Soul Music Discussion **Spoilers**

[mystmoon]

Before

[One Man Bucket]

I see, so Gloria's father was a radical dwarf or dwarfs have been flagrant about their femininity long before Cheery. I suppose it could be a mistake on Pratchett's part but it could equally be an indication of how modern the dwarfs of the Ramtops are in relation their Uberwaldian counterparts. Cheery being from Uberwald would likely be feeling the scorn of her fellow Uberwaldians but seeing as there's plenty of Ramtop dwarfs in Ankh Morpork she shouldn't have been a pioneer so we go back to Thog being a radical

[Om(nomnom)]

I kinda liked Soul Music, but I really don't like the ending.
Even if it makes sense and clearly was set up at he beginning of the story, it always seems a bit unsatisfying and "cheap" to me. (If you can use that word in English.)
Now buddy was sure enough more of a supporting character, even a mere "instrument", so to speak. But still, besides the great Elvis-Joke in the end, (which is hard to get in the German version) I think he deserved a bit more than -having served his purpose- to disappear and never be heard of again. (Or do we? )
Especially since I understand he is a potential love interest and future husband of Susan. (Though that probably wouldn't fit very well into hogfather or thief of time.)

I have to say that I didn't get quite a few of the references (certainly not the Llamedos ones ), even though the German translator probably did his best. But Cliff for example is called Klippe in German, so you had to use quite a bit of reverse thinking and be alert to get the reference. (Actually a better translation would have been Kliff, perhaps.)
More obvious names were "Die Wem", "Bleiballon" and "Und du" for example.
(The Who, Led Zeppelin,U2 )

I find it interesting that in order to "exorcise" the music two steps are necessary. First to abandon or get it under control mentally, but then also to destroy or utilise its avatar or symbol. (And they needed Death for that. )
Those two steps seem to be recurring in several of the books.

As for the characters, I think I liked glod the most.
It's a simple joke but I found his negotiating skill or lack thereof hilarious.
Especially since he is a dwarf and is convinced of the opposite.

[Tonyblack]

I think Terry was stuck with either killing Buddy off or sending him down a different leg of the Trousers of Time. There's a significant part in the book where Buddy gets to a road sign and has to decide whether to go to Ankh-Morpork or Quim. Going to A-M is where things went wrong, so time was altered so that he went to Quirm instead - and got a job in a chip shop.

I don't think we'll ever see him again in the books and I don't think he was ever a serious love interest or potential husband for Susan. In a way he's like the teen idol who girls find attractive until the next teen idol comes along. A passing phase.

[LilMaibe]

Weird thing, though, might be that it seems (at least a bit) that after SM we seemed to get to hear stories from a trouserleg in which the stuff in AM happened yet things turned out rather well...

[Om(nomnom)]

Tony, I think you are right with both of those statements, the teen idol as well as the trousers. And it probably would have felt wrong to force another ending. Still it is kind of unsatisfying to me.

LilMaibe, do you mean when Vetinari is referring to it? (Just got that from this thread, I have no memory of that. )

[LilMaibe]

Tony, I think you are right with both of those statements, the teen idol as well as the trousers. And it probably would have felt wrong to force another ending. Still it is kind of unsatisfying to me.

LilMaibe, do you mean when Vetinari is referring to it? (Just got that from this thread, I have no memory of that. )

There are various occurences referencing the events of this book in quite a few other books. I think in Hogfather Ridcully remembers Susan etc

[Tonyblack]

It's also a kind of reference to all the stories about Elvis being spotted still alive after his death.

[Penfold]

I always thought that the line "Does he look elvish"(?) at the end referred to this song;

THERE'S A GUY WORKS DOWN THE CHIP SHOP, SWEARS HE'S ELVIS

Although this has probably been posted before, it's still a great song.

[SwordfishTrombone]

Just finished Soul Music this morning.

I think it's way more than just a music version of Moving Pictures. As a newcomer I find the further you read into discworld the stronger the plots seem to get.

Personally it was the scenes with Susan and/or Death that stood out for me.

Hmm, I now have Interesting Times, Men at Arms or Maskerade to choose from next.....

[Tonyblack]

Just finished Soul Music this morning.

I think it's way more than just a music version of Moving Pictures. As a newcomer I find the further you read into discworld the stronger the plots seem to get.

Personally it was the scenes with Susan and/or Death that stood out for me.

Hmm, I now have Interesting Times, Men at Arms or Maskerade to choose from next.....

I agree - it's much deeper than Moving Pictures.

[=Tamar]

I think it's way more than just a music version of Moving Pictures.

I agree - it's much deeper than Moving Pictures.

Well, sure... MP was about the magic of two-dimensional images and how it works out in our 3-D world. ("Just long enough," as is usual in Pratchett.) SM is about the magical effect of soul in various definitions, and it lasts longer than most images.