ARC Review: The Lost Stories

A Stroke of the Pen by Terry Pratchett

Publication Date: October 10, 2023

Summary from NetGalley:

A delightfully funny, fantastically inventive collection of twenty newly unearthed short stories by Sir Terry Pratchett, the award-winning and bestselling author of the phenomenally successful Discworld fantasy series. This special trove—featuring charming woodcut illustrations—is a must-have for Pratchett fans of all ages and includes a foreword by Neil Gaiman.

These rediscovered tales were written by Terry Pratchett under a pseudonym for British newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s. The stories have never been attributed to him until now, and might never have been found—were it not for the efforts of a few dedicated fans.

As Neil Gaiman writes in his introduction, “through all of these stories we watch young Terry Pratchett becoming Terry Pratchett.” Though none of the short works are set in the Discworld, all are infused with Pratchett’s trademark wit, satirical wisdom, and brilliant imagination, hinting at the magical universe he would go on to create.

Meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and embark on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, which begins in the ancient city of Morpork . . .

ARC provided by Harper via NetGalley for an honest review.

Confession:

I have been an ardent fan of Terry Pratchett’s books since the early 2000s, especially the Discworld books. I was very sad when he passed a few years ago, thinking that we would no longer get to read new stories from him. So I was super excited when I saw this book and immediately snatched up a copy. It was such a fun read with some really fantastic stories.

These short stories are not set in Discworld, and were written before The Color of Magic was published, but they were such darling little stories that I didn’t mind a bit. It was fun to read some works by Sir Pratchett from his early career. You can see the early hints of his satire and wit coming out in these stories. I mean, who else would name a government department the Ministry of Nuisance? Or imagine what it would be like for the caveman who invented fire to go on to invent other things? How would his inventions affect other cavemen and their society? These short, yet endearing little stories will make you think, just as much as his longer books do.

The last story in the collection, The Quest for the Keys, was perhaps my favorite. There are glimmers of Discworld in the characters and the different worlds they visit on the quest. I also quite enjoyed The Blackbury Thing, which involved a ufo crashing in a small town and the search for whatever was on board. I loved the ending of that one! There are also a few that are Christmas themed which will make a nice read around that time of year, or anytime even.

This short story collection will delight fans of Terry Pratchett. Readers unfamiliar with his work will also enjoy these short stories. Many of them are just as topical today as they were when they were written in the late seventies and the early eighties. If you know a fan this would make a delightful gift!