Witches Abroad: A Novel of Discworld

A funny journey around the world, where Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Margat Garlick meet the world, and most importantly the world meets the witches. Great book even if you are not familiar with the Terry Pratchett universe.

Witches Abroad has become, as of this writing, the fifteenth Discworld novel that I have read since setting out to read all of them a few years ago. I am averaging two to three a year, giving myself some space to savor them and reetnter Ankh-Morpork with fresh eyes (and fresh trousers...they get so filthy if you aren't careful).

Witches Abroad is one of the most clever and feminist of the satirical pieces of the series that I have read so far. With The Witches at the center, surrounded by magic and called to an adventure that they are very reluctant to embark upon, they dive into the idea of saving and tearing apart the fabric of story itself. Dancing in and out of Cindere-, er, Emberella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Goldilocks, The Wizard of Oz, Little Red Riding Hood, and a variety of other tales every reader is already familiar with, the trio have to match wits with a reflective villain whose motivations aren't entirely as clear as they appear at first glance into the mirror. Add in the unexpected and relatively involuntary resignation of a fairy godmother (of which everyone gets two – a good one and a bad one), and you have a hilarious story.

My favorite part of this particular one is the fact that females take center stage in this novel – playing every role from heroine to ingenue to romantic to villain. It is a well-conceived, funny, adventurous, and truly feminist Discworldian novel, easily moving to the top as one of my favorites in the series. Pratchett is a genius, and in Witches Abroad his female characters come to life in the most beautiful, empowering manner. Definitely don't miss this one.

When witches, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Magrat Garlick, and Nanny's cat Greebo journey abroad, the resulting travel guide is a Pratchettesque version of 'Dave Barry Does Oz in Drag.'

And speaking of Oz and witches, it's a good idea to be wearing a wicker-reinforced pointy hat if a house does happen to fall on your head. Even Dorothy and Glinda the Good might shy away from stealing the red boots of the witch that the farmhouse did to land on. This particular witch writes home:

"PS the privies here are DESGUSTING, they have them INDORES, so much for HIGEINE."

Genua, the witches' destination, resembles a Dismal Swamp version of Disney World. You'll be humming Disney tunes all the way through "Witches Abroad," when you're not humming tunes from "The Wizard of Oz," or laughing hysterically. You won't be able to stop yourself.

This book is even dedicated to song, or more precisely to all those people "who, after the publication of 'Wyrd Sisters,' deluged the author with their version of the words of 'The Hedgehog Song.' Deary deary me..."

Along with the above-mentioned Wyrd Sisters, this tale has a fairy godmother who believes in, nay _orchestrates_ happy endings even if it means chopping off the hands and heads of folks who are inclined to be grumpy. (Doesn't that sound like something Walt Disney might have done?) So when Granny, Nanny, Magrat, and Greebo make a splash landing in Genua, already tempery after a journey involving grandma-munching wolves, falling farmhouses, and larcenous riverboat gamblers---well, there's bound to be a confrontation.

You might want to read "Wyrd Sisters" before launching into "Witches Abroad," although time doesn't exactly flow in a straight line on Pratchett's Discworld. (It flows over the edge of the world and down onto the elephants who are standing on top of the turtle.) "Lords and Ladies" sort of loop-de-loops along after "Witches Abroad," and then Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg pop up again in "Maskerade." I just read them in the order I get them, and ignore sequence. As Nanny Ogg once said, "tempers fuggit."

If you're hung up on sequence, you probably won't care for Discworld, anyway.

"Witches Aboard" follows the Lancre coven across the Disc to the Big Easy, well Terry Pratchett's version of the Bayou, as they attempt to save the day by not allowing the servant girl to marry the Prince. The happily-ever-after and fairy godmother tropes do not survive either Pratchett or Granny Weatherwax.

I will be honest, the previous Witches' book (Wyrd Sisters) wasn't my favorite Disc book and so I had reservations when beginning. After what I felt was a stumbling start with numerous "mirror magic" asides that didn't help explain anything, the main story of the Lancre coven's cross-continental trip to the city of Genua took over and really grabbed ahold of me. The interactions of Granny, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat amongst themselves and with "foreigners" is hilarious especially when they come into contact with the local witch in Genua, Mrs. Gogol (the voodoo priestess). Once in Genua, the coven members realize that someone is making fairytales become real life by any means necessary resulting in a whitewash, forced-into-happiness city instead of the generally jovial one that most residents once remember. The revelation that a relative of Granny's and the duality of fairy godmothers just adds more spicy to this story. However, the best thing throughout is the tomcat Greebo especially when he gets into human form.

After the inconsistent start with the weird "mirror magic" explanations that really didn't help anything, the only other complaint was again Magrat's character because not only did she remain flat like in Wyrd Sisters but she was almost reduced to "minor" status by the end of the book. Given that she is one of the titular characters, it's a bit weird seeing being less relevant than a cat.

Besides those two gripes, "Witches Abroad" is a improvement in my view over "Wyrd Sisters" in Pratchett's Discworld series. The vast majority of the Discworld books I've read, I've enjoyed so to anyone looking to get into Discworld please don't considering my not-so-liking of the Witches books be a stain on the other Disc books.

Everyone knows the story is supposed to end "happily ever after," but who decides what is happy? In this book it's the evil godmother who is determined to supply the ending to the story and in so doing to cement her own waxing power over the hapless city of Genua, in foreign parts. Once upon a time there was a good godmother, but she passed away without leaving a successor, and the princess, Ella, has no one to watch out for her interests. Enter Magrat Garlick, Esme Weatherwax and Gytha Ogg, who decide to help Ella out and wrench Genua away from evil godmother Lily.

