Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
New York, NY : HarperCollins, 2015.
Description
Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: Terry Pratchett's final Discworld novel, and the fifth to feature the witch Tiffany Aching..
Media reviews
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But in The Shepherd's Crown, I've come to realize what it is about these books that makes them so special and endeared them so well to Pratchett's own heart: it's their compassion.
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But Shepherd's Crown is still recognizably Pratchett, from the giggle-fit-inducing footnotes to the stern moral message about selflessness, empathy and caring for others. And there's just as much of a moral stance in the way the book addresses the death of a longtime pillar of the Discworld: People
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around the Disc sense that something pivotal has happened. They stop to acknowledge the gravity of the moment. They pay their respects. And then they return to their lives. Show Less
Pratchett, with his sardonic inventiveness, social satire, play on language, deep feeling for landscape and love of what is best in human nature, had less critical praise than he deserved. His heroes and heroines are not royalty in disguise, but thieves, con-men, shepherds, soldiers and midwives.
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In his championing of the ordinary, the sensible and the slightly silly he went against the grain – and never more so than in creating Tiffany Aching. Show Less
Above all, though, “The Shepherd’s Crown” — like all of Pratchett’s fiction — stresses the importance of helping others. Beyond this, I think that Pratchett’s farewell advice would be to follow his witches’ sensible principle: “Just do the work you find in front of you and enjoy
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yourself.” Show Less
Nothing in Pratchett stays still and his inventive energy, book after book after book, is astounding. Yet, as I say, the increasing complexity of the characters is accompanied by an increasing likableness as well as interest.
User reviews
LibraryThing member shabacus
After I finished The Shepherd's Crown, I placed it in my bookcase at the end of forty other Discworld novels, just before Pratchett's other works--Dodger, the Bromeliad Trilogy, various collections of shorter writing. Pratchett grew to occupy two shelves as I collected and read Discworld, and every
Now my collection is complete. And for a collector, there is nothing sadder than a complete collection. It is not the owning that we desire, or not just the owning. It is the anticipation of a new acquisition, the first scent of a release date, the countdown to publication, the rush to crack the pages or a delay to savor the cusp of a new experience.
I begin the review this way because no one can approach Terry Pratchett's final book without feeling the weight of everything that came before it. About here, other reviews seem to say, "It is not Pratchett's best work, but..." and then tell the same story about how he overcame immense obstacles. I nod in agreement, but with one enormous caveat.
The Shepherd's Crown is not complete. It did not get the same level of revision that previous volumes did. As such, it is tantamount to a work in progress, one last bit of insight into a man who had so much to say, and said it so well. In fact, it may offer even more insight because in a first draft, writers say what they find most important to say. The rest of it, the part that makes the story coherent for someone other than the author, can always come later. But the genesis of the idea is there from the beginning.
So what do we learn about Terry Pratchett by getting this close to the fount? He had become reconciled to Death. We know that from interviews, but it is much sharper here. Pratchett effortlessly shows that it is possible to mourn, but also to celebrate.
He valued hard work, and did not shy from the dirty, private parts of life. The witches are great not in spite of, but because of the way they care for those who cannot care for themselves. The magic, though important, is incidental to that.
He understood pain. Twice, a character's pain is taken away, and has terrible destructive power on wherever it is put. Pratchett describes pain as a physical thing, and perhaps he experienced it as such.
I could go on, but the book speaks for itself. If someone you've found your way to this review having never read any Terry Pratchett before, then do yourself a favor. Buy the first two books in the series now. (They're really one story, to be fair.) You'll find a fun parody of the fantasy genre as it stood in the early 1980s. Then buy the next one, and you'll find a treatise on feminism far beyond its time. Buy the next, and you'll meet the personification of Death, and find the humanity inside it.
The world Pratchett built is larger than the books that contain it. And even if the journey is over, I'm glad to have seen so much of it.
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time a new novel came out, the rest of the books had to shift to make way for it.Now my collection is complete. And for a collector, there is nothing sadder than a complete collection. It is not the owning that we desire, or not just the owning. It is the anticipation of a new acquisition, the first scent of a release date, the countdown to publication, the rush to crack the pages or a delay to savor the cusp of a new experience.
I begin the review this way because no one can approach Terry Pratchett's final book without feeling the weight of everything that came before it. About here, other reviews seem to say, "It is not Pratchett's best work, but..." and then tell the same story about how he overcame immense obstacles. I nod in agreement, but with one enormous caveat.
The Shepherd's Crown is not complete. It did not get the same level of revision that previous volumes did. As such, it is tantamount to a work in progress, one last bit of insight into a man who had so much to say, and said it so well. In fact, it may offer even more insight because in a first draft, writers say what they find most important to say. The rest of it, the part that makes the story coherent for someone other than the author, can always come later. But the genesis of the idea is there from the beginning.
So what do we learn about Terry Pratchett by getting this close to the fount? He had become reconciled to Death. We know that from interviews, but it is much sharper here. Pratchett effortlessly shows that it is possible to mourn, but also to celebrate.
He valued hard work, and did not shy from the dirty, private parts of life. The witches are great not in spite of, but because of the way they care for those who cannot care for themselves. The magic, though important, is incidental to that.
He understood pain. Twice, a character's pain is taken away, and has terrible destructive power on wherever it is put. Pratchett describes pain as a physical thing, and perhaps he experienced it as such.
I could go on, but the book speaks for itself. If someone you've found your way to this review having never read any Terry Pratchett before, then do yourself a favor. Buy the first two books in the series now. (They're really one story, to be fair.) You'll find a fun parody of the fantasy genre as it stood in the early 1980s. Then buy the next one, and you'll find a treatise on feminism far beyond its time. Buy the next, and you'll meet the personification of Death, and find the humanity inside it.
