The Johnny Maxwell Slipcase: Includes Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny & the Dead, Johnny & the Bomb [Import] [Paperback]

Terry Pratchett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2005

A collection of three of books from Terry Pratchett including:

Only You Can Save Mankind

The aliens in Johnny’s computer game are not supposed to surrender. They’re supposed to die…

“Impressively original.”
–Daily Telegraph

Johnny and the Dead
When Johnny discovers he can talk to the dead, he has bad news for them. They’re going to have to move…

“Inspired imagination”
–Independent

Johnny and the Bomb

There’s more to the local bag lady than some dubious black bags. Suddenly Johnny and his friends find themselves back in 1941 — in the Blackbury Blitz…

“A Terry Pratchett classic.”
–The Times

Terry Pratchett is one of the most popular authors writing today. He is well known for the phenomenally successful Discworld® series. His first novel for young readers, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the 2002 Carnegie Medal, and he is also the author of a number of other successful titles for younger readers, including The Bromeliad trilogy, which is being adapted into a spectacular animated movie.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Impressively original' Daily Telegraph 'Inspired Imagination' Independent 'A Terry Pratchett classic' The Times

About the Author

TERRY PRATCHETT is one of the most popular authors writing today. He lives behind a keyboard in Wiltshire and says he 'doesn't want to get a life, because it feels as though he's trying to lead three already'. He was appointed OBE in 1998. He is the author of the phenomenally successful Discworld series and his trilogy for young readers, The Bromeliad, is scheduled to be adapted into a spectacular animated movie. His first Discworld novel for children, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, was awarded the 2001 Carnegie Medal.


From the Compact Disc edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Corgi (October 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0552553824
• ISBN-13: 978-0552553827
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 2.1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,283,426 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was fifteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe. Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, in 1983. In 1987 he turned to writing full time, and has not looked back since. To date there are a total of 36 books in the Discworld series, of which four (so far) are written for children. The first of these children's books, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the Carnegie Medal. A non-Discworld book, Good Omens, his 1990 collaboration with Neil Gaiman, has been a longtime bestseller, and was reissued in hardcover by William Morrow in early 2006 (it is also available as a mass market paperback (Harper Torch, 2006) and trade paperback (Harper Paperbacks, 2006). Terry's latest book, Nation, a non-Discworld standalone YA novel was published in October of 2008 and was an instant New York Times and London Times bestseller. Regarded as one of the most significant contemporary English-language satirists, Pratchett has won numerous literary awards, was named an Officer of the British Empire "for services to literature" in 1998, and has received four honorary doctorates from the Universities of Warwick, Portsmouth, Bath, and Bristol. His acclaimed novels have sold more than 55 million copies (give or take a few million) and have been translated into 36 languages. Terry Pratchett lives in England with his family, and spends too much time at his word processor.  Some of Terry's accolades include: The Carnegie Medal, Locus Awards, the Mythopoetic Award, ALA Notable Books for Children, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Book Sense 76 Pick, Prometheus Award and the British Fantasy Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Only you can save mankind!, July 8, 2005

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Johnny Maxwell Slipcase: Includes Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny & the Dead, Johnny & the Bomb (Paperback)

Before Discworld was a gleam in Terry Pratchett's eye, the British fantasy author tried his hand at fantasy books for young adults. One of the results was the Johnny Maxwell Trilogy, three kooky sci-fantasy stories about time travel, aliens, and some very restless dead people.

Most young boys enjoy video games. But in "Only You Can Save Mankind," when Johnny Maxwell tries his pal Wobbler's new game, he finds that the aliens are... surrendering? Johnny is, unsurprisingly, quite taken aback: video game enemies are supposed to continue fighting. Then the game shows nothing but empty space. Johnny assumes that there is something odd about it, but nothing can prepare him for this: The ScreeWees are real aliens, who are attacked when someone uses the video game.

"Johnny And the Dead" is an appropriate title for the second book -- because Johnny sees dead people. But a massive, mercenary, progress-obsessed corporation has just bought the graveyard for fivepence, and it will soon be razed for new construction. The only people more dismayed than the living inhabitants of Blackbury are the dead ones. So as the dead break their bonds to "unlive," Johnny and his friends will try to save the graveyard from... a fate worse than death?

"Johnny and the Bomb" rounds the trilogy off on a high note -- one of the smartest time travel stories around. Johnny and his friends are taking a homeless lady's trolley to a garage when he finds a new newspaper... from decades ago. Suddenly they're in 1941, Bigmac is arrested, and Wobbler left behind. When Johnny and the others return, they find that they have royally messed up the timeline...

The Johnny Maxwell series is not Pratchett's best work, but it is an entertaining, witty fantasy trilogy. And Pratchett being Pratchett, he also gets to make fun of big corporations, radio programs, video games, war, and a lot of other stuff. Well, what else does one expect of a Pratchett fantasy novel?

Okay, the first book is probably the weakest of the trilogy -- Pratchett's writing is definitely less mature, and the storyline is confusing, although still entertaining. The second and third volumes are where his tight plots and deft humor really bloom, such as when the dead Communist calls up a radio talk show host and speaks frankly about being "vertically challenged."

Perhaps the best part is the characters. Without other races like dwarves, golems and werewolves, Pratchett has to give the character entirely human quirks. Johnny is the "normal guy," wise beyond his years and quiet unless he needs to speak. But backing him up is the dignified and intelligent Yo-less, gluttonous Bigmac, gutsy Kristy, and goofy Wobbler.

The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy is a fun, wry, witty fantasy series, and show Pratchett slowly growing into his literary gifts. Definitely worth reading.