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Terry Pratchett: The BBC Radio Drama Collection
Somewhere on the frontier between thought and reality exists the Discworld, a parallel time and place which might sound and smell very much like our own, but which looks completely different…
Collected together for the first time are seven full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations of Terry Pratchett’s novels, with star-studded casts including Martin Jarvis, Sheila Hancock, Anton Lesser, Philip Jackson, Alex Jennings and Mark Heap.
Now being published for the very first time, the adaptations in this collection are:
Mort
Hopeless young peasant Mort is hired as an apprentice to Death. He'll have free board, use of the company horse, and being dead isn’t even compulsory. In fact, it's a dream job - until he discovers that it can be a killer on his love life...
Wyrd Sisters
Three witches meet on a blasted heath. A king is cruelly murdered. A child heir and the kingdom’s crown are both missing. But Granny Weatherwax finds that meddling in royal politics is a lot more complicated than certain playwrights would have you believe...
Guards! Guards!
In Ankh-Morpork, the Haves and the Have-Nots are about fall out. Again. The Night Watch’s Captain Vimes is used to this but when the Have-Nots find the key to a lethal, dormant weapon that even they don’t understand, he knows it’s time so sober up.
Eric
When precocious young Eric Thursley summons a demon from the loathsome pit to fulfil his every wish, he wants what everyone wants – immortality, to rule the world, and have the most beautiful woman love him. Instead he gets Rincewind, the Disc’s most incompetent wizard.
Small Gods
On the Discworld, Gods are as numerous as herring roe, all elbowing for space at the top. In such a competitive environment, you need an acolyte, and fast. For the Great God Om, Brutha is the Chosen One, or at least the only One available…
Night Watch
Living in the past is hard. Dying in the past is incredibly easy, especially when there is a serial killer on the loose who targets coppers. Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch is back in his own rough, tough past, and he has a job to do.
Bonus Story - In addition to these Discworld novels, this collection will also include a full-cast dramatisation of Only You Can Save Mankind, from the Johnny Maxwell series. As an alien fleet crosses his computer screen, Johnny prepares to blow the ScreeWee into a million pieces...
Duration: 13 hours 15 minutes approx. 15 CDs
Collected together for the first time are seven full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations of Terry Pratchett’s novels, with star-studded casts including Martin Jarvis, Sheila Hancock, Anton Lesser, Philip Jackson, Alex Jennings and Mark Heap.
Now being published for the very first time, the adaptations in this collection are:
Mort
Hopeless young peasant Mort is hired as an apprentice to Death. He'll have free board, use of the company horse, and being dead isn’t even compulsory. In fact, it's a dream job - until he discovers that it can be a killer on his love life...
Wyrd Sisters
Three witches meet on a blasted heath. A king is cruelly murdered. A child heir and the kingdom’s crown are both missing. But Granny Weatherwax finds that meddling in royal politics is a lot more complicated than certain playwrights would have you believe...
Guards! Guards!
In Ankh-Morpork, the Haves and the Have-Nots are about fall out. Again. The Night Watch’s Captain Vimes is used to this but when the Have-Nots find the key to a lethal, dormant weapon that even they don’t understand, he knows it’s time so sober up.
Eric
When precocious young Eric Thursley summons a demon from the loathsome pit to fulfil his every wish, he wants what everyone wants – immortality, to rule the world, and have the most beautiful woman love him. Instead he gets Rincewind, the Disc’s most incompetent wizard.
Small Gods
On the Discworld, Gods are as numerous as herring roe, all elbowing for space at the top. In such a competitive environment, you need an acolyte, and fast. For the Great God Om, Brutha is the Chosen One, or at least the only One available…
Night Watch
Living in the past is hard. Dying in the past is incredibly easy, especially when there is a serial killer on the loose who targets coppers. Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch is back in his own rough, tough past, and he has a job to do.
Bonus Story - In addition to these Discworld novels, this collection will also include a full-cast dramatisation of Only You Can Save Mankind, from the Johnny Maxwell series. As an alien fleet crosses his computer screen, Johnny prepares to blow the ScreeWee into a million pieces...
