This is one of my bedtime books. I used to love Terry Pratchett when I was in high school, but I don’t so much anymore, which always means I am rather sad when reading his books these days. Now, this must mean that either the books have changed, or I have. What do you think?
TRUCKERS tells the story of a group of tiny human-like creatures called nomes who are struggling to survive in a field. In desperation they get on a human truck and end up at a large department store, Arnold Bros, which turns out to be full of nomes. The store is however about to be destroyed, so all the nomes have to find a way to escape by teaching themselves to drive. They also discover that they are in fact aliens from a distant star, and that this is therefore the first step to returning to outer space. Sequel anyone?
The funniest part of the novel is the religion around the god figure of Arnold Bros. that the store nomes have developed. Thus they take If you don’t see what you require, please ask as an invitation to prayer, and Everything Must Go as a instruction to prepare for one’s own mortality. Prices Slashed is a sort of devil, and Bargains Galore an Archangel. However – and here’s what makes me sad – it now all seems a bit heavy handed, and his larger points about religion and meaning painfully obvious.
Oh Terry Pratchett. You are still good for bedtime.