Dragons at Crumbling Castle : and other tales

Format:

Audio disc

Title:

Dragons at Crumbling Castle : and other tales

Author:

Pratchett, Terry.

ISBN:

9781101892015

Edition:

Unabridged.

Publication Information:

New York : Listening Library ; Prince Frederick, MD : Distributed by Recorded Books, ℗2014.

Physical Description:

4 audio discs (4 hr.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.

General Note:

Title from container.

Compact disc.

In container (17 cm.).

Contents:

Dragons at Crumbling Castle -- Hercules the tortoise -- The Great Speck -- Hunt the Snorry -- Tales of the Carpet People -- Dok the Caveman -- The big race -- Another tale of the Carpet People -- The great egg-dancing championship -- Edwo, the boring knight -- The 59A bus goes back in time -- The abominable snowman -- The Blackbury monster -- Father Christmas goes to work.

Summary:

A collection of fourteen short stories featuring "dragons and wizards, councilors and mayors, an adventurous tortoise and a monster in a lake, along with plenty of pointy hats and a few magic spells" written when the author was a teenaged newspaper reporter.

Subject(s):

Children's stories, English.

Genre:

Humorous stories -- Juvenile fiction.

Children's stories -- Juvenile fiction.

Children's audiobooks.

Juvenile works.

Short stories.

Added Author:

Rhind-Tutt, Julian, 1968-

Added Corporate Author:

Listening Library.

Recorded Books, LLC.

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Stayton Public Library	JCD PRATCHETT	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A wonderful collection of short stories by master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, featuring dragons, dinosaurs, cavemen and car races!
Dragons have invaded Crumbling Castle, and all of King Arthur's knights are either on holiday or visiting their grannies. It's a disaster!

Luckily, there's a spare suit of armour and a very small boy called Ralph who's willing to fill it. Together with Fortnight the Friday knight and Fossfiddle the wizard, Ralph sets out to defeat the fearsome fire-breathers.

But there's a teeny weeny surprise in store...

Fourteen fantastically funny stories from master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, full of time travel and tortoises, monsters and mayhem!

Story List:
CD 1: Dragons at Crumbling Castle, The Great Speck, Hunt the Snorry, Tales of the Carpet People (beginning)

CD 2: Tales of the Carpet People (concluded) , Hercules the Tortoise, Dok the Caveman, The Big Race

CD 3: Another Tale of the Carpet People, The Great Egg--‐dancing Championship, Edwo the Boring Knight

CD 4: The 59A Bus Goes Back in Time, The Abominable Snowman, The Blackbury Monster, Father Christmas Goes to Work at the Zoo

Author Notes

Terry Pratchett was on born April 28, 1948 in Beaconsfield, United Kingdom. He left school at the age of 17 to work on his local paper, the Bucks Free Press. While with the Press, he took the National Council for the Training of Journalists proficiency class. He also worked for the Western Daily Press and the Bath Chronicle. He produced a series of cartoons for the monthly journal, Psychic Researcher, describing the goings-on at the government's fictional paranormal research establishment, Warlock Hall. In 1980, he was appointed publicity officer for the Central Electricity Generating Board with responsibility for three nuclear power stations.

His first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. His first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. He became a full-time author in 1987. He wrote more than 70 books during his lifetime including The Dark Side of the Sun, Strata, The Light Fantastic, Equal Rites, Mort, Sourcery, Truckers, Diggers, Wings, Dodger, Raising Steam, Dragons at Crumbling Castle: And Other Tales, and The Shephard's Crown. He was diagnosis with early onset Alzheimer's disease in 2007. He was knighted for services to literature in 2009 and received the World Fantasy award for life achievement in 2010. He died on March 12, 2015 at the age of 66.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (5)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-7-This collection of short stories is eerily reminiscent of Roald Dahl's tales of humor and irony, while the illustrations are remarkably similar to Quentin Blake's. In Pratchett's tales, dragons invade a castle, having lost their caves to a stopped-up river; itty bitty people live, explore, and fight within the carpets; an odd caveman keeps inventing things that then cause disaster (a fire burning down the village); and a champion egg dancer catches a pair of thieves. The oddness of the stories makes them funny and unique. Many feature British terminology, which might confuse younger readers but adds to the flavor of the book. General themes include good overcoming evil, cheaters never prospering, and courage defeating danger. VERDICT Middle grade readers who enjoy Pratchett's other works or Dahl's tales are bound to enjoy this one.-Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