Duration: 13 hours 15 minutes approx. 15 CDs
14 pages, Audio CD
First published November 1, 2018
48 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Terry Pratchett
684 books46.1k 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 112 reviews
July 21, 2021
Terrific audio! 7 great stories from late master author Sir Terry Pratchett. I listened with big smiles beginning to end. 10 of 10 stars! 😆
November 28, 2019
These dramatizations of seven of Terry Pratchett's books vary in quality, but on the whole they are very well adapted and well performed. My favorite is "Guards! Guards!" (which is also my favorite, or at least one of my favorites, of the Discworld books). It's easier to follow the plots if you've read the books first (I had read all of them except the Johnny Maxwell story), but I think they'd also be a good introduction for those who haven't yet discovered these delightful books.
November 16, 2018
Seems odd giving anything by TP less than a 5, but I suppose in a dramatisation like this, my imagination took a back seat. I prefer the combined might of TPs writing and my deep dark imagination.
Still wonderful though!
Still wonderful though!
April 25, 2019
Well performed dramatisations of seven of Sir Terry Pratchett's books.
At times I felt certain noises and voices were over the top and humour lost but it still provided hours of entertainment and it was nice to have all these condensed books in one place.
A nice tribute to the author.
At times I felt certain noises and voices were over the top and humour lost but it still provided hours of entertainment and it was nice to have all these condensed books in one place.
A nice tribute to the author.
December 8, 2020
When the world is just a bit shit and you can't figure out what to read/listen to that won't depress you further, Pratchett is a safe port in the storm.
These are short adaptions, which capture the essence and humour of the Disc World without perhaps showing the deeper psychology of the novels. Highly enjoyable.
These are short adaptions, which capture the essence and humour of the Disc World without perhaps showing the deeper psychology of the novels. Highly enjoyable.
August 17, 2024
The six Discworld stories were really fun, though I admit I didn't finish 'Only You Can Save Mankind'. They don't capture the full brilliance of Terry's work, but they are a fun abridgement, and it is nice to hear the dialogue performed with emotion, pacing etc. rather than the rather wooden way I tend to hear it in my head!
December 22, 2018
Audio plays of a number of Terry's work. Mainly really well done. Well cast and well adapted.
Read
June 1, 2019I can't quite give this a starred rating, because I felt the different stories/dramas were so varried. Some of them I feel I would have been completely lost with if I hadn't already read the book (Wyrd Sisters especially). Whereas others were a true delight to listen to (my top favorite I think was Small Gods). And then some.. or actually only one, Only You Can Save Mankind, was just painful in every way. The child actors (I think they were kids, or at least the adults playing kids) were actually the only good thing about it, as they acted quite well. But I just loathed the way the aliens were made to sound. It wasn't just the dramatization though. Despite my deep reverence for Sir Terry, that story and it's 90's "if we pretend that women can do anything, then eventually some of them will" attitude (actual quote from the story..!) has not aged well.
December 1, 2020
This is a really enjoyable collection of audio adaptations of Terry Pratchett novels. Most are between four and six half hour episodes, so they are obviously heavily abridged, but I feel they did a good job of capturing the essence of the stories. The casting is excellent all round, and I felt the actors were really getting into their characters, particularly ones that appeared in multiple novels. I was especially fond of the opening credits that listed "and Death as himself".
I had read most of the stories as paper novels, but I think they would still be enjoyable if you were coming to them for the first time. I think they would work quite well as an easy introduction to Terry Pratchett, and would allow the full length novels to be enjoyed later.
Happy to recommend for both old and new Terry Pratchett fans.
I had read most of the stories as paper novels, but I think they would still be enjoyable if you were coming to them for the first time. I think they would work quite well as an easy introduction to Terry Pratchett, and would allow the full length novels to be enjoyed later.
Happy to recommend for both old and new Terry Pratchett fans.
