(Discworld Novel 13) (Discworld series) - Small Gods

In this era of triumphant religious fundamentalism, Small Gods is a pretty dangerous item to be seen carrying. Terry Pratchett, carrying a reputation of being a major force in writing fantasy and humour has shed both in this penetrating book. It's an incisive satire of the mores and methods of the three major religions of Western Civilization. Pratchett's astute axiom that the Discworld is a "mirror of worlds" applies with more force here than any other Discworld book. Pratchett casts away whatever subtle restraint he's given other philosophical issues to directly confront us with a harsh truth about faiths.
The basic theme is a simple, but rarely recognized, truth. Gods are created by people. The fewer the believers, the smaller and weaker the god. When belief fades or believers eliminated, the gods cease to exist. Once mighty, the god Om has been relegated to the body of a tortoise. He retains but one true believer: Brutha, a novice in the Citadel of Om. Brutha makes frequent reference to segments of the "holy book" Om supposedly authored. Mystified by attribution to himself of these writings, Om wonders who really wrote them. And why they were written. What has been perpetrated in His Name?
Brutha, who has a photographic memory, is conscripted into a religious crusade against neighbouring Ephebe. The Omnian Church wants to erase Ephebe's false belief that the world is a disc riding on the backs of four elephants standing on a turtle swimming through space. According to Vorbis, head of the Quisition, such false doctrine must be erased, erasing the Ephebians in the process, if necessary. Besides, Ephebe's on the best trade route to the Turnwise coast. Tucked away in Brutha's pocket, Om is taken along. But how does Vorbis expect to conquer mighty Ephebe, home of philosopher kings, with a token force of fifty soldiers?
Pratchett is as direct as Vorbis is devious. There's an old saying that runs "I'm not a bigot, I hate everybody". Vorbis doesn't hate anybody, just those following false doctrines. Nor does Pratchett hate anyone, but his scathing wit in this book leaves few untouched . There are some light passages, but this book is deadly serious. It's not small gods, but small minds that Pratchett targets and he hits the mark unerringly [He's nearly prescient about Christian reaction to J.K. Rowlings' Harry Potter books]. Pratchett holds the mirror before us to consider our beliefs. What do we have faith in, and what sustains that faith?. If it proves false, how do we respond? What an experience it would be to visit Pratchett when one of the evangelicals arrives at the door! If he's as verbally devastating as he is with the printed word, there'd only be a smudge on the doormat.

In Discworld, the power of the Gods is related to the number of people who believe in them and the strength of their belief. The Church of the Great God Om has tremendous power, controlling a Theocracy and building an empire by conquering neighboring states and crushing their native religions. So when Om returns to choose a new Prophet, his appearance as a tortoise doesn't match anyone's expectations. Further, it appears that only a single lowly novice, Brutha, is able to hear the voice of the God. Brutha must figure out how to fulfill his role as Prophet, while, at the same time, not run afoul of the powerful Quisition, which enforces orthodoxy within the Church.

This is a powerful satire about the distinctions between religion and faith. Pratchett clearly shows how as a Church grows, it can easily lose its way. The foundational beliefs and faith, become obscured by ritual and rules. This should be a cautionary tale for anyone who focuses on doctrine instead of belief.

In "Small Gods", Terry Pratchett tackles religion and philosophy. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Our character offerings this time are an evil inquisitor named Vorbis, a meek apprentice named Brutha, and their almighty God Om, here incarnated as a powerless tortoise. Religion is the subject of the first half of the book, as we get lots of jokes about the evils of oppressive theocracy of medieval mindsets. I don't mind humor on this topic; the problem lies more in Pratchett's lack of originality. The jokes are mostly old ones, with a distinctly dreary feel. Pratchett's humor works better in the conversations between Brutha and Om, where the 'logic' of religion clashes with the oddness of having a god who's a small tortoise to produce some bizarre results.
Brutha: That's Blasphemy!
Om: I can't blaspheme, I'm a God.
or
Om: Somebody up there likes me. It's me, of course.
Luckily, the boring religious passages flow by fast enough that they don't really weigh the book down, and things pick up once we move to the city of Ephebe, where robed philosophers clash over metaphysics and Om tries to earn a living via geometric skill. The ending is everything we've come to expect from a Pratchett ending. So while "Small Gods" may not be Discworld's high watermark, it's still well worth checking out.

Even though Small Gods doesn't fit particularly well into the chronology of the Discworld books, nor are any of its main characters used in any of the other books, I feel it is the finest in the series. I began reading this series in the early 80's, when Colour of Magic was available as a Science Fiction book club purchase. Since then, I have eagerly awaited each new book in the series, and have loved them all. Small Gods biggest strength is that it makes you look inside yourself. I understand that personal philosphy and religion are often difficult issues to talk about, and Small Gods is probably uncomfortable to some people as it makes them question their own philosphies and/or religion. I find that is what makes the book the most important in the series to read as "the unexamined life is not worth living". Throughout the book there are many issues raised that make you consider your own feelings, and I think that is what makes this the most valuable of the series to read. Without this book all the other Discworld books are still excellent, but this is the only one that makes you question what life is really all about. And that makes it more valuable than the rest in the series, as they are mostly just entertainment (although an absolutely excellent entertainment value, including the 2 DVDs that were released of Wyrd Sisters and Soul Music).

"Small Gods" is another Discworld novel, and one of the best to date. Taking place far away from the more familiar setting of Ankh-Morpork, the story centers on the struggle for religious freedom, and the difference between truth and perception.

Through absolutely no fault of his own, Brutha, a novice in the church of Omnia, has the misfortune of meeting his God as a voice inside his own head. Whereas the church is one of persecution, power grabbing and torture, Brutha is a peace-loving individual, slow in thought and imagination. He is ill prepared for meeting a deity. Om, his God, isn't having a very good day either.

Practchett utilizes his unique sense of humor and the setting of Discworld, to satire modern culture and popular thought. In "Small Gods", the issues tackled are religion, fanaticism and the drive for power. Whereas all of the Discworld books are funny, "Small Gods" is both funny and extremely thought provoking, with perhaps the hint of a message.

The book isn't quite as silly as, for instance, "Reaper Man", but there is plenty of the traditional silliness throughout. No need to lose one's sense of humor when making a point. Pratchett manages with style. (The guide to Discworld at the back is pretty fun, as well.)

In which the hidden power of little old men with brooms is revealed, the true nature of gods is illuminated for the properly grounded, and the dangers of natural science illustrated.

Small Gods is the opening of the truly great period of the Discworld. Brutha, a friendly, but not too bright novice is chosen to hear the word of the Great God Om. Om, however, is not on form, and Brutha is not the chosen one Om would have chosen. Eventually, this takes Brutha's country to the brink of war.

A fellow smarter than me once observed that true evil always has two traits; the inability to ackowledge their mistakes, and a lack of a sense of humor. When someone will not acknowledge their own mistakes, and cannot laugh, especially at themselves, there is no hope for them. Terry Pratchett holds up a mirror to real world orthodox religions and religious leaders, and these traits come shining through in the reflection.

In short, I loved the book. A nonstop stream of pithy observations on human nature and all aspects of religion, combined with brilliant subtle jokes and puns.

Oh yes, and of course, appearances by Death.

Having just finished "SMALL GODS", I am somewhat embarrassed. Having been a fan of Mr Pratchett, it's somewhat emabarrassing to be writing a review of one of his books. I mean, even thinking I'm going to tell a reader something they don't already know is like thinking about the smell of the color purple! Either you know it, or you don't!
SMALL GODS is the sort of inside joke rich people share at cocktail parties, sniggering at those who don't get it. They are also the sort of people Vorbis could have made use of.
Pratchett makes use of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, a dash of Catholicism, and a pinch of heresy in this incredibly brilliant novel. Even more, while making you enjoy a long, loud belly-laugh, he makes you think. Agnostics and athiests will enjoy this tale of God come to earth in the guise of a tortise <"There's good eating in one of those">, and God's subsequent adventures on earth--Oops, I meant DiscWorld--trying to get belief back in him-oops-Himself reinstated.
Because, you see, a god can't exist without the belief of his believers. . .it gets rather complicated. . .
It gets by turns, hilarious, hysterical, funny, howlingly funny, scary, funny, howlingly funny, howlingly hysterical, hysterically scary, terrifying, and above all, imminently readable. And oddly enough, whatever your religious persuasion, or antithesis thereof, ultimately thought provoking.
READ THIS BOOK. IF NOT, I'LL ASK YOU WHY YOU DIDN'T.
(Oh dear, all caps. . . Read this book, children. It will keep HIM who speaks only in all CAPS away. You'll enjoy it. You might as well, because sooner or later HE is going to find you anyway, so have a good laugh before hand.)
ARE YOU DONE NOW?
Er, yes. I think so.
YOU DIDN'T MENTION ME IN YOUR REVIEW.
Right. . .
Must go, that slip could cost me my life. But if not, read SMALL GODS, and do yourself a favor.

