My name is Suzy and, friends, I have an addiction to the writing of Terry Pratchett. It is not necessarily a harmful addiction by standard definitions. I still go to work, stay clean and sober, and feed my family. However, it does set the bar ridiculously high for literary quality. In short, because of Terry Pratchett I can no longer read just anything. His books are that good. In fact, there is a book -- currently out of print and stupidly expensive so I have not read it -- called Guilty of Literature. It's a collection of essays by other authors (A.S. Byatt, for one) about Pratchett's writing.Men At Arms is the second book about the Watch, the police force of the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork. When the story opens, the Watch -- a typical old boys' club -- is struggling to integrate some new affirmative action recruits: a dwarf, a troll, and a w-. Captain Samuel Vimes, a 25-year Watch veteran, is retiring in 24 hours when he marries Lady Sybil Ramkin and becomes a part of Ankh-Morpork's society elite. Corporal Carrot ( a dwarf by adoption), Sergeant Fred Colon, and Corporal Nobby Nobbs round out the core group of Watchmen.
In the midst of this internal upheaval, a series of murders rocks the city of Ankh-Morpork. A murder in Ankh-Morpork is nothing unusual, but these murders appear to have been committed with a one-of-a-kind weapon invented by the genius Leonard of Quirm, and believed to have been destroyed by the Assassin's Guild: Ennog Eht. (Leonard of Quirm preferred to write in mirror writing.) Worse yet, Ankh-Morpork's patrician, Lord Vetinari -- a former assassin himself -- has ordered Vimes not to investigate.
Men At Arms is an excellent example of the brilliance of Pratchett's writing. He combines explicit and relevant social commentary with great stories, memorable characters, and exquisitely bad puns. Dear [blog] readers, there is a reason that Pratchett became Sir Terry Pratchett last year and is the second most popular fantasy writer in Britain. (OK, that one's easy: It's because J.K. Rowling had a lot of money backing her.) Maybe his writing isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy a good book -- I mean a really well-written book -- and you like to be made to think and laugh, then for Pete's sake, don't make me say it again: Read Terry Pratchett!!
The Watch series begins with the book Guards, Guards, then Men At Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, The Fifth Elephant, Nightwatch, and Thud!
9 comments:
Alright, already! I'll go read some Terry Pratchett.
Again, that is.
Even though I've already read all of them two or three times (with the exception of The Carpet People, which seems to be rather difficult to find.) By the way, how many times have you read all the Pratchett books?
THanks for the recommendation, Suze! Looks like i"m not going to have the time I thought I would have this summer to read but I HAVE to squeeze something in.
Thanks for coming by the PS, too. Love your comments!
Thanks, Gina.
Ed, Blah blah blah blah blah.
When's the movie coming out? If Monty Python could make some of their stuff into movies, what's up with TP?
And, as you know, I beg to differ with your comment about JKR. I think there's more than "lots of money backing her up". Much more going on there for so many people to read her books than strictly marketing.
But obviously, TP is a vastly more skilled writer.
Actually there ARE many movies of Terry Pratchett's books; they tend to be made in Britain for BBC television and don't make it to the US. And, I know we disagree on this, but I think marketing IS what makes the relative newcomer JKR so wildly popular. Popularity is based on book sales, and her people had a brilliant marketing strategy. Whether I like her books is beside the point. But I don't want to come to blows over it.
Fight! Fight!
I will have to remember this next time we go to B and N.. I will take a look.
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