Reviews

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

kflaherty95's review

adventurous inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

agathe_athena's review against another edition

5.0

Mar 2016: Re-read #4 or #5 (I don't remember which, but it's been a lot). Interesting to re-read after probably 10 years.

The best of the stand-alone novels, and a really good look into how religion works within Discworld.

This one is good and even better than I remember it being. Before was a 4 star. Now is a 5 star after the re-read.

seadeepy's review against another edition

3.75

There's a lot of compassion and ethics at the core of these books, and I enjoy that. I dunno. This seems like one I might reread. 

slayerfaith's review against another edition

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Great book in the Discworld universe. Very much a commentary on how religious institutions can corrupt, while also being very funny. 

aleithazei's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

lauramclain's review

5.0

I’m on a quest to (re)read the entire Discworld series in order. I’ve read about 2/3 of them over the last couple decades, but scattered and out of order. I think so far, Small Gods is the best, followed by Wyrd Sisters. Small Gods has quite a different feel from all the other Discworld novels. It takes place on the Disc but has minimal magic, no witches or zombies or such, minimal puns or silliness, and is the first one of the series to really deal with deep themes.

Title: Small Gods
Publication year: 1992
Discworld # 13
Protagonist(s): Brutha, the Chosen One (a hapless but very dedicated religious novice); the Great God Om (currently in the body of a tortoise)
Other characters: philosophers Didactylos and Urn; soldier Simony
Antagonist(s): Deacon Vorbis, head of the inquisition
Locale: Omnia (small desert country) and Ephebe (an Alexandria-esque city-state)
Main plotline: the Great God Om hasn’t really been paying much attention to His followers recently and is dismayed to learn that His religion has devolved to torture; He and Brutha teach each other humanity as Brutha becomes the newest Prophet of Om.
Themes: morality, mercy, ethics, and religion
Rating: 5 stars

I would speculate that this book was based on discussions of religion with Neil Gaiman. (Terry and Neil cowrote the amazing [b:Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|12067|Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615552073l/12067._SY75_.jpg|4110990].) Gaiman’s [b:American Gods|30165203|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462924585l/30165203._SY75_.jpg|1970226] also talks about how gods develop because people believe in them, and then those gods die when no one believes anymore. Belief is the food of the gods. Pratchett develops this theme also (see especially pages 7, 117, 266, 290, 351).

There are millions of small gods, such as a god of a certain tree or rock or pool. Over time, if more and more people believe in that god, the god grows in power. Related gods, such as minor gods of thunder, can merge together and grow in power even more as the beliefs consolidate.

Om used to be a mighty god, accustomed to appearing as a giant bull and trampling unbelievers. Now he’s a one-eyed tortoise being harassed by an eagle and only capable of creating a spark instead of a thunderbolt. Brutha undergoes the classical religious transformational journey through the desert, literally accompanied by his god. Om fights off other small gods, including the remnant of a once-powerful god whose believers have all died off.

starfishkingdom's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

wren47's review against another edition

5.0

Truly spectacular. I cried a bit at the end.

jkalia's review against another edition

4.0

i giggled but slightly less

s0lidarity_f0rever's review against another edition

5.0

Still a 5 out of 5. Will absolutely read again.