Published 1996 by Victor Gollancz (image credit)
Belief is powerful. It can cause a man to go free from prison when everyone else gave up investigating. It can make people go to the center of town a few times a week to sing songs and listen to speeches. Belief can bring a smile in hell.
Terry Pratchett wrote several books on belief but in this one he tackles the biggest aspect of belief: Hope. What else can come from a crazy assassin with a baby face and an evil heart being hired to kill Santa Claus? When the symbol of the season of death is taken away, who else but Death incarnate can slip in and take up the sled?
That's what winter and the holidays are. Humanity looking into the long dark winter nights and giving them the finger. We light bonfires, have ritual sex, and give children toys to foster the little moments of hope that the sun will rise, that the snow will melt, and that the world will be green again. Even Death understands that.
Of course, we have to have a hero. Susan, Death's granddaughter, puts on the investigator's hat to figure out what the hell is going on. She may be part mortal and part other, but she was educated in the true old ways of the world. The chief old way being stories that give truths. Truth codified in what G.K. Chesterton supposedly said: "Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children dragons can be killed."
And Susan uses a fireplace poker to make sure the boogeymen and evil men can be killed. That's a hope many of us cling to when the coyotes howl and something outside your window makes a rustling noise. A sturdy poker and a steady hand bring hope on even the longest nights.
Characters
Susan - a governess with a literal mind and a mean swing with a poker if you are a boogeyman. Also, Death's granddaughter
Bilious - god of hangovers
Death - the anthropomorphic personification of kicking off. Bones, robe, scythe, the whole bit
Albert - Death's manservant and friend
Teatime - the assassin other assassins check for under their beds. A real crazy pants, but in a thoughtful way.
Medium Dave and Banjo, brothers and criminals assisting Teatime
Ridcully - Archchancellor of the Unseen University, crazy about a good bathroom, wizard
Ponder Stibbons - wizard in the High Energy Magic Building; he does machines
Hex - wizard supercomputer. Nuf said.
Auditors - beings from outside of existence that hate human life and only want their version of order; Republicans
Hogfather - basically Santa Claus with tusks
Setting
Discworld - a medieval-esque world that's a flat earther's dream if they can believe the disk is on four elephants riding a turtle through space
Ankh Morpork - one of the largest cities on the disc
Unseen University - where the wizards live
Maul - a store that hosts a visit of the Hogfather each year
Outside of reality
Tooth fairy castle - it is what it is
Castle of Bones - where Death lives
Plot Summary
Susan tries to figure out why Death is filling in for the Hogfather as deranged assassin Teatime kills the spirit of Hogwatch. Meanwhile, the wizards of the Unseen University contend with random gods appearing and a bathroom.
Favorite Scenes
Susan beating a boogeyman's ass with a poker while being cheered on by children
Teatime is a delicious and cold villain, and his scene with Ernie near the beginning is terrifying and funny
best quote: "A violent death is the last thing that will happen to you."
Death and Susan discussing belief near the end. To sum up, humans need to believe in silly things like Hogfathers and Tooth Fairies to believe in big things like truth, justice, and mercy. If we cannot imagine hopeful things, we cannot create a hopeful world.
Susan meeting the Tooth Fairy. A charming and sad scene in many ways that shows the power of change and caring.
Banjo remembering what his mother said and his brother joining him when she is insulted.
Discussion Questions
If you could meet Death, what would you ask him? When?
Do you believe in the Hogfather? Does he believe in you?
Say you could wish for the personification of any feeling or experience, what would you choose? Examples in the book are the oh god of hangovers, the Cheerful Fairy, and the thing that eats socks.
When was the last time you swung a good poker at a foul creature?
Do you agree that a child's belief is stronger than an adult's wants? That wishes and dreams have led to more great things than any act of violence? That sometimes we should have ice cream and then and only then have our vegetables? Discuss.
Join the Friends of the Banned Library!
Want to spend some time reading more of this, but don't like the ads on the website? Well shit, son, I got a place for you! Join the Friends and help out the library. Maybe someday we'll take down all these ads and breathe free. Patreon.com/bannedlibrary