Świetne! Ten humor to coś trafiającego idealnie do mnie, nigdy nie śmiałam się tak głośno przy żadnej książce. Jestem bardzo ciekawa czy inne postacie z świata dysku będą trzymać ten sam poziom co Babcia, Niania i Magrad ❤️ Na pewno będę systematycznie czytała następne części.

Absolutely brilliant!

On the surface, you'd think, "Oh, here's another take on fairy tales," but Terry always takes it one step further. Hilariously funny, wonderful characters, and a delightful universe that is consistent (unless to make the joke, it isn't.) Discworld is amazing and I love coming back to it time and time again.

My favourite Terry Pratchett book ... My copy is so worn its cotton-soft! If you've never read it, you should get a copy right now.

Me ha encantado. El mejor de la saga de las brujas hasta ahora.

Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches #3), Terry Pratchett

Witches Abroad is the twelfth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, originally published in 1991.

Themes: Fairy tales, Fairy godmothers, Cinderella, The Wizard of Oz, New Orleans, Carnival / Mardi Gras, Swamps, Voodoo.

Following the death of the witch Desiderata Hollow, Magrat Garlick is sent her magic wand, for Desiderata was not only a witch, but also a fairy godmother.

Having given the wand to Magrat, she effectively makes Magrat the new fairy godmother to a young woman called Emberella, who lives across the Disc in Genua.

Sadly, Desiderata does not give Magrat any instruction on the use of the wand, so pretty much anything that Magrat points it at becomes a pumpkin.

This leaves several animals around Magrat's cottage now as pumpkins, one of which still thinks it is a stoat.

Desiderata had promised Emberella previously that she will not marry the Duke, who's really a prince/frog, and now it is up to Magrat and her companions (Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg) to ensure that Emberella does not marry the Duke, despite the desires of another Witch in Genua called Lily, Desiderata's counterpart.

She used the power of her own reflection to capture Genua.

The journey to Genua takes some time and involves numerous mis-adventures, such as an encounter with a village terrorised by a Vampire—Greebo catches it in bat form and eats it—an incident where they encounter a Running of the Bulls-like event, a house falling on Nanny's head which she survives thanks to her hat with the willow reinforcement.

Upon arrival in Genua, Magrat goes to meet Emberella, whilst the two older witches meet Erzulie Gogol, a voodoo witch and her zombie servant, Baron Saturday (who was also her late lover).

It is at this time that Magrat finds out that Emberella has two fairy godmothers, Magrat and Lilith.

It was Lilith who had manipulated many of the various stories that the Witches had traveled through and who was now manipulating Genua itself, wrapping the city around her version of the Cinderella story.

Lilith has had people arrested for crimes against stories, including the arrest of a toymaker for not being jolly, not whistling and not telling the children stories.

At this point it is revealed that Lilith is actually Lily, Granny Weatherwax's older sister.

Using hypnosis, Granny convinces Magrat to attend a Masked Ball in place of Emberella. Greebo is transformed into human form to aid the witches. Emberella's dress fits, but the glass slippers do not. After enjoying themselves for a while at the ball, the witches are discovered and are cast into a dungeon.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز پانزدهم ماه آوریل 2020میلادی

عنوان: دیسک ورلد (جهان صفحه) کتاب دوازدهم: جادوگران خارج؛ نویسنده تری پرچت؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیایی - سده 20م

دیسک ورلد (جهان صفجه)، یک سری از کتابهای فانتزی هستند، که روانشاد «تری پرچت»، نویسنده ی «انگلیسی»، نگاشته ‌اند؛ داستان‌های این سری در جهانی با نام «دیسک‌ ورلد (جهان صفحه)» می‌گذرند؛ که صفحه‌ ای تخت است، و بر شانه‌ های چهار فیل، با هیکلهای بزرگ، قرار دارد؛ این فیل‌ها نیز، به نوبه ی خود، بر روی پشت یک لاک‌پشت غول‌آسا، با نام «آتوئین بزرگ» قرار دارند؛ در این سری از کتابها، بارها از سوژه های کتاب‌های نویسندگانی همچون «جی.آر.آر تالکین»، «رابرت هاوارد»، «اچ پی لاوکرافت» و «ویلیام شکسپیر» به گونه ای خنده دار، استفاده شده ‌است؛

