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A review by dark_reader
Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett
5.0
Millenium hand and shrimp!
As I continue my publication-order Great Discworld Reread, this is the first book that I feel unequivocally deserves a five-star rating. I gave five stars to [b:The Colour of Magic|601238|The Colour of Magic (Discworld, #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1365691644l/601238._SY75_.jpg|194190] in honour of the full series and its place in my life; the book itself was not technically perfect. I agonized over my rating for two interim books: [b:Guards! Guards!|64216|Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1431127356l/64216._SY75_.jpg|1128601] and [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390899426l/34484._SY75_.jpg|1636629]; both are standouts, but both fizzled for me just a little towards the end. The climax of [b:Guards! Guards!|64216|Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1431127356l/64216._SY75_.jpg|1128601] lacked the punch I was looking for. [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390899426l/34484._SY75_.jpg|1636629]'s climax had that punch, but my commitment to the story didn't quite hold during the bits before and after.
Lords and Ladies, though, has it all. Characters, character arcs, plot progression (which is where these books often get choppy), promise and payoff, and above all: humour, are all top-notch and very nearly flawless. From my 30+ year memory of this series, this was not one of the books that I predicted would crop up as one of the greats. It is a pleasant surprise.
In an unusual move for this series, Pratchett prefaces this book with a brief summary of the past Witches books. Lords and Ladies begins immediately following [b:Witches Abroad|2442|Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches #3)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403326937l/2442._SY75_.jpg|929672] as the coven returns to their home kingdom of Lancre. Youngest witch Magrat is butting heads with eldest witch Granny Weatherwax, while unflappable Nanny Ogg maintains the balance. The story of Lancre's new fool-come-king Verence and his courtship with Magrat resumes after being left to lie since [b:Wyrd Sisters|34504|Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches #2)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1275974472l/34504._SY75_.jpg|1494222]. Guest stars consist of the dwarf Casanunda, the Disc's second greatest lover ("I try harder"), and a party from Unseen University including, of course, the Librarian ("Ook"). The addition of the wizards was surprisingly welcome; as the university faculty have stabilized and these characters develop, I appreciate them more and more.
Meek and mousy Magrat's arc is particularly superb. Shawn Ogg shines as Lancre Castle's jack-of-all-trades. The paragraph describing a painting of Lancre's historical warrior queen is especially epic. The integration of [b:A Midsummer's Night Dream|23299905|A Midsummer's Night Dream (Illustrated)|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1412294403l/23299905._SY75_.jpg|894834] into the plot was deftly done. The story covers a lot of territory without losing focus. It's all so good!
Can it be an entry point to reading Discworld books? Not so much, although it could be a decent sampler. I am a publication order purist regarding most book series, and for peak enjoyment one ought to read most of the preceding Discworld books, even if [b:Witches Abroad|2442|Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches #3)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403326937l/2442._SY75_.jpg|929672] was kind of lousy. Even reading only the witch sub-series will leave you in the dark about the characters from Unseen University, although they make a good independent showing of themselves in this book. Pratchett writes well enough that you will understand who and what the characters are in any iteration, but for maximum appreciation I advise growing with them over time.
Edition notes:
The Josh Kirby covers will always be the definitive Discworld cover art for me. This wrap-around dust jacket is a very different take:
As I continue my publication-order Great Discworld Reread, this is the first book that I feel unequivocally deserves a five-star rating. I gave five stars to [b:The Colour of Magic|601238|The Colour of Magic (Discworld, #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1365691644l/601238._SY75_.jpg|194190] in honour of the full series and its place in my life; the book itself was not technically perfect. I agonized over my rating for two interim books: [b:Guards! Guards!|64216|Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1431127356l/64216._SY75_.jpg|1128601] and [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390899426l/34484._SY75_.jpg|1636629]; both are standouts, but both fizzled for me just a little towards the end. The climax of [b:Guards! Guards!|64216|Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1431127356l/64216._SY75_.jpg|1128601] lacked the punch I was looking for. [b:Small Gods|34484|Small Gods (Discworld, #13)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390899426l/34484._SY75_.jpg|1636629]'s climax had that punch, but my commitment to the story didn't quite hold during the bits before and after.
Lords and Ladies, though, has it all. Characters, character arcs, plot progression (which is where these books often get choppy), promise and payoff, and above all: humour, are all top-notch and very nearly flawless. From my 30+ year memory of this series, this was not one of the books that I predicted would crop up as one of the greats. It is a pleasant surprise.
In an unusual move for this series, Pratchett prefaces this book with a brief summary of the past Witches books. Lords and Ladies begins immediately following [b:Witches Abroad|2442|Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches #3)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403326937l/2442._SY75_.jpg|929672] as the coven returns to their home kingdom of Lancre. Youngest witch Magrat is butting heads with eldest witch Granny Weatherwax, while unflappable Nanny Ogg maintains the balance. The story of Lancre's new fool-come-king Verence and his courtship with Magrat resumes after being left to lie since [b:Wyrd Sisters|34504|Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches #2)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1275974472l/34504._SY75_.jpg|1494222]. Guest stars consist of the dwarf Casanunda, the Disc's second greatest lover ("I try harder"), and a party from Unseen University including, of course, the Librarian ("Ook"). The addition of the wizards was surprisingly welcome; as the university faculty have stabilized and these characters develop, I appreciate them more and more.
Meek and mousy Magrat's arc is particularly superb. Shawn Ogg shines as Lancre Castle's jack-of-all-trades. The paragraph describing a painting of Lancre's historical warrior queen is especially epic. The integration of [b:A Midsummer's Night Dream|23299905|A Midsummer's Night Dream (Illustrated)|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1412294403l/23299905._SY75_.jpg|894834] into the plot was deftly done. The story covers a lot of territory without losing focus. It's all so good!
Can it be an entry point to reading Discworld books? Not so much, although it could be a decent sampler. I am a publication order purist regarding most book series, and for peak enjoyment one ought to read most of the preceding Discworld books, even if [b:Witches Abroad|2442|Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches #3)|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403326937l/2442._SY75_.jpg|929672] was kind of lousy. Even reading only the witch sub-series will leave you in the dark about the characters from Unseen University, although they make a good independent showing of themselves in this book. Pratchett writes well enough that you will understand who and what the characters are in any iteration, but for maximum appreciation I advise growing with them over time.
Edition notes:
The Josh Kirby covers will always be the definitive Discworld cover art for me. This wrap-around dust jacket is a very different take: