Unseen Academicals

Terry Pratchett The Discworld series 37th novel – 9th individual story
Outline
Characters	Mustrum Ridcully Ponder Stibbons The Librarian Rincewind Havelock Vetinari Lady Margolotta
Locations	Ankh-Morpork
Motifs	association football (soccer)
Publication details
Date of release	2009
Original publisher	Doubleday
Hardback ISBN	0385609345
Paperback ISBN	0552153370
Other details

Unseen Academicals is the 37th novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. The novel satirises football (soccer),^[1][2] and features Mustrum Ridcully setting up an Unseen University football (soccer) team, with the Librarian in goal.^[3] It includes new details about "below stairs" life at the university.^[3] The book introduces several new characters, including Trevor Likely, a street urchin with a wonderful talent for kicking a tin can; Glenda Sugarbean, a maker of "jolly good" pies; Juliet Stollop, a dim but beautiful young woman who might just turn out to be the greatest fashion model there has ever been; and the mysterious Mr Nutt, a cultured, enigmatic goblin savant. According to the publisher, Transworld, the "on sale" date for the hardback was October 1, 2009 although the official publication date is October 8, 2009.^[4]
Borders stores have a small set of exclusive Discworld football cards included with each book.^[5]

The title is a play on the names of rugby and football teams in the UK who have or have had a connection to educational institutions, examples being Hamilton Academical and Edinburgh Academicals.

Synopsis

Unseen Academicals tells the story of the faculty of Unseen University being forced to choose between (only) three meals a day and playing a game of football, as tradition mandates the game in exchange for their large financial endowment by a wealthy family. The wizards soon learn that the local version of football is very violent and deaths are common. Thus, in collaboration with the city's tyrant Lord Vetinari, they set out to make new 'official' football rules, which includes forbidding the use of hands and the use of official footballs as opposed to the makeshift balls the street games use. The book includes a satirisation of the Mallard ceremony performed at All Souls College, Oxford

Parallel to this, the book tells the story of four young people. A candle dribbler named Mr. Nutt discovers that he is not what he thinks he is and must overcome the fear of his race, both by humans and by himself. He is also chosen to train the university's team for the big match. Trev Likely, who is Mr. Nutt's coworker and best friend, is the son of the Ankh-Morpork's most famous deceased footballer, but has promised his dear old mum he won't play. Glenda is a friend of Mr. Nutt and Trev, runs the Unseen University Night Kitchen, and bakes the disc's best pies. Juliet works for Glenda, has a crush on Trev, is simple and beautiful, and daydreams about fashion. The four of them end up advising the wizards on their football endeavour, which culminates in an intense game between the Wizards and the former street footballers.

Film

It has been confirmed that Unseen Academicals will be the fourth movie to be produced by SkyOne. It is due for production in 2011.

Reviews

• Review by Cory Doctorow on Boing Boing.
• Review by The Guardian.
• Review by The Telegraph.
• Review by Matt Barber.

References

1. ^ Flood, Alison (2008-07-14). "On Embuggerance And Humour". The Bookseller. http://www.thebookseller.com/in-depth/trade-profiles/56984-on-embuggerance-and-humour.html. Retrieved 2008-09-25. 
2. ^ "John Connolly: Bestselling Author". www.johnconnollybooks.com. http://www.johnconnollybooks.com/int_pratchett.php. Retrieved 2009-01-25. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Tough at the Top", SFX Collection Special Edition #34, Future Publishing, June 2008
4. ^ "Transworld : Book Details for Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett". Booksattransworld.co.uk. http://www.booksattransworld.co.uk/catalog/book.htm?command=Search&db=twmain.txt&eqisbndata=0385609345. Retrieved 2009-10-14. 
5. ^ The Discworld Monthly issue 144

External links

Reading order guide
Preceded by Making Money	37th Discworld Novel	Succeeded by I Shall Wear Midnight
Preceded by A Collegiate Casting-Out of Devilish Devices	9th Individual Story Published in 2009	Succeeded by To be announced
Novels by Terry Pratchett
Preceded by Nation		Succeeded by I Shall Wear Midnight

External links

• http://wiki.lspace.org/wiki/Nutt
• http://www.curledup.com/unseenac.htm
• http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/Default.aspx?Page=Book&ID=9780385609340

This article about a 2000s fantasy novel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: 2009 novels Discworld books 2000s fantasy novels 2000s fantasy novel stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР Merkur Internationale Fachhochschule Karlsruhe Architecture of Goan Catholics Look at other dictionaries: Unseen Academicals — Autor Terry Pratchett Género Fantástico, épico Idioma Lengua inglesa …   Wikipedia Español Unseen University — Motto Nunc id Vides, Nunc ne Vides ( Now you see it, Now you don t. ) Established 1 AM (current Ankh Morpork calendar dates from founding) Type Public Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully Location …   Wikipedia Discworld — This article is about the novels. For the Discworld itself, see Discworld (world). For the MUD, see Discworld MUD. For the Apple Macintosh themed disk magazine, see Diskworld. Discworld Cover of an early edition of The Colour of Magic; art by… …   Wikipedia Discworld characters — This article contains brief biographies for characters from Terry Pratchett s Discworld series. This list consists of human characters. For biographies of noted members of the Discworld s ethnic minorities (Dwarfs, trolls, undead), see the… …   Wikipedia Havelock Vetinari — Lord Vetinari Description A tall, pale, thoughtful man who dresses in dusty black, primarily due to having better things to think about than what to wear. In his youth he favoured grey or dark greens instead of the traditional black of the… …   Wikipedia Discworld (world) — The Discworld as it appears in the SkyOne adaptation of The Colour of Magic. The Discworld is the fictional setting for all of Terry Pratchett s Discworld fantasy novels. It consists of a large disc (complete with edge of the world drop off and… …   Wikipedia Rincewind — as illustrated by Paul Kidby in The Art of Discworld. Description A cowardly wizzard who is always running away from various dangers Associations Unseen University …   Wikipedia Незримые академики — en: Unseen Academicals Автор: Терри Пратчетт Жанр …   Википедия Discworld geography — Überwald redirects here. For the area in Hessen, Germany, see Überwald (Bergstraße). The Discworld Mapp by Stephen Player (Dutch version) This article concerns the fictional geography of Terry Pratchett s Discworld, featured in the novel series… …   Wikipedia Witches (Discworld) — See also: Discworld magic A major subset of the Discworld novels of Terry Pratchett involves the witches of Lancre. They are closely based on witches in British folklore and a slightly tongue in cheek reinterpretation of the Triple Goddess. Witch …   Wikipedia 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”