January 4, 2019
BBC did really great voice-overs for those weird cartoons and the liveaction Discworld films. I don't know what happened here.
Death, for example, sounds like the congested lovechild of Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore. That's not nice to say, but that's the only way to describe it. It's intolerable. I've already read all the stories and they're pretty much 5 stars across the board, but I spent additional money on the radio theater version because I thought it would add to the story. It only detracts. Stick with the audiobooks instead.
Death, for example, sounds like the congested lovechild of Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore. That's not nice to say, but that's the only way to describe it. It's intolerable. I've already read all the stories and they're pretty much 5 stars across the board, but I spent additional money on the radio theater version because I thought it would add to the story. It only detracts. Stick with the audiobooks instead.
March 30, 2025
As I was familiar with books and stories dramatizations book felt quite nice and I liked it. But for novice listener I would have been quite hard to follow.
December 6, 2022
A classic collection of radio plays that show off Terry Pratchett’s lightning fast and devilishly sharp wit at its best. Great fun listen.
January 14, 2021
This is a marvelous collection of six Discworld and one non-Disc novels by Terry Pratchett, dramatized at different moments by the BBC. Honoring the author, there is not a dull moment to be had and there are many, many smirk and, dare I say, chortle-inducing passages. Hearty and, yes sometimes hysterical, laughter were also known to be heard as I listed to these abridged, lively-performed, radio pieces.
Important note: in typical BBC fashion, these high-quality productions can be enjoyed by fans and non-turtle-dwellers alike. I myself had not read a couple of the books performed in the collection and feel I didn’t suffer for it. Conversely, the books I had previously read (most of which rank among my Pratchett favorites) were equally exquisite.
The following books are dramatized and included in the compendium:
Mort: abridged in four parts, this is perhaps the weakest performance of the lot, not due to poor production or inferior acting, but because this heavily-edited-down version oversimplifies quite a complex plot, while, surprisingly, maintaining some of the original story’s complexity. If you have not read Mort before, perhaps this is the only dramatization lacking in lustre vs the source material.
Wyrd Sisters: marvelous, and hilarious, retelling of the first witches book in Discworld. Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick are comically performed. Worth a re-listen, any time.
Guards! Guards!: Sam Vines’ first appearance. Along with The Colour of Magic (not included in the collection), this was one of the first Discworld books I read. I therefore didn’t remember much, but this execution maintained Vimes’ heart, along with his crew’s. The Vetinari performance is delicious.
Eric: I have not read Eric, but found the time traveling (not Pratchett’s first or last) was very effectively produced. This may be one of the collection’s funniest performance, after Small Gods.
Small Gods: Along with Soul Music and Pyramids (neither of which is included here), Small Gods is one of my favorite Pratchett books. As a fanboy, I was ready for disappointment, but had to stop the car, stop running, stop doing the household chores I was doing, many a time: otherwise I would’ve probably risked choking on my tea/whisky/spit. Thank the Great Atuin for the BBC.
Night Watch: Along with Mort, this Vimes-as-time-traveler, is the most complex novel staged here. However, the alternate timelines were very effectively performed and leave the listener longing for The Fifth Elephant and other Vimes books.
Only You Can Save Mankind: The only non-Discworld book adapted here, it’s the second one I hadn’t read before. Put simply, it’s Pratchett’s telling of Ender’s Game. I don’t know if his book is a better accomplishment but, even though the performance was flawless, the plot is heavily dated (early nineties First Gulf War) which, as it relies heavily on video games, makes it a little awkward in the 2020s. Since it’s an adaptation, I think the text would have benefited from more artistic freedoms from the producers.
The turtle moves!
Important note: in typical BBC fashion, these high-quality productions can be enjoyed by fans and non-turtle-dwellers alike. I myself had not read a couple of the books performed in the collection and feel I didn’t suffer for it. Conversely, the books I had previously read (most of which rank among my Pratchett favorites) were equally exquisite.
