Wyrd Sisters (Discworld)

What else is there to say -Terry Pratchett's wit and wisdom, the wonderful witches Mistress Weatherwax and nanny Ogg- humour that may suddenly slip into deeper water - Terry is only getting into his stride with this book, they just get better and better to an infinite value of better....

It's a Terry Pratchett book so be expecting some sly, witty humor mixed with biting sarcasm and a rousing story. It's definitely one of my favorites of his for the sheer amount of ridiculous the story holds.

Excellent edition. Small, hardcover version. With flyleaf and an excellent cover art. It looks kind of like Barnes & Nobles classics edition but smaller and with thicker pages. I love the hell out of it, I'm building my Pratchett library with these editions. The only downside is that due to copyright issues not all Discworld novels are available in this format, though a good portion are.

Story spotty and a little hard to fallow. It is a middle ground book for a very talent and funny writer. The Discworld is overall excellent, but this one let me down some. It did not flow like the other books he has done.

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Who doesn't love a good Terry Pratchett? This review isn't in regards to the product but towards the formatting of the kindle edition. Every Pratchett book has footnotes and they are a lovely comedic break from the story full of whimsy and fun. However! The kindle version on my trusty black and white uses asterisk the size of maggot spittle to provide a transition to a reference in the back of the book! I've read these as actual books and am used to skimming down mid sentence to enjoy a nugget of levity. I do not want to thumb my way through an entire novel to read a footnote from the first chapter! It just isn't done! To be frank I did not even know that there was footnotes in this piece until two thirds through! If I had known this a few days ago I could have returned this and saved a couple dollars and spent a few days waiting for the paperback that has good and proper footnotes! Now I will rethink all of my future purchases of the kindle editions of his discworld books!

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Who doesn't love a good Terry Pratchett? This review isn't in regards to the product but towards the formatting of the kindle edition. Every Pratchett book has footnotes and they are a lovely comedic break from the story full of whimsy and fun. However! The kindle version on my trusty black and white uses asterisk the size of maggot spittle to provide a transition to a reference in the back of the book! I've read these as actual books and am used to skimming down mid sentence to enjoy a nugget of levity. I do not want to thumb my way through an entire novel to read a footnote from the first chapter! It just isn't done! To be frank I did not even know that there was footnotes in this piece until two thirds through! If I had known this a few days ago I could have returned this and saved a couple dollars and spent a few days waiting for the paperback that has good and proper footnotes! Now I will rethink all of my future purchases of the kindle editions of his discworld books!

Wyrd Sisters is part of the sprawling Discworld universe created by Terry Pratchett. Despite having tried to read The Colour Of Magic (often regarded as the first Discworld book) a few times I could never get into it. I did not have this problem with Wyrd Sisters.

Wyrd Sisters is a bit of a mashup of the plots of Hamlet and Macbeth (with a good amount of twists) with the three witches from Macbeth having a much more starring (title) role and having a jolly good time doing so. The witches are fantastic characters with Magrat (the maiden), absolutely determined to be a good practitioner of the magical arts no matter how much the other witches mock her, Nanny Ogg (the mother), incredibly earthy and having a sprawling family to show for it, and Granny Weatherwax (the crone), a woman of very decided opinions and indomitable headology skills.

I'm usually a person who likes to read my series in order, but this time I just jumped in midstream with Wyrd Sisters since it was the Goodreads r/fantasy Book of the Month for May 2017. I really enjoyed it. It's not my new most-favorite-book-ever, but it was definitely an enjoyable read. It's important to know you can definitely start with this book without feeling that you are missing out on any plotline or character development - despite being in the middle of a series it stands on its own quite well.

If you're a person who does not like puns in your books, stay far away. This book (as all Pratchett books, from my understanding) is full of puns, jokes, ridiculous metaphors and the like. The humor reminded me a lot of Hitchhiker's Guide and Christopher Moore's books (especially Fool) since this book also stars a Fool in a leading role.

I did not finish this book.

I read this as part of a book club pick. I have heard that most of Pratchett's books can be read as stand alone stories. I believe that it was possible to read this as a stand alone but I think it would have been better if it was read in the proper order.

Some of the issues that I had with this that there were no chapters or page breaks. It made the book seem disorganized and there was never really a good stopping point. Another thing is that I know this was supposed to be a humorous book but I did not find any part of the characters antics funny.

I did think that the characters and the world they lived in were described well. They each had different characteristics that made them stand out.

If you like Pratchett's books you will probably like this one as well.

This was the very first Terry Pratchett, Disc World book I ever read. It is the story that me hooked on the Disc World series and I have been reading and re-reading the whole series ever since. Granny Weatherwax is one of my all-time favorite characters in this series and this book gives her a lot of play. Nanny Ogg is probably my second favorite and she is highly featured in this one as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for some lighthearted reading that will have you laughing out loud. *S*

Wyrd Sisters is a richly detailed story about three witches who live more in their own world than ours. They are funny, clever, and of course, witches with power. This book describes their relationship with a child saved from death by a cruel usurper, a Duke and Duchess who play the evil parts, and a theater cast who spreads their stories on the stage.

Everything was good about this story. Pratchett wasted no words with fluff, but kept the adventure and creativity and humor flowing constantly. Terry Pratchett created a world in which I wanted to remain. I didn't want the story to end, it was that good. It was also filled with twists and clever meanderings that came together in the end, but the end wasn't what I thought it would be. It was much better. I even thought I had guessed it, but nope, not even close.

I wish I had discovered Pratchett earlier, but I'm glad I finally did and I look forward to reading many more of his stories.

This was the first Discworld book I read and it’s still one of my favorites.

I love the witches. Magrat reminds me of so many Wiccans I encountered around ten to fifteen years ago.

I remember the first time I read this I could never guess what was going to happen next, but then when something would happen I went “Oh, that makes perfectly good sense.” Everything is perfectly logical, it’s just not always obvious.

This book made me laugh at least once a page. My favorite bit was a conversation that included this exchange:

“Is that a dagger I see before me?”

“It’s my handkerchief, you see. You can sort of tell the difference if you look closely. It doesn’t have as many sharp edges.”

Much of the humor also came from the way the setting itself works. Terry Pratchett is (was, dammit! Still not used to that.) one of the greatest world-builders of all time. The Disc sounds totally crazy, but it all works!

But I’m not sure he made up inspiration particles. I’m pretty sure those are real. It’s the only explanation for some of the weird ideas I’ve had.

This book also has the best description of being a writer ever: “Hwel stared at it for a moment, alone in a world that consisted of him, the next blank page, and the shouting, clamoring voices that haunted his dreams.”

I also love this book’s take on destiny. It was thought-provoking.

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series has long been on my to-read list. I’d intended to start with the first book in the series, but as a big fan of witches, instead picked up the sixth book, Wyrd Sisters.

Pratchett’s writing is a delicious, chunky stew rich in humour, delectable description, and nuggets of beloved fairy tales and Shakespearian references generously mixed in. What a treat this story was to read. I’ve never read anything quite like it. Pratchett’s imagination is second to none; his story-telling and description are creative and fun. I will definitely be reading more from Terry Pratchett.

Wyrd Sisters will appeal to those who enjoy the fantasy genre, and outstanding writing.

4.5 stars

I had a rollicking good time listening to Wyrd Sisters. Laughing out loud certainly eased the tedium of a long commute! I had read the book before and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. It's chock full of great characters; my favorites included the witches themselves, the foppish evil Duke going gradually mad, the ghost of King Verence and the persevering Fool. Only Pratchett could make the apprenticeship of a fool the world's most glum undertaking.

As a Shakespeare aficionado, I appreciated all the in-jokes from Macbeth, Hamlet, and even a bit of Henry V. The theater scenes were among the best in the book.

Others have criticized Celia Imrie's narration compared to Nigel Planer. Since this was my first Discworld listen, I had no one to compare her to. I thought she did a good job, particularly with the witches' voices.

Granny, Nanny and Marath, three witches who try to sound a bit like Macbeth's Witches of Endor, spend eternity with little power and a need for a basic PR campaign, because they've begun to believe the old stories about generic witches, and they're a bit spooked. Not to mention they've been handed the "once and future 2-year old baby king" and are supposed to keep him safe and far away from the trouble his mad uncle has caused.

So they hand him off to a travelling acting troupe. This group of not so great actors basically skewer Shakespeare...who doesn't really exist in Disc, and this whole story paralells Shakespeare' s Macbeth.

This is only my second Terry Pratchett. It was written twenty some years ago, and although it is fun, it is not as much fun as Wintersmith. However, no one paradies "legitimate theater" like Pratchett, and the BEST witches on the planet are his witches.

I'll read more....there's like 40 books in this series.....

Strange things are happening in the kingdom of Lancre. Three independent witches are joining together in a coven, and trying to figure out the best way to work together. A king has just realized he is dead and vows to avenge his murder as he becomes accustomed to being without a corporeal body. A baby is spirited away and hidden among a traveling theater troupe. The kingdom's new ruler is uneasy about his position, and covers for it by brutalizing his subjects.

Something must be done. And even though witches aren't supposed to meddle in things or to use their magic to set situations right, there is just something so irresistible about being able to fix the terrible problems of Lancre.

I liked this book, and especially the way that Shakespeare's influence on the plot kept creeping in. The characters in the story are light and funny, and their interactions are genuine. The three witches seem harmless enough, until you cross them and they are forced to take action. They, and Tomjon, and the Fool, are all very endearing and easy to root for. The novel at times is too cute for its own good, but overall was a really enjoyable read.

Personally upon finishing "Wyrd Sisters", I felt conflicted about the sixth installment in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. It wasn't that the story was not good nor that the parodying of various fantasy tropes along with Shakespearean plays weren't funny, but nothing seemed to click throughout the entire book. The first third of the book felt slow paced before things really started going in the plot but it was a sign of things to come as the comedic situations were amusing but not laugh-out-loud funny like the previous five books. While a lot of the characters were enjoyable, namely Disc's dwarf bard Hwel, it was Margat Garlick that was off-putting because Pratchett didn't seem to develop her (given she is one of the titular characters) and might have been a reason why the book didn't click. Overall, "Wyrd Sisters" is amusing but not compared to the previous five Discworld books.

This is my second Discworld novel, after Equal Rites, and I found this to be the more mature and interesting of the two, so I'll round up to 4 stars. Wyrd Sisters is a very funny book of a trio of witches - the indomitable Granny Weatherwax, the bawdy Nanny Ogg, and the misty-eyed Magrat - meddling in royal politics, with echoes of Hamlet and Macbeth and a cartload of ridiculousness.

