Heh, I suppose it is a bit of a mess in plot and tone—the two halves of the book, one this zany comedy with the wizards and the shopping mall satire, the other a profound philosophical exploration of life and death and Death the character, seem to sit a bit oddly alongside each other. But the Death sections are amazing (that image of the cornfield, 'what can the harvest hope for'... argh, my heart <3).

Ooh, and if you're reading in order and you've just got to Thief of Time then there are some really good ones coming up soon—Night Watch, Monstrous Regiment and The Wee Free Men all together, then the Moist books (though you may have read some of those already!).