The world Pratchett built is larger than the books that contain it. And even if the journey is over, I'm glad to have seen so much of it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bragan
Terry Pratchett's final Discworld novel, and his last novel, ever.
The Shepherd's Crown opens with a death, and the early chapters deal with a number of things that the author himself surely must have had on his mind in his last years: acceptance of the inevitable and the making of dignified
The story that unfolds from there is... Well, it's all right. It is very good to see these familiar characters one more time -- including Tiffany Aching, who was a late addition to the Discworld mythology, but whom I've always very much liked -- and to get to say a proper goodbye to some of them. The story features some of Pratchett's usual appealing and good-hearted themes, and there are some amusing moments (including some horribly groan-worthy puns). But the plot is rather thin, some scenes are summarized where they'd have been better fully described, a few jokes are repeated perhaps once too often, and there's a new character introduced who never really came alive for me quite the way he should. Probably all of that is understandable, when you factor in not only the author's illness, but the fact that, according to the afterword, he died before he'd quite gotten the manuscript into the final shape he would have liked.
Still. I am glad to have payed this one final visit to the Disc, and to have walked the Chalk alongside Tiffany Aching one last time. And perhaps, sometime soon, when I'm feeling a little less sad, it will be time to go back and re-read all his greatest works again, because, of course, they will always be there, no matter what.
Rating: How can I even rate this one objectively? Call it 3.5/5 for the story, maybe, but there's no putting a number of what it did to my emotions.
The Shepherd's Crown opens with a death, and the early chapters deal with a number of things that the author himself surely must have had on his mind in his last years: acceptance of the inevitable and the making of dignified
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preparations for the end, the memories and legacy one leaves behind, the practicalities that those who remain have to deal with afterward. It all choked me up more than a little, I must admit.The story that unfolds from there is... Well, it's all right. It is very good to see these familiar characters one more time -- including Tiffany Aching, who was a late addition to the Discworld mythology, but whom I've always very much liked -- and to get to say a proper goodbye to some of them. The story features some of Pratchett's usual appealing and good-hearted themes, and there are some amusing moments (including some horribly groan-worthy puns). But the plot is rather thin, some scenes are summarized where they'd have been better fully described, a few jokes are repeated perhaps once too often, and there's a new character introduced who never really came alive for me quite the way he should. Probably all of that is understandable, when you factor in not only the author's illness, but the fact that, according to the afterword, he died before he'd quite gotten the manuscript into the final shape he would have liked.
Still. I am glad to have payed this one final visit to the Disc, and to have walked the Chalk alongside Tiffany Aching one last time. And perhaps, sometime soon, when I'm feeling a little less sad, it will be time to go back and re-read all his greatest works again, because, of course, they will always be there, no matter what.
Rating: How can I even rate this one objectively? Call it 3.5/5 for the story, maybe, but there's no putting a number of what it did to my emotions.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Tiffany Aching is the Witch for the Chalk, the rural area where she was born. Mostly her duties involve doing what needs to be done - tending to the sick and dying, helping those that need it, and keeping the Nac Mac Feegles in line. She's happy with her life, although she's still trying
Review: This was Pratchett's last book. There's a postscript explaining how he was a tinkerer, editing and adding until the last minute and sometimes beyond, and that in this book, he died in the middle of that process. And, while I enjoyed this book overall, it did feel somewhat unfinished. The primary story arc was complete, the plot had a beginning, middle, and (slightly rushed) end, and most of the subplots did wrap up, or at least come to a stopping place. But the various subplots (the exiled fairy queen, Geoffrey, the whole matter with Preston) didn't all feel as well developed, as rounded, as they could have been, nor did they all seem particularly well integrated into the main plot. Geoffrey, his desire to be a witch (NOT a wizard, as is traditional for men), and his goat Mephistopheles fared the best of the subplots, and he was one of the most interesting characters to me. The Nac Mac Feegles, on the other hand, didn't have a lot to do for most of this book, and they seemed to mostly hover around the rafters providing occasional color commentary (that color being blue, of course.) (Although I was listening to this book at the same time I was binging on the Outlander TV series, and the first time that a character on the show said "Crivens!", I burst out laughing, even though it was a fairly serious scene.) I also thought that - maybe for the first time in this series - Pratchett was drawing pretty heavily on his other Discworld books, or on the understanding that his readers had read them (which I haven't, for the most part, and which didn't seem to be a problem for the earlier Tiffany Aching books). Not that there was anything not understandable about the plot, and he explains the significance of various events (the building of the railways is a major one) on the Disc well enough to follow. But as Tiffany grows up, she's encountering a wider world than just the Chalk, so while I understand why this series couldn't stay entirely self-contained (and why Pratchett might want to bring in some of his favorite characters to say goodbye), I got the feeling that there were recurring characters and in-jokes and subtle meanings to a lot of it that went over my head.
One of my favorite things about things about the Tiffany Aching books, and Pratchett's YA books in general, is that they really just seem to have their head on right, and have such a sensible perspective about things that all kids have to face. While that general perspective is certainly present here, it's not as much in the forefront as in the earlier books in the series. Perhaps because the first few books are more coming-of-age books, and in this one, Tiffany's pretty much come of age already, and while she still does have some growing up to do and some lessons to learn (namely, "you don't have to do everything yourself", and about the nature of grief, and how you can move on when you lose someone important), she doesn't undergo as much of a transformation as a character as in the earlier books when she was younger. There are still a lot of really moving scenes in this book, especially so when they're considered in light of Pratchett facing his own mortality - Granny Weatherwax getting ready for meeting Death got me a little misty-eyed; I can't imagine what it must have done to fans who had been invested in Discworld for decades.