The story moves along briskly (and many section breaks make it easy to dip in for just a few pages at a time), with lots of humor, and oddball but endearing characters, and whack-a-doo plot points, and a satisfying ending. I enjoyed the read, but this book, like most parodies and novels built around humor, was a little too weightless to get me truly invested. I was happy to read it but felt no particular urge to pick it up again after putting it down; and I'd happily read more Pratchett and more about the witches, but am not in any rush to do so. Still, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good dose of comedic fantasy.

I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett. I have read all of the his books multiple times, watched most of the movies, and quoted lines with my husband. I won’t pretend to be a super fan, but I can safely say that I am well familiar with Discworld. Pratchett was well known for co-opting tropes, genres, and individual jokes to fit into the Disc. It worked quite well most of the time. Wyrd Sisters is one of the better examples of this appropriation in Pratchett’s canon.

The first time I read Wyrd Sisters, I did not get all of the jokes. At the time I had read little Shakespeare and seen almost nothing of the Marx Brothers films, so I simply did not have the background to get the references. There are still a few jokes that I am positive must be referring to something, I just don’t know what. Perhaps I’ll get the joke in another few years.

All that to say that, like Jasper Fforde’s work, Pratchett is most entertaining when you are fairly well read in the first place. Wyrd Sisters focuses the most on Shakepearian jokes. Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and especially The Scottish Play are made heavy use of both in the overall story and the theatrical productions in the book.

The plot is a very, very loose retelling of Macbeth from the perspective of the witches. And by loose I mean there are constant references to it but none of the characters have the same motivations as the play and therefore act differently. There’s a strong element of Hamlet in there as well. Both involve regicide, guilt, and vengeance, so Pratchett pulls liberally from both.

A lot of puns are involved. I mean a lot. No, more than that. Yeah, that many. No wait, add a few more. There are so many puns and references that it can actually distract the reader from the story. This is my main criticism of the book. References and quotations are fun. I use both constantly. But if I am trying to tell a story, they can only be a detriment after a certain point. It’s certainly entertaining but it is not helpful. Adding in the Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplain references compound this issue.

On the other hand, I enjoy the fact that Pratchett writes for an audience that will get all of these references. Sure, this is a silly and light read. Light and silly does not have to equal a stupid reader.

Having read the witches series several times, it struck me this time around that Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg are not very developed characters in comparison to later works. I suppose this is only to be expected. In particular, their behavior is more impulsive than in the future. Part of this, I suspect, is that the later books are from the perspective of younger witches and therefore have a different hue to them. Character development is really fun to watch.

I would certainly suggest this book to people, though perhaps not as a starting book in Discworld. On the other hand, if you are looking for a light read this is a very good option.

It seems to me that these first couple of Discworld books is dominated by witches. Introduction to series ('Colour of magic' and 'Light fantastic') is utterly unremarkable for me now (though I liked them as a kid), but the witches storyline remained powerful and gained on power over the years. It has been a long time since read this one and up to this days just had a vague remembrance of the plot and main idea. Remembered the coven, Magrat Garlick as a progressive witch who happened to get involved with Granny and Nanny and stuff like that. But, apart from the main plot-line everything was in a mist. Finding out how good this book was (or is) almost kicked me out of my chair.

Yes, it's another one of the Discworld novels which doesn't really have to do anything with fantasy and parody. Sure, Pratchett would like you to think so, but you'd be missing the better part of the book if you just stick with that reasoning. Sure, there is narrative causality present here as in the other Discworld books, there is parody on theatre and parody of lords and ladies, but underneath it all lies the debate about nature of power, concept of destiny, and the idea of a human being. Powers that do clash here, and whose struggle marks even our world, fall into a number of different categories. There is a power of words, gossip, rhetoric, oration, almost godlike power of theatre (i.e. fiction) clashed together with Granny's headology, power of illusion, appearances, grasping the inherent truth that lies dormant in everything. Lurking above them all is sheer power of rulers, power exercised for powers sake, consuming power which destroys humans and cities alike. Amongst the threads of these forces destiny shows up her head and Discworld characters will be hard pressed to avoid being crushed by its unrelenting pressure. Granny and her coven (even though Granny doesn't think much about such business as covens) will try to make everything right, will try to differentiate between the forces and help the world (Land) to restore its balance. Once again, Pratchett tries to re-establish status-quo of the world (Granny being the biggest adversary of anything new here), but in this case he does it in a way that makes sense, and sheer magic of his writing and usage of English language, his admiration for people and their flaws, pulls you right into the story from which you cannot escape until it's finished.

It almost seems like Pratchett decided to set aside comedy for this one (still bringing some of it up just for good measure), and started to write his own mimetic charade, one that does resemble the theater of the absurdity, one that does reflect the world in which we live in. His writing is the main advocate for the ideas presented in this book and it shows us that comedy bits of Discworld are just smoke on the water - charlatans trick to attract attention. Once we separate our minds from Discworld mode of storytelling, entire storyline shows itself like it is, grim and sad, but strangely comforting. Pratchett shows us people like they are, somewhat distorted through the lens of the fiction (which is precisely what Granny does with Duchess), he shows us the world in its bareness and leaves us to deal with it. And, surprisingly, upon seeing all of this, we don't feel despair. Book is strangely comforting just by pointing the fact that you're not alone in the world that looks like that. Just by reassuring you there are lots of people out there who notice this, and the ones who deserve a second chance. And this is something that we forget more often than not. It need reminding now and then - and "Wyrd sisters" do excellent job out of it.

This is one of my favorite books of all time and the one that made me realize Terry Pratchett was a genius. I'd read other works by him including EQUAL RITES and THE LIGHT FANTASTIC, but WYRD SISTERS was the one that made me realize that here was the greatest satirist of modern times masquerading as a fantasy writer.

The plot is an out and out ripoff of Macbeth, but that's okay. Billy Shakespeare stole it from the very best sources and it is a plot that stands the test of time: ambitious fellow, egged on by an even more ambitious wife, kills the true king but then Fate itself steps in to humble the arrogant and put the true heir on the throne. In Shakespeare's hands, this becomes an epic tragedy that speaks to our humanity.

But Pratchett makes this a rollicking comedy that speaks to our human need to tell ourselves stories. This is a favorite theme of his that echoes in many of his later books: MASQUERADE, HOGFATHER, TRUTH and SMALL GODS. Shakespeare likens the world to a stage; Pratchett warns us that the stories we tell ourselves are important because they make us who we are. In WYRD SISTERS, he takes the same elements that Shakespeare uses and shows us how the fake crown of the stage can trump the golden crown of kings.

That's merely what the book is about. Here Granny Weatherwax steps to the fore as a mistress of headology. It's more than just magic. All three of the witches are funny, but Granny is also heroic. What is most admirable is how Pratchett makes his witches into real people: Magrat with her youthful insecurity balanced by Nanny Ogg with her knowing ways and numerous progeny and the wrathful and determined Granny Weatherwax who will find a way to run the clocks forward 15 years rather than pay taxes or suffer disrespect from the usurper.

Pratchett's characters are capable of being both hilarious and sad: The Fool here is one of his best. The biggest mistake one can make about this fantasy is to think that because it uses stock elements, it's only ordinary. Pratchett puts a twist on everything so nothing is as it seems.

The opening paragraph gives due warning of this. One has the blasted heath, the thunderstorm, the eldritch screech of "When shall we three meet again?"

Pause. "Well, I can do next Tuesday."

This book is recommended for drama queens, drama majors, and every student who has just had to read Macbeth. Break a leg getting to the bookstore if you have to, but read this book. If it makes you laugh, it will also make you think.

I love the Discworld series. This is yet one more book in a long line of great novels in this series. I'm so happy that Pratchett has created characters that are older and women, even if they are witches. The main witch characters are spunky and full of fire. And the parallels to Macbeth and Shakespeare are so clever and funny.

I listened to the audio version and I didn't like Celia Imrie as much as I like Nigel Planer. I know she has narrated Equal Rites, but for some reason this book didn't really hit home for me. I thought her characters were fun and funny, but the non-dialogue portions were kind of dull and I found myself zoning out occasionally. I hope future book grab my attention better.

You never know for sure how you are going to respond to a book before you actually read it. I recently read two more books in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, WYRD SISTERS and PYRAMIDS. (I had previously read about a third of the Discworld books, but I'm currently reading all of them in order of publication.) I had imagined that I was going to love WYRD SISTERS, knowing that it was filled with Shakespearean references, and imagined that I was going to dislike PYRAMIDS, since I am pretty uninterested in Egyptian mythology and religion. And given that the novel was set in an area of the Discworld in which we were not likely to encounter any of I was wrong. I enjoyed WYRD SISTERS well enough, but I didn't love it like I expected. But I absolutely adored PYRAMIDS. The novel is nothing short of absolutely hysterical, with Pratchett's inventiveness hitting on all cylinders, with one deliciously absurd character after another. The scenes where Dios exerts complete control over the actions of Teppic are among the finest Pratchett has produced, while the delightful beast known as You Bastard are among my favorite creatures in the entire Disc. The scenes in which Teppeic and Dios exchange words are unfailingly delightful. But I may prefer ever more the moments in which we learn that camels are the most brilliant creatures on the Disc and that they are oblivious to others because they are perpetually engaged in working out problems in higher mathematics. The book also has a brilliant encounter between Teppic and the Sphinx, with some typical Pratchettian twists on the tale.

I didn't actually dislike WYRD SISTERS. The problem was more that I have never really been drawn to the witches to begin with. Just a matter of taste. I did enjoy the references to Shakespeare. Have the joy of Pratchett is getting his various cultural allusions. For instance, any Gene Wolfe fan will love the title of Part Three of PYRAMIDS, "The Book of the New Son." But it isn't enough merely to have references to Shakespeare; the allusions must stand up on their own, and my own feeling was that the Shakespearean elements in the book were the weakest part of the book.

So here is the paradox: I thought I was going to love WYRD SISTERS and dislike PYRAMIDS, whereas PYRAMIDS is my favorite of the first seven books in the series while WYRD SISTERS is my least favorite. Just shows to go that you need to read books before knowing whether or not you will like them.