Imagine, if you will, that you are a big time god, with millions of worshippers, big temples, and all the trappings. That you can incarnate as an impressive ram or a magnificent white swan and that you have all the standard godlike powers. Then, one day, you close your eyes for just a seconds and, suddenly, you found it's years later and you are a small turtle being carried 200 feet in the air by a hungry eagle. An eagle who fully intends to drop you in order to crack your shell. Fortunately the eagle miscalculates and instead of dead, you wind up face down in a compost heap. Such was the fate of The Great God Om.
Or, imagine that you are a temple novice. Not a particularly bright novice, but well behaved. You have a fantastic memory, but are a little short on what it takes to understand how the squiggly markings on the scroll can be words and ideas. You're nice, even tempered, and have a bit of a weight problem. While you will probably be a novice forever, you like novicey tasks like turning the compost heap and tending the garden. Or you did until a crazy, one-eyed turtle walked out of the grass and said, `Hey, you!' Such was the fate of Brutha.
So begins Terry Pratchett's marvelously witty attack on organized religion, spiritual snobbery, philosophers, and bad people in general. For, with all those people worshipping Om, only one person really believed in him. You guessed it, Brutha the novice. You see, gods need people who believe in them, or they kind of dry up and disappear into the desert with all the other small gods. Om sees the handwriting on the wall. In order to stay in business he will heed to enlist Brutha, push him into action, and completely rework Omnianism. No simple task for a god whose current lightning bolt will barely singe an eyebrow.
To make matters worse, our hapless duo must deal with Deacon Vorbis, head of the Omnian Quisition. All of the Omnian Church's inquisitors take their orders from Vorbis, who was more or less the opposite of Brutha. He is very smart, quite thin, and not very nice at all. The kind of person who turns turtles upside down in the sun to see how long it takes them to die. Vorbis is a strict follower of the Omnian church and intends to be its next prophet. He is not about to let a holy turtle and a chubby novice get in the way. Instead he intends to use Brutha's eidetic memory to aid in the invasion of the city Ephebe, which is full of philosophers, gods, and is not very cooperative at all.
In Pratchett's hand the struggles of Om and Brutha are the basic material for a funny and insightful look at the difference between worship and belief. Pratchett has little toleration for dogma, unquestioning belief, or the abuse of religious power. But he is never unkind, simply honest, and it is clear that he writes from a strong ethical sense. He is to be admired for undertaking what is usually a difficult subject and bringing his points home with considerable consideration and love. If you're looking for a diatribe you won't find it here. If what you want is a bit of insight and a lot of snorts and chuckles, "Small Gods" is just the book for you.

"Small Gods" came to land on my window sill after fluttering in the wind for what appeared to be ages; even though I knew it would eventually flutter somewhere nearby, it came as a pleasant, somewhat unexpected surprise.
Being my first Terry Pratchett novel, I didn't really know what to expect other than a number of sardonic comments on religion and its place in society. Prior to reading it, I thought it would take on the tone of a polemic: unrelenting and pretentious at heart; so I didn't necessarily rush out greet it. The great thing that I discovered afterwards, however, is that Terry Pratchett novels are so lighthearted in tone that they will make even the biggest cynic crack a smile.
The inherent message of the story is simple: as ridiculous as everything associated with a particular god may be, there is certainly no doubt in the fact that we cannot live without them. The book makes a conscious effort to let us feel how faith draws out the best, and sometimes the worst, in us, and through the story's protagonist, Brutha, professes that the best way to believe is by what you know lies deep inside you.
If you're wary of being offended, don't fret. Pratchett treats the matter with the respect it deserves, as long as you're not too big on organized religion. Give it a try; it just might inspire you to think a little intrinsically as opposed to simply going along with the waves.

I am an avid fan of Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series. The Discworld books are something I have read for pleasure for some time. They are always humorous, sometimes uproariously funny. Small Gods, though, sees Pratchett entering into a writing style that focuses much more on important messages. Mercy. Compassion. Meaningful belief. Of all of Pratchett's works, this one is my favorite. He did a fantastic job of weaving in real-world and historical references throughout the novel. For loyal Discworld fans, there are fun cameos and references that keep us in that realm.

If you are looking for one of Pratchett's funnier novels, you might start with another title. Small Gods has definite humor, but the messages are far more important. Here you will find excellent character development along with definite good vs. evil. The characters in Small Gods are excellent, showing the best and worse aspects of humanity. Religion is definitely a focus throughout, but I feel that Pratchett's treatment of that subject was respectful and balanced (regardless of your world view). I would definitely recommend Small Gods to anyone. An enjoyable and creative book, from beginning to end.

Religion isn't a concept that is touched on in any significant way in most fiction/fantasy books. Usually it's something along the lines of a Great Divine Goddess that some people pray to, while most people get on with their lives. Or perhaps the book has a generic set of Earth God, Sky God, and Food God. This is odd, because if you look at any history book most of the events of the Medieval and Renaissance periods were dominated by religion.

So it's nice to see that religion is the main focus of Small Gods (as you could probably guess), even if it is in a satirical way. Small Gods focuses on the large, zealously religious, crusading nation Om. Their God is also called Om. The religion is Omnia, and the main character is named Brutha.

Novice Brutha is the kind of person who really Believes. Not in the go-to-church-every-Sunday way, but the Om-is-watching-you-always way. So it comes as a surprise when Om appears to him in the form of a small, one-eyed turtle, asking for help. It comes as an even bigger surprise that nobody else can hear the God.

Small Gods takes the idea of belief and turns it inside out. It doesn't make fun of religion, or try and poke holes in anyone's actual beliefs. But themes such as "Belief vs The Structure of the Church", "Atheism Being Almost As Good As Belief", and "What Happens When People Stop Believing" show up throughout the book.

Sure, you could read it just for the laughs. Oh, the God is a vulgar turtle, ha ha. The book is certainly funny enough for that to satisfy people. But if you read the book for the larger themes, instead of reading it joke-by-joke, you'll see that Small Gods actually provides a pretty smart and thorough commentary on what religion is, and what it can make people do.

"Small Gods" is a book set in the Discworld universe. It is a stand-alone book and not part of any other series (i.e. the City Watch, Death, Wyrd Sisters). It's also a very good book, though it's nowhere near my favourite. The back cover calls it a great comedy, but I didn't find it all that funny. It was good, makes very insightful comments on religion and how it is set up. There are some great moments in the book as well. Most of these consist of indirect comments on our world that just pop up and hit you in the face with their accuracy. But again, it's not that funny.
It is set in the land of Omnia, a heavily religious land, or at least it seems to the outside. They are very intolerant of other religions, going so far as to torture heretics for their beliefs. In reality, though, there is no real belief there. It has become a power structure instead of a true religion. Om, the god that they worship, has come to visit. Unfortunately, while he intended to come down as something noble (like a swan), he appeared as a tortoise. To make things worse, he traveled the Disc for three years without realizing he was Om. This happened because nobody truly believes in him any more, and gods derive their power from belief.
There is one person who does believe in him very deeply, though, and that's Brutha. Because of this, Om has to use him to try and get his followers back. Brutha is a very simple man; he can't read and write, and he enjoys puttering around in the temple garden. He's a very unlikely choice for a chosen one. Unfortunately, he's the only choice Om has. One thing Brutha does have is a fantastic memory. He can remember everything he sees, even if he doesn't know what it means. This ability very often comes in handy, whether it has to do with the library or getting out of a maze. Om finds that a simple man isn't always the most easily controlled, though.
The story is a very interesting comment on religious practices. It covers everything from organized religion to the creationism/evolution debate. The people of Omnia don't believe that the world is flat, on the backs of four elephants that are standing on a Great Turtle. No religion is singled out for ridicule, though, as most of the comments are made about religious structure in general. The belief that a god's power is based on how many people believe in him is very interesting. Neil Gaiman uses the same idea in his American Gods book.
The characters are all well done. Brutha is an unlikely prophet, but as events happen to him and he grows into the role (no matter how reluctantly), you believe the transition. Vorbis, the exquisitor (as opposed to the inquisitor), is suitably sadistic. He's the one main character that you could say is slightly two dimensional because you don't know why he is what he is. He's not as devout as he seems, and he does enjoy his work, but that's pretty much all we know.
Om is a great character, though. He's suitably sarcastic. He uses Brutha for his own ends. He tries to keep Brutha in the dark about how the belief system works, and why he has appeared to Brutha. He's arrogant (shown especially when he visits the other gods). He also has many of the best lines.
The main problem with this book, though, is that the comedy just doesn't seem to be there. Sure, after reading the annotations, some of the bits seem funnier. Maybe I just wasn't getting the jokes as much. Some of the exchanges between Brutha and Om are priceless. The philosophers of Ephebe make their return from Pyramids, and they are hilarious. I always enjoy them. But there's not enough of it. Perhaps this one just went over my head. One of the things that is really missing is the funny footnotes. In the previous books I've read, there are footnotes on almost every third or fourth page. They were great! However, this one only has a few of them. I would call this book more "amusing" then "funny."
Still, the book is well worth reading, and I would suggest you pick it up for the philosophical insights and the writing. There are some funny moments as well, just not as many. And if you already like Pratchett, this is certainly a good one to continue with.

Terry Pratchett never fails to delight. I have enjoyed every Discworld book, some much more than others. His style is witty, intelligent, irreverent, and it really stays with you.