My other favorite thing about the Tiffany Aching books is Stephen Briggs's narration, which is a great match to Pratchett's dry sense of humor and his more serious moments, and is great at providing a variety of voices, including a hilarious and perfectly (in)appropriate version of the Feegles.
So, overall, while this book wasn't the strongest in the series, the bones of the book it could have been were visible under its surface, and while I wish Pratchett could have had the time to get this book to where he wanted it, I did quite enjoy it in its present form, and I'm glad we got one final Tiffany Aching book before he went. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Not Pratchett's strongest, for reasons described above, but certainly not his weakest, either. The Discworld books are so intertwined (and so numerous) that it's hard to know where to start, but this one definitely needs to be read after the other Tiffany Aching books (and would probably benefit from being read soon after The Wee Free Men, as the Fairy Queen from the first Tiffany Aching book comes back to play a substantial role in this one.) But the series as a whole is really excellent, and definitely recommended for newcomers to Pratchett.
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to figure out what to do about Preston, who is studying to be a doctor in the city. But when Granny Weatherwax dies, Tiffany's comfortable life is about to be turned on its head. Witches don't have a leader, but if they did, it would have been Granny Weatherwax… and she's left everything - her house, her steading, and her responsibilities - to young Tiffany. Now Tiffany is being run ragged trying to shoulder everything, but she's got bigger problems than just unhappy villagers, for one of the things that Granny Weatherwax did was to shore up the borders of the world, and now that they're weakened, there are those in Faerie who have a mind to breach those barriers and invade the human world for good.Review: This was Pratchett's last book. There's a postscript explaining how he was a tinkerer, editing and adding until the last minute and sometimes beyond, and that in this book, he died in the middle of that process. And, while I enjoyed this book overall, it did feel somewhat unfinished. The primary story arc was complete, the plot had a beginning, middle, and (slightly rushed) end, and most of the subplots did wrap up, or at least come to a stopping place. But the various subplots (the exiled fairy queen, Geoffrey, the whole matter with Preston) didn't all feel as well developed, as rounded, as they could have been, nor did they all seem particularly well integrated into the main plot. Geoffrey, his desire to be a witch (NOT a wizard, as is traditional for men), and his goat Mephistopheles fared the best of the subplots, and he was one of the most interesting characters to me. The Nac Mac Feegles, on the other hand, didn't have a lot to do for most of this book, and they seemed to mostly hover around the rafters providing occasional color commentary (that color being blue, of course.) (Although I was listening to this book at the same time I was binging on the Outlander TV series, and the first time that a character on the show said "Crivens!", I burst out laughing, even though it was a fairly serious scene.) I also thought that - maybe for the first time in this series - Pratchett was drawing pretty heavily on his other Discworld books, or on the understanding that his readers had read them (which I haven't, for the most part, and which didn't seem to be a problem for the earlier Tiffany Aching books). Not that there was anything not understandable about the plot, and he explains the significance of various events (the building of the railways is a major one) on the Disc well enough to follow. But as Tiffany grows up, she's encountering a wider world than just the Chalk, so while I understand why this series couldn't stay entirely self-contained (and why Pratchett might want to bring in some of his favorite characters to say goodbye), I got the feeling that there were recurring characters and in-jokes and subtle meanings to a lot of it that went over my head.
One of my favorite things about things about the Tiffany Aching books, and Pratchett's YA books in general, is that they really just seem to have their head on right, and have such a sensible perspective about things that all kids have to face. While that general perspective is certainly present here, it's not as much in the forefront as in the earlier books in the series. Perhaps because the first few books are more coming-of-age books, and in this one, Tiffany's pretty much come of age already, and while she still does have some growing up to do and some lessons to learn (namely, "you don't have to do everything yourself", and about the nature of grief, and how you can move on when you lose someone important), she doesn't undergo as much of a transformation as a character as in the earlier books when she was younger. There are still a lot of really moving scenes in this book, especially so when they're considered in light of Pratchett facing his own mortality - Granny Weatherwax getting ready for meeting Death got me a little misty-eyed; I can't imagine what it must have done to fans who had been invested in Discworld for decades.
My other favorite thing about the Tiffany Aching books is Stephen Briggs's narration, which is a great match to Pratchett's dry sense of humor and his more serious moments, and is great at providing a variety of voices, including a hilarious and perfectly (in)appropriate version of the Feegles.
So, overall, while this book wasn't the strongest in the series, the bones of the book it could have been were visible under its surface, and while I wish Pratchett could have had the time to get this book to where he wanted it, I did quite enjoy it in its present form, and I'm glad we got one final Tiffany Aching book before he went. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Not Pratchett's strongest, for reasons described above, but certainly not his weakest, either. The Discworld books are so intertwined (and so numerous) that it's hard to know where to start, but this one definitely needs to be read after the other Tiffany Aching books (and would probably benefit from being read soon after The Wee Free Men, as the Fairy Queen from the first Tiffany Aching book comes back to play a substantial role in this one.) But the series as a whole is really excellent, and definitely recommended for newcomers to Pratchett.
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LibraryThing member Eat_Read_Knit
A sad book, and a powerful book; a fitting end to the series, and a book made all the poignant by the Afterword explaining that Terry Pratchett never got to finish off this tale of endings as fully as he'd have liked. The lack of polishing off shows in places, but in the context it somehow doesn't
In plot terms, this is a story about Tiffany Aching and the return of the elves, but it's really a story about the gaps that are left when people are gone, about grief and carrying on, and about finding your way in the world that is even when you're wishing the world was still as it used to be.
