Status
Available
Call number
Publication
London : Victor Gollancz, 1994.
Description
"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.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member keristars
Interesting Times introduces us to the Agatean Empire where both a revolutionary group and the guy in charge of the empire have made an effort to bring the great Wizzard there - the Reds because they hope he'll bring them to victory and overthrow the ruler, Lord Hong because he knows the Wizzard is
I enjoyed the first half to two-thirds of the book quite a bit - the Silver Horde (particularly Mr Saveloy, who is attempting to civilize them) and the adventures of the Luggage were my favorite parts (there weren't nearly enough scenes with the Luggage, however). I also especially enjoyed the opening scenes at Unseen University, when they receive the message from the Agatean Empire and the things they do in order to fulfill the request.
However, the last sixty or seventy pages simply didn't live up to the title. It is here that the war takes place and the Silver Horde attempts to take over the Forbidden City, but it couldn't keep my interest. I skimmed most of the pages, impatient for the resolution. Really, I would have been happy if most of the ending were summed up in a couple paragraphs, or even left off altogether.
Another thing about the book that I didn't care for is the subject of the humor. There are actually a lot of targets, but a big one is East Asian culture - mostly Chinese, but some Japanese thrown in. I felt pretty uncomfortable with many of the jokes, because it reminded me very strongly of the depictions of Asian people/culture from the first part of the 20th century. Most of those depictions were rooted in racism and a belief that Asian people/cultures were less human or less civilized than Western people/cultures, and Pratchett doesn't seem to hold that view or promote it, but I nonetheless found that Interesting Times mimicked it too well, and was almost indistinguishable. On the other hand, the characters in the book are in no way presented as less than human - the Agatean characters receive the same treatment as all the others in Discworld, who are all pretty equally ripe for jokes of one kind of another. The Agatean characters provide opportunities for humor because they're characters, not because they're Agatean. I suppose the same could be said about the Agatean culture jokes, that the same thing happens with Ankh-Morpork or Lancre or Music or Opera or whatever theme a particular Discworld book has, but as I said, the similarity with the completely earnest racist crap from the early 20th century makes it difficult for me to feel comfortable with it.
All that said, Interesting Times was at least entertaining (until the last part) and I did enjoy it more than several other Discworld books. But it's not one I'll read again, I don't think.
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incompetent and can't possibly perform the feats of magic that the revolutionaries believe him to be capable of. Meanwhile, Cohen the Barbarian is making his own plans with the Silver Horde to conquer the Agatean Empire, and Rincewind is very unhappy about the fact that the wizards Unseen University have transported him away from his very boring, very predictable, very safe deserted isle (which contained only himself and the Luggage) in response to the request they have received.I enjoyed the first half to two-thirds of the book quite a bit - the Silver Horde (particularly Mr Saveloy, who is attempting to civilize them) and the adventures of the Luggage were my favorite parts (there weren't nearly enough scenes with the Luggage, however). I also especially enjoyed the opening scenes at Unseen University, when they receive the message from the Agatean Empire and the things they do in order to fulfill the request.
However, the last sixty or seventy pages simply didn't live up to the title. It is here that the war takes place and the Silver Horde attempts to take over the Forbidden City, but it couldn't keep my interest. I skimmed most of the pages, impatient for the resolution. Really, I would have been happy if most of the ending were summed up in a couple paragraphs, or even left off altogether.
Another thing about the book that I didn't care for is the subject of the humor. There are actually a lot of targets, but a big one is East Asian culture - mostly Chinese, but some Japanese thrown in. I felt pretty uncomfortable with many of the jokes, because it reminded me very strongly of the depictions of Asian people/culture from the first part of the 20th century. Most of those depictions were rooted in racism and a belief that Asian people/cultures were less human or less civilized than Western people/cultures, and Pratchett doesn't seem to hold that view or promote it, but I nonetheless found that Interesting Times mimicked it too well, and was almost indistinguishable. On the other hand, the characters in the book are in no way presented as less than human - the Agatean characters receive the same treatment as all the others in Discworld, who are all pretty equally ripe for jokes of one kind of another. The Agatean characters provide opportunities for humor because they're characters, not because they're Agatean. I suppose the same could be said about the Agatean culture jokes, that the same thing happens with Ankh-Morpork or Lancre or Music or Opera or whatever theme a particular Discworld book has, but as I said, the similarity with the completely earnest racist crap from the early 20th century makes it difficult for me to feel comfortable with it.