The first part of the book is the adventures of this coven of witches as they fly across the Discworld to Genua, having adventures along the way. Nanny Ogg's cat Greebo is part of the entourage, and Greebo comes to life at several points of the book by assisting the witches on their rounds. The coven (and Greebo) get mixed up with dwarves, vampires, riverboat swindlers and other assorted rogues as they fly on their broomsticks to Genua to confront the evil godmother and prevent her marrying off Ella to a prince who is really a frog. The second part of the book are the efforts of the witches to save Ella and deal with Lily. The story gets a happy ending, though it's different from what Lily wanted it to be. The character of Death puts in a few brief cameos, and the Weatherwax family gets bigger, and there's a voodoo priestess/witch who helps the coven in their difficulties. A fun and funny book that'll have you chuckling at the antics of all concerned.

If ever there were characters created that you were able to pull from a book and visit with, I would choose the Witches from Discworld. Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Magrat Garlic and later on in the series, Perdita Nitt and Tiffany Aching. I love these characters like they were family. Each woman is unique, lovable and brought to life with amazing clarity by the talents of Mr. Pratchett.

Sir Terry Pratchett has an unsurpassed gift for writing wonderful, engaging, lovable and unforgettable charactors. In Witches Abroad, Granny, Nanny and Magrat are once again in the spotlight. Being between them stern, stoick, fun loving, wise, tender hearted and ingenious, these women will take any reader's imagination by storm!

In my opinion this book is the best Cinderella spin off ever written. There are fantastic twists and turns. Amazing sub plots, magic and of course family drama that will leave you speechless. The characters are hilarious, the plot is ingenious and completely unforgettable. This book is a wonderful pick -me -up if your feeling down, because there is a very good chance that you will laugh out loud while reading this amazing tale.

This book is so good that I will admit, unabashed, that I've reread it at least half a dozen times, despite having a stack of newly published books waiting to be read. Yes, its that good. I love this book and everything else written by Terry Pratchett. If your unsure of whether or not to check out his work, trust me, you should!

When a fairy godmother learns she is about to die, she realises she must pass her vital mission onto a wise and respected witch to complete. Unfortunately, the only witch on hand is Magrat Garlick. Suddenly given an onerous and responsible quest to undertake, Magrat is soon off on a journey to the distant city of Genua, accompanied by Granny Weatherwas, Nanny Ogg and the latter's psychotic feline companion Greebo.

As they calve a trail of mayhem across the continent, they learn that in Genua all the stories must have a happy ending. Whether the people involved want one or not...

Witches Abroad, the twelfth Discworld novel, is the second novel to focus on the Lancre witches (and the third to feature Granny Weatherwax). With Lancre recovering from the events of Wyrd Sisters, Pratchett decides to take the witches off on a jobbing holiday. This neatly divides the book into two halves: the first covers the witches' journey from Lancre to Genua via various castles, villages, dwarf mines and boats and run-ins with wolves and vampires, whilst the second covers events in Genua. The former is highly enjoyable, if rather episodic, whilst the latter is rather cleverer, featuring a Discworld spin on the legend of Baba Yaga and is basically Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella mashed up and set in New Orleans. This works a lot better than it may sound.

Pratchett's grasp of character, humour and pacing is as expertly-handled as ever. The characters of the three witches continue to expand and be explored in greater depth (Nanny Ogg in particular benefits from a deeper exploration of her character) and whilst Pratchett is on familiar ground here, exploring the idea of myth and stories, he still comes up with some great ideas. He even has a - somewhat uncharacteristic - 'twist' in the ending which is unexpected and works quite well.

On the negative side, there is a rather artificial plot device designed to raise tension where Granny Weatherwax refuses to tell the other witches what's going on, even though there is no real reason for her not to. An interlude in which Greebo becomes briefly human also appears to be there only because Pratchett thought it would by funny to see Greebo as a human (as indeed it is) rather than because there's a real reason for it in the plot.

Still, these are not major issues in what may be very much a typical Discworld novel, but still a good read. Also watch out for the debut of Casanunda, master swordsman and both the World's Greatest Liar and its Greatest Lover (stepladder-assisted).

Witches Abroad (****) is a solidly entertaining and decent entry to the Discworld series, although it isn't its most exciting instalment.

Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Magrat the wet hen, and Greebo cross the Disc to face off with the Fairy Godmother. Enroute, pumpkins rescue a trapped seam of gold, and a few dwarves, Greebo finds that vampires leave a bad taste in his mouth, the running of the bulls has to deal with the absinthe of witches, the headology of cards is explored, the relationship between princesses and pricks is considered, and the grande romance between Casanunder and Nanny Ogg is ignited. Greebo's personality is revealed and the mystical significance of gumbo and jambalya is made clear.

Fairy tales, travelogues, the true spirit of cats, and most especially, New Orleans are shamelessly lampooned, satired, and described pretty accurately.

I loved this one. Terry Pratchett was at the peak of form in Witches Abroad. It sparkled, it amused, it provided the pleasure of "spot the reference" that the Discworld series is best for.

Although Greebo was a supporting character in this one, he got great attention. His philosophy of happiness through a balance of "something to eat, something to fight, and something to mate with" is an inspiration.

Yes, this one made fun of New Orleans. But if you can know this and read this book and not have an itch to visit the Big Easy (or visit again), you need to read it again and accept that there is almost as much truth about the Cresent City in here as there is fiction, and you probably haven't guessed right about which is which.

Read it. Reread it. This is among the best of Discworld.

Fairy godmother Desiderata has died without really training a successor. In a last moment note, she bequeaths her fairy godmothering-wand to Magrat Garlick, and arranges matters so that Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax will help Magrat out. As a result, the entire coven is off to Genua. The witches are indeed abroad.

Fairy godmothers always come in pairs, and the other fairy godmother is Lilith, Granny Weatherwax's sister, who ran off some years ago after some Trouble, leaving Granny to be the Good Witch. Lilith has used the power of story - and extravagant use of mirror magic - to transform Genua into a kind of vicious fairy tale city. Magrat, Nanny and Granny must stop Emberella from kissing the Duc, or everyone will live Happily Ever After. Whether they want to or not.

