Rincewind in China22 August 2015tWhen my friend leant me this book he simply said 'Rincewind' at which I rolled my eyes. I must say that Rincewind is certainly not my favourite Discworld character, even though some of the books in which he has starred have been quite good. However I wasn't really expecting anything all that much to come from this book, even though it is one of the Discworld novels and I am slowly making my way through each of them (and it was also a bit of a time out from some of the heavier novels that I have read).tIt turned out that it was a good thing that I didn't expect all that much from this book because if you aren't expecting all that much then it is really easy to exceed those expectations. In fact I really enjoyed this book, and even Rincewind was quite cool, especially when you appreciate the nature of his character (namely that his main rule of survival is to run away as fast as possible, and that a boring life is a good life because a boring life means that your lifespan is inevitably going to be much longer).tThis time Pratchett takes us to China, or at least Discworld's equivalent of China – the Agatean Empire. This was a little odd because with the first book the suggestion was that the Agatean Empire was in fact Japan (in which Pratchett was poking fun at the stereotypical Japanese Tourist – Twoflower). However, it now turns out that it is China and that people weren't supposed to actually leave the country and visit the world on the other side of the wall. In fact the powers that be discourage that simply by telling everybody that there is nothing behind the wall except demons and ghosts.tThus therein lies the problem. Not only did Twoflower leave but when he returned he wrote a book called 'What I did on my Holidays'. Sure, it sound's like some primary school essay, but I am sure that primary school essays have managed to morph themselves into revolutionary documents. Actually, there have been countless numbers of books that have morphed themselves into revolutionary documents, despite the author having no intention beyond simply writing a fascinating story.tThe other issue is that the emperor is dying, which means that there is an opening for a new emperor. Sure, the Emperor should have an heir, but that doesn't seem to be the case here, and even if he did having an heir does not necessarily mean that that heir is going to become emperor, namely because there is some other guy who wants that title – Lord Hong. As one can expect from a farcical comedy, nothing seems to go right for poor Hong. Sure, he manages to kill the emperor, but before he can take the title as his own he suddenly discovers that somebody has beaten him to the punch – Cohen the Barbarian, or as we find out – Genghiz Cohen.tIf there is one thing that I absolutely loved about this book it has to be the Silver Horde (which is a play on the Golden Horde, otherwise known as the Mongals). Here we have a handful of old men, who happen to be barbarians, sneaking into the city to steal the throne of the empire. Sure, most people expect old men to be weak and frail, but that would be a huge mistake when approaching the Silver Horde. In fact at one point the end up beating up a room full of ninja.tI also quite liked the idea of the wall. We all think that the Great Wall of China was built to keep the Mongal Hordes out (and good job it did to – NOT), however Pratchett suggests that that is not the case – it is designed to keep the people inside. We can't have plebs leaving the country, learning new ideas, such as rebellion, and then bringing it back and corrupting people – they've already had a problem with one person doing that. Anyway, as Cohen says, how is a wall going to stop a horde of barbarians? They ain't going to get there, see the wall, and decide that it is all too hard and go home again. No, they are going to take wood from all the trees lying around and then build ladders so they can climb over it.tThis whole thing about keeping the people in made me think about China back when it was written. Back then you hardly had any Chinese travelling abroad – these days you have heaps. I was sort of wandering whether Pratchett was having a dig at some of these closed countries, though prior to the 19th Century China was a pretty closed country and many of the peasants were intentionally kept ignorant so as not to upset the balance (apparently the Chinese Script was invented to make it really hard for the general populace to become literate). Still, I'm not sure if you are meant to think too deeply with a Terry Pratchett book (though then again it is satire, so I am probably wrong), but then again it is something that I do enjoy doing.
