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Johnny Maxwell #2
Johnny and the Dead
Post-life citizens
Breath challenged
Vertically disadvantaged
(buried, not short) Johnny Maxwell's new friends not appreciate the term "ghosts," but they are, well, dead . The town council wants to sell the cemetery, and its inhabitants aren't about to take that lying down! Johnny is the only one who can see them, and and the previously alive need his help to save their home and their history. Johnny didn't mean to become the voice for the lifeless, but if he doesn't speak up, who will? In Johnny Maxwell's second adventure, Carnegie Medalist Terry Pratchett explores the bonds between the living and the dead and proves that it's never too late to have the time of your life -- even if it is your afterlife!
Breath challenged
Vertically disadvantaged
(buried, not short) Johnny Maxwell's new friends not appreciate the term "ghosts," but they are, well, dead . The town council wants to sell the cemetery, and its inhabitants aren't about to take that lying down! Johnny is the only one who can see them, and and the previously alive need his help to save their home and their history. Johnny didn't mean to become the voice for the lifeless, but if he doesn't speak up, who will? In Johnny Maxwell's second adventure, Carnegie Medalist Terry Pratchett explores the bonds between the living and the dead and proves that it's never too late to have the time of your life -- even if it is your afterlife!
213 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
156 people are currently reading
4252 people want to read
About the author
Terry Pratchett
680 books46.2k followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983–2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
May 19, 2021
Another short, clever story by Sir Pratchett for us fans. 6 of 10 stars
November 13, 2023
Inspired by real events in the 1980s, when cemeteries were sold as building land.
Johnny Maxwell can see the dead and when the cemetery is about to be sold, the dead want to put a stop to it. Johnny Maxwell helps them, trying to find a good reason to keep the cemetery as it is. But the dead don’t sit still in the meantime and they want their voices to be heard.
What stands out to me the most are definitely the characters, the ghosts in particular. I love that while the dead aren’t all necessarily heroes that would make the national news, they are still heroes in their own lives.
While the story is funny at times, it’s also a very thought-provoking short read.
Johnny Maxwell can see the dead and when the cemetery is about to be sold, the dead want to put a stop to it. Johnny Maxwell helps them, trying to find a good reason to keep the cemetery as it is. But the dead don’t sit still in the meantime and they want their voices to be heard.
What stands out to me the most are definitely the characters, the ghosts in particular. I love that while the dead aren’t all necessarily heroes that would make the national news, they are still heroes in their own lives.
While the story is funny at times, it’s also a very thought-provoking short read.
January 23, 2024
I am obsessed with reading children's and young adult books written by talented authors who let themselves lose when they don't have to follow the rules of literature for adults.
As Neil Gaiman contemplated, what even is a children's book? Is there even such a thing as literature for kids just as well as for adults? I am tempted to say no, no, there's not.
We all have different things we are drawn to, and we all comb through the stuff we like and the stuff we do not.
I have grown to discover and love that every rule about "sophisticated literature" being thrown away in literature is advised as children's. A novel like this one talks about a handful of important topics but is fun. It is so much fun. It is quirky, it makes you think, smile, laught, and reflect all at the same time. That is an impressive thing to be able to do, regardless of which kinds of books you write.
This is the first book I have read by Terry Pratchett if you do not count his collaboration with Neil Gaiman on Good Omens. When I read this, I imagined him sitting at a desk, writing every train of thought that came to him with every word he wrote down. The novel flows in a way I rarely find, which was a pure delight to read.
It is a wonderful novel that I believe a child, adult, or whoever is interested in reading will enjoy.
As Neil Gaiman contemplated, what even is a children's book? Is there even such a thing as literature for kids just as well as for adults? I am tempted to say no, no, there's not.
We all have different things we are drawn to, and we all comb through the stuff we like and the stuff we do not.
I have grown to discover and love that every rule about "sophisticated literature" being thrown away in literature is advised as children's. A novel like this one talks about a handful of important topics but is fun. It is so much fun. It is quirky, it makes you think, smile, laught, and reflect all at the same time. That is an impressive thing to be able to do, regardless of which kinds of books you write.
This is the first book I have read by Terry Pratchett if you do not count his collaboration with Neil Gaiman on Good Omens. When I read this, I imagined him sitting at a desk, writing every train of thought that came to him with every word he wrote down. The novel flows in a way I rarely find, which was a pure delight to read.