Small Gods in particular turns out to be a very strong introductory book for readers new to Pratchett. Not only is this one particularly fun and thought-provoking, but it always explains the nature of Discworld itself. I don't mean the disc-shaped planet sitting atop an elephant and some space turtles. I mean the world with all it occupants, the people, the creatures, and their magic. It reveals much about the role that belief plays in creating this world's magic and magical beings.

The story is also about hope, and that's always a strong theme to follow. It's about finding hope and rediscovering your own strengths and nature. All around it's a wonderful story with characters we care about, especially the turtle.

Brutha is an unlikely choice when a Great God is choosing a prophet... but a battered tortoise is an unlikely form for a god to be stuck in. Brutha, a novice at the temple of the Great God Om, goes on a journey (both metaphorical and literal). He is chosen by Vorbis (who is not EXACTLY evil), for his most unusual talent, to travel to the 'evil' city of Ephebes inhabited by 'polytheistic heathens'. He meets, among other characters, strange men who devote their lives to not being sure about anything: philosphers. Brutha serves his god in various ways (finding tasty lettuce leaves in particular). He must learn to think like a god and rekindle the belief in Om before it is too late and Om winds up... where the Small Gods go.
A hilarious book and excellent parody. Terry Pratchett has done it again. Where gods get their power from? And what happens to a god when he loses his power and can no longer smite anyone? Read this book to find out. Also read this book if you want insight into the nature of religious belief along with hours of laughs (provided you don't take it TOO seriously).

This book was first published in 1992.

Terry Pratchett's 13th Discworld novel (and 23rd overall) is a satire of organized religion. It poses a conundrum to many fans. Most of Pratchett's novels are parody, and Webster's On-line Dictionary defines parody as "a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule". Of course, Pratchett's works have always been a bit deeper and life-true than that pat definition suggests. On the other hand, the same dictionary defines satire as "a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn; trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly". With most of Pratchett's fans expecting parody from a Discworld novel, satire can be a thorny pill to swallow.

This rare "stand-alone" Discworld novel (like Pyramids and Moving Pictures, it is not part of any previously defined sub-series of novels) sticks organized religion on a spit and broils it mercilessly. It follows a young priest named Brutha, who is the last true believer of the great god Om, in spite of it being the state religion of the theocratic dictatorship of Omnia. On Discworld, gods can manifest to the proportion of their true believers, and because only Brutha is left, Om can only manifest as a one-eyed tortoise. Brutha discovers Om, literally, and carries Om in tortoise form with him through his journeys.

His commander is Lord Vorbis, a blackly pious inquisioner who has no difficulties with torturing unbelievers. The Omnian priests openly pity those who have not accepted Om, though they unknowningly betray the fact that they themselves don't believe in Om so much as the Religion of Om. Therein lies the problem. As Brutha and Vorbis travel, they encounter many nations and religions, with Vorbis the matter-of-fact executioner restrained only by diplomacy. When disaster befalls them, and Vorbis spends most of the rest of the trip unconscious, it is Brutha who selflessly drags Vorbis along, hoping to find safety, because it is just the right thing to do. Ultimately, Vorbis sees Brutha conversing with Om, and predictably does not see it for what it is, and he persecutes Brutha for heresy, leading to a typical Discworld story ending.

While Small Gods ranks as one of Pratchett's best -- I would place only the Discworld tomes Wyrd Sisters and Soul Music above it, as well as the non-Discworld books Good Omens (co-written with Neil Gaiman) and the newly published Nation) -- it is easily the meanest natured book in his ouvre. Pratchett simply does not bother to disguise his contempt and disgust for the hypocrisy and fake faith bred by most large, powerful religious organizations. While Pratchett has sharpened his poison pen from time to time in past and subsequent Discworld novels, it's usually not been at the expense of parody. Perhaps Pratchett sees the evil done by such organizations as not leaving room for fun. It's not that Small Gods isn't funny -- it's uproariously, scathingly funny just about all the time -- just that the fun is taking a back seat to the millions of people who have died because of religious zealotry.

Small Gods is not a good first Discworld novel, or a good first Pratchett novel. It is best enjoyed by those thoroughly initiated into the splendors of the Discworld, and then only those who are not easily offended by its subject matter. Though a dozen years later he treats the topic with much more tenderness and humanity in Nation, Small Gods should not be missed as Pratchett's ultimate hit piece.

This is the first Pratchett book I have read. I had avoided Pratchett for years because of his classification as a science fiction writer. I was surprised that this is NOT a sci-fi book. It is fantasy, and there is only a limited amount of that. Many mainstream literary authors (Márquez, Pynchon) have a similar amount of fantasy in their works.
This is a well-written book. The plot and characters develop and flow, it maintains interest, and is a pleasure to read. The ideas are original and there are thoughtful reflections about the human condition.
That said, this book does show some elements of Sci-Fi fiction that make it genre writing. This book does not include a single female character, nor any substantial reference to women. The entire realm of sexuality, family, childhood and romance is avoided--as if entire worlds of men can exclusively focus on the "important" things of war, science, and adventure. This is the defensive world of 13-year old boys, and it is a major weakness of Sci-Fi writing. These limitations do not detract from this particular book, but I worry if the rest of Pratchett's books are similar.
Mr. Pratchett is an excellent writer. You will not be disappointed in this book.

Terry Pratchett is an awesome writer and "Small Gods" is a fantastic book. Pratchett has singlehandedly created his own genre and has garnered himself a huge following -- and it's easy to see why. "Small Gods" has to be one of the wittiest books ever written, with incredibly sharp one-liners, in-jokes and pratfalls. Great names and clever words hide subtle parodies and satire, which are a bonus as the plot is entertaining enough on its own.
I tried to read this book in contracts class when it first came out and kept on getting busted for laughing out loud, no matter how much I tried to hide it. The only other author able to do this for me is PJ O'Rourke. If you read it on public transport, people will look at you and think you're kinda strange, unless they too know who Pratchett is, in which case they will envy you reading and try to catch furtive glimpses of the text over your shoulder.
This is one of my favourite books of all time -- read it and love it too. If I could award it 6 stars, I would.

So maybe I'm biased. I've read all Pratchett's book at least twice. I've got both of the map books, and I even met Pratchett for Gods sakes. But SMALL GODS is, and always will be, my favourite. It doesn't have as much of the in-your-face humour of some of the others in the series, or the sly digs to popular culture (Wyrd Sisters, Moving Pictures) but Small Gods is first and foremost, a satire. Personally, I believe this is where Pratchett hit his creative peak, when he had the perfect balance of characters, wit and imagination. Not to mention a real sense of danger - how many "humorists" can pull that off?
Don't think about it. Small Gods has something to say about belief, friendship, zealotry - the whole nine yards... Kevin Smith's new film DOGMA is trying to cover similar ground, but I doubt it'll be anywhere as insightful or entertaining as this.
Just get it... buy it now, on the cheap, and I'm Cutting Me Own Throat...

Small Gods started off promising, with Pratchett turning his ascerbic wit toward the subject of organized religion - something I've always had a soft spot for. His comparative parody of philosophy was also amusing. Pratchett also offers up one of his more memorable villains.

Sadly, something just didn't connect, and I suspect it was the loose ends. Admittedly, I am reading the series out of order (based on what's in at the library) so perhaps these unanswered questions I had -- such as how Om fell to his current state in the first place -- are answered in previous (or subsequent) books. Still, I felt a bit cheated by not knowing certain things by the time I reached the end. Om's "redemption," if it can even be called that, also struck me as hollow and a tad forced.

I wanted to like this book, but ultimately it struck me as a substandard offering. Pratchett certainly has done better. While there are chuckles galore, and even a few interesting insights, it was otherwise average. The supporting cast was unmemorable, and I also felt a bit of a loss at the lack of the accompanying cast of "usual suspects" that populate his Ankh-Morpork books.

If you like Pratchett, give it a go, but keep your expectations reasonable. He's done better.

I've just gotten to the part with the Fin of God (I'm not certain why a theocratic nation that calls the sea sinful would have a navy, but...), and I was strangely touched by it. The peaceful transition, and the idea of a healed ship seeking out an afterlife.

***

This was a much more enjoyable read than Pyramids. It also felt far less derivative. I revisit Douglas Adams's writings on religion, generally of the potshot variety--funny enough, and true enough--but this book has the leisure to spend all 350 pages gently peeling back the layers and savoring the subject.
And it was still funny, it just didn't seem to work as hard at being funny as it did at telling a story. And I like stories.

This is my first experience reading a Terry Pratchett novel, as well as my first introduction to Discworld...and I am impressed! Small Gods has a bit of everything--it is full of imagination, philosophy, satire, and gets down right funny at times!
The story centers around Brutha, a religious novice in Omnia, a worshipper of the Great God Om. The only thing is--he is the last true believer and the only person who can truly speak to Om. Going from there, this is Brutha's story of self- and religious- discovery. None of the people around him seem to know what to make of him, and his connection to Om, a very small god who is learning that if your last believer dies, it is not a pretty situation for a small god. But the world of Omnia is being upset by this new religious group obsessed by the fact that a Turtle actually swims across space with the world held up by four elephants upon its shell...it's a whole new world in this book!
I can't wait to try another novel in the Discworld series! I highly recommend the same for anyone wanting some pure reading pleasure!

