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Small Gods

Small Gods
Small Gods

Terry Pratchett

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Synopsis


'An intriguing satire on institutionalized religion corrupted by power . . .' Independent

'Deftly weaves themes of forgiveness, belief and spiritual regeneration' The Times



In the beginning was the Word.

And the Word was: "Hey, you!"

For Brutha the novice is the Chosen One. He wants peace and justice and brotherly love.

He also wants the Inquisition to stop torturing him now, please . . .

Readers adore Small Gods:

'One of Pratchett´s best works, retelling what has happened, happens, and will happen as soon as faith goes mad, uncontrolled, and vicious, tries to expand its sphere of influence and doesn´t care about the foundations and rules, contradicting its own commandments' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'It makes you contemplate so many things. Beyond religion too. There were so many passages when I was musing "It's like this thought has sprung out of my head but it's written a hundred times better than I would have said it"' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Pratchett creates a host of characters that represent people and our relationship with religion, done with thought and hope, a thoroughly laugh out loud experience' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'The book is never preachy (see what I did there? ;P) or boring. On the contrary, the mad romp through several hitherto unseen countries on the disc was delightful' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Pratchett at his theological best' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'This extremely cleaver religious satire is one of the top Pratchett's work as organized religion becomes target of his wit and cynicism' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'A true delight. Also, as I finished the book, I felt my cold go away . . . hallelujah for the curative properties of wonderful books' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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Terry Pratchett

Summary

Chapter 1: The Arrival

Brutha, a young novice monk in the rural Omnian temple of the Little God, witnesses the arrival of a strange old man named Om. Om has come from the distant city of Ephebe, where he once served as the god of the city. Brutha is fascinated by Om's worldly knowledge and skepticism, which challenge the beliefs he has been taught.

Chapter 2: The City of Ephebe

Brutha and Om journey to Ephebe, where they encounter the sprawling city's poverty, inequality, and religious hypocrisy. Om is appalled by the corruption that has taken hold in his former temple, and he clashes with the current god, Vorbis, a ruthless and ambitious man.

Chapter 3: The Turtle Moves

Brutha learns about the history of Om and his role in the Omnian religion. Om was once a god of wisdom and compassion, but the church has twisted his teachings to justify its power and control. Brutha struggles to reconcile his faith with the reality he sees in Ephebe.

Chapter 4: The Trial of Brutha

Brutha is accused of heresy and put on trial before the Inquisition. Om defends him, but Vorbis is determined to crush his opposition. Brutha is found guilty and sentenced to death, but he is saved at the last moment by a mysterious figure.

Chapter 5: The Creation of History

Brutha learns that the mysterious figure is the Great God Om, the creator of all things. Om reveals that he has come to Ephebe to witness the fall of Vorbis and the rebirth of the true Omnian faith. Brutha becomes the new leader of the Little God's temple, determined to spread Om's teachings of compassion and reason.

Chapter 6: The Last Laugh

Vorbis, driven mad by his failure, tries to destroy Ephebe with a giant tortoise. However, the tortoise is defeated by Brutha and his followers, proving that even the smallest of creatures can triumph over evil. The Omnian faith is restored to its original values, and Ephebe is reborn as a city of hope and justice.

Real-World Example

The themes of religious hypocrisy and the power of compassion in "Small Gods" resonate with real-world issues. For example, the character of Vorbis represents the corrupt religious leaders who have used religion to justify violence and oppression throughout history. The story of Brutha and the Little God shows that even those with little power can resist tyranny and create a better world through the transformative power of empathy and reason.