It is a wonderful novel that I believe a child, adult, or whoever is interested in reading will enjoy.
October 23, 2007
Of all the Terry Pratchett books I've read (and I've read them all, as far as I know) I was very surprised to see how much I enjoyed the books he'd written for children.
This is no book for very young readers, but my ten year old son read it and greatly enjoyed it. Terry's usual razor sharp satirical wit is toned down just enough to not baffle a young reader, but enough to keep an adult flipping the pages happily.
I loved the way he portrayed young Johnny's ability to comprehend the older generation, and marveled at how eerily similar his thinking is compared to how I remember childhood. I could easily see myself as Johnny, and cheered along each new revelation that he had. I maybe... even envied him a bit, wishing I could have had such an experience when I was a kid.
As always, you'll put down a Terry Pratchett book and look around, seeing just a little bit more than you did before. It's good stuff.
This is no book for very young readers, but my ten year old son read it and greatly enjoyed it. Terry's usual razor sharp satirical wit is toned down just enough to not baffle a young reader, but enough to keep an adult flipping the pages happily.
I loved the way he portrayed young Johnny's ability to comprehend the older generation, and marveled at how eerily similar his thinking is compared to how I remember childhood. I could easily see myself as Johnny, and cheered along each new revelation that he had. I maybe... even envied him a bit, wishing I could have had such an experience when I was a kid.
As always, you'll put down a Terry Pratchett book and look around, seeing just a little bit more than you did before. It's good stuff.
September 6, 2021
با اینکه کتاب کودکانه، ولی خوندنش واقعا لذت بخش بود. بخصوص که خاطرات خوندن کتابای رولد دال رو برام تداعی میکرد. از اونجایی هم که تری پرچت منتور و رفیق نیل گیمن بوده، موقع خوندن این کتاب نمیتونستم با کتاب گورستان گیمن مقایسش نکنم و متوجه تقابل جالبی که با هم دارن نشم. انگار یه طوری بود که از یه نقطه شروع میشن هر دوشون (قهرمانای داستانی که میتونن ارواح رو ببینن) و بعد در خلاف جهت همدیگه به مسیرشون ادامه میدن.
February 6, 2022
There are certainly good things here. There is thought and care and humanity, maybe a bit too younger readers to get in fact. However there are a lot of smaller issues.
The structure is odd, it spends a lot more time with the dead than your expecting rather than focusing on Johnny. It has less to say of Johnny personal life than the previous book and the dead are a less compelling group than the Scree-Wee from the last book.
I might be a little biased on that as i do like aliens and videogames more as an aesthetic over the undead and civic responsibility anyway ;) .
The writing also has some issues, the jumps between scenes are jarring.. although i did read an e-copy, those may not be as bad in a hardcopy. Also there are a number of points with multiple characters talking and it can be quite hard to tell who’s saying what.
Anyway... i still liked it a lot in places although it doesn’t stand up to the previous book and i look forward to finishing the trilogy.
The structure is odd, it spends a lot more time with the dead than your expecting rather than focusing on Johnny. It has less to say of Johnny personal life than the previous book and the dead are a less compelling group than the Scree-Wee from the last book.
I might be a little biased on that as i do like aliens and videogames more as an aesthetic over the undead and civic responsibility anyway ;) .
The writing also has some issues, the jumps between scenes are jarring.. although i did read an e-copy, those may not be as bad in a hardcopy. Also there are a number of points with multiple characters talking and it can be quite hard to tell who’s saying what.
Anyway... i still liked it a lot in places although it doesn’t stand up to the previous book and i look forward to finishing the trilogy.
December 30, 2018
Baš kako zakoni fizike nalažu,priča o Džoniju postaje sve bolja i bolja
June 1, 2018
I was packing up books to move and came across this one that I didn't know I had in my Pratchett collection and I don't have the others in the series. It looked cute and had ghosts, though, and it looked fun and short, so I gave it a try. It is very dated, with lots of early 90s pop culture references and jokes about being 'politically correct' and the gulf war. There's also a token black charachter named Yo-less who's personality seems to revolve around bucking black stereotypes but then seems to reinforce them in the process. A white character at one point suggests he's not black enough and jokes about reporting him to the rastafarians. So there's all that. The plot moves along nicely until it stagnates 3/4 of the way in, and while Terry Pratchett is rarely predictable, an overall point to the plot would have been nice besides a more overall philosophical statement. This is not, however, the first book in the series so maybe things are developed more in the first book, and I will probably read the others at some point so maybe my perspective will change at that point.