KurzbeschreibungIn diesem Scheibenwelt Roman geht es um den Klassiker ,,Echt zauberhaft'' in neuer Übersetzung und neuem Gewand.Für mich immer wieder ein Vergnügen von einem Fall zu lesen, in dem Rincewind ein Zauberer nach meinem Geschmack wieder in totalen Schwierigkeiten steckt und es noch schafft einen draufzusetzten.Ich musste mehr als einmal grinsen! :DAber in diesem Teil geht es um das Achatene Reich im Gegengewicht Kontinent und dort herrscht Krieg wenn man es so will.Und man verlangt nach dem fähigsten Zauberer. Da keiner der Universität Lust darauf hat dorthin zu reisen ohne zu wissen was sie erwartet wird kurzerhand Rincewid geschwind herbeigezaubert und Reisefertig gemacht.Für mich wieder einmal ein Vergnügen... :DCoverDas Cover gefällt mir wieder einmal sehr gut und ist doch mit dem Zaubbererhut treffend und vor allen Rincewind Super gelungen! ;) Und der Schmetterling lässt Stürmische Zeiten erahnen. ;)Für mich toll umgesetzt und ein Eyecatcher.SchreibstilDer Autor Terry Pratchett hat einen wundervollen Schreibstil gepaart mit seiner fantastischen Scheibenwelt vermischt und ich liebe die Geschichten über eben diese.Denn es fühlt sich nach Hause kommen an mit den verrückten Zauberern. Dem manches Mal etwas sehr undurchsichtigen Lord Vetinari oder den Bewohnern die einem ans Herz wachsen!Sehr gelungen!!!MeinungWenn das Schicksal pokert...Dann sind wir bei einem Spruch angekommen der wie es auch der Zufall so will passender nicht sein könnte. ;)Dem Philosoph Ly Schwartzmaul zufolge entsteht das größte Chaos überall dort, wo jemand Ordnung herstellen will. das Chaos gewinnt stets die Oberhand über die Ordnung, weil sie besser organisiert ist.(Auszug von ,,Echt Zauberhaft'')Für mich schon ein sehr guter Start. Denn das Schicksal spielt am Tisch gelassen mit seinen Kumpanen, da taucht seine uralte Gegenspielerin auf und fordert ihn heraus.Sie will um ,,Aufstieg und Fall großer Reiche'' spielen und Schicksal stimmt zu. Als Austragungsort suchen sie sich den Gegengewicht- Kontinent aus, auch Achatene Reiche genannt und dort herrscht seit Jahrhunderten Krieg zwischen den Adelsgeschlechtern die alle an die Macht wollen.Da wären zum Beispiel die Hongs, die Sungs, Die Tangs und die McSweenys und Fanys.Alle versuchen sich bis aufs letzte zu verbessern und vergessen dass sie manches Mal nur Spielbälle des Schicksals sind.Jedenfalls kommen wir jetzt ins hier und jetzt, denn es hat sich schon etwas zugetragen das Lord Vetinari beunruhigt und er daraufhin den Mustru Ridcully zu sich kommen lässt.Der wiederum ist froh wenn er den Lord nicht sieht und auch minder überrascht mit welch Bitte wenn man sie so nennen könnte kommt.Denn Lord Vetinari führt Ridcully zu einem Albatros der den weiten Weg von dem Achatene Reich gekommen ist und eine seltsame Nachricht überbracht hat.Diese Nachricht erschliesst sich den beiden nur so, das die dort den fähigsten und den größten Zauberer hinsenden sollen.Ridcully ist alles andere als begeistert selbst dorthin zu reisen und dann noch jemanden zu senden ohne zu wissen warum und weshalb.Und so beschließt er nach einem regen Gespräch in der Universität der Magie, Rincewind kurzerhand aus seinem Exil auf einer Insel zu holen und ihn kurzerhand mittels Magie dorthin zu senden.Rincewind mittlerweile ahnt noch nicht was seine Zauberkollegen vorhaben und sieht sich von jetzt auf sofort innerhalb von 2 Sekunden wieder in Ank-Morpork wieder und ist erstens geschockt und zweitens erfreut endlich wieder daheim zu sein.Aber die Freude währt von nicht langer Dauer denn man erwartet ihn schon...Für mich wieder einmal sehr gelungen und das vor allem weil Rincewind einer meiner liebsten Charaktere ist die ich immer wieder begeistert verfolge und ich muss immer lachen, denn seine Art ist unbeschreiblich liebenswert, Irre aber auch verlässlich auch wenn er am liebsten wegrennen würde und ein total unfähiger Zauberer aber genau das passt zu ihm.Denn manches Mal klappt auch was! ;)FazitAbsolut Klasse und sehr empfehlenswert kann ich nur sagen toll geschrieben!!!5 von 5 Sternen
What do You think about Interesting Times (1998)?
