Customer Reviews

The Truth: Stage Adaptation (Methuen Drama)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just wanted to note that this is the stage adaptation, not the novel. The reviews coming up on this page seem to be reviews of the original book, not the play. I'd hate for anyone to buy the wrong version.

In the true Spirit of Pratchett, "Truth" is both fantasy and life as we know it. Pratchett continually claims the voice of the insane and unlikely, while simultaneously talking sense! He has tremendous skill in weaving fantastic tales, while successfully making a point or two and producing a good laugh in the process. Though Pratchett took some getting used to at first, he has quickly become a favorite with me.

This particular book focuses on the beginnings of Ankha-Morpork's first Newspaper, and how "the truth will make ye Fret" - if you happen to be dishonest and are involved in a conspiracy to overthrow the government, that is! William de Worde is our hero, proving that the pen is truly mightier than the sword.

This book was very funny, and as usual when I read a Pratchett book, I find myself laughing aloud as I read it.

This particular book is about the creation of the newspaper industry in the fictional Discworld. It reminded me a lot of "Going Postal" (the first book in this series I read) which traced the beginning of the Postal service in Discworld.

Also thrown in is a parody of the Watergate/ Deep Throat story, and some light parodies of Nixon era conservatism and conservative values:
"Apparently he says he's looking forward to a new era in our history and will put Ankh-Morpork back on the path of responsible citizenship, sir....Apparently he wants a return to the values and traditions that made this city great."
"Does he know what those values and traditions were?" said Vimes, aghast.

The photographer for the newspaper is a vampire with a fascination for flash photography. And if you think a vampire is the last person who should be playing with bright lights, perhaps you can see where some of the humor is going.

Also like the other books in the discworld series, Pratchett does a clever job of explaining away potential anachronisms in his sword and sorcery era fantasy world. For example, there are cameras and tape recorders in this novel, but they are all powered by magical imps. (It is kind of similar to the old Flinstones gag of having all the modern appliances performed by dinosaurs.) Some of it boarders on corny, but mostly its good fun.

Terry Pratchett is an insightful master of satire and literary/historical allusions. I can't help but feel that categorizing Prachett as "fantasy" is misleading, because there is much much more to his work than wizards and trolls; the fantastic elements serve as a background more than anything else, while the meat of his work focuses on much more universal themes.

The Truth is the first Pratchett novel I ever read, and remains a favorite after all these years. At first I was a bit hesitant by the suggestion - after all, I really have no interest in reading about dwarves and elves and things of the like - but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Although there are several elements of "traditional" fantasy in Pratchett's Discworld books, the motifs are as much a part of his larger satirical work as the "main" subjects. You can take nothing in Pratchett's novels at face value, and his work is a delight for literature enthusiasts (I remember studying obscure 18th-century literature as an undergraduate, and stumbling across a reference to some of the same texts in a Pratchett book I happened to be reading).

The Truth follows a hapless William de Worde as he accidentally becomes involved in the publication of Ankh Morpork's first newspaper. Pratchett creates a world of fabulous characters as he examines how something as pedestrian as a newspaper can change the political and social landscape of a society - for better and for worse. He tackles subjects such as wealth and privilege, politics, and racial prejudices as he effortlessly satirizes all elements of various social institutions. No one is safe from Pratchett's scrutiny and wit, and the result is a truly entertaining and intelligent novel.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Discworld novels, I always recommend The Truth first. I really feel that it has something for everyone, and serves as a wonderful introduction to Pratchett's style while delighting audiences of all kinds.

Okay, how can you not like this book? Again we are featured in Ankh-Morpork, in the dawning of a new revolution in print technology. Movable type. Now, can William de Word, the editor of the Ankh-Morpork Times live to sell their paper when they find out about the dastardly plot to incriminate the city's Patrician?

The Truth stands out to me as one of the better examples of Pratchett's ability. It harkens back to the earlier books giving the reader a delightfully mix of real-world and fantastical parody. From cover to cover images of Perry White, J. Jonah Jameson, Richard Nixon, The Sun, and conspiracy theorists flash through the readers brain giving us a new look at Ankh-Morpork and new characters who I hope will make appearances in future books. If you are a fan of the Disc's dwarven community, this book also gives the reader a closer scrutiny of that noble and industrious race, and you will also see the effects of iconography on a vampire iconographer. Underneath all the humor runs a storyline about truth, duty, and family. The first two are quite obvious considering the title of the book, but the third is what touched me. A man really doesn't have to follow in the footsteps of his family, and a person's character can really change if it is truly desired.

"The Truth" is yet another of Terry Pratchett's excellent fantasy-humor Discworld series. Populated by creatures ranging from blood-abstaining vampires to the staunchly businesslike dwarves to Death Himself (whose sense of humor is as dry as Pratchett's own), any Discworld novel is a delight.

This one, however, is more than that. The reader accompanies William de Worde, hapless hero and fledgling newspaperman, as he founds "The Ankh-Morpork Times". On the way, Pratchett examines the ins and outs of journalistic ethics, the importance of the truth, the challenges of developing a successful newspaper, and the sheer joy of finding the words with which to feed the ever-hungry printing press.

In short, Terry Pratchett's "The Truth" combines hilarity with some not-too-serious introspection. A tantalizing mix for old friends of Discworld and new readers alike.

This is my second book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld. After reading Going Postal, I had some high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, this book doesn't flow well, nor does it maintain an interest level.

Basically, a writer comes upon a printing press and almost haphazardly starts a newspaper. While an interesting concept, the characters and tangents that dominate this book becomes a little too much.

While not a terrible read, it's not the smoothest read either. The depths into fantasy are not my taste, especially the needless descriptions of gollums, trolls, and vampires. Some parts bored me silly.

All in all, it's decent, but I cannot recommend it.