Despite it being obvious that Pratchett is an icon of fantasy writing, his Discworld work is too removed from real world for me and I found this frankly harder than Shakespeare to read, like the other books I idiotically requested in a spree after they came highly recommended by someone who knows my taste (not as fantasy as this), and whom I highly trusted. These were a real miss for me and has totally put me off reading any other Pratchett. I will recommend them to anyone who really loves high fantasy and just hope that these are their cup of tea instead.

Book 16 of 41 and they continue to be amazing. 5e discworld series are the most in depth novels around and are magnificent. Once again, there is brilliant humour and British banter throughout.

Imp Y Celyn is a strolling musician who finds himself in Ankh-Morpork but when he tries to earn a crust the Musicians Guild steps in and stops him performing. He meets C.M.O.T. Dibbler who decides that Imp Y Celyn, along with a dwarf and a troll, should form a rock band called "The Band With Rocks In" and tour the Discworld. After a performance Imp Y Celyn (who adopts the name Buddy) decides that something is missing from their sound and invites the librarian from the Unseen University to join them on keyboards. Meanwhile it appears that Buddy's name has come to Death's list but Death has taken a holiday and left Susan holding the list. Things never seem to go well for Susan, and what is one more messed up time line?

Presenting a very cynical view of music management Pratchett places Dibbler in a perfect role. And in Buddy he casts the extreme, the artist who sees money as dirty and just wants to eat, sleep, perform, repeat.

Many of the names and songs reference real historic artists and tracks and done in a subtle way that you have to be careful not to miss. Imp Y Celyn for example is Welsh and translates as something close to "bud of the holly".

At first this plot felt so un-Discworld that I seriously thought Pratchett was running out of ideas but he amazed me by crafting into it our favourite characters and staying true to Discworld so well that I loved yet another of the series.

The Pratchett take on rock and roll. A thoroughly enjoyable read with an engaging protagonist, a compelling story and Pratchett's trademark humour.

During my revisit to Terry Pratchett's books, I sometimes come away with the feeling that I have read a particular volume before. This felt completely new to me. I have met Death's granddaughter later as an adult in other books, and this was my first time seeing her as a child and coming to terms with her past. That aspect of the story was quite fascinating, more emotional than funny, however.
If you are unfamiliar with Discworld and the complex nature of interactions within, this may not be the right place to start. Most of the time, since it was how I read many of them the first time around (pre-Goodreads), I would agree that this is a series that can be dipped in and out of. Like some of the more convoluted theories in the books, it is equally fun to see that you notice a point that might happen in the future as much as it is to identify a plotline you have already previously explored.
The title describes the entire book with just two words. We have an aspiring musician who plays an odd instrument and wants to play on the streets of Ankh-Mopork. The legalities of the guilds prevent him from doing so, that is until he finds like-minded non-humans (including the Music itself). A band is formed, and instead of rock music, it is called the 'Music with the rocks in it' (make what you will on the play of words, that is always the highlight of reading a book by this author).
The trials of playing Music that has a mind and plan of its own (quite literally) is what the entire book is about. Death has a crisis of his own and wanders off from doing his duty. His granddaughter is handed the helm, but her attachment to the lead player in the band mind cause more trouble than the rest of her jaunt put together.
The ending took quite an imaginative turn. I did not pay attention to the cover as much as I should have. If I had, I would have seen the sudden shift in imagery.
Overall, it is a solid read. It is slightly lower in humour levels and racier in hidden commentary, especially since rock bands are the central focus. The emotions are more prevalent here - there is more retrospection and ambition in this than in the other funnier ones I have reviewed earlier.
I would not recommend skipping this in your journey through the Discworld because the significant events here are referenced a couple of times later, and it would not make much sense if you never know what happened when Music came to Ankh-Mopork.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Sex, drugs and music with rocks in arrive in the Discworld. Meanwhile. Death’s granddaughter, Susan, has to learn the family business quickly when Death himself (HE WHO SPEAKS IN CAPITAL LETTERS AND RIDES A WHITE HORSE CALLED BINKY) decides to take time out. Susan is 16 and attending a posh boarding school where she’s trying to grow up normally, but she suddenly finds she has to come to terms with her heritage. In the meantime a group of travelling musicians acquire some rather unusual instruments and start playing powerful music with rocks in. Terry Pratchett takes a satirical bite out of the music industry while addressing issues of bereavement. I love Death as a character. Good fun

I am once again asking you to #pickupapratchett.
This is a story of how music with rocks in came to Discworld. It is also the story of Death's granddaughter, Susan, learning the family trade so to speak. At first, I wondered if they'd be better as two separate stories but Terry Pratchett was a genius at combining the two. He also managed to link them with different parts of the Discworld like the Unseen University and the City Watch.
It might be a wee bit weaker than other instalments but the fact there were genuine laugh out loud moments, brilliant wordplay and a bit of fourth wall breaking makes up for it.