Take Granny Weatherwax- Pratchett's witch extraordinaire who everyone respects and fears just a bit, Nanny Ogg- The witch everyone actually likes, and Magrat Garlick- a New Age witch who really thinks a coven would be a good idea and Pratchett has on hand a cast that will play delightfully on The Fates, MacBeth, and the theater in general. The Kingdom of Lancre has put up with their less than beneficent rulers for some time, but when the kingdom is usurped by Duke Felmet and his rather power hungry wife, things get out of hand as the wanton acts of cruelty against the land and its people can no longer be tolerated. Enter the newly formed and rather dysfunctional coven, the king's fool, whose loyalty is threatened by newly found notions of romance, and a theatrical group who have a member who has a particular impact on the future of the kingdom. The story moves along quickly, bouncing from the duke's gradual descent into madness with the witches' comic infighting, with aplomb. Although the character of Tomjon has a bit too much Carrot Ironfoundersson in him with his ready command of those around him, Pratchett does pull a nice switch at the end as the king is perhaps not the best man but the right one. Not as strong as some of the other books but a fun read.

The King of Lancre has died of natural causes. As everyone knows, it is very normal and even traditional for a king to die from a stab wound to the back followed by a swift plummet down a steep staircase. As is also traditional, the king's heir and his crown have mysteriously disappeared and it's no doubt only a matter of time before he grows up and returns to reclaim his birthright etc etc. Some things are Traditional. Unfortunately, the new king and his scheming wife aren't hot followers of Tradition and as a reign of terror falls on Lancre, it falls to three local witches (and a psychotic cat called Greebo) to take a hand in events...

Wyrd Sisters sees Pratchett stepping up to the plate a bit more. Whilst the improvements in his writing skills have been clear and steady over the first five Discworld books, it was with this one that he really hit his stride, balancing moments of drama, comedy and even romance (of the awkward, stuttering kind) very nicely. The story is wholly unoriginal, being essentially a Discworld cover version of MacBeth (with a bit of Hamlet thrown in as well, not to mention too many clever references to performers from the Marx Brothers to Charlie Chaplin), but Pratchett doesn't worry about that and instead just revels in the sheer joy of writing here.

The town of Lancre and its somewhat crazy collection of inhabitants is vividly described, and the three witches (Granny Weatherwax, returning from Equal Rites, and newcomers Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick) are among Pratchett's better-written creations, but what makes Wyrd Sisters work is its thematic underpinning. Pratchett had previously toyed with using the Discworld setting to explore various real-life ideas and here addresses the idea of propaganda, the notion that the winners decide what history is and the general power of the written and spoken word, which can sometimes override reality and the truth. Pratchett doesn't harp on about it at tedious length (as he does in some of the weaker books in the series) but uses this theme and idea to inform the action and story, and pulls it off very well, if not quite as well as in the very best books in the series (some of which are coming up quite soon).

Wyrd Sisters (****) is a funny and smart book that sees Pratchett's writing skills stepping up a notch. It is available now in the UK and USA.

Some Discworld books have a lot of humor in them, like the first four of the Night Watch series. This book, the second of the Witches series, is a far more serious story with a darker tone than some other Discworld books, including other witches books.

The first Witches novel,"Equal Rites,"("rites" is spelled this way on purpose, Pratchett likes wordplay) and the third, "Witches Abroad," are lighter and more funny.

Still, this is a very good book! Excellent story. In this novel, Pratchett takes on Shakespeare's "Macbeth," and throws in just a little of "King Lear." You don't need to have read Shakespeare's plays to appreciate this story, but if you have read the plays, you'll appreciate this book more.

In this Discworld novel, Terry Pratchett takes on Shakespeare with a trio of witches, the killing of a king, ghosts in abundance, and an heir that is spirited away for safety.

If you're familiar with Shakespeare, there are a lot of laughs. While there are still a lot of laughs if you're not, you may get the feeling that you're missing something. I've read a few of the Bard's plays, but I frequently felt that I should have been getting a reference and wasn't. A sort of whoosing feeling going over my head. But most of the story doesn't rely on Bardic references. Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick join Granny Weatherwax as witches of Lancre, and, despite the witches habit of not interfering with things, find themselves having to right the wrong of the king's murder. Between seeing how the witches- not being city, or even town or village people- react to theater (they don't understand the conventions of men dressed as women, of fake sword play or the like), watching as too many inspirations hit Hwel the dwarvish playwright (causing a lot of rewriting, as some of his inspirations are more Charlie Chaplin than Hamlet) and wondering if the witches will be able to get the rightful heir onto the throne there is a lot funny stuff. Not one of Pratchett's best, but definitely worth a read.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld does for 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. This sixth entry in the series stands on its own rather well, its only ties to the previous novels being the reappearance of Granny Weatherwax from Equal Rites, the cameo appearance of the Orangutan librarian from the Unseen University, and the obligatory appearance by Death (who may be the only character to appear in all of the books to date, I'll have to check on that sometime....) This volume takes on Shakespeare, the theatre, and the power of words.....

King Verence of Lancre is dead. His cousin, Lord Felmet, very rudely stuck a dagger in his back and pushed him down the stairs. The three witches of Lancre (Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and young Magrat Garlick) don't hold with meddling in politics, but what are they to do when a servant hands them a babe and a crown before expiring from the three arrows stuck in his back?

No subject is too sacred for Terry Pratchett's lampooning pen, as even the sublime plays of Bard Billy become fodder for his stinging hilarity in `Wyrd Sisters'. Three witches gather on a blasted moor; the ghost of a king, foully murdered, seeking vengeance against his usurper; the murderer vainly trying to wash the blood and guilt from his hands; these are but a few of the elements Pratchett commandeers as he cannibalizes Macbeth, Hamlet, Richard III, Henry IV, Romeo and Juliet, and other great works of Shakespeare in this madcap novel.

When King Verence of Lancre is murdered by a usurping kinsman, the whole kingdom is dangerously unbalanced. The usurper despises his new kingdom, and as Lancre lies in the magic rich Ramtop Mountains, even the trees, stones, and animal can sense this, causing a dangerous build up of negative magic power. It falls to the kingdom's three witches to rescue the young heir and find a way to return him to his father's throne before the kingdom is irretrievably ruined.

`Wyrd Sisters' is overwhelmingly character driven, as the paper thin plot is little more than an excuse to allow three amazing witches to romp across its pages. Elder witches Granny Weatherwax - no nonsense, stern, and stubborn, and Nanny Ogg - bawdy sot, and matriarch to a huge tribe, bicker and banter across the pages with junior witch Magrat Garlick , who seems to have learned her witchcraft from a new age bookstore. All three are wonderfully drawn characters, and as they play off of each other they range anywhere between three oracles and the Three Stooges. With characters this strong, Pratchett could almost have dispensed with plot altogether.

As he has developed Discworld over the years, Pratchett has become something of a Voltaire - making us laugh as he makes us think. In `Wyrd Sisters', there are hints of this, but it is not yet clearly focused, and we see far more parody than we do philosophy. Still, he has here some nice riffs on the meaning of destiny, and some hilarious bits about the power of words, double speak, and political propaganda. And his savage and constant lampooning of new age witchcraft is right on the money, and left me howling with laughter.

On the strength of its wonderful witches, `Wyrd Sisters' is one of Pratchett's best efforts, and a must read for any fan of Discworld. I highly recommend it.

Theo Logos

Wyrd Sisters, the sixth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, is a very funny take-off of MacBeth. The Shakespearean allusions were a bit above my head without reading the online annotations, but even without that I found I was laughing a great deal. Plus, it has an interesting story playing on the old "lost son of a king" cliché.
The three witches are my least favourite of the sub-series that Pratchett has in Discworld. Of course, that's because the other two (City Watch, Death) are so good, not because the witches are bad. They are still well worth the price of admission into their stories. Granny Weatherwax is a curmudgeon of sorts, often speaking of how the new people are "getting ideas" put in their head. "'Modern,' said Granny Weatherwax with a sniff. `When I was a gel, we had a lump of wax and a couple of pins and had to be content. We had to make our own enchantment in them days.'" She doesn't understand a lot of new things, like theatre. In fact, one of the funniest scenes in the book is when Magrat and Nanny Ogg take her to the theatre and she tries to intervene in what's happening on stage.
Nanny Ogg and Magrat are wonderful creations as well. Nanny is old, but she's a lot more open-minded. She can understand a lot of the new ideas going around. She's also good at what she does. Another great scene is when Felmet and his wife try to torture her. Let's just say it doesn't quite work. Magrat is the young witch, who thinks that symbols are very important. When they try to summon a demon to help them, she's the one who thinks that they need the "proper" ingredients in order to do it, rather than the makeshift ones that the other two bring in. Together, the threesome is a very entertaining bunch.
The incidental characters are marvelous as well. There's the Fool, who only became a Fool because it was a family tradition. He really hates it. There's Hwel, the dwarf who never took to mining, so he became a playwright. Death makes a few appearances as well, also making his stage debut in a riotous manner. There isn't a wasted character in the bunch, and they are all well-rounded individuals who are interesting to read about.
The plot is excellent as well. The only thing that marred it for me was the extensive Shakespearean allusions, and that's only because I didn't understand half of them. There were times when I knew I was missing a joke, which became a bit frustrating. It's one thing to miss a joke and not even see it, but when you see it but don't understand it, it's a bit of a letdown. Still, if it encourages people to go back to the original plays and read them, then so much the better. The book doesn't suffer for all of this, though. It is still a very entertaining read without it.
This is a wonderful beginning to the Three Witches sub-series. I look forward to reading more of them. It's an excellent place to start your entry into Discworld.

