Snuff by Terry Prachett

Reviewed by Patrick

            Snuff is novel number 39 in Terry’s Pratchett’s expansive and beloved Discworld series, making it the third to last entry in series as a whole and the final entry in the “Night Watch” subseries. If that all sounds too complex, please don’t be intimidated; Pratchett’s Discworld novels can be read in any order with no loss of understanding. It’s the most accessible fantasy series I’ve ever read, and one of my personal favorites. 

            As is typical of an entry in the “Night Watch” subseries, Snuff follows Samuel Vimes, a street-wise copper who rose from nothing at all to become Watch Commander of the entire city of Ankh-Morpork, a bristling metropolis that serves as the central location for much of the Discworld series’ action. Snuff is something of an exception, as it takes place in the countryside. You see, Vimes’ boss, the affable-yet-Machiavellian Lord Vetinari, and Vimes’ beloved wife Lady Sybil Ramkin have forced the workaholic Vimes to take a family vacation to their country estate, nestled in a sleepy farming hamlet with a number of dark secrets (as is standard among sleepy hamlets, frankly). Of course, Vimes, being something of a justice-obsessed tidal wave crammed into a lanky human frame, can’t abide these hidden evils, and sets about to bring them to light as soon as he learns of them, aided by his wife (a force of nature in her own right) and his hyper-competent (and deadly) butler Wilikins.

            Though I am a long-time fan of Discworld, it was only recently that I picked up 2011’s Snuff; it sat waiting on my bookshelf for five whole years, for reasons even I don’t know. I finally decided to pick it back up, a year on from Pratchett’s passing. However, Snuff is just as engaging and endearing a novel as any other Discworld work, and I felt like hardly any time had passed at all since I last visited Pratchett’s universe. Pratchett is often rightfully compared to fellow British author P. G. Wodehouse, both being possessed of scathing wit and excellent comedic timing; Vime’s butler Wilikins is very much a loving nod to Wodehouse’s Jeeves, in fact, were Jeeves in constant possession of dozens of lethal weapons and a pair of well-hidden full-sleeve tattoos. 

But Pratchett’s works are far broader in scope than Wodehouse’s, digging deep into the dark places of the world in order to try and make sense of them, and to bring comfort to those who have faced that darkness, willingly or not. Snuff is no exception in this. One of the central themes of Snuff is the exploitation of the weak and vulnerable by the wealthy and powerful (especially along racial and ethnic lines), and the obligation we all have to do what is right, to not turn a blind eye and pretend we never saw anything. It is not, however, a simple story of good versus evil, of light versus dark; Sam Vimes carries a chunk of living darkness in his soul, in fact, an eldritch companion acquired earlier in the series’ timeline. It is vengeance given sentience, neither evil nor truly good, and Vimes must always keep it in check , even when he knows it has a point, or maybe even several points at once. He chooses to never yield to what is easy instead of what is right, and this reflects one of the core tenets of the Discworld series: that evil is always a choice, never something inevitable. 

All in all, Snuff is an excellent choice for any first-time visitor to Discworld, though it is one of the latter entries in the series, and it is a deeply enjoyable return to Sam Vimes’ side for any veteran reader. The novel deals openly with violence and slavery (the latter through a fantastical rather than historical lens), but it balances this with a number of heartwarming sequences, and is deeply funny throughout, as is typical of Pratchett’s work. In fact, Pratchett’s ability to balance the heart-rending with the inspirational and the hilarious is possibly his most defining trait as a writer, and I encourage anyone and everyone to pick up his works, if they haven’t already. Young or old, new to fantasy or a fan since long before Tolkien, Discworld has something for everyone, and, again, Snuff is as good a place as any to start!

