The Truth

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Summary: Pratchett Impregnated By Aliens: Gives Birth to "The Truth"
Review: Two random immages occur frequently when reading a Terry Pratchett Discworld book. The first is of time lapse photography, the type used in nature or wildlife programs. One can see a seed planted, germinate, sprout, and then blossom into a flower in a manner of seconds even though it might take weeks to occur in `the real world'. The second is of a frog in a pot of water. It is a time worn cliché that if you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water it will leap out immediately. However, if you drop a frog into cool water and gradually bring it to a boil it won't think about jumping out until it is too late.

Terry Pratchett has a marvelous habit of taking devices or institutions that have developed over time in our word and subjecting them to the literary equivalent of time-lapse photography when he imports them into Discworld. Typically, the devices, be they guns (Men at Arms), movies (Moving Pictures), or the modern postal system (Going Postal), are introduced and evolve very quickly., In presenting us with guns, movies, or postal networks formed in such short order Pratchett highlights the perversions these great inventions are subjected to over time that are not so readily apparent when you live through the gradual changes. The reader, like the frog, is presented with a proverbial pot of boiling water and, no doubt, on reflection must ask him or her self, how in the world did we ever let things go this far? This is exactly what Pratchett does with the newspaper business in The Truth. As you witness the time-lapsed development of the institution known to us as the press you cannot help but shake your head and say, how did it ever come to this?

The plot has already been well summarized on the product page. Suffice it to say, Pratchett does his typically splendid job setting up the establishment of Ankh-Morpork's first newspaper by the aptly named William de Worde. The cast of characters includes Otto, the vampire photographer. Otto is fresh from the vampire equivalent of a 12-step program and struggles mightily to avoid a relapse.

Of course the press needs to have a story and Pratchett gives us the Ankh-Morpork version of Watergate. A crime has been committed and the Patrician, Lord Vetinari, is the prime suspect. It appears in fact to be something of an open and shut case. Of course, the truth is not always what it appears to be. De Worde soon comes to suspect that perhaps, just perhaps, the oligarchs that don't suffer Vetinari all that gladly just may have something to do with all this.

Every investigative reporter needs a source and Pratchett gives us the Ankh-Morpork version of Deep Throat, this time in the form of Pratchett's most intelligent creations, Gaspode, the talking dog. Call him "Deep Bark" perhaps. The words Pratchett puts in Gaspode are pure Pratchett and are funny and insightful. Also worthy of note is Pratchett's characterization of the inevitable collision of the press with the police in the form of the dealings between de Worde and Command Sam Vimes.

Events wend their way to their inevitable conclusion. Will Commander Vimes be forced to `round up the usual suspects' or will de Word uncover that elusive thing called the truth? Inquiring minds want to know!

The Truth is up to Pratchett's usually high standards and will be enjoyed by both Pratchett old timers and those new to Discworld. For newcomers, the Truth is an excellent place to start.


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Summary: Pratchett Delivers Again
Review: When Terry Pratchett started writing the Discworld series, he intended to skewer fantasy cliches in a straight-up parody. Twenty-five full-length novels later, he somehow ended up producing highly literate satires with virtually nothing in common with fantasy, except that the occassional troll, vampire, and talking dog does wander through. In "The Truth" he turns his eys on the newspaper industry, and the more you know about the curious organization of Britain's print media, the more references you can catch. But while the news media presents a broad target for satire, a novel of this sort could easily have wandered off course, bashing the most obvious jokes into the ground. But "The Truth" doesn't. It is, after all, written by Terry Pratchett.

William deWorde is the outcast younger son of a wealthy family, who suffered greatly and hilariously at boarding school in his youth. Through odd circumstances he teams up with the lovely Sacharissa and a band of dwarves to produce a crude newspaper. In come Lord Vetinari, the Bursar, some trolls, Detrius, and various other friends old and new, and soon hilarious high-jinks are happening all across the city. To try summarizing the plot would be futile, but suffice to say it will satisfy and long-term Pratchett fan.

Pay attention also to little things. Over the last twenty-five books, Pratchett's skill has grown at, well, everything. He now masters such a huge variety of modes of literature that you couldn't even count them all. Among things to notice in "The Truth" are non-verbal communication (particularly when Vetinari is on-screen), discussion of the rising middle class, and oh yes, Death. And I'm sure all find more on my second read. And my third. And my fourth.