Pratchett detests people who use people for their own ends. And Lilith uses the power of story to make people do what she wants, whether they like it or not. Emberella is destined to kiss the Duc whether she wants to or not, even though the Duc is creepy, has cold hands, an impossibly long tongue and eats flies. So while there may not be Black Magic and White Magic on the Discworld, there is Good and Evil, and Lilith, trying to control the lives of others, is Evil.

Like all Pratchett novels, this one will reduce you to helpless laughter. There are sly references to other fantasies (including an appearance by Gollum), multi-lingual puns (Nanny Ogg speaking Foreign), and an extended cameo by Greebo, Nanny's over-sexed tom cat. But as entertaining as "Witches Abroad" may be, like all later Pratchett books, there are thoughtful questions behind all that laughter. "Good," Pratchett demonstrates, is not the same as "Sweet," or even "Nice." No one writing today combines hysterically funny writing with thoughtful social commentary as well as Terry Pratchett. In Esmerelda Weatherwax he has created one of the great characters in fantasy. Very highly recommended.

Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Witches Abroad" is the twelfth novel in his hugely popular Discworld series and was first published in 1991. It's also the third book (after "Equal Rites" and "Wyrd Sisters") to feature Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld's greatest witch.

As with "Wyrd Sisters", Granny Weatherwax is joined by the Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. Nanny Ogg, is the raucous head of the Ogg clan based in Lancre town. (She also owns a fearsome, one-eyed tomcat with an unbridled libido called Greebo). The other is Magrat Garlick, who has a few fanciful ideas about magic that Granny doesn't altogether approve of. She's always been fond of dancing, occult jewellery and runes, but now Granny thinks Magrat's gone funny in the head : there's the self-defence classes (despite being a witch), the attempts to 'find herself' and her refusal to marry Lancre's new King. (Despite never having been one, she refuses to be a 'sex object').

One of the trio's neighbours is Desiderata Hollow, a witch who specialises in fairy-godmothering. Despite the fact that witches know exactly when they're going to die, Desiderata never quite managed to train up a replacement. Instead, she has her magic wand delivered to Magrat, with a couple of very strict instructions : she's to travel to Genua to STOP a god-daughter marrying a prince, and she's to keep Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg from going with her. (In fact, Desiderata is banking on the two older witches tagging along : she knows she can only guarantee their attendance by forbidding them from travelling).

This isn't going to be an easy mission. Godmothers travel in twos, and Desiderata's counterpart - Lilith - wished for Embers (the god-daughter) to have beauty and power and to marry a prince. Whether or not the young lady actually wanted any of that was irrelevant, and Desiderata has been trying to do what's best for Embers. Unfortuantely, it's going to be very difficult to stop a good story...

Much of the humour comes from poking fun at fairy tales, though there's a touch of the Wizard of Oz, and a quick cameo from Gollum. There's also the renowned dwarf lover, Casanunda, the attempts to master 'speaking foreign' and the terrible privies in foreign parts. However, it's Nanny Ogg - with her fondness for a double entendre and a vulgar song - who provides many of the best parts. Thoroughly recommended !

Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Magrat the wet hen, and Greebo cross the Disc to face off with the Fairy Godmother. Enroute, pumpkins rescue a trapped seam of gold, and a few dwarves, Greebo finds that vampires leave a bad taste in his mouth, the running of the bulls has to deal with the absinthe of witches, the headology of cards is explored, the relationship between princesses and pricks is considered, and the grande romance between Casanunder and Nanny Ogg is ignited. Greebo's personality is revealed and the mystical significance of gumbo and jambalya is made clear.

Fairy tales, travelogues, the true spirit of cats, and most especially, New Orleans are shamelessly lampooned, satired, and described pretty accurately.

I loved this one. Terry Pratchett was at the peak of form in Witches Abroad. It sparkled, it amused, it provided the pleasure of "spot the reference" that the Discworld series is best for.

Although Greebo was a supporting character in this one, he got great attention. His philosophy of happiness through a balance of "something to eat, something to fight, and something to mate with" is an inspiration.

Yes, this one made fun of New Orleans. But if you can know this and read this book and not have an itch to visit the Big Easy (or visit again), you need to read it again and accept that there is almost as much truth about the Cresent City in here as there is fiction, and you probably haven't guessed right about which is which.

Read it. Reread it. This is among the best of Discworld.

Fairy godmother Desiderata has died without really training a successor. In a last moment note, she bequeaths her fairy godmothering-wand to Magrat Garlick, and arranges matters so that Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax will help Magrat out. As a result, the entire coven is off to Genua. The witches are indeed abroad.

Fairy godmothers always come in pairs, and the other fairy godmother is Lilith, Granny Weatherwax's sister, who ran off some years ago after some Trouble, leaving Granny to be the Good Witch. Lilith has used the power of story - and extravagant use of mirror magic - to transform Genua into a kind of vicious fairy tale city. Magrat, Nanny and Granny must stop Emberella from kissing the Duc, or everyone will live Happily Ever After. Whether they want to or not.

Pratchett detests people who use people for their own ends. And Lilith uses the power of story to make people do what she wants, whether they like it or not. Emberella is destined to kiss the Duc whether she wants to or not, even though the Duc is creepy, has cold hands, an impossibly long tongue and eats flies. So while there may not be Black Magic and White Magic on the Discworld, there is Good and Evil, and Lilith, trying to control the lives of others, is Evil.

Like all Pratchett novels, this one will reduce you to helpless laughter. There are sly references to other fantasies (including an appearance by Gollum), multi-lingual puns (Nanny Ogg speaking Foreign), and an extended cameo by Greebo, Nanny's over-sexed tom cat. But as entertaining as "Witches Abroad" may be, like all later Pratchett books, there are thoughtful questions behind all that laughter. "Good," Pratchett demonstrates, is not the same as "Sweet," or even "Nice." No one writing today combines hysterically funny writing with thoughtful social commentary as well as Terry Pratchett. In Esmerelda Weatherwax he has created one of the great characters in fantasy. Very highly recommended.

Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Witches Abroad" is the twelfth novel in his hugely popular Discworld series and was first published in 1991. It's also the third book (after "Equal Rites" and "Wyrd Sisters") to feature Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld's greatest witch.

