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{{Book Data | {{Book Data | ||
|title= Interesting Times | |title=Interesting Times | ||
| | |cover=[[File:Cover Interesting Times.jpg|thumb|240px|Cover art by Josh Kirby]] | ||
|date= November 1994 | |coauthors= | ||
|publisher= Victor Gollancz | |illustrator= | ||
|isbn= | |date=November 1994 | ||
|pages= 351 | |publisher=Victor Gollancz | ||
|isbn=9780575058002 | |||
|series= Rincewind Series | |pages=351 | ||
|characters= [[Rincewind]], [[Twoflower]], [[Cohen the Barbarian]] | |rrp= | ||
|annotations= | |series=Rincewind Series | ||
|notes= | |characters=[[Rincewind]], [[Twoflower]], [[Cohen the Barbarian]] | ||
|annotations=yes | |||
|notes= | |||
}} | }} | ||
==Blurb== | ==Blurb== | ||
Mighty Battles! Revolution! [[Death]]! [[War]]! (and his sons [[Terror]] and [[Panic]], and daughter [[Clancy]]). | Mighty Battles! Revolution! [[Death]]! [[War]]! (and his sons [[Terror]] and [[Panic]], and daughter [[Clancy]]). | ||
| Line 27: | Line 28: | ||
==Characters== | ==Characters== | ||
===Main Characters=== | |||
===Main | |||
* [[Rincewind]], wizard | * [[Rincewind]], wizard | ||
* [[Twoflower]] | * [[Twoflower]] | ||
* [[Cohen the Barbarian]] and the [[Silver Horde]]: | * [[Cohen the Barbarian]] and the [[Silver Horde]]: | ||
** [[Boy Willie]], the only member of the horde under 80 | ** [[Boy Willie]], the only member of the horde under 80 | ||
| Line 41: | Line 38: | ||
** [[Old Vincent]] | ** [[Old Vincent]] | ||
** [[Mad Hamish]] | ** [[Mad Hamish]] | ||
* [[Lord Hong]], head of the Hong family, and the Emperor's [[Grand Vizier]] | * [[Lord Hong]], head of the Hong family, and the Emperor's [[Grand Vizier]] | ||
* [[Red Army]] (both as an army of mostly children [some named below], and as an army of nameless [[golems]]): | * [[Red Army]] (both as an army of mostly children [some named below], and as an army of nameless [[golems]]): | ||
** [[Four Big Sandal]] and [[Three Maximum Luck]], slaves rescued by Rincewind and Cohen | ** [[Four Big Sandal]] and [[Three Maximum Luck]], slaves rescued by Rincewind and Cohen | ||
| Line 51: | Line 46: | ||
** [[Three Yoked Oxen]], who is tortured | ** [[Three Yoked Oxen]], who is tortured | ||
** [[One Favourite Pearl]], a young girl whose parents were killed by the feuding warlords | ** [[One Favourite Pearl]], a young girl whose parents were killed by the feuding warlords | ||
* [[The Luggage]] | * [[The Luggage]] | ||
=== Minor | ===Minor Characters=== | ||
* Gods | * Gods | ||
** [[Fate]] | ** [[Fate]] | ||
| Line 61: | Line 54: | ||
** [[Blind Io]] | ** [[Blind Io]] | ||
** [[The Lady]] | ** [[The Lady]] | ||
* Feuding families, whose heads form the [[Serene Council]]: | * Feuding families, whose heads form the [[Serene Council]]: | ||
** [[Hongs]] | ** [[Hongs]] | ||
| Line 68: | Line 60: | ||
** [[McSweeneys]] | ** [[McSweeneys]] | ||
** [[Fangs]] | ** [[Fangs]] | ||
* [[Quantum Weather Butterfly]] (Papilio tempestae) | * [[Quantum Weather Butterfly]] (Papilio tempestae) | ||
* [[Havelock Vetinari]] | * [[Havelock Vetinari]] | ||
* Wizards | * Wizards | ||
** [[Mustrum Ridcully]] | ** [[Mustrum Ridcully]] | ||
| Line 82: | Line 72: | ||
** The [[Bursar]] | ** The [[Bursar]] | ||
** [[Senior Wrangler]] | ** [[Senior Wrangler]] | ||
* [[Death]] | * [[Death]] | ||
* [[War]] and his family | * [[War]] and his family | ||
| Line 88: | Line 77: | ||