از سری «دیسک ‌ورلد» بیشتر از هشتاد میلیون نسخه، در سی و هفت زبان، به فروش رفته‌ است؛ این سری در برگیرنده ی بیش از چهل رمان (تاکنون چهل و یک رمان)، یازده داستان کوتاه، چهار کتاب علمی، و چندین کتاب مرجع، و مکمل است؛ از این سری، چندین رمان تصویری، بازی کامپیوتری، نمایش تئاتر، سریالهای تلویزیونی اقتباس شده ‌است؛ روزنامه ی «ساندی تایمز» چاپ «انگلستان» از این سری به عنوان یکی از پرفروش‌ترین سری کتاب‌ها نام برده، و «تری پرچت» را، به عنوان پرفروش‌ترین نویسنده ی «انگلستان»، در دهه ی نود میلادی دانسته است؛

رمان‌های «دیسک‌ورلد» جوایز بسیاری از جمله جایزه «پرومتئوس»، و مدال ادبی «کارنگی» را، از آن خود کرده ‌اند؛ در نظرسنجی «بیگ رید»، که «بی‌بی‌سی» در سال 2003میلادی، در «انگلستان» انجام داد، چهار رمان سری «دیسک‌ورلد»؛ در فهرست یکصد کتاب برتر قرار گرفتند؛ همچنین مردمان «انگلیس»، در این نظرسنجی، چهارده رمان «دیسک‌ورلد» را، در شمار دویست کتاب برتر، دانستند؛ تا کنون، از این سری، چهل و یک رمان، به چاپ رسیده است؛ «تری پرچت» که پیش از درگذشتش؛ در ابتدای سال 2015میلادی، از بیماری «آلزایمر» رنج می‌بردند، اعلام کردند که خوشحال می‌شوند که دخترشان، «ریانا پرچت»، به جای ایشان، به ادامه ی این سری بپردازند؛ تا جلد بیست و ششم رمان این سری، رمان «دزد زمان (2001میلادی)» به دست «جاش کربی»، به تصویر کشیده شده ‌اند، اما نسخه ‌های «آمریکایی»، که انتشارات «هارپرکالینز» آن‌ها را، منتشر کرده، دارای تصاویر روی جلد متفاوتی هستند؛ پس از درگذشت «جاش کربی»، در سال 2001میلادی، نقاشی‌های روی جلد کتاب‌های بعدی این سری، بدست «پائول کربی» کشیده‌ شدند

کتابهای اول و دوم: رنگ جادو؛ کتاب سوم: زنان جادوگر؛ کتاب چهارم: مرگ؛ کتاب پنجم: سورسری (برگردان فارسی جادوی مرجع)؛ کتاب ششم: خواهران ویرد؛ کتاب هفتم هرم ها؛ کتاب هشتم: نگهبانان! نگهبانان؛ کتاب نهم: اریک؛ کتاب دهم: تصاویر متحرک؛ کتاب یازدهم: مرد دروگر؛ کتاب دوازدهم جادوگران خارج؛ کتاب سیزدهم: ایزدان خرد (خدایان کوچک)؛ کتاب چهاردهم: لردها و بانوان؛ کتاب پانزدهم: مردان مسلح؛

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 28/12/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

I love Nanny Ogg and Gtanny Weatherwax so much!

This novel was just what I needed right now.

The 12th in my re-read of the entire Discworld series has us FINALLY back with Granny Weatherwax and the other witches!

One reason why I decided to re-read the series is that I can never just indulge in one of the volumes. The other is that the audiobooks were newly produced and the casts looked amazing.

Reading this 12th book (in chronological order) are:


Once upon a time such a universe was considered unusual and, possibly, impossible.
But then ... it used to be so simple, once upon a time.
Because the universe was gull of ignorance all around and the scientist panned through it like a prospector crouched over a mountain stream, looking for the gold of knowledge among the gravel of unreason, the sand of uncertainty and the little whiskery eight-legged swimming things of superstition.
Occasionally he would straighten up and say things like 'Hurrah, I've discovered Boyle's Third Law.' And everyone knew where they stood. But the trouble was that ignorance became more interesting, especially big fascinating ignorance about huge and important things like matter and creation, and people stopped patiently building their little houses of rational sticks in the chaos of the universe and started getting interested in the chaos itself - partly because it was a lot easier to be an expert on chaos, but mostly because it made really good patterns that you could put on a t-shirt.