All that said, Interesting Times was at least entertaining (until the last part) and I did enjoy it more than several other Discworld books. But it's not one I'll read again, I don't think.
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LibraryThing member pwaites
Interesting Times is the seventeenth Discworld novel and the one I was most dreading rereading. I hadn’t picked it up since middle school, but what I remembered suggested that it could be… problematic.
If you’re going to read Discworld, go read Small Gods, Guards! Guards!, The Wee Free Men,
Interesting Times starts off with Ankh-Morpork receiving a message from from the Agatean Empire demanding that the “Great Wizzard” be sent to them. The Unseen University faculty rustle up Rincewind and teleport him over to the Agatean Empire, where he finds that Twoflower’s essay “What I Did On My Holidays” has started a revolution. The revolutionaries believe that Rincewind is a great wizard who will use his powers to help them overthrow the empire.
There’s just all sorts of problems here. The Agatean Empire is a mash up of a bunch of different East Asian cultures and stereotypes, mainly China and Japan – terracotta warriors and sumo wrestlers for instance. But what’s really cringe worthy and makes this book so unconformable to read is the characterization (or lack of it) of the Agatean characters. It plays heavily into the subservient stereotypes. Then there’s the villain, Lord Hong, who’s obsessed with Ankh-Morepork and trying to imitate it. Honestly, this book just reads as racist.
Oh, it’s worth remembering here that Rincewind and Cohen and his hoard (they show up shortly in) are the major POV characters. And that they’re all white.
I don’t think that was Pratchett’s intention – he was likely attempting to use stereotypes for parody purposes. But really, he just shouldn’t have been writing this sort of thing about another culture. If you take the favorable view and say that Pratchett was trying to satirize the West’s view of Asia… that’s still something better done by an Asian. This just came off really badly.
In terms of actual construction, Interesting Times was probably better crafted than Color of Magic or The Light Fantastic. But it was a hell of a lot more uncomfortable to read. Don’t pick this up unless you’re a completionist or really love Rincewind.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
If you’re going to read Discworld, go read Small Gods, Guards! Guards!, The Wee Free Men,
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Monstrous Regiment, or Going Postal a try. Interesting Times is the book which gives Eric and The Color of Magic a run for the title of “Worst Discworld Novel.”Interesting Times starts off with Ankh-Morpork receiving a message from from the Agatean Empire demanding that the “Great Wizzard” be sent to them. The Unseen University faculty rustle up Rincewind and teleport him over to the Agatean Empire, where he finds that Twoflower’s essay “What I Did On My Holidays” has started a revolution. The revolutionaries believe that Rincewind is a great wizard who will use his powers to help them overthrow the empire.
There’s just all sorts of problems here. The Agatean Empire is a mash up of a bunch of different East Asian cultures and stereotypes, mainly China and Japan – terracotta warriors and sumo wrestlers for instance. But what’s really cringe worthy and makes this book so unconformable to read is the characterization (or lack of it) of the Agatean characters. It plays heavily into the subservient stereotypes. Then there’s the villain, Lord Hong, who’s obsessed with Ankh-Morepork and trying to imitate it. Honestly, this book just reads as racist.
Oh, it’s worth remembering here that Rincewind and Cohen and his hoard (they show up shortly in) are the major POV characters. And that they’re all white.
I don’t think that was Pratchett’s intention – he was likely attempting to use stereotypes for parody purposes. But really, he just shouldn’t have been writing this sort of thing about another culture. If you take the favorable view and say that Pratchett was trying to satirize the West’s view of Asia… that’s still something better done by an Asian. This just came off really badly.
In terms of actual construction, Interesting Times was probably better crafted than Color of Magic or The Light Fantastic. But it was a hell of a lot more uncomfortable to read. Don’t pick this up unless you’re a completionist or really love Rincewind.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member Narilka
There is a curse.
They say:
May you live in interesting times.
The Agatean empire is sliding into chaos. The old Emperor is dying. Five noble families, the Hongs, the Sungs, the Tangs, the McSweeneys (very old established family) and the Fangs, gather their armies around the capital city of Hunghung
Interesting Times is the 17th Discworld novel and the 5th in the Rincewind sub-series. It is a direct sequel to the first two Discworld novels and, while it can be read out of order, I recommend having read those two first in order to have a good background on the major characters. I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than I expected. While there are no truly bad Discworld books, the Rincewind sub-series have been hit or miss for me. This one was a hit.
