Maskerade

Rating:
Summary: Phantom(s) of the Opera - Discworld Style!
Review: Really 3.5 stars.

Reading this story, I had mixed reviews. Once again, I am not a fan of opera or show settings, and the Lancre books are not my favorite, so maybe that colored my review. I do like Nanny Ogg and Greebo and, of course, Granny Weatherwax, especially when they argue. It is also fun to see them plan together. Greebo got to play a human again - that was funny, especially when he had to run from a mob, and the people ended up beating themselves up.

Agnes Nitt wasn't bad in her multiple personality character. And "Enrico Basilica" was funny for a while with his "Pavarotti" imitation. But that was it - I really didn't care for anyone else, most were a bit wooden and boring (especially Christine (I know you have to have a "Christine" for the Phantom, but...a troll would be smater than her)). Walter Plinge was OK, too, but still a bit flat. If it weeren't for Agnes, the opera scene would have been too boring. That's why Granny and Nanny always need to come and liven up the story - everyone is at their funniest when dealing with them.

Read the book mainly to see, once again, how Granny can hatch a plan and get her friends to cooperate. But it is still Pratchett, and OK for him is still good.

Rating:
Summary: Phantom of the Disc
Review: Maskerade, the eighteenth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, is a very funny parody of opera, and the Broadway show Phantom of the Opera more specifically. You can certainly tell that Pratchett doesn't like opera, as he skewers it to within an inch of its life. The parody of Phantom is right on as well, as Pratchett takes the story and turns it on its head in a most entertaining manner.

I'm not an opera fan, so I really appreciated how much Maskerade made fun of the whole genre. I laughed out loud when the characters would make comments about how the story doesn't need to make sense as long as it's sung well, and I especially enjoyed how the villain kept "coming back to life" to make another statement after he's been killed, much like how a person who's killed in an opera often has time to sing a death chorus before succumbing.

This book is just hilarious all the way through. I'm really becoming a fan of the Witches with the last two books (Lords & Ladies and this one). Perhaps it's because I enjoy the personality clashes between Granny and Nanny. They are so well written and so three dimensional that it's a joy to read about them. They argue a lot, but there's an underlying affection beneath all of that which makes the arguments superficial. It's Granny who instigates the trip to Ankh-Morpork after realizing what an unscrupulous publisher has done to her friend. She doesn't like to see a friend get cheated. There's also a compassion in both of them that is very touching. It's even more surprising from Granny because she has such a gruff exterior. Both of their interactions with Walter Plinge, the rather slow odd-jobs man who everybody at the Opera House ignores, are just brimming with this compassion. It's not just the compassion, though, that makes them great characters. They are very funny as well. Especially good is the stagecoach ride where, by implied witchery, they end up having the coach to themselves while everybody else sits on top.

The other characters, while not as fully developed, still do their job very well. Most of the opera players fill their assigned roles to a T. There's Christine, who the Ghost takes a liking to. Christine is excessively vain and dumb as a post, but everybody's fallen in love with her. Meanwhile, Agnes is the talented singer, but she's on the large side, and thus can't get anybody to recognize that. She's used to sing Christine's part for her, while Christine just looks good. The new owner of the Opera House wants it to start making money, which can't happen with all of the strangeness going on. There are many others as well. None of them are terribly well-developed, but it's certainly good enough for this book.

I know that this book has received lukewarm reviews, but I found it incredibly funny. The goings-on backstage at the Opera House were great fun, with intrigue and humour being mixed in liberally. The ending of the book is extremely fitting, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I know I was surprised by it. The rest of the plot is quite smooth, with no glaring plot holes to be found. I have found that the plots in the Witches books are a lot more straightforward then some of Pratchett's other books. There are always weird and zany things going on, but they don't have the outlandish twists that populate some of the other ones.

You will find yourself laughing a lot throughout the book, especially if you are familiar with the genre. If you live and breathe opera and can't stand to see it criticized, you may want to avoid this book. If you have a sense of humour about it, or if you can't stand it, then this is the book for you.

And keep an eye out for the chandelier! (Phantom fans will know what I'm talking about).

Rating:
Summary: Another Excellent Book of the Witches
Review: This is the 19th of Pratchett's Discworld series. In this book, Pratchett uses the "Phantom of the Opera" as the basis for his plot. The main character (outside of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg) is Agnes (Perdita X.) Nitt, who had a cameo role in "Lords and Ladies." With a lot of adventure, murder, mystery, and comedy, Pratchett manages to set her up as a replacement for Magrat in the coven. An amusing sub-plot is how Nanny manipulates Granny (whom she's worried about) into the main plot. Though it works, this, not surprisingly, fairly quickly boomerangs on her. This book has oodles of those passages where you burst out laughing while reading and just have to tell your spousal unit while she's busy trying to do something else. An essential, excellent book. Read it.

Rating:
Summary: Maskerade Tickles
Review: This was my first experience reading Pratchett, and I really enjoyed it. "Maskerade" is an all-out goofy ride and music lovers will laugh outloud at the observations made about the world of opera. Not a lot of substance or deep thought here, but Pratchett punctuates his silliness with simple observations on the human condition which are probably more complex than they appear.

In an odd way, I think that sometimes Pratchett's wit gets in the way of his writing. Sometimes I found myself not laughing at something I knew was funny just because I found it too clever, or perhaps too practiced. Every once in a while, I found myself a little annoyed at how astoundingly profound the characters were in their silliness. Anyway, it didn't happen often, and "Maskerade" was still a delightful, entertaining read.