Each of Pratchett's Discworld novels takes on a particular theme of literature or aspect of society. Here is his take on organized religion, and on religion in general. Both as a humorist and as a novelist Pratchett's output is quite variable in quality, rarely reaching the peaks set by such superior works as INTERESTING TIMES or MEN AT ARMS. SMALL GODS is above the average, and for Pratchett, that's quite good indeed. Pratchett's hero, Brutha, is an apparently retarded and ambitionless monk who's slated to become a new Messiah, but the leader of the established church has his own ideas about who that Messiah should actually be. Furthermore, by an incredibly unlikely turn of events, the God worshipped by the established church actually exists, although He is handicapped a bit by being incarnated as a tiny turtle. The plot and characters are continually interesting, and the novel moves swiftly.

Terry Pratchett is a phenomenal writer! I'll tell you that any of his books, especially the Disc World series are well worth picking up! In my youth I loved the Lord of the Rings books by J.R.R. Tolkien (and yes, I'm talking pre-movie adolescence, thank you). I read any fantasy/adventure novels I could get my hands on. Eventually I ran out of books worth reading.... In my late teens I even resorted to Harry Potter, which I thought was amusing (but with a very low reading level) until I stumbled upon Terry Pratchett. Oh what a day! It was as if I had been waiting for his writing since the first time I picked up a book! The worlds he has created within the Disc world series are so interesting and entertaining. On each page he has spelled out endless wit, comedy, and enchantment. The characters hook you from the start and in each book you learn more about them and how they intertwine with one another. The imagery Pratchett depicts with his stories is absolutely amazing! And one of the things that I think is the best about this series is you don't necessarily have to read them in a particular order. There are a few here or there within the series that do fit better together read in a certain order but besides those you can just go with the next one that strikes your fancy. Every time I finish one I CANNOT wait for the next! Soon I'll be done with the series and this is sad... But reading them all was well worth it! See for yourself!

Let me just say I'm not a big fan of Discworld. I can't give any solid reason for that, but it has never quite captivated me the way it does so many. Pratchett's writing is very good, and his world entertaining, but well . . . I don't know. Just doesn't do much for me. Maybe too much satire, not enough story.

"Small Gods" is different. It has a pretty good story. And the end is very satisfying. This is one of the first Discworld books I read, and it's still my favorite. Admittedly, I haven't read many, so take that with a grain of salt.

It does drag a bit, and once in a great while, Pratchett is more convinced of his cleverness than he should be. But usually he's justified. When it comes right down to it, he is one of the best at humorous fantasy that still has something worthwhile to say.

My second Terry Pratchett. I have always studiously avoided Terry Pratchett, because it seemed clear from the covers and write ups of his books that they would not be my kind of thing. But I am frequently recommended his books, and a week or two ago a friend expressed surprise that I could love Douglas Adams and not Terry Pratchett.

I explained I had read Nation, but apparently my Pratchett education was incomplete and he suggested I try Small Gods to see what I think.

On completion of Small Gods, I decided that I know my tastes better than my friends.

Small Gods is a clever and highly satirical book with plenty of wacky humour. I can see why it is so succesful, and I was left with the impression that Pratchett is well read and the book is well researched. Where some authors might repeat old cannards about, for instance, people only using 10% of their brain, Pratchett soundly debunks them. Moreover his satire appears to be informed at least somewhat by some actual history (although it was often to obvious and in your face for my tastes). For a book set in a nonsense world, it was surprisingly strong in such research.

But despite appreciating the book, and understanding its popularity, Pratchett is not for me. It is all a bit too silly.

So why do I like Douglas Adams then? I don't really have an answer to that. It may be because Douglass Adams was not so prolific. It may be because Pratchett writes fantasy, and somehow that changes things. It may be just that Adams' work was on a different wavelength better suited to me.

I don't have a good answer to that but I won't be buying any more Pratchett.

Terry Pratchet is very rare today. He actually writes satire that is very funny. Small Gods is about the rise of a new religion through simple belief. He satires the idea of church, but not faith. If you do not have a sense of humor when it comes to religion, this book is not for you. His story unfolds that every religion starts out with good intentions, but ends up mired in dogma. You can't but help to love the turtle god and his half-wit follower. The scene with the god and an eagle is a true classic of modern writing. This book is part of the famous discworld series, but stands alone and apart. This is a good book for a new reader to Pratchett to start. If you liked Douglass Adams or satire, then you will love Terry Pratchett. You will spend most of the time laughing along with the story.

While this has plenty of the silliness of other Discworld books, it's actually a fabulous and powerful parody of religious behaviors. With a very different approach, it succeeds like The Life of Brian does to expose some of the idiotic human tendencies that lead to religious beliefs.

One of the book's underlying tenets is the undeniably true notion that the power of any god (or religion) is proportional to the number of people who believe in it. The literal manifestation of this concept in the story provides a fun and interesting twist.

By far the best Pratchett book I've yet found, entirely due to its success as a parody on higher levels than most of his books.

I expected a lesser Douglas Adams; after all, it was only a Terry Pratchett novel, one of those things with pages that you read quickly, laugh a couple of times and change for any other book on those second-hand stores.
But "Small Gods" is a thing of beauty, of seemingly superficial thoughts that nevertheless takes you to the depths of the human condition. Pratchett mayve even did not intended to reach the heights of art, but here the attempt has succeded, and we could well be in the presence of a minor classic.
Here you have a book that explains how Gods are made and destroyed, not in a fantasy world, but in our very real one, deux-ex-machina and all.

If there is truth to the old adage that humor is simply tragedy revisited, then Terry Pratchett's Small Gods may be the world's funniest books. Pratchett has revisited the whole bloody history of religion, philosophy, government, and science as they are put to use in the service of war, death, and destruction, and served them up as a feast of knowing smiles, wicked grins, meaningful chuckles, spontaneous laughter, and a couple of uncontrollable guffaws for desert. But be warned, if you don't find it palatable to mix a bit of thinking and contemplation with your laughter, you might want to pass on this one.
Pratchett may be a philosopher disguised as a fantasy novelist and humorist. He gives us characters that brilliantly capture the gamut of human endeavor, from the pure malice of Vorbis, the true believer inquisitor, to the equally pure humanity of Brutha, the peasant prophet of brotherly love. He shows a keen understanding of the entire muddle in between, where most of us dwell, as well. He dissects the nature of belief and the relationship that humans have to their gods and vice-a-versa. And he shows exactly why the best human instincts so rarely win out in the end and what could happen when they do. Along the way, he scatters a plethora of erudite and silly jokes like land mines. Dissertations could be written on this book, but that would miss the point.
Avoid this book if you are adverse to cleverness and hilarity. Otherwise, put your hands on a copy post haste and join the delighted initiates of Pratchett's marvelous and witty world.

Theo Logos

[For context's sake, I have been reading the Discworld books in publication order. Small Gods is #13.]

I really enjoyed this one, though it wasn't the strongest. Pratchett gives a really intriguing approach to the concept of gods, with some very insightful observations and goings-on. The character development and interactions were (as always with Pratchett) deep and entertaining. One character seemed a bit pointless, even given his possible role as a plot feint and surprise twist at the end, and the plot slowed down and became mildly laborious at times, but overall a great read.

This was my first Discworld book, and although I don't know what I don't know about the others, this story seemed like a good place to start. That is, it didn't seem to require any prior knowledge of the series to understand.
This story is about an apparent simpleton, Brutha, whose simple faith is humorously juxtaposed against the absurdity of religion run amok.
The plot itself was a simple construction to allow the author to wax humorous on the concepts of gods, worshippers, and philosophy in order to get across his message about the human condition - that purity of heart can not only triumph over evil, but maybe even redeem it in some cases, and that victory perhaps doesn't require us to impale our enemies on sharp sticks (or hot turtles).

Rough translation: I announce to you with great joy, we have a turtle God. That should have been the announcement that greeted the arrival of the God of the City of Om upon his return to Om. Unfortunately he was greeted by stunned disbelief by his sole remaining true believer. Since the size and power of any God/god on Discworld is directly proportional to the level of belief in each God's by its adherents this god is but a turtle. Out of such co-dependent relationships are small gods and Terry Pratchett's Small Gods made.

Co-dependent seems an apt term in this context. In Small Gods, Pratchett looks at organized religion through the prism of the co-dependant relationship. This theme is set against a backdrop which, if filmed, would have been produced by David Lean and looked remarkably like Lawrence of Arabia. (The Omnian attack on Ephebia and Brutha's trek with Vorbis across the desert between their cities both left me with images of Lawrence's attack on Aqaba and his disastrous trek across the desert with his youthful assistants.) Specifically, Pratchett examines the co-dependency of man and his God(s). Each is entirely co-dependent on the other. The plot, including the hilarious deus ex machina climax, has been well summarized in the product description and in other reviews so I'll confine myself to a few random observations.

No matter how deeply philosophical the underlying theme, the potential reader should know that Pratchett is an excellent writer and capable of some of the funniest lines and paragraphs you are likely to encounter in fiction. Pratchett introduces the Ephebians' leading philosopher Dydactylos thusly: His philosophy was a mixture of three famous schools -- the Cynics, the Stoics and the Epicureans -- and summed up all three of them in his famous phrase, "You can't trust any bugger further than you can throw him, and there's nothing you can do about it, so let's have a drink." It is no small compliment to state that the passage reminded me of Month Python's Philosopher's Song.

