Thoughts on the the Discworld, part one
Oct. 8th, 2003 09:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ravenAs said before, I picked up two more Discworld books today. However, it did occur to me that I haven't really talked explicitly about the Quest for the two weeks since it began, so this is me doing so. What follows is the list of books I've read, none of which I actually own:
Pyramids – the only one I’d read before. Very, very confusing, but a good one to start with because it had me in hysterics both times I read it. The Assassins’ Guild is so utterly ludicrous and so darkly plausible; I love it. I also love Teppic’s adventures in Djelibeybi (say that out loud, go on) and its random disappearance into another dimension. Fantastic.
Mort – the one I should have started with. Possibly the easiest one to understand, and definitely the reason I’m now such a fan of Death. I like the characters and set pieces best – the attempts to convince the princess she’s actually dead, for one, and Death’s excitement at getting his very first wedding invitation (IT HAD RSVP ON IT AND EVERYTHING) – but I didn’t like the plot very much. It left too much unresolved at the end. Another thing that bothers me is the fact the Patrician in this book is not recognisably Lord Vetinari, and yet he’d have to be for the book to feature all the guilds.
The Fifth Elephant – I’ll admit I picked this one up for the werewolves. I would have preferred to go on with the Death ones, as I’d not read a Watch one before. However, this book definitely made me a fan of the City Watch (a point – when do they become the City Watch and not just the Night Watch? Or are they same thing?). I knew I’d be a fan of Angua, but it’s not just me, she really does have some similarities to Remus Lupin (yes, there is a crossover in the works, shush). However, the plot of this book was darker. I didn’t realise that all the Watch ones tend to be dark, but this one is darker than most.
Hogfather – the best one, hands down. Susan rocks. She really does. I love her attitude towards children (“What have I told you about being ingratiatingly cute?”) and her grandfather (“He takes things literally.”). As well as her, though, the book has everything – Death trying to deliver presents and say HO HO HO, Billious, the oh god of hangovers, a cameo by the Watchmen, and the wizards of Unseen University. I’d never read about Ridcully and the rest before, but they’re sublime. Particularly the Bursar. And Hex, the computer. “+++Divide by Cucumber Error. Please Reinstall Universe and Reboot+++”
Night Watch – another Watch one, but with a twist. Carrot, Angua, Nobby and Detritus don’t really feature, seeing as Vimes has been sent back in time, so this one made me a fan of Vimes himself. He seems to be the Discworld’s most complex character – Duke of Ankh, down-and-dirty copper, dry alcoholic, happily married to the richest woman in the city but has a tendency to wear cardboard soles. This book is not funny. Not at all. Darker than dark. The only light moment is the endlessly quotable motto of the People’s Republic of Treacle Mine Road: “Truth! Justice! Freedom! Reasonably Priced Love! And A Hard-Boiled Egg!”
Interesting Times – the only Rincewind book I have read so far. I don’t really like Rincewind very much. I like the appearance of Archchancellor Ridcully, and I do like the poor teacher’s attempts to make the Silver Horde civilised. His patiently delivered lesson on How To Buy An Apple Without Ensuing Massacre is hysterical. The other source of hysteria is the language spoken in the Agatean Empire. I love the way a varied inflection changes the meaning utterly, so sentences run: “You... waterfall... variety of buffalo... wicker basket... dammit... idiot!” What happens to Rincewind at the end is also very funny, but I’m only saying that because I don’t like him. My favourite part of this book is how cleverly the old curse has been used – “May you live in interesting times.”
I have also read Men At Arms, Feet of Clay, Weird Sisters, Lords and Ladies and Witches Abroad, but I'll write about them when I have more time. Right now, I'm in the middle of Maskerade, with Thief of Time, The Last Continent, The Truth and The Science of Discworld waiting to be read. Let it never be said that I don't take my Quests seriously.
Pyramids – the only one I’d read before. Very, very confusing, but a good one to start with because it had me in hysterics both times I read it. The Assassins’ Guild is so utterly ludicrous and so darkly plausible; I love it. I also love Teppic’s adventures in Djelibeybi (say that out loud, go on) and its random disappearance into another dimension. Fantastic.
Mort – the one I should have started with. Possibly the easiest one to understand, and definitely the reason I’m now such a fan of Death. I like the characters and set pieces best – the attempts to convince the princess she’s actually dead, for one, and Death’s excitement at getting his very first wedding invitation (IT HAD RSVP ON IT AND EVERYTHING) – but I didn’t like the plot very much. It left too much unresolved at the end. Another thing that bothers me is the fact the Patrician in this book is not recognisably Lord Vetinari, and yet he’d have to be for the book to feature all the guilds.
