are all the lesser at having lost him, but better at having known him at all. I am fortunate that I have so many more of his books to read and enjoy.
**2018 - I've read all the Discworld books now and love these even more now.
*** 2021 reread -
I need to reread these more frequently than seven years.
Pratchett's first novel to feature Death (though he appeared, I think, in the first three) we get to see his lodgings, and we meet Albert and Ysabell, and of course his pale horse Binky.
Pratchett describes Mort as an inquisitive, brave young man and I don't think I noticed his heroic qualities when I first read this. We also see Death as a little more complex than first imagined. The scene in the pub where he is talking to the bartender is classic.
Rating: really liked it
It might be even harder to learn from DEATH than by death, but not that final.
What a setting, hard to say something without spoilering it, but the perfect orchestration and personalities of the 3 main protagonists make the humor and dynamic possible and I would like to know how long it took Pratchett to finetune the inner balance to establish the story twists.
Death, what would make more sense than to laugh about and together with the inevitable skinny buddy, but don´t dare to try to manipulate him and his work, oh no. Not just because asking for trouble with an interdimensional, almighty entity is a bit of a stupid idea and destined to end badly, but because of the stability of the universe and reality, congestion, overpopulation, or underutilization of earth, dungeon dimensions, heaven, or hell, and stuff related to his work.
But he has one fatal flaw: (view spoiler)
[He is not the aloof, cold entity he should be, he is a dysfunctional killer with the problem of interest and empathy for his clients. Not just for humans in general he studies like a scientist playing with lab rats, but worst for his adoptive daughter Ysabel his apprentice Mort. He even has normal hobbies next to sorting skulls, pickling souls, reincarnating whatever, that make him seem human. (hide spoiler)]The one metaphysical aspect is the natural science class highlight, the question how all works, what lies beyond 3 dimensions, when universes start and end, etc. and Pratchett uses these elements as plot vehicles, cliffhangers, and surprises, but doesn´t go the sci-fi route of getting cozier and more intimate with the science behind it.
Instead, the philosophy, character growth, and dynamic of the story are in the main focus and how death is permanently producing suspense, laughter, and a certain thrill, except for the ones truly badass (congratulations if you are not afraid of dying), is something so burned in the readers' mind that I can´t find a comparison, any other similar entity out of another literary universe that unites these features.
Imagine other apprenticeships with evil overlords, blood elves, too soft, romantic, and boring good vegan elves, orcs, mind parasites, gods and goddesses, aliens, zombies, whatever, the constellation is always funny, creepy, or just ridiculous. There are many funny fantasy genre novels out there and I don´t know how many pairings have already become reality, but it´s also a great mind game without any literature around it.
However, carpe diemality, don´t just start reading the Discworld novels beginning with the introduction of the one, the only, the ultimate, fashionable dubious, always mowready, as we in German speaking countries like to call him, Herr Tod (shame on us nasty sexists, I´ll add Fräulein Tod to make it look more emancipated, no wait, not sure if Fräulein is still acceptable and not belittling, Frau Tod is of course what I mean or Frau Todin instead, I just don´t know what is gender writing norm today, because politics changes it so often instead of improving the dysfunctional system enabling discrimination in the first place. Terrible German language https://www.goodreads.com/es/book/sho..., but keep quickly reading them to minimize the danger of meeting him before having read and reread all of these amazing works.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together.
Rating: really liked it
Check out my new youtube channel where I show my instant reactions to reading fantasy books seconds after I finish the book. Death has never been this much fun!This book was a really enjoyable read for me, and while not quite as good as some of the other early Discworld books, it provides a wonderful foundation for one of the Discworld sub-series and should be a must read for any Discworld fan.
I'm constantly mystified by Terry Pratchett's style. On one hand he writes wonderful comedy that is unrivaled in the fantasy genre, but on the other he legitimately writes moving stories that are gripping and unique. The man is a literary genius.
This book is one of the first Discworld books that is legitimately, laugh out loud funny. The jokes aren't cheap, and they are so wonderful that you can't help but think about them days and weeks after reading it. I'm also shocked at how broadly appealing this humor is to people -- typically humor is funny to some and not funny to others, but it feels like the world can rally behind the fact that these books are funny for everyone.
