The Truth (Discworld) (Hardcover)

Many who use Pratchett to escape from the realities of life will grizzle about this trend. This book is easily the least 'escapist' of any he's written. We are given a dedicated newsman who's challenged by business 'ethics'. A tabloid competitor emerges, offering readers glaring sensationalism, but false "news". Supplies of paper dry up, the press is demolished and survival of both the Ankh-Morpork Times and its publisher comes into question. This book isn't fantasy, it's history. It just happens to be Discworld's reflection of Round world's chronicle of business ethics. The only thing missing in this account is the "market survey" to assess what will sell to the population. Indeed, the most telling line in the book is Vetanari's comment that "people don't want news, they want olds" - the confirmation of what they already believe. "News" will simply cause people to think, and we all know how dangerous that is.

William de Worde's choice of "newsboys" an interesting touch. Foul Ol' Ron, the Duckman, and, in particular, Gaspode, purveying the A-M Times on the city's streets, would have been a memorable sight, but Pratchett pushes them into the background. Foul Ol' Ron as a reporter might have led the Times down an interesting path. The biggest news, however, is an almost murder. Vetanari is again placed in an unusual position for a City Manager, and the twists of that tale are Pratchett at his finest.

One thing missing in this book is the progeny expected by Sam Vimes and Sibyl at the end of FIFTH ELEPHANT. It's too soon for that in the Discworld timeframe, of course. Since Sam appears in this book, the image of Ol' Stoneface as a parent would have been priceless. Printing and spreading the news immediately called up anticpation of The Librarian making an appearance, but we have to do with Foul Ol' Ron instead - not a bad trade, just a small disappointment. Foul Ol' Ron might have been puffed a bit. After all, the only coherent expression he's uttered 'Queen Mary says to watch your back, mister' might well have been enlarged on here. Leaving all communication to Gaspode, who has his own agenda to follow.

Long-term fans of Pratchett shouldn't be disappointed that the light-hearted days of Rincewind and the Wyrd Sisters seem to be fading into the background. We should be glad he's still producing. Years ago in the US, a similar voice in the person of Tom Lehrer used humour to awaken Americans to some of their dearly-held follies. The election of Ronald Reagan drove Lehrer into retirement, a sad loss. That Pratchett is able to keep reminding us of who we are, and do it in such entertaining fashion, is a tribute to him and encouraging for us. He's telling us that he believes there's hope yet. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

William de Worde is the wealth rejecting son of an Ankh-Morpork noble. To earn a living he sends a news letter to various foreign dignitaries for $5 each. However an encounter with the discworld's first engraving press launches him into editing The Ankh-Morpork Times, which anyone can afford to buy. Along the way he is helped by an engraver's daughter, a vampire iconographer, who has a tendancy to crumble to dust whenever he takes a picture, and a man who wants William to print pictures of his humourous shaped vegetables. Things seem to be going well, untill William falls into trouble with the Engraver's Guild and the Patrician attacks his clerk. A plot's afoot. There's a new firm in town.

This is a must read for anyone who has even a minor interest in Terry Pratchett.

Pratchett has a marvelous habit of taking well known cultural icons or products that have developed over time in our word and subjecting them to the literary equivalent of time-lapse photography when he imports them into Discworld. Typically, those devices, be they guns, movies, or the modern postal system, are introduced and evolve very quickly. In presenting them wholly formed on Discworld Pratchett highlights the perversions these great inventions are subjected to over time that are not so readily apparent when you live through the gradual changes. The reader, like the frog, is presented with a proverbial pot of boiling water and, no doubt, on reflection must ask him or her self, how in the world did we ever let things go this far?

This is exactly what Pratchett does with the newspaper business in The Truth. Pratchett does his typically splendid job setting up the establishment of Ankh-Morpork's first newspaper by the aptly named William de Worde. The cast of characters includes Otto, the vampire photographer. Otto is fresh from the vampire equivalent of a 12-step program and struggles mightily to avoid a relapse.

Of course the press needs to have a juicy story. A crime has been committed and the Patrician, Lord Vetinari, is the prime suspect. It appears in fact to be something of an open and shut case. Of course, the truth is not always what it appears to be. De Worde soon comes to suspect that perhaps, just perhaps, the oligarchs that don't suffer Vetinari all that gladly may have something to do with all this.

Events wend their way to their inevitable conclusion. Will Commander Vimes be forced to `round up the usual suspects' or will de Worde uncover that elusive thing called the truth? Inquiring minds want to know!

The Truth is up to Pratchett's usually high standards and will be enjoyed by both Pratchett old timers and those new to Discworld.