Many familiar faces make appearances. Rincewind is his cowardly self, trying to run away from pretty much everything. Cohen the Barbarian has renamed himself Ghengis Cohen. He and his Silver Horde are all set to pillage and plunder while Mr. Saveloy tries to show them a more civilized way of conquering. The Luggage is still there, though to a lesser extent. Twoflowers is back and he has daughters! Even Dibbler has his own Agatean counterpart, Disembowl-Myself-Honorably Dibblah.
The Counterweight Continent is the Discworld mashup of ancient China and Japan. Pratchett has fun playing with a lot of stereotypes, such as all Asians know martial arts, the great wall keeping everyone in, ninja and samurai, ancestral ghosts, sumo wrestlers, the caste society. This is also its downside as it makes the Agatean characters feel very one dimensional.
While it lacks the introspective depth of other Discworld novels, this installment is down right funny. It's culturally insensitive, idiotic, full of puns and there are parts that shouldn't be funny at all and yet they are. I would find myself chuckling out loud and just have to read off a line or two to my husband.
They say:
May you live in interesting times.
The Agatean empire is sliding into chaos. The old Emperor is dying. Five noble families, the Hongs, the Sungs, the Tangs, the McSweeneys (very old established family) and the Fangs, gather their armies around the capital city of Hunghung
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in preparation for a war of succession. A revolutionary movement has begun by the peasants based on the mysterios text What I Did On My Holidays written about a place called Ank-More-Pork. There is also a barbarian invasion by the Silver Horde on it's way. A message has arrived at Unseen University requesting the "Great Wizzard" be sent to the Counterweight Continent immediately. In the interests of international relations the UU senior staff elect to send Rincewind to sort it all out since he has quite a knack for surviving adventures.Interesting Times is the 17th Discworld novel and the 5th in the Rincewind sub-series. It is a direct sequel to the first two Discworld novels and, while it can be read out of order, I recommend having read those two first in order to have a good background on the major characters. I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than I expected. While there are no truly bad Discworld books, the Rincewind sub-series have been hit or miss for me. This one was a hit.
Many familiar faces make appearances. Rincewind is his cowardly self, trying to run away from pretty much everything. Cohen the Barbarian has renamed himself Ghengis Cohen. He and his Silver Horde are all set to pillage and plunder while Mr. Saveloy tries to show them a more civilized way of conquering. The Luggage is still there, though to a lesser extent. Twoflowers is back and he has daughters! Even Dibbler has his own Agatean counterpart, Disembowl-Myself-Honorably Dibblah.
The Counterweight Continent is the Discworld mashup of ancient China and Japan. Pratchett has fun playing with a lot of stereotypes, such as all Asians know martial arts, the great wall keeping everyone in, ninja and samurai, ancestral ghosts, sumo wrestlers, the caste society. This is also its downside as it makes the Agatean characters feel very one dimensional.
While it lacks the introspective depth of other Discworld novels, this installment is down right funny. It's culturally insensitive, idiotic, full of puns and there are parts that shouldn't be funny at all and yet they are. I would find myself chuckling out loud and just have to read off a line or two to my husband.
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LibraryThing member Greatrakes
This is a Discworld book featuring Rincewind the 'Wizzard' who finds himself rescued from a desert island and instantly dispatched to the Agatean Empire at the behest of a scheming Grand Vizier. The Agatean empire is a mixture of feudal Japan and Imperial China with a bit of the Arabian Nights
All good fun - plenty of historical cliches to parody mixed in with a spot of chaos theory and a stab at linguistics - he gives the Agateans a tonal language in which many phrases, meaning very different things, are identical and must be understood by the tone in which they are spoken - this gives him a number of running jokes for example the same words, with differing intonation, mean :'Arrrgh!..... 'Highly enjoyable'.... or 'Your wife is a big hippo'
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thrown in. Twoflower, from the very first book, is leading a very polite revolution, (the manifesto of the revolution is his book What I did on My Holidays) his hapless followers spend most of their time pasting up formal and neat revolutionary posters "Extended Duration And Happiness To The Endeavor" and "Advance Judiciously". Cohen the Barbarian is leading a bunch of ancient and decrepit heroes, the 'Silver Horde', who try to take over the empire just by turning up and sitting on the throne.All good fun - plenty of historical cliches to parody mixed in with a spot of chaos theory and a stab at linguistics - he gives the Agateans a tonal language in which many phrases, meaning very different things, are identical and must be understood by the tone in which they are spoken - this gives him a number of running jokes for example the same words, with differing intonation, mean :'Arrrgh!..... 'Highly enjoyable'.... or 'Your wife is a big hippo'
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LibraryThing member ironicqueery
Enjoyable book in the Discworld series that follows another adventure of Rincewind, the Wizzard. Cohen and the Barbarians are also major characters in this book. Both combine for an interesting story set in Discworld's equivalent of our China. Pratchett comments, in his usual satiric/parody style,
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on war, legends, and the butterfly effect. While all Pratchett books are great, this ranks in the top 25 percentile. Show Less
LibraryThing member gercmbyrne
Terry Pratchett is a god who walks among men. The entire Discworld series is a joy and only a strange mad creature cursed by gods and man would refuse to read and love these books!