The Fifth Elephant – I’ll admit I picked this one up for the werewolves. I would have preferred to go on with the Death ones, as I’d not read a Watch one before. However, this book definitely made me a fan of the City Watch (a point – when do they become the City Watch and not just the Night Watch? Or are they same thing?). I knew I’d be a fan of Angua, but it’s not just me, she really does have some similarities to Remus Lupin (yes, there is a crossover in the works, shush). However, the plot of this book was darker. I didn’t realise that all the Watch ones tend to be dark, but this one is darker than most.
Hogfather – the best one, hands down. Susan rocks. She really does. I love her attitude towards children (“What have I told you about being ingratiatingly cute?”) and her grandfather (“He takes things literally.”). As well as her, though, the book has everything – Death trying to deliver presents and say HO HO HO, Billious, the oh god of hangovers, a cameo by the Watchmen, and the wizards of Unseen University. I’d never read about Ridcully and the rest before, but they’re sublime. Particularly the Bursar. And Hex, the computer. “+++Divide by Cucumber Error. Please Reinstall Universe and Reboot+++”
Night Watch – another Watch one, but with a twist. Carrot, Angua, Nobby and Detritus don’t really feature, seeing as Vimes has been sent back in time, so this one made me a fan of Vimes himself. He seems to be the Discworld’s most complex character – Duke of Ankh, down-and-dirty copper, dry alcoholic, happily married to the richest woman in the city but has a tendency to wear cardboard soles. This book is not funny. Not at all. Darker than dark. The only light moment is the endlessly quotable motto of the People’s Republic of Treacle Mine Road: “Truth! Justice! Freedom! Reasonably Priced Love! And A Hard-Boiled Egg!”
Interesting Times – the only Rincewind book I have read so far. I don’t really like Rincewind very much. I like the appearance of Archchancellor Ridcully, and I do like the poor teacher’s attempts to make the Silver Horde civilised. His patiently delivered lesson on How To Buy An Apple Without Ensuing Massacre is hysterical. The other source of hysteria is the language spoken in the Agatean Empire. I love the way a varied inflection changes the meaning utterly, so sentences run: “You... waterfall... variety of buffalo... wicker basket... dammit... idiot!” What happens to Rincewind at the end is also very funny, but I’m only saying that because I don’t like him. My favourite part of this book is how cleverly the old curse has been used – “May you live in interesting times.”
I have also read Men At Arms, Feet of Clay, Weird Sisters, Lords and Ladies and Witches Abroad, but I'll write about them when I have more time. Right now, I'm in the middle of Maskerade, with Thief of Time, The Last Continent, The Truth and The Science of Discworld waiting to be read. Let it never be said that I don't take my Quests seriously.
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no subject
on 2003-10-08 04:30 pm (UTC)And now I have a new book list to pursue.
no subject
on 2003-10-08 05:04 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2003-10-09 03:38 am (UTC)It's in Men at Arms, actually. Originally they were the Night Watch and the Day Watch.
spoiler space
Part of the deal with Vetinari at the end of the book is for a large combined Watch under Vimes' jurisdiction, and thus is the City Watch born.
no subject
on 2003-10-09 04:57 am (UTC)Random fact about Night Watch- whilst doing some history on the Glorious Revolution, I appear to have written a note to myself without realising. I got a shock looking at my notes last night. In between the words "GLorious" and "Revolution" there is a little arrow, which reads: "People's Rebublic Of Treacle Mine Road! Truth! Justice! Freedom! Reasonably Priced Love! And a Hard Boiled Egg!"
Insanity, I tell you.
Most of the books rock, but for different reasons I think. It makes much more sense upon reading them all. I hope. There's still a few I've missed...
no subject
on 2003-10-09 09:17 am (UTC)no subject
on 2003-10-09 09:19 am (UTC)no subject
on 2003-10-09 09:21 am (UTC)And yay for the People's Republic of Treacle Mine Road! I might change my journal subtitle to that, actually... Reasonably Priced Love is the best bit. You've got to love the Guild of Seamstresses.
no subject
on 2003-10-09 09:30 am (UTC)no subject
on 2003-10-15 03:51 pm (UTC)