Unseen Academicals, guys.

[gogollescent]

WAS IT AMAZING OR WHAT. Easily my favorite Discworld book since Going Postal, which is why I feel the need to pick it apart into delicious, footnote-spiced shreds. Which is a nice transition, actually, so let's go with that! The footnote-spiced. Not the shreds. Although shreds are somewhat relevant. Maybe.

What I mean to say is, there was an

Comments

[clodia_metelli]

Oh, so THIS is why you weren't retaliating to my gentle backstabbery elsewhere. Quick response now, because GREEK.

YES. IT IS A GOOD BOOK. The romances were scanty, but Pterry's romances always are, so I can cope with that. (In this sorta thing, I prefer my romances scanty anyway.) The dea ex was even scantier, hm, one suspects habit is kicking in sometimes; still, I did like all the quarrelling over the rules while Juliet floated above the pitch. And oh god, Macarona insisting on ALL his titles, I laughed so much! Not that I know any lecturers like that myself, but I have Heard Stories.

I repeat, DR HIX. Who would not want to be allowed to be mildly evil by statute? (And why do I keep typing it 'statue'?)

[gogollescent]

Indeed. I was OCCUPIED.

Now, on the other hand...

I am not a massive fan of in-depth romances, shocking as that may be. It's just -- he has whole paragraphs in which the characters think about this explicitly! This was unnerving on its own, because I'm more used to Pratchett's characters sort of... sidling around each other, and it seemed so clumsy in comparison. (Was there any real point to Nutt running away but to finalize the set-up for the two romances that you could see, incidentally?) And then it just stopped. Er. I dunno. Also, v. much agree about the dea ex, that is, YAY Juliet floating inexplicably and voices coming out of balls, booooo force of habit, which was also readily apparent in Going Postal, although there the Occult was lumped in the first half rather than the second, and dropped even more abruptly.

Macarona is my favorite. <3 Well. Him and Dr. Hix. You are quite right. Who wouldn't want to be allowed -- nay, required -- to be mildly evil by statute, you ask

[clodia_metelli]

Nutt running away, well, there was also the chance to meet Lady Margolotta and give her a good talking-to. Otherwise, UH WELL. It is true that while Glenda is in all sorts of ways an unusually and delightfully developed new character, there were a couple of random floaty-bits that didn't really come to as much as could have been the case, i.e. her fondness for romance novels and her SELLING THE DREAM. Which had obvious relevance to main themes but perhaps could have been tied in a tad more thoroughly. And yes, I see your point, the Nutt romance was sort-of-but-not-really discussed, possibly not the best way to deal with it (and interestingly no comments on interspecies relationship here, i.e. the fact that HE IS AN ORC, which you might think would require a little consideration. Maybe? But there you go).

Why did the Likely lad fall in love with Juliet except because she is occultishly pretty? It'll end in tears, mark my words...

[gogollescent]

Oh yeah. But... I wasn't that impressed by the talking-to, I suppose? Hahaha I don't know. And yeah, I think that was part of it, because I also loved Glenda but at the same time there was the occasional slight inconsistency or at least not explicit enough for tired brains consistency that left me puzzled and wanting.

He's already done the interspecies shtick with Carrot and Angua, or something? HAHAHA I DON'T KNOW. Yeah. Indeed.

No reason whatsoever. But I wasn't so bothered by that because, hey, it's a love story that's pretty much made purely for the sake of the moment. I mean, they're both decent people and things, but who they are doesn't matter much. Which is a weakness, definitely, or, at the very least, regrettable for readers who liked them both, such as myself. Dunno about tears, though. :'D

[flamingbentley]

I HAVE NOT READ IT YET BECAUSE I AM READING SOMETHING ELSE FIRST SO I WILL NOT READ THE SPOILERS

BUT WHEN I DO FINISH IT I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT IS

[flamingbentley]

well you know how it is but you know, how i think it is

[gogollescent]

I UNDERSTAND YOU PERFECTLY AND AWAIT THE DAY WITH INTEREST (AND CONCERN)

[flamingbentley]

AND THAT DAY... HAS COME

i enjoyed it more than i think i was expecting to! you're right about pterry's wit running thin sometimes but i think this was genuinely funnier than the last few of his books. i loved the characters! i loved all the cameos! (espec. that of a certain william de worde... i have a ridiculously large soft spot for that man.) i don't think i even have any more to say because you've said it all (and i have to run in 15 minutes and i'm still not changed, whoops)