Pyramids (Discworld Book 7) by Terry Pratchett
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Book Reviews of Pyramids (Discworld Book 7)
Book Review: What's a pharaoh to do?
Summary: 5 Stars
Time to turn a sacred cow into hamburger--Terry Pratchett, having established wizards, witches, and cranky policemen in his famed, kooky "Discworld," turns his attention to ancient Egyptianesque surroudings, here the city of Djelibeybi (say it out loud) and its unfortunate pharaoh.Teppic is an unusually educated young pharaoh-to-be, the crown prince of Djelibeybi ("Child of the Djel") whose father has a few seagulls in the attic, and overall is a harmless little guy. Teppic heads off to Ankh-Morpork to train to be an Assassin, but comes back home when his dad unexpectedly dies (it's unexpected because the poor guy thought he was a seagull and leaped off). Teppic is a relatively enlightening young man, who doesn't like feeding people to crocodiles, doesn't want to build a pyramid for his dad, isn't comfortable with being a living god, and doesn't relish the idea of marrying a close female relative.
Unfortunately, the high priest (who is clearly insane) is holding the reins and doesn't intend to give them up to an upstart pharaoh. Teppic isn't entirely sure what to do about Dios, but he's sure that Dios's age-old ways are not the best ways. It's the century of the fruitbat, and Djelibeybi should live it that way!
Among Dios's proclaimations is that the old pharaoh (who is hanging around with Death, and who wanted to be sent out to sea rather than sealed in a pyramid) be built a pyramid to end all pyramids. Enter some slightly deranged architects, who do their darndest to make it so. The problem is, the bigger the pyramid, the more likely it is to distort space-time and this one proceeds to mess up the fabric of all Djelibeybi. Soon Dios is siccing the guards on Teppic and rebellious handmaiden Ptraci, the gods have come to life and refuse to behave and over a thousand mummies are lurching out into Djelibeybi from their pyramids.
Terry Pratchett is at his best when he takes accepted history/events/fantasy and twists them into hilarity. He takes the most absurd aspects of Egyptian culture and makes them into the bizarre land of Djelibeybi. Not even the Egyptian gods are free from Pratchett's spoofery, running around creating havoc--not to mention the enormous dung beetle carrying the sun.
The teenage hero Teppic is an innocent bystander who just happens to be the sole legitimate heir of the old king, and his bewilderment at the various customs and traditions (which all date back centuries) is perfectly done. Ptraci is a typical Pratchett gal -- strong, independent, intelligent, and takes no guff from anyone, revealing handmaiden costume or none. The old king is also an enjoyable character, harmlessly nuts when he was alive, and when he died he ended up on a guided tour watching his own embalming (the poor guy has to watch his own organs being extracted, when all he wanted was to be sent out to sea), thus proving that Death is very willing to be nice. Accompanying them are Dios, the insane high priest who spends centuries controlling pharaohs, a bunch of freaked-out architects, a super-intelligent camel called "You B*******", and a lot of deceased pharaohs (whose dialogue is priceless).
This book, like many of Pratchett's, is acceptable for kids as there is minimal profanity, no sex, and not really any violence. Teens may identify with Teppic and Ptraci, but they are excellent characters to be read about for any age group.
One of Pratchett's best novels. Also recommended are "Jingo," "The Truth," and so forth...
Book Review: Let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven
Summary: 5 Stars
and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
On earth this passage from Genesis describes the Tower of Babel. But on Discworld it just may describe the proud towers (pyramids actually) built by the people (slaves actually) of Djelibeybi in Terry Pratchett's seventh Discworld book, Pyramids. Pyramids is an excellent addition to the Discworld series and, like just about every other volume in the series is both hilariously funny and thought provoking.
Teppic is the heir to the throne of Djelibeybi. For each generation going back as far as anyone can remember the new king, upon the death of his father, builds a pyramid that will serve both as his tomb and an eternal monument. This would be fine but for the fact that each succeeding generation is expected to build a monument that is greater than the last. This keep Djelibeybi locked in a perpetual financial crisis and has caused each succeeding ruler (Pharaoh) to lead a life that is overly regimented to the point of insanity, or at the very least officious inanity.
Teppic's father, Teppicymon XXVII, seems to want a bit more from his son then a life of idleness sitting on the throne and when the story opens we find Teppic going off to `college' in this instance the famed school run by the Guild of Assasins on Ankh-Morpork. No sooneer does Teppic pass his Assasin's exit examination (a typical Pratchett tour de `farce') then his father dies and Teppic is called back to assume the throne.