Parodying Shakespeare is a cottage industry among novelists. Few, however, have the talent to weave sound philosophy within the narrative. Pratchett introduces some thoughtful notions along with his compelling characters. From the introduction of Esme Weatherwax in Equal Rites, he fills out the coven residing in the kingdom of Lancre with her cohorts. Each brings a highly unique style to the craft. Esme, acknowledged but undeclared head witch, is traditional, effective and highly sensitive to what's "good for people". Magrat Garlick, well-read, modern and innocent [if you can reconcile those viewpoints] personifies perfectly the modern "Wiccan" mystic. Nanny Ogg almost oozes practicality - having gone through three husbands and is served, if resentfully, by her phalanx of daughters and daughters-in-law. The story itself, however, concerns another matter - one far more pertinent to today's world.
What is, or should be the role of monarchy in modern society? Pratchett uses the Hamlet example to examine this question in a new and penetrating manner. Kings can rise and fall through many means. Duke Felmet, desirous of disciplined rule, fells the incumbent. According to Pratchett, assassination is a "natural cause" of death for monarchs [as is execution, but that's elsewhere in the series]. The coven, aware that the former King Verence of Lancre has been murdered by a potential usurper, becomes protector of the heir. It "protects" him by shipping him off with a troupe of mummers. Thus Shakespeare as example is supplanted by parody of the playwright and his work. The coven, however, senses what Shakespeare never expressed - monarchy's role in regard to the land and the people.
In Shakespeare's day, Elizabeth, the ruling monarch, expressed her love for "her people" and "the country". She was nearly unique in that view. Pratchett, always sensitive to nuances, employs this concern in this tale. On a world ruled by magic, the land itself discerns the injustice of the murder, reacting with anger and pain. Esme, who "borrows" minds, perceives the grief and gathers the coven to go beyond merely hiding the heir. Larger questions are at stake.
Pratchett's ability to weave philosophical questions into what is advertised as "humorous fantasy" is what keeps him at the forefront of the genre. His witty approach gives the widest possible audience the chance to examine the issues he raises. If you miss them or overlook them, he still offers a fine story told in his engaging style. If you are new to Pratchett, you can start the Discworld series comfortably here. If you are an established fan, you will discover this to be one of his better efforts. It is something to read more than once without eroding the pleasure of the first encounter. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Terry Pratchett has always excelled at barbecuing sacred cows. Here, he takes on Shakespeare and some of the trappings of fairy tales and fantasy novels, with a coven of odd witches, a bell-covered Fool who's no idiot, and a king who is, technically, dead.
King Verence of Lancre has been murdered by his cousin Felmet and Felmet's wife. The frustrated king is left haunting the castle as a ghost, and wondering what has happened to his infant son, the heir to the throne. The baby has, in fact, been dropped with a crown into the laps of three witches: Formidable Granny Weatherwax, mildly drunken and very maternal Nanny Ogg, and naive flowery Magrat. The witches decide to get the baby out of the country to keep him safe, and see him off safely with a troupe of kindly actors.
But things are still awry. Felmet, now acting as king of Lancre, is pretty obviously going insane, and his unhappy Fool is the one who keeps giving him tidbits of advice. Felmet and his iron-willed wife decide to stamp out the witches through malicious lies and rumors. But the witches have a few tricks (and spells) up their sleeves, and with they intend to deal with Felmet with the help of the Fool, the dead king, and a lot of furry little animals...
This book has it all: sweet stammering romance, Shakespearean quotes and jokes (Felmet's repeated questions about "Is this a dagger I see before me?"), time travel, ghosts, political strife, and twists on such themes as the long lost heir of a kingdom. There is a Shakespearean dwarf who pens brilliant plays all the time, who will amuse Shakespeare enthusiasts. Pratchett even manages a mild lesson that won't make readers grit their teeth, about how easily opinions can be shaped by false information from movies/books/magazines, or in this case, plays.
Granny Weatherwax of "Equal Rites" is more appealing here, with Magrat and Nanny Ogg to serve as counterpoints. (After all, Samuel Vimes of the "Watch" novels wouldn't be as appealing without Carrot, Nobby, Colon, and the others) Granny is tough, indomitable, but not without her flaws and weaknesses. Nanny Ogg serves as a sillier witch, with her instant attraction to alcohol and tendency to sing obscene songs (something parents will want to edit out). Magrat is a much younger witch, with dreamy ideas about occult jewelry, good witch godmothers, candles, runes, and no romantic experience whatsoever. Felmet is entertainingly crazy, but Pratchett doesn't let readers forget that he is a bad guy; his wife, on the other hand, is both evil and frighteningly sane. The Fool is also a refreshing character, a jester with a brain who hates his job. Tomjon (the prince) is unusually endearing for a Long Lost Heir; he seems like a real person. King Verence, despite being dead, is very vital and great to read about. And, of course, Death has his part to play, despite his inability to remember his lines.
Though not the best of Pratchett's novels, "Wyrd Sisters" is amusing and witty, wry and fun. A great read for teens and adults who love a good story.

Terry Pratchett has created an entirely ridiculous and enjoyable world with his Discworld novels. It is a world peopled by the inhabitants of fantasy and science fiction, with events not often too far removed from what happens in the 'real' world. Yet Pratchett's writing seems to be at its strongest when he is working from other sources and not from his uniquely own material. Such is the case with "Wyrd Sisters", a sendup of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' and many of his other plays.

When the king of Lancre suddenly finds himself dead, and witnesses the duke who killed him to gain his throne, he is at a complete loss on how to cope with being dead, as well as how to seek revenge. He seeks out the local Ramtop witches, commonly known as Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick to help him out. The witches are not meant to interfere with destiny, but find themselves involved when the king's young son is dropped into their hands. They find a home for him among a traveling band of players and try not to interfere as the new duke makes a royal mess of the kingdom. But when the witches become hunted due to terrible false rumors, the three are forced to take matters into their own hands.

"Wyrd Sisters" is a delightful mixing of Pratchett's unique sense of humor and various Shakespearean tales, for fans will recognize other plays that make an appearance - especially a play designed to make a murderous king confess to wrongdoing. Pratchett is in his element when satirizing or making parodies of well-known works, and seems much more comfortable messing around with others' works than in his own skin, which is just fine for fans of Shakespeare and the Discworld.

I almost gave this 4 stars, but the more I thought about it, the less satisfying it became.

Wyrd Sisters is a mildly amusing parody of Macbeth, with shades of Hamlet tossed in as well. I was actually reminded of "Rosenkrantz and Gildestern are dead" by Stoppard, which tells the story of Hamlet through two very minor characters wandering around the background during key scenes and soliloquies. Sadly, Wyrd Sisters wasn't as inventive.

The story has some good chuckles, but none of the laugh-out-loud moments that pepper Pratchett's other works. Also missing are cameos from the vast pantheon of enjoyable minor charcters in the Discworld milieu. My major problem, though, involves a...

***MINOR SPOILER***

About half way through, it becomes necessary to age one of the central characters (the rightful heir to the throne) by 15 years so he can return and claim his birthright. Pratchett's method for this was wholely unconvincing, and even he seemed embarrased by the awkwardness of it all, based on some comments that appear after the fact. I realize it needed to be done, but it just didn't sit right with me.

***END MINOR SPOILERS***

If you like Pratchett, and especially the Lancre Witches arc of his writing, then you'll probably enjoy Wyrd Sisters. Personally, I don't think it's one of his better efforts, though I'm glad I read it from a "completionist" standpoint.

"Wyrd Sisters" is one of the books that made Terry Pratchett's reputation as the dominant fantasy author of our age. As such, it's among his best known works, and an ideal entry point for anyone who has yet to be introduced to the marvel that is Discworld. Granny Weatherwax teams up with Nanny Og and Magrat Garlick for the first time. On the moor, a carriage drives up and deposits a small child, then an assassin arrives followed by two soldiers, and before the evening is out, the witches are carrying the heir to Lancre. Regrettably a certain Duke Felmet would prefer that there not be an heir to Lancre. Chases, stabbings, magic, ghost sightings, propaganda, trips to Ankh-Morpork, cauldrons, Death, torture and Greebo follow in short order.

The opening sections of this book are a laugh riot in the truest sense. There's a higher density of punchlines here than in any other Pratchett book I've read, and indeed possibly in any other book I've read. However, it wouldn't be counted as a high watermark in the annals of fantasy just for having a few yuks. "Wyrd Sisters" was also the moment when Pratchett's philosophy started breaking through into his stories. In particular, "Wyrd Sisters" focuses on literature on drama and their interaction with real life. Hence when the notorious Felmet decides to commission a play in order to rearrange the memory of certain inconvenient facts, he is exploiting the fact that human creative products become reality on the Discworld (as they do in reality). However, on the Discworld certain problems develop when you try to shamelessly manipulate the past (just like in real life). And nobody understands this better than Granny Weatherwax, whose old-fashioned folk wisdom trumps everyone and everything, as always, in a day-saving, up-banging, world-by-tempest-taking grand finale that will have all of Lancre cheering. And you as well.

So far I have read 20 books from the Discworld series. It was recommended to me by a coworker who has read them all several times. There are a couple that she suggested I read out of order. This was so that I could get used to the writing style while also being able to appreciate the humor and satire that Terry Pratchett has woven into his books. I can honestly say that when I finish one, I will mull it over in my heard but I cannot wait for the next book to see where and with whom we are going to be visiting next. I love ALL of these books.I think my favorite characters have to be Death and Rincewind although Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax are right at the top of the list. Hogfather was wonderful. The Wizards certainly keep you on your toes like a group of second grade boys. Wonderfully written,so descriptive,full of satire and humor,just enough sex to let you know that it is still there-,what more could a reader ask for in a book? For it to be free? That's the only improvement I can see being viable. Thank you Terry Pratchett for a group of books that kept me interested and wound into the story through all that I have read so far(20 books!)

Like Tom Stoppard (amongst others) before him, Terry Pratchett has re-written Shakespeare, shifting focus to a group of secondary characters. Where Stoppard switches the hub of "Hamlet" to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Pratchett uses "Macbeth"s three witches, the so-called "Wyrd Sisters". He also replaces Scotland with a giant, interstellar Discworld, perched atop four gigantic elephants, who are themselves perched atop an even more giant turtle. Needless to say, Shakespeare's original does not come away unscathed.
Pratchett tosses around numerous parodic references to "Macbeth" (i.e., the opening scene where an eerie voice asks, "When shall we three meet again?" and a deadpan voice replies "Well, I can do next Tuesday"; people are constantly seeing daggers before them, or at least thinking they do). It should be noted that a familiarity with the original text is not important to your enjoyment here. I haven't read the play in about five years, and still caught enough to stay with the joke. References to other plays abound as well. "Hamlet" (a tightfisted theatre director decrees that "the pay's the thing", then swiftly corrects himself), "Romeo and Juliet", and "Richard III" are all prominently featured and lampooned.
"Wyrd Sisters" also features the finest example of an ensemble cast so far seen in any of the Discworld books. Each character is distinct and interesting, not to mention integral to the plot. My favourites include: Tomjon, the unknown heir who is a great example of how a passion for the theatre can stand side-by-side with more conventional magic; Hwel (Will?), a dwarf playwright, who at one point almost invents the stage personas of the Marx Brothers (yay!), Laurel & Hardy, and Charlie Chaplin; Granny Weatherwax, who first appeared in "Equal Rites" and now has her own odd but endearing coven to deal with; Verence, late King of Lancre, who is doomed to hang around his old castle as a frustrated and ineffectual ghost; and Greebo, a cat best described as a feline rapist, for his prodigious spreading of the seed. But my favourite character is The Fool, a Shakespearean staple given a surprising amount of depth here. The Fool is allowed to feel love and despair, the former for the young witch Magrat, and the latter for his fated placement in a job that he despises. Normally a device for exposition, here The Fool is a full-fledged, living and breathing character. A wonderful creation.
To me, this is the first in the series which gets all the elements right. Pratchett throws in enough references to keep fans of those continually happy. He has created an eclectic and fascinating cast of characters. And fashioned a story that is involving, complex, intriguing, funny, and supremely entertaining. It's not the proper place to start your journey through the Discworld, but for those of you amongst the initiated, don't make the mistake of skipping "Wyrd Sisters".