This book is very much a conclusion. It's definitely one to read for those who've followed the Discworld series, though I fear a non-Discworld reader might be a little underwhelmed.
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matter. In plot terms, this is a story about Tiffany Aching and the return of the elves, but it's really a story about the gaps that are left when people are gone, about grief and carrying on, and about finding your way in the world that is even when you're wishing the world was still as it used to be.
This book is very much a conclusion. It's definitely one to read for those who've followed the Discworld series, though I fear a non-Discworld reader might be a little underwhelmed.
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LibraryThing member mattries37315
Endings are sad no matter if it happens suddenly or you know it’s been coming for some time, but all good things come to an end. The Shepherd’s Crown is the final book of Tiffany Aching journey into mature witch as well as the 41st and last Discworld book by Terry Pratchett. Not only was this
While Tiffany Aching continues work as the Chalk’s witch both see and Jeannie the kelda feel something is about to happen, which it does with the death of Granny Weatherwax in Lancre that sets off a chain of events. Granny leaves everything, including her steading, to Tiffany thus making her be seen as “first among equals” amongst witches. But the death of Granny results in a weakened barrier between the Disc and Fairyland as many elves seeing the Queen as scared and cautious after her defeat by Tiffany years before and it only grows when they learn goblins have been accepted in human society and that iron—railways—now rule the land. The Queen is usurped by Lord Peaseblossom who begins raiding into Lancre and the Chalk, which adds to Tiffany’s burden of covering two steadings in to locales that becomes a bit easier when a Geoffrey leaves his noble family and travels to Lancre to become a witch and turns out to have some talent—for a man. Gathering together witch allies, the Feegles, elderly men looking for a fight, and the deposed Queen to battle an invasion, Tiffany uses the power in the Chalk to defeat Peaseblossom—who killed the Queen in battle—then summon the King of the Elves—who kills the usurper for killing his wife—to prevent them from ever returning. Afterwards Tiffany knowing no witch can replace Granny give the Lancre steading to Geoffrey then builds herself a hut from the bones of her own grandmother’s hut to have an official residence of her own.
Pratchett did not complete this book as he would have liked to as Neil Gaiman stated in a later interview and the clues were there for a more emotional ending and closure for fans, but this unfortunate missed opportunity does not detract seriously from the book. On the whole, the plot and character developments were nearly perfect with the only except of Mrs. Earwig who felt like she had more to be developed but that Pratchett hadn’t had enough time to provide it.
The Shepherd’s Crown is a book of endings for numerous reasons and because of that some people do not want to read it, especially those who have been fans longer than I have. However eventually I hope those people will eventually read Terry Pratchett’s last Discworld book and see that even right up to his own meeting with Death that he strove to create something that made you think and show your emotions.
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the last book, finished before Pratchett’s death, but saw the biggest development in the series ever—warning spoilers below.Pratchett did not complete this book as he would have liked to as Neil Gaiman stated in a later interview and the clues were there for a more emotional ending and closure for fans, but this unfortunate missed opportunity does not detract seriously from the book. On the whole, the plot and character developments were nearly perfect with the only except of Mrs. Earwig who felt like she had more to be developed but that Pratchett hadn’t had enough time to provide it.
The Shepherd’s Crown is a book of endings for numerous reasons and because of that some people do not want to read it, especially those who have been fans longer than I have. However eventually I hope those people will eventually read Terry Pratchett’s last Discworld book and see that even right up to his own meeting with Death that he strove to create something that made you think and show your emotions.
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LibraryThing member LyndaInOregon
When Granny Weatherwax makes her final journey, accompanying Death to wherever witches go when they leave Discworld, it weakens the barrier keeping the Elves firmly in Faerieland. It falls to her apprentice and heir Tiffany Aching to protect her home, along with some assistance from the Wee Free
Pratchett's final book.
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Men.Pratchett's final book.
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LibraryThing member pwaites
The Shepherd’s Crown is the forty-first and final Discworld novel. This is an emotional experience. While I’m sad that the Discworld series is over, I feel like The Shepherd’s Crown is an appropriate ending.
If you haven’t read at least the witch novels (starting with Equal Rites or Wyrd
The Shepherd’s Crown is the fifth novel following Tiffany Aching witch of the Chalk, and the Discworld has greatly changed since it began in 1983 with The Color of Magic. It is more industrialized and modern, much closer to our own world than the medieval fantasy land it started out as. After a devastating event early on in the novel, the elves, a sinister and parasitic species who live in Fairyland, sense a chance to wreck havoc on the Disc. But this is no longer a world kind to elves – iron burns their skin and negates their magic, and since the coming of the train in Raising Steam, iron has filled the land.
Still, the elves will ride out. And Tiffany and the other witches will be there to stop them.
Way back in 1987, Terry Pratchett wrote a book called Equal Rites, in which a young girl wanted to become a wizard. Now, in The Shepherd’s Crown, there’s a boy who wants to be a witch. It’s fitting how these things circle around and reflect each other. Unfortunately, while I really like the idea of Geoffrey’s character, in execution he just isn’t that interesting. He doesn’t much in the way of depth and feels almost entirely two dimensional.
“But why shouldn’t this boy want to be a witch? She had chosen to be a witch, so why couldn’t he make the same choice?”
As I said, I really like this idea and how Tiffany makes the decision to train a boy, going beyond the witch=woman and wizard=man binary. The Discworld is changing, and Tiffany doesn’t see any reason why she shouldn’t help it along.