Rincewind is barely surprised to learn that his old pal Twoflower has inadvertently managed to cause a revolution at
Rincewind is barely surprised to learn that his old pal Twoflower has inadvertently managed to cause a revolution at
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home... Show Less
LibraryThing member Lukerik
After the horrors of Lords and Ladies and Soul Music, this is something of a return to form for Pratchett. It's essentially a satire on the Chinese political system, and by extension all failed regimes. He attitude towards the great repressed is humane and one of sadness. Also on display is the
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cleverness missing from some of his other work of this period. Show Less
LibraryThing member isabelx
Necessarily Extended Duration To The Red Army! Regrettable Decease Without Undue Suffering To The Forces of Oppression!
This book starts with Lord Vetinari not receiving a message, not carried by Albatross, definitely not from the Counterweight Continent, and certainly not asking him to send the
Tyranny, stagnation, revolution, rumour and barbarian heroes make for a very good read indeed.
This book starts with Lord Vetinari not receiving a message, not carried by Albatross, definitely not from the Counterweight Continent, and certainly not asking him to send the
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"Great Wizzard" there immediately. The faculty of the Unseen University decide that Rincewind is the man for the job, since he is the only one to spell wizard with two Zs, and magically transport him to the heart of the Agatean Empire, where he arrives to find himself in the midst of a crisis. Five noble families and their armies are gathered outside the capital city awaiting the death of the Emperor, while a strangely polite revolution is slowly gathering force, fuelled by Twoflower's descriptions of life in Ankh-Morpork in his booklet entitled "What I Did On My Holidays".Tyranny, stagnation, revolution, rumour and barbarian heroes make for a very good read indeed.
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LibraryThing member TheCrow2
Rincewind's travel to the Counterweight continent. The fall of a great empire and blood and chaos and the clash of cultures and Cohen the Barbarian. And Twoflower.... What else do you need?
LibraryThing member spaciemonkie
This is my favorite book. I've read it more than once.
LibraryThing member Aldrea_Alien
Heh. Good to see things come full circle for Twoflower after the events of The Colour of Magic. This time, we’re transported to the Agatean Empire, otherwise known as the Counterweight Continent, where revolution is afoot. Kinda. Sorta. A little bit. If it’s not too much trouble.
This get
There’s one among their group who’s trying to civilise them for their current task, which makes for some downright hilarious scenes. All of the scenes in fact. Even the more serious ones weren’t all that serious. Being set in their ways doesn’t even explain it. Though fixation comes to mind.
And there’s Rincewind. Poor, poor Rincewind. A natural coward who’s luckier than most and often forced into situations that risk his head. Even fleeing, he’s entertaining. Far better than he was in Colour of Magic or Sourcerer and a little reminiscent of him in Eric.
This get
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muddled as Cohen and his Silver Horde are added to the fray. There’s just something about a ninety-year-old barbarian that is rather amusing. Maybe it’s because they’re still being barbarians even now. Or perhaps they remind me of my grandfather a little too much, especially with his views and the way he was right about people and events.There’s one among their group who’s trying to civilise them for their current task, which makes for some downright hilarious scenes. All of the scenes in fact. Even the more serious ones weren’t all that serious. Being set in their ways doesn’t even explain it. Though fixation comes to mind.
And there’s Rincewind. Poor, poor Rincewind. A natural coward who’s luckier than most and often forced into situations that risk his head. Even fleeing, he’s entertaining. Far better than he was in Colour of Magic or Sourcerer and a little reminiscent of him in Eric.
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LibraryThing member polarbear123
RIncewind is a great character and clearly inspires Pratchett with some of his superior stories. There are some great little observations here about class and especially the role of the ruling class, but it is always done with a light touch that will have you chuckling away. In fact you are never
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far from an exciting moment or a laugh in this book. Hope there is more of Rincewind to come! Show Less
LibraryThing member love2laf
Cute little discworld book, with plenty of satire, and the return of Rincewind. It's perfect for a light summer read, and staying amused.