December 15, 2019
This is way more like what I expect from Pratchett than the first Johnny Maxwell book. The story is much more straightforward: Johnny starts seeing the dead, and decides to save the cemetery that is going to be turned to an office building by United Amalgamated Consolidated Holdings. Johnny’s friends are convinced that he is nuts but decide to stick it out with him anyway. As it happens, the dead seem to only need someone to listen to finally start living... and things get interesting.
Amusing like all Pratchett, I laughed out loud a few times. Simpler than his adult books, but still lots of fun. And as usual, there are some thoughts to chew on - like when do we start living, after we are dead? The Tommy Atkins story was an interesting historical tidbit, too.
For Death fans out there, he makes a cameo, but don’t blink or you’ll miss him. (Unless you want to, I wouldn’t really blame you.)
Amusing like all Pratchett, I laughed out loud a few times. Simpler than his adult books, but still lots of fun. And as usual, there are some thoughts to chew on - like when do we start living, after we are dead? The Tommy Atkins story was an interesting historical tidbit, too.
For Death fans out there, he makes a cameo, but don’t blink or you’ll miss him. (Unless you want to, I wouldn’t really blame you.)
December 24, 2023
Still excellent (12/23/2023)
Death makes an appearance, but in many ways this is look at community and togetherness.
Old Review - In Johnny and the Dead, Terry Pratchett takes a serious topic and makes it funny while keeping it serious. Pratchett teaches the reader about life and death, and about how what might be an insignificant action can change things. He does without preaching.
Death makes an appearance, but in many ways this is look at community and togetherness.
Old Review - In Johnny and the Dead, Terry Pratchett takes a serious topic and makes it funny while keeping it serious. Pratchett teaches the reader about life and death, and about how what might be an insignificant action can change things. He does without preaching.
November 20, 2017
This story is simply amazing. I feel like these books get overlooked a lot, but they are some of my favorites among Pratchett's work, and to me they showcase some of his finest qualities. Which means I cry every time I read them, of course.
November 12, 2019
Still enjoying my read through Pratchett’s worlds, even these YA independent books (outside of Discworld) are such cleverly crafted silly stories with a touch of great wordplay, some social commentary, and deeper meaning if you’re paying attention.
May 11, 2022
Приключенията на Джони Максуел продължават! Втори том от тийн трилогията на Тери Пратчет се завръща в ново издание, този път акомпанирано от чудесните и подобаващо хумористични илюстрации на майстора-карикатурист Марк Бийч. Противно на минорното звучене на заглавието, „Джони и умрелите“ всъщност е книга за надеждата! Но преди тя да проблесне като светлина в края на тунела, авторът ще поведе читатели от всички възрасти на едно от онези адски оригинални и безобразно щури приключения, които са се превърнали в негова запазена марка. А фантастичните обрати и обилните дози сарказъм тук вървят ръка за ръка с остра социална критика и стакато по цялата емоционална гама. Така, както само неповторимият Сър Тери умее! Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле“: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...
February 18, 2019
This is quite a good kid's book, with a heartwarming message about the importance of history, local community and remembering those who've passed on. The humour is light and definitely skewed to the young intended audience but there's gags that adults will enjoy too. And the heart of the book can be appreciated by all.
March 12, 2022
Pratchett’s Goonies21/2/2022 – Adelaide
I have to admit that this book really did feel like those 80s films where a group of kids in a small town get involved in an adventure and end up saving the day. However, this is Pratchett so you can expect it to be somewhat sillier than normal, and also don’t expect there to be a couple of teenagers thrown in just for there to be a love interest because, well, this is a Pratchett book, and as such you could say that it does happen to be very British in character.
Anyway, the story is about a boy named Johnny and one day as he is walking past the cemetery he happens to encounter some ghosts. Mind you they aren’t the scary types of ghosts that you see in films like Evil Dead or the like (though there are some humourous references to Nightmare on Elm Street and Ghostbusters) but rather friendly ghosts who just want to have a chat. It turns out that one of them was a suffragette who died when she threw herself under George V, and another happens to be a relative of Einstein, and he happened to come up with the theory of relativity.
