Lords and Ladies

Funny. There seems to be a Law of Nature that fantasy and science fiction series descend rapidly in quality after the first few books. Terry Pratchett is a notable exception to this rule. The first few Discworld books are a pleasant enough way to spend an afternoon. The later books are considerably more than that. In them Pratchett's characters have deepened and the engrossing storyline is only the top layer of the book. This is one of the best of the Discworld books I've read (my favorite so far is Monstrous Regiment). I'm sure both that I'll be rereading it and that I'll be pick up subtleties I missed this time around.

One of Pratchett's favorite comedic tools is inversion; in Lords and Ladies, he inverts the elves of Shakespeare and Tolkein. In Pratchett's hands, they are far from noble and dangerously evil. For decades, the Elves have been kept out of the little kingdom of Lancre by a circle of stones called the Dancers, made of meteor iron. But while the Lancre witches, Esme Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick, have been away (as described in "Witches Abroad"), a few young gels have been playing at witchcraft, dancing up by the Dancers with their knickers off. That's always dangerous. It could let the Elves back in. Especially since it is Circle Time, when all those universes line up and the walls between them get thin. Can Granny, Nanny and Magrat protect Lancre from the Lords and Ladies? They'll need help, not just from Hodgesaargh, master of the mews and Mr. Brooks, the Royal Beekeeper. It may take Wizards Archchancellor Ridcully (former suitor of Esme Weatherwax!), Ponder Stibbons, the Bursar and the Librarian; and the Lancre Morris Dancers, who, despite their vows, may have to do the Stick and Bucket Dance just one more time. It may even take Ynci, the half-mythical former queen of Lancre. After all, the wedding of King Verence and Magrat is supposed to happen. What makes this and almost all of the Pratchett books extraordinary isn't just his lampooning of myth, comedic inversions, literary allusions, spoofs of physics and hysterical dialog; Pratchett give you something to think about. The power of myth, for example, and why glamour, good looks and style may be dangerous. A Pratchett novel makes you thoughtful. The Witches series isn't my favorite, but among the Witches stories this is one of the best. Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg are among the best-developed of Pratchett's regular characters. They are fully realized here - warts and all. A book to read and re-read with pleasure. Very highly recommended.

The first Discworld book I read. I was on holiday in Italy, and so wreatchedly ill I had too stay in my tent. A fellow camper lent me "Lords and Ladies". Its cheered me up no end!I have since read the other witches novels, but I still think this one is the best. A great parody of midsummer nights dream with extra imagination. The Ogg family are brilliant, and the morris men and Wizards make a welcome appearence. I love the bit were Magrat fights off the elves in the castle. Those elves were such chilling villians- bring them back Terry!"Before we go back to those dark old ways I'll see you nailed!" My favourite quote- those words certainly did slice the air. If you like the Disc this novel is essential. I would also recomend "Guards,Guards!", "The light Fantastic" and the one I reading at the moment-"Soul music"- which is turning out to be the best one I've read so far!

OK. You have to fight the badest, meanest and glamorous representation of evil: AN ARMY OF ELVES! Yes, you read right. How would you do such a thing? Well, you can rally a bunch of men armed with iron that are more afraid of Nanny Ogg (protected by her dwarf date, who knew, huh?) that of beautiful elves; in front you put the "queen to be" Magrat in full iron armor and chain mail and a battle axe (who wants to save her future captured husband and King), bodyguarded by three seniors wizards from Unseen University, (who where invited to the wedding, and went only to breath some fresh air), one fo them the oragutan librarian himself. Maybe you think that's chaotic enough. THINK AGAIN. Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully is shooting arrows from its magical crossbow trying to save the greatest witch in Discworld and his only love: Granny Weatherwax, who happens to be involved in a word debate with the Elf Queen. And just to put some flavour on the mix, millions of bees are very, very angry and are looking for something to sting, while a lonely unicorn is hunting Granny to introduce her to Death itself. And to finish, a Horned God finally return to the surface. Need I say more?

I read it when it came out. I loved it. I read it again later on. And recently I read it again and I still think it is my favourite Discworld book. The depiction of elves (a contentious issue from the other reviews) is in the older style as being selfish, manipulative and cruel rather than the Tolkien based depiction of fair, wise and gentle creatures. The elves here are like Rude Mechanicals on Mean-Speed. Actually, if you really want to get an appreciation of this book, (and half the jokes) read Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream first.Of course, Granny, Nanny and Magrat are here again as well as Ridcully, the Bursar (who may never recover) and the Librarian, whose adventures outside the safety of Ankh-Morpork make for the sorest abdominals you have had in your life!The book has sex (in the form of Casanunda and NANNY OGG), death (great gobs of it) and well, not rock'n'roll, but elvish singing... which might be worse. It has a new feminist icon, an insight into the geneology of words and a belly laugh a page.UNBEATEN.PS. Go look up what a quark is, if you don't get the joke about up, down, sideways, etc...