The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett [Book Review]

The Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Shepherd’s Crown is a fitting end to the Discworld stories. There was no diminution of the characters or story telling, despite Pterry’s illness he kept this one up to his usual standard right to the end. I’m sure he knew that The Shepherd’s Crown would be his last Discworld book, there are some interesting nods to that in the story.

The Shepherd’s Crown

This is a Tiffany Aching story, although it also includes the other witches, and the Lords and Ladies too. There are some interesting new characters too, not just old favourites. I particularly liked Geoffrey, the calm weaver, and the old boys of Lancre who helped with the denouement. The Nac Mac Feegle are in there too, along with some of the lyrics from the Steeleye Span discworld album.

The Shepherd’s Crown starts with Granny Weatherwax preparing for her demise, and laying the foundations for what comes next. The plot is about the consequences of Granny’s death, how the other witches take it and their manoeuvring. The elves sense it too, and they also have their actions as a result. As always social commentary and fantastic observation of people and how they act makes the story flow. It works on many levels and entertains. There are also belly laughs at times, especially with the Nac Mac Feegles!

The Shepherd’s Crown that gave the book its title is a fossil echinada with a piece of flint embedded in it. Found originally by an ancient Aching ancestor it has passed through the Aching family through Granny Aching and down to Tiffany from her father. The Shepherd’s Crown anchors Tiffany to the Chalk, and forms a core part of the story.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it and am sad that I will never read another new Discworld novel again. I shall just have to go back and read them all again.

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