So, it turns out that the reason that the ghosts are restless is because the cemetery has been sold to some rather shady developer who wants to knock it down and turn it into a bunch of office blocks. So, because the ghosts are incorporeal, they can’t do all that much, so they appeal to Johnny for help. The thing is that Johnny is just a 12-year-old boy, but he certainly gives it a shot. However, while Johnny and his friends are attempting to expose, and undermine, the developer, the ghosts discover that they can not only leave the graveyard, but with the wonders of modern technology, they can actually travel around the world.
Look, the book is a rather fun book, and the characters are silly in the way that you would expect Pratchett’s characters to be silly, but I can’t say that it was absolutely extraordinary. Mind you, there is a hint about how we should be seeking to preserve our history instead of knocking things down because they are old. However, while there is a lot of criticism about how High Street has changed, the ghosts, who have been dead for quite a while, actually think that it is quite fascinating. I guess that is the idea that when we get used to things, sometimes they get boring, and we want a change. So, I guess there is always this struggle between welcoming the brand new and retaining the historical. Then I guess there is also this idea of seeking to expand beyond your boundaries to discover a new and vibrant world.
Yeah, it was nice, and rather pleasant to read, but nothing particularly Earth-shattering.
I have to admit that this book really did feel like those 80s films where a group of kids in a small town get involved in an adventure and end up saving the day. However, this is Pratchett so you can expect it to be somewhat sillier than normal, and also don’t expect there to be a couple of teenagers thrown in just for there to be a love interest because, well, this is a Pratchett book, and as such you could say that it does happen to be very British in character.
Anyway, the story is about a boy named Johnny and one day as he is walking past the cemetery he happens to encounter some ghosts. Mind you they aren’t the scary types of ghosts that you see in films like Evil Dead or the like (though there are some humourous references to Nightmare on Elm Street and Ghostbusters) but rather friendly ghosts who just want to have a chat. It turns out that one of them was a suffragette who died when she threw herself under George V, and another happens to be a relative of Einstein, and he happened to come up with the theory of relativity.
So, it turns out that the reason that the ghosts are restless is because the cemetery has been sold to some rather shady developer who wants to knock it down and turn it into a bunch of office blocks. So, because the ghosts are incorporeal, they can’t do all that much, so they appeal to Johnny for help. The thing is that Johnny is just a 12-year-old boy, but he certainly gives it a shot. However, while Johnny and his friends are attempting to expose, and undermine, the developer, the ghosts discover that they can not only leave the graveyard, but with the wonders of modern technology, they can actually travel around the world.
Look, the book is a rather fun book, and the characters are silly in the way that you would expect Pratchett’s characters to be silly, but I can’t say that it was absolutely extraordinary. Mind you, there is a hint about how we should be seeking to preserve our history instead of knocking things down because they are old. However, while there is a lot of criticism about how High Street has changed, the ghosts, who have been dead for quite a while, actually think that it is quite fascinating. I guess that is the idea that when we get used to things, sometimes they get boring, and we want a change. So, I guess there is always this struggle between welcoming the brand new and retaining the historical. Then I guess there is also this idea of seeking to expand beyond your boundaries to discover a new and vibrant world.
Yeah, it was nice, and rather pleasant to read, but nothing particularly Earth-shattering.
October 16, 2025
my favourite of the johnny maxwells!! start reading for the funny banter between friends and ghosts dancing to Thriller, stay to be smacked in the face by social commentary and the meaning of life. delivered in a way only terry pratchett can achieve, obviously
July 4, 2021
Going to finish Tristan Strong before starting the next one here.
June 28, 2014
Marvellous! I took a while with this book as everything came at once but this was superb. I enjoyed Johnny and the Bomb but this is so much stronger in tone. The snappy one liners are there and I loved the idea of Ghosts dancing to thriller because they just like it. The characters are well thought out and funny too. I actually felt upset when Tommy Atkins met up with the rest of the volunteers and returned to France -a spine tingling moment!
I would have liked Eric Grimm to be a darker character as I really wanted to know why he was doomed but I found the explanation a bit "meh" compared to what I had imagined. Great stuff!
I would have liked Eric Grimm to be a darker character as I really wanted to know why he was doomed but I found the explanation a bit "meh" compared to what I had imagined. Great stuff!
