Published: 12 November 1987 (print)/2nd October 2022 (audio) 
Publisher: Corgi Books/Penguin Audio
Pages: 272/7 hrs and 57 mins
Narrator: Sian Clifford, Peter Serafinowicz, Bill Nighy
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Fantasy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars
Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort, he offered him a job.
Death is the Grim Reaper of the Discworld, a black-robed skeleton with a scythe who ushers souls into the next world. He is also fond of cats and endlessly baffled by humanity. Soon Death is yearning to experience what humanity really has to offer, but to do that, he’ll need to hire some help.
It’s an offer Mort can’t refuse. As Death’s apprentice he’ll have free board, use of the company horse—and being dead isn’t compulsory. It’s a dream job—until Mort falls in love with Death’s daughter, Ysabell, and discovers that your boss can be a killer on your love life…
I was apprehensive after finishing the first three books in the series. Two were ok and one was marginally better. I thought I was going to have to tackle a few dodgy books before Pratchett truly shines in the later books but Mort smashed those expectations. This book is amazing and it only got better and better as it went along. I love Mort, I love Death, I love everything about this book: the set up, Mort’s life, and the life of those around him. Essentially Death decides to take a holiday and Mort gradually finds a new vocation. It’s brilliant.
This is my fifth Discworld book, four read chronologically publication wise (I know you don’t have to, and I’m not being a rigid rule follower or anything, it’s more the completionist in me who always has to read things in order). The fifth being Hogfather which I read as my first Discworld at Uni and fell in love with Death. When I realised this was one of Death’s novels I knew it was going to be amazing. The only difference is I keep comparing this Death to the Death in Hogfather and they are different Death’s so it’s a fun mind confusion.
There is so much to love in Mort. The subtle but apt social commentary – timeless, naturally. Especially the ways you can see variations of our own world reflected in the mirrored, slightly askew, and distorted world in the book. Like Equal Rites, Pratchett is a master at sliding these in amongst the most absurd things, knocks you over with his insight before returning to the bizarre.
I am probably biased because I fell in love with Death years ago so I may have liked this book regardless, but Pratchett tells such a brilliant story that it’s hard not to admire everything about it and cherish all the characters involved.
Mort is a great character, and even knowing what I know from Hogfather it didn’t impact my enjoyment or ruin any surprises at all. Hogfather is too far in the future and has a compelling plot all on its own to worry about delving into Death’s family tree and past.
The mysticism of Discworld is on show as the magic moves around and affects people. Being Death’s apprentice is a job that is both mundane and fantastic and seeing Mort learn what’s involved reveals more about the world and those in it.
There is a cast of characters as narrators this time around for the audiobook. Sian Clifford, Peter Serafinowicz, and Billy Nighy all lend their voices to this story. It doesn’t feel like a radio play, there’s no extra sound effects or anything, but it was fun hearing different characters have different voices for a change.
You can purchase Mort via the following
Wordery| Blackwell’s | Fishpond
Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible
“Stuck” asks Duck. Yep, Turtle is flipped over on his shell and can’t seem to get un-stuck. Duck suggests wiggling his feet, Kangaroo wants him to wag his tail, and Armadillo says rolling into a ball always does the trick. But Turtle is STILL. STUCK.
The last thing the wizard Drum Billet did, before Death laid a bony hand on his shoulder, was to pass on his staff of power to the eighth son of an eighth son. Unfortunately for his colleagues in the chauvinistic (not to say misogynistic) world of magic, he failed to check on the newborn baby’s sex…
School’s out.
Whether you are learning to skate, baking a cake, or even making a mistake, this hilarious and heartfelt rhyming book reminds us that trying our best is reason to celebrate. From children trying to master new skills to adults who had a hard week at work, we all get overwhelmed sometimes and need reassurance. And who better to offer it than a chicken exclaiming: “WOO HOO! YOU’RE DOING GREAT!”
