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A Stroke of the Pen

The Lost Stories

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A Stroke of the Pen

By: Terry Pratchett
Narrated by: David Tennant, Claire Foy, Derek Jacobi, David Jason, Paterson Joseph, Indira Varma, Stephen Briggs, Rhianna Pratchett, Pat Harkin, Jan Harkin, Colin Morgan
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Far away and long ago, when dragons still existed and the only arcade game was ping-pong in black and white, a wizard cautiously entered a smoky tavern in the evil, ancient, foggy city of Morpork...
A truly unmissable set of unearthed stories from the pen of Sir Terry Pratchett: award-winning and bestselling author, and creator of the phenomenally successful Discworld series.
Twenty early short stories by one of the world's best loved authors, narrated by David Tennant, Claire Foy, Steffan Rhodri, Jon Culshaw, Derek Jacobi, David Jason, Katherine Parkinson, Paterson Joseph, Hattie Morahan, Indira Varma, Tony Robinson, Nigel Planer, Maggie Service, Stephen Briggs, Rhianna Pratchett, Jason Watkins, Richard Coyle, Mathew Baynton and Rob Wilkins. With a foreword by Neil Gaiman, and an introduction by Colin Smythe.
These are rediscovered tales that Pratchett wrote under a pseudonym for newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s. Whilst none are set in the Discworld, they hint towards the world he would go on to create, containing all of his trademark wit, satirical wisdom and fantastic imagination.
Meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and go on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, which begins in the ancient city of Morpork...

A STROKE OF THE PEN is a must-have collection for fans of all ages.

Praise for Terry Pratchett

'Pratchett is a master storyteller' - A. S. Byatt, Guardian

'The Discworld novels have always been among the most serious of comedies, the most relevant and real of fantasies' - Independent

'Compulsively readable, fantastically inventive, surprisingly serious exploration in story form of just about any aspect of our world . . . There's never been anything quite like it' - Evening Standard

©2023 Terry Pratchett (P)2023 Penguin Audio

 Anthologies & Short Stories Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Humorous Science Fiction Short Stories Witty Funny Haunted Feel-Good Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

You always feel the push of the inimitable Pratchett behind them — funny, sharp, warm, wise and always so, so readable
Terry Pratchett’s short tales from the 70s and 80s reveal a young talent bursting with invention and wit… there’s much here to delight the open-minded, the fantasy aficionado and the Pratchett completist
Terry Pratchett’s A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories, his final collection of short stories, is an absolute joy. To hear this voice again is like settling into a hot bath – with bubbles. The stories are pre-Discworld, witty and warm (Conn Iggulden)
Funny, fantastical and slyly smart
A new Pratchett! Clear the bestseller decks: this book is heading for the top.
Shows the beginnings of one of the UK’s best fantasy writers… A treat for seasoned fans and newcomers
A Stroke of the Pen shows [Pratchett] at a stage when he was stopping at the first or second tree. Soon he would plunge into the forest
The wit, wisdom and intelligence are interspersed with a lively dose of naivety, with entertaining results
This delightful collection is inventive, entertaining and a little quirky, often with a twisty end… a fun read
A treasure trove glittering with lost gems
All stars
Most relevant
This was a joy to listen to and took me back to childhood, having stories read to me by my parents.

It’s clearly aimed at a young audience but don’t let that deter you. It was wonderful from start to finish

Wonderful and Whimsical

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The stories are like unpolished gems. The more accomplished writer Terry became later could have done a better job, but all the elements everyone loves about Terry are already present.

Can I just mention how much I love Indira Varma as a reader? All the artists are doing a great job, but Indira brings so much heart and soul into her reading, it stood out to me.

Terry, the apprentice Pratchett

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You can see where a lot of Terry Pratchett’s ideas & subsequent characters come from. Witches, wizards, magic, gnomes, dragons, folk tales, talking animals, humour, puns, a unique way of looking at things … and, oh yes, a steamroller!
It’s all there for Pratchett fans to play “Hey, I recognise that character/idea/setting from book <insert name here>.
It’s also a wonderful opportunity to hear some of our favourite Pratchett narrators & actors “do Pratchett” one more time.
Possibly not one for newbies but definitely an audiobook that fans will enjoy.

A seedbed of Pratchett ideas

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Terry’ s passing left a huge hole in the literary world both corporeal and Disc. These stories just go to reinforce it.

He turned out ok after all

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Thoroughly enjoyed these short stories and the performances really brought them to life. Definitely worth multiple re-listens!

Brilliant as expected

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