Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Author: Terry Pratchett
ISBN # 0385609841
Publisher: Doubleday
First Published: 2006
399 pages
Rating: 7

Blurb:
Tiffany Aching is a trainee witch - now working for the seriously scary Miss Treason. But when Tiffany witnesses the Dark Dance - the crossover from summer to winter - she does what none has ever done before and leaps into the dance, into the oldest story there ever is, and draws the attention of the Wintersmith himself...As Tiffany-shaped snowflakes hammer down on the land, can Tiffany deal with the consequences of her actions? Even with the help of Granny Weatherwax and the Nac Mac Feegle - the fightin', thievin' pictsies who are prepared to lay down their lives for their 'big wee hag' ...

Review:
This is the third Tiffany Aching novel and it’s every bit as enchanting as the previous offerings. Pratchett’s Discworld is superbly realised and his younger fans will be delighted with Wintersmith. The Nac Mac Feegles are the ultimate in comic relief as well as being fantasy’s most unlikely heroes (think Glaswegian Smurfs – honestly, it’s better than it sounds!), and Tiffany, still struggling to come to terms with her being different to other girls her age (even the other trainee witches) and having great responsibility heaped on her young shoulders. Still, standing up and taking responsibility for your own actions is a lesson well-worth being learned and Pratchett manages to do this without sounding at all preachy or condescending.

There’s everything we have come to expect from Pratchett; clever, witty humour, excellent writing and superb story-telling, all in the most lush worlds ever to spring from a fertile imagination. If you’ve already read The Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky, do NOT miss this one. And if you’ve not already read them, why not? Go on, go and pick up a copy right now and get caught up! Tsk, there’s no telling some people!