Interesting Times
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| Author | Terry Pratchett |
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| Language | English |
| Series | Discworld 17th novel – 5th Rincewind story |
| Subject | Imperial China, Communism
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| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz |
Publication date | 1994 |
| Awards | 93rd in the Big Read |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-575-05800-5 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
Interesting Times is the seventeenth novel in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, set in the Aurient aka Orient.
The title refers to the so-called Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times".
Plot
After Eric. The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork is sent a letter from the remote Agatean Empire on the Counterweight Continent commanding him to "send us the Great Wizzard", the spelling on the hat of Rincewind. The Hex brings Rincewind, and exchanges him in the auriental Agatean Empire with a live cannon. As usual, The Luggage follows, but having returned to the land of his wood and construction, feels free to seek a mate and reproduce, re-appearing at the end.
On the Counterweight Continent, Rincewind joins a previous companion Cohen the Barbarian who intends to steal the country with six other aged heroes, the Silver Horde. In Hunghung, the capital, child rebels have been inspired by "What I did on My Holidays", a revolutionary treatise by Agatean standards written by Twoflower, Rincewind's companion in The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. The villainous vizier Lord Hong leads one of the five great families — Hong, Tang, Fang, Sung, and McSweeney, and secretly funds the revolution which is only good for putting up polite posters, and sets them up to take the blame after killing the Emperor. When captured with two young rebel girls, Rincewind discovers Twoflower in the next cell, missing father to the girls, and tries to convince them to stay safe in the cells while he scouts, that is, runs as far away as possible.
Meanwhile, Cohen's horde infiltrate the Forbidden city via underground sewers, take the empty throne, but are called out to face the five lords' army. Back in Unseen University, Hex is calculating a spell to bring Rincewind back, but Lady Luck's butterfly drops a small glob of honey, distracting an ant, altering the calculation.
Rincewind falls into a mysterious cave, filled with terracotta statues, the original, legendary Red Army of the first Emperor. In magic armour, he leads the terracotta army against the five family armies, winning mostly by accident. Cohen returns to Hunghung victorious, and re-proclaims himself Emperor. Just as Twoflower challenges Lord Hong for the death of his wife, the Unseen University returns the lit cannon. It kills Hong and "Teach" Ronald Saveloy, who had tried to civilize the Silver Horde, but finally became part of them and is rewarded with a heroic afterlife. Rincewind is transported to "XXXX", an unexplored continent and another adventure.
See also
External links
