Discworld geeks - review needed

[dscross]

I have been a fan of discworld for a long time now. However, although I loved most of the books up to that point, I was not too bothered about Unseen Academicals, so I'm wondering if anyone has read Snuff yet...I'm debating whether to get it or not.

Thoughts?

Oh and to make this post more interesting - for those who are not in a position to review Snuff - what's your favourite discworld novel/s? Mine's Small Gods, followed by Thief of Time. Games too if you like...

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Night Watch is hands down my favorite. Peace! Justice! Freedom! And a hard boiled egg!

As for Snuff, well, I haven't finished it yet, so I can't really comment.

 

[Lusty]

I enjoyed Snuff, there is a major shared theme with UA though so you might not.

As for favourite, I always think of Small Gods but it was about 20 years ago that I read it so no idea if it's as good as I remember.

 

[Smertnik]

I liked Snuff even less than Unseen Academicals. It's more of the same old but more boring (I think it's actually the first Discworld novel that managed to bore me). Also if it hasn't earlier, now Pratchett's condition definitely started to affect his writing - I remember several passages getting repeated multiple times throughout the novel.

It's certainly not a bad novel but you won't miss out if you decide to skip it; it's merely a continuation of the Vimes arc without any world or character altering events.

 

[BrotherRool]

I thought Snuff was a lot better than Unseen Academicals, but it still wasn't as good as most other Discworld books. They also do something to Vimes in it that ruins a lot of the cool of his character

Spoiler

He's retained some superpowers from the thing in Thud!

All in all, it wasn't bad (apart from that one thing) but it wasn't close to Night Watch or Thud! Most reviews I've seen went with the 'Not up to Snuff' headline.

EDIT: I just reread my TV Tropes review and apparently at the time I thought it was really good. My title was actually 'As good as Going Postal and Thud! Can praise be better than that? '

I don't really know why my opinion has changed since then to flat out contradict myself. I guess it was well done but didn't stick with me at all?

 

[BeeGeenie]

Small Gods is my favorite too!
I also like the ones about DEATH and fate and stuff: Mort and Reaper Man in particular.

I thought Snuff was alright, but then the Vimes stories aren't my favorites. I actually preferred Unseen Academicals.

 

[Mr F.]

Snuff and UA are both pretty good, Snuff being significantly better.

Snuff is one of the best I have read in a long time. Its back to the satire (Yes, I know someone might cut me for that) but I love it for the same reasons I loved Jingo, Thud and Monstrous Regiment (Which I desperately need to re-read). Its more "Look, here is a blatant metaphor for things that are going on/went on in the past, now read it and laugh."

Then again, my opinion is just that, an opinion, in my eyes the Rincewind series (If it can be called that) are the worst books in the Diskworld series, plus I never liked the witches. I guess my opinion comes from loving the Nights Watch beyond belief.

It boils down to this. Do you love Vimes? Because Snuff is the most vimes-focused book he has ever written, even moreso than my favourite (Night watch, which if you can find a version of the radio play is DEFINITELY worth listening to). Some have said that it is not the best and that you can start to see his condition shine through, I certainly agree, but he is still Pratchett.

Not my favourite. Night Watch holds that accolade. Thud, The Truth, Interesting Times, Going Postal, Making Money, Jingo come in that order (if that helps...?). Pratchett is easily my favourite author, followed by Neil Gaiman (Their joint work, Good Omens, falls a close second to my third favourite book, American Gods. Which is just a hint beneath Brave New World.). Man, I should read more.

 

[dscross]

It boils down to this. Do you love Vimes? Because Snuff is the most vimes-focused book he has ever written, even moreso than my favourite (Night watch, which if you can find a version of the radio play is DEFINITELY worth listening to). Some have said that it is not the best and that you can start to see his condition shine through, I certainly agree, but he is still Pratchett.

I do love Vimes...but I felt like Pratchett's writing style changed in UA - I just wasn't so keen on it. Saying that I read the newest Tiffany Aching one and that actually read really well. Not sure if it's because that one is written for younger readers.

 

[Bertylicious]

It's kind of weird thinking about reading the work of an admired authour and basically watching him die in front of your eyes.