I love the character of Death, and how he interacts with this entire world and his family. My one actual criticism is how little Death actually appears in this book, as the central story here is about someone else.
Don't skip on this Pratchett book!
Rating: really liked it
Being one of the first and the latest of all the Pratchett reads, I'm really surprised just how much I loved this one. I'm upping the star count to a full five just because I think I liked Mort, the character, even better this time around.
DEATH on DISCWORLD. :) Seriously, there's nothing quite like it. Him. The personification. :) He meddles so much with humanity, tries to get drunk, and hires an apprentice. Not all in that order.
Death is the mewling cat at the party of life. :)
The story is a bit more interesting, I must say, than the ones immediately preceding it, and of all the books, I think it captures the essential spirit of all the ones to come after. High praise, no? I hope so. :)
Very funny stuff. :)
Rating: really liked it
Death decides to hire a little helper, an assitsant... Mort. Mort meets Death's 'daughter' and also his aide an ex-wizard. Death meanwhile begins to truly realise the limitations of his lifestyle and decides to maybe, consider… well... taking some time out and doing something else instead...hmmm, so who do you think he gets to run errands as 'Death'! We get to meet Rincewind, now a librarian, again and other people and places from the previous books in the series. Easily the best in the series so far for me. 5 out of 12
2011 read
Rating: really liked it
Many years ago, pre-Goodreads, I remember coming home after being away to be confronted with a burst pipe, water coming through the living room ceiling and ruining many of my books, including my entire Discworld series. When the publisher recently made a number of the fantasy books in the Terry Pratchett series available, I just could not resist rereading some of them. The satire, wit and humour of this series might not be for everyone, but it is for me. Here the wonderful character of Death takes on a apprentice, Mort, satisfied with a position with a number of benefits, he makes a catalogue of errors in a story that includes Death's daughter, the horse Binky, princesses and wizards. This is a joy to reread, fun and hilarious, Pratchett's world building is stellar, and with such terrific characters. Thanks to the publisher.
Rating: really liked it
This book was so good that if I knew the way to Sheepridge, I’d be heading there next Hogswatch Eve hoping to be chosen as DEATH’s next apprentice 😳
So how does one critique a Terry Pratchett (Sir) book to someone who has never read one, or in these reviews should we just be brief, succinct and to the point. ?
It was funny and good and I enjoyed it, 5 stars .No, that doesn't do it justice, even if I have given it 5 stars. This book is laugh out loud, want to read the funny bit to someone (anyone) funny, it is witty, very witty, cleverly witty, it is deceptively simple, but wonderfully complex, an enigma, a dichotomy.
Oh ok it is bloody good and outrageously funny, just read it.
PS I think of the books so far (ok only 4, but I have years ago read more and remember them a little), anyway of the books I have read so far, DEATH has got to be my favourite, hmm or is it RIncewind , oh God or Granny Weatherwax. Oh bother 😂
Rating: really liked it
This isn't an easy review to write. This has been my first encounter with the Discworld universe and the many writings of Terry Pratchett, and voicing my opinion on it makes me feel like a blundering fool stumbling into a world that was meant for his younger and perhaps wiser self, a world of which he has only caught a glimpse.
Let's start with kicking in an open door. 'Boy', uh, sorry, '
Mort' is a very funny novel. Death, being a wonderfully serious topic, becomes a great source of laughter and smiles in the hands of Sir Pratchett. The book contains the kind of humour that shows the common sense of absurdity and showcases the author's very refreshing look on things. I think for readers, young and old, this different and highly original perspective is something to be appreciated and praised. Comments that follow below are in no way intended to put "but"'s and "maybe it would have been better"'s alongside this praise. An author who is able to describe a voice by the amount of time it could keep milk fresh is above all that. He knew what he was doing and he did it extremely well.