As with "Wyrd Sisters", Granny Weatherwax is joined by the Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. Nanny Ogg, is the raucous head of the Ogg clan based in Lancre town. (She also owns a fearsome, one-eyed tomcat with an unbridled libido called Greebo). The other is Magrat Garlick, who has a few fanciful ideas about magic that Granny doesn't altogether approve of. She's always been fond of dancing, occult jewellery and runes, but now Granny thinks Magrat's gone funny in the head : there's the self-defence classes (despite being a witch), the attempts to 'find herself' and her refusal to marry Lancre's new King. (Despite never having been one, she refuses to be a 'sex object').

One of the trio's neighbours is Desiderata Hollow, a witch who specialises in fairy-godmothering. Despite the fact that witches know exactly when they're going to die, Desiderata never quite managed to train up a replacement. Instead, she has her magic wand delivered to Magrat, with a couple of very strict instructions : she's to travel to Genua to STOP a god-daughter marrying a prince, and she's to keep Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg from going with her. (In fact, Desiderata is banking on the two older witches tagging along : she knows she can only guarantee their attendance by forbidding them from travelling).

This isn't going to be an easy mission. Godmothers travel in twos, and Desiderata's counterpart - Lilith - wished for Embers (the god-daughter) to have beauty and power and to marry a prince. Whether or not the young lady actually wanted any of that was irrelevant, and Desiderata has been trying to do what's best for Embers. Unfortuantely, it's going to be very difficult to stop a good story...

Much of the humour comes from poking fun at fairy tales, though there's a touch of the Wizard of Oz, and a quick cameo from Gollum. There's also the renowned dwarf lover, Casanunda, the attempts to master 'speaking foreign' and the terrible privies in foreign parts. However, it's Nanny Ogg - with her fondness for a double entendre and a vulgar song - who provides many of the best parts. Thoroughly recommended !

This is easily the best of the Discworld novels that centers on the three witches, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick. This time, another witch who works as a fairy godmother on the side dies without having trained a replacement, and Magrat gets nominated as her successor. This means journeying to far-off Genua, a very South Louisiana kind of place, to make sure that the hidden princess, Ember Ella, doesn't marry the prince. But the plot is a lot more complicated than that, with a family feud, a voodoo woman and a zombie (both of whom, naturally, are more than they appear), a cat temporarily turned into a man, and a delightfully stirred-together collection of fairy tales. Because, as Granny keeps pointing out, stories have a life of their own. Actually, the book divides into two parts, with the hilarious trip to Genua giving the author the opportunity to haul out every cliché known to little old British ladies traveling in foreign parts. After they arrive, the plot shifts gear to a more sophisticated level of conflict and relationships. And you will have to wonder whether Granny -- always one of the Good Guys -- doesn't have a deep-down streak of Bad in her. Pratchett's command of the language and highly inventive turn of phrase are especially on display this time: "The wages of sin is death but so is the salary of virtue, and at least the evil get to go home early on Fridays." But he can come up with thoughtful insights, too: "Genuan cooking, like the best cooking everywhere in the multiverse, had been evolved by people who had to made desperate use of ingredients their masters didn't want." (He's right. Think gumbo.)

Witches Abroad, the 12th novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, features the return of the Witches after the events of Wyrd Sisters. It's a very effective book that shows the true power of stories in the world. On the Disc, stories have a power of their own and reality changes itself to conform to the grooves etched out by a story. The story is a living, breathing entity and modifies the people involved in it. It's also a darn funny book, though not quite up with the rest of the Discworld books in that regard.
Witches Abroad takes our witches and puts them in a bunch of new situations, letting us learn more and more about them. Thankfully, the situations are also hilariously funny, made even funnier by Granny's reaction to them. She bulls forward without stopping, demanding that the world conform to her demands instead of the other way around. So what if they do things different in another land? They'd better just start doing things her way while she's there. It was a real treat, and really demonstrated how fun these characters can be.
Of course, Granny gets the most character development, as events in the book start to take on a more personal note. She's actually afraid, which is a first, and it's slightly unsettling to see her like that. But she doesn't lose any of her charm as she intimidates some dwarfs, grouses that Magrat is running around in pants(!) and generally remains her crotchety self. She is probably the funniest character in the book because of all this. There is a priceless scene on a riverboat where she works to retrieve the money Nanny lost gambling with some card sharks. It's simply wonderful to behold as she shows how, even though she may not understand the customs of foreign parts, she has a street-level knowledge that no one is a match for. It's probably my favourite scene in the book.
Nanny is also very well done, especially when she shows off her knowledge of all these foreign countries (even if a lot of it is wrong). She's the most experienced of the witches in the game of life, as she's been around the block or two. I was familiar with Casanunda, the world's second greatest lover, from a subsequent Witches book that I read first. This is the book where Nanny meets him, and she's the only character that he could interact with and be at all funny. She "knows the ways of the world," so to speak, and thus finds his advances touching and amusing. She's also the only person who understands Granny and can keep any sort of leash on her. Thus, she plays an important part by being Granny's sounding board and confidante. Her letters home to her son are great fun as well, especially when she says that they ordered "steak tartar" and everybody looked at her funny when she said she wanted it well-done.
The other characters are pretty good, too, if unremarkable. Magrat continues to be the "straight man" to all of the fun, and she constantly gets into fights with Granny over what they're going to do. Having read Lords & Ladies (the next book in the Witches series) already, I saw the beginnings of what was to happen there. I don't know if it meant more because of that or not, but it did make it interesting. Unfortunately, other than that, she's not that intriguing. I did like the trouble she was having with her new power, and how it took on a distinctly Halloweenish tinge. The other minor characters have their moments and are amusing, but they're not really anything special.
The story moves along at a brisk pace, and is fairly short (about 285 pages). For awhile, I was beginning to wonder if they would ever get to Genua, or if this would be more of a travelogue. There are many humorous stories that take place on their trip, from the Dwarven mountain to the riverboat and to a castle full of sleeping people. Many fairy tales are parodied here, and even more are parodied by Nanny or Granny talking about them. There are too many to mention here, though, and half the fun is seeing how Pratchett twists them to meet his own needs. The book does begin to drag a little bit during their travels, however, and is only lightened up again when they stumble upon another fairy tale being acted out. There were times I wished he'd just move on and do something else, and then he finally did and everything was all right. I also really loved the mirror motif throughout the story, and how mirrors can amplify magical power, especially if you stand between them and let them reflect back and forth. I thought this was nicely done and original.
This is a very satisfying addition to the Discworld mythos, and it's also a quick and easy read. You will laugh a lot during it, so read it if you need a pick-me-up. Pratchett does it again, and I can't wait to read the rest of his books that I haven't yet. The Witches have quickly grown into my favourite cast of Discworld characters, and it was good to read another of their adventures. This book is fine to read by itself as an introduction to the Witches, but it's even better if you read Wyrd Sisters first.
David Roy

