These are indeed interesting times... (Interesting Times - Terry Pratchett)

Member Name: CaptainD

Product:	Interesting Times - Terry Pratchett
Date:	07/08/06 (304 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funny, good characters

Disadvantages: A little predictable, missing the sparkle of Pratchett's best work

" They have a curse…

They say…


May you live in INTERESTING TIMES "

Take one hopeless Wizard with an advanced sense of preservation. Call him Rincewind. Have him somehow save the world several times without ever getting the credit for it. Have him in innumerable tight spots with no way out but have him stay alive throughout everything. Place him on a remote island where nothing can possibly happen to him, and where he can enjoy his favourite state of being - boredom (because nothing is trying to kill him / eat him / rip his limbs off).

Take a university full of Wizards. Inhabit this university with several pompous and dangerous characters, and some absolute lunatics. Head of the pile is a wizard who thrives more on pragmatism that creativity of pure magic, Arch-Chancellor Ridcully. Assisting or hindering him are the Dean, the Bursar, and various lecturers in ancient runes or other obscure subjects. Take one wizard who has created a machine that can work things out, and needs a lot of sand to run, and won’t work at all without the mouse that’s made its home there.

Take an empire where they have something worse than whips to control the people. Consider an ancient story of a wizard who helps the Red Army raise an impossibly strong set of terracotta warriors to defeat the tyrannical regime that’s been in place for centuries, or perhaps millennia. Think of an army full of determined zealots whose respect for authority is such that their best slogans are something like “Deserved but unfortunate judgement on the oppressors!” Add one unbelievably accomplished but bored powermonger thirsting for a new challenge, and an Emperor who thinks it’s funny to torture people just because he can.

Take a group of aging barbarians who have mastered the art of staying alive. Leading them is Cohen, who has a master-plan, and aiding him is a teacher, who is trying to make them become civilised.

Mix the above ingredients together and stir thoroughly. Add a good measure of butterflies, satirical images of the Grecian and Roman gods playing games with the lives of mortals, and simmer on a low heat for a while. Add salt to taste, sprinkle on some pepper, give it one final stir and serve hot.

Oh, and don’t forget the tourist guide. That’s very important.

( Put it together and what have you got? Interesting Times, of course!)

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The above may give you an idea of the plot of this book and the rather manic energy that goes into it. One of the Discworld novels by fantasy humour maestro Terry Pratchett, INTERESTING TIMES is among those that are extremely readable and very funny, but lack that certain something that the very best ones have. The plot is certainly well up to scratch though perhaps a touch predictable in places – then again, maybe I’ve now read so many of Pratchett’s books that I know how his mind works so can think ahead in the same way he does! Most of the main characters will already be familiar to Discworld fans, and they’re as well written and funny as ever. There are one or two notable new characters, in particular Lord Hong, the bad guy. His character is interesting and a worthy addition to the Discworld archives. Rincewind is a love-him or hate-him type of character, and if you’ve read any of the previous books with him in then you’ll have already made your mind up. I do have a soft spot for him though haven’t always liked his books as much as some of the others. We do see a bit of a different side of Rincewind in this novel – a more humanist side, where he’s trying to save people other than himself! (Though himself as well, of course.) I’ve always liked Cohen the Barbarian, who if memory serves was first seen in Sourcery. He has a quality of simplicity with a code of honour, as well as of course being seemingly indestructible.

The satirical element of this novel is perhaps simpler than a lot of the later books, however unless you have at least a basic knowledge of Chinese history and culture, and chaos theory, much of it is likely to pass you by. Interesting Times is definitely a re-readable book, and you’ll probably pick up references you missed last time around with each subsequent read. I daresay you’ll enjoy the book at least as much on a re-read as the first time, perhaps more so. Despite this it doesn’t really rank among the very best Discworld books, it just lacks a certain edge to make it really stand out.

Overall, Interesting Times is a light, enjoyable read that all fans of Discworld or humorous fantasy fiction will enjoy. The end of the story leads right into the beginning of the next Rincewind book, The Last Continent.

(Rincewind first appeared in The Colour of Magic and then The Light Fantastic.)


RRP: £6.99
Amazon price: £5.59

Summary: Fans of Rincewind, Pratchett, and fantasy humour fiction apply here