Although Terry Pratchett has abandoned non-stop satire in his Discworld books after "The Light Fantastic," "Wyrd Sisters" is as much a satire as it is a character and world-building novel, this time taking some very solid shots at William Shakespeare, "Macbeth," "Hamlet," the popular conception(s) of witches, and even a bit of a riff on fairy tales.
A jealous relative has killed the King of Lancre, who is now stuck (literally) haunting his castle. But his infant son has been delivered into the care of three witches, including the formidable Granny Weatherwax, who refuse to meddle in politics. Well, that's what they say, anyway ...
As a Shakespeare enthusiast, I found the parodies of both plays spot on and very fun -- elements of it hold up very favorably next to "Shakespeare in Love" -- and as a fan of fantasy novels, I was delighted to see how Pratchett handled the problem of needing (REALLY needing) to get a usurper off the throne with an heir to the throne who's not even potty trained.
A word of warning: The hamhanded marketing copy in the back pages of the book promoting the Discworld series gives away the end of this novel. I'm not sure what they were thinking there ...
Although I mostly prefer the Unseen University novels, "Wyrd Sisters" is easily one of my favorite Discworld novels, and indeed, novels in general. Whole-heartedly recommended to fans of Discworld, Shakespeare or fantasy with a sense of humor.

When Duke Felmet kills King Verence and names himself the new King of Lancre, Verence's ghost haunts the castle and his young son is smuggled out of the kingdom and taken to a coven of three witches for protection. These witches bestow three gifts upon the baby and place him with the owner of an acting troupe. The new king is an evil one, and the entire kingdom (animal, vegetable, and mineral) expresses its displeasure. How could the witches possibly refrain from using their magic skills to meddle in royal politics, place the rightful heir on the throne, and set things right?

"Wyrd Sisters" is the sixth title in the Discworld series, and with each book, author Terry Pratchett keeps getting better and better. The story is a clever parody of Shakespeare from the opening scene onwards. It's a fast-paced romp through a pastiche of scenes, themes, and lines from Macbeth, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, As You Like It, and many more, all unified into an entertaining whole. Pratchett also throws in references to Tolkien, Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz, and Sleeping Beauty (not to mention others I have probably missed).

The witches are my favorite Discworld characters, and with good reason. Their personalities are drawn to perfection, and each of them is endearing in her own way. Granny Weatherwax, who was first introduced in "Equal Rites," is the feisty, powerful, no-nonsense witch who believes in headology. Nanny Ogg is the grandmotherly witch who loves drinking and bawdy songs. Magrat Garlick is the young, idealistic New Age witch who likes spells to be performed just so, and who falls in love with the court Fool. The interactions and squabbles between the three witches are hilarious.

You don't have to like Shakespeare to appreciate this book, although a passing knowledge of at least Hamlet and Macbeth will enhance the enjoyment. Nor do you have to be a fan of fantasy fiction. You just need a good sense of humor, because this book is wickedly funny all the way through. Even the footnotes will make you laugh. I can't recommend this book highly enough. You will be bewitched by it!

Eileen Rieback

Wyrd Sisters is the sixth of the Discworld novels from Terry Pratchett, and a very strong addition it is. This is the 2nd of the books involving Granny Weatherwax (the first in the Witches series being Equal Rites), and she returns just as strong, acerbic, and funny as ever. This time she's joined by Nanny Ogg, her opposite in nearly every way. Not surprisingly, they are constantly bickering, and Pratchett has tons of fun with this. A third witch, young Magrat, talks them into forming a "coven", although none of them quite knows what that means. They get involved in the succession of the king of Lancre, where they all live, when the just-murdered king's son is delivered to the witches.

Wyrd Sisters starts a little slow in terms of humor, but ends very strong (kind of opposite to Equal Rites, so strong early but with a somewhat weak ending). In Wyrd Sisters, the witches are forced to use magic in some very interesting ways, but Pratchett also provides better examples of Granny's most difficult magic, not using magic at all. Anyone should enjoy this book, and as with most Discworld books, it can be read on its own. I recommend reading Equal Rites first, however, with its great introduction to Granny's character.

Wyrd Sisters gets my highest recommendation.

Although we first met Granny Weatherwax in Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters gives us the three witches-Granny, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick-in all of their glory. These are my favorite characters in the Discworld, and loud peals of laughter are always to be found when this remarkable coven of witches gets together. The story itself is a thoroughly Pratchett-like concoction of Shakespeare, fairy tales, satire, and infinitely rich comedy. The king of Lancre, much to his surprise, has been murdered by the Macbethian Duke Felmet, and he is not at all happy about this. No one, in fact, is happy, including the very kingdom itself, which physically shows its rage at having a new king who despises his own royal domain. The witches are also not happy, as the Duke works continually to discredit them among the people-Granny Weatherwax just doesn't have any truck with that at all. Of course, in a story such as this, there has to be a long-lost child of the murdered king who will eventually come back to right the wrongs done his father and dethrone the regal malefactor-or something along those lines, anyway. Things are never quite that simple on the Discworld.
The antics of the witches are hilarious. Granny Weatherwax is a stalwart personality who never admits she might be wrong or that there is something she is not familiar with. Nanny Ogg is a rather worldly witch who enjoys nothing more than getting blasted and drunkenly singing about hedgehogs or the fact that a wizard's staff has a knob on the end. Then there is young Magrat, quite plain in appearance, who believes the traditional ways of witchcraft are best and whose sometimes naïve, positive nature often conflicts with the thinking of her older cohorts; you have to love her, really. Her romance of sorts with the shy king's Fool is a rather comical yet sweet subplot to the novel. My favorite scene, one of the funniest I have ever read, concerns the witches' trip to the theatre; Granny has no understanding of theatre or drama, and her increasingly raucous reactions to the performance she sees is not to be missed.
You don't have to know Shakespeare intimately in order to enjoy the numerous allusions to his work, particularly Macbeth and Hamlet, but I decided to read those two plays before reading Wyrd Sisters in order to make sure I caught as much of the comedy as possible. From the attempts of the duke to wash the blood from his hands to the manipulations of the duchess to the performance of a drama in order to call out the murderous king for his treacherous deeds, this fictional cauldron is swimming with Shakespearean ingredients. It's remarkably witty on a number of levels, yet the constant humor does nothing to take away from an intriguing and not wholly predictable plot. Even if you don't agree that the three "wyrd sisters" are the funniest and most remarkable characters inhabiting the Discworld, I do not see how you could possibly fail to find much enjoyment and humor in this novel.

Pratchett's Discworld books are generally satires, each skewering a different topic. This book is no exception, though it helps to be somewhat familiar with Shakespeare to appreciate the humor here. The story here includes elements that are pretty clearly lifted from Hamlet (including a regicide and a ghostly king) and Macbeth (the three witches), among others. There is even a theater under construction in Ankh-Morpork called the "Dysk" (i.e., the Globe). But, as usual, Pratchett takes all these well known elements and gives them a distinctly Discworld twist.

While this book didn't have as many places that were laugh-out-loud funny (though the reactions of the witches to their first experience at the theater was close), the book is full of amusing situations and improbable encounters (after all, this is Discworld, where the improbable happens all the time). This was a quick read and a pleasant diversion, and would likely satisfy most fans of Discworld.

Terry Pratchett has become one of the most popular authors alive today and his popularity is richly deserved. But not even with his fertile mind could ever have envisaged the heights to which his Discworld series would rise. This book was first published in 1988 and is number six in the Discworld novels.

You would think that a fantasy world full of trolls, zombies, witches, vampires would be an alien concept to most readers. Werewolves and dwarves in the Ank Morpork city watch. Wizards running a university. All this born in the mind of one of the funniest minds writing today. Surely this style of writing would have a limited readership? But no the books are loved by anybody and everybody and are read by people who would not normally allow fantasy fiction anywhere near their book shelves. This is the Discworld of Terry Pratchett.

In this episode Granny Weatherwax and her fellow coven members are meddling in politics, the royal kind, which Granny Weatherwax thinks is the worst kind of all. The Wyrd sisters as they are known battle to put the right king on the right throne, at least that's the general idea. After all what are witches for . . .

Witches on the Disc have traditions, they're just not what you might think. Getting three of them together to form a coven is hard enough you can forget midnight "dancin around without your drawers on" as Nanny Ogg says. Besides the whole magic part one of the distinguishing features of witches is that they don't generally associate with each other.

This of course makes this story all the more interesting as Granny Weatherwax, Magrat (her mother couldn't spell Margaret) Garlick, and Nanny Ogg must cooperate to save the kingdom of Lancre from certain disaster. While Granny was introduced in Equal Rites this marks the introduction of Magrat and Nanny.

You'll see plenty of Shakespeare in this volume, especially MacBeth and Hamlet, which I think makes it all the more enjoyable. There is nothing more fun than getting exactly what you don't expect from a traditional tale whenever you're venturing onto the Disc.

And what could be a better setting than the country of Lancre, squeezed in at the foot of the Ramtops where most flat land is vertical. Lancre castle overlooks the main town (imaginatively called Lancre Town) and occasionally bits and pieces fall into the gorge and the far off (vertically) Lancre River.

If you like this volume then you should definately go on to Witches Abroad and Lords and Ladies. It delivers the humour definately expected from Pratchett and has the classical touch of Shakespeare turned on his head and spinning in his grave. :-)

Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Wyrd Sisters" is the sixth novel in his hugely popular Discworld series and his second (after "Equal Rites") to feature Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld's greatest witch. It was first published in 1988 and was later made into a cartoon. Pratchett won the 2001 Carnegie Medal for "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" and was awarded the OBE in 1998.

