Another quick slog through another novel, and this time it's Small Gods going back onto the shelf. The other night I mentioned it in passing on the client, and Lee pointed out that with the background he came out of, that particular book was more non-fiction documentary.
I enjoyed the story, on several levels, but I can't help noticing something. Did anyone else notice that Small Gods seemed to be something of a turning point in the DW canon? It's always seemed to me that if I were to draw a line between the 'early books' and later ones, it might be around the 'Small Gods' line. I can't put my finger on just what makes the difference, but there's a different 'feel' to the stories from that point on.
It might be that the copies of the earlier books I have aren't all Corgi editions with Kirby covers, (they had particularly horrible cover art) but that after Small Gods, it was all Kirby paperbacks. But then after a few years, the local bookstores had wised up to the fact that they could sell Pratchett in hardcover, and I had more disposable income with which to buy them. Also by that point, my wife had realized that she didn't just have to buy me DW books, that she should be reading and enjoying them too. By the time of 'The Truth,' we were committed to buying hardcovers (and of course, it wasn't long after that that we lost Josh Kirby). Interestingly, I'd probably be ready to draw a new line in the sand at 'The Truth' or somewhere thereabouts in terms of where the 'modern' DW books come into play.
Anyone with thoughts along such lines? Anyone want to comment on the morphing of Omnianism into a Watchtower Society? Just some Monday morning thoughts to try and spark discussion...
Re: Dearmer finishes another book -- Small Gods
Did anyone else notice that Small Gods seemed to be something of a turning point in the DW canon? It's always seemed to me that if I were to draw a line between the 'early books' and later ones, it might be around the 'Small Gods' line.
Absolutely, this is the case... er...IMHO ( have to work on that). It's no accident that many people say that Small Gods is their favorite.
I think this is the moment when Terry stops just playing around (let's take a cute idea, make fun of it, and see where it goes) and starts having something thoughtful and urgent to say about what it's like being human, while we're laughing.
Without this movement from pure satire into literature, I don't think we would all still be interested. And although he returns in later books to the wholly silly, from time to time, the general trend has been toward shining a light on something fundamental about the human condition. That's why I keep reading.
Quote Magrat:
Without this movement from pure satire into literature, I don't think we would all still be interested. And although he returns in later books to the wholly silly, from time to time, the general trend has been toward shining a light on something fundamental about the human condition. That's why I keep reading.
Oh, I wouldn't say that Small Gods marked a movement away from satire, but deeper into it. I'd say that the satirist's job is to do exactly what you say: shining a light on something fundamental about the human condition. Is there not serious, deep-biting, perhaps all-too-timely satire in 'Monstrous Regiment'?
As far as a moment when he stops playing around and and starts having something thoughtful and urgent to say goes, I think he's already getting there in Witches Abroad when he uses the power of stories. As I was posting last week (having just finished the book) it started to dawn on me how much that notion had an impact on my psychological worldview. I've been largely influenced by Jung and Campbell, but now I'm starting to think about how Campbell's discussion of myth might relate to the proto-narrativium in Witches Abroad . . .
28:06:42:12...
Dearmer finishes another
I agree about Small Gods. I come from a christian background as well, and so initially I didn't like the book much, because it reminded me so much of all the things about it that bothered me so much.
THe first turning point in the Discworld series, to me, lies before Small Gods, though, I always thought the Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic were the exercises, and with Equal Rites he got into the Discworld itself. And the second turning point I'd place at Monstrous Regiment, that one and the books after have a deeper feel to it than the ones before already had. It may have to do with his decrease in production, from two books per year to one, whih gives him much more time to really get where he wants to go.
Mazur, Resident Hexameter, 2197 Endless street, Ankh-Morpork.
Hey! I'm getting better at this!