50 in '12: #1

[sakon76]

In 2011, I finished 18 books for a reading total of 5639 pages. Which is kind of pathetic. I shall endeavor to do better in 2012.

Title: Snuff
Author: Terry Pratchett
Length: 378 pages


To be honest, I found this book kind of disappointing. I found bits of it amusing, certainly, but the basic premise of there being some small section of the Discworld that is pastoral and bucolic totally throws me. It... just doesn't fit with everything else we've seen of this world. Not to me, anyway. Add on top of that that it's a Vimes book, and his thoughts on the law and justice seem to be chasing themselves in circles, and it just seems kind of dead in the water.

What I liked: Young Sam's fascination with poo. Willikins. Lady Sybil. The snarking on Jane Austen in general and Pride and Prejudice in specific. Wee Mad Arthur, and A.E. Pessimal. The listing out of the reasons behind the dreadful algebra of cannibalism. The thought that much as we gain things by being in a cultural melting pot, there are things of equal value that we lose. The fact that my British is now improved by the addition of the term "a busman's holiday" to my vocabulary.

All that listed out, I will abide by thinking Thud! a far better Vimes book.

Verdict: Recommended for a Discworld fan. But so not where I would start anyone in on the universe. I'll hope the next book feels less disjointed.

Comments

[katharos-8.livejournal.com]

Disjointed is the thing I think. At his best his books are like an awesome pyramid of spinning plates atop spinning plates - lots of random stuff that somehow all hangs together and spins about a single point. (terrible metaphor, I know...) There were a few cool bits in Snuff but somehow the whole just fell to pieces. And I feel really really bad for wondering if there's a reason for that :( I hope the next one is tighter too!