“Why? Why not do things differently? Why should we do things how they have always been done before? And something inside her suddenly thrilled to the challenge.”
But on the whole, the story of a boy wanting to become a witch is just a subplot. What this book is really about is death and loss and grief. People we love may die, but we still have to move on. The goats still have to be milked and the laundry done. The world may be seen to pause, but ultimately it will keep turning.
“Tiffany found her mind filling up with an invisible gray mist, and in that thought there was nothing but grief. She could feel herself trying to push back time, but even the best witchcraft could not do that.”
And so life goes on. But the person we lost is still with us, in the way they shaped us and the world around them. In a sense, they are everywhere.
I cried when I read The Shepherd’s Crown. I feel close to tears even as I write this review. There are problems with the book to be sure – in places it is no more than a first draft, but it is far superior to the last couple of books and the themes it deals with makes it entirely appropriate as the book Pratchett wrote before he died.
I love this series. It’s impacted my life in ways I can’t even begin to explain. While it may have ended, the books Pratchett has written will still always be there for me and I know I will continue to treasure them in the years to come.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
If you haven’t read at least the witch novels (starting with Equal Rites or Wyrd
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Sisters) and the Tiffany Aching novels (starting with The Wee Free Men), please don’t pick up The Shepherd’s Crown. This is a book to end on, not begin with.The Shepherd’s Crown is the fifth novel following Tiffany Aching witch of the Chalk, and the Discworld has greatly changed since it began in 1983 with The Color of Magic. It is more industrialized and modern, much closer to our own world than the medieval fantasy land it started out as. After a devastating event early on in the novel, the elves, a sinister and parasitic species who live in Fairyland, sense a chance to wreck havoc on the Disc. But this is no longer a world kind to elves – iron burns their skin and negates their magic, and since the coming of the train in Raising Steam, iron has filled the land.
Still, the elves will ride out. And Tiffany and the other witches will be there to stop them.
Way back in 1987, Terry Pratchett wrote a book called Equal Rites, in which a young girl wanted to become a wizard. Now, in The Shepherd’s Crown, there’s a boy who wants to be a witch. It’s fitting how these things circle around and reflect each other. Unfortunately, while I really like the idea of Geoffrey’s character, in execution he just isn’t that interesting. He doesn’t much in the way of depth and feels almost entirely two dimensional.
“But why shouldn’t this boy want to be a witch? She had chosen to be a witch, so why couldn’t he make the same choice?”
As I said, I really like this idea and how Tiffany makes the decision to train a boy, going beyond the witch=woman and wizard=man binary. The Discworld is changing, and Tiffany doesn’t see any reason why she shouldn’t help it along.
“Why? Why not do things differently? Why should we do things how they have always been done before? And something inside her suddenly thrilled to the challenge.”
But on the whole, the story of a boy wanting to become a witch is just a subplot. What this book is really about is death and loss and grief. People we love may die, but we still have to move on. The goats still have to be milked and the laundry done. The world may be seen to pause, but ultimately it will keep turning.
“Tiffany found her mind filling up with an invisible gray mist, and in that thought there was nothing but grief. She could feel herself trying to push back time, but even the best witchcraft could not do that.”
And so life goes on. But the person we lost is still with us, in the way they shaped us and the world around them. In a sense, they are everywhere.
I cried when I read The Shepherd’s Crown. I feel close to tears even as I write this review. There are problems with the book to be sure – in places it is no more than a first draft, but it is far superior to the last couple of books and the themes it deals with makes it entirely appropriate as the book Pratchett wrote before he died.
I love this series. It’s impacted my life in ways I can’t even begin to explain. While it may have ended, the books Pratchett has written will still always be there for me and I know I will continue to treasure them in the years to come.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member bardbooks
Most poignant: The epilogue.
Tiffany Aching rolls up her sleeves again in the company of familiar favorites and one very interesting new character whose future we'll sadly never know.
Tiffany Aching rolls up her sleeves again in the company of familiar favorites and one very interesting new character whose future we'll sadly never know.
LibraryThing member darceypaige
How can I do this book the justice it deserves? I can't possibly begin to tell you how sad, happy, excited, on the edge on my seat, then sad again I was throughout this book! Discworld will and have forever been a favourite of mine. On that score let me begin.
A main character dies (or not dies,
Tiffany Aching has big boots to fill, possibly the biggest in Terry's last ever Discworld novel *cries so hard* *big gaping sobs*.
The elves are back in force and every witch must and will fight to keep the peace on the disc. THERE WILL BE A RECKONING!
You know I really haven't got one thing I would change or complain about (I never have with Terry Pratchett novels) all I have to say is read it. READ THEM ALL!
I myself like to think of Terry as the Granny Weatherwax of earth, by that I mean I believe he is the unsaid leader of Fantasy Authors (no offence to any author who don't agree.)
There is not one thing he can't make funny, not even death. That is some skill. Although sad to have read the last ever disc novel, I go forth knowing I have 41 brilliant novels on my shelves that I can pick up at anytime and know they will bring joyous laughter!
Where is Terry now? To quote You! Meow...vrywhere!
The end.
A main character dies (or not dies,
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depending how you see it), times 'a' changing! There will also be a reckoning! Yes there god damn will....Tiffany Aching has big boots to fill, possibly the biggest in Terry's last ever Discworld novel *cries so hard* *big gaping sobs*.
The elves are back in force and every witch must and will fight to keep the peace on the disc. THERE WILL BE A RECKONING!
You know I really haven't got one thing I would change or complain about (I never have with Terry Pratchett novels) all I have to say is read it. READ THEM ALL!
