Binding: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 288
Publication Date: June 01, 2004
Sales Rank: 403929
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
The Heroine: Tiffany Aching, incipient witch and cheese maker extraordinaire. Once saved world from Queen of the Elves. Is about to discover that battling evil monarchs is child's play compared to mortal combat with a Hiver (see below). At eleven years old, is boldest heroine ever to have confronted the Forces of Darkness while armed with a frying pan.
The Threat: A Hiver, insidious disembodied presence drawn to powerful magic. highly dangerous, frequently lethal. Cannot be stopped with iron or fire. Its target: Tiffany Aching (see above).
The Nac Mac Feegle: A.k.a. the Wee Free Men. Height: six inches. Color: blue. Famed for drinking, stealing, and fighting. Will attack anything larger than themselves. Members include: Rob Anybody, Daft Wullie, and Awfully Wee Billy Bigchin. Allies to Tiffany Aching (see above).
The Book: Hilarious, breathtaking, spine-tingling sequel to the acclaimed Wee Free Men.
The Author: Terry Pratchett, celebrated creator of the internationally best-selling Discworld series. Carnegie Medalist and writer extraordinaire.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The Big Wee Hag returns!
Tiffany Aching is back to learn the serious business of witching in this sequel to The Wee Free Men. Tiffany sets out to do her apprenticeship with Miss Level. While Tiffany carries out the mostly mundane tasks of caring for the sick, she experiments with her own magical talents which have begun to surface. Thank goodness for the return of the Mac Nac Feegles, as well, who are back to protect the "big wee hag" as she contends with the mysterious and dangerous Hiver.
Full of Pratchett's wry British humor, this is a book for young and old alike. Like the Wee Free Men, although it takes place on Pratchett's Discworld, the Tiffany stories have a feel and flavor all their own.
- C.A.Wulff, author of Born Without a Tail
Rating: - Great for Kids and Adults
Terry Pratchett captures so much in his prose. This book, and this series, are great for kids, and especially girls who are coming of age. Tiffany Aching is an easy character to relate to, and even though we may not face situations quite like hers, we can see parallels. And the Nac Mac Feegle are wonderful comic relief. Like any Pratchett book, a definite 10 of 10.
Rating: - One of my favorite Pratchett books
First things first - do not let the "young adult" tag on this product dissuade you from diving in.
Now, as to the book itself, we find ourselves, as usual with Mr. Pratchett, on Discworld, the magical flat world sitting on the back of four elephants, all of whom are borne on the back of a great turtle, who soars through space. Yet we aren't dealing with such majestic themes and images here. We concentrate our tale upon a slight little girl, one Tiffany Aching. She is coming into young womanhood, which is trying enough, but certainly more trying when one is a novice witch, even one as powerful as Tiffany. Maybe even more so because of it.
Tiffany, you see, is trying to learn the ropes of witchdom, which means she apprentices herself to various witches to learn the ins and outs of the life. This she does, even though it means she has to leave her homeland (there are no more witches where she lives on the Chalk). So, leave she does and she starts to learn.
But somewhere along the way she attracts the attention of a being as old as the universe and as powerful. And this being wants. What it wants, it comes to realize, is little Tiffany Aching.
But Tiffany, in addition to being a powerful, if somewhat untried and novice, witch also has additional protectors. The Nac Mac Feegle! The Wee Free Men! The person who first said that big things come in small packages was almost certainly describing the Feegles. The Pictsies (as they are wont to be called) ... Read More
Rating:  - Comparison to JKRowling isn't appropriate. Comparison to Harry Potter and Hogwarts is. Book is great fun!
The Editorial review from Washington Post, above, lacks perspective. JKR's minor characters have psychological depth while Pratchett's are two-dimensional? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, what a bizarre comparison. They're two different writers. It should be noted that Pratchett started the Discworld series in 1983 (Color of Magic) when JKR was only 18 years old. He established his style long before JKR published Philosopher's Stone in 1997. All of his books are like this, for the most part. He simply used his existing Discworld template when he wanted to comment on the Harry Potter world, and thus created Tiffany Aching. If witches in Hat spend a great deal more time riding broomsticks and casting spells than they did in Wee Free Men it's because Pratchett is purposefully referring to Harry Potter's magical education. Correct, Miss Level's cottage is no Hogwarts. That's the point. With Tiffany Aching Pratchett gets to play with, gently satire and generally enjoy both Harry Potter's brand of magic and the commercialized airy-fairy Wiccan brand of magic, and mix some real old British magical lore in, too. Note that I am a Potter Fanatic.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hat Full of Sky and the other Tiffany Aching stories. I can't recommend them enough. Humorous, likable, thought provoking and excellent.
Rating: - A Hat Full of Sky
Terry Pratchett is my favorite author.
Most of the authors on my Top 10 list got there on the basis of a few good books; Robin McKinnley's "The Blue Sword" and "The Hero and the Crown"; Tolkein's "The Hobbit"; Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarion Trilogy; David Webber's "Mutineer's Moon" Trilogy...
With Pratchett, it's easier to list those of his books that I don't like. There's only one ("Eric!"), and even it has its moments.
I suppose that now I have to explain why I like him so much. The reason is simple. He is wise. He is ALSO funny, which allows him to present his wisdom in a way that is readily accessible.
As a case in point, I am a soldier. I know the nature of my peers. Pratchett's books about CDR Vimes, which I collectively refer to as The Watch Trilogy (although there's now more than three volumes) is a masterpiece of insight into the nature of wearing a uniform. There is nothing at all heroic about CPL Nobbs or SGT Colon, and I've known many individuals very like both of them. Yet, when the time comes, and society needs someone to stand in the gap, they're there. Flaws and all. And beside them are people like CPT Carrot, who is virtue personified. CDR Vimes may not be virtuous, and he'd be horribly offended at being called noble, but he is good. And he does what he does because he loves his people. (I recall the comic scene where he states that the city is a woman, and he loved her even when she kicked him in his teeth.) The armed forces have ... Read More
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