The wizards soon learn that the local version of football (similar to the actual game of mob football) is very violent and deaths are common. If not, they will lose 87.4% of the university's food bill, and be forced to have (only) three meals a day. This delay was in part due to Pratchett's Alzheimer's diagnosis, which led to a great deal of his time being taken up with interviews and public advocacy.Īfter the centennial Hunting of the Megapode (a satirisation of the Mallard ceremony performed at All Souls College, Oxford), the faculty of Unseen University discover that they must, as per tradition, play a game of football, in exchange for their large financial endowment from the late Archchancellor Preserved Bigger. Between 19, at least one Discworld novel was published every year. However, it made up for this in part by being the longest Discworld novel, 25 000 words longer than any other book in the series. The time in between the publication of Unseen Academicals and the previous Discworld entry, Making Money, was over 2 years, making it longest time between Discworld novels since 1983's The Colour of Magic and 1986's The Light Fantastic. 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. Bookshop chain Borders included a small set of exclusive Discworld football cards with each book. 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, idealistic savant.Īccording to the publisher, Transworld, the 'on sale' date for the hardback was 1 October 2009 although the official publication date is 8 October 2009.

It includes new details about 'below stairs' life at the university. The novel satirises football, and features Mustrum Ridcully setting up an Unseen University football team, with the Librarian in goal.

Unseen Academicals is the 37th novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.

Unseen university books