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I try to do a theme with this column every month. I've done "Highly Recommended Month," "Fantasy Fun Month," more "Star Trek" months than I can count and even a hipster version of assigned summer reading for high school students. However this is only the second time I have treated a single author as a theme. Granted, the first time I did it, it was for Samuel L. Clemens. I told myself if I did it again it would have to be for someone whose works presented the same sense of wit, wisdom, humor and humanity. Very few names came to mind. Very few of them have many books I haven't read.
- Going Postal By Terry Pratchett:
Discworld is a comedic gold mine because unlike most other fantasy series- it really is a world. Each book allows the characters- and the setting- to expand in weird and fascinating ways. Here we are introduced to a whole new subseries- as the reader is introduced to Moist Von Lipwig, a con man. Lord Vetinari recruits him right out of the gallows into a much more dangerous job- post master General for Ankh-Moorpork. What follows is a hilairious look at the mail system in the internet age as told as only Pratchett could tell it. It is at times hysterical and other times tragic. As with many Discworld books, it is hard to tell which moments are which until the very end. Moist is a delectable nasty person. You don't want to like him but the reader is drawn into his world view. You feel for the guy and want him to win. He grows a fairly odd supporting cast even by Discworld standards. Post Office staff are almost, but not quite, the dark reflections of the City Watch. If you don't like this book, you have no sense of humor.
Let's leave Ankh-Morpork- even Discworld for a moment. Pratchett has written things that aren't quite comedies- such as his Michael L. Printz Award winning young adult novel.
- Nation by Terry Pratchett (Book of the Month):
Even at his darkest- Pratchett never seems to write anything with out some sideways leaning optimism. There are some sly bits of Pratchett's trademarked sense of humor but they are few and far between. This may be the most tragic books he has ever written. It is a rather poignant look at European colonialism. It's a book religion and science. Their vast differences and the nebulous areas where they meet. It's about finding meaning in the meaningless. It's about the idea that just because something is untrue- doesn't mean it is not important. For this- the story in and of itself- proves its point. For all the books rejection of mysticism and the idea that something are truly unknowable- it has it's own sort of grace. It is travels beyond the comfortable realm of satire and into the realm of art and beauty. Made all the more tragic by the fact it was one of the last books Pratchett was able to write without dictation due to early onset Alzheimer's disease.
- Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett:
There are some issues that have been in the news in recent years: the place of women and gays in the military. The idea that they can't serve their country just as honorable as straight men is just silly. This something Pratchett exploits to its fullest. Every time you think you know who's who and what's what or even who's what- the rug is spun around on you. It's the number of layers of disguise get almost to ridiculous to believe. It's social satire, disguised as gender equality farce about crossdressing female soldiers disguised as fantasy novel. Yes- the book relies very heavily on that very British institution of someone in drag is always funny but reverses it. It continues another theme from some of Pratchett's other novels including his views on organized religion (Small Gods and Nation) and the futility of war (Jingo). While not Pratchett's best novel it was entertaining, poignant and very funny. For every silly moment that almost loses the reader- there is another moment a page or two away that wins you back.
- TWintersmith by Terry Pratchett:
Pratchett again tackles themes of adolescence, psychology and the difference between belief and fact and what it means to be human in the third book of the Tiffany Aching Discworld subseries. When we last left Tiffany, she fought off being possessed. Here- she accidentally participates in a reverse Morris dance and releases The Wintersmith, an age old spirit of winter. Only instead of bringing normal snow storms and blizzards, he's a little out of control because he's fallen in love. There is plenty of Pratchett's usual mix of comedy, philosophy and just a little bit of silliness. As with many of his other young adult novels, they are almost as mature as his books intended for adults. He addresses many of the same themes but he has to be a little more sly about it which only adds to the comedy for older readers especially when dealing with sexual innuendo. There are a few shout outs to the regular Discworld novels. Groat from Going Postal makes a cameo. Death appears at two key points in the story. It contains 75% more Nanny Ogg than the previous volumes of the subseries. Then there is a joke at the end for fans of Pratchett's Discworld book for toddlers. These serve note only to build the view that Discworld is a cohesive and real place- but actually effect the tone of the story.
Next month: Come on, take a guess...
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