That said, I don't think I'll be returning to the Discworld universe very soon. It felt as much too light a read. I intentionally picked the Discworld novel with the Death-theme, not because I'm a dark character but because I was half expecting some philosophical wisdoms holed up here and there. I guess there were some, but not as much as I had expected. There's not half a page that takes itself seriously, sometimes to such an extent that I was wondering why I should continue reading it. The plot is there but it's rather thin, so the jokes are what really drives this novel forward. It's strange really, I'm all for jokes, but I expect a bit more "flesh" in a book. I'd compare it to going to see a stand-up comedian specialized in one-liners. First of all you need a bit of warming up as a member of the audience, let go of a certain air of seriousness, set your mind ready for a laughing spree and go with the flow. I had the same need when reading this. The lightness of the book initially annoyed me, and it took me a couple of pages to just enjoy the humour of it. Which I did. But like with a stand-up comedy, an hour or two is enough. I had the same with this book, resulting in short bouts of reading pleasure, sandwiched between mild annoyance and mild boredom. Apparently there's only so much I can take when it comes to footnotes representing a stream of consciousness plummeting into the absurd, however pleasurable that plunge can be.
I'd definitely recommend giving the Discworld Universe a try if you haven't already, but do it sooner rather than later. I think a young reader's mind will appreciate it much more, even though there's something in there for all ages, which I'll try to show, in closing, with my favorite quotes of the book:
"Rather than drown in uncertainty it was best to surf right on top of it."
"There should be a word for the microscopic spark of hope that you dare not entertain in case the mere act of acknowledging it will cause it to vanish, like trying to look at a photon. You can only sidle up to it, looking past it, walking past it, waiting for it to get big enough to face the world."
These quotes don't accurately show the humour of the book, mind you. Death may have no feelings, no sense of justice and a rather grim visage, but he's bound to make you laugh!
Rating: really liked it
Introducing: DEATH
Aw, ain't that smile warming your heart? Or is that the adrenaline rush because you, too, just want to get away from him? Severely misunderstood guy, that fellow.
He's a beekeeper, a gardener, cat-lover, admittedly not very good with colours but his shades of black are very original! And he's active too! Never lazy, our protagonist, always riding around on his faithful mount, Binky.
In case anyone was wondering: the scythe is for us normal mortals, whereas royalty gets the deluxe deal and therefore the sword you see him carrying in the picture above.
So what is this old chap up to? Well, he's always looking out for the little guy (in this case it's a very tall and skinny boy). For in this 4th
Discworld novel, that is the first to feature Death as a main character, Death takes on the afore-mentioned young lad as an apprentice. Mort (the lad in question) is an outsider since he always wants to help his family (farmers) but is very clumsy and good intentions only get you so far. After agreeing to the apprenticeship, Mort travels with Death to his domain and meets his servant, Albert, as well as his daughter, Ysabell (don't ask). After a while, he even gets sent to do 3 jobs on his own. Aaaaand you guessed it: that is where the trouble starts. Especially since Death decides to take a holiday shortly after (to do some fishing, dancing, gambling, drinking, and even tries a new profession). *lol*
A number of inhabitants are being met in various corners of the Discworld (there is even (view spoiler)
[a cameo by Rincewind (hide spoiler)]) during this fantastic romp to set things right and we learn a ton while we're at it. Because Pratchett is not only impeccable in making us laugh, but a champion in using INTELLIGENT humour and using it to address serious topics of our world. In this case: mortality, justice/compassion, death in all kinds of incarnations (depending on the culture), but also - importantly - life and that existing doesn't necessarily equal LIVING (that we need to make it count)!
This was the very first
Discworld novel I've ever read and even the German translation back then was fantastically funny. It became instantly dear to me, prompting me to immediately buy the English original and reading it once again, but I had almost forgotten just HOW GOOD this was. After this re-read it is clear that it shall remain one of my all-time favourite books.
Rating: really liked it
The ending surprised me and it was the one that I really wanted to happen. What can I say about Discworld that has never been said before. Nothing, but I need to tell you to read Mort.
Mort is a cataclysmic story of epic proportions. I thought Death(the Discworld character) was going to bite dust, you know? I really don't love every single book in the series. In fact I started and gave up reading Mort a couple of years ago.