February 7, 2015
oh how very sweet and funny! i loved loved loved it. very short but full of wit and magic. had me laughing out loud on quite a few occasions and i loved the ideas, execution and the overall philosophy of it. go johnny!
i have to say a lot better and in a way more plausible (however one can interpret "plausible" in this case) than Only You Can Save Mankind. maybe because today's computer games aren't quite the same any more. but ghosts and graveyards will always be there.
i have to say a lot better and in a way more plausible (however one can interpret "plausible" in this case) than Only You Can Save Mankind. maybe because today's computer games aren't quite the same any more. but ghosts and graveyards will always be there.
November 23, 2021
A cemetery is for the living
After his outer-space escapade Johnny’s life will take him and his friends through a very special Halloween tale. Swapping the “scary but nice ghost” trope for some practical exchanges between sensibles souls (attached or not to a living body), the book tackles with irony and respect the value of memory, the importance for the living of a past to be remembered, the identity of a community that goes beyond business and “soulless” (no pun intended) modernization. A novel that will make you giggle and shed a tear within a couple of pages.
After his outer-space escapade Johnny’s life will take him and his friends through a very special Halloween tale. Swapping the “scary but nice ghost” trope for some practical exchanges between sensibles souls (attached or not to a living body), the book tackles with irony and respect the value of memory, the importance for the living of a past to be remembered, the identity of a community that goes beyond business and “soulless” (no pun intended) modernization. A novel that will make you giggle and shed a tear within a couple of pages.
December 15, 2021
Pratchett has managed to write a very realistic British childhood while not being a child at the time of writing. Unfortunately that includes using the term ‘gay’ as an insult which was prevalent in the 90’s when I grew up. It hasn’t aged well but indicative of the time. I’m amazed he was aware of the culture.
This one neatly follows on from the last abs involves the dead hanging around in the local cemetery. Obviously I like this book with the location alone!
Although great as a stand-alone, it does follow some of the story from before like the divorce and council estate issues. I’m looking forward to the last in this trilogy.
This one neatly follows on from the last abs involves the dead hanging around in the local cemetery. Obviously I like this book with the location alone!
Although great as a stand-alone, it does follow some of the story from before like the divorce and council estate issues. I’m looking forward to the last in this trilogy.
January 11, 2018
3 stars flat.
Another enjoyable children's book by Pratchett. What I like about these books is, although it's a children's book, he doesn't speak down to the intended reader.
Life after death is touched upon, for both the living and the dead. Subjects toyched upon most authors wouldn't include in children's literature. Quite thought provoking.
I won't have the nostalgia feels for this series, but this one spoke to me a bit more than the first.
Another enjoyable children's book by Pratchett. What I like about these books is, although it's a children's book, he doesn't speak down to the intended reader.
Life after death is touched upon, for both the living and the dead. Subjects toyched upon most authors wouldn't include in children's literature. Quite thought provoking.
I won't have the nostalgia feels for this series, but this one spoke to me a bit more than the first.
July 21, 2018
A step down from the first book in the series, due to a less interesting and original premise, but still harmless fun, with touches of the Pratchett charm. Also a very quick easy read, useful for keeping me on track for my yearly challenge since I haven't been as diligent on my reading as I should be in the last couple months. As with the previous book, the characters are just not quite as deep and rich as in the Discworld novels.
September 9, 2016
Oh, I loved it so much. The dead are great, they're so much fun, totally hilarious, and in the end, just absolutely right about life and death. I love how things turned out for both sides, it was really funny all the ought the start, and towards the end I just melted at how things turned out with the death, and Mr. Grimm, and the Pals. It was perfect.
September 21, 2017
just marvelous; not at all creepy despite the cover
Library copy
2009 December 31
Library copy
2009 December 31
September 1, 2025
10/10
9/10
9/10
October 31, 2020
My 60th book this year. Wow. . .
Our hero, Johnny, has started seeing the dead. Not in the dating sense that'd be weird. . .er weirder. Walking through a cemetery with his friend, Wobbler, he knocks on a mausoleum door and to his surprise it's answered by a long past Alderman. After running a while he turns back, because he's Johnny Maxwell and that's just how he works.
Most people don't see the dead and the supernatural. They've trained themselves not to as it greatly complicates things. Johnny never developed that filter. He sees and accepts it all stoically. The next day he delivers a newspaper to the cemetery wherein the dead discover the cemetery has been sold, for pocket change, and is going to be bulldozed to build an office complex. Naturally the dead are up in arms about this and charge Johnny, a 12 year old boy, to do something about it.
Can Johnny save the cemetery? What ARE the dead up to? Who's the dour dead Mr. Grimm who's quite. . . grim about everything?
