Hardcover, 288 pages
Published Oct. 20, 1999 by Gollancz.
'This is a story about sex and drugs and Music With Rocks In. Well… …one out of three ain’t bad.' Being sixteen is always difficult, even more so when there’s a Death in the family. After all, it's hard to grow up normally when Grandfather rides a white horse and wields a scythe. Especially if he decides to take a well-earned moment to uncover the meaning of life and discover himself in the process, so that you have to take over the family business, and everyone mistakes you for the Tooth Fairy. And especially when you have to face the new and addictive music that has entered Discworld. It's lawless. It changes people. It's got a beat and you can dance to it.
It's called Music With Rocks In. And it won't fade away.
The book is about music. About its perception, nature and evolution. Death here is secondary.
Tremendous amount of wit and fun, but also absolutely twisting, emotional and powerful scene that loops back to the beginnings, showing that Pratchett was writing with his heads up, to quote Don Cherry.
I really like parts of this one, and really want to run away from others.
Strong, but not 5 stars. Susan is a fun addition to the Death line up, although I would have liked a more expanded Death role - the "Death goes on a vacation" plot still works, but works best when Death can shine (see Reaper Man). The music plot was a little too similar to Moving Pictures, which I thought was one of the weaker books so far.
Well I never rated Pratchett after reading the Last continent. While this one has it's foibles, the great characterisation and snappy writing kept me happy. I'll try some more.
