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Interesting Times
(Discworld #17)
by
'A foot on the neck is nine points of the law'
There are many who say that the art of diplomacy is an intricate and complex dance. There are others who maintain that it's merely a matter of who carries the biggest stick. The oldest and most inscrutable (not to mention heavily fortified) empire on the Discworld is in turmoil, brought about by the revolutionary treatise What ...more
There are many who say that the art of diplomacy is an intricate and complex dance. There are others who maintain that it's merely a matter of who carries the biggest stick. The oldest and most inscrutable (not to mention heavily fortified) empire on the Discworld is in turmoil, brought about by the revolutionary treatise What ...more
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Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages
Published
March 4th 1998
by HarperTorch
(first published November 1994)
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Start your review of Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind #5)

Alternative Asian history, Rincewind's average spin doctoring and political strategist skills, teleportation, Cohen the barbarian, again Rincewind as always unwittingly McGuffining around, (view spoiler) , Gods manipulating the fate of humankind, and jokes about stereotypical fighter archetypes make war fun.
Uchronia and ...more
Uchronia and ...more

Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Bruce Lee, Yun Fat Chow, David Carradine and Michelle Yeoh sit in an Italian pizza place in Queens and discuss Terry Pratchett’s 17th Discworld novel Interesting Times.
Bruce Lee: Ok, first of all, David, why are you even here, you’re not Chinese.
Carradine: Come on, you all know why, I played Kwai Chang Caine on King Fu in the 70s, don’t act like you don’t …
Michelle: Anyhoo - Pratchett, pays homage to Asian culture through his counter continent Roman eclef, The Agatean Empire ...more
Bruce Lee: Ok, first of all, David, why are you even here, you’re not Chinese.
Carradine: Come on, you all know why, I played Kwai Chang Caine on King Fu in the 70s, don’t act like you don’t …
Michelle: Anyhoo - Pratchett, pays homage to Asian culture through his counter continent Roman eclef, The Agatean Empire ...more

May 26, 2016
Ahmad Sharabiani
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
fiction,
humor,
adventure,
literature,
20th-century,
comedy,
fantasy,
young-adult,
science,
childrens-young-readers
Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind #5), Terry Pratchett
Interesting Times is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the seventeenth book in the Discworld series, set in the Aurient (a fictional analogue of the Orient).
Two gods, Fate and the Lady, oppose each other in a game over the outcome of the struggle for the throne of the Agatean Empire on the Counterweight Continent.
The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork receives a demand that the "Great Wizzard" be sent to the distant Agatean ...more
Interesting Times is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the seventeenth book in the Discworld series, set in the Aurient (a fictional analogue of the Orient).
Two gods, Fate and the Lady, oppose each other in a game over the outcome of the struggle for the throne of the Agatean Empire on the Counterweight Continent.
The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork receives a demand that the "Great Wizzard" be sent to the distant Agatean ...more

Interesting Times
or,
When Cohen Established that Dynasty That Time
or,
Rincewind Gets a New Suit.
I really enjoyed this Pratchett, being one of the few people who actually think that Rincewind is a likable anti-hero, or rather, a good runner. But sometimes even good runners get caught in the affairs of Wizzards and revolution. Okay, maybe it's Wizards and if I count him, it's only Wizzard, but you get the idea. :)
Welcome to China-ish, buddy! The Emperor would like to meet you. Or chop off your legs ...more
or,
When Cohen Established that Dynasty That Time
or,
Rincewind Gets a New Suit.
I really enjoyed this Pratchett, being one of the few people who actually think that Rincewind is a likable anti-hero, or rather, a good runner. But sometimes even good runners get caught in the affairs of Wizzards and revolution. Okay, maybe it's Wizards and if I count him, it's only Wizzard, but you get the idea. :)
Welcome to China-ish, buddy! The Emperor would like to meet you. Or chop off your legs ...more

Fab fun, and more tomorrow
So for once it really is tomorrow. Where to start with this book, many other people have mentioned it is a parody of China during the days of the warring Empire, blind obedience and huge multi layer civil service running the show. Add into Sir Terry's wonderful parody, a wizard that cannot do any spell and never actually passed any exam at the unseen university in Ankh Morpork, a bunch of geriatric Hero barbarians (accompanied by an ex teacher trying to civilise the bar ...more
So for once it really is tomorrow. Where to start with this book, many other people have mentioned it is a parody of China during the days of the warring Empire, blind obedience and huge multi layer civil service running the show. Add into Sir Terry's wonderful parody, a wizard that cannot do any spell and never actually passed any exam at the unseen university in Ankh Morpork, a bunch of geriatric Hero barbarians (accompanied by an ex teacher trying to civilise the bar ...more

