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Unseen Academicals (Discworld) |  | Author: Terry Pratchett
Publisher: Harper
List Price: $25.99
Buy New: $13.89
as of 11/25/2009 01:16 CST details
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Rating:  49 reviews
Sales Rank: 376
Media: Hardcover
Edition: First Edition
Pages: 400
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.4
ISBN: 0061161705
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780061161704
ASIN: 0061161705
Publication Date: October 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The wizards at Ankh-Morpork's Unseen University are renowned for many things—wisdom, magic, and their love of teatime—but athletics is most assuredly not on the list. And so when Lord Ventinari, the city's benevolent tyrant, strongly suggests to Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully that the university revive an erstwhile tradition and once again put forth a football team composed of faculty, students, and staff, the wizards of UU find themselves in a quandary. To begin with, they have to figure out just what it is that makes this sport—soccer with a bit of rugby thrown in—so popular with Ankh-Morporkians of all ages and social strata. Then they have to learn how to play it. Oh, and on top of that, they must win a football match without using magic. Meanwhile, Trev (a handsome street urchin and a right good kicker) falls hard for kitchen maid Juliet (beautiful, dim, and perhaps the greatest fashion model there ever was), and Juliet's best pal, UU night cook Glenda (homely, sensible, and a baker of jolly good pies) befriends the mysterious Mr. Nutt (about whom no one knows very much, including Mr. Nutt, which is worrisome . . .). As the big match approaches, these four lives are entangled and changed forever. Because the thing about football—the most important thing about football—is that it is never just about football.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 49
 Not Pratchett's best, but still good November 24, 2009
C. J. Pearmon (Austin, TX, USA)
It's hard to be overly critical of any Terry Pratchett novel. His Discworld books are fabulous, mixing humor and satire beautifully. Unfortunately, the long wait for Unseen Academicals didn't produce the fabulous story I had been hoping for.
It's not that the story is bad, but the humor is on the light side. Several new characters are introduced in the story, which seems to put the focus on developing the characters rather than using familiar favorites to engage in witty banter and biting satire. The new characters are treated kindly and the story becomes more a lesson in accepting others despite differences than anything ironic. Which is fine and good, but when I read Pratchett, I want text that makes me laugh out loud. There was none of that here.
As mentioned though, any Terry Pratchett makes for a great book, so it's hard to be too critical. It's still an excellent story, just not up to par. According to his web site, it sounds like another Tiffany Aching novel is up next, so I'm hoping all the humor will be packed into that.
 Not up to Pratchett's usual standard November 22, 2009
R. M. Flynn (Louisiana)
I've read all of Pratchett's Discworld series and a couple of others, and this was my first disappointment. I was for the first time able to set it aside, read something else for a while, and then return to UA. Why?
Too many ill-coordinated subplots;
too many changes in familiar characters (Vetineri drinking?!);
too many new important characters: Nutt, Glenda, Pepe, Juliet;
sudden and hard-to-follow shifts in point of view; and
those blasted "Do you think it's over?" endnotes!
In short? Go ahead and buy it, in whatever format, but don't expect it to match up to Pratchett's other works.
 Awesome! November 20, 2009
C. Dromgool
This book is absolutely hilarious! Just thirty pages in, my chest hurt from laughing so much. I especially enjoyed some of the more intelligent wit, that you had to think about to fully appreciate.
This book is also typically accessible, you don't have to have read Terry Pratchett before to have a basic understanding of all the different characters that form Discworld, though to be fair the more of his books you have read the more you can appreciate some of the subtle nuances in dialogue and so forth.
All in all, definitely one of Pratchett's finest novels.
One of Prachett's Last and Best November 16, 2009
quidley (Columbus, OH)
I've read the entire Discworld series as well as several of Prachett's other books, and I must say that Unseen Academicals is his one of his very best Ankh-Morpork books if not the best, period. Without giving anything away, the main theme is very appealing and satisfying one about how people choose to live, whether as a mob or as individuals, and how important it is to direct that potential in ways that bring out our best traits, manage and direct our worst traits, and make us happy. As usual, though the thought-provoking aspects are easily set aside if you just want to enjoy some good, sometimes raunchy fun. The book isn't remotely preachy which is why it works. Well, that and outstanding craftsmanship.
Unseen Academicals also has the largest ensemble cast of Prachett's books, but with many of the Ankh Morpork regulars we know and love (the Watch, Lord Vetinari, the Press, the Unseen University Staff (ook!), and even the original Discworld lead Rincewind). However, they play entirely supporting roles to some fresh but appealing characters. As a result, you don't need to know a thing about Discworld to enjoy Unseen Academicals, but if you know anything about the series, you'll be delighted by your previous reading efforts paying off again and again. By reading this, I feel like I have new insights into his own perspectives and affection for his characters and settings.
In short, I loved the book.
I suppose I especially loved it especially both because it is so well done and knowing that we won't see many more from Prachett because of his early onset Alzheimer's disease (though I hope I am wrong -- though not nearly as much as Prachett himself, I suspect). I hope he gives us another similar book in the Lancre setting.
Here's to hoping he stays ridiculously healthy.
Love it! November 14, 2009
B. Dawson (New York)
Having read all the Discworld books (over and over again), I naturally pounced on Unseen Academicals as soon as it came out. And I wasn't disappointed. What a funny, funny read!
Note to Self: Don't read Pratchett's books in public places! I find myself laughing aloud and drawing everyone's attention to myself, which can be quite embarrassing! (I was in my local diner reading Unseen Academicals, and I laughed so hard that the lady in the next booth wrote down the title of the book so she could go home and buy a copy!)
New characters mix easily with old in this charming tale about soccer/football. I was delighted that Dr. Hix - the resident "not really a necromancer" - made another appearance, along with the Librarian, Rincewind, William DeWord, and all the higher ranked wizards of Unseen University. And new characters Juliette, Trev, Nutt and Glenda were welcome additions to Discworld society.
Favorite moments: I LOVED it when Glenda told off the very powerful vampire Lady Margolotta. And I loved the sub-plot about the Dean (Sorry, can't give it away! You'd better read the book!)
Hilarious. Five stars plus!! Go UA!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 49
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