It's always eerie to read old(er) books and come across something that could have been penned 3 minutes ago. *shudders*

But that also kinda fits the theme here for this volume is all about fairytales taking over. I mean, I grew up with them and loved them and I absolutely think they are still as prevalent and topical as ever. Maybe even more so regarding some aspects.
In Genua, a Fairy Godmother has gone too far and her counterpart was unable to stop her. So now it's up to Granny, Nanny and Magrat to get the job done. Which means they will have to travel to foreign parts, survive a culture shock (or, rather, the foreign parts have to not die from shock after encountering the coven), and defeat Granny's sister.

Whether it's cardsharps, vampires or other monsters - they better watch out and get out of the way. Bwahahahahahahahaha!

This is definitely one of my all-time favorite volumes in the series and that is saying something. However, it had a little bit of everything (fairytales, Granny, Greebo) on top of TP's sharp tongue and astute observations.

It didn't hurt that I've come to absolutely adore Indira Varma's narration for these new audio productions. Soooo GOOD!

This book is very close to my heart, as it was the very first novel by Pratchett I ever read. I remember an airport, so it might have been on my first trip to the US in 1992, but it is a hazy memory. What I remember for sure is that my English was not yet up to it, and I had no idea what some of the words meant. Dwarfs for example was an unknown word to me, but I just went on reading. It was long before Smartphones and eReaders, so I had no way to check an online dictionary or thesaurus like I would now. I am so glad that this did not in any way lessen my enjoyment of the story and my instant love for everything Discworld and Terry Pratchett. This is also the reason why the witches are my favorite recurring characters.

I have reread the book a few times, and then very much enjoyed the German audio book (slightly abridged) with my family about 10 years ago (at the time my son did not yet understand English) and it was one of the best voice performances I have ever heard.

Now it was time to revisit the story as there is an all new English audio version out. And while it did not bedazzle me in the way the German version did back then, it was very good. There are some words in it that were still in use at the time that the novel was written (like eskimo and gypsy) but apart from that the story really stands the test of time.

n  Trees grew out of the swamp. They had a jagged, foreign look and seemed to be rotting as they grew. Where the water was visible, it was black like ink. Occasionally a few bubbles would eructate to the surface like the ghosts of beans on bath night.n

After some very disappointing reads, I knew I could rely on TP to at least bring a smile to my face. It's juvenile humour but I don't care, at least it isn't bland!

n  "I thought she was going to get married to the king," said Gammer Breis.
"Everyone did," said Nanny. "But you know Magrat. She tends to be open to Ideas. Now she says she refused to be a sex object."
They all thought about this. Finally, Gammer Brevis said, slowly, in the manner of one surfacing from the depths of fascinated cogitation, "But she's never been a sex object."
"I'm pleased to say I don't even know what a sex object is," said Granny Weatherwax firmly.
"I do," said Nanny Ogg.
They looked at her.
"Our Shane brought one home from foreign parts once."n

You have to love a story about stories, especially one that contains the inimitable Granny Weatherwax, the "disgustin' old baggage" that is Nanny Ogg, and the "wet hen" that is Magrat Garlick. Throw into the mix some fairy godmothering, a mish-mash of fairy tales, voodoo magic, and "interesting" foreign parts and what results is a rollicking, laugh-out-loud adventure for our three erstwhile witches and a one-eyed cat.

n  Under the table, Greebo sat and washed himself. Occasionally he burped.
Vampires have risen from the dead, the grave and the crypt, but have never managed it from the cat.n

There are card sharks (one of whom usually wears a pointy hat), postcards home to Jason, Bananananana Daquori, Dwarf bread, waterfalls, sleeping castles, wolves who think they are human and family politics too. So much happens in this one that my poor brain struggled to remember it all, though I loved every minute of reading this one.

n  "You always used to say I was wanton, when we was younger," said Nanny.
"You was, of course," Granny said dismissively. "But you never used magic for it, did you?"
"Din't have to," said Nanny happily. "An off-the-shoulder dress did the trick most of the time."
"Right off the shoulder and on to the grass, as I recall," said Granny.n

I really can't do this book justice, so I'm just going to let a few of my favourite quotes do the talking for me.

n  Nanny Ogg was about to say: What? You mean not compliant and self-effacing like what you is, Esme Byt she stopped herself. You didn't juggle matches in a fireworks factory.n

n  Nanny kicked her red boots together idly.
"Well, I suppose there's no place like home," she said.n

Sie ist und bleibt eine der besten Inkarnationen von Pratchetts Welt: Die Hexenriege.