I'm going to just say right off the bat that the Rincewind novels are not my favorite. I realize that it is Discworld blasphemy, but hear me out. Out of the entire Discworld main character cast, Rincewind makes the fewest decisions and has no desires other than to flee from trouble. As sort of a Forrest Gump/Scooby Doo hybrid (Forrest Doo? Scooby Gump?), his misadventures consist of finding himself in trouble, trying to escape, and then lucking out in some grand fashion. While it makes for good
...more

It all starts with the gods playing another game. Because Fate always wins - at least if the other players adhere to the rules. Which his new opponent doesn't. Resulting in a very interesting butterfly effect. ;)
In this 17th Discworld novel Rincewind is returned to Unseen University and makes a deal with Ridcully to go to Discworld's oldest Empire to help them with their current revolution in exchange for being allowed to come back for good and being called awizzard wizard. Due to the fact that
...more
In this 17th Discworld novel Rincewind is returned to Unseen University and makes a deal with Ridcully to go to Discworld's oldest Empire to help them with their current revolution in exchange for being allowed to come back for good and being called a

The problem with Rincewind books is that I really like Rincewind, and Rincewind books tend to have more problematic elements than the other Discworld books, and also the most recycled. This is the worst culprit of Pratchett's rather casual racism (and also the overuse (see: any use at all) of rape jokes--what was with that?).
So I really struggled with whether to give this two or three stars. I felt if I gave it two stars, it would indicate that I didn't like this book at all. Which isn't true! ...more
So I really struggled with whether to give this two or three stars. I felt if I gave it two stars, it would indicate that I didn't like this book at all. Which isn't true! ...more

[7/10]
"May you live in interesting times!" is a long established curse on the Counterweight Continent of the Discworld. The Agatean Empire is just heading this way as its aging, demented Emperor is about to die and five noble families who have fought one another for centuries: The Hongs, the Sungs, the Tangs, the McSweeneys ( very old established family) and the Fangs gather their armies around the capital city of HungHung in preparation of the war of succession. High above them in the clouds ...more

SPOILERS BELOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Okay. I'm going to have to say something controversial here. This book is downright horrible.
I realize that's practically blasphemy, since it was written by Terry Pratchett (whose work I generally love). I know that Pratchett was a satirist. I am aware that it was spoofing books like James Clavell's Asian Saga (Shogun, Noble House, King Rat, etc.), in which a white guy handles Asia better than the Asians and ends up in charge. I remember Clavell's books and t ...more
Okay. I'm going to have to say something controversial here. This book is downright horrible.
I realize that's practically blasphemy, since it was written by Terry Pratchett (whose work I generally love). I know that Pratchett was a satirist. I am aware that it was spoofing books like James Clavell's Asian Saga (Shogun, Noble House, King Rat, etc.), in which a white guy handles Asia better than the Asians and ends up in charge. I remember Clavell's books and t ...more

The 17th Discworld novel sees incompetent wizard Rincewind (in his fifth outing) is sent to the Agatean Empire, clearly a satire on imperial China.
Whilst their he finds himself in various crisis during a political uprising.
I do have a fondness for Rincewind as I opted to read in publication order so Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic were by first two Discworld stories.
With throwbacks to them stories it made me realise how little the wizard has featured since the earlier books.
Whilst this i ...more
Whilst their he finds himself in various crisis during a political uprising.
I do have a fondness for Rincewind as I opted to read in publication order so Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic were by first two Discworld stories.
With throwbacks to them stories it made me realise how little the wizard has featured since the earlier books.
Whilst this i ...more

Aug 15, 2015
David Sarkies
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who love Pratchett (and those who don't)
Recommended to David by:
Stewart Wymer
Shelves:
comedy
Rincewind in China
22 August 2015
When my friend leant me this book he simply said 'Rincewind' at which I rolled my eyes. I must say that Rincewind is certainly not my favourite Discworld character, even though some of the books in which he has starred have been quite good. However I wasn't really expecting anything all that much to come from this book, even though it is one of the Discworld novels and I am slowly making my way through each of them (and it was also a bit of a time out from some o ...more
22 August 2015
When my friend leant me this book he simply said 'Rincewind' at which I rolled my eyes. I must say that Rincewind is certainly not my favourite Discworld character, even though some of the books in which he has starred have been quite good. However I wasn't really expecting anything all that much to come from this book, even though it is one of the Discworld novels and I am slowly making my way through each of them (and it was also a bit of a time out from some o ...more

One of the worst curses you can fling at a Discworld character is “May you live in interesting times,” hence the title of the book.
But aside from it’s promising title, the 17th Discworld book was a bit of a letdown after the fitting soulful musings of Soul Music, but it almost made up for it in sheer volume of jokes and witticisms alone. I wanted to quote something practically every other page. The perfect Discworld book is funny, biting, and deep-hitting. This one was mostly just amusing, altho ...more
But aside from it’s promising title, the 17th Discworld book was a bit of a letdown after the fitting soulful musings of Soul Music, but it almost made up for it in sheer volume of jokes and witticisms alone. I wanted to quote something practically every other page. The perfect Discworld book is funny, biting, and deep-hitting. This one was mostly just amusing, altho ...more

