I’ve been meaning to read Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather for quite a while. For one thing, I loved many of Sir Terry’s other books, so I was excited to read another of his wonderful Discworld series. And Hogfather had a particular appeal—I love the character of Death in his books, and it sort of has a Christmas theme, so what’s not too love? However, for reasons of time/exhaustion/babies, even after I bought myself a used hard back copy of the book from Half Price Books, it lingered on my shelf, neglected. That is, until this past month or so. That’s when I finally, and purposefully, decided I would read this book (among many other books I’ve been meaning to read). I’m so glad I did, because it’s so full of just wonderful characters and it’s a truly lovely, marvelous story that manages to be powerful, emotional, and heart-warming without being the slightest bit sentimental (if that last sentence sounds contradictory, read more Terry Pratchett).

The premise of Hogfather is simple. The Hogfather, the Discworld version of Santa Claus, has been killed (sort of, he’s something like a god, which makes it rather difficult to kill him completely). But the Hogfather’s role in the lives of children is so important, so absolutely essential, that Death himself decides to take over the role of the Hogfather (yes, that Death, the skeleton in black with the scythe). With help from his angry assistant Alfred, Death dresses as the Hogfather and distributes presents while his ever curious and no-nonsense granddaughter Susan goes on a quest to save the Hogfather. And possibly, all life as we know it.

What I loved about this book is, well, everything. I loved the characters. Pratchett’s personification of Death is such a fascinating presence in all of his books, and Susan is a practical, resourceful, and brave heroine, who manages to be unsentimental yet also warm and heartfelt. Even the minor characters, from the magical thinking machine Hex to the Librarian of the great Unseen University, feel wonderful and imaginative, and yet ultimately, so strangely human. There’s a saying that there are two kinds of fantasy books: those about incredible people in mostly ordinary circumstances (superheros going to high school, for example), and those about very ordinary people in very extraordinary circumstances (ordinary hobbits go an a grand adventure!). Terry Pratchett, on the other hand, finds the magic in the ordinary loves and hopes of regular people, and Hogfather is a powerful example of this. It is a book that will truly warm your soul.

I’d recommend Hogfather to anyone who likes fantasy or Christmas, and I’d especially recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of the fantastic Good Omens series on Amazon Prime (which I would also highly recommend).