Andra V.

Should be used for self reflection

Reviewed: 03-13-25

The hypocrisy of colonialism and organized religion is so stark when seen through the eyes of people still basing their values and community life on mutual trust, honestly and responsibility. I am sure there were bad people amongst the native americans as well, and this account is probably romanticized by melancholy and loss. No comunity is perfect and everybody makes mistakes. I don't think the native peoples were a bastion of virtue, but their evaluation of their invaders is certainly correct and the fact that most people today still aren't able to face the truth and still prefer to pretend the history of American colonization was some kind of glorious virtuous civilizing effort only shows we haven't evolved much in the past few centuries. The whole of north and south America was stolen by people who on top of everything else had the odacity to call themselves christian and shout from the rooftops about how holly they were. Even when i first started reading about this in highschool i felt the contradiction between the colonists actions and their professed morals was so obvious that the only way to survive it must have been to make a conscious choice to be blind to it and to dehumanize the people they were exploiting. I was still a good little christian white girl back then but was already pretty disgusted with the hypocrisy i saw everywhere around me, and especially in those who pretended to be the most religious. As my gran once told me "don't do what the priest does, do what he says, or say as says and do what you want". I've met people from many religions since then and as far as i can see this is the main principle in all "great" religions, which is why i have abandoned them. What is worse is that as a society we're only becoming (and chosing to become) more hypocritical. This is true even for those who've moved away from religion.

Listening to this book i once again thought we need to relearn to be honest at least with ourselves if with nobody else. Unless we become more self aware and take responsibility for what we're doing we'll end up destroying ourselves. This book is like a mirror that forces you to see yourself as you really are. I wish more people were willing to look in that mirror and instead of becoming defensive they'd be willing to listen and then say "yeah, i see there's some improvement to be made, some bad habbits to shake and some learning to do so i can make better choices in the future; I've made some good choices and some bad choices; now i chose to be more aware and to take responsibility for my actions and figure out how i can change things for the better"!

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Great fun, happy to be back on the Disc

Reviewed: 06-06-24

I loved this little book! It was great fun to listen to during a long walk. (In spite of the misguided people looking funny at me when i chuckle/laugh out loud.) The notes from Granny, Nanny, miss Tick, mrs Earwig, Esk etc are priceless! Laughed out loud, and shed a few tears because... well... of course i did! New Discworld book and with Granny intervening in it?! It's like finding a recording of a friend who passed...

The performance was great, loved it! And i fervently hope this means we'll also see new recordings of the Science/Folklore of Discworld books. Right, Penguin audio? Yes or YES???

I'd say anyone who enjoyed the Science of Discworld or the Folklore of Discworld will probably enjoy this. I'm very grateful to have a new Discworld book, even if it's not a novel. I think they did a great job, and i hope hope hope HOOOOPE there will be more! PLEAAAASE!!! (Yes, i know what Terry says about people who use multiple exclamation marks. =)))

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A very realistic concept of alien life

Reviewed: 03-19-24

and how different it would likely be and how difficult to understand, let alone communicate with

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Labour of love

Reviewed: 02-07-24

Andy Serkis is a wizard of voice acting, and this whole series was a labor of love. I am grateful for this, it has made me feel again like a child listening mesmerized to this great story for the first time. Silmarillion and Hobit and The Lord of the Rings. Thank you!

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Lovely to listen to this book again

Reviewed: 09-11-23

Unlike some, i personally find the new narrations better than the old ones. I don't see why Pratchett shouldn't benefit from multiple voices and little sounds. Sure, they're in no way necessary, but they don't ruin the books in any way, as some "purists" seem to think. Audiobooks are for audio enjoyment, so i don't mind the little music at the beginning and small sound effects here and there. They're not distracting like in other books. I always imagined the characters having different voices, and the little footnotes beeing spoken in Terry's voice, so for me at least it's nice to have the distinction. I guess for some it clashes with their own imagined narration, but you still have the old narrations so I don't see why you feel like you need to put down the work of these voice actors. It's a bit petty. Just read the books in paper if that's what works best for you.
I found that in the new recordings i can enjoy Terry's amazing writing style and humor just as well as before, and i find all the voice actors put in wonderful performances for this series. Unfortunately i found the old narrations were a bit tired by the end. Steven Briggs did a great job narrating all the books but to be honest on some books it was obvious he wasn't interested. I haven't had this feeling with these recordings. I believe a varied cast makes more sense. Reading 40 books on different story lines can be pretty much for one person, even between fans there are some who don't like some books etc. Anyway, i am loving having a second edition of my favorite book series of all time.