These are listed as kids books not even really YA but that's really just the language and an easy to digest page count. Otherwise these are incredibly humourous, laugh out loud adventures for anyone. Living or dead.
I did find one mistake, I think, Johnny's parents have split up and Johnny and his mother have I believe moved in with his grandfather but there's several references to seeing a model space shuttle he had hanging, with one bit of string broken, from the ceiling of the home the used to live in. Odd. But worth mentioning? Maybe!
Happy Halloween!
Our hero, Johnny, has started seeing the dead. Not in the dating sense that'd be weird. . .er weirder. Walking through a cemetery with his friend, Wobbler, he knocks on a mausoleum door and to his surprise it's answered by a long past Alderman. After running a while he turns back, because he's Johnny Maxwell and that's just how he works.
Most people don't see the dead and the supernatural. They've trained themselves not to as it greatly complicates things. Johnny never developed that filter. He sees and accepts it all stoically. The next day he delivers a newspaper to the cemetery wherein the dead discover the cemetery has been sold, for pocket change, and is going to be bulldozed to build an office complex. Naturally the dead are up in arms about this and charge Johnny, a 12 year old boy, to do something about it.
Can Johnny save the cemetery? What ARE the dead up to? Who's the dour dead Mr. Grimm who's quite. . . grim about everything?
These are listed as kids books not even really YA but that's really just the language and an easy to digest page count. Otherwise these are incredibly humourous, laugh out loud adventures for anyone. Living or dead.
I did find one mistake, I think, Johnny's parents have split up and Johnny and his mother have I believe moved in with his grandfather but there's several references to seeing a model space shuttle he had hanging, with one bit of string broken, from the ceiling of the home the used to live in. Odd. But worth mentioning? Maybe!
Happy Halloween!
December 31, 2020
“Hayaletler ha?” dedi Yo-yok, Johnny tamamen döküldükten sonra.
“Yoook,” dedi Johnny kararsızca. “Hayalet lafını hiç sevmiyorlar. Bir sebepten, onları kızdırıyor. Onlar yalnızca... ölü. Sanırım bu onlar için, insanlara özürlü ya da gerizekâlı denmesi gibi bir şey.”
“Siyaseten yanlış,” dedi Yo-yok. “Evet. Bir yerde okumuştum.”
“Yani... onlara mesela... şey mi dememizi istiyorlar...” Bıngıl durup düşündü. “Mesela... yaşlı-ötesi-vatandaşlar?”
“Nefessel açıdan engelli?” dedi Yo-yok.
“Dikey-açıdan-dezavantajlı,” dedi Bıngıl.
“Nasıl yani? Kısa boylu mu demek istiyorsun?” dedi Yo-yok.
“Yok, gömülmüş anlamında,” dedi Bıngıl.
Johnny Maxwell ve çetesinin maceraları bu kez kentin mezarlığından geçiyor; çünkü biliyorlar ki hakiki öcüler hayaletler değil, mezarlığa bile göz diken tüketim ve kentsel dönüşüm canavarı.
“Yoook,” dedi Johnny kararsızca. “Hayalet lafını hiç sevmiyorlar. Bir sebepten, onları kızdırıyor. Onlar yalnızca... ölü. Sanırım bu onlar için, insanlara özürlü ya da gerizekâlı denmesi gibi bir şey.”
“Siyaseten yanlış,” dedi Yo-yok. “Evet. Bir yerde okumuştum.”
“Yani... onlara mesela... şey mi dememizi istiyorlar...” Bıngıl durup düşündü. “Mesela... yaşlı-ötesi-vatandaşlar?”
“Nefessel açıdan engelli?” dedi Yo-yok.
“Dikey-açıdan-dezavantajlı,” dedi Bıngıl.
“Nasıl yani? Kısa boylu mu demek istiyorsun?” dedi Yo-yok.
“Yok, gömülmüş anlamında,” dedi Bıngıl.
Johnny Maxwell ve çetesinin maceraları bu kez kentin mezarlığından geçiyor; çünkü biliyorlar ki hakiki öcüler hayaletler değil, mezarlığa bile göz diken tüketim ve kentsel dönüşüm canavarı.
March 8, 2021
Inspired by the real-life selling off of cemeteries in Westminister, Pratchett brings back middle-grade protagonist Johnny Maxwell (Only You Can Save Mankind) in this droll commentary on modern society (as it was in 1993) and earnest entreaty that history’s value be recognised.
