BOOitsnathalie reviewed Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (Discworld, #8)
Review of 'Guards! Guards!' on 'Storygraph'
2 stars
The more I think about this book the more frustrated I am. It's my first Terry Pratchett so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the blend of British "incompetent masses" humor with the oppressively cynical, Liberal politics was agonizing. The book's arc is about how the world is fucked but it's at least better than the alternative because the people in power are composed tyrants rather than openly killing people; learning that it's actually super fulfilling and good to be a cop if you take it seriously, giving up training dragons to be a proper aristocrat, etc.
Just aggressively bleak "return to normal" resolution that combined with the "people are naturally ignorant sheep who will adjust to anything people in power demand" feels super cynical about the possibility or need for political change. Everyone is the same selfish, ignorant drunk who immediately rationalize horrible actions when they realize it's …
Just aggressively bleak "return to normal" resolution that combined with the "people are naturally ignorant sheep who will adjust to anything people in power demand" feels super cynical about the possibility or need for political change. Everyone is the same selfish, ignorant drunk who immediately rationalize horrible actions when they realize it's in their financial favor. I get it's supposed to be a satire or whatever but it just feels unsophisticated and antisocial.
Probably not gonna read more Pratchett unless I get a compelling sell in the future. Can definitely see a through line from this to Wheaten to Marvel writing, which is unfortunate but I guess helpful for tracking this style of wink at the camera, a better world is not possible fantasy.
