Brief Thoughts: Mort

Mort

by Terry Pratchett
Book 4 of Discworld | Book 1 of Death

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Rating:  3.5 Stars

Death comes to Mort with an offer he can't refuse especially since being, well, dead isn't compulsory.  As Death's apprentice, he'll have free board and lodging, use of the company horse, and he won't need time off for family funerals.  The position is everything Mort thought he'd ever wanted, until he discovers that this perfect job can be a killer on his love life.

It seems rather true that each Discworld book gets more interesting as the series progresses.  While this wasn't an entirely perfect read, and there were a few character quirks that kind of annoyed me, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the whole story, even as it took some time for me to actually figure out what the plot was in the first place.

Death picks up a new apprentice in Mort, and adventures and nonsensical conversations ensue.

I'm not entirely sure what the point of the whole apprenticeship story line was, but the rest of the book was quite amusingly entertaining, especially following Death around, as he tries to figure out the way of mortals.

My favorite quote from this book happened during the moments before one of Death's "jobs," as he and Mort mingle with aristocrats at a house party.  While Mort is having a little bit of an identity and existential crisis by himself while learning the ropes of Death's work, Death is complaining about drink garnishes and fancy canapes.  It was one of the most amusing, nonsense-laden, yet thought-provoking exchanges.  And that last piece of dialogue in that passage from Death was...

THAT'S MORTALS FOR YOU, Death continued.  THEY'VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES.  FASCINATING.  HAVE A GHERKIN.

Death is quite philosophical without really trying.  Of course, I'm all about fun, fruity drink garnishes, and savory h'orderves... so Death and I will just have to agree to disagree.

Another very enjoyable installment in the Discworld series, and I'm looking forward to the next one now.

Brief Rambling: Equal Rites

Equal Rites

by Terry Pratchett
Book 3 of Discworld | Book 1 of Witches

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Rating:  3.5 Stars

On Discworld, a dying wizard tries to pass on his powers to an eighth son of an eighth son, who is just at that moment being born.  The fact that the son is actually a daughter is discovered just a little too late.  The town witch insists on turning the baby into a perfectly normal witch, thus mending the magical damage of the wizard's mistake.  But now the young girl will be forced to penetrate the inner sanctum of the Unseen University--and attempt to save the world with one well-placed kick in some enchanted shins!

This is the weirdest book ever, even if not the weirdest book I've ever read (that award goes to Alice in Wonderland).  The book itself took a little time to get into, but the characters start to readily grow on you.  And I've found a nice appreciation for Sir Terry's odd, meandering descriptors for almost everything that is written about.  (I believe I've seen people call them Pratchett-isms?)

Meanwhile, the second half of the book was much more interesting than the first half, even if I still don't have quite the idea what the story was actually about.  There were a lot of clever play on words and some rather thought-provoking instances that probably only really make sense in the context or philosophy of Discworld, though could be applied to the real world if you really think about it.  (More Pratchett-isms?)

Meanwhile, I found Granny Weatherwax rather charming and fun, in spite of her gruff ways.  And the librarian is surprisingly amusing, and now I'm wondering if he gets his own book at any point.  I've grown rather fond of the wizard turned orangutan, who somehow manages to infuse a whole bunch of meaning into a simple, "Ook."