LibraryThing member jayne_charles
I lost the plot of this one somewhat. The early stages were good - particularly the way in which Rincewind is whisked back to the University - top class! Once the storyline hits the Discworld equivalent of the Far East, however, it all gets a bit too complicated for me! Liked the Eastern take on
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C.M.O.T. Dibbler, though. Show Less
LibraryThing member 391
Poor Rincewind - he just can't catch a break. In Interesting Times, he's flung across the world to help fulfill an ancient prophecy. And there really couldn't be a worse man for the job.
LibraryThing member Helenliz
This one reunites Rincewind and Twoflower.
After Twoflower (the disc's first tourist) returned home, he wrote a small tract (which sounds remarkably like the first day back at school) entitled "What I did on my holidays". As usual where he's concerned it has taken a life of its own and a strange
Rincewind gets mixed up in this when the revolutionaries (with some prompting from the un named source) request that Ankh Morpork send the Great Wizzard by tea time.
A strange concatenation of circumstances mean that the earth rises up and he does, indeed, save the day... again!
After Twoflower (the disc's first tourist) returned home, he wrote a small tract (which sounds remarkably like the first day back at school) entitled "What I did on my holidays". As usual where he's concerned it has taken a life of its own and a strange
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set of consequences results in a mild mannered revolution being set in motion. However, there's an emperor (who's about to die) and Grand Vizier (never trust a grand vizier) in the offing, along with a most unusual horde of barbarians. But who stands to gain from the revolution and who is the shadowy figure in the background? Rincewind gets mixed up in this when the revolutionaries (with some prompting from the un named source) request that Ankh Morpork send the Great Wizzard by tea time.
A strange concatenation of circumstances mean that the earth rises up and he does, indeed, save the day... again!
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LibraryThing member verenka
I'm not such a big fan of the Rincewind novels, so this one took me longer than usual and the frequent "Whut?" started to go on my nerves. It was a funny distraction on the subway though.
LibraryThing member cmbohn
The Unseen University needs to send a wizard - make that 'wizzard' - to the Counterweight Continent. But they need someone expendable. That someone, of course, is Rincewind. Using Hex, a complicated new machine that seems to think on its own, they first summon Rincewind from his peaceful island
Rincewind, as anyone could have predicted, gets into trouble almost immediately. It seems the Counterweight Continent is in the middle of a Somewhat Aggressive Movement Slightly Against the Government. Or more plainly, a revolution. But one with lots of ideals and very little practical experience. All Rincewind has had experience in is in avoiding trouble - and he can tell this movement is heading for A LOT of trouble.
And then there's the Silver Horde, Cohen the Barbarian's elderly group with their own ideas about storming the palace. They have a new member, Teach, who's trying to teach them to be civilized. It's not easy.
I really, really enjoyed this one. Don't read it first - you need to read at least Eric first, but really reading - or even watching - The Colour of Magic is very helpful. Twoflower the tourist is back, and so is the Luggage. DEATH naturally has a part, since this IS a war we're talking about.
I loved Rincewind's efforts at helping the Horde win the war. His campaign to convince everyone that there is certainly NOT a host of 2,300,009 ghosts waiting to devour anyone who gets in their way is absolutely brilliant. And we get to meet the long lost cousin of Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler too. Exactly the antidote I needed to all the serious stuff I've been reading lately. 5 stars
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hideout and then blast him into the unknown.Rincewind, as anyone could have predicted, gets into trouble almost immediately. It seems the Counterweight Continent is in the middle of a Somewhat Aggressive Movement Slightly Against the Government. Or more plainly, a revolution. But one with lots of ideals and very little practical experience. All Rincewind has had experience in is in avoiding trouble - and he can tell this movement is heading for A LOT of trouble.
And then there's the Silver Horde, Cohen the Barbarian's elderly group with their own ideas about storming the palace. They have a new member, Teach, who's trying to teach them to be civilized. It's not easy.
I really, really enjoyed this one. Don't read it first - you need to read at least Eric first, but really reading - or even watching - The Colour of Magic is very helpful. Twoflower the tourist is back, and so is the Luggage. DEATH naturally has a part, since this IS a war we're talking about.