Pratchett's sharp tongue and wonderful sense of humor does not detract from his ability to get a point across. For example, the villain of the piece, Vorbis is engaged in diplomatic negotiations with the leader of the Ephebians, known simply as "the Tyrant". "Slave is an Ephebian word. In Om we have no word for slave," said Vorbis. "So I understand," said the Tyrant. "I imagine that fish have no word for water." In context, this exchange is simply brilliant. Small Gods is full of these little pearls.

Pearls, actually, form the basis of my final thoughts on Small Gods. I think it clear that Pratchett does not look kindly upon the excesses and brutalities committed in the name of God(s). However, those who do maintain such a belief system should not construe that as an attack on faith itself. I think one can liken the philosophies expressed by Moses, Jesus, or Buddha for example as a grain of sand. The grain of sand can be perfectly beautiful but because it serves as something of a societal irritant when first expressed it becomes covered with layer upon layer of outer covering until it evolves into a pearl. Now that pearl can be beautiful but it can also completely obscure the pure beauty of that grain of sand. So too with the trappings and dogma of oragnized relgion. When doctrine and dogma take pride of place the beauty of the idea is lost and can turn horrid. Vorbis' role as leader of the Omnian inquisition is no accident. The comparison between Vorbis and Brutha is beautiful for its symetry. Vorbis is all form and structure but totally devoid of content, of soul. Brutha is close to being the opposite. As we look at the trappings of our own faith (those of us that choose to have one) it might not be a bad idea to examine whether or not the trappings of that doctrine obscure the initial meaning and purity of the ideas around which those trappings were created.

That any author, particularly one so consistenly funny, can evoke such a thought process, is, perhaps, a minor miracle.

Quite simply, Terry Pratchett is the funniest man alive. However, his early books are somewhat coarse, and the later books may confused a newcomer.

Small Gods is an excellent starting point for anyone. The book has new characters, a new plot, and nothing is expected of the reader. Its a wonderful book that will explain everything for someone who's never ventured into the Discworld before. Its also one of the funniest texts around.

Small Gods is also a great books in its seriousness. The book takes a witty look at the perils of making religion too organized - in worshipping the Church rather than the God. It is a book you can read, then mull over for hours - if you didn't break up laughing every two minutes.

There are billions of gods in the world; they swarm as thick as flies. Most of them are too small to see & never get worshipped, at least by anything bigger than bacteria. Consider the tortoise & the eagle. The former, a ground-hugging creature with limited, immediate horizons & the latter, while living in high places, sits for hours surveying all until it spies the wobbling tortoise. If you've not dabbled in a Terry Pratchett yet, you are in for a treat. If you like your world turned topsy-turvy just to see what shakes out of your pockets of thoughts, get thee to this Terry Pratchett & chuckle. Ripping good stuff & utterly irreverent! END

Small Gods is not Terry Pratchett's best book by a long shot, but it's still a great parody on religion and... well... the meaning of life?
Who else but Pratchett could write "The Great God Om waxed wroth, or at least made a spirited attempt... He silently cursed a beetle, which is like pouring water onto a pond. It didn't seem to make any difference anyway. The beetle plodded away. He cursed a melon unto the eighth generation, but nothing happened. He tried a plague of boils. The melon just sat there, ripening slightly."
Some classic Pratchett lines but a somewhat weak ending. Don't miss it, though. It's still worth a few hundred smiles.

One of my very favorite Terry Pratchett books - and I love them all! I reread the whole Discworld series every few years.... This book is a standalone story from the rest of the Discworld series - no context needed, although if you have it, you'll enjoy the in-jokes. Pratchett's classic mix of great characters, carefully crafted language, wacky plots, and inimitable humor, all wrapped in one book.

I've been reading the Discworld books in order of publication, and this is the first one that diverged from the normal types of stories. This book was a pretty strong expression of Pratchett's religious stance, in my opinion. The humor wasn't as strong as other books, I thought it was almost more of a philosophy book, or a book of opinions on religion. I wasn't sure how to rate this as I enjoyed the views on religion, but thought they would be better written in a non-Discworld novel. For Discworld, I didn't think the storyline was very fitting. I'd probably give it 3.5 stars, but rounded up as well. If you're looking for Discworld humor, I wouldn't choose this book. If you want some views (primarily mocking) on religion, then it's good!

If Pratchett isn't God, he's at least tuned into that realm much better than any of us. This book is amazing. Hands down i feel it is the best book i have ever read and ever will read (and i have gotten around some in my reading already), simply because it has everything, and teaches so much. Rolling-on-the-floor-laughing caliber humor, deeply memorable characters (Brutha is an icon), a wonderful and original plot, and a few lessons that, should you read this book with an open mind, may change your life. I know they did mine. You owe it to yourself to read this book. If you don't, may your sexual organs sprout wings and fly away!

This book is simply hilarious. All of Terry's books at least make me crack a smile at one point, but only a few are truly comedy masterworks, and this is one of them. I don't want to give away much of the plot or any of the jokes, so this won't be a very long review. Suffice to say that this is one of the best religious parodies I've read. Some other reviewers have found this book offensive, but unless you're a very touchy religious conservative or a Catholic from several hundred years ago, I doubt you'll mind. None of the characters in this book occur in other books, which makes this an ideal start to the Discworld series.

I have to say this: I enjoyed this book from top to bottom. Terry is there all right, with its excelent writing and a very, very odd way of looking at things. Of course, you laugh your eyes out in almost every page, specially with the screams of the shelled God Om and the comentaries of Dydactilus and Urn. And the book has one of the best endings I have read in a very long time. Lets just said:
I. Is Godly.
II. Respect tortoises over yourself.
P.S. If I had the incredible memory of Brutha, surely I would be a prophet, without the requisite of crossing the desert, although maybe not having that much fun.

After having read some of Pratchett's other books, I was really disappointed with this one. The pace is slow, the plot is weak, and the characters are entirely unrelatable.

Save your money, it's not worth the read.

I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.

A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.

Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!

Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.

Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.

I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"

I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.

I've read nearly all of the Disc World series and have thoroughly enjoyed most of the ones I've read. SMALL GODS holds a special place in my heart. The characters are engaging. Om as a little turtle won me over completely. Brutha, the naive is one I could relate to. What a villian Vorbis! Pratchett is at his best with his usual terrific humor, but in addion -- and upon rereading I keep discovering this -- there is much much more to this story. It invites us to think and to question. If you only want to read one Terry Pratchett story I recommend SMALL GODS.

Small Gods was perhaps the best book Terry Pratchett has ever written. It was a bit more serious than most of his other books, which was partly why I liked it. The book was refreshing to read, simply because I had never read anything with so much to say that managed to say is so clearly, while still maintaining a light-hearted attitude.
One thing I enjoyed about Small Gods was that it kept my attention the whole way through. The plot was fantastic with many interesting little twists and turns that made me want to keep reading. It was basically about a god who gets reincarnated as a turtle. He figures out that his believers beleive in his church because they are afraid of it, but nothim. It was very well-written and told the story flawlessly. Quite aside from that, it had me falling out of my chair from laughing on several occasions. Needless to say, I enjoyed it.
The book also had great characters. It was easy to relate to them because they acted like regular people, but without becoming stereotype nonentities who just lead their boring lives. There were all different types of personalities with all their different opinions and emotions, but the narration stayed neutral the whole time. One thing that's important in any story is a good villain and this one had it. His name is Vorbis and he's the head of what I assume is the Discworld parallel of the Inquisition. I hated him throughout the whole book. He was a cynic and a sadist, but Pratchett does us the enormous service of never dehumanizing him the whole time. He had motives for what he did, even though they were twisted, and at the end we pity him more than hate him.
It wasn't just fluff. It's very easy to classify all books with humor in them as fluff, but you can't do that with this one. It had an idea behind it throughout the whole book and even somewhat of a moral. This was that people should never ever be treated as things. Pratchett applies this to every character and not just the villain. One thing that I appreciated was the fact that Pratchett maintained a clear head throughout the whole thing. He tried to be inoffensive, but not too hard. There is a fine line between inoffensive and politically correct, and Pratchett didn't cross it. Overall, I thought it was because it made me think.
In conclusion, I give Small Gods two thumbs up and five stars because it deserved it. I felt better for reading it and highly recommend it to everyone who hasn't.

He does it again,

Just when you thought there is no other thing to take the mickey out of, here comes small gods, one of the funniest Discworld Novels and a firm favourite of mine. The take on aspects of religion are so subtle, yet profound and the mixture of characters complement it pefectly.

Because most characters are new, one can start reading Discworld by reading this book ins tead of some of the eariest ones.

still well worth reading, whether you are looking for something light to take the edge off a long day at work or something a little heavier to pose a few interesting questions. Small Gods is the only Discworld novel I've read, so I can't compare it to the rest of Pratchett's work, but it grabbed my attention and held it. It's a many-layered book, but Pratchett doesn't force the reader to go any deeper than they feel like. Knowing Latin is an asset in reading (he can come out and say more adult things which he leaves implied in English.) Also, this book doesn't have either a "British" or an "American" feel, which so much fantasy falls into. Overall, excellent.

I confess up front to being a fan of Pratchett in general and the Discworld books especially, and this book is the one that got me started.