** [[Panic]], War's son | ** [[Panic]], War's son | ||
** [[Clancy]], War's daughter-- not quite a horseman, but a member of the {{wp|Pony_Club|Pony Club}} | ** [[Clancy]], War's daughter-- not quite a horseman, but a member of the {{wp|Pony_Club|Pony Club}} | ||
* [[Emperor]] of the Agatean Empire | * [[Emperor]] of the Agatean Empire | ||
* [[Cut-me-own-Throat Dibbler]] | * [[Cut-me-own-Throat Dibbler]] | ||
| Line 102: | Line 90: | ||
* [[One Big River]] | * [[One Big River]] | ||
* [[Four Big Horns]], who is promoted to [[Lord Chamberlain]] | * [[Four Big Horns]], who is promoted to [[Lord Chamberlain]] | ||
* Horsemen of [[Panic_(event)|Panic]]: | * Horsemen of [[Panic_(event)|Panic]]: | ||
** [[Panic_(event)|Misinformation]] | ** [[Panic_(event)|Misinformation]] | ||
| Line 109: | Line 96: | ||
** [[Panic_(event)|Denial]] | ** [[Panic_(event)|Denial]] | ||
=== Cameos and Mentions === | ===Cameos and Mentions=== | ||
* [[Ly Tin Wheedle]], philosopher | * [[Ly Tin Wheedle]], philosopher | ||
* [["Bloody Stupid" Johnson]] (mentioned) | * [["Bloody Stupid" Johnson]] (mentioned) | ||
| Line 139: | Line 125: | ||
* Lord [[Nine Mountains]], dies from the poison intended for the Silver Horde | * Lord [[Nine Mountains]], dies from the poison intended for the Silver Horde | ||
* [[Famine]] and [[Pestilence]] (mentioned, but absent from the proceedings) | * [[Famine]] and [[Pestilence]] (mentioned, but absent from the proceedings) | ||
* Horsemen of [[Common Cold]] (mentioned): | * Horsemen of [[Common Cold]] (mentioned): | ||
** [[Sniffles]] | ** [[Sniffles]] | ||
| Line 145: | Line 130: | ||
** [[Nostril]] | ** [[Nostril]] | ||
** [[Lack of Tissues]] | ** [[Lack of Tissues]] | ||
* Horsemen of public holiday: | * Horsemen of public holiday: | ||
** [[Storm]] | ** [[Contra-flow|Storm]] | ||
** [[Gales]] | ** [[Contra-flow|Gales]] | ||
** [[Sleet]] | ** [[Contra-flow|Sleet]] | ||
** [[Contra-flow]] | ** [[Contra-flow]] | ||
* Corporal [[Toshi]], member of the Imperial Army | * Corporal [[Toshi]], member of the Imperial Army | ||
* [[Three Pink Pig]] and [[Five White Fang]], Privates (approximately) in the Imperial Army | * [[Three Pink Pig]] and [[Five White Fang]], Privates (approximately) in the Imperial Army | ||
| Line 167: | Line 150: | ||
* Captain [[Nong]], killed by the Luggage | * Captain [[Nong]], killed by the Luggage | ||
=== Concepts, Items, Etc. === | ===Concepts, Items, Etc.=== | ||
* God games (many refer to Shakespeare plays) | * God games (many refer to Shakespeare plays) | ||
** [[Mad Kings]], reference to {{wp|King_Lear|King Lear}} | ** [[Mad Kings]], reference to {{wp|King_Lear|King Lear}} | ||
| Line 175: | Line 157: | ||
** [[Floods and Droughts]] | ** [[Floods and Droughts]] | ||
** [[Mighty Empires]], game played in this book | ** [[Mighty Empires]], game played in this book | ||
*The many meanings of [[Arghh!]] | *The many meanings of [[Arghh!]] | ||
* [[Pointless Albatross]], bird that flies back and forth between Ankh-Morpork and the Agatean Empire for no compelling reason | * [[Pointless Albatross]], bird that flies back and forth between Ankh-Morpork and the Agatean Empire for no compelling reason | ||
* [[dried frog pills]] | * [[dried frog pills]] | ||
* Hex's peripherals: | * Hex's peripherals: | ||
** [[Phase of the Moon Generator]] | ** [[Phase of the Moon Generator]] | ||
** [[Unreal Time Clock]], parodying the real-time clock most computers have | ** [[Unreal Time Clock]], parodying the real-time clock most computers have | ||
* [[Basic Firemaking]], course taught at Unseen University | * [[Basic Firemaking]], course taught at Unseen University | ||