t "Mighty battles! Revolution! Death! War! (and his sons Terror and Panic, and daughter Clancy)." Interesting Times is a comedic fantasy novel written by the famed British author, Terry Pratchett. Set in the complex and magical land called the Discworld, Interesting Times can be read by teenagers and adults alike. Young children under ten might not be able to fully understand or grasp some of the themes and concepts in the book. I greatly enjoyed reading this novel. It had a lot of interesting characters, a humorous writing style, and a great plot.Interesting Times follows two main storylines told by an omniscient narrator. One storyline features Rincewind, a cowardly 'wizzard', who is mysteriously sent to the Agatean Empire to help the Red Army (a mostly harmless group of youths inspired by a travelogue of a distant city) rebel against the oppressive government. The other storyline follows Cohen the Barbarian and the Silver Horde (a group of elderly warriors). Together, they plan to conquer the great Agatean Empire.Interesting Times contains a variety of entertaining characters. One of its protagonists is Rincewind, whose greatest skill is to run away from danger. Not many fantasy novels have a coward as its main character, which makes Rincewind unique. Although Rincewind does not really change throughout the story, he introduces the reader to other interesting characters. One such character is Cohen the Barbarian. Cohen is a very old man that wants to conquer the Agatean Empire, a humorous parody of Imperial China. At the start of the novel, Cohen was a classical hero, always fighting monsters and having adventures. By the end of the book (spoilers), Cohen wishes to peacefully live the rest of his life in luxury as the emperor of the Agatean Empire. Another great character was Ronald Saveloy, a geography teacher turned barbarian. Throughout the novel he tries to civilize the Silver Horde by teaching them about society. Ronald later (spoilers) accepts his barbarian side when he fights in a berserker like rage during the final battle of the book.t Some other highlights of Interesting Times are the author's writing style and plot. Terry Pratchett uses humor and wit to make this novel a more enjoyable read. He also uses intriguing diction to describe many details in the book. One such example is the description of Ronald Saveloy, who is also called 'Teach'. "Teach turned out to be a tall, stick-like man with an amiably absent-minded expression and a fringe of white hair so that, when viewed from above, he would appear to be a daisy. . .His chainmail shirt had a breast pocket with three different coloured pens in a leather pocket protector" (71). Interesting Times also had a great plot filled with many twists and turns. The novel had a lot of unexpected outcomes, such as how (spoilers) Lord Hong meets his untimely demise, Rincewind raises up the actual Red Army, and the rebels intimidate its enemies by spreading rumours of angry ghosts.t In conclusion, I found Interesting Times to be a very fun and enjoyable read. It had great characters, a comical writing style, and an amusing plot. I rate the novel 4/5 stars. Although Interesting Times my favourite book in the Discworld series, I highly recommend it.
—Lance O.
SUMMARY: "May you live in interesting times" is the worst thing one can wish on a citizen of Discworld -- especially on the distinctly unmagical sorcerer Rincewind, who has had far too much perilous excitement in his life. But when a request for a "Great Wizzard" arrives in Ankh-Morpork via carrier albatross from the faraway Counterweight Continent, it's he who's sent as emissary. Chaos threatens to follow the impending demise of the Agatean Empire's current ruler. And, for some incomprehensible reason, someone believes Rincewind will have a mythic role in the war and wholesale bloodletting that will surely ensue. (Carnage is pretty much a given, since Cohen the Barbarian and his extremely elderly Silver Horde are busily formulating their own plan for looting, pillaging, and, er, looking wistfully at girls.) However, Rincewind firmly believes there are too many heroes already in the world, yet only one Rincewind. And he owes it to the world to keep that one alive for as long as possible.
—Duncan Mandel
I love all the Terry Pratchett I've read so far, so I really wanted this to be better than it was. I've heard that the Rincewind books are the weakest of the Discworld novels, and the first few pages were certainly an oddly paced morass of characters coming towards a cohesive plot, but my real problem with the book was the way it excused casual racism, especially in Cohen the Barbarian (who was a pretty awesome character otherwise.) Contrary to Pratchett's assertion, charisma is no excuse for bigotry. I was particularly annoyed by the reasoning, at one point, of how one can't possibly be a racist when faced with death at the hands of an ethnic group. I want to give Pratchett the benefit of the doubt by thinking that that passage was meant to be satirical, but I'm usually pretty good at figuring out that sort of thing, and frankly did not find it amusing (I know, I know, the war cry of killjoys everywhere.)It's just... I've always found the word "idealistic" to be something of a pejorative, but even I was uncomfortable with the way the revolutionaries were portrayed as either naive or proto-fascist. I thought the way Pratchett presented the interests of the literate in preserving the interests of the illiterate ham-handedly unfair, even if I agree with his underlying thesis of the good of education. And though I'm not an Asian of Far Eastern descent, I was also uncomfortable with the weirdly racist undertones to certain observations in the text. Tbh, I might not even have been bothered by said undertones if the overt mentions of racism hadn't been so oddly defensive. I'm not the kind of person who thinks that a stereotype is automatically racist, but the inclusion of too many stereotypes would trend the reader towards that verdict.Otherwise, I enjoyed the humor and inventiveness characteristic of the Discworld series. I'm just glad this wasn't my introduction to it, though I do remember not being able to get past the first few pages of the first Rincewind book a long, long time ago (forced myself to read Burgess' A Clockwork Orange instead, which should give you an idea of comparative readability there.) Loved Teach, especially, and his bittersweet fate.
—Doreen