Granny Weatherwax is joined in "Wyrd Sisters" by the two other members of her recently formed coven. One, 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 - dancing, occult jewellery, runes and the healing power of colours, for example. The trio are caught up in Lancre's political affairs when Duke Felmet decides it's time for his cousin, King Verence, to 'retire' - and kindly plants a dagger into the King's back. The King's infant son and the Kingdom's crown are delivered into the witches' hands by an escaping servant loyal to the deceased King - who now haunts the castle, desperately longing for the ability to eat. The coven, in turn, christens the royal orphan 'Tomjon' and, for his protection, put him in the care of a travelling theatre. The new king, however, is such a disaster they realise Tomjon must return to the throne as quickly as possible.

Although "Wyrd Sisters" is most obviously a parody of Shakespeare's "Macbeth", you don't have to have read the Scottish play to enjoy the book. Having said that, even a basic awareness of the Bard's work should increase the number of laughs. Hwel, the dwarven playwright for the travelling band of actors, seems to owe a little to Shakespeare himself and when the troupe settle in Ankh-Morpork their home theatre is named "The Dysk". (Shakespeare's, of course, was called "The Globe"). Hwel, at various points, was also on the verge of 'inventing' the Discworld's versions of the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin. Duke Felmet's Fool, who falls in love with Magrat, not only hates his job but is clearly a good deal more intelligent than his paranoid boss. (The Fool and the young witch also deliver what is quite possibly the longest kiss in literature). However, it's Nanny Ogg - with her fondness for a 'knees up' and a vulgar song - who is my favorite character. Thoroughly recommended !

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.

This book was originally published in 1988.

Terry Pratchett's bibliography marches onwards towards 40 books, but as with every author, the true classics jump out at you. While many will choose Soul Music as Pratchett's zenith, or perhaps his collaboration with Neil Gaiman, Good Omens, I put the finger on Wyrd Sisters as the penultimate Terry Pratchett novel. It's the only book every fan can agree on, and has made countless Pratchett fans out of first-time readers.

Broadly a parody of Shakespeare's MacBeth, Wyrd Sisters is the 6th Discworld novel, and Pratchett's 15th overall. It's the 2nd book in the broadly loved "Witches' Stories" begun by "Equal Rites". Pratchett starts with its main protagonist, Esmerelda "Granny" Weatherwax, and sticks her with two other witches from her home, the mountainous state of Lancre, hubward from the great city of Ankh-Morpork. Gytha "Nanny" Ogg is the mother of all mothers, the matriarch of the burgeoning Ogg clan, whose sharp wit and sharper eye for vice is a treasure trove of belly laughs. Magrat Garlick is the reluctant maiden of the coven, naive and earnest to a fault, and given to expecting form to accompany function. That makes Granny Weatherwax the cr--...no, she'd give me the Evil Eye if I said the word. She's just old, cantankerous, knows a lot of real stuff about life, and brooks no fools.

When the King of Lancre is murdered, his spirit appeals to the witches to avenge him and protect his heir from his scheming cousin and murderer, Duke Felmet and his vicious harpy of a wife, the Duchess, who (both described in the novel and in the wonderful animated mini-series) sports a hair-do like Princess Leia from Star Wars, but isn't beautiful and is built like a valkyrie. Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg know the secret of the king's son, and set out to ensure that things unfold as they should.

And they do so with some of the wittiest and most hysterically funny dialogue ever written in a novel. The exchanges between Granny, Nanny, and Magrat, and their conversations with others, are the stuff of comedy legend. Because it's a story with Nanny Ogg in it, a lot of the humor is sexual in nature but in the "nudge nudge wink wink" vein of things, which makes Granny Weatherwax annoyingly uncomfortable (after all, just for the inevitability of someone saying 'we're all naked under our clothes', she wears clothes under her clothes) and most of it sails gaily over Magrat's head. Such as in their discussion of some of the former king's propensities:

"And then there was that great hairy thing of his," said Nanny Ogg.
There was a perceptible change in the atmosphere. It became warmer, darker, filled at the corners with shadows of unspoken conspiracy.
"Ah," said Granny Weatherwax distantly. "His droit de siegneur."
"Needed a lot of exercise," said Nanny Ogg, staring at the fire.
"But next day he'd send his housekeeper round with a bag of silver and a hamper of stuff for the wedding," said Granny. "Many a couple got a proper start in life thanks to that."
"Ah," agreed Nanny. "One or two individuals, too."
"Every inch a king," said Granny.
"What are you talking about," said Magrat suspiciously. "Did he keep pets?"

And these kinds of exchanges keep turning up continually, all the time, nearly every page with two or three. And somehow Pratchett keeps it up the whole book *and* manages to thread a sharp plot through the whole thing.

It's difficult to underestimate this book. It establishes so many cherished ideas about the Discworld -- about the role of witches in its culture, the echo of our own European legacy, for example. It fixes into the Discworld pantheon Nanny Ogg's cat, Greebo, as a boot-faced ball of casual malevolence even as Nanny dismissed him as "just an old softie". (Pratchett is obviously a cat lover.) More fans of Terry Pratchett and Discworld can likely trace their fandom back to this book more than any other.

Being the 2nd book in the story arc, Pratchett truly fleshes out his characters, sketches out his mythology, and hits his literary stride with Wyrd Sisters. Just as the middling Mort launched the classic "Death's Family" novels Reaper Man and Soul Music; and the middling Guards! Guards! launched the classic "Night Watch" novel Men at Arms, Wyrd Sisters adds every crucial element that was missing from Equal Rites, and provides a perfect launchpad for the classic witch books to follow, "Witches Abroad" and "Lords and Ladies". (And if ever there was a paragraph that could serve as a Pratchett Reading List for the Uninitiated, there it is right there.)

Wyrd Sisters isn't just a good book. It isn't just a funny book. It's a fan creator. Come witness Terry Pratchett at the beginning of the finest phase of his writing career.

Wyrd Sisters continues the story of Granny Weatherwax, who we first met in the Discworld novel Equal Rites. In this book, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have joined with another witch, Magrat, new to the Discworld novels, to form a coven. Magrat has some odd ideas of what witchcraft involves, such as rituals, candles, and herbs, but the other two humor her. We also get a visit from our old friend Death. We also get introduced to some new characters. The old ruler of the kingdom, Verence, was murdered and is stuck being a ghost, bound to the stones of the castle. Hwel is a playwright given the job of writing a play to make the current evil ruler and his wife look better in the eyes of the people. The witches get involved in the royal intrigue, despite wanting to not get involved in matters outside of the coven. The land is unhappy with the new ruler, and the witches know it. Wyrd Sisters abounds with references to Shakespeare, namely MacBeth. Filled with witty dialogue and amusing parodies, the Discworld novels keep getting better and better.

You can never go wrong with Pratchett or Discworld. Admittedly if you're new to the author and his particular oeuvre you will find that there are some characters you become more enamored with than others and some books you therefore like more than others, but even the "worst" Discworld book is pretty damn good.

Another good Terry Pratchett satire. There are three witches, including the famed Granny Weatherspoon (from Mort). The three witches become unintentionally involved with the fate of the kingdom after preserving the life of the prince, son of the murdered king. The plot plays off of Shakespeare's Macbeth as the prince is given to some actors to be raised. (The duke tries to get the blood off his hands, his wife is the true force behind the throne). But, the three witches don't want to meddle but are forced into interfering by the unkingly activities of the Duke (no respect to the witches, too much burning, no droit de mesigneur). With Pratchett's usual playfulness, the plot resolves itself in some unexpected ways. I only give the book 4 stars, because I don't think it lives up to my favorite novels by Pratchett (Small Gods and Thief of Time).
The best bits are where Terry plays off of the individual and history, the ordinary and the grand, what actually happened and the interpretation. How much of history is what happened and how much is words? How much can words shape the interpretation of the event. How much freedom do human beings have to shape history and destiny? All these questions and more are addressed in Pratchett's satirical, fantastical romps.

If Fantasy is your cup of tea, and you haven't tried Pratchett's Discworld books, pick one in the series and have at it. He was compared to Douglas Adams in the beginning, but I have to say that Pratchett has it all over Adams. Discworld is funnier and more inventive than either Hitchhiker's or Dirk Gently. Describing the premise of the series (life on a flat world riding on the back of four huge elephants who in turn ride on the back of the great sky turtle where magic works...sometimes) or the plot of any given entry in the series (here three witches meddle in the affairs of a kingdom) can not do the books justice. They are sly and witty and, at times, laugh out loud funny. I knew a hugh fan of Wodehouse in Boston who said Pratchett should be allowed to live forever providing he produced one Discworld book a year. He should be paid up for a decoade or more since he's been doubling up the past couple years. You can't go wrong if you are looking for a laugh! And the BBC has produced two of the books as animated series (check them out in the store's DVD land Soul Music and this book).

Discworld's take on Shakespeare (sort of a blend of King Lear, Macbeth, Hamlet, and Shakespeare himself) is my new favorite Terry Pratchett novel. Three witches decide that it might be best if they meddled in the affairs of the kingdom by saving the heir to the usurped throne. They have to deal with a sad Fool, the crazed Duke, an annoying ghost, and a tortured playwright who wants to rewrite history. The characters are brilliantly portrayed, the plot is delightfully twisted, and Pratchett's prose is both mind-bendingly clever and absolutely hilarious. I don't think I've laughed so hard at a book this year. Pratchett remains a master of the genre, comically bending it in order to wring more truth from it. And I personally always love a book that features a cat. Grade: A+

'Wyrd Sisters' is the first of the best of Pratchett and Discworld. The story is wide ranging enough to challenge most readers while not getting so wide ranging as to wander off on its own. This one parodies both Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' and Macbeth' and the foibles of romance (highlighting the role of the man as a Fool in a romantic relationship). It culminates with a discussion of the potential consequences of exercising 'droit du signeur' (a big hairy thing, or so we are led to believe) and a court jester who is a dab hand with the ladies. It reiterates the dangers of undersetimating old ladies in black dresses. And of course, Death has his role to play.

Pratchett at his finest with comedy both bold and subtle, that can be read on multiple levels, that truly shows his mastery of the art of satire. In short, not to be missed.

Pratchett at his best is the best comic writer alive, and long may he flourish, but reviewing his books isn't easy. Anyone who reads them for the plot has probably lost it or never got it in the first place. A week after reading this I could barely remember what happened, but I still thought it was the funniest book I'd read all year. You don't have to be a fantasy fan. Folklore, literature and history are ransacked, and it helps to be a know-all to get all the jokes, but you don't have to be. You can be twelve years old and still love it. Harry Potter, go play with broomsticks.

