I first picked up Strata by Sir Terry Pratchett quite some time ago but couldn’t finish it. A few years later, I tried again, only to get stuck somewhere in the first quarter of the book.

I have a personal rule: if a book doesn’t hold my interest, I leave it unfinished. However, with some extra free time recently — thanks to the bad weather — I decided to give Strata another shot. This time, I powered through the part where I got stuck, and then I couldn’t put it down until the end. And oh, was it worth it!

The book is a fascinating blend of science fiction and fantasy. It was written a few years before the first book of the Discworld series, and you can see the early ideas that lead to The Colour of Magic. It features a flat world that bears a passing resemblance to the one in Discworld, yet its premise and origin story are quite different.

I won’t spoil anything, further but I encourage anyone who finds the beginning a bit chaotic or lacking direction to stick with it - it pays off, even if you are not a Discworld fan. The book is a fun read, featuring an early look at the satirical humor about society, belief, and the Universe that Pratchett later became known for in the Discworld series.

I give it a solid 4/5.