The universe was filled with ignorance, and the teachings cut through it like a gold miner, towering above the mountain stream, to separate the gold of knowledge from the dross of stupidity, the sand of uncertainty, and the small mustachioed floating things of superstition.

But the trouble was that ignorance was becoming more and more interesting, especially that charming ignorance of big and important things like matter and creation. And people stopped patiently building their small houses of reason in the chaos of the universe and started to be interested in the chaos itself - partly because it was a lot easier to be an expert on chaos...

I guess if I were to make a top 20 list of my favorite quotes from books, probably at least 15 of them would be from Terry Pratchett. I always thought that Pratchett had nothing left to surprise me with, but after a while, I always start to miss the little books with the wonderful illustrated covers (the work of the late genius Josh Kirby) and the ratty humor on the small pages.

"Witches Abroad" is from perhaps the most productive period of Pratchett, and as a rule, each of his books has its own charm. Here we meet again with the three witches Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick in a new grotesque adventure, in which they have to save a future princess from... marrying a prince by decree! The three witches are in practice representatives of three different generations: the conservative and unchangeable Granny Weatherwax, the liberally minded and loveable Nanny Ogg, as well as the young rebel Magrat. Despite their different views, they have to travel south to the beautiful "foreign" city of Genua, where Lillith, the gallant sister of Granny Weatherwax, rules. Lillith poses as the good witch who turns the city into a fairy-tale place and fulfills the dreams of the princess (albeit against her will). But precisely those who most stubbornly claim that they are doing good for the common good are traditionally the same rulers who want to ride roughshod and manage everything uniformly. Or as Granny Weatherwax says: "Good and evil are lies, it's only the point of view that matters." And she adds: "You mustn't turn the real world into a fairy tale. You mustn't treat people as if they were fairy-tale heroes, as if they were puppets."

At first glance, "Witches Abroad" may seem like just a parody of popular fairy tales like "Cinderella" and "Snow White", but you know Pratchett. Even if he were to write a recipe for a potato pie, there would be more wisdom in it than a whole truckload of philosophical literature, and it would also make you... burst out laughing, I meant to say. :P

I started with a quote, and so I will end:

"What was a god? Focused belief. If people believed, the god would start to grow. At first weakly, but if there was one thing that the swamp knew, it was patience. Anything could become an object of belief. A sheaf of feathers tied with a red ribbon, a hat and a coat on a few sticks... anything. Because when everything that people owned was actually nothing, then anything could be almost everything."

Hilarious.

This truly made me think of the 1988 John Landis film starring Eddie Murphy, Coming to America. It's not that either story is very similar at all, save for the fact that the most charismatic aspect of each was the captivating interaction between the characters. Just as Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall (who each played multiple characters) were the most enjoyable part of that otherwise average film, so too does the dialogue between Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Og, and Magrat Garlick make this 1991 Pratchett Discworld novel an absolute delight.

In this, the twelfth Discworld book, Sir Terry revisits his Witches sub-series that he left off in 1988's Wyrd Sisters and does so to marvelous effect. A fairy godmother has passed away, and thus the three must journey to Genua to sort out matters. This provides a means by which Pratchett, the comic genius that he is, can explore and have a great deal of fun with all sorts of fairy tales and folklore.

Like the Shrek films (beginning in 2001), the concept of a parody of fairy tales is a rich and fertile field, and Pratchett seemingly has an endless supply of material to draw from. An observant reader will notice the abundant use of Grimm, Disney, and even L. Frank Baum.

Just like so many of the Discworld books, Pratchett also utilizes the comic setting of the novel to explore and comment on various aspects of human nature and to administer satire ranging from the playful to the biting.

It's an uproarious good time.

*** 2021 reread

I am truly enjoying my adventure back to the Discworld.

This time around, I paid closer attention to the individual characters, especially Nanny Og and Lily, Granny Weatherwax's sister - the evil/good godmother.

Also worth noting is Pratchett's description of Genua, which is kind of like a fantastic New Orleans, and the references to voodoo.

Good fun indeed.

*** 2024 reread -

This might just be my favorite Witches book.

Equal Rites introduced us to Granny Weatherwax, and Wyrd Sisters brought in Nanny Og and Magrat Garlick while paying homage to Shakespeare.

This being the third witches book but the twelfth overall on the Discworld, Pratchett had his story down pat, and he demonstrates some of the best writing here, using a plethora of fairytale-inspired references to make this a hilarious and enjoyable read.

