I've read the earlier books but I waited until the paperback version came out - as I will with this one. They were OK but not a patch on Pratchett at his best. However we must applaud any author who can encourage kids to read - and fight their parents for the first read of a new book! If the hype spreads out a bit, who knows, reading might even become cool again - like it was for us 50 somethings who found the magic before TV got into its stride.