I was thrilled when this Pratchett classic was reprinted in paperback, as it was the only book in the 'Granny Weatherwax Series' I had not managed to get my hands upon. What a singular pleasure to pronounce it my personal favorite! Written in inimitable Pratchett style, this is fantasy/parody/satire/storytelling at its most clever. The plot snaps merrily and whimsically along, full of hilarious puns, allusions, and, as Nanny Ogg puts it herself, "lots of double intenders."
The book opens with a hilarious gathering of the Lancre coven atop Bear Mountain...lovably grouchy Granny is perturbed to discover that ALL of the attendees have brought potato salad, and that Old Mother Dismass has left her oracular mind rambling in some far distant century, rather than in the present. The reader is next transported to the cottage of Desiderata, a doddering, exhausted old-bag-of-a-Fairy Godmother. Desiderata knows that her death is approaching, and so does a mysterious enemy who taunts her from the vantage point of a mirror. Desiderate doesn't care; she's more concerned with getting her tired caboose outdoors and down into the grave she has had pre-dug. She's also busy wrapping her powerful Fairy Godmother wand and sending it off to a worthy successor. Desiderata sends the relic to none other than Lancre's "wet hen" witch, Magrat Garlick...with instructions to make sure that Emberella (Desiderata's god-daughter)does NOT marry the Prince of Genua. She also warns Magrat not to allow Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg to interfere with the mission. Naturally...Desiderata knows that Granny and Nanny wouldn't miss a chance to meddle, especially when they've been told NOT to.

Thus begins the amazing broomstick-ride to distant Genua--Granny and Nanny determined to make sure that poor Magrat uses the wand for more than turning EVERYTHING into pumpkins. The misadventures roll out one after the other as this wacky trio soars above mountain and forest: a Dwarf mine collapse, a raucous riverboat gambling incident, a drunken absinthe party in an outdoor cafe, a bratty Red-hooded girl whose delirious grandmother is the object of wolfish desire, a house falling on poor Nanny, etc. Once they get to the walled city of Genua, Granny is on her guard against the danger of merely setting one's boots into "foreign parts," and all three witches realize that SOMEONE VERY POWERFUL is determined to make every life in the kingdom follow strict 'Storybook' protocol..even if they don't want to. Zombies, bumbling vampires, a voodoo-mama who reads the future in a pot of gumbo,and Nanny's randy, rotten,... shape-shifting cat, Greebo, highlight one of the funniest books Pratchett has ever written. In the end, it's up to Granny...the wisest and most potent witch in the Discworld, to match her wits against an enemy she might not be able to conquer.
Thoroughly enjoyable in its ability to skewer both "fantasy" worlds and our own "real" world, 'Witches Abroad' has everything *AND* the kitchen sink. A romping, brilliant piece of satire. Five Shooting Stars!

This is yet another hilarious and very clever novel from pratchett, who cannot seem to spout forth anything but genius.
The trouble begins when Magrat has the dubious honour of godmothership betstowed on her, and to carry out her duties, she must travel to the distant city of Genua (a sort of Discworld version of New Orleans which, incidentally, i WISH he had brought this wonderful place back in another book). While there, accompanied of course by the continually brilliant Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, she must in fact STOP a servant girl from marrying the prince, helped only by her trusty wand, which has the awkward habit of turning everything into pumpkins...
Wonderful. A wonderful book, for many reasons, only a few of which i am truly aware of. It is, of course, hilariously funny, and many side-splitting moments are contained within, but there's also a very sinister tone to it all, which is unexpected due to enforced happy-ever-after-ness that pervades Genua, the ruler of which makes it their duty to go about forcing everyone into cheer and happiness. Yet it is also a novel about stories and their nature, and about the nature of "good" and "evil" (i.e. which is really which?)
I love the witches, and although Death is probably my favourite character (aint he everyones?), the witches series is my favourites series within the Discworld series, i just can't get enough of them. All of which the witches books rank somewhere in my top ten pratchett books, and this one in particular lies very near the top of the list, i think. (Can't be sure, because, after all, he's written so very many excellent books, almost ALL of them could feature on a "Top Ten Of Pratchett" list). Regardless of that, this is a novel that every fan of Disworld should read, it's got great characters, a wonderful story, it flows marvellously, the setting and the atmosphere is quite excellent, and it goes without saying that it's all hilarious. If you're new to Pratchett though, i reccomend you start at the beginning, "The Colour of Magic", and simply read your way through this first-class series, enjoying every single step of the way.
Long live Terry Pratchett!

