Books › Thief of Time
Thief of Time
458 pages
A wildly inventive, laugh-out-loud meditation on the absurdity of human schedules and the cosmic weight of a single ticking second.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like strapping into a metaphysical rollercoaster built by a philosopher with a wicked sense of humor. It crackles with a brisk, witty energy, effortlessly juggling cosmic apocalypse with the mundane absurdities of daily schedules and tea times. The prose is a masterclass in comedic timing, packed with footnotes, sharp puns, and sudden, breathtaking moments of genuine poignancy about the human condition. As the narrative threads weave together, the atmosphere shifts from delightfully chaotic to a deeply satisfying, mind-bending convergence. It is a perfect fit for readers who enjoy their existential questions wrapped in sharp satire, offering a warm, affectionate look at humanity's desperate, hilarious attempts to control the uncontrollable march of time.
- Mood
- energetic
- mind-bending
- whimsical
- cosmic
- Tone
- wry
- philosophical
- satirical
- witty
- affectionate
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the nature of time · humanity's obsession with schedules · the burden of history · finding order in chaos
- The writing
- Sharp, endlessly quotable, and layered with footnotes, puns, and profound philosophical observations disguised as jokes.
- The arc
- Moves from chaotic, fragmented curiosity to a thrilling, surprisingly poignant convergence of cosmic stakes and deeply human revelations.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love their existential dread served with a cup of tea, a knowing wink, and a profound appreciation for human absurdity.
Content notes
- existential dread
- apocalyptic scenarios
- mild fantasy violence
About the book
In Discworld, time is a resource managed by the highly capable Monks of History. Everybody wants more time, which is why on Discworld only the experts can manage it. While everyone always talks about slowing down, one young horologist is about to do the unthinkable. He's going to stop. Well, stop time that is, by building the world's first truly accurate clock. Which means esteemed History Monk Lu-Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd have to put on some speed to stop the timepiece before it starts. For if the perfect clock starts ticking, time, as we know it, will end. And then the trouble will really begin.
Description from Open Library.
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