I have read all of the Discworld novels at least twice and still think this is the best of an excellent series. Pratchett's real strength as a writer, much like fellow Brit Douglas Adams, is his ability to compose tales that can be thoroughly enjoyed as humerous escapist fiction or be contemplated and plumbed for their underlying depth. This book excels on both levels.

Pratchett assumes his audience is intelligent with a broad knowledge base and thus doesn't feel compelled to explain every joke and reference, which I greatly appreciate. So many authors seem to dumb down their works and rob them of subtlety and nuance, it is refreshing to encounter one who respects his readers.

An example of what I'm talkingh about is the philosopher Didactylos. Pratchett never feels compelled to explain the joke in "Two fingers" name and leaves this wonderful pun buried for those who can see it.

Pratchett and I have some very different ideas when it comes to theology. I find the "Tinkerbelle theory of gods' existence" (if you don't believe in them they disappear)nearly as offensive as monotheism, but that doesn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this intelligent, wise and utterly hillarious novel.

Since I am a literature student I am a reads-everything-I-can-get person. Having once recognized Pratchetts works, I left all my classic German literature aside and started reading and reading and reading... . But this book, "Small Gods", has beaten everything I've read before (even my all-time favorite "Faust" - you know: the Goethe one). It is witty, intelligent and above all deaply questioning. I remained nodding all the time:"Yes, that's what I always believed religion is about."

SOOOO profound about religion. I even wrote down several quotes.

The book doesn't so much mock God, or even belief, but it certainly points out the problems and hypocrisies of organized religion. And of course, this is all couched in Pratchett's extremely clever and creative style.

I liked the characters: Javer-like Vorbis; the slow, fat hero; the distinctly not god-like god trapped in the body of a turtle.

In true Pratchett style, "Philosophic engines" referred to anything scientific, and "philosophers" were inventors, often at odds with the various religions.

The end's a bit too warm and fuzzy, but I think that overall, this is my favorite Pratchett book.

This is the 13th in Pratchett's Discworld series. It's also, technically, a stand-alone book (like "Equal Rites," "Pyramids," "Moving Pictures," "Small Gods," "The Truth," and "Monstrous Regiment"). The main character doesn't show up anywhere else in the series, but a secondary character, Lu-Tze, does. Also, the main thrust of the plot is fairly important in a few later books. You could probably pick this book up without having read any other Pratchett. But, I wouldn't recommend skipping it (regardless of my mere 3 star rating).

Normally, I love anything by Pratchett. But, this book's a poser. It's VERY well written in good Pratchett style. It has a good plot, good theme, and a few nice twists and turns. My problem with the book is that it's not "nice." In fact, it's depressing. The prevalence of rot and evil that the main character has to fight makes my stomache churn. I read Pratchett to lighten my life. This book doesn't do that. Technically, it's a VERY good book. I just don't like the subject material. Splitting the difference, I can only give it a rating of 3 stars out of 5.

You don't normally describe a book as beautiful, but this is one that deserves it. Some people say that this is darker than most of Terry Pratchett's other books, but stop and consider why this is so... because it's about humans and their religions? Isn't that interesting?
On the one hand, extremely and disturbingly profound. And on the other hand, also extremely, and hilariously funny. What more can one ask for? Oh, memorable characters (one almost hates to use the word, some of the people are so REAL), a lot of extremely good quotes and one-liners (Terry just has a great way phrasing things), and a story-line that you will want to read over and over again (so buy the book already! You'll be getting a bargain, considering the usage and mileage you will get out of this book).
"Time is a drug. Too much of it kills you."
"And it all meant this: that there are hardly any excesses of the most crazed psychopath that cannot easily be duplicated by a normal, kind family man who just comes to work every day and has a job to do."
"... what was worse was listening to his voice, which was certainly powerful and full of intent conviction, swinging backward and forward across the tune without ever quite hitting it."
"Cuius testiculos habes, habeas cardia et cerebellum."
Enough said? Check out the L-Space Web for more Pratchett quotes.

I've read quite a few of the Pratchett books, mostly at the insistence of my 13 year old son who loves these novels. This ranks right up there among my favorites, and is intriguing for the allusions to so many of the world's religions. The author is clearly well read, and catching these little references produced many aha! moments, I confess that I even lugged home a compendium on world religion to dig out the paralells and little obscure references - and there is alot more to this book than meets the eye. Well, but in the end, I find myself in complete sympathy with the conclusion, and thus a truly satisfying narrative from start to finish. I should add that this approach to reading this book drove my son absolutely crazy, and in fact taken only at face value, no references or allusions the book is still a great read.

If you're a Pratchett fan and haven't read this book, shame on you. It is undoubtedly one of my favorites, and quite probably the best one he's ever written. This is a great satire and a wonderful place to start your journey into the Discworld, if you haven't already. The humor isn't quite as blatant as in some of the other books, but that makes it even better. Some of the best one-liners of the whole series come from this book. Check out the l-space web for the highlights.

This book is amazing! It provides us with great humor while taking a serious look at religion as a whole. Personally I think the Great God Om is the best character on the whole Discworld (followed by a close second of Rincewind and then Death bringing up third place) and I hope to see him again sometime soon, maybe in another Discworld book(of course). This book also has the best villian in the whole series as far as I'm concerned...he was really truly an evil man. In short...I LOVED IT!!!!!

It's been a while since I last read Witches Abroad and I'm so glad to be back in Discworld. I've missed Pratchett's writing and humour so much. I might have to continue on to Lords and Ladies very soon.

Most of America has not yet caught on to the Discworld series, but those of us who have are fiercely devout followers, and this book is a prime example of why. On the surface, it is a hilarious and touching story of a once-mighty god and his last remaining believer, but Pratchett's astounding wisdom and understanding of human nature take it much deeper, through labyrinths literal, metaphorical, and moral. At the center are the questioning of a religion where belief centers on the church, rather than the god, and the way a sole believer can shift his god's way of thinking and take a religion with it.
At the same time, Pratchett employs his usual side-splitting humor and vile puns to show us the silly side of serious philosophy, atheism in a world with thousands of gods, and exactly why tortoises hate eagles. And that even an orang-utan Librarian from across the sea can help if books are burning.
If I was asked "Which is the best Discworld novel?" I'd say, with the possible exception of Hogfather, this one.
Finally, a tortoise has learned how to fly.

I enjoyed this quirky fantasy story. It was really humorous and managed to poke fun at religious bureaucracy.

The Great God Om has been worshipped in Omnia, a region of the infamous Discworld, for centuries. Though his statues and such appear everywhere, only one man, Brutha, actually belives in him. Without his believers, Om shrinks to embody a sarcastic little turtle. Bruta and Om set off on a journey that the reader won't soon forget.

This book is excellent. It's thoroughly enjoyable, well written, witty, and very engaging. This is my third Discworld book. I was disappointed by Color of Magic. The Light Fantastic was better, but not quite perfect. Small Gods is perfect. The characters are well developed and the ideas about gods and belief are brilliant. I fully recommend this book.
There's been discussion about which book to start with. This one is as good as any, better than the first few, actually. "The Turtle Moves!"

Pratchett writes to a formula, and whatever else can be said about it, it's obviously a very successful one. He takes a basic unifying theme for a book, throws in a liberal mixture of other ideas and literary devices, stuffs them all into the sausage-machine, round goes the handle and out comes the usual product. He does it very skilfully. There is plenty of variety in the situations, he knows how to catch the reader's attention at the start, he can introduce new characters into the narrative at any point in a very natural way, and he is particularly adept at finding a clever and convincing ending. He writes largely for a public who know his previous work and who know what to expect, and he obviously knows how to keep them pleased and how not to upset them with surprises of an unfamiliar kind. There's nothing wrong with any of this. Much the same could be said about Agatha Christie, or about Chandler or about Wodehouse. What surprises me in some of the press comment that I've seen is what Pratchett's formula seems to amount to in the minds of some readers. The New York Times, for instance, credits him with `a multifarious genius for strong parody', which I can go along with. On the other had it also finds that his `wit is metaphysical'; and The Times of London itself manages to compare him to Swift and detect that he can `hold up a distorting mirror to our own [world]'. This kind of thing seems to me to go miles over the top.

When Swift attacked religious and secular orthodoxies he was playing for much higher stakes and taking far bigger risks. When Swift said (I quote from memory) `There are those who would die for no-Popery and know not if it be Man or Horse' the wit is as caustic as sulphuric acid. Can anyone seriously put Pratchett in the same bracket? Pratchett can turn out some nice lines certainly, like the soldier's statement that `For centuries we died for lies. Now we've got a truth to die for.' All the same, unquestioning religious belief is easy meat these days for the sceptics and satirists, to say nothing of the steady bombardment from the heavyweight philosophers. Pratchett's trick is to keep the tone light and to take so many incidental swipes at so many incidental targets that the reader never feels `got at'. To have a philosopher called Aristocrates who wrote a volume of `Platitudes' is nice lightweight satire, and very typical of the general style. To say `People allowed to be by themselves overmuch might indulge in solitary cogitation. It was well known that this stunted your growth. For one thing it could lead to your feet being chopped off.' is good average nudge-nudge humour. `Where there is punishment there is always a crime' is definitely a bon mot but not exceptional, and `It was a beard you could camp out in' suggests imitation of Chandler to me. There are any number of whimsical digressions, and some very run-of-the-mill naughty little verbal innuendoes like `I will write you more balls than you can imagine...'. It's all a matter of what we're prepared to laugh at, and as far as I'm concerned We Are Just About Amused but not much more.