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It is good to see true peace makers still exist

Reviewed: 08-21-23

Knowing quite a few people of all 3 abrahamic faiths, i have often been shocked at how judgemental and hateful we all are towards each other on the basis of faith. How people who are generally good and kind can be absolute unthinking hateful beasts towards another person just because they're a different faith. If you confront them, if you force them to see the other as human, their resolve only crumbles a little! They'll say "oh but that's because X is different", and continue to otherize, dehumanize and hate everyone else without ever understanding the stupidity of their argument. Everywhere i look people use faith to excuse bigotry, xenophobia, discrimination, torture, murder, destruction of culture, genocide and a host of other such lovely human inventions. Especially for my own faith, it always seems incredible to me that anyone can be so full of hate and yet claim to follow the teachings of Jesus (with a straight face no less) and think themselves a righteous person and even think they'd be going to heaven! It made me think they must have read the new testament diagonally, only chosing the parts they liked and ignoring the rest. I've met a few priests, and most were just feeding into that hatred. Even the ones who were generally good people were hateful towards other religions. When I was in my 20s i started regarding organized religion as a plague on humanity and church as the place God died. Pretty soul crushing, since I still fundamentally define myself as Christian and i still pray, though most times i have a hard time explaining to myself why. I have long ago stopped believing in the church, since it clearly doesn't practice what it preachers and the level of hypocrisy is unbelievable. Now i think religion should be strictly personal and should never go beyond at most the closest family circle. Certainly not out in public and not used to judge and hurt others. For over 20 years, and to be honest I think since always, the only place i truly felt close to God was in nature and solitude. I only ever go to church on Easter and Christmas these days, and only because it's important to some people i love. I can count on one hand the churches where i felt spirit present, and i must have seen hundreds. So when i started this book i was at the same time hopeful and very circumspect. The subject is extremely complex and multifaceted and i feared disappointment. I am happy to see my hope was well placed, and the book itself is a lesson in introspection and honesty and responsibility. In a way father Chacour has asked many of the same fundamental questions i have asked myself, and God. Where is the truth and the justice, how can people who have been persecuted themselves turn into persecutors and not see it, or even worse, see it and think it is justified because someone else did the same to them; how is hate chosen out of a misplaced need for justice turned into revenge; how can i navigate all that and find the path that keeps me true to my values and keeps me human and keeps me from dehumanizing others, and yet allows me to take action and not be just a consenting victim. I can understand why he became a priest and even his belief in the church, though I don't share it. What remains is that he has found honest answers, with all the introspection and objectivity that implies, and in situations where i can't be sure i would have found them myself. And he took responsibility once the answers came, and took inspiring action. Chapeau ! It is refreshing and inspiring to see true peace makers still exist, and it bolsters my faith in humanity.

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Had potential but it was very see through

Reviewed: 07-16-23

If you think logically it's clear who the murderer is from the very beginning. All the clues and the logic point to the same person. It was entertaining for listening while doing something else. The premise and all the traveling was promising. But honestly the protagonist was ridiculously dumb at times. Not to mention that given the first murder is all to steal the last page of an unpublished crime novel, and the protagonist has a copy of that novel, knows it's based on her case and contained something worth killing for, and yet FAILS to read it... i mean how stupid is that?! Obviously there would be clues in the book! Any good crime novel will have plenty of clues for the perpetrator all over the novel, not just on the last page. And this was supposed yo have been written by a greatly acclaimed author. Not rocket science, is it?!

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Huge lost opportunity to represent amazing women

Reviewed: 05-18-23

Are these women amazing, inspiring and totally badass? Absolutely! Should be on T-shirts alongside Che and others.
These women's stories should be publicised and discussed and available to little girls everywhere! And enriched with more ladies!

Is the patriarchy a total sh*tshow that's been repressing women for thousands of years on no basis whatsoever?! You bet!
Does it need to be focused on every couple of paragraphs?! I don't think so.
This book should be an inspiration and a story of women's achievements. Unfortunately with all the "wit" about patriarchy, it starts to feel more like what some will call a "manifesto of man hating feminism" and i REALLY don't think this should be the end feeling it leaves you with. I'm a feminist to my core, have been my whole life, even as a kid. But even for me the "wit" got a bit much.
And you'll never manage to address anyone who is not already a feminist with this kind of book... which is SAD. We don't want to be in an echo chamber. What use is it to write only for the people who already agree with you?!
The purpose of books is to broaden minds. I already knew about many of these women through my own research. It was nice to hear it all in one place but i would have much preferred a more balanced and well researched book i could have given to people who are not feminists and actually think they might read it beyond page 5... not in this presentation. A huge lost opportunity in my opinion.

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Loved it

Reviewed: 05-02-23

One of my top 5 Discworld novels in a wonderful production! Enjoyed every second! So happy about these new recordings!

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Beautiful

Reviewed: 10-22-20

Absolutely loved it! couldn't stop listening! Marvelous performance and riveting story. Reminded me of Good Omens and of Terry Pratchett's work. (I love Neil Gaiman's stories but Pratchett will always be my absolute favorite author.)

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