The following books are dramatized and included in the compendium:
Mort: abridged in four parts, this is perhaps the weakest performance of the lot, not due to poor production or inferior acting, but because this heavily-edited-down version oversimplifies quite a complex plot, while, surprisingly, maintaining some of the original story’s complexity. If you have not read Mort before, perhaps this is the only dramatization lacking in lustre vs the source material.
Wyrd Sisters: marvelous, and hilarious, retelling of the first witches book in Discworld. Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick are comically performed. Worth a re-listen, any time.
Guards! Guards!: Sam Vines’ first appearance. Along with The Colour of Magic (not included in the collection), this was one of the first Discworld books I read. I therefore didn’t remember much, but this execution maintained Vimes’ heart, along with his crew’s. The Vetinari performance is delicious.
Eric: I have not read Eric, but found the time traveling (not Pratchett’s first or last) was very effectively produced. This may be one of the collection’s funniest performance, after Small Gods.
Small Gods: Along with Soul Music and Pyramids (neither of which is included here), Small Gods is one of my favorite Pratchett books. As a fanboy, I was ready for disappointment, but had to stop the car, stop running, stop doing the household chores I was doing, many a time: otherwise I would’ve probably risked choking on my tea/whisky/spit. Thank the Great Atuin for the BBC.
Night Watch: Along with Mort, this Vimes-as-time-traveler, is the most complex novel staged here. However, the alternate timelines were very effectively performed and leave the listener longing for The Fifth Elephant and other Vimes books.
Only You Can Save Mankind: The only non-Discworld book adapted here, it’s the second one I hadn’t read before. Put simply, it’s Pratchett’s telling of Ender’s Game. I don’t know if his book is a better accomplishment but, even though the performance was flawless, the plot is heavily dated (early nineties First Gulf War) which, as it relies heavily on video games, makes it a little awkward in the 2020s. Since it’s an adaptation, I think the text would have benefited from more artistic freedoms from the producers.
The turtle moves!
December 23, 2021
For fans of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series or audiobooks featuring full casts you do not want to miss out on “Terry Pratchett : the BBC Radio drama collection”. I am really fussy about the audiobooks I listen to because the performer or narrator either makes or breaks the experience. I have returned audiobooks only after half an hour. And some series I don’t read at all but only listen to because the performer is so great. What I like the best is a full cast dramatization. Sometimes these are adaptations of a novel and other times multiple performers for each character with another as a narrator. Both are a delight.
I can’t think of a better example than “Terry Pratchett : the BBC Radio drama collection based on novels”. This audiobook contains radio adaptations from the BBC of seven of Terry Pratchett’s novels. Each novel is broken up into episodes that run about thirty minutes, perfect to fit in on the ride to and from work. Add in Pratchett’s wry humor and the absurdity of Discworld and you get a very fun and enjoyable experience. This audiobook is also a great introduction to the many colorful characters that live on the Discworld. So if you have never read a Discworld novel do not be afraid, the adaptations do an excellent job getting the listener comfortable in this bizarre world.
So if you need something fun and have never experienced a full cast adaptation check out “Terry Pratchett : the BBC Radio drama collection” and be ready to adapt to a new way of listening.
-John G
I can’t think of a better example than “Terry Pratchett : the BBC Radio drama collection based on novels”. This audiobook contains radio adaptations from the BBC of seven of Terry Pratchett’s novels. Each novel is broken up into episodes that run about thirty minutes, perfect to fit in on the ride to and from work. Add in Pratchett’s wry humor and the absurdity of Discworld and you get a very fun and enjoyable experience. This audiobook is also a great introduction to the many colorful characters that live on the Discworld. So if you have never read a Discworld novel do not be afraid, the adaptations do an excellent job getting the listener comfortable in this bizarre world.
So if you need something fun and have never experienced a full cast adaptation check out “Terry Pratchett : the BBC Radio drama collection” and be ready to adapt to a new way of listening.
-John G
April 4, 2025
Would I have finished this if it was a physical book of short stories and not a dramatic audiobook? Probably not. But I'll take just about any book recommendations. I really enjoyed the last story, though.
