- The Summoning Dark
- The Battle within
- What keeps us in check
- The Watchman
Cliffhangers ftw. I'll be back.
måndag 15 februari 2010
måndag 8 februari 2010
Teaching an old dog new tricks...
...isn't that easy! I've finished reading now, but there's still a whole lot of blogging to do. Alas, I'll try my best to fulfill my promises, even if it means re-reading certain parts of the book.
Sir Samuel Vimes of the city watch is a simple man. Starting at the very bottom as a nobody, a drunk (sober now though..) and a pushover, he's made his way up the social ladder, ending up as Commander of the City Watch, Duke of Ankh, and married to one of the wealthiest women in the world. Still, as he despises more or less everything having to to with privilege, and constantly questions the actions of people in positions of power, you can only describe him as a working class hero. He's also honest, as he realises that the only way of upholding the law is to abide by it himself, and to make sure that all members of the City Watch do the same. And even if there's a tendency for mild violence, unhealthy food and cheap cigars, Sam Vimes, when push really comes to shove, is a very well-disciplined man. An ordinary man, despite the riches and the titles, but a man of action, and first and foremost, a man who does the right thing in the end. So, there you go, a perfect but yet imperfect example of morality.
Regarding the plot, there's (as mentioned before) a conflict brewing. Trolls and dwarves are about to go head to head - big time - thus leaving Ankh Morpork, nowadays sporting the biggest troll/dwarf population anywhere, on the brink of war. Reactionary forces (ie leaders) are fanning the flames, while Vimes and certian elements of both the dwarf and troll communities are trying to make the hotheads see reason, in one way or another. Here there's a clear difference in how the leaders choose to try and influence the masses. While the reactionaries stay separated (aloof) from the average citizen, and use history, legend and tradition as arguments to make others do their bidding, the others (the most obvious example would be Mr. Shine, the troll king-in-hiding) work together with both trolls and dwarves on a 'grass root' level in order to change people's attitudes. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to realise that this is Pratchett making his political point of view known to the reader.
Well, that's it for now. Next time I'll discuss why morality is the main focal point in Thud. Interesting huh?
/D
Sir Samuel Vimes of the city watch is a simple man. Starting at the very bottom as a nobody, a drunk (sober now though..) and a pushover, he's made his way up the social ladder, ending up as Commander of the City Watch, Duke of Ankh, and married to one of the wealthiest women in the world. Still, as he despises more or less everything having to to with privilege, and constantly questions the actions of people in positions of power, you can only describe him as a working class hero. He's also honest, as he realises that the only way of upholding the law is to abide by it himself, and to make sure that all members of the City Watch do the same. And even if there's a tendency for mild violence, unhealthy food and cheap cigars, Sam Vimes, when push really comes to shove, is a very well-disciplined man. An ordinary man, despite the riches and the titles, but a man of action, and first and foremost, a man who does the right thing in the end. So, there you go, a perfect but yet imperfect example of morality.
Regarding the plot, there's (as mentioned before) a conflict brewing. Trolls and dwarves are about to go head to head - big time - thus leaving Ankh Morpork, nowadays sporting the biggest troll/dwarf population anywhere, on the brink of war. Reactionary forces (ie leaders) are fanning the flames, while Vimes and certian elements of both the dwarf and troll communities are trying to make the hotheads see reason, in one way or another. Here there's a clear difference in how the leaders choose to try and influence the masses. While the reactionaries stay separated (aloof) from the average citizen, and use history, legend and tradition as arguments to make others do their bidding, the others (the most obvious example would be Mr. Shine, the troll king-in-hiding) work together with both trolls and dwarves on a 'grass root' level in order to change people's attitudes. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to realise that this is Pratchett making his political point of view known to the reader.
Well, that's it for now. Next time I'll discuss why morality is the main focal point in Thud. Interesting huh?
/D
måndag 1 februari 2010
Halfway through
Ok, so halfway through the book now. Seems I'm faster at reading than blogging. Put that down to inexperience shall I? We've had a murder (a dead dwarf in a dwarf mine, underneath Ankh-Morpork, which is the New York or whatever big city of Discworld), a theft (a giant painting of the Battle of Koom Valley, the famous troll vs. dwarf slug-out) and also some sort of supernatural, presumably 'evil', force lurking around in the background. With the anniversary of Koom Valley around the corner there's also a bit of civil unrest brewing, with trolls and dwarves just waiting to turn the city into an urban battleground. In other words, the watch is busy.
First of all, finding similar situations in our world isn't that difficult. Compare for instance with your standard football derby, the situation in Gaza or Northern Ireland, where lifelong enemies live side by side and unrest flares at the drop of a hat. Using Commander Vimes as an imperfect but yet perfect (I'll explain later) beacon of morality, Pratchett gives his views on the matter. Basically, blame is laid not on the average citizen, who are treated quite decently by Vimes and his Watch, but on the leaders or politicians (and the ideas they represent) controlling the masses.
Furthermore, in using trolls and dwarves (who really are different; trolls are huge and made of rock, while dwarves are, well...dwarves, and make a living chopping through rock) as the adversaries, Pratchett also sets the stage for his all-but-obligatory dig at global, national and local politics of present-day Tellus.
Religion is also present, in part represented by the dwarf leaders, to whom exposure to the above world is a 'sin', and purity only can be found underground. Only by following rigorous rules can an individual stay 'clean' from the influences or the world above. The comparisons with our world are obvious, but I'll get back to that later.
Enough for now
/D
First of all, finding similar situations in our world isn't that difficult. Compare for instance with your standard football derby, the situation in Gaza or Northern Ireland, where lifelong enemies live side by side and unrest flares at the drop of a hat. Using Commander Vimes as an imperfect but yet perfect (I'll explain later) beacon of morality, Pratchett gives his views on the matter. Basically, blame is laid not on the average citizen, who are treated quite decently by Vimes and his Watch, but on the leaders or politicians (and the ideas they represent) controlling the masses.
Furthermore, in using trolls and dwarves (who really are different; trolls are huge and made of rock, while dwarves are, well...dwarves, and make a living chopping through rock) as the adversaries, Pratchett also sets the stage for his all-but-obligatory dig at global, national and local politics of present-day Tellus.
Religion is also present, in part represented by the dwarf leaders, to whom exposure to the above world is a 'sin', and purity only can be found underground. Only by following rigorous rules can an individual stay 'clean' from the influences or the world above. The comparisons with our world are obvious, but I'll get back to that later.
Enough for now
/D
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