Monty Python meets J.R.R. Tolkien

The Wee Free Men by Sir Terry Pratchett

Book Description from Amazon

Publication Date: May 25, 2004 | Series: Discworld

A nightmarish danger threatens from the other side of reality . . .

Armed with only a frying pan and her common sense, young witch-to-be Tiffany Aching must defend her home against the monsters of Fairyland. Luckily she has some very unusual help: the local Nac Mac Feegle—aka the Wee Free Men—a clan of fierce, sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men.

Together they must face headless horsemen, ferocious grimhounds, terrifying dreams come true, and ultimately the sinister Queen of the Elves herself. . . .

A Story of Discworld

This book, while YA, has some fantastic adult puns included. The book jacket featured a review from the Oakland Press (Pontiac, MI) which described it as “Monty Python crossed with J.R.R. Tolkien with a dash of Charles Dickens and a pinch of Stephen Spielberg thrown in.” I think this description is fairly accurate.

The word play is amazing, the descriptions are vivid and the storyline flows well. Tiffany is a compelling character even at the age of nine. In search of her baby brother (whom she admittedly doesn’t like), armed only with a frying pan, she uses cunning and logic that far exceeds her years.

Along the way she gets a great deal of help from The Wee Free Men - otherwise known as Nac Mac Feegle. The story alone is a great tale; the puns make it a fabulous read.

It was easy to read, relatively short (263 pages) and thoroughly entertaining throughout. It took me a while to understand the “accent” of the Nac Mac Feegle but once I was hearing it in my head while reading, I had no trouble!