Everyone should read at least one Discworld book. Much has been said about Discworld, the 41-book series by Terry Pratchett, so I’ll give you just the basics. Although the size of the series may seem daunting, most books are not connected with each other in a linear story, and they can be read in any order. However, it’s generally agreed that there are a few ideal starting points (none of which is the first book), and Mort is one of these. The Discworld Series is comedic fantasy, with a heavy dose of satire. Pratchett is known for making fun of everything while dropping interesting thoughts about society or people in general. But Mort is one of the earlier Discworld books and leans more on the humour side of things and less on the profound ideas. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and is a great way to see if Discworld is a series you might enjoy. Death himself is a superb character, and I’m looking forward to reading more of the books about him. So, if you’re interested in a funny, lighthearted adventure, don’t hesitate to pick this one up.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 8 mild obscenities; 2 scatological words; 1 anatomical term; 2 derogatory names.

Violence/Gore: Reference to human sacrifice; a character encounters drowned kittens, no detail; characters attempt to rob another; three instances where characters threaten to kill another; reference to people dying tragically in stories; mention of murder; a few instances where characters die, sometimes violently, not gory; mention of servants being given poison to be buried with their master; an animal receives a minor injury; a character hits another; about 10-page scene where characters duel.

Sex/Nudity: A man sees a woman partially undressed and feels affected, no detail; characters briefly meet a scantily clad concubine; a few mentions of prostitutes; a character offers to point another to a brothel; a female character wears a clingy dress making a young man uncomfortable; an instance of sexual innuendo; a few sexual references; mention of a male character being undressed, no detail; characters get married.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death; crime.

Alcohol/Drug Use:

Characters drink strong alcohol; a character deliberately gets drunk.