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett sixteenth book in the fantastic Discworld Novels. These Books are a superb read and a must read for every Young teenaged child up to an adult. I remember reading the Discworld books in order, when I was teenagers (many, many moons ago) lying under my quilt at night time with a ever ready battery powered torch (Now I am showing my age) I could not wait to go to bed to open my Terry Pratchett book's and read what happens next in the Discworld adventures with the great Turtle and its adventures.

So, when I go a chance to read this book again........I didn't need my ever ready battery torch - I had a kindle to read it from. OMG I was transported back in time to by small bedroom hiding under my quilt reading it. This book was still magical from the first time I had read it.

Soul Music is so magical I just loved. Excellent book from start to finish.

If you have not read any of his books?! where have you been.......I highly recommend all of his books.

Biggest Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Corgi for my copy of Sir Terry Pratchett's Small God's Book for a review.

Susan Sto-Helit is not one of my fav Discworld characters but DEATH is and I'm always in two minds about this book.
I love some parts not so much other and the plot is a bit disjunted.
That said this is Pratchett, one of my top three authors, and I can't rate it less than five stars.
There's a lot to love and a lot of fun plus the characters I love.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

“‘You’ve read books, I can see. Have you ever read any about children who go to a magical faraway kingdom and have adventures with goblins and so on?’ ‘Yes, of course,’ said Susan, grimly. ‘It’d probably be best if you thought along those lines,’ said the raven.”

My thanks to Random House U.K. Transworld Publishers for a digital review copy via NetGalley of ‘Soul Music’ by Terry Pratchett in exchange for an honest review. This is Book 16 in the Discworld series and also Book 3 in the Death sub-series. It was originally published in 1994. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Nigel Planer.

In ‘Soul Music’ we are introduced to sixteen-year-old Susan Sto Helit, who is currently attending a posh boarding school. While she is trying to grow up normally, Susan is considered by all a little odd as might be expected if your Grandfather rides a white horse named Binky and wields a scythe. When Death goes on another journey of self discovery, it looks as though Susan will be expected to take over the family business.

Susan is aided in her new role not only by the compliant Binky but by the Death of Rats and Quoth the Raven, who serves as interpreter for the spectral rat. Unfortunately, folk seem to be mistaking Susan for the Tooth Fairy.

Meanwhile, a small troupe of musicians seeking to gain admittance to the Guild of Musicians stumble across a little shop tucked away in a side alley and end up in the possession of some unique instruments. They proceed to create a new and addictive kind of music. The kind that changes people, with a beat that you can dance to. It’s called
Music With Rocks In.

As the band gains fame a number of events takes place and Susan is drawn to save the life of one of its members….causing timeline problems.

I adore Terry Pratchett’s writing though ‘Soul Music’ isn’t one of my favourites. It felt rather ‘bitty’ at times as it jumped between its various storylines. In addition to Susan coming to terms with her heritage, Death’s existential crises, and the musicians finding fame, there are subplots involving the Watch and the wizards of the Unseen University.

Certainly even with these minor issues ‘Soul Music’ was very funny with plenty of biting satire directed at the music industry that includes unscrupulous managers and over enthusiastic fans. There’s quite a few references to 20th Century rock music sprinkled throughout that might bypass some readers.

While a bit mixed in terms of its pacing ‘Soul Music’ did address more serious issues linked to loss and bereavement as well as the bonds of family. Also, it had a powerful underlying message on the power of music.

4.5 rounded up to 5.

If you haven't read any Discworld books before, the Death books are a great place to start. I've read all of the Discworld books abd Death features a cameo in all books , but the books that focus on him are my favourites (followed closely by the Witches) Death books, like all the Discworld books are clever and funny, full of little socio-political commentary that you won’t always realise at the time, Terry was such a clever and skilled writer. I can’t recommend these books enough

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This book is hilarious……. The death books have always been my favorite subseries, and as a lover of heavy music myself, this is double the fun.

I cannot get enough of Death in the Discworld. ITs my favorite character and this book holds so much joy for me. Terry Pratchett is a writer whose work feels like home

Reading Terry Pratchett books nowadays is a bittersweet experience. On the one hand, they are brilliant and funny and clever, but the flipside is that they remind you what a talent was lost with Pratchett's passing.