Teppic chafes at the constraints put upon him and his life by Dios, the nation's chief holy man and enforcement officer. Dios is the type of horrifically evil bureaucrat who, smitten with a bit of power, tends to be the person you must deal with at the Department of Motor Vehicles or at the bank or at the office who's biggest skill is the ability to say `NO!!!' in an infinite number of ways. The rest of the story follows Teppic's adventures as the power of the new pyramid built to honor his father causes havoc with the time-space continuum and which in turn threatens to engulf the region in a disastrous war.
Pyramids is the 7th in the Discworld series. It is far enough along in the series for the reader to see Pratchett really hitting his stride. You can see the beginning of themes that he develops with great success in later volumes, particularly in his masterful Small Gods. Pratchett's treatment of the Ephebian philosophers is hilarious. As portrated by Pratchett these neo-Athenian philosophers would fit in perfectly with those Australian philosophers named Bruce made famous by Monty Python. The presence of mathematically inclined, nasty-tempered camels was also drawn to great effect. I'll never see another camel again without wondering whether it is performing advanced calculus.
Devoted fans of Terry Pratchett are likely to have read Pyramids already. However, for newcomers to Pratchett this is probably not the best place to start. I think in order to appreciate Pyramids to the fullest it is probably advisable to read at least one or two earlier Discworld stories (Color of Magic or Light Fantastic would probably be best) before getting to Pyramids. Needless to say, as someone who was made his way through about two thirds of the Discworld books, it is well worth the time and effort to get invested in the entire series.
Book Review: A tale of Teppic's travails
Summary: 5 Stars
"Heavy hangs the head" goes the old saying. Teppic doesn't wear a crown, but there's plenty else. Besides all the gear he took up while training to be an Assassin in Ankh-Morpork, there's The Reaping Hook of Justice, The Sheaf of Plenty and The Three-pronged Spear of the Waters of the Earth. Oh, yes, there's also a gold mask for identity. All this has been imposed on Teppic since ascending the throne of Djelibeybi at the death of his father. Along with the paraphernalia, Teppic has also inherited a staggering, if unspecified, debt load. In Djelibeybi, each monarch is to "rest" in a pyramid, each one larger than that of his/her predecessor. With seven millennia of monarchs, the shores of the River Djel are occupied with these man-made stone mountains. And nobody can remember how long it's been since any of them was paid for.
Teppic, having breathed the foetid air of Anhk-Morpork, misses feather mattresses and plumbing. He is also suspicious of the type of "justice" prevailing in Djelibeybi. Long centuries of "tradition" have conditioned the populace to endure bizarre forms of justice. So conditioned that they will self-inflict punishment, no matter how illogical. Teppic has difficulty understanding this, but Dios, his high priest is there to counsel him on how the system works. There's also another voice, just at the level of perception, adding to Teppic's uncertainty. Urged by Dios to build the greatest pyramid ever to honour Teppic's departed father, the new king has reservations. Something is telling him it's a bad idea.
The bad idea proves worse than he can imagine. The ranks of pyramids contain the fourth dimension, Time, which can distort the other three if enough accumulates. Events transpire, not the least of which is the disappearance of Djelibeybi, river, pyramids and all. This situation allows Pratchett to make his first drastic departure from the image of "humourous fantasist" pinned on him by uncomprehending critics. He does so with gusto. Employing the assistance of the Discworld's greatest mathematician [not a dolphin!], Pratchett guides us through the world of quantum physics. Far from fantasy, this is serious science brought to life by the one writer who can accomplish it with such finesse. Who but Pratchett could utilise the metaphor of Djelibeybi stretching like "a lead ball on a rubber sheet" in such a context?
What happens when Time distorts the other dimensions? If you're outside, how do you return? If you're inside, what effect will the transformation of those dimensions mean to reality? What will be reality? Pratchett answers those questions in ways that will astound fans of fantasy and confound physics professors who seek ways of awakening their legions of drowsy students. He formulates a new reality in which those things we believe in but never see are given substance. Will we still believe in them when they confront us? How will we cope with the forces they possess? Pratchett poses these questions to prod us into considering them for ourselves. Can you accept his challenge?