Read by full cast. #booksin25
Read by full cast. #booksin25
December 12, 2025
Absolutely brilliant! A new way to enjoy my favourite discworld stories! I know these are Abridged because if not they would be 40+ hrs long but if they can do it with Harry Potter I think it's definitely possible with The Discworld 😀
November 20, 2020
I outsmarted my personal one-book-by-STP-per-year restriction by using the audible version of SEVEN rereads.
December 26, 2022
Es war lohnend die Bücher auf englisch gesprochen zu hören, die Dialoge sind soooo viel weniger hölzern als die deusche Übersetzung.
Read
May 3, 2025DNF
August 18, 2022
Brilliant, didn’t Iisten to all of them but the great cast made this very enjoyable listening. Wyrd Sisters my favourite.
December 15, 2018
Really well done. I've also listened to the unabridged audiobooks for some of these titles, and these productions were great at capturing the essence of the source materials. There is something wonderful about a full cast. I do wish the chapters were labeled by book and part rather than number, but I recognize that may be a technology default.
April 19, 2019
This was an amazing collection of radio dramas based on what I tend to think of as the primary Discworld books to get you properly started along with some interesting companions. The mix of Mort, Wyrd Sisters, Small Gods, Night Watch and a surprise non-Discworld contribution in the form of Only You Can Save Mankind really works out as great listening/reading.
July 17, 2024
I've been meaning to read more Terry Pratchett, so what better way to start than with seven of his novels dramatized by actors at the BBC. Most of these novels are set in Pratchett's Discworld, a flat planet on the back of four elephants on the back of a giant turtle. The setting is similar to the medieval fantasy and fairy tale stories with comedic and satirical factors.
Mort (****)
Wyrd Sisters (**1/2)
Guards! Guards! (***1/2)
Eric (***)
Small Gods (****)
Night Watch (****)
Only You Can Save Mankind (**1/2)
Mort (****)
Death, a recurring character in the Discworld stories, decides to take on the teenage Mort as an apprentice. But when Mort prevents the assassination of Princess Keli he creates an alternate universe that threatens reality. This is a really funny and clever novel.
Wyrd Sisters (**1/2)
One of the issues I had with these radio dramas is that the audio quality wasn't always good and it was particularly hard to understand the Shakespearean stage whispers in this production. That may have marred my enjoyment of this story about three witches and an acting troupe. The play within a play parodies elements of Macbeth, Hamlet, and other works of Shakespeare.
Guards! Guards! (***1/2)
This book introduces the City Watch, generally considered incompetent, but put to the test when a group of miscreants summon a dragon as part of a plot to put a new king on the throne. Lead by Samuel Vines, and inspired by earnest newcomer Carrot, the Watch rises to the occasion.
Eric (***)
A parody of Faust, thirteen-year-old demonologist, Eric Thursley accidentally rescues the wizard Rincewind from Dungeon Dimensions (a Discworld version of hell). Eric is granted three wishes but they are fulfilled with "monkey's paw" style consequences.
Small Gods (****)
The Great God Om manifests himself in the form of a tortoise to a simple religious novitiate named Brutha, who turns out to be the only human who truly believes in Om. This book somehow works both as a skewering of religion but also shows the positive side of religious practice.
Night Watch (****)
Commander of the City Watch Samuel Vines is pursuing a dangerous criminal, Carcer, when they are both transported back in time. Vimes must take on the identity of John Keel and mentor his younger self through the conflict that ensues.
Only You Can Save Mankind (**1/2)
The only story not set in Discworld, but instead in England during the time of the Gulf War in 1991. 12-year-old Johnny Maxwell is playing a video game about an alien attack, when the alien ScreeWee surrender to him. In a reality-bending adventure Johnny is responsible for helping seemingly real-life aliens get back home. This story seems to anticipate massively multiplayer online role-playing games.
June 9, 2023
How fun! This was an excellent listen.
