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Hitler's Canoe!
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: UK
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Dec 1st, 2008, 09:24 PM
I've just spent about 19 minutes reading further blog entries and I don't think I've ever read anything less ineresting. You'll be pleased to find out I've attached this below so you can share my dis-interest.
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Soul Music is the 16th Discworld Novel by Terry Pratchett, and the third book to feature Death. It is also a sequel to Mort, arguably the best of the series. The Corgi edition (see left) was published in 1995.
I do not claim to be an expert of Discworld, being I've read the first 15 over a span of 4 years, maybe longer. Mort kept me hooked onto the series, whereas the first two was a matter of reading together (third was a tad disapointing, in my opinion). It is suggested you read Mort first.
As mentioned, it features Death, though he resides more as a sub-plot, taking another human role, as he did in Reaper Man. The book is more focused on Susan, Duchess of Sto Helit, and the daughter of Mort and Ysabell, whom was the adopted daughter of Death himself. Susan takes up the mantle of being Death, which parallels Mort's story.
We're also introduced to a new character, Imp, and his desire to be a renowned musician. Joining up with a Troll named Lias and a Dwarf named Glod, the band create an overnight sensation after Susan intervenes.
Pratchett returns with many plot devices. The Librarian at the Mended Drum means this takes place after Rincewind's first three adventures, and is a key point of humour in this book. The mention of Captain Carrot, promoted at the end of Men At Arms, the previous Discworld book, also means Guard Guards, and Moving Pictures also took place. The most interesting plot device that returns is the reality-travelling salesmen, the shops that displace themselves and place themselves for purposes of easier storytelling. Death himself is always adjustable to read because of his dialect, which is evident by Susan's adoption. Although there's mention of Imp looking like an Elf, it's not defined if this also takes place after Lords and Ladies. No matter, because the new characters serves to create a fresh impact to the now ageing Ankh-Morpok, which has never failed once to be mentioned (correct me if I'm wrong).
Hogfather is mentioned, alike to The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents in Guards Guards, and Going Postal/The Truth in Men At Arms, despite none being books back then. They are all ideas Pratchett has of expanding on these light references, just to see if they stick out from the book. It appears he was attached to the idea of Death dressing up as a Santa-like character even before describing what the Hogfather was. Before Soul Music, all we knew about Discworld's Christmas is that it's known as Hogswashnight. Dibbler, another Ankh-Morpok resident, is also here too.
There's also a strong use of metaphors and allusions, like Ridcully's description of mixing colors to get a greenish-brown, not white, or dropping a Casanunda reference. Pratchett is really trying to squeeze out his previous books to make this not only work but feel modern. And it works as much as Klatchians are French.
Prachett uses a plot twist to change names, which I had intended to put in as an original idea, not any more...same with bribing with gold coins, which I believe was in Men At Arms or Lords and Ladies, one of the recent ones I read. I get ticked when my ideas are not original...like the birth of Adonis. Between Greek Mythology and Discworld, I wonder if anything is original anymore...like Talladega Nights and the kissing baby...GAH!
There's not much else I can say without revealing the entire story. The book takes the traditional slow pacing early on, but is speeding up nicely. I'll sign off with a SQUEAK.
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Originally Posted by bigtimecow
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