The slow destruction of beings of pure reason by simple human experiences is funny and interesting. Seeing the financing and construction and socio-economic impact of railways played out was brilliant.
Period. This is the book which sees Sam Vimes matures as a character, giving us the Boots theory of socio-economic unfairness as well as facing a wonderfully mad and devious antagonist. Despite not knowing the Phantom of the Opera or anything about Opera I am assuming this is a good satire of the lunacy and overthetopness of it all. As with other young adult fiction its too reliant on a singular hero for me, but then a 30 year old man is not a young girl.The second Moist von Lipwig novel. Vimes Klatchian opposite number is a fantastic foil for his little Ankh-Morpork failings.The City Watch leave Ankh-Morpork, again, but to stop a civil war, this time. Who cares. Guards! Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? The story suffers from a weak Wizards story, the conclusion doesn’t really satisfy the paradoxes and questions it raises about time travel. I think I like the Witches best, and I first started them with Lords and Ladies. In Lords and Ladies, their vindictiveness was chilling. I was a bit lost but it got me hooked. What if Ned Simnel’s combine harvester had worked? The development of Bill Door and Miss Flitworth’s relationship is touching, as his Death’s whole relationship with the villagers. Normally Rincewind books are packed full of compelling characters because all Rincewind does is run away…that is not the case in this book.

This also sees Esme Weatherwax’s growth as a formidable and good (but not nice) witch, just as Nanny Ogg stays exactly the same, being the source for many jokes on national stereotypes, not least on Brits abroad.Perhaps this was never intentional, but from Guards! It’s the culmination of Rincewind’s story and he is joined by Leonard of Quirm, Captain Carrot and the Librarian in trying to prevent the destruction of the world. Cohen and the Silver Horde’s plan to return fire to the gods is a great conceit for a book but it lacks a certain something.Tiffany Aching is a fantastic addition to the Discworld. (last edited Apr 06, 2014 11:09PM) Detritus, Gaspode and a man so lazy he keeps himself in incredibly good shape are all comic masterstrokes, but the novel’s climax is a bit anti-climactic.Elves are the only species who seem basically irredeemable on the Discworld, even Orcs get a fair crack of the whip but Elves are vindictive bastards. Where to start with Terry Pratchett's books ... Another character gem from his Discworld series is Tiffany Aching, a young witch in training.

These are young adult fiction and the tendency for young adult fiction books to have heroes and heroines who are Where to start. And, if you start somewhere else, where do you go next? But there’s also lots to dislike; the local magistrates seem cartoonish, Wilikins is unrecognisable from Jingo and just a little too unbelievable. Moist von Lipwig is a loveable chancer who, like many Pratchett characters, only comes to heroism reluctantly.The first of the “industrial revolution” books looks at the movie industry. Sam Vimes is an alcoholic, Nobby is a criminal, and Colon is counting down to retirement. Ridcully’s loss is easy to understand. Plus we get the Death of Rats.As with Men at Arms and Reaper Man this is the second in a series. But the set up is much better than the conclusion. Vetinari is a despot, but he’s not despotic (apart from towards mimes) and he’s inclusive, elites in the city have an interest in it working via the guilds, crime is organised, and Drawfs, Trolls, Werewolfs and the rest can all make a home (and money) in Ankh-Morpork. Pratchett is a good liberal and the anti-Jingoism and general frustration at the idiocy of war shines through. Pratchett’s best known body of work is the Discworld series— a 40-book series which deals with a wide-ranging cast of characters in an all-encompassing parallel, Medieval, universe— and different Discworld novels take different tones, ranging from absurdist comedy to sharp social commentary.