This is definitely my favourite Discworld novel. Magrat Garlick, the slightly wet witch, is unexpectedly landed with the job of being a Fairy Godmother. Her job is to go to Genua and prevent her goddaughter Ella from marrying the Duc of Genua. Naturally Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg decide to accompany her. Their journey across the Discoworld to Genua is full of hilarious incidents. One of the best is when they are rowing a boat down an underground river, and encounter a sinister Golum-like character. Granny Weatherwax wacks him over the head with an oar. Now if only Tolkein had thought of that! There is a wonderful incident where they are staying at a village inn, completely oblivious to the fact that the village is being terrorised by a vampire. The vampire is out to get Magrat, but fails miserably, and ends up inside Greebo, Nanny Ogg's horrible cat. "Vampires have risen from the grave, the crypt, and the tomb, but have never managed it from the cat". Then there's the bit on the riverboat where Granny Weatherwax plays Cripple Mr Onion with a group of professional gmablers and takes them all to the cleaners. When they finally arrive in Genua (which rather resembles New Orleans) they find the city being terrorised by Lilith di Tempsicore, the sinister power behind the Duc, who has a nasty secret. They join forces with Voodoo woman Erzulie Gogol in order to outwit Lilith, but can they succed? This is a wonderfuly funny book with an ingeneous plot,lots of memorable incidents and marvellous characters. As well as the witches themselves there is Mrs Gogol, Mrs Pleasant the Palace Cook, Cassanunda the amorous dwarf, and Ella, who does not want to marry the Duc. Absolutely marvellous.

Witches Abroad (4/5) - This is the most character-centered of the Witch books, and one of the funniest: I'd say it does not quite have the same quality of storytelling as _Wyrd Sisters_ and _Maskerade_, but makes up for it with the increased depth of the witch characters. When fairy godmother Desiderata dies, she leaves her magic wand to Magrat Garlick, the young "wet hen" of the witch trio Weatherwax, Ogg, and Garlick. For the first 200 pages or so, this book is an enjoyable if meandering travelogue, as the witches fly, walk, and ride across the disc on their way to the city of Genua, unintentionally blundering into, and rewriting, various fairy tales along the way. Then the plot kicks into higher gear, and for the next 150 pages or so we're in Genua trying to save the young Snow White-like Princess Emberella from her fate, to marry the prince Duc. We're fighting against the tide of storyhood itself, orchestrated by the mysterious Lilith, and opposed by voodoo priestess Mrs. Gogol and the mysterious zombie Saturday. The cast is a strange group, but don't worry; other than the witches, most of them don't matter very much in the resolution of the plot, which happens quickly and without much in the way of suspense. The theme of this novel is storytelling itself and the way in which stories, like history, repeat themselves and draw us along after them. The book is rounded out with the dwarf Casanunda, cajun food, and banana daiquiris, but the high points are, very simply, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and... not Magrat, who comes off a bit flat by comparison to the other two, but the tomcat Greebo, who gets some of the funniest scenes when he takes on human form.

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld does for (or to) Fantasy what Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy did for science fiction–firmly sets a story within a genre, stereotypes intact, then goes to town. He’s frequently irreverent, and it’s an absolute delight to read.

Stories have power. Everyone knows that. And someone has been meddling in the Discworld, forcing people into stories.... Due to the poor planning of her predecessor, Magrat Garlick is suddenly thrust into the role of Fairy Godmother to young Emberella, and must at all costs make sure the girl does not marry the Duc. Given Magrat's inexperience, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg are of course determined to come along, and thus the epic adventure is begun! There will be fairy tales galore...just not the way you remember them.

Like Moving Pictures was to Hollywood, Witches Abroad is to fairytales. Only a lot more funny, and everything is fair game.
It starts off as it ends, with fairy godmothers, specifically the death of one, leading to the snowballing that is the witches three (Nanny, Granny and Magrat) to travel from there cosy homes in Lancre and see to some godmothering duties in the strange town of Genua. Parts of it remind me of that movie the Frog Princess, right down to the voodoo. And then there's Baron Saturday to top it all off.
The main focus there is around the non-marriage of Ella (otherwise known as Embers. Emberella if you will.) to a rather slimy guy who has interesting sleeping habits. But many hilarious events take place before the trio arrive there. Bulls, wolves, sleeping princesses, red hoods and falling houses included.
Small wonder I sped through it all in one day.

Terry Pratchett was recently awarded a well-deserved prize for "lifetime service to Booksellers". That's not surprising, although finding enough shelf space for two dozen Discworld books must be a challenge. Witches Abroad is one Discworld tome deserving a permanent niche on any shelf - especially yours. You'll return to it often.
The clash between established experience and youthful endeavor is caught here in Pratchett's matchless style. Granny Weatherwax, Lancre's predominate headologist, is severely challenged by the youngest member of the coven, Magrat Garlick. Magrat's heir to a powerful device and honour - a fairy godmother's wand. Magrat's life is further complicated by an identity crisis. She's not always comfortable in her role in life, and this new responsibility compounds the problem. Nevertheless, she's been given the wand and a charge to prevent a marriage. A formidable task, given that the marriage is to occur in "forn parts".
The witches' journey to Genua is one of the highlights of Pratchett's inventive mind. Esme's participation in a Cripple Mister Onion contest along the way would make the most ardent card player shudder in recognition. The innocent Granny exhibiting "beginner's luck" is priceless.
Pratchett introduces us to the power of the story in the universe. Stories "play themselves", shaping people's actions to their own ends. People who resist their roles in stories do so at their peril. This story, so classic and well established, should be irresistible, but then it hasn't dealt with Esme Weatherwax. The struggle is immense, with mighty powers brought to bear in seeking a resolution. Only time will tell which has the greater power.
Most of Pratchett's stories have the value of being timeless. Among the Discworld tales, this one has a particular ageless quality. It can be read at any time with many levels of pleasure and value. No other book in the witches' Discworld series quite matches this one for confirming the worth of Esme Weatherwax as one of Pratchett's finest character inventions. Yet, whatever you find on Discworld, you must remember its equivalent resides somewhere here on Roundworld. There's that lady just down the street . . .

