Arise, Sir Terry

We at Legal Alien were absolutely overjoyed to hear that This World's Greatest Author, Terry Pratchett, has been honoured by Her Majesty in the New Year's Honours list with a knighthood.

I can think of nobody more deserving, and no honour longer overdue. In the words of the man (knight) himself:

"Marry, nuncle, if'n I had a Knighthood (Night Hood), why, it would keep my ears Warm in Bedde; i'faith, if many a Knight is a Fool, why, should a-"

Congratulations, Sir Terry, and long may you continue bringing light into our lives. And now I have to find a way to send him an empty envelope with "Sir Terry Pratchett, Knight" written on the front.

In joke. If you don't get it, you need to read a better class of books.

Thud!

I'm nearly finished with Thud!, Terry Pratchett's new novel and it is, I must say, yet another triumph. Thought-provoking, sometimes even saddening, but, as always, hilarious. There were several times I found myself laughing out loud, garnering strange looks from those around me.

And this book replaces Night Watch as the Discworld novel I'd most like to see made into a movie, if only for Angua and Sally's scenes, some of which, inexplicably, seem to involve few clothes.

The world just got ever so slightly more interesting

Terry Pratchett, who has done more to make this world bearable than just about any other human ever, has released a double whammy;

Thud, the latest Discworld book, gives us another outstanding look into the world of His Grace His Excellency the Duke of Ankh-Morpork, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes (former blackboard monitor) as he attempts to get to the bottom of what happened at Koom Valley, whilst trying to prevent a repeat, whilst trying to solve the murder of a prominent rabble-rousing Dwarf, whilst trying to find a stolen picture, whilst also trying to read "Where's My Cow?" to his son, young Sam.

Coincidently, Pratchett has also released Where's My Cow?, so that we may read along and get the jokes and, presumably, to read to all our own little Sams. But, of course, anyone familiar with Pratchett's work will know that it's never going to be that simple...

Terry Pratchett's work takes hilarity to a new level, kicks the door in and steals everything of value before burning the place down and riding into the sunset raising two fingers to all the other books.

Check it out.