Basically I'm going to buy everything he writes till he turns his toes up, just to see.

 

[Korolev]

It is a pity about Prachett's condition. Nothing he can do about it - he is receiving "experimental" therapies from some university researchers.... but I gotta tell you, right now nothing we have really helps with Alzheimers. It's a cruel, implacable disease. However, the rate of progression and the faculties first affected, vary wildly from patient to patient. Some progress fast, others slow. Some lose basic cognitive functions quickly, others will begin to lose some functions (like reading a map, counting), while still holding on to their basic intelligence and personality for quite a while (they all eventually succumb). Pratchett may be around for quite a while yet... but he is going start to slip as the disease progresses. That's an unfortunate inevitability.

 

[Lucifiel]

It boils down to this. Do you love Vimes? Because Snuff is the most vimes-focused book he has ever written, even moreso than my favourite (Night watch, which if you can find a version of the radio play is DEFINITELY worth listening to). Some have said that it is not the best and that you can start to see his condition shine through, I certainly agree, but he is still Pratchett.

I do love Vimes...but I felt like Pratchett's writing style changed in UA - I just wasn't so keen on it. Saying that I read the newest Tiffany Aching one and that actually read really well. Not sure if it's because that one is written for younger readers.

I found Unseen Academicals somewhat tiresome but I loved Snuff. I like to put it somewhat in the same boat as Thud and Jango. It is... darker... for lack of a better word, but far more gripping. It was not such an easy read but once I got 10 pages in, I found myself unable to put it down.

Funny thing with me is that I am not so keen on the Tiffany Aching arc. I liked The Wee Free Men but beyond that, I found it sort of lacking. But that is what personal opinions are for

I cannot say which book is my favorite but my favorite arcs (I am sorry, I know no other way of calling them) are the Rincewind arcs, The Nightwatch (Vimes especially) and the Wizards. Funny thing how Vimes is the only character I can think of to really, and I mean really evolve throughout his arcs.

 

[Laughing Man]

It's kind of weird thinking about reading the work of an admired authour and basically watching him die in front of your eyes.

The books tone reflected this

Spoiler

if the end of the book had had Vimes die I would not have been surprised

The book itself was enjoyable, kind of a shame that it was so heavily focused on Vimes but I think Pratchett himself said that Vimes was one of his favourite characters so for what could possibly be one of his last books for it to be focused on Vimes and specifically quite a bit of it being Vimes coming to terms with his own getting older, well I can understand that.

For someone who hates football with a passion I was quite shocked to find myself enjoying UA and like many I am not a big fan of the Tiffany Aching story arc, especially since her arc now seems to be taking over from the witches which I actually quite liked, mind you props to Pratchett for getting Esk in there even if she only appeared for a very short section.

Kinda hoping for another Moist Von Lipwig book.

 

[dscross]

Kinda hoping for another Moist Von Lipwig book.

I didn't think Making Money was a patch on Going Postal. Personally, I want another Death book. Sounds like the next one might be a new character though.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I read Snuff roughly 2 years ago and I really enjoyed it but that's mainly because I liked the stories based around The Watch (right behind stories about The Unseen University Senior Staff and, Death). Snuff is mainly focused around Sam Vimes who...at some point, became part of the rich elite in a book that I obviously missed. It's an interesting mystery tale to be sure and definitely worth a read if you're at all a fan of Vimes and his family.

 

[Laughing Man]

I didn't think Making Money was a patch on Going Postal. Personally, I want another Death book. Sounds like the next one might be a new character though.

That's true for a greater or lesser extent it was pretty much a retread of Going Postal but it was still a good book none the less, the good thing is because the task in each book is usually a public interest being assigned to Moist by the Patrician it means we get some quality scenes with the Patrician.

 

[dscross]

Snuff is mainly focused around Sam Vimes who...at some point, became part of the rich elite in a book that I obviously missed.

Think he's been married to Sybil, who's mega rich, ever since Feet of Clay

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Snuff is mainly focused around Sam Vimes who...at some point, became part of the rich elite in a book that I obviously missed.

Think he's been married to Sybil, who's mega rich, ever since Feet of Clay

That explains it then: I haven't yet read Feet of Clay! Gotta add that one to my list...