Terry Pratchett's Discworld - The Light Fantastic
So back to 1986 we go and last time we saw them Rincewind and Twoflower (and the Luggage) were plunging to their deaths in spacceeeeeee
To keep that dramatic tension going lets talk about fandom reaction to adaptations. Yesterday saw five pictures from the new BBC America show The Watch based on the Guards series from the Discworld. Traditionally people tend to visualise Discworld as medieval on verge of industrial and the art of the more recent novels is very much how some see the world. It’s safe to say that’s not the look here. WE can see electric lights, fifties lampshades and on top of that an interesting modern/medieval mix on top of this there are two core characters who are getting very different back stories. Some people are horrified some like me delighted and made me more interested in what this will look like. And with either reaction can I say that’s ok but bear in mind: -
1) These are production stills. There is no sense of dialogue, performance or the style this is going in. So, people looking at a picture and saying oh it’s x, y and z. Are making huge assumptions
2) What works on paper in 1989 (yes, the first book is 31 years old) can be dated even now. Moving people around and playing with the story can work…or it can go horribly wrong. I don’t know
3) My versions of the book do not disappear with adaptation. The versions of the book that reside in my memories are mine (possibly don’t even look like yours) and if this show fails then my better version remains in my head
4) If I’m someone that believes fantasy is too small c conservative at times then I think someone poking a change has to be a good thing even for me. A few months ago, some Wheel of Time fans got insulted by people of colour getting major cast roles. This show is adding trans and non-binary characters to the show. That is pushing boundaries and Discworld for me was pointing the need for humanity to get better. We all need a push sometimes and nostalgia for me is something I distrust…looking at you Return of Skywalker.
5) I have one reservation about one character who was notable for being a larger woman and it never being played for laughs and just an awesome character. I welcome a person of colour in the role, but she looks very different to a one deliberately themselves made different to your standard heroine in fantasy. But let’s see
Anyway back to 1986 – I’m 10 years old and missing Doctor Who being on hiatus. I first read this in 1996 so clearly TCOM didn’t put me off
This edition
Publisher – Corgi
Price - £4.99 blimey!!
As it moves towards a seemingly inevitable collision with a malevolent red star, the Discworld has only one possible saviour. Unfortunately, this happens to be the singularly inept and cowardly wizard called Rincewind, who was last seen falling off the edge of the world…
This was a hugely different reading experience to TCOM. For example, I read this straight in a little over two hours in an evening. It rocked! A few got in touch to say I was hard on TCOM. But I’m reading each book as regular fantasy reviewer now and while I can to some extent forgive books for the time they come from I can still find fantasy that’s better done in the same year – Daggerspell for example came out in the same year!! If I feel something doesn’t work then sadly it doesn’t work for me anymore. I’m very happy if it still works for you. But in happier news this feels a lot closer to what I would call a Discworld novel.
Importantly there is a for example a plot with middle and an end. The start was effectively TCOM and I think part of the issue is that TCOM for me never really went anywhere it was having fun with parody. Here Pratchett has clearly upped his game to make jokes serve the story. Now we have the Discworld in danger, trapped spells that Rincewind will need to release and some dangerous wizards after him for their own ends. It feels like the author knows where everything is leading to and the meandering here actually serves the story.
A great example of this is Cohen the Barbarian. With Hrun in the last book we just have Conan without a brain – he comes, fights and goes. Now here we get Cohen firstly the idea of a still deadly very ancient barbarian who survived is just funny; but Pratchett gives him a character on top – he’s sarcastic; mercenary and funny. He also progresses the story. It’s a small difference but a really important one which becomes a hallmark of the series. I quite like that this incarnation of Unseen University is much more ambitious and ruthless than those to come. Trymon himself becomes an interesting template for a fantasy villain in Discworld the person who doesn’t want to play – he’s the cold-hearted admin who doesn’t want to play by the rules of a fantasy novel. In some ways an evil Vetinari who wants organised magic for his own power. He’s got some genuine menace plus fun scenes were his boss tries t match wits. But he doesn’t make this look easy and that adds drama to the mix. Even the end with two characters parting for good (for now) has a note of emotion.
Another interesting angle was Pratchett look at the dangers of people in a crowd. The people who start to worship the Red Star, kill those they feel are responsible (or those they dislike) are a regular theme in later books. Sometimes the true evil isn’t a Dark Lord its people giving in to their worst impulses. Not always what you would expect in fantasy. There isn’t a lot of this commentary it still feels a fairly light-hearted story, but you can see where the ship is being pointed
Again, I think I spot quite a few things future books look at – I spy a Weatherax, the idea of a death with a combine harvester, the pyramids of Tsort, Death’s realm and daughter and yes here our favourite ever Librarian appears. Its astounding all this is percolating already.
Sp I definitely enjoyed tripping the Light Fantastic. This feels like Pratchett is feeling more comfortable with his creation and prepared to reduce parody in favour of beefing up his own unique take on it. It’s a huge leap in quality but can that be maintained?
Next time – Equal Rites
