Witches Abroad

Discworld, Book 12

By: Terry Pratchett

Narrated by: Tony Robinson

Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

"Things have to come to an end, see. That's how it works when you turn the world into stories. You should never have done that. You shouldn't treat people like they was characters, like they was things. But if you do, then you've got to know where the story ends."

That's the problem when you let real life get in the way of a good story. You shouldn't let it happen, especially when a good story involves three witches, including a fairy godmother, and travelling to a faraway land to make sure that a servant girl doesn't marry a prince. It looks as though a happy ending may be averted before catastrophe strikes. But unfortunately, the forces of good are up against a godmother who has made Destiny an offer it can't refuse.

©Terry and Lyn Pratchett; (P)Corgi Audio

Critic reviews

"[Pratchett's] comic footnotes are still glorious." (The Times)

Excellent Story Overcomes Crummy Audio

I listened to this in the car while driving across the USA, so there was much merriment getting to travel with the witches! My only issue with the audio book was that sometimes the reader would whisper and then talk, and the volume was never leveled out. It hurt my ears on more than one occasion. The reader either needed to ditch hissing voices (for Death, The Swamp Witch, and Lilith) or the engineer needed to make it so you don't need to blow out your speakers cranking up the volume to hear!

Volume issues & abriged

It really sucks that Audible cannot get the Discworld novels unabridged. I got this hoping I wouldn’t be able to tell that large portions of the story are missing - but it’s just not the case. It feels disjointed and jumpy. Additionally in the second half of the book, the reader varies his volume so much you have to crank it up to hear his whispering and than rush to lower it as he’s screaming in your ear. They’ve also changed Deaths voice from a boom to a whisper and it’s awful.

Short and sweet

One of Terry Pratchett's shorter stories, he still has done a masterful job. Tony Robinson is a great voice actor, but he gets too quiet during some of the narrative. All in all, though, this is another great story. Just do not try to listen to it in a busy and/or loud location!

The witches return

A great “story”, as you should expect from Terry Pratchett. The story is fun, and worth reading

Tony is no Steven Briggs

Took several tries to get into the narration. With Mr. Briggs, that wasn’t a problem. I enjoyed that the was no music between chapters that would either drown out the narrative or so loud that it startled you out of the tempo of the narration.

Why can't Robinson read all the books?

The unabridged is better story-wise, but if you've once read it, this is very entertaining. Laughed out loud frequently.

this is very abridged. you miss 3/4 of the story

I wish I had noticed it was only 3 hours long. the full story is so funny and worth getting

Delightful dialogue

Loved the story and the dialogue. The reader did an excellent job with voices for the various characters. Very, very clever and humorous, especially if you know your fairy tales.

Wonderful characters brought to life

The fact I can find very little if anything that I disliked should speak better to my thoughts than anything else I can currently think to say. I could have easily enjoyed another many chapters of this story, and I give big thumbs up to the humor to be found in the narration of the text.

Can’t stand his voice

He talks through his nose. He also thinks witch’s need to sounds like they can’t speak properly. They sound like Donald Duck. I love terry Pratchett and his stories but this guy just messes it all up. I can’t stand his voice. I’m so glad he doesn’t do all the books. I will not be buying another with this guy tony narrating.