* [[Rowing Brown]], award won by Ridcully | * [[Rowing Brown]], award won by Ridcully | ||
* [[Century of the Fruitbat]], current century (Ankh-Morpork calendar) | * [[Century of the Fruitbat]], current century (Ankh-Morpork calendar) | ||
* [[Silicon Anti-Defamation League]] (mentioned) | * [[Silicon Anti-Defamation League]] (mentioned) | ||
* [[pig's ear soup]], peasant dish | * [[pig's ear soup]], peasant dish | ||
* [[Art of War]], a doctrine penned by either [[One Tzu Sung]], [[Three Sun Sung]], or possibly some [[Anon|unsung genius]]. It consists of five rules and nine principles (and perhaps other things). | * [[Art of War]], a doctrine penned by either [[One Tzu Sung]], [[Three Sun Sung]], or possibly some [[Anon|unsung genius]]. It consists of five rules and nine principles (and perhaps other things). | ||
* [[What I Did On My Holidays]], revolutionary book | * [[What I Did On My Holidays]], revolutionary book | ||
* Hunghungese dishes popular in Ankh-Morpork: | * Hunghungese dishes popular in Ankh-Morpork: | ||
** [[Dish of Glistening Brown Stuff]] | ** [[Dish of Glistening Brown Stuff]] | ||
** [[Dish of Glistening Crunchy Orange Stuff]] | ** [[Dish of Glistening Crunchy Orange Stuff]] | ||
** [[Dish of Soft White Lumps]] | ** [[Dish of Soft White Lumps]] | ||
* [[Shibo Yangcong-san]], game played in Agatean Empire that literally translates to [[Cripple Mister Onion]] | * [[Shibo Yangcong-san]], game played in Agatean Empire that literally translates to [[Cripple Mister Onion]] | ||
* [[rhinu]], unit of [[Currency]] in the [[Agatean Empire]] | |||
* [[rhinu]], unit of | * The ''Ankh-Morpork Dream'', parody of the {{wp|The_American_Dream|The American Dream}} | ||
* The | |||
* [[Ying]], an Agatean holiday | * [[Ying]], an Agatean holiday | ||
* [[Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle]], Discworld version of Roundworld concept with the {{wp|Heisenberg's_Uncertainty_Principle|same name}}, but this one was invented by [[Sangrit Heisenberg]], a wizard | * [[Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle]], Discworld version of Roundworld concept with the {{wp|Heisenberg's_Uncertainty_Principle|same name}}, but this one was invented by [[Sangrit Heisenberg]], a wizard | ||
* Guilds (mentioned) | * Guilds (mentioned) | ||
** [[Engravers' Guild]] | ** [[Engravers' Guild]] | ||
| Line 220: | Line 184: | ||
** [[Plumbers' Guild]] | ** [[Plumbers' Guild]] | ||
** [[Alchemists' Guild]] | ** [[Alchemists' Guild]] | ||
* [[Golden Rules]], legal code for the Agatean Empire | * [[Golden Rules]], legal code for the Agatean Empire | ||
* [[Singing Sword of Wong]] | * [[Singing Sword of Wong]] | ||
| Line 228: | Line 191: | ||
==Locations== | ==Locations== | ||
* [[Circle Sea]] | * [[Circle Sea]] | ||
**[[Ankh-Morpork]] | **[[Ankh-Morpork]] | ||
| Line 246: | Line 208: | ||
** [[Al Khali]] (mentioned) | ** [[Al Khali]] (mentioned) | ||
** [[Skund]] (mentioned) | ** [[Skund]] (mentioned) | ||
* [[Counterweight Continent]] | * [[Counterweight Continent]] | ||
** The [[Agatean Empire]] | ** The [[Agatean Empire]] | ||
| Line 263: | Line 224: | ||
*** [[Bhangbhangduc]] (mentioned) | *** [[Bhangbhangduc]] (mentioned) | ||
*** [[Tingling]] (mentioned) | *** [[Tingling]] (mentioned) | ||
* [[XXXX]] | * [[XXXX]] | ||
* [[Ee]], lost city | * [[Ee]], lost city | ||
* [[Start]] (mentioned), had Mad Snake Priests | * [[Start]] (mentioned), had Mad Snake Priests | ||
* [[The Place Where The Sun Does Not Shine]] (mentioned) | * [[The Place Where The Sun Does Not Shine]] (mentioned) | ||