All the stories stand up well enough on their own-- 3 of the 6 Discworld stories are stand-alones anyway. Listeners don't have to be intimately knowledgeable with the entire series, although a passing familiarity would be a plus. Fans will be delighted, and I recognized a couple of the voices as narrators of other audiobooks.
I was really disappointed in the adaptation of Guards! Guards!. I love Sam Vimes. I mean, I love him. Any of those "top 5 characters you'd want to date" or whatever prompt, he's on it. An in this adaptation, he was wrong. His anger was the wrong kind of anger, and his fear wasn't how I always read Vimes' fear. It made the portrayal of him feel wonky, like having something mirror-imaged or upside down: recognizable, but not the original. This wasn't a problem in the Night Watch adaptation, because Vimes is himself playing a character throughout the story.
I didn't think much of the bonus story, the adaptation of Only You Can Save Mankind. I haven't read any of the Johnny Maxwell series, so it was really difficult to understand what was going on-- most of the voice actors are children (? appear to be children) and have poor pronunciation; along with the accents, I had trouble following sometimes.
All the stories stand up well enough on their own-- 3 of the 6 Discworld stories are stand-alones anyway. Listeners don't have to be intimately knowledgeable with the entire series, although a passing familiarity would be a plus. Fans will be delighted, and I recognized a couple of the voices as narrators of other audiobooks.
I was really disappointed in the adaptation of Guards! Guards!. I love Sam Vimes. I mean, I love him. Any of those "top 5 characters you'd want to date" or whatever prompt, he's on it. An in this adaptation, he was wrong. His anger was the wrong kind of anger, and his fear wasn't how I always read Vimes' fear. It made the portrayal of him feel wonky, like having something mirror-imaged or upside down: recognizable, but not the original. This wasn't a problem in the Night Watch adaptation, because Vimes is himself playing a character throughout the story.
I didn't think much of the bonus story, the adaptation of Only You Can Save Mankind. I haven't read any of the Johnny Maxwell series, so it was really difficult to understand what was going on-- most of the voice actors are children (? appear to be children) and have poor pronunciation; along with the accents, I had trouble following sometimes.
July 17, 2021
Nice to have a different ‘voice’ or three for Discworld et al, and pleasant enough, but having read and re-read all of the series many times, I was just too aware of the changes, additions and deletions to make it easy listening for me. The voice actors were decent and can’t say there were any that jarred, but they just said the wrong things sometimes. On reflection, I think these might make a good starting point for new Discworld fans as they are fun and rattle along, but for anybody who wears the Discworld books like a pair of comfortable slippers that you know every inch of, like me, then they’re just not as good as either reading or listening to the entire book. As for ‘Only You Can Save Mankind’ it’s been a long, long time since I’ve read that one so it was nice to be re-acquainted. It was a little bit twee and that is probably why I haven’t re-read, assuming it was fairly true to the original book, and I also wasn’t a fan of the voices for this section. I may have to re-read just to check. Overall, it’s probably not something I’ll listen to again as I prefer the full books. Still, I’ve got every other Pratchett book so why not complete my collection!
August 15, 2021
I cheated.. just a little bit. There were 7 books (or adaptations thereof) in this collections and I finished 6.3 of them. Somehow I couldn't get into the last story.. I got through the first installment but interest waned.
The only thing predictable about Terry Pratchett is that he will be entertaining and intelligent, both of which were certainly true of all 6 books, all set in his entirely original Discworld. My favorite may have been the first (Mort) and as noted the least favorite was the last, but all in all they were a fun set of romps, including an appearance by my favorite literary creation ever: Luggage. I've devoted an entire blog post to it way back in 2010 while I was still living in Egype (https://sankablog.wordpress.com/2010/...) and alluded to it in later posts as well.
'nuf said. If you are a fan or admirer of his work, then you will appreciate this collection. The actors/readers have done a very fine job. But if you don't care for this style then you won't care for it. As my 4-star rating makes clear, I fall into the former camp.