It's been a while since I read any of the Discworld books so I jumped at the chance to read 'Soul Music' which features some of my favourite Discworld characters but had - up to this moment - slipped my attention. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book is simple - rock music comes to Discworld. This is rock music as we might vaguely recognise it - powerful, transformative, kind of ridiculous sometimes...and has the capacity to make people want to paint their bedrooms black. On Discworld, however, it is literally Music With Rocks In (thanks to a percussive troll forming part of the first rock supergroup) and there are the usual surreal and magical elements due to the wizards of Unseen University getting involved, not to mention Death's grand-daughter, Susan.

I love the Pratchett novels where Earth-things become Discworld-things - especially the surprisingly entertaining takes on the postal service ('Going Postal'), the printing press ('The Truth') and even football (I'm not a fan, but 'Unseen Academicals' is genius). The topic of rock music is perfect for Pratchett's satirical and sly take on human behaviour - and it is pin-sharp and as funny as you'd expect.

One of the strengths of this novel is the characterisation - I absolutely adored the range of strange, petty and quirky wizards (plus the orang utan Librarian) that make up the faculties of Unseen University. Death is also a brilliant character - strangely human, oddly compassionate and also off to join the Foreign Legion for a bit of respite from the day job. The supporting cast - rock musicians, music fans, promoters, venue owners, jealous members of the Musicians' Guild - are brilliantly-drawn and often instantly recognisable caricatures of human types.

As with all of the Discworld novels, former knowledge of the series isn't essential and the books can be read in any order. 'Soul Music' may be more enjoyable if you have a vague understanding of Susan's parentage (explored in 'Mort') but Pratchett is great at filling in gaps in knowledge and explaining how life on the Disc works.

If you haven't read any Pratchett before, this is a fun place to start. I've read quite a few of the Discworld books - previously being drawn to the witches, vampires, the university and Death - and this is a good one. If you haven't visited Discworld for a while, it's time you did and remembered why Pratchett is such a clever and entertaining writer. Even if fantasy isn't usually your thing (it isn't one of my go-to genres), there is a lot to enjoy and it is genuinely very funny.

Not my favourite Pratchett book but still very clever and amusing. This is where we get introduced to Susan – who comes into her own in Hogfather. Here she is a small girl – Death’s granddaughter – who has a few disconcerting ticks and habits. Meanwhile a new craze is sweeping Discworld. It’s called music with rocks in it and it’s going to be big. This really is a lot of fun, told with Pratchett’s customary wit and negotiated with his usual wisdom. Death’s antics in this book are especially amusing. I’m sure Death is everyone’s favourite character – or one of them – but the books featuring him are well worth reading as a set. Highly recommend.

Another one of the Death subseries, this time has music with rocks in. The death books have always been my favorite subseries, and as a lover of heavy music myself, this is double the fun. The references are hilarious!

This book is hilarious - early references to 'rock-n-roll' brought back the 'beat' of that time

Death decides to join the foreign legion - who will cover his job , well Binky and Susan of course - with plenty of laugh out loud moments along the way

What follows is glimpse into the extraordinary mind of the Author - Full of outlandish , hilarious characters ...........
elves , flying horses , dwarves , trolls and Death's granddaughter to name just a few who all come together to give you a story that draws you into a fantastical world - Discworld

I cannot recommend the Author's Discworld series enough - you just need imagination !!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Another Discworld novel, a classic by the amazing Terry Pratchett.
I always giggle my way through his books, and it was a joy to re-read this.
Highly recommended.

Another brilliant read from Pratchett. Death is my favourite character in the Discworld, and this book is no exception.

I am having such fun rereading some of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, this one is so rock'n'roll with its multitude of references to our pop culture whilst skilfully satirising the music industry. Death is having a hard time processing the pain of his grief, his losses leaving him unable to cope and leaving his position as the Grim Reaper, a scenario that leads to his granddaughter, Susan, filling his role as she becomes aware of a past that had been kept from her. Imp becomes 'Buddy' in his group with a troll and a dwarf, The Band With Rocks In It, when he acquires a special guitar with its awareness of a magical primordial music that sees him losing his sense of self. They acquire a manager, Dibbles, and go on an organised tour that turns into quite an adventure that has Susan getting involved. A wonderfully entertaining and funny addition that reminds me just how brilliant a writer the author was. Many thanks to the publisher.