December 29, 2021
I wanted to read a book on horror. The title and the cover seemed to suggest 'horror'. I also wanted to read Terry Pratchett! So, two birds with a stone.
Or, so I thought!
As I got immersed in the book, I found it populated by cute, funny ghosts, living a quiet 'life' in a cemetery, who prefer being called the 'dead'! When not listening to the radio or reading newspaper, they course through telephone wires, but that comes later.
Then, there's a 12 year old boy Johny Maxwell 'who can see the dead people' and talk to them too. To stir things up, in walks the 'evil corporation' United Amalgamated Consolidated Holdings! That kind of sums up the cast, barring the odd grown up supporting cast and almost invisible friends of Johny.
Long forgotten and neglected Blackbury Cemetery is being levelled to give rise to the high-rise offices. The culprit, of course, is the Evil Corp. Local Council has skin in the game too. It looks like a losing battle for the 'dead', who can't speak up. Well, they can but the 'undead' can't hear them. Or, care, if they could. Except for Johny who decides to help out. It's not an easy task since the only way to save the cemetery is to find a famous person buried there. Alas! Everybody buried is 'almost famous', like the communist who almost wrote the Das Capital, or the one who could have invented a 'better' telephone!
Does Johny manage to resolve the problem? Not in the way one would expect. But, so spectacularly!
Plot isn't so much the King, as the book's humour. I often found myself laughing out loud, or enjoying a quiet chuckle. Book has a heart too, a warmth that permeates the book and reaches the deepest recesses of your soul. Narration constructs an easy crystal clear vibrant mental imagery. As experience of reading a book goes, this one is right at the top.
Yeah, midway my reading I found out that it's a children's book. Not that that made any difference to my continued enjoyment of rest of the book.
I would recommend the book strongly. Just enjoy the mild roller coaster ride, not expecting any deep philosophical discourses or deeply troubling scenarios. (There's some social commentary interwoven.)
Johnny and the Dead (1993) is the 2nd novel of the Trilogy, Only You Can Save Mankind (1992) being the 1st and Johnny and the Bomb (1996), the 3rd, whichI intend reading at the earliest.
Genre: Coming of Age of the Dead!?🤔😂🤣
#TheJohnyAndTheDead #TerryPratchett
Or, so I thought!
As I got immersed in the book, I found it populated by cute, funny ghosts, living a quiet 'life' in a cemetery, who prefer being called the 'dead'! When not listening to the radio or reading newspaper, they course through telephone wires, but that comes later.
Then, there's a 12 year old boy Johny Maxwell 'who can see the dead people' and talk to them too. To stir things up, in walks the 'evil corporation' United Amalgamated Consolidated Holdings! That kind of sums up the cast, barring the odd grown up supporting cast and almost invisible friends of Johny.
Long forgotten and neglected Blackbury Cemetery is being levelled to give rise to the high-rise offices. The culprit, of course, is the Evil Corp. Local Council has skin in the game too. It looks like a losing battle for the 'dead', who can't speak up. Well, they can but the 'undead' can't hear them. Or, care, if they could. Except for Johny who decides to help out. It's not an easy task since the only way to save the cemetery is to find a famous person buried there. Alas! Everybody buried is 'almost famous', like the communist who almost wrote the Das Capital, or the one who could have invented a 'better' telephone!
Does Johny manage to resolve the problem? Not in the way one would expect. But, so spectacularly!
Plot isn't so much the King, as the book's humour. I often found myself laughing out loud, or enjoying a quiet chuckle. Book has a heart too, a warmth that permeates the book and reaches the deepest recesses of your soul. Narration constructs an easy crystal clear vibrant mental imagery. As experience of reading a book goes, this one is right at the top.
Yeah, midway my reading I found out that it's a children's book. Not that that made any difference to my continued enjoyment of rest of the book.
I would recommend the book strongly. Just enjoy the mild roller coaster ride, not expecting any deep philosophical discourses or deeply troubling scenarios. (There's some social commentary interwoven.)
Johnny and the Dead (1993) is the 2nd novel of the Trilogy, Only You Can Save Mankind (1992) being the 1st and Johnny and the Bomb (1996), the 3rd, whichI intend reading at the earliest.
Genre: Coming of Age of the Dead!?🤔😂🤣
#TheJohnyAndTheDead #TerryPratchett
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