Terry Pratchett: Snuff (Spanish language, 2013, Plaza Janés)
397 pages
Spanish language
Published April 18, 2013 by Plaza Janés.
A body is found while Sam Vimes, Commander of the City Watch, and his family are on holiday in the country. Despite being out of his jurisdiction, Sam seeks to solve the mystery. The plot contains profanity, sexual references, and violence.
I love everything Terry Pratchett writes, but would not recommend this as his first book for new readers to start with. Still has elements of his trademark wit, with a strong moral message, but do draws a lot from knowledge of previous books, and story takes longer to really get going.
In a very different vein than the first Guards books, this is the evolution of Sam Vimes as man, father and husband. I recommend re-reading at least the coles notes version of THUD! first however.
As a note - this has a darker book in many ways than the previous ones. Not specifically in the overplot but just in some of the things which happen within.
(I finished this a while ago, then forgot to update the site.)
A deeper, more pensive Pratchett than I've become accustomed to. It's ... more grown up? The characters are more developed, the plot is denser and maybe the jokes are darker. Most of them. Heh, poo. Do we praise/blame the author's illness? No, we do fucking not.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Gasp out loud, laugh out loud, then think quietly and intensely before falling asleep at night.
Loved it! Vimes cracks me up. Can't go wrong with another Discworld novel centered around him :-)
Excellent book as always. Not my favorite Vimes novel of the series. More review to come.
Another book in the Vimes/City Watch line. Not the best of them, but still very enjoyable. Vimes is dragged forcibly on holiday to the Ramkins' country estate, where (needless to say) he uncovers underhanded doings, criminals, a murder, and the usual sort of Vimes entertainments to keep him busy and interested while on holiday. The book also introduces a new race, the goblins, as well as a couple new characters.
I certainly hope this isn't the last Pratchett book there will be, or the last Vimes book, but if it turns out to be so it's not a bad way to conclude the Vimes saga on an upbeat note.
“Well, dear, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a man with a lot of wood must be in need of a wife who can handle a great big-”
Oh yes Vimes and Lady Sybil are off for a holiday in the country and it's not voluntary on his part. Of course she own a great big house with all the staff and customs of the aristocracy. Vimes can think of nothing better than returning to the city and his job. But as luck would have it, he's soon being framed for a murder without a body and discovering more than he ever thought possible about goblins.
Like a few of Sir Terry's recent books, there are strong themes of equality and prejudice. Don't expect the Pride and Prejudice plot though but there are plenty of references for fans of Austen. The oppressed race in this case are the goblins …
“Well, dear, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a man with a lot of wood must be in need of a wife who can handle a great big-”
Oh yes Vimes and Lady Sybil are off for a holiday in the country and it's not voluntary on his part. Of course she own a great big house with all the staff and customs of the aristocracy. Vimes can think of nothing better than returning to the city and his job. But as luck would have it, he's soon being framed for a murder without a body and discovering more than he ever thought possible about goblins.
Like a few of Sir Terry's recent books, there are strong themes of equality and prejudice. Don't expect the Pride and Prejudice plot though but there are plenty of references for fans of Austen. The oppressed race in this case are the goblins but one of the wonderful things about the last few books as they really don't need to be set in a fantasy world at all. They are stories that don't rely on magic or mysticism to work and the goblins could be substituted for any persecuted group of people.
There were lots of laugh out loud lines and even a few awww moments. His wit and way of looking at the world is one of the best things about any Discworld book. I did feel the ending dragged a little and I don't think there were any surprises to be had.
Young Sam has graduated from Where's My Cow to The World of Poo and delights the reader with his obsession. I'd love to see The World of Poo released as its own book like they did with the picture book for Where's My Cow. I bet loads of us would buy it!
