Unseen Academicals (book)

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Unseen Academicals
Unseen Academicals cover by Paul Kidby
2014 paperback edition cover by Paul Kidby
AuthorTerry Pratchett
Audio read byTony Robinson (Corgi)
Stephen Briggs (Isis)
Colin Morgan (Penguin)
Cover artistPaul Kidby
CountryUK
LanguageEnglish
SeriesDiscworld
Release number
37
Sub-seriesWizards
GenreFantasy
PublisherGollancz/Corgi
Published in English
2009-10-06
Preceded byMaking Money 
Followed byI Shall Wear Midnight 

Unseen Academicals is the thirty-seventh Discworld novel, and the last to star the wizards of Unseen University, though the real protagonists are four new characters who work as servants at the University. It focuses on the revitalisation of “foot-the-ball”, the Discworld version of association football which was briefly mentioned in Reaper Man and Jingo. It's notable for being a wizards book in which neither Death nor Rincewind play a major role. It also introduces rival university Brazeneck College, to whom the former Dean of UU defects.

Blurb

Podcast episodes

Major appearances

These are episodes primarily devoted to discussing this book.

Date Show Episode External link
2010-03-05 PodCastle[1] “PodCastle Review 1: Unseen Academicals” podcastle.org
2020-10-28 Radio Morpork “Balon D’Orc” radiomorpork.wordpress.com
2021-04-04 Unseen Academicals “Unseen Academicals” anchor.fm
2021-05-09 Desert Island Discworld “Dave Powell and Unseen Academicals” desertislanddiscworld.com
2021-09-15 The Death of Podcasts “Unseen Academicals” aalgar.com
2022-03-28 Wyrd Sisters “Unseen Academicals” wyrdsisters.podbean.com
2023-02-28 The Compleat Discography “Unseen Academicals”[2] compleatdiscography.page
2024-03-04 The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret “Reticule! in the Boudoir” (1/3) thetruthshallmakeyefret.com
2024-03-11 The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret “Mass Pie Experience” (2/3) thetruthshallmakeyefret.com
2024-03-18 The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret “Progressive Sleaze” (3/3) thetruthshallmakeyefret.com
2024-09-05 Fiction Fans “Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett” fictionfanspodcast.com
2025-01-08 Pratchat “This Time for Ankh-Morpork” pratchatpodcast.com

Other appearances

To be added.

Adaptations

  • There are three audiobooks of Unseen Academicals: the abridged Corgi one narrated by Tony Robinson; the unabridged Isis book narrated by Stephen Briggs; and the unabridged Penguin audiobook, narrated by Colin Morgan (of '’Merlin fame), with Bill Nighy as the “Voice of the Author” reading the footnotes, and Peter Serafinowicz (very briefly) as Death.
  • Unseen Academicals is a 10-part audio drama adaptation made for Audible Originals in 2018. It was directed by Dirk Maggs, with a cast featuring David Jason as the narrator, Matthew Horne (star of Gavin & Stacey) as Trev Likely, comedian Josie Lawrence as Glenda Sugarbean, Stephen Briggs as Drumknott (Vetinari’s assistant), and Jon Culshaw as William de Worde.

External links

Footnotes

  1. PodCastle is a fantasy fiction podcast from Escape Artists, who also make EscapePod (their first, sci-fi-themed show) and PseudoPod (for horror fiction). This was the first of only three or four book review episodes. Also of note: Pratchett podcast guest Dr Kat Day works as a producer on PseudoPod.
  2. Features guest Rob Wilkins