Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett Orion, HK$104

The past few weeks in short? Football, football and football ... some tennis ... and then, more football. In other words, there has never been a better time for Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals, a typically vivid, comic and smart novel about Discworld, magic, food, love and the dark power of amateur dramatics. Oh, and football. Long before Harry Potter went to Hogwarts, Pratchett had invented the Unseen University for wizards. In Unseen Academicals, the faculty is required to participate in a ridiculously violent version of the beautiful game called 'foot-the-ball'. This is a typically witty piece of Pratchett sleight of hand: in reality, they are footing the bill for their capacious food bill. As Ponder Stibbins and the gloriously named Mr Nutt attempt to put the reluctant wizzes through their paces, sub-plots brighten the plot: a love story; the vicious rivalry between the teams; Professor Ritornello's hilarious attempts to pen a decent chant: 'Hail the unique qualities of Magister Bengo Macarona!' Given Pratchett's battle with Alzheimer's, it is a relief and a joy to learn he is as sharp, inventive and funny as always. 'Hail the unique qualities of Sir Terry Pratchett and Discworld!'