Publisher Description
A delightfully funny, fantastically inventive collection of twenty newly unearthed short stories by Sir Terry Pratchett, the award-winning and bestselling author of the phenomenally successful Discworld fantasy series. This special trove is a must-have for Pratchett fans of all ages and includes a foreword by Neil Gaiman. The audiobook is narrated by a stunning cast that includes David Tennant, Claire Foy, Paterson Joseph, Indira Varma, and more!
These rediscovered tales were written by Terry Pratchett under a pseudonym for British newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s. The stories have never been attributed to him until now, and might never have been found—were it not for the efforts of a few dedicated fans.
As Neil Gaiman writes in his introduction, “through all of these stories we watch young Terry Pratchett becoming Terry Pratchett.” Though none of the short works are set in the Discworld, all are infused with Pratchett's trademark wit, satirical wisdom, and brilliant imagination, hinting at the magical universe he would go on to create.
Meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and embark on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, which begins in the ancient city of Morpork.
Irresistibly entertaining, A Stroke of the Pen is an essential collection from the great Terry Pratchett, a “master storyteller” (A. S. Byatt) who “defies categorization” (The Times).
The full cast of narrators includes:
- David Tennant
- Claire Foy
- Paterson Joseph
- Stephen Briggs
- Nigel Planer
- Tony Robinson
- Katherine Parkinson
- Indira Varma
- John Culshaw
- Mathew Baynton
- Richard Coyle
- Derek Jacobi
- David Jason
- Steffan Rhodri
- Maggie Service
- Hallie Morahan
- Jason Watkins
- Rhianna Pratchett
- Rob Wilkins
- Colin Smythe
- Neil Gaiman
Download and start listening now!
About the Narrators
David Tennant, Earphones Award-winning narrator, is a Scottish actor who, over twenty years, has starred on stage, screen, television, and radio. In 2008 he played a widely praised Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company but is probably best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 television serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch Jr. in the 2005 film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. On stage he has played Benedick in Much Ado about Nothing, as well as the title roles in Hamlet and Richard II.
Sir Derek Jacobi has had a long and distinguished career. He has toured in Becket and Uncle Vanya, and he received a Tony Award for his performance as Benedick in the RSC’s production of Much Ado about Nothing. His work in television includes the lead roles in Cadfael and I, Claudius, and his film credits include Henry V, Gosford Park, and Hamlet. His narrations have won him eleven Audiofile Earphones Awards.
Sir Derek Jacobi has had a long and distinguished career. He has toured in Becket and Uncle Vanya, and he received a Tony Award for his performance as Benedick in the RSC’s production of Much Ado about Nothing. His work in television includes the lead roles in Cadfael and I, Claudius, and his film credits include Henry V, Gosford Park, and Hamlet. His narrations have won him eleven Audiofile Earphones Awards.
Tony Robinson is an actor and audiobook narrator and actor whose first professional appearance was at the age of thirteen in the original version of the stage musical Oliver!, followed by a number of shows, films, and TV appearances as a child actor. After training at the Central School of Speech and Drama, he spent several years in rep, and worked for two years as a theater director, before moving on to the Chichester Festival Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the National Theatre. It was around this time that he made his first notable television appearance as the cerebral palsied Ernie Roberts in Horizon’s award-winning documentary Joey. Robinson came to prominence for his role as Baldrick on the BBC series Blackadder, and has been a fixture in entertainment since, hosting the long-running Time Team and the popular Worst Jobs series, and winning numerous awards as a writer of children’s television programs.
Nigel Planer is an English actor, comedian, novelist, playwright, and voiceover artist. He has narrated countless audiobooks and, in this capacity, is best known as all the voices of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Nigel has appeared in many West End musicals, including Evita, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked, and Hairspray, and has played various roles on screen and on television. His audiobook narration has won him two Earphones Awards.
Maggie Service is a voice talent and Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator.
Stephen Briggs, who also works in film, has adapted and staged fifteen Discworld plays, collaborated with Terry Pratchett on a number of related works, and performed the audio recordings of Pratchett’s books. Briggs has won five AudioFile Earphones Awards. He lives in England.
James Langton, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and later as a musician at the Guildhall School in London. He has worked in radio, film, and television, also appearing in theater in England and on Broadway. He is also a professional musician who led the internationally renowned Pasadena Roof Orchestra from 1996 to 2002.