Lords and Ladies (Discworld Novels (Audio))

Rating:
Summary: Where'd all these Elves come from?
Review: Lords & Ladies, the 14th novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, is a wonderful return to Pratchett form for me. It is laugh-out-loud funny and a wonderful parody of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. The Shakespeare allusions aren't quite as bewildering as they were in Wyrd Sisters either, which makes it a bit more accessible for the non-Shakespeare fan.

This book was fantastic. It was a very interesting blend of comedy and grimness. In fact, it was probably the most mainstream plot that I've seen Pratchett produce. The conflict between the Elves and Magrat (and the Elf Queen and Granny) is very straightforward and almost chilling. The Elves are relentless in their pursuit of their victims. Magrat has to do some very harsh things to save herself from them. The Elves are almost unstoppable. Then, there is the Granny's confrontation with the Queen, which is very much like other confrontations between heroes and villains. Granny is captured and the Queen is just playing with her. They discuss what's going to happen to Lancre when the Elves take over. The Queen threatens her life. That sort of thing. These scenes are almost terrifying, and that's the first time I can ever say that Pratchett has done that to me.

However, that doesn't take away from the comedy. There are some truly funny scenes in this book that will make you laugh hard. The Archchancellor of the the Unseen University of wizards decides that he should come to the wedding along with a few colleagues (including the Librarian, an orangutan that used to be human before a magical accident). The scenes with the wizards, as usual, are just hilarious. This includes everything from attempting to hire transport (they don't have enough money, so they have to say that the Librarian is a pet) to the Archchancellor's attempts to woo Granny. As they say, hilarity ensues.

The characters are simply wonderful. It is such a difference between this book and Equal Rites. Not only are they very funny, but you start to care for them as well. Great strides are made in character development. Magrat finally learns what she can do when she's pushed, when she stands up to the Elves. Granny learns to respect Magrat just a little bit. Nanny learns about Casanunda, the world's second greatest lover ("I try harder"). All of the witches seem a bit less testy, but still well within the character established for them in earlier books. Even the wizards get some development, which doesn't happen very often. You learn a bit about the Archchancellor in this one as well. Usually, the wizards are just around for comedy relief.

Probably the best character, though, is Simon. He's one of Nanny Ogg's sons, and he's basically everything at the castle. He's the army, he's the servant, he's the herald, etc. His attempts to get his mother and the other witches to follow royal protocol (like letting him announce their presence to the King) are very funny. Even he gets some development, though, as he learns what it is to be a leader when he has to lead a rag-tag band against the Elves.

There is only one thing wrong with this book. The ending, again, is a bit lack-luster. This time, it's also a bit anti-climactic. It doesn't exactly come out of nowhere, as there is a bit of a set-up. However, I think it still needed a bit more. I applaud Pratchett for trying to turn the clichéd ending to something like this on its head, but I think it needed a little more support.

As far as the characters and the plot go, though, this was a classic book. Not quite as good as Reaper Man (I don't know if he'll ever be able to top that), but still very high up on the list. And ignore what Pratchett says at the beginning of the book. While it does continue straight on from the previous book (which I haven't read), it is still very understandable without that. In his little blurb at the beginning, Pratchett gives you all of the information you will need to understand this one.

If you can't find Reaper Man, this one also makes an excellent entry into the Discworld universe.

Rating:
Summary: Hysterically funny, extraordinarily human
Review: Pratchett has the rare gift of writing humor that is notonly funny, but literate, well-crafted, and sneakilywise and compassionate. Unlike many authors, he says the serious things he wants to say not by inserting a lecture, but by a deft turn of phrase, or simply by telling the story of what happens to his characters, A reader will not only end up rolling on the floor laughing, but thinking. In this story, elves (who have a power to control human thinking that puts even television and public relations execs to shame) take over the small kingdom of Lancre, while Magrat and King Verence are uneasily stumbling towards marriage. Magrat, Granny Weatherwax, and Nanny Ogg, together with such assorted characters as Casanunda the lecherous dwarf and Jason Ogg, the smith whose head is about as thick as his anvil, fight to stop them. Granny Weatherwax, who knows that there's no point making a big entrance unless you're also prepared to make a mess, is also involved in a battle of wills with Diamanda, who thinks that witchery is something you do, rather than something you are. You'll definitely laugh. Guarantee. You might cry if you happen to feel like it or if you get so distracted reading it that you let someone drop something heavy on your foot. Or, of course, if the elves start eyeing _your_ life as a good thing to muck about with.

Rating:
Summary: Not the Best of the Witches Books
Review: This Discworld novel, part of the Witches subset, plays off of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Lancre is invaded by elves, and the only good elf is a dead elf. (In other words, they are uninteresting, unconvincing characters). This book features Magrat and Nanny Ogg; Nanny is very funny in this one. The elves show up too late in the story, and the subplots tend to derail the action. The wizards show up in Lancre along with the Librarian (in orangutan form). The dwarf Casanunda has a candlelight dinner with Nanny Ogg and the Arch-chancellor has a heart-to-heart talk with Granny Weatherwax: these parts are very funny, but they can't make the whole book work well. Still, it is part of the Witches sequence, and these, along with the City Watch sequence, are some of the better Discworld books, and Pratchett should get credit for bringing in the wizards, who work better as minor characters than they do as the protagonists of the Rincewind books.

Rating:
Summary: Another great Discworld book
Review: This is the fourteenth book in Terry Pratchett's series on the Discworld - a flat world, supported on the backs of four massive elephants riding on the back of a planet-sized turtle. Anything hilarious can happen here, and eventually does.

With Magrat's marriage to Verence, King of Lancre, coming up, what could possibly go wrong? Actually, a lot! The border between realities is getting thin, and someone is trying to come through - the elves. Everyone remembers elves - beautiful, regal, powerful, etc. - but what they don't remember is that they are also vicious, murderous and completely unscrupulous. But, the witches remember; they remember a time when men went out hunting and never returned, and when babies disappeared from cradles. And now it is up to Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, plus any help that they can recruit to save the (disc)world!

This is another *great* Terry Pratchett book, one of his best! I have been a fan of this author for a long time, and this book does not let you down. As is often the case in Discworld books, a couple of "regulars" put in an appearance (Archchancellor Ridcully, the Librarian, Casanunda the World's Second Greatest Lover, and of course DEATH), but this is definitely a witch book. This is a great story, one that will inexplicably keep you on the edge of your seat and rolling on the floor laughing, both at the same time! This is a great Discworld book, one that I highly recommend.