inconveniences with gold
13 Nov 2008 09:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mayoraaseiI finished reading Making Money yesterday, and that hopefully means I've exhausted all avenues of procrastination and can now concentrate on learning all the innervations of limb muscles. Great.
I wonder if Making Money was finished after or before Pratchett's Alzheimer's diagnosis. I haven't read the Tiffany series, but in retrospect Going Postal seems like an anomaly in the trend of increasingly darker books. Thud! and Making Money still have Pratchett's particular brand of sardonic humour, but everything's much more...well, to use Vetinari's word, cerebral. Less Laugh Out Loud and more hidden irony.
(It also didn't make much sense, but I blame that on being 70% asleep when reading.)
I still like Moist, but he was much more fun as a crook...and probably as a result, Vimes has firmly reclaimed his place as my favourite XD Of course, Moist is still a rascal inside, which is what most of the book spins on, but now he tries to live an honest life and that is...less fun =(
I wonder if it's true what they say - that characters are inevitably splinters of the author's personality. It seems at least true for Moist and Vimes - and William and Vetinari and Carrot, all the way up until Death. They, like Pratchett's books in general, all seem to be odd dichotomies of both cynicism and idealism.
They're making a movie out of Going Postal, something I'm rather iffy about. It's hard to envision what Moist looks like, especially since all the emphasis is on how immemorable he naturally is. A man who remains "just a face in the crowd", even when he's by himself.
And yet, this immemorable man is also the same that can extend his charisma at will. He flirts with the world and the world is smitten. Unattractive and yet irresistably attractive - all at his will.
It's a very tough casting call.
I wonder if I would have liked The Truth much better if Moist was at the helm rather than earnest Will de Worde. Essentially the Moist series and The Truth are about the same ideas - what is the truth? The truth is certainly not simply facts. It is what one makes of the facts. Facts may be the reality, but truth is...well, by the hand of a craftsman, anything. A mere function of factuality, credibility and, most importantly it seems, how you present it. It's ironic that Moist is hailed as "a man of words" when that should be Will's role.
Going Postal was a joyride, Moist cantering through the madness like a wild pony. Making Money is much more political, with Moist spending more time dodging words than, for the sake of argument, pineapple flavoured custard pies. I think it's inevitable when you get involved with Ankh-Morpork - even Vimes has been getting more and more political, much against his personal wishes.
In odd ways, Moist and Vimes are alike. Not in their moral outlook, no...I think both would be horrified! But both have their inner demons (although in Moist's case it's more of a mischievous devil) and the reins that tie them to sanity. And they both live on the thrill of flirting with danger. Vimes never feels more alive than when someone is trying to gut him...and Moist only feels alive when he's winging the most impossible scam.
On a side note, it's unsurprising where Pratchett's satirical take on The (Ankh-Morpork) Times comes from...
(Quote Pratchett:)
I also noticed recently that the Daily Mail, gods bless them, announced that I can’t dress myself. This must have come as a huge surprise, not least to me, since I dressed myself this morning.
Ahh journalists. What is entertainment without them.
I wonder if Making Money was finished after or before Pratchett's Alzheimer's diagnosis. I haven't read the Tiffany series, but in retrospect Going Postal seems like an anomaly in the trend of increasingly darker books. Thud! and Making Money still have Pratchett's particular brand of sardonic humour, but everything's much more...well, to use Vetinari's word, cerebral. Less Laugh Out Loud and more hidden irony.
(It also didn't make much sense, but I blame that on being 70% asleep when reading.)
I still like Moist, but he was much more fun as a crook...and probably as a result, Vimes has firmly reclaimed his place as my favourite XD Of course, Moist is still a rascal inside, which is what most of the book spins on, but now he tries to live an honest life and that is...less fun =(
I wonder if it's true what they say - that characters are inevitably splinters of the author's personality. It seems at least true for Moist and Vimes - and William and Vetinari and Carrot, all the way up until Death. They, like Pratchett's books in general, all seem to be odd dichotomies of both cynicism and idealism.
They're making a movie out of Going Postal, something I'm rather iffy about. It's hard to envision what Moist looks like, especially since all the emphasis is on how immemorable he naturally is. A man who remains "just a face in the crowd", even when he's by himself.
And yet, this immemorable man is also the same that can extend his charisma at will. He flirts with the world and the world is smitten. Unattractive and yet irresistably attractive - all at his will.
It's a very tough casting call.