This collection gathers 14 short stories written by the late fantasy author when he was a teenager. Dragons get ousted from their caves and take over a castle. The world's most boring knight wins half a kingdom and the princess's affection through sheer doggedness. A tortoise journeys far from home and discovers bravery and a new life. A champion "egg dancer" forfeits his win to catch some thieves. Fans of Sir Terry's later work will recognize the seeds of some of his Discworld characters and themes in these tales: wordplay, puns, silly jokes, wonderfully goofy names, characters with strong ethics, and wild ideas grounded in reality. In the audio edition, musical interludes and other sound effects help to divide some of the very short stories. Rind-Tutt's flexible voice and spot-on accents allow listeners to immediately grasp the nature of the characters. His Scotsmen are daring adventurers, his upper-crust ladies have hooting, high-pitched voices, and the heroes sound sturdy and forthright. Parrots, princesses, tortoises, and very proper butlers all come to life. Rind-Tutt's energetic performance is both goofy and warm, just perfect for Pratchett's sensibilities. Ages 9-12. A Clarion hardcover. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Horn Book Review

This collection of fantastical short stories, previously published serially in the 1960s, offers an uneven glimpse at Pratchett's literary evolution. Notable for their cleverness and whimsy but containing less heart and substance than Pratchett's beloved later work, these bite-size tales, accompanied by Quentin Blakeesque spot illustrations, are read-aloud ready. Dated caricatures among the cast may limit the overall appeal to Pratchett enthusiasts. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

Fourteen rollicking tales, most of which were written when the author was a teenager and published over 40 years ago in his local newspaper.Pratchett fans will particularly welcome first introductions to the town of Blackbury, which became the setting for several later novels, and intrepid Snibril, who, with his diminutive folk, went on to be cast in The Carpet People. The author admits to some minor editorial massaging, but these and all the rest feature characters heroic or hiss-worthy, pranks and battles aplenty, sly twists on familiar tropes and his trademark mix of silly humor and acute moral commentary. In the title tale, a lad makes peace between a town and a family of displaced dragons, and in another, rival rulers even smaller than Carpet People squabble over a newly discovered dust speck. Mishaps ensue when "Father Christmas Goes to Work" between holidays. All the stories come with sheaves of new illustrations depicting wide-eyed caricatures in comically stagey poses, drawn Quentin Blake-style in quick, sketchy pen strokes against swabs of monochrome wash. Juvenilia from a genius, showing bright signs of future masterworks. (introduction) (Short stories. 10-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

As a junior reporter in his teens, Pratchett wrote children's stories that were published weekly in his local newspaper. Fourteen are collected here, two of which formed the basis of his first novel, The Carpet People (1971). Other notable tales in this volume include The Great Egg-Dancing Championship, about two rivals who discover that they are on the same side after all, and Dok the Caveman, in which a highly inventive fellow has trouble fitting in with his prehistoric tribe. The closing story, Father Christmas Goes to Work, follows the larger-than-life title character as he tries out a series of new jobs. It's a pleasure to read Pratchett's reflections in his introduction and to see his signature warmth, wit, and intelligence light up these simple stories. Appearing throughout the book, Beech's amusing ink-and-wash drawings perfectly capture the magic of the tales in a spirited style reminiscent of Quentin Blake's illustrations. A good choice for the chapter-book set, this is highly recommended for reading aloud to younger children as well. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Pratchett's vast, all-ages fan base will be intrigued by these early offerings, while their accessibility and skillful storytelling will pull in young newcomers to the masterful author's work.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2014 Booklist