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Book:The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch

2024-10-27T02:09:17Z

MishaRash: Small corrections

{{Book Data
|title=The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch
|cover=[[File:SOD3.jpg|thumb|240px|Cover art by Paul Kidby]]
|coauthors=[[Ian Stewart]], [[Jack Cohen]]
|illustrator=
|date=5 May 2005
|publisher=Ebury Press
|isbn=0091898234
|pages=384
|rrp=
|series=Science books
|characters=the[[Wizards]]
|annotations=
|notes=
}}
==Blurb==
[[Roundworld]] is in trouble again, and this time it looks fatal. Having created it in the first place, the wizards of [[Unseen University]] feel vaguely responsible for its safety. They know the creatures who lived there escaped the impending Big Freeze by inventing the space elevator – they even intervened to rid the planet of a plague of elves, who attempted to divert humanity onto a different time track.

But now it's all gone wrong – Victorian England has stagnated and the pace of progress would embarrass a limping snail. Unless something drastic is done, there won't be time for anyone to invent spaceflight and the human race will be turned into ice-pops. Why, though, did history come adrift? Was it Sir [[Arthur Nightingale]]'s dismal book about natural selection? Or was it the devastating response by an obscure country vicar called Charles Darwin, whose bestselling Theology of Species made it impossible to refute the divine design of living creatures? Either way, it's no easy task to change history, as the wizards discover to their cost. Can the [[God of Evolution]] come to humanity's aid and ensure Darwin writes a very different book? And who stopped him writing it in the first place?

==Characters==
===Main Characters===
*The [[Auditors of Reality]]
*{{wp|Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin}}
*The [[Wizards]]:
**[[Chair of Indefinite Studies]]
**[[Dean]]
**[[Hex]]
**[[Lecturer in Recent Runes]]
**[[Librarian]]
**[[Mustrum Ridcully]]
**[[Rincewind]]
**[[Senior Wrangler]]

===Minor Characters===
*[[Pennysmart]]

===Cameos and Mentions===
*Chair of Oblique Frogs, a wizard
*Professor of Revolvings, a wizard
*[[Sloman]], former Archchancellor

==Locations==
*The [[Disc]]
**[[Brazeneck College]] (mentioned)
**[[Mono Island]]
**[[Unseen University]]
*[[Roundworld]]

==Things and Concepts==
*[[Chocolate]]
*[[Thaumic Reactor]]
*[[Unseen University Mealtimes]]
**[[Dinner]]
**[[Second Dinner]]
**[[Midnight Snack]]
**[[Somnambulistic Nibbles]]
**[[Early Breakfast]]
**[[Second Breakfast]]
**[[Elevenses]]
**[[Early Tea]]

==Annotations==
'''Ebury Press hardback p139: ''' The [[Auditors of Reality|Auditors]] have created 21,309 separate reasons why Darwin fails to write ''The Origin of Species''. As this has riled Ridcully to the point where it has become personal, [[Unseen University]] is scoured for every graduate wizard who can be found, given an assignment, and sent into Roundworld by [[Hex]] to reverse the malignities. Ridcully addresses them with

''Shortly your missions for tomorrow, should you choose to accept them, will be given to you by Mr. Stibbons!''

Straight out of "Mission: Impossible," except that in the case of the TV series and films, no blame or sanction attaches to the operator who refuses a mission. However, Ridcully adds: ''If you do ''not'' choose to accept them, you are free to choose dismissal!"'' and then shows he's ''really'' serious about this by cancelling [[Second Breakfast]], as there is work to be done.

Later on in the book, when Darwin is being shown the secrets of the God of Evolution on Mono Island, he and Stibbons are treated to the sight of the aerodynamic blue whale, the mighty denizen of the skies. One is on the god's workbench, but two more are flying around in the great blue yonder inside the mountain, at such a height that clouds form indoors. (A nod to the storage hangars at NASA capable of containing an entire Saturn-V rocket, which are so necessarily tall that clouds form inside them.)

Whilst the god is trying to interest Darwin in the idea of a predator on the whales, namely the ground-to-air ballistic shark, one of the flying whales deflates and falls.

Is this "tribute plagiarism" to Douglas Adams' '''''Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy''''' series of radio shows-turned-novels-turned-TV series-turned-movies?
In a climactic scene, a blue whale is called into existence several miles above the surface of the planet Magrathea, and has a jolly good time on the way down before being necessarily and suddenly deflated... it is not, however, clear whether the God of Evolution also does bowls of petunias.

Just a thought. The programme for the 2006 Discworld Convention reveals the synopsis of a completely different Science of Discworld III, in which the wizards visit assorted fictional Marses, culminating in the Discworld-universe's own version of Barsoom: a flat square planet, on the back of four thoats on the back of a giant zitidar, while Ankh-Morpork was invaded by the Martian tripods. ''(thanks to tvtropes)''

==Gallery==
{|
|-
| valign="top" | [[File:SOD3 Kidby.jpg|thumb|120px|Paperback cover by [[Paul Kidby]]]]
| valign="top" | [[File:SOD3 Proof.jpg|thumb|120px|Book Proof]]
| valign="top" | [[File:SOD3 CD.jpg|thumb|160px|Audio CD]]
| valign="top" | [[File:SOD3 US.jpg|thumb|120px|US Cover]]
|}

{{series|series=Science|before=The Science of Discworld II: the Globe|after=The Science of Discworld IV: Judgement Day}}
{{series|series=Rincewind|before=The Science of Discworld II: the Globe|after=The Science of Discworld IV: Judgement Day}}

[[Category:Rincewind Series|Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch, The]]
[[Category:Science Series|Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch, The]]
[[de:Buch:Darwin und die Götter der Scheibenwelt]]