* [[Nadgers]], mountain range near the hub (in addition to being a body part reference) | * [[Nadgers]], mountain range near the hub (in addition to being a body part reference) | ||
* [[Clup]] (mentioned) | * [[Clup]] (mentioned) | ||
* [[Rim Ocean]] (mentioned) | * [[Rim Ocean]] (mentioned) | ||
* [[Trob]] (mentioned) | * [[Trob]] (mentioned) | ||
== [[Roundworld]] | ==[[Roundworld]] References== | ||
Direct references to Roundworld: | Direct references to Roundworld: | ||
* {{wp|Noh|Noh}} theatre | * {{wp|Noh|Noh}} theatre | ||
* {{wp|Esperanto|Esperanto}}, an invented universal language | * {{wp|Esperanto|Esperanto}}, an invented universal language | ||
* {{wp|Pass_the_Parcel|Pass the Parcel}}, a children's game | * {{wp|Pass_the_Parcel|Pass the Parcel}}, a children's game | ||
* {{wp|fuzzy_logic|fuzzy logic}}, a mathematical paradigm | * {{wp|fuzzy_logic|fuzzy logic}}, a mathematical paradigm | ||
== Annotations == | ==Annotations== | ||
* "'So they'll sort of be in charge of themselves, will they?', [said Rincewind]. 'Indeed,' said Lotus Blossom. 'By means of the People's Committee,' said Butterfly [...] 'My word,' [Rincewind] said [...] 'I had this sudden feeling [...] that there won't be all that many water buffalo string holders on the People's Committee. In fact... I get this kind of... voice telling me that a lot of the People's Committee, correct me if I'm wrong, are standing in front of me right now?' 'Initially, of course,' said Butterfly. 'The peasants can't even read and write.'" - the Red Army's plans sound a lot like the {{wp|Bolshevik_revolution|Bolshevik revolution}} | |||
* "'So they'll sort of be in charge of themselves, will they?', [said Rincewind]. 'Indeed,' said Lotus Blossom. 'By means of the People's Committee,' said Butterfly [...] 'My word,' [Rincewind] said [...] 'I had this sudden feeling [...] that there won't be all that many water buffalo string holders on the People's Committee. In fact... I get this kind of... voice telling me that a lot of the People's Committee, correct me if I'm wrong, are standing in front of me | |||
* "[21] Much later, Rincewind had to have therapy for this. It involved a pretty woman, a huge plate of potatoes and a big stick with a nail in it." - This footnote appears fairly early in the book, and sort of gives away that Rincewind will at least survive the battle, since the therapy occurs "much later". | * "[21] Much later, Rincewind had to have therapy for this. It involved a pretty woman, a huge plate of potatoes and a big stick with a nail in it." - This footnote appears fairly early in the book, and sort of gives away that Rincewind will at least survive the battle, since the therapy occurs "much later". | ||
| Line 302: | Line 249: | ||
* ''[Corgi PB, p195]'' The exchange between the sisters Pretty Butterfly and Lotus Blossum, debating the non-appearance of traitor Two Fire Herb. | * ''[Corgi PB, p195]'' The exchange between the sisters Pretty Butterfly and Lotus Blossum, debating the non-appearance of traitor Two Fire Herb. | ||
Lotus Blossom innocently says "You mean he had been caught already?" | :* Lotus Blossom innocently says "You mean he had been caught already?" | ||
:* This echoes Winston Smith in Orwell's ''1984'', when in prison he is brought before O'Brien, who he innocently thinks is another dissident. In fact O'Brien is an ''agent provocateur'' whose role is to draw out sedition by pretending to be a rebel. | |||
:* "O'Brien! You mean they got you too?" | |||
