Unseen Academicals
Patrician Quote:
The Patrician took a sip of his beer. "I have told this to few people, gentlemen, and I suspect I never will again, but one day when I was a young boy on holiday in Uberwald I was walking along the bank of a stream when I saw a mother otter with her cubs. A very endearing sight, I'm sure you will agree, and even as I watched, the mother otter dived into the water and came up with a plump salmon, which she subdued and dragged onto a half-submerged log. As she ate it, while of course it was still alive, the body split and I remember to this day the sweet pinkness of its roes as they spilled out, much to the delight of the baby otters who scrambled over themselves to feed on the delicacy.
One of Nature's wonders, gentlemen: mother and children dining upon mother and children. And that's when I first learned about evil. It is built into the very nature of the universe. Every world spins in pain. If there is any kind of supreme being, I told myself, it is up to all of us to become his moral superior."
The two wizards exchanged a glance. Vetinari was staring into the depths of his beer mug and they were glad they did not know what he saw in there.
Review:
Ponder Stibbons discovers that one of Unseen University's largest bequests is dependant on the school sponsoring a foot-the-ball team. A game the Patrician disapproves of, since its played in alleys to great bloodshed. So a revamping of the rules is in order. Also, a young ditsy university cook becomes the Disc's first fashion model, and then there's Mister Nutt.
Only partly about football (soccer/rugby)but mostly about PTerry's favorite theme. Men, and monsters. And how you can't tell which is which. And how you can choose which one you are.
Mightlily Oats is mentioned in passing, apparently still spreading good works with liberal use of Forgiveness throughtout Uberwald. (Forgiveness being the name he gave the doubleheaded axe he took with him after fighting the vampires in Carpe Jugulum.)
Also Lady Margolotta, the vampiress Vetinari plays chess with, raised Nutt. (an Orc who thinks he's just a Goblin.) and she comes down to Ankh Morpork for the game.
I think it has Pterry's first gay character? Pepe, a human fashion designer who became an honorary dwarf.
And my favorite character, Glenda, the Cook in the University night-kitchen. Good at pies. I was waiting for a mention that she's one of those witches who doesn't know she is. (looks after her ditsy friend Juliet, takes an elderly neighbor her meals, is the general 'go to woman' for her street.) The Disc wouldn't turn without plain-faced, strong, determined women doing the job put in front of them.
A good read.
Apparently the next book will be another Tiffany Aching/Witches of Lancre book, I Shall Wear Midnight. And then a third Moist Von Lipwig con artist, Raising Taxes, and Scouting For Trolls. If he continues to hold out against the early onset alzheimers long enough to write them all.
The Patrician took a sip of his beer. "I have told this to few people, gentlemen, and I suspect I never will again, but one day when I was a young boy on holiday in Uberwald I was walking along the bank of a stream when I saw a mother otter with her cubs. A very endearing sight, I'm sure you will agree, and even as I watched, the mother otter dived into the water and came up with a plump salmon, which she subdued and dragged onto a half-submerged log. As she ate it, while of course it was still alive, the body split and I remember to this day the sweet pinkness of its roes as they spilled out, much to the delight of the baby otters who scrambled over themselves to feed on the delicacy.
One of Nature's wonders, gentlemen: mother and children dining upon mother and children. And that's when I first learned about evil. It is built into the very nature of the universe. Every world spins in pain. If there is any kind of supreme being, I told myself, it is up to all of us to become his moral superior."
The two wizards exchanged a glance. Vetinari was staring into the depths of his beer mug and they were glad they did not know what he saw in there.
Review:
Ponder Stibbons discovers that one of Unseen University's largest bequests is dependant on the school sponsoring a foot-the-ball team. A game the Patrician disapproves of, since its played in alleys to great bloodshed. So a revamping of the rules is in order. Also, a young ditsy university cook becomes the Disc's first fashion model, and then there's Mister Nutt.
Only partly about football (soccer/rugby)but mostly about PTerry's favorite theme. Men, and monsters. And how you can't tell which is which. And how you can choose which one you are.
Mightlily Oats is mentioned in passing, apparently still spreading good works with liberal use of Forgiveness throughtout Uberwald. (Forgiveness being the name he gave the doubleheaded axe he took with him after fighting the vampires in Carpe Jugulum.)
Also Lady Margolotta, the vampiress Vetinari plays chess with, raised Nutt. (an Orc who thinks he's just a Goblin.) and she comes down to Ankh Morpork for the game.
I think it has Pterry's first gay character? Pepe, a human fashion designer who became an honorary dwarf.
And my favorite character, Glenda, the Cook in the University night-kitchen. Good at pies. I was waiting for a mention that she's one of those witches who doesn't know she is. (looks after her ditsy friend Juliet, takes an elderly neighbor her meals, is the general 'go to woman' for her street.) The Disc wouldn't turn without plain-faced, strong, determined women doing the job put in front of them.
A good read.
Apparently the next book will be another Tiffany Aching/Witches of Lancre book, I Shall Wear Midnight. And then a third Moist Von Lipwig con artist, Raising Taxes, and Scouting For Trolls. If he continues to hold out against the early onset alzheimers long enough to write them all.