Ripped from the Pages: A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle

Reviewed by Jeanne

Brooklyn Wainwright is an expert in book restoration, but her secondary talent seems to be finding dead bodies.  That shouldn’t be true when she goes to visit her parents in Dharma, a serene commune which also produces excellent wines.  Accompanied by her boyfriend, a security expert, Brooklyn goes to watch some construction at the winery:  a cave is being expanded and excavated to provide a larger tasting room.  It isn’t long before they discover that not only is there a wall in the cave, but behind it is an amazing treasure trove of art, furniture, a rare book—and a body.

This is the ninth in the Bibliophile series, but the first I’ve read and I had no problem following the story.  There were several references to previous events but they never bogged the story down.  I found this to be a charming mystery with lots of my favorite ingredients:  books (some very good descriptions of book repair), wine (again, some nice information on wine and the wine industry), appealing characters, and intriguing plot.  The valuables appear to be items brought out of Europe before the Nazis took over and it appears the murder may have its roots in that era, so one can add a bit of an historical element to the mix.  

Also there’s a kitten. Let’s not leave out the kitten.

Carlisle keeps the story moving along nicely and provides a good cast of suspects. It appears at one time there may have been a love triangle between two equally gorgeous guys, but unlike a certain other heroine I could name, Brooklyn actually made a choice.  I appreciated the dollops of information on everything from rare books to the role of oak in winemaking. 

I really enjoyed the Dharma setting.  Dharma is a serene community with emphasis on “community.”  It’s close knit, tolerant, and warm-natured. Robson presides over the commune with genuine compassion and warmth.  He’s a dignified, gentle man whom Brooklyn refers to affectionately as “Guru Bob.”

In short, this was a light, fun read with just enough information to keep me from feeling I was reading froth.  It was perfect for a late summer afternoon.  Will I pick up another?  Probably.  I don’t feel compelled to go back and read the first ones, nor am I on pins and needles waiting for a second, but it was an enjoyable book.  Part of my hesitation is because it appears that Brooklyn and her beau will be headed back home for next book and as noted above, I found the Dharma setting very appealing.

I have to say I’ve read a couple of others in the genre lately that I won’t name but I haven’t reviewed because, frankly, they were just there. They weren’t dreadful, mind, but they were a bit of a slog. So it was refreshing to pick up a book I liked from the get-go.   I consider Ripped from the Pages to be a winner and would recommend it to cozy fans.

Nevermore: Brideshead Revisited, Strings of Murder, Nellie Bly, and Hiding Ezra

Reported by Jeanne

Nevermore opened with the re-reading of a classic:  Brideshead Revisited  by Evelyn Waugh.  British officer Charles Ryder is stationed at Brideshead, the family seat of Lord Marchmain.  Before the war, Ryder had become acquainted with Sebastian, the heir, and his sister Julia.  Ryder is from an affluent but not titled family, and he becomes fascinated with the lives of the Marchmains, a Catholic family among the largely Protestant nobility. Our reader enjoyed it just as much the second time around.

The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel is set in Edinburgh in 1888, where a violinist is found murdered inside a locked room.  With the Jack the Ripper’s murders in London still fresh in everyone’s mind, the police try to avoid panic and enlist the help of a former Scotland Yard detective to team up with a Scottish inspector to solve the case. There’s a bit of the supernatural in this mystery, but what impressed our reader the most was the masterful way de Muriel evoked the sense of time and place.   

The next book up was Nellie Bly by Brooke Kroeger.  Bly was one of the first women reporters and was known for her fearlessness.  Our reader was fascinated with her undercover work in an asylum where she chronicled the horrific conditions.  Her book, Ten Days in a Mad House, led to reform in mental health laws and institutions.

Finally, there was Hiding Ezra by Rita Sims Quillen, a novel based on the experiences of a relative during World War I.  Ezra was drafted, but allowed to come home because his mother was dying. After her death, he stayed to try to take care of the desperately poor family and was therefore declared AWOL.  The consequences at the time could be extremely harsh: some were executed as deserters. The book does a splendid job of evoking the region and its people, and our reviewer enjoyed it. Quillen is a local author, best known for her poetry.  This is her first novel, and has been very well received.  

Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn

Reviewed by Jeanne and Ambrea, with a note from Kristin

Jeanne:

The subtitle of the book is “Cats Reporting on the News That Matters to Cat” and that pretty much sums up the premise of this collection of strips.  Most of the action centers on our three star reporters: Siamese Elvis, who takes a dim view of any sort of change and is very protective of The Woman; sweet, sensitive black cat Puck, whose empathy is only matched by his love for bacon; and Lupin, a deaf white cat who is nonetheless a Cat of Adventure, prone to exploring the dark reaches of the under the sink or the laundry room.  The cats are drawn in little suits and ties, with a news desk from which they report on a spider on the ceiling, the discovery of a treasure trove of ancient cat artifacts underneath the couch, The Man taking a shower, and the 2 a.m. Running of the Cats.  But they don’t stop there:  they do investigative reporting as well.  My personal favorite is their incisive and thorough search for the answer to that human posed question, “Who’s a good boy?”  (Puck:  “Lupin, new evidence suggests that it’s me!”)

Investigating the mystery of the Red Dot

 The art is warm and whimsical, with many charming little touches: the reporters all have coffee mugs with “CN” printed on them, charts to explain things such “What’s in Cans” (answer: almost always cat food), and there’s the occasional “news crawl” across the bottom of the panel.

Most people who know me know that I love cats and comic strips, so the fact that I love Breaking Cat News should come as no surprise.  Like all my favorite strips, there’s a bit more to it than three panels and a joke.  The cats are truly puzzled by some of their surroundings and interpret them in cat-like ways.  There’s the mystery of the human infant, for example, whose “alarm” keeps going off in the middle of the night, but who may actually have feelings.  (Elvis is skeptical.) I’ve been following the strip online for well over a year, and some of the strips have been very poignant and thoughtful.  There’s an underlying gentleness along with the humor which reminds me of the wonderful strip Mutts by Patrick McDonnell:  both have been known to bring a tear to my eye as well as a smile. 

Reporters gather at the water cooler

If you’ve never encountered BCN, then this book is a wonderful introduction.  If you’re already a fan, then this is a lovely way to keep physical copies of favorite strips.  The strips can be found online at www.gocomics.com or at www.breakingcatnews.com.  Ms. Dunn is trying to syndicate the strip, so it may also be coming to a newspaper near you!

(Note:  I reviewed Mutts previously here.)

The weather is cloudy with a chance of chickadees.

Ambrea:

Breaking Cat News is an adorable collection of comics by Georgia Dunn that follows the adventures—or, more accurately, the misadventures—of a quirky feline trio.  There’s sweet, lovable Puck; adventurous and gregarious little Lupin; and loyal, if perennially grumpy, Elvis.  Together, they—along with Tommy, the cat from the backyard, the “Ceiling Cats” (i.e. the cats that live on the floor above), and the other outdoor cats—make up Breaking Cat News, reporting on news that matters to cats.  They report on new toys, packing peanuts (a favorite), the Red Dot, empty food bowls, cooking bacon, and, most importantly, the Biannual 2 a.m. Running of the Cats.

Without a doubt, Breaking Cat News is one of the cutest comic collections I’ve had the pleasure to read.  Like my coworkers, I appreciated the touches of humor and heart that made me feel as warm and fuzzy as the blankets the cats adore.   Plus I loved the variety of characters, loved the ways the cats interacted and communicated.  I especially loved Tommy and the “Ceiling Cats,” Tabitha (who is positively fearless—and, moreover, has caught the Red Dot) and Sir Figaro Newton.  They were delightful additions to the cast, and I laughed over their regular encounters with Elvis, Lupin, and Puck.

Truthfully, this is a wonderful collection and I can’t wait to read more from Georgia Dunn.

Reading time.

Kristin:  All I can add is, "Two paws up!"  Or should that be "Four paws up?"