All things are very sensitive to stories. They can feel a story, just as a fisherman can feel the unexpected presence of a fish in the small basin.

To know the mechanism of stories means almost a won battle.

The journey abroad with Pratchett's things is an unforgettable book experience! The author skillfully used motifs from classic fairy tales in the book, telling about the terrible, mischievous and funny adventures of the main heroines in Genoa. Magrat has received a dangerous mission that she must fulfill there as a fairy-crusader, and Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg help her. "Things Abroad" is not only an excellent satire on traditional fairy tales, but also a wise reading about the power of stories...

Most things don't believe in gods. Of course, they know that the gods exist. Even from time to time it happens that they have work with them. But they don't believe in them. It would be the same as believing in pity.

"I have nothing to do with foreigners," said Granny Weatherwax.

"I went to Ankh-Morpork," said Nanny Ogg softly. "That's foreign."

"No, it's not. It's just very far. That's not the same as foreign. Foreign is where they gibber in a strange jargon and eat disgusting food, and bow down, please, to objects," Granny Weatherwax explained like a well-meaning diplomat. "Foreign can turn out to be too close, if you're not careful."

Granny Weatherwax didn't like cards. She instinctively felt that they were a trick of the landscape.

Granny Weatherwax wasn't used to losing. From her point of view, losing was something that happened to other people.

"It's his," explained Nanny Ogg. "Everyone has one. His. And hers is terribly big. Of course, the big his is part of the business of things."

"She'll definitely use magic," Magrat said.

"When you use magic in a game of chance, you challenge Fate," agreed Nanny Ogg. "Skulduggery is in the order of things. It's actually honest. I mean, anyone can skuldugger. But to use magic - that's already a challenge to Fate."

Mysteries, Nanny Ogg would say, are like swans. They look as if they are aimlessly floating through the waters of Time, but in fact, beneath their royal dignity, there is a boiling activity.

The most important thing wasn't whether you were wearing a hat, but whether you had one. Every profession, every business had a hat. For the same reason, kings had hats. If you take off the king's crown, he'll just be someone with a double beard and an affinity for handshakes. Hats have power. Hats are important. But that also applies to people.

The difference between thinking and non-thinking creations is that the former can change. Difficult, of course, but not impossible. You just have to deflect the thought current.

Usually the future deviates with every turn of events and it is possible to get only the vaguest idea of what is to come, even if you are as sensitive to time as things are. But in this case, the stories had wrapped around the tree of eventfulness, distorting its shape beyond recognition.

Magic is too important to be used in power.

Pues... uno más de las brujas. I thought I would like it more because according to reviews, it is one of the best in the saga of these peculiar ladies, but... I liked the previous one (witchcraft) more.

**Alerta Spoiler!!!

1.-The story. The trio of witches consisting of Yaya, Tata, and Magrat is involved in the plot of a fairy godmother and a story that seeks its happy ending. And of course, nothing is what it seems, and everything turns out to be the most absurd.

2.-The characters. The trio, a bad fairy, and a voodoo queen. And well, characters from fairy tales, dwarfs, wolves, little animals, Baron Saturday, and Tata's cat XD. I liked the evolution of Yaya, the craziness of Tata, and that's it. Magrat doesn't stand out much in this story.

3.-The writing, the plot, and so on. Everything is continuous, without chapters and with jumps from one scene to another. Typical of Pratchett. The nods to the fairy tales of a lifetime are funny and entertaining. It's cool that it's not what it seems and the thread of the story is not bad. But I expected something even more absurd and more addictive.

4.-The ending. Okay. That's all.

In the end, 2 stars out of 5 because it seems that I'm getting stuck with the Discworld, as each book I read seems less entertaining.

**Popsugar 2022 category 16. A book about witches.

That was truly enjoyable! I have a great fondness for the witches, and I particularly appreciate the rather charming portrayal of women's companionship. I would love to have a Gytha by my side in my golden years (let's face it, I'm likely to turn into a Granny Weatherwax long before I can become a Nanny Ogg).

Check this out. Unless you are extremely sensitive to certain forms of misogyny (such as slut-shaming) or the use of voodoo in stories, I have no content warnings! It's about as unobjectionable as you can expect from a book with more than five sentences!