If you like
The only thing predictable about Terry Pratchett is that he will be entertaining and intelligent, both of which were certainly true of all 6 books, all set in his entirely original Discworld. My favorite may have been the first (Mort) and as noted the least favorite was the last, but all in all they were a fun set of romps, including an appearance by my favorite literary creation ever: Luggage. I've devoted an entire blog post to it way back in 2010 while I was still living in Egype (https://sankablog.wordpress.com/2010/...) and alluded to it in later posts as well.
'nuf said. If you are a fan or admirer of his work, then you will appreciate this collection. The actors/readers have done a very fine job. But if you don't care for this style then you won't care for it. As my 4-star rating makes clear, I fall into the former camp.
If you like
October 28, 2023
This was a lot of fun. I've read most of the DiscWorld books in this radio drama - and will be sure to read one in particular that I hadn't read yet.
Before buying this BBC Radio Drama Collection of Terry Pratchett books, I read some reviews. Some people were upset that these weren't like the books and stated "the books were better." I think those complainers don't get the point of a cast dramatization of various books. This is BONUS stuff to the books. A way to experience the characters and some of the events in various books again, from a different angle - with Sound Effects. For fun.
I did the same thing when I first listened to a cast dramatization of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - I got confused and mad that it wasn't "exactly like the books" - it took me a while to figure out that's not what cast dramatizations are about. In those drama collections the author took events from several books and wove them into one dramatization. With sound effects and wonderful actors doing the character voices. Bonus! A short dip into a favorite author's world for fun.
The same here - wonderful actors doing character voices to a bit of what happened in the books - enough to make the story enjoyable.
This was fun. When I had to turn it off I couldn't wait to get back to the Discworld stories.
The last story - a bonus added to the audio book - wasn't my cup of tea. Since it was a bonus I didn't let that affect my rating of 5 stars for this "audio book." It was something like The Last Starfighter, but the production was so heavy-handed with voice effects and other sound effects that it was hard for me to hear the actors speak and the over-the-top noise interfered with the story. I eventually just pulled the ear pods out and forgot to put them back in.
But the DiscWorld stories are the majority of this audiobook and were fun.
Before buying this BBC Radio Drama Collection of Terry Pratchett books, I read some reviews. Some people were upset that these weren't like the books and stated "the books were better." I think those complainers don't get the point of a cast dramatization of various books. This is BONUS stuff to the books. A way to experience the characters and some of the events in various books again, from a different angle - with Sound Effects. For fun.
I did the same thing when I first listened to a cast dramatization of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - I got confused and mad that it wasn't "exactly like the books" - it took me a while to figure out that's not what cast dramatizations are about. In those drama collections the author took events from several books and wove them into one dramatization. With sound effects and wonderful actors doing the character voices. Bonus! A short dip into a favorite author's world for fun.
The same here - wonderful actors doing character voices to a bit of what happened in the books - enough to make the story enjoyable.
This was fun. When I had to turn it off I couldn't wait to get back to the Discworld stories.
The last story - a bonus added to the audio book - wasn't my cup of tea. Since it was a bonus I didn't let that affect my rating of 5 stars for this "audio book." It was something like The Last Starfighter, but the production was so heavy-handed with voice effects and other sound effects that it was hard for me to hear the actors speak and the over-the-top noise interfered with the story. I eventually just pulled the ear pods out and forgot to put them back in.
But the DiscWorld stories are the majority of this audiobook and were fun.
October 3, 2025
Mort:
Great way to start off the radio broadcast collection. Simple, succinct, and full of heart. Captures the essence of the story well.
Wyrd Sisters:
Sadly the weakest of the bunch - the production quality left a lot to be desired, and it included little of Pratchett's prose.
Great job capturing the spirt of the Witches though.
Guards! Guards!:
Lacking a little bit. Carrot got the short end of the stick here and it feels like maybe the people doing the adaption didn't quite understand the characters. Guess they can't all be Million to One chances.
Eric:
Hell will never be the same after this Erician bargain.
