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Raising Steam

(Discworld novel 40)

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Raising Steam

By: Terry Pratchett
Narrated by: Richard Coyle, Bill Nighy, Peter Serafinowicz
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Over 1 million Discworld audiobooks sold – discover the extraordinary universe of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld like never before.

The audiobook of Raising Steam is narrated by Richard Coyle, who starred as Moist von Lipwig in the television adaptation of Going Postal. BAFTA and Golden Globe award-winning actor Bill Nighy (Love Actually; Pirates of the Caribbean; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) reads the footnotes, and Peter Serafinowicz (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace; Shaun of the Dead) stars as the voice of Death. Featuring a new theme tune composed by James Hannigan.

'THE WORLD LIVES BETWEEN THOSE WHO SAY IT CANNOT BE DONE AND THOSE WHO SAY THAT IT CAN . . . IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THINKING CREATIVELY.'

Moist von Lipwig is a con man turned civil servant. As head of the Royal Bank and Post Office of Ankh-Morpork, he doesn't really want or need another job. But when the Patrician Lord Vetinari gives you a task, you do it or suffer the consequences. In Moist's case, death.

A brand-new invention has come to the city: a steam locomotive named Iron Girder, to be precise. With the railway's introduction and rapid expansion, Vetinari enlists Moist to represent the government and keep things on track.

But as with all new technology, some people have objections, and Moist will have to use every trick in his arsenal to keep the trains running...

The first book in the Discworld series-The Colour of Magic-was published in 1983. Some elements of the Discworld universe may reflect this.

'The most serious of comedies, the most relevant and real of fantasies' Independent

©2013 Terry and Lyn Pratchett (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Humorous Literature & Fiction Satire Fiction Railroad Comedy Technology

Critic Reviews

Laugh-out-loud funny...A chuffing wonderful book.
Terry Pratchett’s creation is still going strong after 30 years as Ankh-Morpork branches into the railway age…There are sly nods to the history of railways and a cheeky reference to The Railway Children. Most aficionados, however, will be on the look-out for in-jokes and references from previous novels – of which there is no shortage…It is at the level of the sentence that Pratchett wins his fans.
The genius of Pratchett is that he never goes for the straight allegory. . .he remains one of the most consistently funny writers around; a master of the stealth simile, the time-delay pun and the deflationary three-part list. . .I could tell which of my fellow tube passengers had downloaded it to their e-readers by the bouts of spontaneous laughter. (Ben Aaronovitch)
All stars
Most relevant
I love this book and Richard Coyle is the absolute best of the new unabridged narrators. Richard Coyle IS Moist! (Well, he's had experience, hasn't he?) However, he makes a brilliant job of all other characters too, even iconic characters like Vimes and Vetinari, which are so important to get right. (Do I catch a Charles Dance tone in Vetinari's voice? Brilliant!)

Ten stars all round!

Richard Coyle is the best

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A book that marvellously explains humanity's LOVE of technology for boiling water better. having moist narrate is just the cherry on top.

train 'tism

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Disappointing, I’m a big TP fan but this one tries to do too much and it just becomes Corning written plot events crammed together. Cringey positivity.

Poorly written

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At this point in Pratchett’s writing, his work was starting to show its wear and tear due to his diagnosis, but still an achievement nonetheless. I had hoped for a more well-rounded ending to Moist’s trilogy, but it ended on a positive note.

A Solid Entry

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