I look forward to reading more of Pratchett's work in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Phantom of the Opera Meets Bewitched
Review: Terry Pratchett revisits Discworld yet again in this parody of the world of opera and music theatre. But herein lies his problem--the world of opera and music theatre may not be very well known to many of his readers. While The Phantom of the Opera will probably be a clearly recognizable basis for the plot, how many will understand the references that make similar Discworld novels so thoroughly funny? For example, Death tries to dispatch a swan, but before he goes the swan must sing for the one and only time in his life, which he refuses to do. Death challenges the swan's knowledge of operatic repertoire and tricks him into singing the Pedlar's song from Lohenshaak, which begins "Schneide meinen eigenen Hals". Few will recognize the timely reference to Lohengren and its swans, and surely only German speakers will realise that the swan is tricked into singing the words "cut my own neck." However, although some jokes are for aficionados only, others run the gamut from the over-obvious fat jokes through silliness (the Phantom writes out his maniacal laughter and uses 5 exclamation points!!!!!) to wry observation (the difference between opera and madness is "better scenery"; and the telling feature of good music, according to one critic, is that "it's got blobs and curly bits all over it".) Prachett, in his most insightful observation, has one of his characters comment, "The plots don't make sense! Half the stories rely on people not recognizing their servants or wives because they've got a tiny mask on! Large ladies play the part of consumptive girls! No one can act properly!...There should be a sign on the door saying 'Leave your common sense here'! If it wasn't for the music, the whole thing would be ridiculous!"

Certainly if you haven't read Pratchett before, this is not the book to start with, and if you are looking for hard-core fantasy, this is not for you either. Discworld is a reflection of our own world, a vehicle to parody our own foibles. It is not a place for heroic quests and sorcerely legerdemain (music lovers looking for such are recommended Greg Bear's "Songs of Earth and Power")--any tasks of daring-do are sure to go awry in as comical a fashion as possible. But for those in quest of a laugh, and without too refined a sense of humor, Discworld is a fine place to visit.

Rating:
Summary: Cutesy. Too too cutesy.
Review: I put Pratchett on a "NO READ" list after finishing MASKERADE (Discworld Novel).

I was not pleased. It was so deliberate and forcedly clever/cute/noxious. The entire cliche, double entendre, faux pas style of writing wears thin very quickly.

I would consider Robert Lynn Asprin's MYTH Series much better choices. Or Piers Anthony's XANTH-ian run of books.

That said, I may pick up one of titles recommended by other readers. I have seen how some authors have a good thing and lose it along the way. I am still fixated by early Andre Norton (especially her Forerunner stories), but later stuff dips low in its crafting.

Nuff said.

Rating:
Summary: A true masterpiece of laughter
Review: If you've never heard of Terry Pratchett, you're clearly living on the wrong planet. So join the rest of us in Pratchett's Discworld and enjoy the antics of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, the Disc's best-known witches. Visit Ankh-Morpork's Opera House with them (accompanied by their lunatic guests). You'll marvel at the amazing scenes of chaos that Pratchett can conjure up, seemingly without trying. And no matter what the topic, Pratchett is able to satirize it and make you question your former opinions - and you'll howl with laughter as you do so. I've read quite a lot of Discworld books and there are not many that have not held a chuckle a page and a full belly laugh a chapter. Maskerade lives up to its author's reputation in full, satirizing opera, theatre production, the lot - and all with a smile on his face. If, after reading Maskerade, you are in any doubt that Terry Prachett is not the most creative and funniest contemporary author around, you've obviously got a funny bone missing somewhere. Although it is not his best work, Maskerade is still hilarious and well worthy of five stars.

Rating:
Summary: A witty and hilarious addition to Discworld
Review: If you are in any doubt that Terry Prachett is not one of the best contemporary satirical authors, you obviously have not read Maskerade. Although it is not his best work, Maskerade is hilarious and contains Prachett's trademark wit. In this installment of the Discworld chronicles, Prachett celebrates and satirizes the world of opera. Any fan of Discworld, Terry Prachett, or The Phantom of the Opera will enjoy this humorous and witty book. The only flaws I found were the unusual absence of Prachett's usually entertaining footnotes and the section in the middle of the story where the action started to lag and get rather boring. However, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a story that is hilarious, yet still very clever.

Rating:
Summary: Mid-Level Pratchett
Review: Mid-level Pratchett, not up there with INTERESTING TIMES or down there with ERIC. The somewhat claustrophobic action takes place entirely in the Ankh-Morpork Opera House, and Pratchett is mainly out to satirize opera, opera singers, and opera lovers, as well as all the variants of Gaston Leroux's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The hard-to-take Granny Weatherwax dominates the action, what little there is of it. The ostensible main character, "Perdita X Dream" as she calls herself, never comes to life for a second, or has much of anything to do in the novel's development.

There are walkons from several Discworld regulars, such as Nobby and the Librarian, but by and large this really isn't a Discworld novel--- that is, it could take place anywhere. It is difficult to figure out how Pratchett wants the reader to take some of the humor, and some of the apparently serious moments. For example the villain has a long, operatic death scene in which he berates opera virulently, in a perfectly straight tone. Is he speaking for Pratchett? Apparently so, since the omniscient authorial remarks about opera are in pretty much the same style.

Anyway, Pratchett is clearly having some fun with opera and it is unfortunate that the reader is not likely to have quite the same level of fun, to say the least.

Rating:
Summary: The Music of the Night... on Discworld
Review: If you are a Pratchett fan then I am wasting my time telling you what a genius Terry is... if you're not yet a Pratchett fan, you need to find your introduction book to the master of Fantasy Satire.

If you are a fan of Phantom of the Opera, this is your book. Pratchett celebrates and lampoons the world of theatre, all the while weaving a cunning mystery story liberally salted with humor and a ton of smiles...

A must have for any fan of the Wyrd Sisters.