Read this as a guidebook to the world beyond "reality" and enjoy the immense wit Pratchett uses to describe it. You won't be disappointed. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Book Review: Ancient Egypt gets the Pratchett treatment
Summary: 5 Stars
Pyramids is yet another Discworld novel from Terry Pratchett, though it doesn't take place in the same setting as the other novels in the series. Instead, it takes place in "The Old Kingdom," and is take-off on ancient Egypt. How does it fare?Let's call it a triple. It's wonderfully funny, and definitely a 5-star book. It only suffers in comparison to the other Discworld books that I've read, in that it takes awhile before it's laugh out loud funny. The whole book is definitely worth reading though, and your patience will be rewarded in spades once things actually start happening.
The book is about Teppic, the son of the king, who has gone to Ankh-Morpork to learn to be an assassin. The first section of the book consists of scenes of his final examination intercut with scenes of his joining the assassins' school. This section has its amusing moments, but it didn't make me guffaw like the City Watch trilogy of books did. The section gives information on Teppic's character, which does inform the rest of the book, and is thus valuable. It was just missing something.
There are also scenes back in the Kingdom, where Teppic's father is going a bit insane. He ends up falling off of a balcony while identifying with the local seagulls. Thus, Teppic is drawn back home to take his place. When Teppic gets back, he finds most of the rituals and values that dominate the kingdom grate with the values that he learned while he was in Ankh-Morpork. Meanwhile, Teppic's dad is dead, and he's not liking it.
Things steamroll from there, and I won't give away any of the rest of the stuff. Once Teppic gets back home, things get a lot better in this book. The laughs come very frequently, and nothing is spared from Pratchett's wit. The take-off on the Trojan Horse story has to be seen to be believed, as well as the Philospher's Cafe. And next time you see a camel, you'll be wondering what's going through his head.
The main problem with the book is that it seems a bit detached from the situation. In the City Watch books, most of the humour comes directly out of what is happening, making the events that Pratchett is describing feel important, at least to the characters. Pyramids, though, seems different than that. The jokes are funny, but the events that they are coming out of seem very inconsequential when you think about it. And when the event in question is as big as it is in this book (can't say more without spoilers), inconsequential is the last thing it should feel like.
Still, that doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the book. Some people don't like the zany, madcap type of humour that Pratchett delivers, and they should stay away from it. But it's certainly worth a pick up for anybody with a funny bone.
Book Review: My favorite of the first seven books in the Discworld series
Summary: 5 Stars
You never know for sure how you are going to respond to a book before you actually read it. I recently read two more books in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, WYRD SISTERS and PYRAMIDS. (I had previously read about a third of the Discworld books, but I'm currently reading all of them in order of publication.) I had imagined that I was going to love WYRD SISTERS, knowing that it was filled with Shakespearean references, and imagined that I was going to dislike PYRAMIDS, since I am pretty uninterested in Egyptian mythology and religion. And given that the novel was set in an area of the Discworld in which we were not likely to encounter any of I was wrong. I enjoyed WYRD SISTERS well enough, but I didn't love it like I expected. But I absolutely adored PYRAMIDS. The novel is nothing short of absolutely hysterical, with Pratchett's inventiveness hitting on all cylinders, with one deliciously absurd character after another. The scenes where Dios exerts complete control over the actions of Teppic are among the finest Pratchett has produced, while the delightful beast known as You Bastard are among my favorite creatures in the entire Disc. The scenes in which Teppeic and Dios exchange words are unfailingly delightful. But I may prefer ever more the moments in which we learn that camels are the most brilliant creatures on the Disc and that they are oblivious to others because they are perpetually engaged in working out problems in higher mathematics. The book also has a brilliant encounter between Teppic and the Sphinx, with some typical Pratchettian twists on the tale.
I didn't actually dislike WYRD SISTERS. The problem was more that I have never really been drawn to the witches to begin with. Just a matter of taste. I did enjoy the references to Shakespeare. Have the joy of Pratchett is getting his various cultural allusions. For instance, any Gene Wolfe fan will love the title of Part Three of PYRAMIDS, "The Book of the New Son." But it isn't enough merely to have references to Shakespeare; the allusions must stand up on their own, and my own feeling was that the Shakespearean elements in the book were the weakest part of the book.
So here is the paradox: I thought I was going to love WYRD SISTERS and dislike PYRAMIDS, whereas PYRAMIDS is my favorite of the first seven books in the series while WYRD SISTERS is my least favorite. Just shows to go that you need to read books before knowing whether or not you will like them.