The first half of "Witches Abroad" bored me silly. "Has Terry lost the magic touch?" I thought to myself. What should have been another merry romp through the lives of Mesdames Weatherwax, Ogg, and Garlick begins as a tired series of fairy tale parodies. What gives?
Poor me, should have known better. Terry always has something up his sleeve.
The second half makes his intentions crystal clear. "Witches Abroad" is a story about... stories! The parodies that bothered me so were just there to set up the drama of the second half. "There's always a happy ending," someone remarks at some point. But the ending is only happy if you're one of the good guys. And how do you really know if you're the good guys? An encounter with an evil fairy godmother -- intent on bending the stories of life to suit her will -- brings all of these questions to light.
A return to the adventures of this Crazy Coven of witches is always welcome, "Wyrd Sisters" being one of my favourite entries in the Discworld catalog. Once again, they do not disappoint. Granny Weatherwax is as crusty and single-minded as ever, but is given a dimension of caring and sympathy that we haven't seen before. And her actions in the final battle (c'mon, you knew there had to be a final battle) are noble, a grand feat of self-sacrifice in the face of ever increasing odds against her. Nanny Ogg, the wise but muddled mother figure, has more choice moments here than ever before. My favourite being her periodic letterS home, detailing her exploits in foreign parts (one such letter describes an encounter with a "banananana dakry"; a footnote explains that Nanny knows how to spell banana, she just doesn't know when to stop). That Nanny's a trip. Magrat Garlick, the youngest of the coven, mainly plays the straight man opposite her more mature sisters, but she has a solid head on her shoulders, and is usually the one who keeps the others out of hot-headed trouble.
Terry offers a treat to loyal Discworlders, in the return of Death. He doesn't make a big splash, and if you hadn't met him before you may not recognize his intentions. But his few simple scenes put a smile on my face, especially the final encounter, which is as beautiful and solemn as anything Terry's written before. It's worth the price of admission on its own. The rest of the book, even though it takes a while to get there, is a great example of what makes the Discworld books so much fun: dollops of humour, tough questions, and satisfying conclusions.

You know the story. The poor servant girl who gets to wear glass slippers and go to the ball marries the prince and lives happily ever after. That was before Terry Pratchett got ahold of the tale and put a few twists in it. Magrat Garlick, youngest member of a coven of witches, has just become a fairy godmother-wand and all. Though the wand seems to be hopelessly set on pumpkins for some reason. And she's got an assignment: to travel to the far away magical city of Genua and stop Emberella from going to the ball. Joining her on this quest is the earthy and often double entendre Nanny Ogg and the ever popular Granny Weatherwax.
Don't expect any kind of typical adventure tale here. Any one who has read Terry Pratchett knows that it won't be long until these three wyrd sisters traversing in "foreign parts" turn every familiar story topsy turvy in a combination of hysterical footnotes, hilarious reactions (check out how the witches deal with the running of the bulls) and sometimes downright poignant observations on humanity. Terry's humor is never devoid of the heart that keeps his work from becoming merely clever and slapstick. Instead, this book reads as an insightful look at human nature and the nature of stories, and how the two are intertwined.
This is Terry Pratchett's 12th Discworld novel and American fans who have been trying to get ahold of Pratchett's earlier work will be delighted to add this book to their collection. For new readers, (I'm a little envious of anyone discovering Pratchett for the first time) your journey into the wonderful, hysterical, whimsical and insightful Discworld novels has only just begun. There are more than twenty six tales of the Discworld to explore. This reprinted paperback version has a sneak peek at Pratchett's next release, NIGHT WATCH, at the back of the book. If you enjoy this book, please check out the rest of Mr. Pratchett's Discworld novels. To start at the beginning of stories featuring Granny Weatherwax, EQUAL RITES is her first introduction, but the better start is WYRD SISTERS which introduces the entire coven. The book to look for following WITCHES ABROAD is LORDS AND LADIES, this is the next book featuring Granny and the coven after their return from foreign parts.
Happy Reading! Shanshad ^_^

When the fairy godmother, Desiderata died, the discworld was short one godmother because she didn't train anybody to take her place. When digging around in her home, two witches, Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax fail to find the wand of the deceased. Later they find out that Desiderata had given her wand to a young witch named Magrat Garlick. Along with the wand, she is given a mission to travel to the city of Genua, on the other side of the discworld, and stop a marriage arranged by a rival fairy godmother, Lilith de Tempscire. All three witches embark on an interesting journey across parts of the discworld they have never seen. They encounter gnomes, gypsies, and kingdoms that were ruined by Lilith. When they arrive in the city, they end their exciting mission, meeting new and interesting people and meeting Magrat's goddaughter. This is a must read for anybody interested in fantasy. Terry Pratchett accomplishes a lot with his three main characters. He also adds in his share of comedy, which lightens the mood, and makes the book a more enjoyable read.

The "Witch" Discworld books have never been my favorites, and this was no exception. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and thought that it was funny, but nothing about it grabbed me and made it one of my favorite Pratchett books. The reason for that is probably quite simply that the Witches just aren't my favorite characters (I'm a Watch girl), and characters are a good portion of what makes a Discworld novel.

I do have to say, however, that this is probably my favorite of the "Witch" novels. I love the way Granny reacts when she leaves Lancre, and that provided a lot of the humor in this novel. I also found the usual bickering between Granny and Nanny to be amusing and it didn't grate on my nerves in this book as it had occasionally in other "Witch" books that I've read.

I really liked the Pratchett twist on traditional Fairy Tales and Fairy Godmothers. He never fails to surprise me with amusing insights on and colorful twists to just about everything he writes about. <u>Witches Abroad</u> was no exception.

This is the 12th of Pratchett's Discworld series. Alternatively, it's the 2nd book in the Witches subseries ("Wyrd Sisters," "Witches Abroad," "Lords and Ladies," "Maskerade," and "Carpe Jugulum"). It's one of the very best (at least on par with "Reaper Man," and maybe even a tad bit better). Obviously, this book centers around Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick. Pratchett uses the actual concept of fairy tales as his template. His main fairy tale is Cinderella. But, he brings many others in: "Snow White," "The Three Little Pigs," "Little Red Riding Hood." He's even got references to "The Hobbit" and "The Wizard of Oz." As always, the interesting relationship between Granny and Nanny is hilarious. As an added bonus, in this book, Pratchett's given quite a bit of emphasis to Grebo (Nanny's cat (who deserves a book all of his own)). This is a must-read book, especially if you're a fan of Granny, Nanny, and Magrat: 5 stars out of 5.