Mr. Shine

2024-08-04T18:16:42Z

MishaRash:

{{spoilersfor|''[[Book:Thud!|Thud!]]''}}
'''Mr. Shine''' is a [[Diamond King|diamond troll]], and the rightful and indisputable king of the trolls in the [[Discworld calendar|common year 2005]] ([[Year of the Prawn]]).
{{Character Data
|title= Mr. Shine
|photo=Blank.jpg|
|name= Mr. Shine
|age=
|race= [[Trolls|Troll]]
|occupation= King of the [[Trolls]]
|appearance= Tall, brilliant (literally)
|residence=
|death=
|parents=
|relatives= [[Thunderbolt]] (nephew)
|children=
|marital status=
|books= [[Book:Thud!|Thud!]]
|cameos={{RS}}
}}
===Biography===
Mr. Shine is first mentioned in mysterious [[Trolls|Troll]] graffiti, usually in the form "Mr Shine! Him diamond!" In ''[[Book:Thud!|Thud!]]'', [[Samuel Vimes|Commander Vimes]] eventually learns who -- and, perhaps more importantly, what -- Mr Shine actually is.

===Characteristics and Habits===
As with all diamond trolls, Mr. Shine is capable of regulating the temperature of his brain by reflecting all heat. The troll brain being a lump of impure silicon, troll intelligence is lowered by increases in temperature. Mr. Shine's ability to regulate temperature makes him quite intelligent, and intelligent in all environments. He speaks with a human-like voice, rather than the slow grunting voice the other trolls have. During a discussion with [[Samuel Vimes|Commander Vimes]], frost forms on Mr. Shine's body within seconds, indicating that he keeps his body well below freezing most, if not all, of the time. Mr. Shine describes himself as very smart, with an analytical mind and having a love of puzzles and games. He is a formidable player of [[Thud]] in both the troll and dwarf game, and he is a member, if not founder, of the [[Pointer & Pickles|club]] in [[Ankh-Morpork]].

Mr. Shine's diamond body tends to reflect light in blinding flashes. This may be one of the reasons why he commonly wears black clothing, including velvet gloves and a black robe. However, Mr. Shine states that he can be quite hard to see if that is his wish. Mr. Shine has also been known to use the flashes to dazzle or distract others. This implies that Mr. Shine is capable of regulating the reflectivity and index of refraction of his body in addition to its temperature.

In {{T!}}, Mr. Shine appears reclusive, however there is a great deal of graffiti written about him, implying some general knowledge of his existence in the troll community. Mr. Shine's motives for not assuming a public position may be an interest in delaying his ascent to kingship until he is ready. Mr. Shine is definitely known to the [[Low King]], and probably to the [[Patrician]]. It is implied that [[Detritus]] knows about Mr. Shine, but to what extent is not revealed.

Mr. Shine is demonstrably compassionate, in {{T!}} he is stated to have tried to help [[Brick]], a [[slab]] addict, come clean (although alone he couldn't quite do it), and expresses concern for his well being, bringing him to the Watch to keep him safe.

===Role in the battle at Koom Valley===
Mr. Shine played a role in averting a battle at [[Koom Valley]]. Indirectly, Mr. Shine gave [[Samuel Vimes|Commander Vimes]] several clues in his investigation of the murder of [[Grag]] [[Hamcrusher]] and the theft of [[Methodia Rascal]]'s 'The Battle of [[Koom Valley]].' Directly, Mr. Shine appeared at the camp of [[Rhys Rhysson]] the [[Low King]] as the leader of a band of trolls and requested parley.

As of {{T!}}, The Low King and Mr Shine have a truce by which at least many of the heads of the major dwarfish and trollish clans abide. Mighty mountains may be ground down by the passage of soft water, and these two deep thinkers - natural enemies but allies in their peaceable intentions - may well have set the seal for the eventual ending of hostilities between the two races.

Vetinari respects the Diamond King as the unopposed leader of his people, and as of {{SN}} negotiates directly with him as a powerful sovereign Leader, head of state to head of state. Vimes discovers he may have cooled a friendly relationship somewhat with one of the consequences of the crime he has discovered in the Shires; Vetinari, for pressing internal reasons, is unable to comply with the Diamond King's request to extradite [[Gravid Rust]] for crimes against trolldom. The fact he is similarly unable to favour the Low King of the Dwarfs may go some way to appeasing the trolls.

:
[[category: Discworld characters|Shine, Mr.]]
[[Category:Troll characters|Shine, Mr.]]
[[de:Schein]]

Thunderbolt

2024-08-04T18:14:38Z

MishaRash:

The only incorruptibly honest lawyer on the [[Discworld]]. In fact the only lawyer of his [[Trolls|species]] on the Discworld.

The mind may need a little preparation for the term "Troll lawyer". Vampires, obviously; Dwarfs are argumentative and much inclined to strict rules; there is a well-known [[Slant|Zombie]], but a Troll with an argument more sophisticated than a club? Well, '''Mr Thunderbolt''' is not the average Troll. He's the nephew of the [[Diamond King]] and diamond himself. He has articled at [[Morecombe, Slant and Honeyplace]] and is even accredited in the court of the Low King.

While [[Mr. Shine|his uncle]] is pure diamond, Mr Thunderbolt has a mere sparkle to his rock to indicate that he is "diamond through and through", and may therefore be looked at directly without risk of blindness.

Being diamond prevents him from telling lies, a seemingly fatal disadvantage in his profession, but he's apparently clever enough to overcome even this. He is so reliably honest that he is trusted to represent both parties in the partnership of [[Harry King]] and [[Dick Simnel]].

[[Category:Discworld characters]]
[[Category:Troll characters]]