Audiobook Review: Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

"Unlike wizards, witches learn to make do..."

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
Series: first Tiffany Aching
Genre: YA action fantasy
Length: 7h 10m
Audio publisher: Harper Audio, 2004
Read by: Stephen Briggs
Awards: Locus Award for best Young Adult Book, 2004
From: Local library

Story: Tiffany wants to be a witch, but she's afraid her name may hold her back. She can't be the prince and doesn't want to be the boring damsel, so the witch is the only character left. Witches are just misunderstood. In the meantime, Tiffany has to take care of her little brother and make the cheese. But who are these little men who keep yelling "Crivens!"

Thoughts: This is one of my favorite books. Tiffany is only nine, but she has a good head on her shoulders. She figures things out, and she doesn't mind using her little brother as monster bait. The action is constant, and anytime the Nac Mac Feegle are on the scene, I can't stop laughing. With all the stealing, drinking and fighting, I wouldn't think they'd be my kind of men, but even though they're only six inches tall, they're fiercely loyal and dependable. And I love their accents.


The Wee Free Men is the 30th Discworld book, but it takes place in a part of the world far away from the  other books, and only minor characters have appeared before. I've also seen this book labeled the 2nd Discworld Children's book. The first Discworld children's book is The Amazing Maruice and his Educated Rodents, and deals with different characters and settings. Wee Free Men is the first book with Tiffany Aching and stands firmly on its own, though after reading it you'll want to read the sequel, A Hat Full of Sky.

Reading: Stephen Briggs is a narration master. His Scottish accents for the Nac Mac Feegle are spot on, and I love his posh accents, too. My one quip is that Tiffany sounds strangely like an old woman at the beginning of the story, but the voice becomes her own as the narration progresses.

Final thoughts: This is a great book for anyone who likes to laugh, and Stephen Briggs' narration makes it the perfect audiobook. It's my first recommendation for someone not sure about audiobooks who wants to give them a try.

Grade: 5 out of 5