Small Gods:
The book was perfectly translated to Radio format while retaining so much of what made this book a philosophical delight.
Night Watch:
Saving the best for the last. Vimes spirit is on display and every minute captures the heart and soul of the book.
Only You Can Save Mankind:
A delightful little inclusion - a very Pratchett Story I have not had the pleasure of experiencing before.
Great way to start off the radio broadcast collection. Simple, succinct, and full of heart. Captures the essence of the story well.
Wyrd Sisters:
Sadly the weakest of the bunch - the production quality left a lot to be desired, and it included little of Pratchett's prose.
Great job capturing the spirt of the Witches though.
Guards! Guards!:
Lacking a little bit. Carrot got the short end of the stick here and it feels like maybe the people doing the adaption didn't quite understand the characters. Guess they can't all be Million to One chances.
Eric:
Hell will never be the same after this Erician bargain.
Small Gods:
The book was perfectly translated to Radio format while retaining so much of what made this book a philosophical delight.
Night Watch:
Saving the best for the last. Vimes spirit is on display and every minute captures the heart and soul of the book.
Only You Can Save Mankind:
A delightful little inclusion - a very Pratchett Story I have not had the pleasure of experiencing before.
May 28, 2019
This is definitely a good-value use of your Audible 'credit' - 7 stories in one.
The casting and production values are great, with a full cast of talented actors, and strategic/sparing use of sound effects, especially where something magical is happening.
The books have been streamlined to fit the format, which means each story only takes 2-3 hours. That's great for pacing through them in car journeys. It does mean a little of the charm of Pratchett's writing is lost - but on the whole, the adaptations work well. The kind of stuff that's 'cut' is details of fight scenes (replaced with a lot of grunting and yells), and descriptions / monologues. There's definitely some narration and some internal agonising, but most of the plays are dialogue.
In general I'd recommend this - both to old fans who'd like to be reminded of favourites in a digestible format; and to newbies to the Discworld saga. This has to be one of the most accessible ways to get into it.
The casting and production values are great, with a full cast of talented actors, and strategic/sparing use of sound effects, especially where something magical is happening.
The books have been streamlined to fit the format, which means each story only takes 2-3 hours. That's great for pacing through them in car journeys. It does mean a little of the charm of Pratchett's writing is lost - but on the whole, the adaptations work well. The kind of stuff that's 'cut' is details of fight scenes (replaced with a lot of grunting and yells), and descriptions / monologues. There's definitely some narration and some internal agonising, but most of the plays are dialogue.
In general I'd recommend this - both to old fans who'd like to be reminded of favourites in a digestible format; and to newbies to the Discworld saga. This has to be one of the most accessible ways to get into it.
January 13, 2021
It's a book, It's a radio drama, no it is those but it is also great fun.
For those unaware of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett here is a treat to digest some of the books easily as they are adjusted to scripts and acted out through a variety of talents. With this collection your audio book experience comes to life even as you discover some of the strange and often funny things that populate the strange world. Among the collection you get 6 stories from the Discworld series and to my surprise a bonus story from Terry Pratchett's Johnny Maxwell series which I thought was good too but threw me a little off after finishing the 6 books before it being so different.
So if you love stories from Discworld (and Johnny Maxwell I suppose) or want to try the series out while experiencing a radio drama experience then this book is for you. Who knows, You might find yourself seeking out the original books to experience them again through their original formats. :)
For those unaware of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett here is a treat to digest some of the books easily as they are adjusted to scripts and acted out through a variety of talents. With this collection your audio book experience comes to life even as you discover some of the strange and often funny things that populate the strange world. Among the collection you get 6 stories from the Discworld series and to my surprise a bonus story from Terry Pratchett's Johnny Maxwell series which I thought was good too but threw me a little off after finishing the 6 books before it being so different.
So if you love stories from Discworld (and Johnny Maxwell I suppose) or want to try the series out while experiencing a radio drama experience then this book is for you. Who knows, You might find yourself seeking out the original books to experience them again through their original formats. :)
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