So, why do you need to read Mort? Well, it teaches you how to thread a story of your own. Also, it's surprising and imaginative to boot. The Discworld books are polarizing. It won't hurt if you started your adventure with Mort. Terry Pratchett was an uneven genius.
Rating: really liked it
"There is no justice. There is only me." Well this was flipping great!
My first step into Terry Pratchett's Discworld (I know right?!)
This one tells the story of a young man called Mort who becomes Death's apprentice, along with all of the tasks and responsibilities that come with it.
This world is so vivid and imaginative, I was completely transported into this weird and wonderful universe with all its characters, including wizards, princesses, Death's daughter and of course Mort and Death himself.
Naturally Mort is clumsy, and mistake-prone, he spends a good portion of the story attempting to fix his mistake of saving the life of a princess who was supposed to die, therefore knocking all reality out of sync. The story itself is simple to follow, what makes this book so incredible is the fantastic descriptions of the way this universe works and the different realities and places and people, which are so complex it's absolutely astounding! It seemed never ending. I didn't want to leave this world and I will definitely be returning soon!
Rating: really liked it
Mort (Discworld, #4; Death, #1), Terry Pratchett
Mort is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the fourth Discworld novel and the first to focus on the character Death, who only appeared as a side character in the previous novels. The title is the name of its main character and also a play on words: in French, mort means "death". The French language edition is titled Mortimer.
As a teenager, Mort has a personality and temperament that makes him unsuited to the family farming business. Mort's father Lezek takes him to a local hiring fair in the hope that Mort will land an apprenticeship; not only would this provide a job for his son, but it would also make his son's propensity for thinking into someone else's problem. Just before the last stroke of midnight, Death arrives and takes Mort on as an apprentice (though his father thinks he has been apprenticed to an undertaker). Death takes Mort to his domain, where he meets Death's elderly manservant Albert, and his adopted daughter Ysabell. Mort later accompanies Death as he travels to collect the soul of a king, who is due to be assassinated by the scheming Duke of Sto Helit. After Mort unsuccessfully tries to prevent the assassination, Death warns him that all deaths are predetermined, and that he cannot interfere with fate. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: چهاردهم ماه می سال 2016 میلادی
عنوان: مجموعه جهان صفحه - کتاب 04 - مورت؛ نویسنده: تری پرتچت (پراچت)؛ مترجم: محمد حسینی مقدم؛ تهران، ویدا، 1394؛ در 281 ص؛ شابک: 9786002911261؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان انگلیسی قرن 20 م
ا. شربیانی
Rating: really liked it
Finally dived into Discworld. I have seen many say that a good starting point in this huge series is Mort, the first of the series 'Death' in the Discworld. And it seems that they were right. Thes was highly entertaining, humorous and engaging stuff.
Seems like this is going to be a series for me!
Rating: really liked it
I’m going to be real with you. I struggled through this and I feel so pressured to finish it because of the cult following it has, but I think that’s it for me.
While reading this, it hit me.. it reminds me so much of the classic book The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, which I HATE by the way. They have nothing to do with each other, the story isn’t even close to being similar but for some reason the writing and characters remind me of it which was the absolute worst part of Alice for me. The randomness of it is similar as well. Mort runs into an annoying new character every 3 pages.. just.. like.. Alice.
Anyways, with those aspects in the forefront of my mind, It became clearer and clearer to me that this wasn’t going to be a new favorite. I mean Death was interesting! But that is the only good thing I can honestly give.
dnf: page 80
Rating: really liked it
I "made a mistake" in my life by reading later works of Discworld (DW) first. By the time I read earliest Discworld stories, the universe feels not fully developed.
Mort is the fourth DW novel, and I see the DW universe, the jokes, and the characters are better developed than the 3 earlier novels (but still not as sophisticated as DW later works). But, there are some good moments: the awkwardness of young people in this novel, and the Death's learning of life.
People including Mort as the first in Death series, and indeed Death has big role in this novel. For a note: Rincewind made an appearance in this novel. :)