Part of the Pratchett reread with the SpecFic Buddy Reads group in 2018.
Rincewind gets recruited by Mustrum Ridcully and the faculty of Unseen University to go to the Counterweight Continent and the country of the Agatean Empire, Discworld's version of China (with quite a few Japanese bits). The Agatean Empire is experiencing a period of unrest with the Emperor about to die and the county's warlords gathering to determine who the next Emperor will be. There is, of course, a Grand Vizier called ...more
Rincewind gets recruited by Mustrum Ridcully and the faculty of Unseen University to go to the Counterweight Continent and the country of the Agatean Empire, Discworld's version of China (with quite a few Japanese bits). The Agatean Empire is experiencing a period of unrest with the Emperor about to die and the county's warlords gathering to determine who the next Emperor will be. There is, of course, a Grand Vizier called ...more

Discworld’s Counterweight Continent is explored for the first time in the series as author Terry Pratchett sends the inept wizard Rincewind to the walled off landmass where he meets up with some old friends in a reunion of the series’ first two books.
The Discworld’s version of China & Japan is the Agatean Empire, a mysterious place which only the rest of the Discworld can speculate about, sends a message to Ankh-Morpork for the ‘Great Wizzard’. After several uses of magical quantum mechanics tra ...more
The Discworld’s version of China & Japan is the Agatean Empire, a mysterious place which only the rest of the Discworld can speculate about, sends a message to Ankh-Morpork for the ‘Great Wizzard’. After several uses of magical quantum mechanics tra ...more

With the first couple Discworld books, Pratchett was still looking for his own place in the world and trying to figure out what kind of stories he wanted to write about at all. They ended up rather different, far less honed, less cohesive, and plain weirder than the later books - but they still had their own special charm in them, something to like about them.
Interesting Times is the best of both worlds: it's a throwback to those first two books, while at the same time fitting the more refined a ...more
Interesting Times is the best of both worlds: it's a throwback to those first two books, while at the same time fitting the more refined a ...more

This book (Corgi paperback edition, 1995) contains one of my favorite front-of-book review blurbs ever:
Rincewind is few people's favorite Discworld character but I enjoy him a lot on my current series re-read. His intelligent approach to cowardice is always welcome. He makes a great an ...more
'A complete amateur . . . doesn't even write in chapters . . . hasn't a clue.'I love the subversiveness of this inclusion now as much as over two decades ago when I first saw it.
-Tom Paulin, on BBC 2's Late Review
Rincewind is few people's favorite Discworld character but I enjoy him a lot on my current series re-read. His intelligent approach to cowardice is always welcome. He makes a great an ...more

Essentially this is silly, racist and obvious, a typical Rincewind book really. But to counter that you have a lot of fun with Cohen the Barbarian and to counter that you have and old man in a wheelchair whose sole purpose for being in the novel is to shout "What?!" to everything. Because he's deaf you see. Yeah it's that kind of Discworld book.
...more

I have a really hard time reviewing Discworld books, so this will be short. Once I'm through reading them chronologically, I think I'll start over and go by sub-series, because I'm clearly having trouble remembering characters from one sub-series-book to the next (I spent a good chunk of the book thinking "who the fuck is Twoflower?").
The Rincewind novels are without a doubt my least favorite—he's just not an engaging protagonist. Everything that happens to him, happens passively and as an accid ...more
The Rincewind novels are without a doubt my least favorite—he's just not an engaging protagonist. Everything that happens to him, happens passively and as an accid ...more

Jun 20, 2011
K.
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
borrowed-from-friends,
humour,
library,
bipoc-narrator,
setting-fantasy,
2016,
audience-adult
3.5 stars.
On the whole, the Rincewind books are probably my least favourite subset of the Discworld series (with the exception of The Lost Continent, obviously). And it's been years since I'd read this one. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that while Rincewind still annoys me as a character and there were some "uhhh, that's a tiny bit racist" moments in it because it's now 20-odd years old, on the whole this one was fairly enjoyable.
It features Rincewind going to the Counterweight Contine ...more
On the whole, the Rincewind books are probably my least favourite subset of the Discworld series (with the exception of The Lost Continent, obviously). And it's been years since I'd read this one. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that while Rincewind still annoys me as a character and there were some "uhhh, that's a tiny bit racist" moments in it because it's now 20-odd years old, on the whole this one was fairly enjoyable.
It features Rincewind going to the Counterweight Contine ...more

