Reaper Man
Registered by 
GoryDetails
of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 4/19/2017
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
GoryDetails of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 4/19/2017 This Book is Currently in the Wild!
3 journalers for this copy...
I got this fair-condition paperback at Toadstool Books in Milford NH, and was glad to have another release copy as Reaper Man is one of my favorite Discworld books. It's funny (of course), exciting, action-packed, and surprisingly touching - I got all teary a couple of times there... and of course it's all the more poignant since the passing of the author early this year.
The book begins with a brief dissertation on the Morris dance, which "is danced innocently by raggedy-bearded young mathematicians to an inexpert accordion rendering of 'Mrs. Widgery's Lodger' and ruthlessly by such as the Ninja Morris Men of New Ankh, who can do strange and terrible things with a simple handkerchief and a bell. And it is never danced properly. Except on the Discworld..." From there we meet the major characters, including the incredibly aged wizard Windle Poons, whose impending death [wizards are privileged, if that's the right word, to know the day and hour of their deaths, so as to facilitate returning library books and/or borrowing large amounts of money] is cause for a little surprise party at Unseen University; Death [tall fellow, rather thin, dark robe, scythe], who is summarily given his retirement by the mysterious-and-annoying "auditors of reality" who feel that anthropomorphic personifications should not develop a personality; the Fresh Start Club, a self-help group for the undead of Ankh-Morpork; and elderly farm-owner Miss Flitworth, who gives a job to a passing stranger [tall fellow, rather thin, dark robe, scythe] who suddenly has some time on his hands - and who demonstrates considerable skill (and unusual technique) at harvesting grain...
One might think this would be enough to be getting on with, story-wise, but wait - there's more. Once Death is no longer on the job, strange things begin to happen on the Disc; from an innocuous beginning, events escalate to a wild, action-packed climax in which the wizards actually get to cast spells [something they don't usually trouble themselves with], and an even better resolution - funny, wistful, highly satisfying - to the problem of Death's "retirement". I simply loved this book!
There are far too many funny bits to quote without typing in the whole book, but one of my favorites (irrelevant but cute) is:
Death (discussing the unlikelihood of someone successfully escaping him): "SOMETIMES PEOPLE CHALLENGE ME TO A GAME. FOR THEIR LIVES, YOU KNOW."
"Do they ever win?"
"NO. LAST YEAR SOMEONE GOT THREE STREETS AND ALL THE UTILITIES."
"What? What sort of game is that?"
"I DON'T RECALL. 'EXCLUSIVE POSSESSION', I THINK. I WAS THE BOOT."
Another lovely bit to watch out for is the story behind the name of Mrs. Cake's spirit-guide, One-Man-Bucket; it comes relatively late in the story, but is well worth it.
(As with most of the Discworld books, this one stands on its own, but if you read "Mort" first you'll have a bit more background on Death and his household.)
[There's a TV Tropes page on this book that's a lot of fun, but do beware of spoilers.]
The book begins with a brief dissertation on the Morris dance, which "is danced innocently by raggedy-bearded young mathematicians to an inexpert accordion rendering of 'Mrs. Widgery's Lodger' and ruthlessly by such as the Ninja Morris Men of New Ankh, who can do strange and terrible things with a simple handkerchief and a bell. And it is never danced properly. Except on the Discworld..." From there we meet the major characters, including the incredibly aged wizard Windle Poons, whose impending death [wizards are privileged, if that's the right word, to know the day and hour of their deaths, so as to facilitate returning library books and/or borrowing large amounts of money] is cause for a little surprise party at Unseen University; Death [tall fellow, rather thin, dark robe, scythe], who is summarily given his retirement by the mysterious-and-annoying "auditors of reality" who feel that anthropomorphic personifications should not develop a personality; the Fresh Start Club, a self-help group for the undead of Ankh-Morpork; and elderly farm-owner Miss Flitworth, who gives a job to a passing stranger [tall fellow, rather thin, dark robe, scythe] who suddenly has some time on his hands - and who demonstrates considerable skill (and unusual technique) at harvesting grain...
One might think this would be enough to be getting on with, story-wise, but wait - there's more. Once Death is no longer on the job, strange things begin to happen on the Disc; from an innocuous beginning, events escalate to a wild, action-packed climax in which the wizards actually get to cast spells [something they don't usually trouble themselves with], and an even better resolution - funny, wistful, highly satisfying - to the problem of Death's "retirement". I simply loved this book!
There are far too many funny bits to quote without typing in the whole book, but one of my favorites (irrelevant but cute) is:
Death (discussing the unlikelihood of someone successfully escaping him): "SOMETIMES PEOPLE CHALLENGE ME TO A GAME. FOR THEIR LIVES, YOU KNOW."
"Do they ever win?"
"NO. LAST YEAR SOMEONE GOT THREE STREETS AND ALL THE UTILITIES."
"What? What sort of game is that?"
"I DON'T RECALL. 'EXCLUSIVE POSSESSION', I THINK. I WAS THE BOOT."
Another lovely bit to watch out for is the story behind the name of Mrs. Cake's spirit-guide, One-Man-Bucket; it comes relatively late in the story, but is well worth it.
(As with most of the Discworld books, this one stands on its own, but if you read "Mort" first you'll have a bit more background on Death and his household.)
[There's a TV Tropes page on this book that's a lot of fun, but do beware of spoilers.]
Journal Entry 2 by GoryDetails at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA on Friday, April 21, 2017
GoryDetails at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA on Friday, April 21, 2017
Released 7 yrs ago (4/21/2017 UTC) at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I left this book, bagged against the elements, hanging from the gate of the historic Point of Graves burial ground next to Prescott Park at around 4:30 or so on this rainy day. Hope the finder enjoys it![See other recent releases in NH here.]
*** Released for International BookCrossing Day! ***
I was visiting Portsmouth with a friend from Oregon and I took her up to the little and very old graveyard across the street from Prescott Park. I went in and was looking at the signs when she said, hey look at this! So excited to find a book - A TERRY PRATCHETT BOOK - and one of the few I haven't read yet. So it came home with me to Sandown, NH and will go down to FL to a friend when I've done. I'll ask the friend to bookcrossing it out again. Love Toadstool, btw.
Book was found in a cemetery in New Hampshire by CarolInSandown, a friend. She sent the book to me (big Terry Pratchett fan household). I will be releasing it in one of Saint Augustine's old cemeteries. Happy traveling!
Big Terry Pratchett fans in this household, especially of the Discworld series. This one will be released tomorrow (8/5/2017)at the Tolomato Cemetery in Saint Augustine.
Journal Entry 6 by Poetaec at Tolomato Cemetery in Saint Augustine, Florida USA on Friday, August 4, 2017
Released 6 yrs ago (8/5/2017 UTC) at Tolomato Cemetery in Saint Augustine, Florida USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
From a New Hampshire cemetery to a Florida cemetery!
