Raising Steam (Discworld) [Kindle Edition] Author: Terry Pratchett | Language: English | ISBN:
B00FIN0TGY | Format: PDF, EPUB
Download Epub Raising Steam
Direct download links available Download Epub Raising Steam for everyone book mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link The new Discworld novel, the 40th in the series, sees the Disc's first train come steaming into town.
Change is afoot in Ankh-Morpork. Discworld's first steam engine has arrived, and once again Moist von Lipwig finds himself with a new and challenging job. Direct download links available for Download Epub Raising Steam
- File Size: 3026 KB
- Print Length: 381 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0857522272
- Publisher: Doubleday (March 18, 2014)
- Sold by: Random House LLC
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00FIN0TGY
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray:
- Lending: Not Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #408 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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in Books > Literature & Fiction > British > Humor & Satire - #10
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- #1
in Books > Literature & Fiction > British > Humor & Satire - #10
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Epic - #11
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Humor & Satire > General Humor
As any new Terry Pratchett book, Raising Steam was one of my most anticipated books of 2013. And indeed the book started well, reminiscent of his previous book, The Truth, where a new technology is discovered in Ankh Morporck. We are introduced to the principal characters, old and new, and the stage is set for a rollicking ride through Discworld.
Sadly though the ride was monotonous and dull as a, wait for it, railway journey through a kilometer long tunnel. Halfway through the book, I was beset with the fear that the momentum of the story would lead it nowhere in particular. Because I felt that the book reads more as a diary of accomplishments of the expansion of the Railway rather than a novel. Towards the end, my fears were, sadly, founded. it must be said, though that there are certain high points, and the tongue in cheek humour does indeed shine through in many instances.
The biggest problem I see is that there is no clear established antagonist in this book, which are a hallmark of Mr. Pratchett's books. For example, Mr de Worde in the Truth, Reacher Gilt in Going Postal, and Cosmo Lavish from Making Money etc. Also Vetinari's scenes in any Prachett book are a delight to read, full of subtlety and guile. But in Raising Steam he comes off as a total tyrant (and jackass). His dialogue so completely lacks the hallmarks of his character throughout the Discworld series that it makes me wonder if Cosmo Lavish did indeed replace him in Making Money.
I am aware that producing novels of Mr. Prachett's quality is exceedingly difficult and an admirable one at that. His books have brought hours of entertainment and joy to me, which is why I can't help but feel a tad disappointed in Raising Steam.
Trying to write this review was difficult as it took a while to figure out how to best approach the criticism. It's well-established that Pratchett is suffering from Alzheimer's and as a consequence the caliber of his writing has noticeably diminished. Raising Steam is no exception. It simply does not have the wit, charm or humor of Pratchett's earlier Discworld book (the last "real" Pratchett book was probably Unseen Academicals). Those who claim that Pratchett's back on form, well, go and reread Soul Music or Hogfather or The Truth. They're two different writers now.
But I can't really fault Pratchett for the decline in his writing standards due to his health, nor is it fair at all. In fact I'd even say that it's impressive he's still able to put out a fairly decent story. So I gave the book three stars.
But I will comment on the following:
Goblins: I am not a fan of the goblins. I found them annoying little characters who add little to the story other than their cumbersomely long names. When Pratchett introduced the other sapient creatures of the Discworld - dwarves, vampires, trolls and the living dead, he introduced them with all their cliches and stereotypes and thoroughly poked holes through all of them and still gave them their due flaws, which made these characters so real to the point that I almost expected to run into a dwarf or troll when I stepped outside after reading a Pratchett novel. But the goblins have been given a hands-off treatment in a fairly politically correct manner that makes it difficult to warm up to them. Compared to the trolls and dwarves of earlier books, the goblins remain limited two dimensional characters that add little to the story.
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