What's it about? Witches, kings, ghosts, strolling players, neurotic landscape, time dilation. The one where an old lady tells you the way and if you don't offer to share your lunch with her you're in Trouble. A rube who knows his rights, including scotage, potage and munchage for half a cow on the common. Magrat Garlick, witch J.G., hailed by a dwarf: "Good...old...er, miss?" A failed jester who turns out to be the lost prince or at least a good stand-in. I don't know, just read it. Read them all.

Ed: could we be a bit more specific?

Sorry. Duke Felmet, egged on by his ferocious wife, stabs the old king and grabs the throne of Lancre, a sort of bijou Scotland inhabited by English yokels. The true heir is spirited away to safety by the Three Witches, but when he grows up, which happens overnight due to time dilation, he decides he would rather be an actor, so the claim passes to his double, the Court Fool (don't ask). Meanwhile, Felmet has gone interestingly mad and still hasn't worked out how to exercise his droit de seigneur. There is a cameo appearance by Death. Afterwards they all lived, or in Felmet's case died, happily for quite a long time.

Some reviewers have detected Philosophy too, which accounts for the final line: "There is a school of thought that says witches and wizards can never go home. They went, though, just the same."

I discovered the writing of Terry Pratchett when I happened to read a short story called 'The Sea and Little Fishes,' which was included in the Legends compilation series. That short story featured one 'Granny Weatherwax' and her companion Gytha Ogg, and the deadpan brilliance of the writing and imagination hooked me immediately. Since then, I have purchased and read every book in Pratchett's 'Granny Weatherwax' cycle (except Witches Abroad) and I have enjoyed each one of them immensely. Pratchett is sly, witty, fiendishly nonsensical when he has to be, masterful in his plotting when he has to be, and above all else, entertaining. Wyrd Sisters was an absolute hoot of a book, laced with memorable scenes, lines of cracklingly funny dialogue and fresh imagination. Pratchett knows how to walk the fine line between camp and clever, and he never misses a beat in his Granny books. Read and become hooked at your own peril.

I usually read books on the bus. Especially if it is the kind of book I feel I can't lay down. You will feel that way about this book, and so you will want to take it with you on the bus unless you managed to finish it at 4AM the day before a work-day. My very sincere advice to you is: Don't! Reading this book on the bus will ruin your social life and possibly kill you. The howls of laughter you will make whilst reading this book will be violent, loud and long-lasting. This will undoubtedly annoy your co-passengers, who will vilify you in public for having pierced their eardrums. There goes your social life. It might also starte the bus driver, and your laughter spasms might rock the bus too violently, causing the bus to swerve off the road. Which could kill you. And therefore also really damage your social life.

This is one of the funniest and most charming books I've read in a while. Terry Pratchett uses the environment of his famous Discworld to tell a story of a coven of three witches (although two will argue it's not a coven) who meddle in the business of royal politics (although all two will argue it's not meddling).
Those who enjoy a funny story will love this book, but those who enjoy a funny story and have read Shakespeare's Macbeth and Hamlet will enjoy it even more. Pratchett does a great job interweaving different aspects of classic plays and fairy tales with the overall plot and flavor of the story, while adding the comedic edge for which he is so well known. And those who have spent even a small amount of time studying modern witchcraft and Wicca will find a few scenes particularly funny.
The story involves the typical royal intrigue and how the smallest twist of fate can change an entire kingdom, and when you throw in Pratchett's three witches, fate is forced to flee in terror. Include travelling actors, a Fool who isn't a fool, a disgruntled ghost, a paranoid king, and a thunderstorm that hopes to one day grow up and be a really big storm, and you're starting to get the idea how wacky things get.
This book is definitely in the top three Discworld novels.

Granny Weatherwax and her fellow witches, Nanny Ogg and Magrat, are usually content to tend to their terrified populace and avoid meddling in others' affairs (much). But when the King of Lancre is killed, and the diapered heir falls into their hands, they meddle away, sending the child off with a bunch of Thespians (exactly where is Thespia, anyway?). But that is not enough, when the new king tries (gasp) taxing witches, it is not long before it becomes clear that something must be done . . .
A fun time, satirizing Macbeth and Hamlet, and, now and then, other bits of Shakespeare. Don't miss the scene of Magrat gathering flowers as the stupefied Fool looks on--borrowed straight from Ophelia's mad scene!
Read with a drink on one side and your complete Shakespeare on the other!

I adore Terry Pratchett, but I admit that he has learned a lot in the last 25 plus years. This book is not his best, although it includes many of the aspects that make his best books not only best compared to his own work but also compared to those of others. In this novel, there is satire not only on our own society's cynicism and blind belief, but also on the deep fairy tales that continue to move us, and the surprising forces that give us hope in our own individual free choice.

This book isn't Pratchett's best, but it is a great deal better than most authors' average,and reading it will give you an entryway to some of the best fiction writing of our time, fantasy, "realistic" or otherwise.

The Movie of the book is good (the store has it on DVD and VHS Staring Christopher Lee) but the Book is still better.
but i do prefer the British Corgi Edition of the book as it has the origonal cover art by Paul Kidby (he is one of the artists) and they are works of art, some of the hardcover versions have it, but the paper back versions that are put out by "Harper" are doomed to have the ugly stark covers that make my eyes hurt to look at, when they started publishing the US editions they decided to re-do all the covers in colors that make you go colorblind if you look at them too long.
otherwise the book is excelent and they did'nt seem to edit the words by replacing them with words more common in the US edition,
Like replacing Chips with the word Fries.
if they ever make them with the excelent origonal cover art i will givw the book the additonal fifth star it deserves.

Meet Granny, Nanny, and Margrat, the three witches of the Ramtop Mountains. They meet on a rainy night and are saddled with an infant prince and a Shakespearean drama of the highest magnitude. Pratchett takes his three magical ladies out for their first real spin and sets his sights on MacBeth. Grand satire and fantastic characters that leave one grinning as the pages turn. Let Nanny summon a demon using old soap flakes and a wooden spoon, or Granny to use "headology", or Magrat to make the tea and fall in love and the world will be a scary, but funny place indeed.

Plays off MacBeth. Since I read these hopelessly out-of-order, it is nice to go back and figure out just how the former Jester became King and Magrat his (eventual) queen. The old King Verrence is murdered, but his ghost gets to hang around and haunt the castle, and his son is spirited away to join a troupe of roving actors and a dwarf playwright. This one moves well and finishes well (finishing well is kind of unusual for a Discworld novel), there are quite a few great puns, and we get to know the three witches better. It is up-to-the-eyeballs in Shakespearean references, avoids being too pat, and ranks as one of Pratchett's best efforts.

This was my second Terry Pratchett and though it did not make me a die-hard fan it put me down on his list of admirers.The zany humour in this book had me laughing out loud. From the comical metaphors to the crazy town names to the engaging little footnotes Pratchett thoughtfully put in.The characters are unusual but engaging and likeable at the same time. Anyone who can make selfish Granny Weatherwax, wishy washy Magrat and an intelligent Fool loveable has got my vote.Read this whether you love fantasy or not.

Terry Pratchett's book are so full of humor and funny references, I can read them many times over. I am a long time fan, so I admit my bias, but a clever humorous fantasy writer you'd be hard pressed to find. So many fantasy book have great imagination but take themselves oh so seriously. Pratchett is the antidote to that and to anyone who is so tired of the intense vampire / shape-shifter / Paranormal romance genre. Want your fantasy and twisted fairy tales to be fun? Here is the author.

If you've ready any of Pratchett's books you don't need anyone telling you to read another -- they are funny, witty -- not always the same thing -- and cheerful. If you've never read Pratchett, get ready for a zany adventure with oddball witches and an entire planet that might have been designed by the Monty Python troupe except it's less slapstick than Python and the characters -- while strange -- seem real rather than cardboard.

Fairly enjoyable story, not as good as the later stories in the series, but better than some of the earliest... as usual the barroom brawl scenes steal the show, and as usual there are a few good laughs to be found.

This book is the sixth or so book in the DiscWorld series, and presents a transition from the early (shorter) books to the later (longer) books in the series. Most of the early books were about 210 paperback pages long - this one comes in at 265... but, the problem is that at times the pace of WYRD SISTERS is a bit too slow. The characters and the overall story are decent enough - it is just that sometimes nothing much is happening (lots of slogging thru forests and such).

I almost gave this book 5 stars because it introduced me to three of my favorite characters and is a fun book in its own right. Then I mind battled it against later Discworld books and realized that while good Wyrd Sisters is more of a fun stepping block to bigger and better things. Is it fair to base my rating on other Pratchett books? nope. If you're new to Discwold this is a good place to start! And it's a classic for veteran fans.

It's hard to choose just one Pratchett book as your favorite but this is one of my favorite all time books. My dog ate two copies of it, so I guess he likes it too, and I keep going out and buying another copy. The MacBeth story retold is amusing. But the witches are my favorite Pratchett characters. They are full of life, each within their own stage of life, and histerical. It's too bad they are no longer featured prominently in his more recent books. To know Granny Weatherax is to respect and love her....from a far distance.

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.

As a major fan of Pratchett's work, I was rather disappointed by this one. Pratchett weaves a tale of murder and intrigue in the tradition of Shakespeare (MacBeth to be exact). This should be a great story; but, it mires early on and doesn't pick up until late in the novel. The last few chapters are funny and well paced; but, are too late to really save this novel. Read this if you are a Pratchett fan

"Wyrd Sisters" was the first Pratchett book I read. It took me awhile to get into, since I was used to authors like Eddings and Terry Brooks, but once i did, i couldn't put it down. Love the witches, they always kept me laughing with their bickering etc. Greebo, Verence, and the Fool were constantly cracking me up. Now i'm reading "Maskerade" and it's living up to the standards!

Wonderfull, wonderfull, wonderfull!!! Only bad thing is that the layout make it look like a child story. I recommend everyone who like Terry Pratchett or who're just feeling down to read it. It was my first Terry Pratchett but absolutely not my last... It is funny and easy to get into and it's also full of thoughts about life. It's poking fun at our normal habits and culture. 'love it!!!!

This book just never interested me from the get-go. As a matter of fact I had a hard time finishing it because I did not really care what happenned or to whom. I was expecting something in the Douglas Adams Hitchhiker series, and was not entirely disappointed. The book has its moments of irreverence, and some of the humor made me chuckle. However, the plot dragged and the story seemed predictable. Maybe I was just in a foul mood but this is one of the few books I have ever read in which I just didn't care.....