Things to love:

- The humor. I believe the author has really refined what works. There is wit, slapstick, puns, silliness, sex jokes, and all the other types of humor you can think of, yet none of them feel overly forced. It's delightfully absurd and so much fun.

- The concept. It actually does a really excellent job of discussing story creations and ur-myths! I love how they all intertwine, and how the author purposefully opens the door for non-European myths as well. I'm not sure if he did the absolute best job with Afro-Caribbean mythology, but he did a lot better than many current, "woke" settings I've seen, so that's something.

- The characters. I dare you not to giggle along with Nanny, Granny, Magrat, and the people they meet. They are such exaggerated characters that you instantly identify with them. This is your grandmother. That's your mémère. And they've just gone on holiday.

- The world. As always, I'm amazed at how many things Pratchett packed into his world and how well thought out it is. For a series that doesn't take itself too seriously, like a consummate comedian, the author put a tremendous amount of work into the construction of his jokes, this one filled with mountains, bogs, magic, and zombies.

Things I did not love:

I don't really have much to criticize, other than some minor points about being careful in representation. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I was quite impressed with how even those sensitive areas were handled. The people of color are human, they have flaws, motives, and redeeming qualities, the white characters respect them, and the author takes the time to remind us of the sorts of people not usually found in our stories. I thought it was actually brilliant.

The "missing" star is that while it's extremely clever and I think it achieved what it set out to do, I don't have a deep emotional connection. I really, really liked it. But I'm not in love with it. It's a fun installment in a great subseries, and I will definitely be reading more!

This, for me, is the weakest installment in the Witches subseries within the broader Discworld series.

I have a great affection for the writing style, the humor that abounds, and the recurring characters that have become so dear to me. However, in this particular book, I really didn't find myself invested in the central conflict.

The storyline seemed to meander and didn't truly gain momentum until approximately halfway through the narrative. This lack of early engagement made it more challenging for me to develop a genuine concern for the events and characters.

Nonetheless, I have to mention that I am a huge fan of the audio narration. It is absolutely pitch-perfect and adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience.

Despite my reservations about this particular book, I will definitely continue on with the series. Granny Weatherwax, in my opinion, is a wonderful character and she truly carries the series. Her strength, wisdom, and unique personality make her a joy to follow, and I look forward to seeing more of her adventures in the future installments.

Loved it. Thank goodness for Sir Terry and his Discworld novels.

There's truly nothing better than settling down to read about Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg on a dark, grey day. The wind is howling outside, as if it's trying to tell its own wild stories, and the rain is lashing the window, creating a rhythm that seems to match the adventures within the pages.

Witches Abroad is now firmly one of my favourite Discworld books. It takes the reader on a magical journey filled with humour, wit, and unforgettable characters. The way Sir Terry Pratchett weaves his tales is simply masterful.

Highly recommended for all fans of Sir Terry! Whether you're a long-time devotee or new to the Discworld, this book is sure to charm and delight. It's a wonderful escape from the ordinary and a chance to immerse yourself in a world where witches rule and anything is possible.

Watch the abyss lurking behind the seemingly harmonious fairy tales as Magrat Garlick begins to earn her reputation as one of the tightest young witches beside Tiffany Aching.

Pratchett employs postmodernism to deconstruct, satirize, and exaggerate numerous stereotypical and unrealistic tropes found in legends, mythology, economics, fairytales, fantasy, political science, and the humanities. Subverting the opportunism and uniformity of moral and ethical codices, witches, night watches, and wizards are undermining the wrong, awful, and dishonest foundations of Western culture. No matter what, each system has some inherent self-destruct or madness buttons, and Pratchett, Monty Python, and some lesser-known others laid the cornerstone for groundbreaking, extremely dark new works.

The continuation of this process towards the morbid can be witnessed in the amazing adult animation series of the 21st century. In contrast, Pratchett mainly engages in satire and uses the formula of changed motivations and personalities to offer both laughter and insights.

Back to the show: The witches aren't as directly violent as other characters. They utilize the soft magic of headology and altruism to assist in avoiding disasters or dealing with mundane everyday problems. Subjectively, I would guess that Pratchett favored his female characters and women in general the most, as he implants the most positive, progressive ideas in their minds while all other male characters remain rather dull, egoistic, or stuck in good old-fashioned different stages of insanity.

Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg are one of the best friend pairings in the Discworld, a symbiotic relationship that also completely differs from male friendships. Later, it becomes less important when Tiffany Aching enters the scene. However, while the males are primarily engaged in fighting, alpha behavior, posing, and incompetence, Granny and Nanny not only care for everyone else but also have a long-lasting, emancipated womance.

There's also a bit of laughter about tourism, and the all-time favorite of marriage politics can never be amiss. Oh, and of course, zombies.

Tropes demonstrate how literature is conceptualized and created, and which combination of elements makes works and genres unique.

This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews: The idea of dissected motifs is brilliant, highlighting the main real-world inspirational elements of fiction and satire. This is something typically done with so-called higher literature, but it's a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and the feeling of being smart all at once.

Witches are abroad in the Discworld, and they're up to something truly extraordinary - sending the Disc's very first postcards! This is the twelfth installment in the series, and Pratchett once again turns his Discworld funhouse mirror on some profound themes.

He delves into the matter of destiny and the nature of storytelling, with a particular focus on the nature of fairy tales. In the Disc's unique magic field, what we humans consider ordinary and everyday ideas take on strange and wonderful forms. So, when the fanciful, Disney-like idea of a Fairy Godmother germinates in the fertile grounds of Genua, all bets are off!

However, there's one force that can't be easily overcome - Granny Weatherwax and her unwavering, rigid view of what is right and, more importantly, what isn't. The road trip around "Europe" is filled with a treasure trove of delightfully playful anecdotes featuring the Disc's favorite coven of witches. The complex build-up to and the final showdown with the Fairy Godmother are a source of great entertainment.

Yet, there's a sense that it feels a bit slight. It's as if it was a clever idea for a short story that was expanded upon to the point where it could be published as a novel, but it never really reaches the depth and brilliance of the best of Pratchett's books. As they say, it's good, but it's not great.

Kazkovo!

This place is truly remarkable. It has a certain charm that attracts people from all over.

The scenery here is breathtaking. Lush green forests, rolling hills, and clear blue skies combine to create a picture-perfect landscape.

There are also many interesting historical sites and cultural attractions in Kazkovo. These offer a glimpse into the rich history and traditions of the area.

The local people are friendly and welcoming, always ready to share their stories and experiences with visitors.

Whether you are looking for a peaceful getaway or an adventure-filled vacation, Kazkovo has something to offer.

So why not come and discover the beauty and charm of Kazkovo for yourself? You won't be disappointed!

People cannot be bothered with building a better world for others. Only people themselves can build a better world for themselves. Otherwise, what you build will only be a cage. Moreover, I don't think the way to create a better world is to chop off people's heads or marry proper girls to toads.

The most fantastic trio of witches in Diskworld; Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick are back on stage. This time, they have "happy endings" in their sights. They are after preventing the "unwanted" happy endings with toads, princes, zombies, dwarves, snakes, mirrors, sisters, sleeping beauties, and as many pumpkins as you don't want. You are reading the heresy of fairy tales, especially those imposed on little girls, with a reverse tale. Again, within an entertainment that strengthens your connection with life, there are paragraphs that go much deeper, make you think, or clearly expose your common troubles. As always, the disk contains much more than the absurd and fantastic world. I'm a fan of Granny Weatherwax's stubbornness, her craziness, and also Nanny Ogg's insatiable love of life.

"I think this was a job for the handsome prince to sort out."

"Hah!" said Granny, striding ahead. "Well, what good would that have done? Would you know that a man would make a good husband by watching him chop through the briars? That's typical fairy godmother thinking! Wandering around distributing happy endings without a care for whether people want them or not!"

"There's nothing wrong with happy endings," said Magrat hotly.

"Now you listen," said Granny, staring hard at Magrat, "there's no problem with happy endings as long as they're really happy. And yet you can't do it for others. Is the only way to have a happy marriage to chop off their heads before they can say 'I do'? To leave them at the very top, at the moment when they're happiest? You can't manufacture happiness..."

She looked at the distant town.

"The only thing you can do," she said, "is just one kind of ending."

My absolute favourite of the series up until now is this one. I have a deep affection for witches, especially the ones created by Terry Pratchett! I'm truly enamoured with fairy tales, stories, and all things related to magic. And Pratchett's remarkable knack or gift for turning things on their head and questioning them in the most unexpected ways is simply captivating. He masters the art of balancing humour and poignancy so expertly that I can't help but stand in awe, constantly wondering how on earth he manages to do it.