A shorter one from the Discworld series, this didn't take long at all to finish but was still a pretty fun read.
Cohen the Barbarian and his Silver Horde, tired of being Great Khan, decide to return the gift of fire to the gods, in the form of a giant bomb. Unhappy with the unfair treatment that gods had given to heroes and unhappy with the way the world seemed to be changing, they see it as a great final battle. They pick up a minor Dark Lord (Evil Henry), a Witch(?) (Mrs McGarry) and a minstrel that will write their saga for posterity.
Meanwhile the Wizards and Vetinari work out that the world is about to end because Cohen's explosion at the seat of the gods will cause all the magic to disappear. As such, Leonard of Quirm, Captain Carrot, Rincewind and the Librarian set off on a boat of Quirm's invention, designed to go off the edge of the Disc, around the bottom of the world, past the elephants, and up to Cori Celesti (the seat of the gods). Ultimately crisis is averted and the Silver Horde get their glorious death.
While this one is not among the best, it's still a comfortable read for the Discworld fan. The old heroes constantly complaining of a world thats leaving them behind, being stopped by a fantastical new invention brought forth by ingenuity is a typical Pratchett reflection on modernity. The recognition by Cohen of a stalwart Captain Carrot being the example of heroism in that modern world is a nice touch. Great stuff
Finished reading - 06/03/26