This is the 3rd adventure with my favourite witches starring a colourful cast of characters such as the here introduced Mrs. Gogol as well as Mr. Casanunda (yes, it is who you fear) in addition to the almost always cheerful Nanny, the always grumpy but ultimately "good" Granny and the always dishevelled Magrat. And my favourite cat, of course.

A fairy godmother dies without having organized a successor so she wills Magrat her wand. This duty compells her to seek out her fairy godchild and ensure her safety. As usual, where Magrat goes, so do Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax. And a good thing, too, because those two sure are the best (though the combination of all three is hilarious as well). They travel "abroad" to Genua where Magrat's fairy godchild lives and discover that wishes are not fishes but something far more dangerous - especially if the other fairy godmother has a soft spot for happily ever afters and is willing to do whatever it takes to enforce one on her fairy godchild (and the entire population of Genua).
The three witches travel through some strange places, inspired by tales such as Wizard of Oz ("You know, Greebo, I don't think we're in Lancre"), Baba Yaga, Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel and Sleeping Beauty before "the end game" that is a lot like Cinderella (with nods to Count of Monte Cristo thrown in for good measure) until it is its own thing. And then there is the whole fairy realm / mirror world theme, of course.
The merry runaround showcases yet another adversary: the other fairy godmother isn't the only problem because stories want to be told and this one got started so it also wants to play out. Yep, stories, here, are a character in their own right.

Highlights in this particular book were Greebo with the vampire:

Granny playing cards:

Greebo being turned into a human (and what he does while being in a man's body):


As is typical for the Discworld and Sir Terry at large, this book not only delivers silly fun and fast-paced action (including not one but TWO witches' duels), but also contemplations on some very deep matters. Nothing as broad and corny as "good vs evil", not exactly, but about wishes and what happens when they are fulfilled, what fairy tales really mean, gender roles, courage vs. cruelty, not losing sight of oneself and more.
What makes this so special is how in one second Sir Terry slips in incredibly funny puns such as Nanny's translation skills ("silver plate" which any French-speaker should recognize as the word for "please" or "she had a dire rear" for example), before delivering a mighty punch in the gut such as when the wolf begged Granny to be killed. You either cry from laughing too hard or from being drowned in feelings. A feat that not many authors can pull off so brilliantly.

At first I was a bit sad that this volume was not narrated by Celia Imrie who had read the first Granny Weatherwax book and nailed her voice (though Nigel Planer is brilliant as usual) but the story quickly made me forget about that. In fact, this has instantly become one of my favourite books in this series.

Hilarious.

This made me think of the 1988 John Landis film starring Eddie Murphy Coming to America. Not that either story are very much similar at all, except that the most charismatic part of each was the mesmerizing interaction between the characters. Just as Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall (who each played multiple characters) were the most enjoyable part of that otherwise mediocre film, so too does the dialogue between Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Og, and Magrat Garlick make this 1991 Pratchett Discworld novel so much fun.

In this the twelfth Discworld book, Sir Terry revisits his Witches sub-series that he left in 1988’s Wyrd Sisters and to marvelous effect – a fairy godmother has died and so the three must travel to Genua to settle matters. This presents a vehicle whereby Pratchett, comic genius that he is, to explore and have fun with fairy tales and folklore of all sorts.

Like the Shrek films (starting in 2001) the idea of a parody of fairy tales is a fecund field of plenty – and Pratchett has seemingly no end of material from which to draw. An observant reader will see abundant use of Grimm, Disney and even L. Frank Baum.

Like so many of the Discworld books, Pratchett also uses the comic setting of the novel to explore and comment upon various elements of human nature and to administer satire from the playful to the biting.

An uproarious good time.

*** 2021 reread

I am really digging 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 noteworthy is Pratchett's description of Genua, as kind of a fantastic New Orleans and the references to voodoo.

Good fun.

*** 2024 reread -

This may 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 working and he demonstrates some of the best writing here, using a plethora of fairytale inspired references to make this fun as hell.