This is one of many installments in Pratchett’s venerable Discworld Series. Foot-the-ball dominates the streets of Ankh-Morpork, threatening livelihoods and ending lives. Archchancellor Ridcully and the staff of Unseen University are compelled by Lord Vetinari to refine and redirect the game into, it turns out, something that looks familiar. There are many other plot threads as well: reluctant hero Trevor Likely’s romance with aspiring model Juliette; Ridcully’s rivalry with an upstart university; Glenda Sugarbean’s need to control her surroundings; and the identity of the exceedingly helpful Mr. Nutt.
So it’s all about the Football (Soccer to Americans), but... it’s not, really. A major theme in this book is that Football is about the Shove - the all-consuming crush of the crowd in their pursuit to participate in the street version of the game. And it’s all the Shove. Whether it’s the roar of the crowd’s approval or the relentless desire to get ahead in life, it all comes back to this. Anyway, for non-sports fans who love Pratchett, there’s much more to this than the sports talk, and if you’re still worried, there’s only
the one game.
All your favorite familiar Discworld characters make an appearance. (Vetinari and the Librarian are mine.) The book is a light-hearted romp down the streets of Ankh-Morpork, and a fun send-up of sports culture, academic culture, modeling culture, pretty much every kind of culture there is, and even some that don’t quite exist. Though your understanding of the city would surely be enhanced by reading some of the other books, don’t feel like you have to read them. This book stands alone well. I think the three main characters - Trevor, Glenda, and Nutt - are all original to this book.
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