Monday, December 6, 2010

Terry Pratchett: Get Your Political Commentary Through Fantasy Novels.

I admit I love Terry Pratchett, despite/because of his ability to continue to write about criminals as real people doing goofy things.  His novels are like doughnuts, you enjoy them, think they are fluff, and yet find yourself craving more.  All of his heroes are flawed, his women strong, his criminals good hearted (or at least fair), and generally corruption is the norm.  You don't actually need to start anywhere with his novels, because each one is a variation on the others.  It's like reading a series of plays where the same characters show up in different roles.   Is Pratchett like Shakespeare?  Well, in the same way that the creator of Beavis and Butthead or any current sitcom is like Shakespeare, which is not at all.  But he is enjoyable, and that is rare enough.  He also occasionally makes you think about just how foolish our traditions (paper money, stamp collecting, football) can be. 

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