Thief of Time. Terry Pratchett July 4, 2010
Posted by Cyd in fantasy.Tags: Discworld, fantasy, humour, Terry Pratchett
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I haven’t read many of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels, and this one reminded me that I am missing out. It was fun, delightful and a very good read.
Forces are at work to take care of the problem of human messiness once and for all, by commissioning the building of the ultimate clock. Death enlists the help of his granddaughter, Susan, to stop them. Fortunately she is not alone in the effort.
The Monks of History, who look after time – moving it from where it’s not needed to where it is – have noticed a problem, too. Lu Tze and his new apprentice Lobsang Ludd leave the monastery and head off to Ankh-Morpork to stop the clock before it’s completed.
And in the mean time, Death prepares for the End.
As usual, there is a large cast of characters, plenty of action and much mayhem. All in all a highly recommended book – perfect for a summer day.
Good Omens. Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett June 22, 2009
Posted by Cyd in fantasy.Tags: angels, apocalypse, comedy, demons, fantasy, humour, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett
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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
This novel was originally published in 1990, before Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett were as well known as they are today. It’s a terrifically fun book, full of the silliness that I associate with Pratchett, and the inventiveness that I associate with Gaiman.
Eleven years ago, the stage was set for the end of the world. And now everything has been put in motion for the final battle between the armies of Good and Evil. Except for one small problem – someone’s botched things.
Aziraphale (an Angel) and Crowley (“an Angel who did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely Downwards”) are pressed by their respective bosses to make sure that everything goes right in the final moments of the Apocalypse. The problem is things aren’t going right, and the pair, who have been friends for ages (literally), are actually rather happy about that.
Enter into that mix a descendant of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the last existing members of the Witchfinder Army, a group of kids and an assortment of other characters, and you get this funny story of the end of the world (maybe). There is a lot of action, a lot of confusion, and a good bit of satire about the nature of good and evil, and of end-of-the-world prophecies.
I completely enjoyed reading this book. It’s a great light read, perfect for summer.
Laugh Lines. Ben Bova October 16, 2008
Posted by Cyd in science fiction.Tags: Ben Bova, humour, satire, science fiction
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This is a collection of short stories, and two longer works that are actually short novels. Unlike other books I’ve read by Bova, which were hard science fiction (e.g. Mars, Venus), these are humorous and satirical. The works appear to have been previously published, and some date as far back as 1974.
The first piece is a novel, The Starcrossed. It’s a near-future satire of the television industry, and follows the story of the creation of a new science fiction series intended to showcase the latest in holographic projection systems. It’s a fun story, if a little anachronistic in some details (one that struck me was that production was moved to Canada because it was cheap, because Canadians were largely unskilled at television production and the country had outlawed all trade unions – ha!) The intro to the story reveals that it was based in part on Bova’s experience as science advisor on a mercifully short-lived series created by Harlan Ellison.
There are a few short stories, again mostly satires of one thing or another, followed by another novel, Cyberbooks. It is a satire of the publishing industry. The copyright date is listed as 1989, but it reads very current. It’s about the attempted introduction of electronic books and the effect it has on the publishing industry. It also has a number of sub-plots, including a murder mystery. I thought it was very good – a fun read with a few surprises and plot twists.
My favourite story is a short one, called “A Slight Miscalculation,” in which a brilliant scientist predicts an earthquake in California. It’s not really a satire, as much as a fun take on a “what if” scenario.
Bova’s humour is not exactly subtle. He sometimes makes use of silly names for his characters – for example, a man brought in to a publisher to cut the workforce by fifty percent is named Gunther Axhelm, a lab chief is Dr. Moneygrinder, and a retired naval officer is named Clanker. And there is little reason for some of the stories to be set in the future, other than the fact that Bova is a science fiction writer. However, I enjoyed reading them. He has chosen some topics that are ripe for satire, and as an insider he has plenty of experience to draw on.