I myself like to think of Terry as the Granny Weatherwax of earth, by that I mean I believe he is the unsaid leader of Fantasy Authors (no offence to any author who don't agree.)
There is not one thing he can't make funny, not even death. That is some skill. Although sad to have read the last ever disc novel, I go forth knowing I have 41 brilliant novels on my shelves that I can pick up at anytime and know they will bring joyous laughter!
Where is Terry now? To quote You! Meow...vrywhere!
The end.
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LibraryThing member MrsLee
Once again, Tiffany faces a formidable foe, but this time she is not alone, all the witches are with her as the elves threaten Discworld.
As with all of Pratchett's books, this one has several themes running through it; gender expectations, grief, the passing on of a legacy and more. Very poignant
As with all of Pratchett's books, this one has several themes running through it; gender expectations, grief, the passing on of a legacy and more. Very poignant
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considering it is his last novel, it reads almost as a eulogy, or a good-bye letter. Thank you Sir, for the legacy of literature which you have left us to read and reread. We find new joy and thoughts in your stories each time. Show Less
LibraryThing member greeniezona
As many have observed, this is a difficult book to talk about. Not just the last Tiffany Aching book, but the last Discworld book, and the last Terry Pratchett book. A book Terry never managed to polish and fill out and finish -- though there is an entire tale here.
There are rough spots, yes, but
A lovely conclusion I'm grateful we got to experience.
There are rough spots, yes, but
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there are also legacies passed down, embraced, made new. There are new threats and new people rising to help. There are people saying the wrong things and hurt feelings and foolishness and learning and growth. There are reasons for tears and reasons for hope. And always, reasons to laugh.A lovely conclusion I'm grateful we got to experience.
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LibraryThing member Whiskey3pa
A terrific book. Very sad to arrive at the end of things.
LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
“The Shepherd’s Crown” is the last book Terry Pratchett wrote. It’s also the last of the Tiffany Aching series, which are my favorites of the Discworld series. Following Tiffany as she grows and learns has been touching and humorous. In this book, she experiences a great loss, which leads
The book is not up to Pratchett’s usual standards. It was, basically, unfinished when he died. He had an outline, and certain scenes had been written, but a lot of it is bones with no flesh. It lacks the life and fullness that his writing usually had. But… what is filled out I found marvelous. It’s about being strong, and doing for other people and letting them do for you, dealing with the inevitability of death, and learning to be your own person. It’s about sometimes having to go against one’s normal beliefs when you have to protect others. Some parts that were unfinished make for jolting reading; the story arc of the Queen of the Elves seemed forced, and it ended suddenly in a way that totally surprised me. I suspect that she would have been given more time to transform had the book been finished. Likewise, I think Geoffrey would have been given more to do, and something more done with You, Granny Weatherwax’s cat. But even though it has a lot of rough places, I can’t help but give the story five stars for effort, atmosphere, and moral.
Pratchett apparently knew this would be his last Discworld novel, and a large number of characters from that universe make appearances- some barely cameos- but all saying goodbye to a beloved character and also to the reader. It’s sad to say goodbye to Discworld, although it will live on a long time, I suspect, as new readers discover the world that rides on the tortoise.
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to her having to make a big decision about her life. Pratchett’s version of being witch- to, as he says, do the good in front of you- sets well with my version of how life should be and what makes someone a good person. So I was delighted to discover that there was one more in the series that I thought had ended with the 4th installment. The book is not up to Pratchett’s usual standards. It was, basically, unfinished when he died. He had an outline, and certain scenes had been written, but a lot of it is bones with no flesh. It lacks the life and fullness that his writing usually had. But… what is filled out I found marvelous. It’s about being strong, and doing for other people and letting them do for you, dealing with the inevitability of death, and learning to be your own person. It’s about sometimes having to go against one’s normal beliefs when you have to protect others. Some parts that were unfinished make for jolting reading; the story arc of the Queen of the Elves seemed forced, and it ended suddenly in a way that totally surprised me. I suspect that she would have been given more time to transform had the book been finished. Likewise, I think Geoffrey would have been given more to do, and something more done with You, Granny Weatherwax’s cat. But even though it has a lot of rough places, I can’t help but give the story five stars for effort, atmosphere, and moral.
Pratchett apparently knew this would be his last Discworld novel, and a large number of characters from that universe make appearances- some barely cameos- but all saying goodbye to a beloved character and also to the reader. It’s sad to say goodbye to Discworld, although it will live on a long time, I suspect, as new readers discover the world that rides on the tortoise.
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LibraryThing member bibliovermis
The writing in this book lacks polish in some places—while Terry Pratchett sketched out the whole story, only some sections really felt complete, and it's clear that he wasn't able to finish it to his usual standards before his death. Most obviously lacking is the usual Discworld humor—there
However, it was much better than the last book in the Tiffany Aching series, I Shall Wear Midnight. It was focused on Tiffany, and on characters that mattered to her story, where the last book was more like a rambling "Who's Who of the Discworld." I enjoyed it a lot, and I'm happy that the series didn't end on a book I found unsatisfying. The very last footnote of the book, a list of stories Terry Pratchett was working on at the time of his death, has made me so sad!
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are fewer puns, and fewer rambling, humorous footnotes, than readers have come to expect.However, it was much better than the last book in the Tiffany Aching series, I Shall Wear Midnight. It was focused on Tiffany, and on characters that mattered to her story, where the last book was more like a rambling "Who's Who of the Discworld." I enjoyed it a lot, and I'm happy that the series didn't end on a book I found unsatisfying. The very last footnote of the book, a list of stories Terry Pratchett was working on at the time of his death, has made me so sad!
