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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The last Vimes novel that Pratchett wrote - what a tremendous loss for the literary world but a beautiful last novel. Vimes goes on vacation and of course there is crime everywhere. Continuing with the general distrust, hate and violence against goblins in "Unseen Academicals", it is the murder of a goblin girl in the countryside that propels Vimes once again to fight for justice against all odds. Those who cannot protect themselves will be protected by The Law. Deeply philosophical but also outrageously funny, I'm sad that there will never be more. 5 stars GNU STP
A new pattern seems to have emerged in the post-Monstrous Regiment Discworld universe.
For every 'return to form' (Going Postal) there's another dip in form (Unseen Academicals).
Fortunately Snuff is on the upswing end of the pendulum.
Taking Vimes out of the city and into the country, Snuff blends Pratchett's love of the sinister and surreal with lampooning perceptions and conventions.
Sadly, the one consistency of his recent output has been a lack of firm editing, and that again is an issue here.
Snuff sadly drags in places and Pratchett has tried to include too many character's and plot asides (the Bennett Sisters could be lost quite easily), which detract from what Pratchett actually excells at - gripping yet funny crime capers.
That said, though, even the low points of Snuff beat the highpoint of Regiment, which is a gods-send.
The dialogue is, for the most part, sharp and snappy and the tension mounts in all the right places - reiterating my long-held view that Pratchett is actually one of our best modern crime writers.
Plus this book has a running gag about a big Fanny...
For every 'return to form' (Going Postal) there's another dip in form (Unseen Academicals).
Fortunately Snuff is on the upswing end of the pendulum.
Taking Vimes out of the city and into the country, Snuff blends Pratchett's love of the sinister and surreal with lampooning perceptions and conventions.
Sadly, the one consistency of his recent output has been a lack of firm editing, and that again is an issue here.
Snuff sadly drags in places and Pratchett has tried to include too many character's and plot asides (the Bennett Sisters could be lost quite easily), which detract from what Pratchett actually excells at - gripping yet funny crime capers.
That said, though, even the low points of Snuff beat the highpoint of Regiment, which is a gods-send.
The dialogue is, for the most part, sharp and snappy and the tension mounts in all the right places - reiterating my long-held view that Pratchett is actually one of our best modern crime writers.
Plus this book has a running gag about a big Fanny...
Terry Pratchett is, perhaps, the world's best humanist. Terry Pratchett should also win the Nobel and Booker prizes, but odds are, he never will.
But at least, the Queen as knighted him.
Snuff is Pratchett's latest novel, an installment in the Discworld, and features Sam Vimes, Pratchett's everyman copper hero and one of his alter-egos. Forced to go on vaccation at his wife's estate, Sam discovers there has been a murder.
And any follower of the Discworld knows what that means.
Snuff is more in the tradition of [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168566135s/34484.jpg|1636629] and [b:Night Watch|47989|Night Watch (Discworld, #29)|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170349109s/47989.jpg|1712283]. In other words, it is a more serious Discworld novel with the message heavily at the forefront. It is also a darker Discworld novel and far better than [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168566135s/34484.jpg|1636629].
Like all Discworld works, Pratchett refers to other standards of literautre - (Mr Pratchett, Sir Terry, I'm really sorry, but I do think some of what you write is literature) - in particular Jane Austen's [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1279118438s/1885.jpg|3060926] and [b:Mansfield Park|45032|Mansfield Park|Jane Austen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309203298s/45032.jpg|2722329], but being Pratchett he puts his own twists on things.
Oh, and besides the murder, Vimes (calling him Sam just feels wrong) has to deal with son, Young Sam, who is in the poo stage of life - and he really wants elephant poo because it goes dung.
Pratchett's genius, his absolutely bloody genius, is his ability to deal not only in the commonplace but to make it's absurdities magical and to do so in such a way that as you are cracking up you are nodding your head.
In many ways, Pratchett's characters are the most refreshing normal characters you will ever meet, even if they include a werewolf and a hero who thinks he is a dwarf. They are human, with the possible exceptation of Nobby. Vimes, for instance, is a carinig husband and father, and it is so nice to see a police officer or any central character for that matter, have one. Sybil has a large support role, and it is always nice to see Sybil and Sam work together.
It's true that the pacing is a little slow in the beginning and towards the end. Yet in some ways, the story seems to call for that (like say the ending of [b:The Return of the King|18512|The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298416457s/18512.jpg|2964424]).
Let me say, in this pre-presidential year, Ventarai for President. VP could be Vimes or Sybil. Wilkins could be head of the CIA, FBI, and Secret Service. He is so efficient.
This book is a fine journey, a look at humanity with a well loved author and the friends that he has gifted the world with. If you haven't visited any of Pratchett's books, go and visit them now.
That's a command.
Mr, Sir, Pratchett, I'm not on the Booker or Nobel comittees. I don't have enough money to start a real prize. I, however, hereby award you the Lifetime Achivement Award for Writing also known as The Golden Banana Daiquiri.
But at least, the Queen as knighted him.
