Mort’s family didn’t know what to do with him. His father decided to hire him out as an apprentice, but the only employer who wanted him was Death. Death took Mort back to his home where Mort met Albert, an old wizard who worked as a cook and Ysabell, Death’s adopted daughter. After going the round with Death a few times, Mort is sent out on his own while Death experiences some of the pleasures of life. When Mort gets to the castle of Princess Keli, he falls in love and decides he can’t bring himself to kill her, so he kills her assassin instead. This messes up the course of history, but history immediately starts correcting itself and Keli’s life is soon in danger. Mort, with the assistance of Ysabell, Albert and another wizard named Cutwell, tries to find a solution. At the last minute, they manage to rescue Keli, but by this time Mort realizes he loves Ysabell, not Keli. Death, upset at first that Mort messed things up, relents and allows Keli to live. She makes Mort a Duke, with the understanding that he’ll do all the historical things that Keli’s successor was supposed to do in history.

Fun, with Pratchett’s usual fun with words. Somehow the whole is never quite as good as the sum of the parts, but the Discworld books are a quick, enjoyable read.