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LibraryThing member simchaboston
A fitting farewell to one of my all-time faves. Though this last Discworld novel is somewhat rough around the edges (some transitions, both scene-wise and character-wise, are a bit abrupt), it's still a good mix of light fantasy and deeper concerns; there are some politicians I know of who should
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read about the elves' wanton cruelty and rethink their approach to the world. As for Pratchett's passing, all I can say is waily waily waily (sob). Show Less
LibraryThing member susiesharp
This was a bittersweet read, just knowing this was Sir Terry’s last book made it sad but as always he wrote a great story I laughed and cried, not only from a beloved characters death but from the knowledge that this is the end.
This was the first time I had listened to these on audio because I
4 stars
This was the first time I had listened to these on audio because I
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thought it was a weird choice for these to be narrated by a man but wowza does Stephen do a great job.4 stars
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LibraryThing member evilmoose
My last ever new Discworld novel. I've had the audiobook for a while, but have been sitting on it a little. Partly to save up the experience, and partly due to fear of disappointment. The last few Discworld books haven't really hit the spot for me - things have been getting formulaic, some
And I did enjoy this one - which, as noted, was not as finished as it would have been had Sir Terry been able to keep writing a little longer. But it was great to hear the story of Esme Weatherwax be tied up, and have the references to many of the other witches who I thought we'd never see again. And it wasn't perfect, but it was enjoyable (and certainly more memorable than Snuff).
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previously great characters seem to be echos of their former selves. There are still flashes of brilliance, but it hasn't been quite the same.And I did enjoy this one - which, as noted, was not as finished as it would have been had Sir Terry been able to keep writing a little longer. But it was great to hear the story of Esme Weatherwax be tied up, and have the references to many of the other witches who I thought we'd never see again. And it wasn't perfect, but it was enjoyable (and certainly more memorable than Snuff).
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LibraryThing member jmoncton
By far one of my favorite fantasy series. Sadly this is the last in the series and the last book to be written by the very talented and witty Terry Pratchett. Just love those Nac Mac Feegles. Crivens! What a great tale!
LibraryThing member rivkat
Cue gross sobbing. The last Tiffany Aching novel, in which Granny Weatherwax passes on as gently as she ever could, the elves take their chance to return, and Tiffany Aching runs herself ragged trying to protect her people and figure out what she can do instead of taking Granny Weatherwax’s
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place. I didn’t quite get what the cheery young male witch was doing, wandering around making everyone like him, but I’ll take what I can get. Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
Tiffany Aching is back, and so is a threat from the Fairy world. Throw in a boy who wants to become a witch, the death of one of the great Witches, and shenanigans from the Feegles, and you have yourself a recipe for a wild ride.
This is Terry Pratchett's final Discworld book. The afterword states
This is Terry Pratchett's final Discworld book. The afterword states
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that all of the story - the beginning, middle and end - is his own words, but that there would have been "more" to the story had he lived longer. And I think that's probably true. It's a cohesive story but it has a lot of threads, and even though it was short I often found myself getting a little lost or impatient. It's not his best, but I didn't expect it to be. It's still good. It's still hilarious. I enjoyed myself reading it, and in the end that's all I can ask. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lukerik
What with Raising Steam being so bad, Pratchett being so ill and this being unfinished I thought it might be a bit of a struggle, but it's actually pretty good. Granted, it is uneven. The character of Geoffrey needs a lot of work as he makes a very different impression on the reader than he does on
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the other characters. Also, the whole thing with the elves is under-developed and the ending a walk-through. But the opening – Tiffany and the world of the witches is well done. Worth reading if you're a fan. Show Less
LibraryThing member libgirl69
A final read of Terry Pratchett. Enjoyed the ending and the completion of the witches story. You can't become someone else's and still be true to yourself. Tiffany couldn't become granny, and she realised what was important.
LibraryThing member DLMorrese
The Shepherd's Crown is rather like an epilogue to the Tiffany Aching YA novels and the Discworld Witch stories. It provides a satisfying conclusion. After the first 30 pages, I had to set it down for a moment to regain my composure. Discworld fans will know why when they read it.
The incomparable
'nuff said. GNU Terry Pratchett. You are missed, but the Turtle still moves.
The incomparable
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Sir Terry had pretty much completed writing this final offering before his death. As we learn in the afterward, he would have polished it a bit more had he the time, but all the elements of a great story are here and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to read it. My sincere thanks to his assistant Rob, his wife Lyn, his daughter Rhianna, and everyone else who made this possible.'nuff said. GNU Terry Pratchett. You are missed, but the Turtle still moves.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
The End. The last and final discworld book. :-( And it opens suitably enough with the passing of Granny Weatherwax. She has been my favourite character from the very early books, through to now, and while I'm not sure pTerry knew at the time he'd write no more books, it is a very fitting tribute
The trouble comes for those who remain however neatly you think you've planned things there are always loose ends. Tiffany is designated (amongst opposition from her peers) as the witch to follow Granny, and take over her cottage. A lot of responsibility for a young girl. But TIffany still lives and loves the Chalk a long weary ride away and soon comes to realise you can't be two things at once. And whenever you think you're struggling the world has a way of focussing the mind - the Queen of the Elves senses her weakness and tries once again to invade the human world. Tiffany isn't Granny, and doesn't have her powers or her respect. But she does learn to be herself, and maybe that will be enough.
Sadly this sin't the best of pTerry's work, it would be wonderful to say that he's gone out on a high. It's still pretty good, and the YA format works better with his slightly declining facilities. However there are still too many points not explained, details not enriched, puns not made, and characters too simplified. It does read a bit like a rework of Lords and Ladies, and somehow the Elves have declined in power since then. He must have had something in mind for Geoffrey the young man who decides to become a witch (a wonderful contrast to the first witches book where TIffany's mentor first decided to become a wizard), But Geoffrey ambles about the plot, raising a gentle smile is the best he can do.
