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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
I have a complicated relationship with Pratchett’s books. I love his sense of humour, but there always seems to be something missing (but I kind of feel that is my fault). The beginning of this one gripped me, but the first two thirds are undoubtedly a bit weaker (still very amusing) – at this point I started a several new books and when I returned to this one it seemed like entirely new book to me. The last third of this book belongs to the best I read from Pratchett even though (or because?) he shamelessly makes fun of Zenon.
In the end its not at all surprising that this is so far probably my favourite Discworld book (in merciless combat with [b:Wyrd Sisters|833423|Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356446482l/833423._SY75_.jpg|1494222], because this one makes fun of theme I know something about… (even though it seemed to me in places that the author could have went a bit deeper, but I guess it would become a bit too niche for most readers then…)
I might return to this one in form of an audiobook. (I was glad to found out there was an English one, because this one isn’t yet narrated in Czech, so that was a nice surprise…)
It is well known that in an infinite universe everything that can be imagined must exist somewhere, and since many of them are not things that ought to exist in a well-ordered space-time frame they get shoved into a side dimension.
In the end its not at all surprising that this is so far probably my favourite Discworld book (in merciless combat with [b:Wyrd Sisters|833423|Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356446482l/833423._SY75_.jpg|1494222], because this one makes fun of theme I know something about… (even though it seemed to me in places that the author could have went a bit deeper, but I guess it would become a bit too niche for most readers then…)
“The trouble with you, Ibid,” he said, “is that you think you’re the biggest bloody authority on everything.”
I might return to this one in form of an audiobook. (I was glad to found out there was an English one, because this one isn’t yet narrated in Czech, so that was a nice surprise…)
The role of listeners has never been fully appreciated. However, it is well known that most people don’t listen. They use the time when someone else is speaking to think of what they’re going to say next. True Listeners have always been revered among oral cultures, and prized for their rarity value; bards and poets are ten a cow, but a good Listener is hard to find, or at least hard to find twice.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
I love Terry Pratchett's satirical and irreverent writing. However, in this book it frequently scans as racism, belittling the history and traditions of Egypt. It's a fine line to tread. At least the protagonist is from the country in question - but it still comes across as someone who left his home country, experienced the wonder of Western culture, and saw his own culture as inferior afterwards. It moves a little faster once you hit the middle of the book, where more of the action and humor is about individual characters instead of the country as a whole. Interesting twists at the end as well.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Pyramids is a wonderful Discworld standalone novel. And I'm glad I revisited it after so many years. It was better than I remembered. The book was funny, insightful, and it swept me in from the start. I especially loved the Assassins' Guild part and would have liked to stay longer in Ankh-Morpork.
The book had a great middle, showing what it is like to have a reversed culture shock and go back after being away for a long time. And understand the customs once held dear are odd and peculiar and make no sense. That is one reason why travel is good for you (despite flying being bad for the environment.) It would be nice if there were pods we could step in and have a distance to our own personal and societal problems and see them in a new perspective. I have read astronauts experience something along the line. So a yearly trip to space sounds like a reasonable request for your local government official.
Pyramids is riddled with funny lines about religions, traditions, and gods. They made me smile and appreciate how versatile Terry Pratchett's understanding was. He delivered acute observations about religions in one-liners that take from academics a whole book to explain. With my background in Comparative Religion, I can say he nailed his observations. Religions, traditions, and gods are as funny as he makes them out to be. This is why I love his work. He knew what he wrote about even when didn't have to.
The only downside in Pyramids was the messy ending which was all over the place. The scenes were funny as standalone, but when put together they felt disconnected. The ending felt odd and unfinished as if Terry Pratchett didn't know what to do with all the characters and with the Discworld greatest mathematician (my favorite character.) If I'm honest, despite the clever observations in the middle, I would have liked the book to stay in Ankh-Morpork and be about assassins. There was something magical in the beginning. It felt more real than the whole kingdom of Djelibeybi.
But what about my reaction? I enjoyed the book, but it didn't make me think. Maybe because of sitting over seven years in Uni and learning about the mechanics behind religion(s), I have grown numb to the subject. While Arthur's beliefs about sacrificing a goat before bed made me smile, it didn't make my brain go aha! But it made me tip my proverbial hat to the master and appreciate his wit and wisdom. Still, I would say if you haven't read the book go and find it in your local library and have an amazing time.
Thank you for reading!
The book had a great middle, showing what it is like to have a reversed culture shock and go back after being away for a long time. And understand the customs once held dear are odd and peculiar and make no sense. That is one reason why travel is good for you (despite flying being bad for the environment.) It would be nice if there were pods we could step in and have a distance to our own personal and societal problems and see them in a new perspective. I have read astronauts experience something along the line. So a yearly trip to space sounds like a reasonable request for your local government official.
Pyramids is riddled with funny lines about religions, traditions, and gods. They made me smile and appreciate how versatile Terry Pratchett's understanding was. He delivered acute observations about religions in one-liners that take from academics a whole book to explain. With my background in Comparative Religion, I can say he nailed his observations. Religions, traditions, and gods are as funny as he makes them out to be. This is why I love his work. He knew what he wrote about even when didn't have to.
The only downside in Pyramids was the messy ending which was all over the place. The scenes were funny as standalone, but when put together they felt disconnected. The ending felt odd and unfinished as if Terry Pratchett didn't know what to do with all the characters and with the Discworld greatest mathematician (my favorite character.) If I'm honest, despite the clever observations in the middle, I would have liked the book to stay in Ankh-Morpork and be about assassins. There was something magical in the beginning. It felt more real than the whole kingdom of Djelibeybi.
But what about my reaction? I enjoyed the book, but it didn't make me think. Maybe because of sitting over seven years in Uni and learning about the mechanics behind religion(s), I have grown numb to the subject. While Arthur's beliefs about sacrificing a goat before bed made me smile, it didn't make my brain go aha! But it made me tip my proverbial hat to the master and appreciate his wit and wisdom. Still, I would say if you haven't read the book go and find it in your local library and have an amazing time.
Thank you for reading!
As an Egyptian, some things rang too true but others are simply too silly. Perhaps I’m taking it a bit personally but for a British author to make fun of a country and its history that was once under British occupation.. that’s just bad form.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
This was a fun book overall, but it did start fairly slowly and a little out of context. Once that initial hurdle was in the past, it was a great read.