I wonder if I would have liked The Truth much better if Moist was at the helm rather than earnest Will de Worde. Essentially the Moist series and The Truth are about the same ideas - what is the truth? The truth is certainly not simply facts. It is what one makes of the facts. Facts may be the reality, but truth is...well, by the hand of a craftsman, anything. A mere function of factuality, credibility and, most importantly it seems, how you present it. It's ironic that Moist is hailed as "a man of words" when that should be Will's role.
Going Postal was a joyride, Moist cantering through the madness like a wild pony. Making Money is much more political, with Moist spending more time dodging words than, for the sake of argument, pineapple flavoured custard pies. I think it's inevitable when you get involved with Ankh-Morpork - even Vimes has been getting more and more political, much against his personal wishes.
In odd ways, Moist and Vimes are alike. Not in their moral outlook, no...I think both would be horrified! But both have their inner demons (although in Moist's case it's more of a mischievous devil) and the reins that tie them to sanity. And they both live on the thrill of flirting with danger. Vimes never feels more alive than when someone is trying to gut him...and Moist only feels alive when he's winging the most impossible scam.
On a side note, it's unsurprising where Pratchett's satirical take on The (Ankh-Morpork) Times comes from...
(Quote Pratchett:)
I also noticed recently that the Daily Mail, gods bless them, announced that I can’t dress myself. This must have come as a huge surprise, not least to me, since I dressed myself this morning.
Ahh journalists. What is entertainment without them.
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no subject
Date: 2008-11-14 01:25 am (UTC)I agree with your points of view. I was nodding all the way through your post.
In my humble opinion, the Moist books are some of the best of Pratchett's, and the easiest to relate to -- not so many obvious "in-jokes" with the author that make me scratch my head and wonder how it was supposed to be funny. As much as I love the wizards of UU, their books don't seem to have as much current relevance as Moist's (and the Night Watch books), and the witch novels just aren't my cup of tea. (Am I the only person in the world who doesn't particularly LIKE Granny Weatherwax? I don't dislike her, but I'm more of a Nanny Ogg person.)
...Or maybe I'm more of an Ankh-Morpork fan than I am of anywhere-else-in-the-Discworld because I'm a city girl.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-14 12:41 pm (UTC)Actually, I must also profess a secret love for Detritus XDDD Anyone who walks around with a siege weapon and thinks it's the equivalent of self-defence deserves my respect XDDD
Unfortunately I've never been fond of the Unseen University people =/ I don't like Rincewind, and I know too many a real life Ponder Stibbons. Ridcully is hilarious though XD
I'm actually somewhat glad that Moist appeared so late in the game. Even though Pratchett has my utmost respect, I don't think he could have managed Moist all that well if it was one of his earlier works.
I mean, this is the man who unabashedly said, "It was only until about 6 or 7 books later that I realised the importance of a plot." XDDD
no subject
Date: 2008-11-14 02:22 pm (UTC)But Ridcully is just <3. He's kind of the academic equivalent of Jack Sparrow, you know? You can never quite tell if he plans things ahead/is really aware of everything or if he just thinks fast on his feet.
There's a scene involving Detritus and a crossbow that I adored a while back, unfortunately, I can't quite remember it.
And, true, I don't think I'd be liking Moist this much if he had been in the earlier books. I imagine Rincewind was sort of a prototype for him.
I recently watched the BBC adaptation of The Color of Magic, though, and I must say, even though I despise Rincewind, I stayed up late JUST TO SEE JEREMY IRONS AS VETINARI. Can you say BAD. ASS???
no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 08:19 am (UTC)DAMN I WANNA SEE JEREMY IRONS AS VETINARI. That would be SO AWESOME. I hope he reprises that role again for Going Postal. Even if Moist turns out to suck, I can still watch it just for Vetinari XDDD
Hope there's a good Vimes too =/ Ah, all these favourites.
Nooo...Rincewind can't be Moist's prototype! =( Rincewind is so pessimistic and weasly! And Moist is so optimistic...and weasly. I don't remember many of the Rincewind books (even though I'm sure I've read them), but my impression is that the only thing he's really good at is running away. Moist, on the other hand, is a fast learner at practically everything =D
I don't know, I find that I'm quite fond of most of the stony entities in Discworld XD I liked Mr Pump and Gladys as well.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 10:33 am (UTC)Yes, whoever's playing Vetinari for Going Postal will have a lot to live up to in my eyes.
I really am worried about Moist, as well. I hope they don't go for the superstar casting.