Review: Lords and Ladies
Daniel Orner
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The fourteenth book in the Discworld series, _Lords and Ladies_ is the
third in the "witches" stream. Following directly after the events of
_Witches Abroad_, Magrat finds herself trying to learn how to be both a
wife and a queen (and finds things she dislikes about both), Granny
Weatherwax has to deal with unprecedented feelings of confusion, and to
top it all off, Lancre has to deal with a sudden infestation of elves.
These aren't the Tolkieneqsue, noble, kind, beautiful elves. These elves
look much the same, but are much, much nastier. Archchancellor Ridcully,
the Librarian, Ponder Stibbons and the Bursar are also caught up in it,
marking one of the only extended crossovers between two Discworld "streams".
Most Discworld novels can be read as standalone stories. The characters
and their pasts are important, certainly, and reading a later book will
almost definitely spoil at least one earlier one, but you can take it as
it is without worrying too much. Not this one, though, and Terry is
cognizant enough about it to include a two-page introduction with some
of the previous story details.
But the truth, though, is that it isn't the past story that's important,
but the past characterization. _Lords and Ladies_, more than any book so
far, has the characters as its focus. If you hadn't spent time with
Granny, Nanny and Magrat, you really wouldn't appreciate the kinds of
things that they have to deal with and how it changes them. In fact, if
you pay attention, you can see how the entire plot is structured so as
to give each of them a Crowning Moment of Awesome[1]. Nanny Ogg's in
particular is extremely satisfying, because it's practically the only
time in the entire series where we see her really showing her inner
resolve and strength.
The wizards are also given some character development, but since the
wizards are generally comic relief (or, in the case of Ponder, some
heavily veiled author viewpoint-cum-physics theory insertion), rather
than fleshing them out they are solidified. Ridcully's mixture of
thick-headedness and chivalry, Ponder's gormless, desperate desire for
knowledge, the Bursar's word salad insanity[2] and the Librarian's
absolute crushing vengeance on anyone saying the word "monkey"[3] are
all given their final touch-ups here.
Although the characterization is important, the plot is no less
interesting. Terry's wicked deconstruction of what TVTropes calls Our
Elves Are Better[4] is a prime example of what might be called "science
vs. nature done right". His idea of "iron in the heart" is complex. On
the one hand, it might be called "progress" with a certain spitting
intonation by those dismayed by it. On the other hand, Terry shows that
iron in the heart is essential so that our lives aren't run by
superstition and things that go bump in the night. He has different
characters espouse different viewpoints on it, and ends with a question
mark.
There is also a marked conflict between old and new practitioners of
magic; Granny has to deal with New Age-y Wiccan youngsters, while
Ridcully is flummoxed by Ponder Stibbon's technobabble and
experimentation. Interestingly, while the old ways of witchery are
pretty decisive in their victory, it's Ponder's more advanced wizarding
style that eventually wins in later books. I see this as a sort of
comment on how nature needs to stay true to itself, while science needs
to evolve.
Although there are many excellent points to the book, there's still
something disjointed about the narrative. When I think back on it I get
a series of still shots rather than a single stream of plot like some
other books. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just a thing.
_Lords and Ladies_ is classic Pratchett and a great read.
[1] http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CrowningMomentOfAwesome
[2] http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TalkativeLoon
[3] http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BerserkButton
[4] http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OurElvesAreBetter
--
http://roleplayingjew.blogspot.com/ - An Orthodox Jew who plays Japanese
role-playing games? Strange but true!
Kris Overstreet
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>There is also a marked conflict between old and new practitioners of
>magic; Granny has to deal with New Age-y Wiccan youngsters, while
>Ridcully is flummoxed by Ponder Stibbon's technobabble and
>experimentation. Interestingly, while the old ways of witchery are
>pretty decisive in their victory, it's Ponder's more advanced wizarding
>style that eventually wins in later books. I see this as a sort of
>comment on how nature needs to stay true to itself, while science needs
>to evolve.
I rather think you missed the point here entirely. Granny didn't
defeat the "new coven", particularly Diamanda, because old witchcraft
was better than new witchcraft. The basic reason Granny won was that
Diamanda was unwilling to pay the price power demands. She tried to
get power for free and to use it freely, and as a result she first
lost the duel (in the court of public opinion), and then her freedom
when the price came due.
The New Coven was present both to satirize modern Wicca and to present
a basic moral contrast, and apparently the second purpose utterly
passed you by.
Redneck
http://www.wlpcomics.com/
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Daniel Orner
Yes, there is that dynamic as well (it certainly isn't the *only* point
of conflict as you make it sound). However, note that in later books,
the "new coven's" way of doing things is never mentioned again,[1] while
Ponder's machinations become the de facto wizardry. So perhaps the
individual conflict of the book wasn't necessarily about it, there is a
sort of "survival of the fittest" that becomes evident when looking at
*later* books.
Let's also not forget that Diamanda wasn't the only member of the "new
coven". Her friends didn't try to continue her way of doing things
without Diamanda's flaws; they immediately tried to latch onto Granny.
Agnes ended up becoming a "classic" witch rather than a "modern" one,
and she certainly had none of Diamanda's ambitions.
Finally, while Diamanda's desire for power is what made her lose, it
isn't what fueled the original conflict, nor did it change the result.
[1] Unless you count Mrs. Earwig, who's portrayed as much of an idiot as
Diamanda was. *Without* the extra power Diamanda brought, the "new
witchcraft" is totally useless.