Pratchett's great strength seems to be that he can keep it all going in book after book after book. I have now read three of them, and I sense that as far as I'm concerned that's It. If three is sufficient of a selection, then I would guess that in the others he can keep his standard relatively high without cheapening himself, and that recurrent characters like Death who always talks in CAPITALS and who says `SQUEAK' to rats will be welcomed by his faithful each time. In general faith is not my own strong point, and I haven't succumbed to the Pratchett faith either. Those who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like. They are clearly numerous, and they are not likely to be disappointed by Small Gods. I like it up to a point myself.

What does this reaction prove? I suppose it only proves that the formula doesn't greatly work for everyone, and we would all have known that in the first place.

As a believer and someone who holds the sound of "om" sacred, I still found this book to be hilarious!!! As usual, Terry Pratchet makes you think while you double up with laughter. This man has a way with words like no other.

So, I was reccomed this book by a manager when he saw my turtle tattoo on my leg and the various turtle nicknacks I had in m cubicle. (Complete wit the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). He was going to let me borrow it, but my fiance decided to buy it for me.

I loved it so much that I read it twice. I then lost track of it when we had to move in with my fiance's parents. My Father-In-Law has a bad habit of storng books in our leaky barn/work garage.

I happily discovered it in my fiance's grinning possesion a few months ago and promptly reread it. I'm not much of a fan of Pratchett's other books. But this one I adore. And not just becase I enjoy Turtles.

People look at me funny when I compare Pratchett to Jonothan Swift or Kurt Vonnegut, but I hold my ground and I point to this book as his satirical masterwork. While Moving Pictures was his first attemt on dedicating a book to satirizing something about our society, Small Gods is his best and led to such stand out satires like Interesting Times, Jingo, Men at Arms, and Hogfather. This book more than the others, I feel, tries to say something serious about its subject matter, that being religion, faith and God. Reading this book influenced the way I look at religion today. Many of my peers (I'm 19) who wish to be rebellious like to make fun of people who believe in god, criticize the Bible because it contradicts itself, and point to violence caused because of religious differences as the reason why faith and belief in religion is a bad thing. What Pratchett says in this book is that faith is what you make of it, orthodox thinking is a stranglehold on belief, and that evil men use religion for evil purposes, not the other way around. It is a very lighthearted book with serious undertones, and I can hardly see how anyone could be offended by it, unless they have a stick up their rears about their particular religion and how it is the one true faith.

Small Gods is yet another great book by Terry Pratchett.
Once again we are taken to meet a new set of character on
Diskworld, a world that hurtles through space on the back of
a giant turtle. Small Gods pokes fun at the buracracy of
the religion, and points out what this religious stuff is all
about. The characters are well done, and memorable. The
laughs keep going. A great read all in all.

This was my twelfth Discworld novel (reading them in order) and it's my favorite so far. Very funny and very moving. Pratchett satirizes religion, the military, atheism, philosophy, and then ties everything up neatly at the end in a most satisfying way.

The book is more complex and layered than the previous I've read. Beyond the numerous historical and literary allusions (Plato's cave allegory, Homer, Elijah, Aesop, etc.) Pratchett weaves his own allegory of faith, God, and the solution to the dilemnas of the human condition.

I really like all of Terry Pratchett's Discworld (fantasy) books, including this one. You will best enjoy reading them in the order published, but they're good on their own. They have a unique, fey humor: I expect you will like all or none, so if they're new to you, get just one to begin with.

Mr. Pratchett is a very good writer, and while not every discworld novel is a knock out, none have been bad. Of all of his work this is my favorite. I reread it at least every couple of months. Bruthra and Om [pointy horns] spin a tale quite entertaining that keeps me coming back. I only wish Mr. Pratchett had spent more time talking about the librarian/watcher monks. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do.

Terry Pratchett is the literary gateway drug for fantasy humor and this is the book that got me hooked. Smart, satirical fun-poking that questions the unquestionable. Chock full of Anglican tongues-in-cheek, laced with a crinkly layer of metaphysical philosophy, tickling soft underbellies along the way - so funny, odd and quirky, you may discover funny bones you didn't know you had. Thank you Terry Pratchett. You've made me an odder person for reading you, but also a happier one.

I love Terry Pratchett. This book is not my favorite in the Discworld series. I didn't find it as entertaining. Also, be warned that this book is much more directly anti-organized religion than others.

This was one of the best books in the discworld series i ever read. The Great God Om, wanting to stir up the belief of his followers, decides to manifest himself. He has taken the form of very majestic creatures in the past but for some reason that even he cannot understand he has now manifested himself as a two pound tortise and cannot even do proper miricles anymore. Finding himself with only one true believer (the others trusting in the Quisition)he must try to find a way, using this beliver as his prophet, to regain proper godship. This will be no easy task because the only person that believes in him is not even a preist and tends a small vegetable garden...

Disclosure: I'm a big Pratchett fan.

That being said... 'Small Gods' is a wonderful book whether you're a Discworld regular or someone who hasn't read any other part of the series.

Pratchett, as always, uses humor to make a bigger point - and in this book he really hits a home run. This book had me laughing out loud and thinking critically.

Great fun, great read and highly recommended.

This should be required reading for all school children everywhere. It teaches them about humanity, appropriately channelled irreverence, and acquiring an essential survival technique- a sense of humor. Albeit at our own expense. Particularly at our own expense. Quite apart from the fact that it is also a jolly good fable of good versus bad.
I wish the guardians of our educational policies and also- horror of horrors- of policing our children would have the sense to put an outstanding book like this in school curriculums. All the drivel that children are currently encouraged to read in the name of literacy and progress is mere politically and culturally sanitized mush.

People have been recommending Pratchett books to me for a decade and a half, but I never got around to picking one up until now (after Stephen King, I'm a bit leery of prolific authors). I have to say, I enjoyed this one: Monty Python's Life of Brian meets Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, with a little more of a plot. The humor is more light-hearted and irreverent than-laugh-out-loud funny, but Pratchett's thoughts on theology and the excesses of religion (including anti-religion) have an underlying substance that gets the reader to think. Highly quotable, especially if you're a Unitarian. Can anyone recommend another good Pratchett book?

Every tome of the prodigious Discworlf series is filled end-to-end with Pratchett's sideslitting humour. Most of the books also feature satirical pokes and jabs at various aspects of our modern society, but what makes "Small Gods" his best work is the cohesive nature of its criticism. The satire of "Small Gods" very thoughtfully critizes the religious establishment, and in a holistic way that Pratchett has yet to recreate. Far and away the best discworld book, and one that stands on its own two feet, having no more than superficial reference to other books in the series.

My cousin has read one book.

She was so pleased with it that she made her own philosophy about reading: She is so anxious she will be disappointed that she's decided she'll never read any other book. At all.

This book could make me feel the same about reading if I were as ignorant as she.

But then again If I were, I'd probably not enjoy this book in the first place.

Read it.

10 years ago, a friend gave me my first pratchett book. It was so intricate that I had to read it twice. Since then I have collected most of his works and I would have to say that Small Gods is his absolute best, mixing humor with history and imagination to conjur the most delightful, insightful potion.

Overly complex. Too many characters. Too much going on. Nevertheless. good character development for the main characters and some very interesting insights into religion and human behaviour. Overall enjoyable.

This has to be the BEST Discworld novel yet. Terry Pratchett's outstanding efforts to make fun of religion has come through for him.
Brutha, a Novice in Ominiasm, is the Chosen One, picked by his Great God Om-holy horns-after three years as a tortoise. With this simple beginning, the best Pratchett novel comes forth. Following this is a trip to Ephebe, where a blind philospher has just written Der Chelonian Mobile, or The Turtle Moves. You'll have to read it to see exactly how it all works out.
But remember: Fear the Quisition!

Terry Prachett never ceases to please his readers.
"Small gods" is no exception to that and is in fact
among his better books. The humor is darker than usual
but is also sensitive and moving. I reccomend this book
highly and praise Terry Pratchett once again.

_Small_Gods_ was my first Pratchett book. I was unwilling to read it, as I have never been a fan of fantasy novels. Once started, I couldn't put it down!
Swinging like a crazed Tarzan between hilarious and depressing, this novel is an insightful and wonderfully funny look at organized religion everywhere.
And even with all the slapstick, puns, and biting wit, Pratchett still leaves us with an inspiring message: true faith is a powerful thing.

I went into the bookstore looking, and hoping to find a new book by Douglas Adams. Nothing new, dissappointed and ready to leave a sales clerk stopped me and asked if I had read any Pratchett? I said, no. He said read this(Small Gods) and if you don't like me you can thwamp me with a tuna. YOu have got yourself a deal. I grabbed the book, and my towel and went to read. All I can really say about this book is WOW! Brutha is a new fantasy hero! He comes home from the Citadel's garden one day with a tortoise, whom talks to him. And a month later he is the next Prophet. Go figure! Give up snapper soup, it may be your god you eat next.