Snuff is Pratchett's latest novel, an installment in the Discworld, and features Sam Vimes, Pratchett's everyman copper hero and one of his alter-egos. Forced to go on vaccation at his wife's estate, Sam discovers there has been a murder.
And any follower of the Discworld knows what that means.
Snuff is more in the tradition of [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168566135s/34484.jpg|1636629] and [b:Night Watch|47989|Night Watch (Discworld, #29)|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170349109s/47989.jpg|1712283]. In other words, it is a more serious Discworld novel with the message heavily at the forefront. It is also a darker Discworld novel and far better than [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168566135s/34484.jpg|1636629].
Like all Discworld works, Pratchett refers to other standards of literautre - (Mr Pratchett, Sir Terry, I'm really sorry, but I do think some of what you write is literature) - in particular Jane Austen's [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1279118438s/1885.jpg|3060926] and [b:Mansfield Park|45032|Mansfield Park|Jane Austen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309203298s/45032.jpg|2722329], but being Pratchett he puts his own twists on things.
Oh, and besides the murder, Vimes (calling him Sam just feels wrong) has to deal with son, Young Sam, who is in the poo stage of life - and he really wants elephant poo because it goes dung.
Pratchett's genius, his absolutely bloody genius, is his ability to deal not only in the commonplace but to make it's absurdities magical and to do so in such a way that as you are cracking up you are nodding your head.
In many ways, Pratchett's characters are the most refreshing normal characters you will ever meet, even if they include a werewolf and a hero who thinks he is a dwarf. They are human, with the possible exceptation of Nobby. Vimes, for instance, is a carinig husband and father, and it is so nice to see a police officer or any central character for that matter, have one. Sybil has a large support role, and it is always nice to see Sybil and Sam work together.
It's true that the pacing is a little slow in the beginning and towards the end. Yet in some ways, the story seems to call for that (like say the ending of [b:The Return of the King|18512|The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298416457s/18512.jpg|2964424]).
Let me say, in this pre-presidential year, Ventarai for President. VP could be Vimes or Sybil. Wilkins could be head of the CIA, FBI, and Secret Service. He is so efficient.
This book is a fine journey, a look at humanity with a well loved author and the friends that he has gifted the world with. If you haven't visited any of Pratchett's books, go and visit them now.
That's a command.
Mr, Sir, Pratchett, I'm not on the Booker or Nobel comittees. I don't have enough money to start a real prize. I, however, hereby award you the Lifetime Achivement Award for Writing also known as The Golden Banana Daiquiri.
I remember being disappointed in this one when I read it originally, but coming back to it I rate it much more highly. it is not without flaws - the plotline with Colin and Nobby and the force in Ankh Morpork feels perfunctory when it should have been fleshed out more, some other sections left too wordy and needed trimming back, the resolution with the physical antagonist ends up undercutting part of the series message.
Still, it's a good solid read, both as an analysis of how slavery starts and as a crime novel in its own right. I suspect my initial poor reaction was dealing with the grief over Sir. Terry's impending demise casting a shadow on the work.
Still, it's a good solid read, both as an analysis of how slavery starts and as a crime novel in its own right. I suspect my initial poor reaction was dealing with the grief over Sir. Terry's impending demise casting a shadow on the work.
I think when I started reading discworld, I didn't particularly like the Watch books, but as time has gone on (and even more so as I re-read the books) I have enjoyed them more and more. Out of all the books in the main series, the characters developed so much that they fun to read.
Vimes, in particular is just so human that he is easy to relate to. In Snuff, Pratchett once again throws Vimes in a challenging situation - he is forced to take a vacation on his estate - I know, if we were to all have it so bad. But of course, things are not what they seem, and the police work never really leaves him. Nor has the Summoning Dark.
His butler in this book went from being "a slightly scary force to be not reckoned with" to "holy crap, what is he doing now?!"
Vimes, in particular is just so human that he is easy to relate to. In Snuff, Pratchett once again throws Vimes in a challenging situation - he is forced to take a vacation on his estate - I know, if we were to all have it so bad. But of course, things are not what they seem, and the police work never really leaves him. Nor has the Summoning Dark.
His butler in this book went from being "a slightly scary force to be not reckoned with" to "holy crap, what is he doing now?!"
The man is a genius. There's really no other way to say how good this book is, especially considering where Sir Terry Pratchett is in his life right now. It follows Commander Sam Vimes (aka His Grace, the Duke of Ankh Morkpork) and his family on their vacation in the Shires. Sam's a city creature, barely stepping out of it in his life thus the life in the country is off-putting. Of course he finds a crime. Laugh out loud funny at several points, beautifully evocative lines at others, I had to stop myself from reading every other sentence aloud to my husband who introduced me to Pratchett (and who hasn't read it yet).
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My last book in the City Watch arc! Loved these characters so much and of course their always entertaining capers.
Alas ! The writing is clumsy, Vimes talks too much, the narration does not distanciate itself from the characters and Pratchett's satirical tone gets somewhat lost in the process. The story is very linear. In brief, Snuff falls in the flaws most other authors fall in. To anyone looking for a first Discworld (or Sam Vimes) book my advice is : not this one.