Another excellent Discworld novel, with the trio of Granny, Nanny & Magrat taking on a kingdom (& old Bill Shakespeare's "Macbeth" to boot), with a little help from Death, a troupe of actors & some judicious time-travel. Lady Macbeth wasn't a patch on her counterpart here. The best thing about the novel is that you'll still love Pratchett's wacky humour if you don't get the literary allusions, but if you're a Shakespeare fan, you won't be able to put it down (or stop yourself going over it a dozen times to see what you missed).

Pratchett's take on Hamlet of a sort. He approaches it with his usually way for humor and wit. Honestly I really like this one quite a bit. It really made me laugh out loud and read paragraphs to whoever was present and I thought would find it funny. One of his better one in my opinion.

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.

As a major fan of Pratchett's work, I was rather disappointed by this one. Pratchett weaves a tale of murder and intrigue in the tradition of Shakespeare (MacBeth to be exact). This should be a great story; but, it mires early on and doesn't pick up until late in the novel. The last few chapters are funny and well paced; but, are too late to really save this novel. Read this if you are a Pratchett fan

"Wyrd Sisters" was the first Pratchett book I read. It took me awhile to get into, since I was used to authors like Eddings and Terry Brooks, but once i did, i couldn't put it down. Love the witches, they always kept me laughing with their bickering etc. Greebo, Verence, and the Fool were constantly cracking me up. Now i'm reading "Maskerade" and it's living up to the standards!

Wonderfull, wonderfull, wonderfull!!! Only bad thing is that the layout make it look like a child story. I recommend everyone who like Terry Pratchett or who're just feeling down to read it. It was my first Terry Pratchett but absolutely not my last... It is funny and easy to get into and it's also full of thoughts about life. It's poking fun at our normal habits and culture. 'love it!!!!

This book just never interested me from the get-go. As a matter of fact I had a hard time finishing it because I did not really care what happenned or to whom. I was expecting something in the Douglas Adams Hitchhiker series, and was not entirely disappointed. The book has its moments of irreverence, and some of the humor made me chuckle. However, the plot dragged and the story seemed predictable. Maybe I was just in a foul mood but this is one of the few books I have ever read in which I just didn't care.....

Another excellent Discworld novel, with the trio of Granny, Nanny & Magrat taking on a kingdom (& old Bill Shakespeare's "Macbeth" to boot), with a little help from Death, a troupe of actors & some judicious time-travel. Lady Macbeth wasn't a patch on her counterpart here. The best thing about the novel is that you'll still love Pratchett's wacky humour if you don't get the literary allusions, but if you're a Shakespeare fan, you won't be able to put it down (or stop yourself going over it a dozen times to see what you missed).

Pratchett's take on Hamlet of a sort. He approaches it with his usually way for humor and wit. Honestly I really like this one quite a bit. It really made me laugh out loud and read paragraphs to whoever was present and I thought would find it funny. One of his better one in my opinion.

As others mention, this book is generally a Shakespeare parody. However, the story stands alone as well. There is the usual mix of comedy here, and this was the first Discworld novel I've read that threw in jokes about relationships into the mix. Overall, a good work. The only reason I give 4 stars is that it lacked a bit in the fantasy/adventure parts of the story.

In a comedy series that goes this long and has witches it was going to be pretty hard for Pratchett to resist the urge to do a Shakespeare spoof. He takes a crack here, and it is not too bad. For fans of the Death and Rincewind type of antics though you may well not enjoy this one as much.

Some amusing lines, but only average, to me.

Well, frankly I didn't like it very much. It had some great moments in it but everything was kind a slowish... altrough there are some extremly very funny moments the story is kind a weak. The crazy duke, and the controlling duckess were the only two gems in the whole story (and maybe the dwarf writer... he was kind of cool.) But maybe I just didn't like the whole withc thing (altrough Equal Rites was superb.)

The King is murdered. Evil has taken the thrown and only three witches can save everybody. A story full magic, acting, crowns and bloody hands.

Personally I just dont like the stories with the witches. In my opinion they are the worst books of the discworld. But still, only saying that, it is funny and clever.

Granny Weatherwax is a very deep character, you feel like you understand her completley. Nanny Ogg is loveble and you can imagine what she is like.

But now, the big flaw of the book. Magrat Garlick. The thing I love about the books are the characters. They are imaginable. But Magrat is just flat, pathetic, useless, boring and idiotic. The other thing I dont like about this book is that in many parts, it is boring. But I must admit it was also hilariouse in some parts.

Overall it was midiocre but definitley enjoyable.

From what was happening in real life in Elizabethan times to the actual story of Macbeth, Pratchett does a marvellous job of parodying Shakespeare's play and, for a change, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat are really great, very funny characters. Well worth reading.

This was the first Terry Pratchett book I read, some fifteen or so years back, and it was, excuse the pun, utterly betwitching. I recently reread it and found it had mysteriously improved - probably because I'm a bit older and better read! If you've ever sat through a tortourus high-school stage version of MacBeth, or been irritated by a fatuous 'lost baby with a mysterious destiny' story (Harry Potter included), you'll also find this a funny and deeply satisfying read.

Highly enjoyable, very readable, and almost as god as Men at Arms... and thats saying something. If your a discword fan you'll love it, if your new, you'll most likely buy another, and if you hate it, I'll be suprised. Nuff Said!

Most of the people like those books where Death is one of the main actors. I m no exception. But this one follows them immediatelly no matter that my boy-friend just hates the ones with witches. Anyway, don t miss the Discworld and don t miss this one with it.

I love this book, and the characters. It is great and a must-read. I couldn't put it down and people kept wondering why I was laughing aloud-I couldn't help it-This book is great. Long Live Discworld:)

This was definately not one of his best books. It was boring and the plot dragged on, the characters weren't interesting enough to care about, it took me two months too read this book because I forced myself to read it. Everything seemed to be the same, I was glad when it was over.
Even though this book was a disappointment I will definately recommend many of his other books, such as Mort and Colour of Magic.

One of Pratchett's best. This hilarious parody of MacBeth kept me laughing from cover to cover. Wyrd Sisters has all of the absurd humor that fans of the Discworld novels have come to love, and Pratchett's deadpan turns of phrases are good for at least one smile per page.

This paperback is also avaible from the store.co.uk, ships within 24 hours (so it might take less time to reach you even though it crosses the atlantic) and it may be cheaper after shipping.
However, I would reccomend just get the mass paperback from the store.com, unless you like nifty covers.

you must read the discworld series. Personally, wyrd sisters is my favorite. Granny Weatherwax is one of the best characters I've ever come across. Her speech and mannerisms are enough to keep me laughing. Then you have the always bizarre storyline. Simply put...I LOVE IT!

I love the book, but the narration is awful. The narrator mumbles! Though her voice is muffled due to the dated recording quality, she still comes through clearly when she enunciates...which is far less often than one would hope. Some of the characters' voices are nearly indecipherable, and I find myself looking at the Kindle version to figure out what the heck she just said.

You may think you know where the plot is headed but then you realize that you really don't and then a bunch of stuff happens and you go back to that original theory because just maybe you were on the right track after all and then everything goes sideways and it is incredibly satisfying.

Another round of subtle (and not so subtle) Pratchettian humor, Wyrd Sisters was a special treat for this Shakespeare fan. I found myself often googling for definitions of the many parochially Elizabethan/medeival olde english and other european words and sayings of obscure origins.* This is one of the best Discworlds, though it behooves me to witness that I've yet to discover a bad one. And, what I fine a fine coincidence it was that the skeleton of Richard lll was discovered undeneath a Leicester parking lot the other day as I was finishing up this comedy.

*such as 'badinage,' 'cresset,' "droit deseigneur,' 'chaudron,' 'serried,' 'calcareous,' 'drabe,' 'curlew,' 'repartee,' 'declaim,' Venus Anadyomen,' 'Haitches,' 'cowhage-in-ordinary, 'pilliwinks,'** and the horrible 'choke pear'***
**a nasty torture instrument
***nastier yet

Pratchetts work, as always, is entertaining and enthralling. The narrating, however, leaves a lot to be desired. The voice characterisation is poor at best, turning Nanny Ogg into a vague "whingy" old lady, and confusing the Duke and Granny (which is very confusing when they are talking to each other). The tone of the narration would be better suited for a pre-school text rather than a literary novel. One wonders why Ms Imre was even chosen in the first place, let alone employed to narrate more than one novel.

Hated it so much that I'll buy the abridged versions instead of Ms Imre's in the future.

http://www.the store.com/gp/product/B000W94DZC/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img

Take three wyrd sisters . . . No, I take that back. If you haven't already read enough of the Discworld novels to already have the three wyrd sisters in your brain, you'll never understand this book.

So you have your wyrd sisters. Now add a jester who hates his job . . . a dead king who is still running around the castle trying to get justice . . . several actors . . . a playwright . . . fifteen skipped years . . . Macbeth . . . Hamlet . . . and you might, if you have the sense of humor of a hyena . . . you MIGHT come out with something like Wyrd Sisters. But if you think like normal human being or even an abnormal one--for example, I'm autistic--you'd be much better off to Let Terry Pratchett write the book, and then all you have to do is read it and try not to laugh yourself to death.

Seriously, folks, Terry Pratchett has had a long and eventful career that has made a lot of people happy, and he was diagnosed last year as being in the early stages of Alzheimer's. I don't care how much money he has already made and how many of his books the library already has and you can read them for free, buy them anyway, while he's still in a mental condition such that he knows his work is loved. I bought them all.

My first Disc World book. I love witches and this story has 3. The writing is exquisite! So many words, references to other stories, and vocabulary. Do you know what antimacassars are? I was worried this would be a kid book and it isn't.

Granny, Nanny and Marath, three witches who try to sound a bit like Macbeth's Witches of Endor, spend eternity with little power and a need for a basic PR campaign, because they've begun to believe the old stories about generic witches, and they're a bit spooked. Not to mention they've been handed the "once and future 2-year old baby king" and are supposed to keep him safe and far away from the trouble his mad uncle has caused.

So they hand him off to a travelling acting troupe. This group of not so great actors basically skewer Shakespeare...who doesn't really exist in Disc, and this whole story paralells Shakespeare' s Macbeth.

This is only my second Terry Pratchett. It was written twenty some years ago, and although it is fun, it is not as much fun as Wintersmith. However, no one paradies "legitimate theater" like Pratchett, and the BEST witches on the planet are his witches.

I'll read more....there's like 40 books in this series.....