I loved Rincewind's efforts at helping the Horde win the war. His campaign to convince everyone that there is certainly NOT a host of 2,300,009 ghosts waiting to devour anyone who gets in their way is absolutely brilliant. And we get to meet the long lost cousin of Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler too. Exactly the antidote I needed to all the serious stuff I've been reading lately. 5 stars
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LibraryThing member jnicholson
We discover what happened to the tourist Rincewind showed around most of the Disc, what Cohen the Barbarian has been up to lately, and what life is like in the counterweight continent. Fans of Rincewind will be pleased to see him return, and fans of the tourist will be interested to meet his family.
LibraryThing member norabelle414
The 17th book in the Discworld series (I am reading them sequentially) and the 5th book starring everyone's favorite inept "Wizzard", Rincewind. It's at this point, I think, that Rincewind is really starting to endear himself to me. He can always be counted on to get himself into the weirdest
This is usual Pratchett humorous fare. Solidly entertaining and funny, but not his best.
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pickles, and somehow get out alive. In this episode, Lord Vetinari of Ankh-Morpork receives a mysterious message from the city of Hunghung in the far-off Counterweight Continent, requesting that he send a great wizard to their aid. Rincewind draws the short straw, of course, and winds up in Hunghung with a certain centenarian barbarian and his Silver Horde. They discover that a secret revolution is underway, spurred by the distribution of a banned essay entitled "What I Did on my Summer Vacation", which is eerily familiar to Rincewind . . . . and then Pratchett proceeds to make fun of ancient China.This is usual Pratchett humorous fare. Solidly entertaining and funny, but not his best.
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LibraryThing member MiaCulpa
The Disc World takes on the inscrutable east (mainly China) as Rincewind the Wizard is sent to the Counterweight Continent to save the situation. Two Flower, Cohen the Barbarian, Disembowel-Myself-Honorably Dibblah and the Luggage make an appearance as Pratchett makes many an awful pun.
"Interesting Times" isn't the best Disc World book but it's by no means the worst either.
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"Interesting Times" isn't the best Disc World book but it's by no means the worst either.
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LibraryThing member scottcholstad
I finished this Discworld novel so many weeks ago that I can't remember if I was going to give it four stars or five! I think five, so that's what I'll do. I also can't remember enough to give it a decent review, and for that, I truly apologize. I've read too many books in between.
This book is
Interesting Times is an interesting book and Pratchett does a nice job of taking non-pc, yet playful, jabs at other cultures, while still taking a few at his own. I don't know if this is the last Rincewind book I'll read -- I suspect it is -- but the character couldn't have gone out on a higher note. Certainly recommended.
This book is
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another in the Rincewind the Wizzard series, and it's really very good. In it, he's chosen to go to the Agatean Empire on the mysterious Counterweight Continent -- a place that appears to be like ancient China, with a little Japanese thrown in for good measure. The emperor is dying and various factions are vying to take over upon his death. However, there's an ancient legend that at just such a time in centuries past, a great wizard rose up with his Red Army and won the war, enabling the "right" emperor to live on. Rincewind is supposed to be that wizard, reincarnated. Of course they don't know he's inept. But he's got his magical Luggage with him. And he runs into Twoflower again! Not only that, but he runs into Cohen the Barbarian, who with several other ancient barbarian heroes, have decided to ruthlessly take over the Agatean Empire and rule it themselves. It's seven and against an army of 700,000. They like their odds. The rebels Rincewind encounters are exceedingly polite. Their slogans are hilarious. And of course, as you knew would have to happen, Rincewind saves the day. I won't tell you how, though. You have to read it to find that out.Interesting Times is an interesting book and Pratchett does a nice job of taking non-pc, yet playful, jabs at other cultures, while still taking a few at his own. I don't know if this is the last Rincewind book I'll read -- I suspect it is -- but the character couldn't have gone out on a higher note. Certainly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Hobbitlass
I'm a Discworld fan, but Rincewind is my least favourite character. He's just annoying really.
LibraryThing member fiverivers
Rincewind returns in this instalment of Pratchett's Discworld, as do a cast of other heroic(?) characters. Good fun. Well written. No surprises, but giggles sprinkled liberally.
LibraryThing member elahrairah
Interesting Times is a perfectly pleasant read, containing all the usual Pratchett tropes. It is not, however, peak Pratchett, in which we learn something profound or useful through his work. Despite this we get a handful of good laughs, some great lines, a truly magnificent set-piece battle which
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sees seven very old men taking on an entire army, and more puns that you can shake a wizard's staff at. Not one of my favourites but by no means bad. Show Less
Awards
Prix Imaginales (2002)
Language
Original publication date
1994-11
Physical description
283 p.; 23.7 cm
ISBN
9780575058002
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