A Stroke of the Pen The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett

Book Review

Christine Downie

Before Terry Pratchett became Terry Pratchett to his millions of adoring fans, he was a young journalist and columnist who wrote humorous short stories and sketches for local newspapers. This book is a painstakingly researched anthology by Pratchett detectives who have hunted down and captured these passages of prose that were roaming wild and unfettered. These are the stories that Terry Pratchett had ‘carefully hidden away and very deliberately forgot all about.’

But now, corralled as they are, within a beautiful cover designed by Micada Alcaino, we can rediscover his earliest published work for ourselves and see the small acorns of creation that grew into his incredible Discworld.

As his skill grew and developed, Sir Terry would have preferred to leave these stories in the past, but it was never his intention to bring together his early work for publication. However, there is a joy in reading these stories, both as a Pratchett fan and also as a student of creative writing. Any writer would benefit from seeing how the earliest bursts of imagination can grow into a more refined and elegant body of work. His humour is there and instantly recognisable, from the names of his characters and locations to the surreal events that occur in each story. I salute his editors at the time for publishing these stories, which were certainly not the usual copy for regional newspapers.

Please take time to read the Foreword by Neil Gaiman and the Introduction by Colin Smythe, which put the collection into context far better than I could have attempted. It might also be a good idea to read the biography of Sir Terry by Rob Wilkins – Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes, where his early career as a journalist is more clearly discussed.

There are twenty stories in the anthology, and quite a few of them are Christmas-themed, obviously a regular seasonal treat for the readership. It is extremely difficult for me to choose a favourite, but the final story, The Quest for the Keys, is not only the longest but particularly interests me as it shows the future promise of more extensive and developed writing. The stories based in the eccentric town of Blackbury are wonderful, and I can almost hear his voice as I am reading. He returns to Blackbury many times in the anthology and obviously has great affection for the place. Also, The Haunted Steamroller and The Real Wild West are surreal and brilliant.

I don’t want to spoil the pleasure of the book for anyone, so I won’t go into more detail about the stories and leave you to find all the fun and joy for yourselves.

It’s not an overly long book at 219 pages (hardback), and I was sad to finish it, wanting it to go on for much longer. But then, isn’t that the mark of a good book?

Would I recommend this book? Of course, I would. It’s a few hours of fantasy fun wrapped up in clever humour, sharp detailing and unmatched wit. Terry Pratchett’s budding genius is laid out for you to enjoy…so put your feet up, brew a pot of tea or pour a glass of something more potent and lose yourself for a while. You won’t regret it.