“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.”

This is my second dive into the world of Terry Pratchett, and unfortuantly I didn't enjoy this book as much as Mort. I found it hard to find my rhythm with this one, it all felt too random and I couldn't figure out the plot, plus I couldn't get attached to any of the characters a part from Death. Even though this is part of the Death Collection I feel like it took a while before he was properly in it.

I really like Prachett's way of writing, the humour and how just plain bonkers it all is, however I found the structrure of this book to be differnent from Mort and more confusing. Due to the events of the previous books and Death not really acting quite himself it's been decided he's to be replaced...times up. And instead of working till the sand runs out of his hourglass Death decides to use his remaining time.

Enter Windle Poons, a wizard about to die, but that's fine, wizards understand this sort of thing. When his big moment arrives Windle finds no one waiting to escort him off, so he climbs back into his body. From this point we follow him trying to figure out what to do, as he did die and is still dead, whilst his fellow colleagues and wizards trying all manner of supernatural ways to re-kill Windle and whilst Death begins working on a farm.

It didn't feel like this book had any drive or knew where it was going, but maybe that was my own confusion; the mysterious snow globes didn't help either. Or perhaps it was because I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. But regardless, this won't put me off, by the end Death is easily an absolute favourite of mine.

“Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind.”

by Joe King, Mark Gelineau

The prologue to this one has some intense action and is not to be missed, but a time jump to chapter one threw me a little because characters who had just met in the prologue were suddenly old friends.

It's a short, well written Fantasy novella of the Sword & Sorcery side of the genre. While I think it could have been fleshed out to a more detailed, full sized book, It was an enjoyable and fast read. Like many books these days, it begins a series but apparently not a sequential one, but rather a series of books set in the same world with some different characters. I expect I'll read at least one more of them.

Elinor appears to be the one consistent character in the two books currently available. She's a strong female lead, a warrior with fortitude and stamina. She's just too stubborn to lose and is dedicated to duty. I found her likeable and a character I could respect.

The story had a little more depth than most short Fantasy novellas and was a worthwhile read, though I would like to see these authors add more dimension in future novels.

by Terry Pratchett

I've read Mort twice so decided it's time I continued this series. Admittedly I enjoyed Mort less on the second reading, but the character of Death is one of Pratchett's most interesting ideas so I still wanted to carry on.

As Pratchett books go, I found it a little slower in parts than I expected. The overall story was interesting in itself, but some of the digressions went on a little longer than interest demanded. The humour was certainly there and the unique concepts of Death as an entity who might take a holiday or even die himself. How he interacts with people is definitely a strength of the book.

The wizards tended to witter on a bit too long to keep my attention, but the inception of The Death of Rats makes the whole book worthwhile! I'm unlikely to re-read this one, but I'm glad I've read it now and I'll continue with Soul Music before too long.

by Michelle Muto

I was warned. The story starts out with a girl attempting to commit suicide, to join her twin sister in death. The writing is very good and takes the reader into the character's mindset in a way that someone who hasn't been depressed normally wouldn't experience. The transition when she begins to realize she doesn't really want to do this is remarkable and I think would serve as a good warning for anyone who has ever contemplated suicide. Most people do change their minds when it gets too real, though for some it's too late by then.

The one thing I couldn't reconcile was disincarnate spirits having tears, letting out breath and bleeding when they don't eat or have other physical characteristics. Feeling pain might have worked on its own but too many living attributes hampered the believability.

Despite this, there was some real originality in the events and I found the story an enjoyable read. I did guess the twist at the end by halfway through, but I tend to pick up easily on the slightest hint of foreshadowing. Towards the end some of the fast action lost me a little, but overall I thought it was a good story and a well-written, enjoyable read.

There is a part in the middle that took place in the towers of the keep that I was either on the verge of sleep and didnt take in all the info or it wasnt explained as well as it is should've been. I'm confused about how that scene played out. I could reread it which would be obvious choice as it probably wouldnt take very long but my seriously my mood right now is super lackadaisical, so just gonna go with a middle of the range 3.