This was another amazing Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. I have read several of his books now, and I continue to be surprised at how fresh and original each books is. This one is a continuation of the witches' series, and it is one of the funniest I have read to date. Granny, Nanny and Magrat are among the most comical of Pratchett's creations. The three witches travel to foreign lands to prevent an allegedly "good" fairy Godmother from forcing a "happy" ending to a "story" against the wishes of the story's unknowing participants.
Witches Abroad contains a collage of many well-known fairy tales. The novel is loaded with irony and the story happens to be poignant. I loved this one and highly recommend it. (I also recommend that you go back and read the excellent previous books, Equal Rites and Wyrd Sisters.)

Witches Abroad, by Terry Pratchett, concerns witches Gytha Ogg, Granny Weatherwax, and the newly appointed fairy godmother, Magrat. I wasn't sure about this at first, since the last book by Pratchett I read involving witches, Equal Rites, was somewhat of a disappointment (I still recommend it, just not as much as this one), but this book is a blast. It involves the aforementioned witches' travels to the distant city of Genua, where they have to stop a young girl from marrying a prince. The book pokes fun at numerous fairy-tales (On the Discworld, stories are an important part of reality) and, as usual for Pratchett, has the perfect blend of humor and serious moments. I highly recommend it.

[For context's sake, I have been reading the Discworld books in publication order. Witches Abroad is #12.]

Definitely one of my favorite Discworld books thus far. Seamlessly weaves stories together and is able to make striking points that outline how magic works on the Discworld. The characters are well-developed, the dialogue is very witty, and the plotline is lively and engaging. The interplay between Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg is some of the best banter you will find in literature.

This entire series is simply marvelous. There's a good story, wrapped up in humor and anecdotal morality.
I listen to these books with my kids - multiple times. We greatly enjoy these stories and it makes for very good family time.

Although set between "Wyrd Sisters" and "Lords & Ladies" this book is a stand-alone episode featuring Granny and Nanny, plus Magrat trying her best to be a Fairy Godmother (with less-than-stellar results.)

As is typical with Pratchett, it's very well written with sprinklings of wry social commentary. Although there are numerous chuckles, I don't recall any laugh-out-loud moments, but I will say the plot was tighter than many other offerings. All in all, a solid effort.

Recommended for anyone, and epscially fans of the Lancre Witches arc.

Witches Abroad is one of my favourite discworld novels. I am a big fan of the witches series and this has to be one of the best. Any book that has Nanny Ogg singing about hegdehogs makes me laugh. This is a good story for learning more about Granny Weatherwax. You are always told just enough information about her to ask questions, but are never really given any answers. I feel in this book you come to understand some of those answers. If you are trying to get into the discworld series then this is the book for you. It is a fun read, very funny and full of headology!

I'm nearly positive that everyone has been in the horrible (awkward/nerve-wracking/uncomfortable) social situation where everyone but you is laughing uproariously at a joke that you just can't fathom why it would tickle anyone's funny bone.
This is exactly how this book made me feel; hard for me to say, being a Pratchett fan and generally finding his books satirical hilarity.
It took me three tries to finally read this entire book; reason being, it doesn't pick up until around page 165 - when faerie tales start coming true in typical Pratchett zany-ness. Even then, the dialogue is almost constant (rarely making sense) and leaving little room for plot. As a review in the front page of the book says, "You can never pick up all the jokes he makes in one reading". Sadly, this book left me never wanting to pick it up again. Alas, I'll never "pick up" on all those (possibly hilarious/possibly just as horrendous as I thought) jokes.

I read all Pratchett books, and while some were boring, some were great, this is the non-plus-ultra. Don't read in public, they'll turn you in, at the latest when you are rolling on the floor wiping away the tears and uncoherently mumbling something about bananananas (that's Nanny's fault. She can spell Banana Diecrees JUST fine, she just don't know when to stop). This is beyond description, too good to be true. (You'll get used to the strange looks and the inquiries about what the HECK you are reading there). I only have one thing to say: Mr. Pratchett, stop whatever it is you are writing, and give us more of Granny Weatherwax and, as Nanny would say in her interpretion of 'forn languages', do it 'toot sweet, chop chop'!!!!!!!!! I need more of this, this cannot possibly have been all :)

The discworld stories dealing with witches are not among my favorites but I still liked this one. It is an average Prachett story, which is high praise. The youngest witch Magrat Garlick becomes a fairy godmother and along with two other witches goes to help her new ward. It drags toward the end, the trip to discworld's New Orlean is the best part. But you can't go wrong with the series and you'll like this one although there are many better examples of Prachett's work.

Fairy godmothers. Witches. Voodoo. Magic.
And a large bowl of gumbo washed down with a round of absinthe and banananana dakrys.
This is not your typical fairy tale. Make sure the servant girl doesn't marry the prince. Easy? Not in a land where Happy Endings are strictly compulsory.
Enter the witches. The newly appointed Fairy Godmother Magrat Garlick, in search for cosmic harmony and how do set this bloody wand off pumpkins, and the classic double act that is Granny and Nanny.
Pratchett has managed to mix in Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Wizard of Oz and even The Lord of the Rings (complete with a sleazy Gollum). Even when I knew a joke was coming, Pratchett did so well with it that I smiled and even laughed anyway.
I couldn't find a single flaw. The plot, the characters, the jokes ... all perfect.
You won't be disappointed. This is my favourite Discworld novel by far.

How to prevent the marriage between a servant girl and a bewitched frog. This non-fairytaile includes everything; thee lovely witches, the vicious step witch, a zombie, two bewitched mice, a vampire- castle, some of Nannys beloved foreign-language experience, bananana fruit drinks for everyone and of course Death. Read it and you will get addicted.