First: I started reading these novels based on all the hoopla I saw here about them, about Pterry and Discworld. (Dopers who I think have a good idea of what is worthwhile also figured into it.)
Second: This is THE book that got me hooked on the entire idea of Discworld. Funny, exciting, poignent and including rat with ketchup. I just finished my second read of it and love it even more.
Finally, why is this the only post in this series since May? We are all reading this summer? Yes? No?
Definitely one of my favorites–I have it on audio too so I can listen to it as well.
Carrot --naked!
It has so much wonderful stuff if you love the Discworld–i think it’s only the 2nd time we see the Patrician as fallible in any way --turned into a lizard in Sourcery, stands up on a damaged leg in MaA, and there’s an awful cracking sound. From MaA on out, he walks with a limp. Given that he’s generally omniscient, it’s a big shock him getting wounded at all, let alone damaging himself further.
Carrot–a king! One of my favorite themes in these books has been the whole “how much does Carrot know, really?” They make so much of him as open and honest, being exactly what he is–yet he isn’t really. He’s tricky, but nobley so. He’s dense, but…not.
Vimes and a terrible relapse. The bravery of Gaspode. Guilds and gargoyles and the Gonne. An evil “made thing” slipped into the Discworld from another dimension.
i’m hoping someone more coherent comes along soon.
I listened to it a bit again today and…I love Death’s attempt at a Knock Knock joke. A joke formula that is all about timing in the hands of, well, a King of Timing who can stop Time but apparently has none in the comedy sense. It’s like Death and the cats, just these little glimpses of Death trying to understand. It reminds me a little of Ricky Gervais in the office trying to be the Boss and a Pal.
Also, that he tries a joke when collecting the soul of a clown, such a dead unfunny creature. No pun intended.
Been rather busy of late; I kept thinking about starting another DWRC thread, but had to put it off for other tasks.
As for MaA, it’s an absolutely great book all around. I was particularly pleased with the developing relationship between Detritus and Cuddy, and the seductive nature of the gonne. Funniest moment has to go to Nobby at the Armory, from the Beverly Hills Cop-style entry to the Klatchian fire engine. And let’s remember that MaA is the first introduction of “Bloody Stupid” Johnson, the Disc’s most unorthodox architect.
That said, Carrot getting his groove on just seems very wrong to me.
As this falls into the category of Vimes and his legion of bastard offspring stories (I wish I could make that into a good acronym) I’ll pass on this one I think. I did like the gonne but found the whole storyline to be rather laboured in the end.
Oh, and the bit with the clown saying “No, his real nose”? Pur-lease.
And let’s remember that MaA is the first introduction of “Bloody Stupid” Johnson, the Disc’s most unorthodox architect.