The planet Earth has picked up a parasitic life form - elves. They get everywhere. And they like humans to be superstitious, fearful and frightened of thunder. They're after our future and must be stopped...but by who?

Enter the wizards of the Unseen University who, in the best-selling The Science of Discworld unwittingly created Earth and our own universe. At the thime they quite failed to notice humanity. (Well, we've only been around for a million years, so we're easily overlooked...) But now, at last, they've found us.

In The Science of Discworld II science writers Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen join forces again with fantasy author Terry Pratchett to see just what happens as the wizards battle against the elves. The Renaissance, for example, is given a push. London is replaced by a dozy Neanderthal village. The role of fat women in art is developed. And one very famous playwright gets born and writes The Play.

The Globe is a unique book, weaving together a fast-paced Discworld novelette with cutting-edge scientific commentary on the evolution and development of the human mind, culture, language, art, and science. The result - as the wizards grapple with the nature of Good and Evil, and history is rewritten several times over - is a fascinating and brilliantly original view of the world we live in.

The second Science Of Discworld book, and I have it hot off the press! It means I have to read the first one, after all this time, but as I've had scarily good reviews from friends this holds no fear!

November 26th 2002
The End

Although it is a couple of months since I finished this book it still holds a very strong impression in my mind. As with the first Science of Discworld book this takes a wizard's eye view of the world, which is often illogical, but always good fun.

The idea behind this book is that the evolution of civilization came about through storytelling, and it is that and that alone that sets human beings apart from the rest of the ape kingdom. The argument's a convincing one too.

Not only does it trace the appearance of storytelling, but it also explains how our brains evolved in direct response to the need for understanding them. How language develops in children is also tackled amongst other, more complex arguments that culminates in 'if Shakespeare hadn't existed we'd all still be walking around looking at people's heads on spikes'. It really is a fascinating read, and in clear, easily approachable language that even the most cerebrally challenged ape-person (me) can understand. They still like space elevators.

I liked this more than the first book, because I am more interested in literature and psychology than I am about physics and hard science. Also, the Discworld story here was a lot more fun, and more along Pratchett's usual path. It's a book I'll certainly be coming back to, and have been recommending left and right since I finished reading it.