As an athiest I particularly enjoyed this book, since beneath the side-splitting humour there are a lot of observations about organised religion which are right on target. The way it makes people cruel and willfully ignorant, and the way the organisation takes over the actual god and becomes the real power. Why are so many outright evil things done in the name of a kind god? Because of people like Vorbis. Read it even if you're a thiest- Pratchett manages to do all this without rubbing your nose in it.

"Small Gods" is funny, thought-provoking and very rereadable. It's my favorite of the Terry Pratchett books I've read so far. Fundamentalists won't like it, but anyone who is at all open-minded will enjoy this intelligent, satirical fantasy.

Pratchett consistenly brings rare genius to the table with his colorfull discworld series and Small Gods is no exception. In one of his best written novels to date, Pratchett delves into religion, spirituality and dogma with uncomprimised insight. Featuring a page turning plot, intricate and memorable charachters, biting satire, and laugh out loud humor, Small Gods delves into fantasy yet arrives poigantly at the heart of human nature. This is a briliantly written work offering not only unique perspective but great entertainment.

This was the best book ever. That is all i need say. I am mainly writing this in the hope that someone with at least a spark of knowledge has noticed that near the top of the page in the synopsis et c. area, it says that i) 'brutha is a man...'. he is refered to by everyone as a boy and we know that he is 17 and a novice anyway.
ii) that 'the disc is carried by FOUR TURTLES'! oh please. There are several philosophies on the disc, including that the world is an Orb, and that the universe is carried by an old man in a sack (see 'the last continent'), but no-where does it mention four turtles.
the turtle moves.
Lord Blaa
P.S. No worries, eh?

What can I say that hasn't already been said? This book is a masterpiece; it is well written, creative, original, hilarious and thought-provoking. From the first page I was mesmerized, and it has long since become my favorite book. I have written more than my fair share of essays about this amazing story. Terry Pratchett has perfected the art of making you laugh and making you think. I would recommend this book to anyone with an open mind and a love of laughter.

You know, I read this ine, and I did like it- a lot- but it didn't crack me up like _Lords and Ladies_. This really is a funny book, as humorous fiction goes, but against my Pratchett standards, it doesn't quite measure u

I absolutley loved this book. The beginning was confusing but the book quickly gained momentum. Never having read any of the Discworld books did not hinder my enjoyment of this book in the least. In fact, it is not necessary to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one. This book was entertaining, fun, and the ending was just .... Well, I don't want to give it away. Read it and decide for yourself. I loved this book so much I bought it for my two younger sisters. Now, that is a pretty good book!

I love this book! It plays, quite successfully, with Douglas Adams's idea/question of what happens to gods when people stop believing in them? If you like this book you will also enjoy "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul" by Douglas Adams and "American Gods" by Pratchett's friend Neil Gaimen (though this one is darker and gritty - exploring some of the less flattering parts of America). "Good Omens" by Pratchett and Gaimen is a comedy about the end of the world. If you like the first three books I listed here you will like that one too.

Small Gods is, in my opinion, Terry Pratchett's most powerful Diskworld novel. While continuing his reputation as a masterful humorist, Small Gods thoughtfully tackles the serious world of humanity, ecclesiatic institutions, faith and God. Or gods. As with all Diskworld novels, it's both satire and parable of our own world -- and much more. I keep several copies on hand at all times for instant giving to favorite friends!

Terry Pratchett's other books are a lot like well painted homes. There are several layers. "Small Gods" is like inviting over your friends to paint. There is one uneven coat of paint and they left masking tape on all of the edging in an unsuccessful attempt to miss it with their paintbrushes. The ending of the book (and middle and beginning too if truth be known) left me with the same vague feeling of dissatisfaction as when I realized that to get the place properly painted I would have to have another seperate group of friends and throw another 'paint party'.

This book is remarkable. It works on several levels, for both the light and literary reader. It can be re-read any number of times, and never seem to lose its relevance. Every time you read it you find something new and more amazing about it. I would fill up this space with praise, but little I say could pass on to you my love for this book. Read it, enjoy it, and then lend it to friends.

The first Pratchett book that I've ever read, I was immediatThe first Pratchett book that I've ever read, I was immediately drawn up. Coincidentally, I was considering the nature of gods at Camp Rising Sun when I read the book, so it only fueld the imagination. Definitely one of the best books that I've ever read, and challenging Douglas Adams' works for most humorous.

It's hard to add much to what has been said already. But if you are looking for a good stand alone discworld book that is not bogged down with character and ideas from previous book this is a great place to start and is - in my opinion - the best the Discworld has to offer.

It must be one of his best and I believe this is due to the fact that it was not completley a farce. During the middle of the book his tone became more serious and touched on some real issues. But after all this hilarious book was Pratchett at his best. And like all of his books Small Gods was above the average set by the rest of his work. (no I'm not an idiot and that was a meager attempt at a joke.)

Terry Pratchett makes a funny and yet serious critic to the instituon of the church. But he goes further, he also makes a critic to the persons who are draged into it, sometimes unwillingly. And he continues by critiking the gods themselves, who at least aparently don't give a damn to us, his worshipers.
P.S.:I worship the almighty god OM!!

Nice critic about inquisition times combined with a great introduction to small gods concept for those not familiar with it. Makes you think about faith while it makes you laugh about everything. If I had not read better Pratchett's books, I would have rated this with a five

I have read most of this series with great delight. However, Pratchett finally let me down.
It plods along, in no particular hurry to let the reader move on to better things.
The humor -- what little there is of it -- is forced. It has the feel of sophomore philosophy majors sitting 'round the Quad on a Saturday night, dateless and full of mockery. It is kind of sad.
Far from one of his best. PYRAMIDS, any of the series having to do with the Watch or the wondrous three witches -- you will enjoy those far more.
This one droops as limply as an Ayn Rand novel.

One of the funniest books I've ever read. However if you are going to start reading Discworld books don't pick this one as your first as I did as you will only become confused. Either way you will laugh 'till you fear for your life when you read it!

This was an excellent and extremely funny book; yet another of Pratchett's wonderful stories. It speculates on the origins of religion and pokes fun at everyone. Definintely a must-read for believers and atheists alike.

While the ideas that lay the framework for this book are solid, everything else is lacking.
The humor is forced, awkward, and on occasion plagarized. A nearly verbatim quote from a Monty Python sketch stands out in my mind.
The plot is slow and seldom rivetting. The only thing that kept me turning the pages at some points was my search for the origin of the "REMIND ME AGAIN HOW THE HORSE-SHAPED ONES MOVE" quote.
The character development is poor. The main character, Brutha, makes a sudden transition from a bumbling idiot to a sagely leader-of-men and bargainer-with-gods. I wasn't convinced.
The ideas, however, are the salvation of this book. Read it if you have a good imagination...you'll need it to make up a new story around the concept Pratchett so poorly utilizes.

I liked what it was about, the characters and alot of the ideas. What I didn't like was the plot, it just bored me. The only reason I kept reading was to see if it had anymore ideas in it, I love his ideas, especially in books like Mort, Colour of Magic, and Light Fantastic.

The last line of my review comes first:

If you do not find church humor and church-esque situations (including a lot of parodying of church ideology and customs) funny, either due to inexposure (like me) or too much exposure (fundamentalism), this book is NOT for you.

And now the review:

I love Terry Pratchett - he is my favorite author of all time. And I picked up this book hoping it would become one of my favorites.

The fact is, I didn't find much in this book that was funny.

This novel moves along at a snail's pace, in terms of the plot and the humor. The chief reason for my disillusionment is that Pratchett includes a LOT of church analogies into the novel. The characters are all church characters. And the god is not so godly. Over half of this book came across as a particularly long and pointless conversation between a dullard and his favorite stuffed animal.

Overall, I wish I'd had a review that had warned me thusly:

(last line of the review)

I've listened to the first thirteen books of Discworld, finding nearly all of them hilarious and read by some very entertaining narrators (Nigel Planer being exemplary at it) but Tony Robinson's recitation is absolutely miserable. It completely ruined the book. His dynamic range incessantly and frustratingly wavers from a quiet, indoor voice to a conspiratorial whisper, requiring the listener to make a compulsion of adjusting the volume: leaving it loud is no good, because Robinson's portrayal of Om is squeaky and piercing (though not a refreshing "loud" in the conventional sense, as Robinson puts no body or richness into the voice); leaving it at a normal volume means you miss 90% of the characters' dialog, since--apparently--they all stand six inches from one anothers' ears and don't know the definition of the word "project." Even DEATH, the hyper-real, immutable fate of all life on the Discworld, is converted into the faintest whisper by Robinson....One would think that Pratchett's convention of writing Death's dialog in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS would give the narrator some hint of a clue. (Though I haven't read a copy of this book, so perhaps Pratchett decided to shrink the size of Death's words down to the faintest scratchings of an ink-less pen.)

I advise the reader to buy this book read by another narrator, or to buy the paperback. Leave Robinson to whisper sweet nothings into a void of famous Discworldian anti-noise.

I have read a few books of this series. I enjoyed this not at all. In my opinion it was overworked and repetitious. Somewhat like telling the same joke over, and over, and over ..... The worst of it is that the book mocks beliefs that some people hold sacred. Surely this is no more ethically correct than mocking people for all the other reasons civilized society now disdains.