A STROKE OF THE PEN The Lost Stories

In the 1970s and early 1980s, journeyman reporter Terry Pratchett, not yet knighted, was slowly and slyly discovering his renowned satirical style, fantastic fantasy worlds, and love of wordplay under the pseudonym Patrick Kearns. In this collection of 20 humorous newspaper columns, celebrated voice talents, friends, and collaborators bring Pratchett's early work to life. Performances range from David Tennant narrating how cavemen came to wrangle fire, to Derek Jacobi lending his distinct vocal rhythms to a couple of silly Santa tales, and to longtime Discworld narrator Stephen Briggs happily delivering the wonderfully titled "Haunted Steamroller." Finally, Pratchett's assistant and archivist, Rob Wilkins, narrates the longer mature work "Quest For Keys"--if mature means a monastery named Shangri-laugh with built-in whoopee cushions. A treat for Pratchett's legions of fans. B.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]