Tiffany however remains awesome and worth role model to everyone everywhere.
RIP Sir Terry. You remain much missed.
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that he gives to her, one of his best characters. Witches always know the time of their own death, and so Granny has time to prepare fittingly, nothing ostentatious, but equally well that everybody who looked would know just how good she was. The trouble comes for those who remain however neatly you think you've planned things there are always loose ends. Tiffany is designated (amongst opposition from her peers) as the witch to follow Granny, and take over her cottage. A lot of responsibility for a young girl. But TIffany still lives and loves the Chalk a long weary ride away and soon comes to realise you can't be two things at once. And whenever you think you're struggling the world has a way of focussing the mind - the Queen of the Elves senses her weakness and tries once again to invade the human world. Tiffany isn't Granny, and doesn't have her powers or her respect. But she does learn to be herself, and maybe that will be enough.
Sadly this sin't the best of pTerry's work, it would be wonderful to say that he's gone out on a high. It's still pretty good, and the YA format works better with his slightly declining facilities. However there are still too many points not explained, details not enriched, puns not made, and characters too simplified. It does read a bit like a rework of Lords and Ladies, and somehow the Elves have declined in power since then. He must have had something in mind for Geoffrey the young man who decides to become a witch (a wonderful contrast to the first witches book where TIffany's mentor first decided to become a wizard), But Geoffrey ambles about the plot, raising a gentle smile is the best he can do.
Tiffany however remains awesome and worth role model to everyone everywhere.
RIP Sir Terry. You remain much missed.
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LibraryThing member jmkemp
The Shepherd's Crown is a fitting end to the Discworld stories. There was no diminuition of the characters or story telling, despite Pterry's illness he kept this one up to his usual standard right to the end. I'm sure he knew this would be his last Discworld book, there are some interesting nods
This is a Tiffany Aching story, although it also includes the other witches, and the Lords and Ladies too. There are some interesting new characters too, not just old favourites. I particularly liked Geoffrey, the calm weaver, and the old boys of Lancre who helped with the denouement. The Nac Mac Feegle are in there too, along with some of the lyrics from the Steeleye Span discworld album.
The book starts with Granny Weatherwax preparing for her demise, and laying the foundations for what comes next. The plot is about the consequences of Granny's death, how the other witches take it and their manoeuvring. The elves sense it too, and they also have their actions as a result. As always social commentary and fantastic observation of people and how they act makes the story flow. It works on many levels and entertains. There are also belly laughs at times, especially with the Nac Mac Feegles!
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it and am sad that I will never read another new Discworld novel again. I shall just have to go back and read them all again.
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to that in the story. This is a Tiffany Aching story, although it also includes the other witches, and the Lords and Ladies too. There are some interesting new characters too, not just old favourites. I particularly liked Geoffrey, the calm weaver, and the old boys of Lancre who helped with the denouement. The Nac Mac Feegle are in there too, along with some of the lyrics from the Steeleye Span discworld album.
The book starts with Granny Weatherwax preparing for her demise, and laying the foundations for what comes next. The plot is about the consequences of Granny's death, how the other witches take it and their manoeuvring. The elves sense it too, and they also have their actions as a result. As always social commentary and fantastic observation of people and how they act makes the story flow. It works on many levels and entertains. There are also belly laughs at times, especially with the Nac Mac Feegles!
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it and am sad that I will never read another new Discworld novel again. I shall just have to go back and read them all again.
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Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2016)
Locus Award (Finalist — Young Adult Novel — 2016)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2016)
The British Book Industry Awards (Shortlist — Children's — 2016)
Dragon Award (Winner — 2016)
NPR: Books We Love (2015)
The Observer Book of the Year (Fiction — 2015)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Teen — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2015-08-27
Physical description
276 p.; 23.7 cm
ISBN
9780062429971
Copy notes
First edition, first printing.
"A Tiffany Aching adventure"--Jacket cover.
"The final Discworld novel"--Jacket flap.
Contents: A crown in the Chalk -- Where the wind blows -- A voice in the darkness -- An upside-down world -- A farewell—and a welcome -- A changing world -- Around the houses -- A force of nature -- The Baron's Arms -- Good with goats -- Treasure -- The big city -- An elf among the Feegles -- Mischief ... and worse -- A tale of two queens -- The god in the barrow -- Mr. Sideways -- An argument of witches -- The shepherd's crown -- Peace - A whisper on the Chalk -- Appendix: a Feegle glossary -- Acknowledgments -- Afterword.
Blue pictorial dust jacket over quarter blue and yellow paper-covered boards, gilt on spine, blue gilt on front cover, yellow endbands.
"A Tiffany Aching adventure"--Jacket cover.
"The final Discworld novel"--Jacket flap.
Contents: A crown in the Chalk -- Where the wind blows -- A voice in the darkness -- An upside-down world -- A farewell—and a welcome -- A changing world -- Around the houses -- A force of nature -- The Baron's Arms -- Good with goats -- Treasure -- The big city -- An elf among the Feegles -- Mischief ... and worse -- A tale of two queens -- The god in the barrow -- Mr. Sideways -- An argument of witches -- The shepherd's crown -- Peace - A whisper on the Chalk -- Appendix: a Feegle glossary -- Acknowledgments -- Afterword.
Blue pictorial dust jacket over quarter blue and yellow paper-covered boards, gilt on spine, blue gilt on front cover, yellow endbands.
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