There is a saying, often attributed to the Chinese - "May you live in interesting times." Usually when this is invoked, it's done so as a curse, the idea being that interesting times are more likely to cause you trouble than nice boring times, and perhaps that's true. The folks in Baghdad, for example, are certainly living in interesting times right now. The trouble is that not everybody is able to stay alive to enjoy them.
That's one of the problems with life as we know it - we long for things t ...more
That's one of the problems with life as we know it - we long for things t ...more

Short version? Pratchett tries to return to his earlier style with the lessons he's learnt along the way. This starts out promisingly. Unfortunately then he tries to combine that earlier, sillier style with multiple serious political discussions and several unrelated books, all in a setting that is, to put it mildly, culturally insensitive. It doesn't work.
There are some great lines, but by and large it's just too dull and despite its good qualities it outstays its welcome (50 pages of long, dra ...more
There are some great lines, but by and large it's just too dull and despite its good qualities it outstays its welcome (50 pages of long, dra ...more

Rincewind and Cohen The Barbarian with his geriatric barbarian Horde bring some interesting times to China, eh, sorry, the Counterweight Continent. We got a Red Army consisting of children, later of terracotta, eunuchs, the collision of barbarianism and civilization (civilization does not fare well in the comparison), and a deep criticism of regimes that so successfully oppress that they do not even need whips any more.
I am not a big fan of Rincewind, but after a few reads and re-reads he has g ...more
I am not a big fan of Rincewind, but after a few reads and re-reads he has g ...more

I hate writing this about a Terry Pratchett book but frankly this is really not one of his best. It almost became a "dnf" though the end was quite entertaining.
Having devoured the series from one it started and waited for each year's book I sort of drifted off probably a book or two before this one. Reading this suggests I was right! What is remarkable is just how good his writing became again later on. The Tiffany Aching books are among the best he wrote (IMHO). This one doesn't really bear com ...more
Having devoured the series from one it started and waited for each year's book I sort of drifted off probably a book or two before this one. Reading this suggests I was right! What is remarkable is just how good his writing became again later on. The Tiffany Aching books are among the best he wrote (IMHO). This one doesn't really bear com ...more

Interesting Times is from the Rincewind subseries of Discworld. It’s been quite a few books since I’ve seen Rincewind, so it was fun to see him again. He always makes me laugh.
If you’ve read the earlier books, you may remember that Rincewind once had some adventures with Twoflower, a visitor from the Counterweight continent. In this book Rincewind finds himself, quite against his will of course, dropping in on the Counterweight continent and getting caught up in a revolution.
It was a lot of fu ...more
If you’ve read the earlier books, you may remember that Rincewind once had some adventures with Twoflower, a visitor from the Counterweight continent. In this book Rincewind finds himself, quite against his will of course, dropping in on the Counterweight continent and getting caught up in a revolution.
It was a lot of fu ...more

I rarely think of rereading this particular discworld book - not for any reason I can guess. My kids started reading this one aloud and sucked me right into it, and I am very glad. It is a truely delightful book, although we all tend to moan a bit about the awful things that Terry Pratchett came up with to keep doing to Rincewind.

I'm sad to say this is the first Discworld novel I did not finish. Rincewind and Cohen aren't my favourite characters to begin with, but the plot itself is very thin too. Nothing much happened in the first half of the book. Rincewind gets sent to this largely unknown continent where he meets Cohen and a few locals who are getting ready for a rebellion. The Luggage is in there but I have no idea why. Every character just seems to wander around for no real reason.
The "unknown continent" itself is ...more
The "unknown continent" itself is ...more

Interesting Times is my best Rincewind book to-date *, which is bizarre to contemplate. In recalling my past impressions of Rincewind’s character, something struck me at once. I no longer feel irked but indifferent by DiscWorld’s resident irritant and craven wizard, now relegated to necessary evil status. His is a character so entrenched with fans that changing anything about his personality might result in revolt. Instead, his surroundings are changed around him, with best wishes to everyone el
...more

I'm torn when it comes to Rincewind. His introduction in the first two Discworld novels were not my favorites... but... there is always such a wealth of characters swirling around in a Discworld novel that you're never bored. The Horde, the geriatric barbarians lead by Cohen the Barbarian, are a kick. Several old friends show up as well. However, the more I think about the wizzard, I wonder if my problem with Rincewind has more to do with the fact that I see myself in him? I'm pretty sure I'd be
...more
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Born Terence David John Pratchett, Sir Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was thirteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe.
Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, i ...more
Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, i ...more
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“Whatever happens, they say afterwards, it must have been fate. People are always a little confused about this, as they are in the case of miracles. When someone is saved from certain death by a strange concatenation of circumstances, they say that's a miracle. But of course if someone is killed by a freak chain of events -- the oil spilled just there, the safety fence broken just there -- that must also be a miracle. Just because it's not nice doesn't mean it's not miraculous.”
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“There is a curse.
They say:
May you live in interesting times.”
—
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More quotes…
They say:
May you live in interesting times.”