Interesting Times Discussion **Spoilers**

[The Mad Collector]

Interesting, the list I added was from the Pratchett wiki which is obviously less complete than the wikipedia entry

[Quatermass]

Interesting, the list I added was from the Pratchett wiki which is obviously less complete than the wikipedia entry

It's actually another Discworld wiki, just not the L-Space one.

[swreader]

Oddly enough, having re-read Interesting Times again, I found it less appealing (or good) than I have on previous occasions. I agree, as many of you have suggested, that there are some good scenes. And some of the type of humor is funny if you like a Keystone Kops done (brilliantly) in words. Unfortunately, I find that boring and unfunny, and always have.

Don't know whether it's me and my mood (down), but I still feel the same way about the Silver Horde. I don't find them funny, particularly, and they are -- let's face it-- totally unbelievable. It may be true that if you survive as a Barbarian Hero, it's because you get better at it. But, age slows down reflexes, stamina, etc. and I'm not really sure what Terry was trying to do with them.

I guess, when I think back on it, that before I've seen it this as a flawed but most interesting Rincewind book--a case of trying to do too much and therefore not really getting it done. But I'm slowly beginning to think that maybe Last Continent is better--even if I could do without most of the regular wizards.

[Sjoerd3000]

IT is my favourite Rincewind story There's a lot to like in this book, and I loved the Silver Horde

And I loved the idea that aaaargh can mean 'your wife is a big hippo'

[meerkat]

Translation is a strange animal, as someone, I can' remember who, once said.

[poohcarrot]

But I'm slowly beginning to think that maybe Last Continent is better--even if I could do without most of the regular wizards.

After re-reading this (Last Continent), and enjoying it somewhat more than the first time, I still find it one of Terry's weaker books.

Wow!

If Last Continent is one of TP's weaker books, then Interesting Times must be...must be.....um.....very weak!

[Bouncy Castle]

Gotta say that Interesting Times is not one of my favourites, but Last Continent is a stonker!

[Sjoerd3000]

If Last Continent is one of TP's weaker books, then Interesting Times must be...must be.....um.....very weak!

Nah, Interesting Times is great! Must have read it eighnnn... times now

[poohcarrot]

I love Interesting Times!

And if you read my Twerps bio, I said I'd like to go on a date with Pretty Butterfly - attitude or wot?

[Sjoerd3000]

I love Interesting Times!

And if you read my Twerps bio, I said I'd like to go on a date with Pretty Butterfly - attitude or wot?

I always knew you had good taste

[Tonyblack]

I was reminded of James Clavell's book, 'Shogun' when I read Interesting Times. There's a lot of Chinese stuff in there and the barbarians taking over is somewhat like Genghis Khan, but the whole thing about the rival clans vying for control of the emperor seems more Japanese to me.

[poohcarrot]

Here are 10 examples of Japanese related stuff! I posted this a while back.

1. The sumo-like wrestlers
2. Lord Hong's origami
3. The baths
4. The ninja
5. The paper walls
6. Lord Hong's sword making
7. The families fighting over control of the empire (Shogun)
8. The nightingale floors
9. Twoflower as a tourist taking photos of everything is stereotypical Japanese
10. The poetry

[Sjoerd3000]

11.samurai

[Tonyblack]

We get quite a lot of Japanese tourists in Cardiff and I'm always intrigued at the way they take photos of everything. They always seem to have to get a friend to stand in front of whatever they are taking a photo of.

When I take photos I try to avoid having people in the shot.


There's a great deal in this book about the fact that although the Agateans seem to have given A-M lots of different inventions, A-M seems to have made them better, or got them from somewhere else.

This seems to be either a reference to shoddy Chinese goods, or maybe a reverse of the way that Japanese took thinkgs like British motorbikes and made them (in some ways) better - certainly more affordable.

[ChristianBecker]

The Romans are also said to have taken foreign inventions and made them better.
But I think Terry is not alluding to that.