:* O'Brien smiles unpleasantly and says "Oh no, Winston. They got me a ''long'' time ago", leaving the awful truth to dawn... | |||
==Adaptations== | |||
===[[Theatre Adaptations|Theatre]]=== | |||
Adapted by [[Stephen Briggs]] into a stage play in 2005. | |||
==Gallery== | |||
{| | |||
|- | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT First.jpg|120px|thumb|First Edition Cover by [[Josh Kirby]]]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT Proof.jpg|110px|thumb|Book Proof]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT Letterbox.jpg|thumb|120px|'Letterbox' Hardback]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT Black.jpg|thumb|110px|Paperback 2004]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT Tape.jpg|thumb|120px|Audio Cassette]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT CD.jpg|thumb|140px|Audio CD]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT MS.jpg|thumb|120px|Cover by Michael Sabanosh]] | |||
|- | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT US.jpg|thumb|110px|US Cover]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT Zoom.jpg|thumb|110px|Paperback 2012]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT Unseen.jpg|thumb|120px|Unseen Library Edition]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT CL.jpg|thumb|110px|Collectors Library Edition]] | |||
| valign="top" | [[File:IT 2022.jpg|thumb|110px|Paperback 2022]] | |||
|} | |||
==External | ==External Links== | ||
[http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/interesting-times.html ''Interesting Times'' Annotations - The Annotated Pratchett File] | [http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/interesting-times.html ''Interesting Times'' Annotations - The Annotated Pratchett File] | ||
{{series|before=Soul Music|series=Discworld|after=Maskerade}} | {{series|before=Soul Music|series=Discworld|after=Maskerade}} | ||
{{series|series=Rincewind|before=Eric|after=The Last Continent}} | {{series|series=Rincewind|before=Eric|after=The Last Continent}} | ||
{{series|before=Sourcery|series=Wizards|after=The Last Continent}} | |||
[[Category:Discworld Series | {{DEFAULTSORT:Interesting Times}} | ||
[[Category:Rincewind Series | [[Category:Discworld Series]] | ||
[[Category:Rincewind Series]] | |||
[[Category:Wizards Series]] | |||
[[de:Buch:Echt zauberhaft]] | [[de:Buch:Echt zauberhaft]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:04, 11 August 2024
| Interesting Times | |
 | |
| Co-author(s) | |
| Illustrator(s) | |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz |
| Publication date | November 1994 |
| ISBN | 9780575058002 |
| Pages | 351 |
| RRP | |
| Main characters | Rincewind, Twoflower, Cohen the Barbarian |
| Series | Rincewind Series |
| Annotations | View |
| Notes | |
| All data relates to the first UK edition. | |
Blurb
Mighty Battles! Revolution! Death! War! (and his sons Terror and Panic, and daughter Clancy).
The oldest and most inscrutable empire on the Discworld is in turmoil, brought about by the revolutionary treatise What I Did On My Holidays. Workers are uniting, with nothing to lose but their water buffaloes. Warlords are struggling for power. War (and Clancy) are spreading through the ancient cities.
And all that stands in the way of terrible doom for everyone is:
Rincewind the Wizzard, who can't even spell the word 'wizard' ...
Cohen the barbarian hero, five foot tall in his surgical sandals, who has had a lifetime's experience of not dying ...
...and a very special butterfly.
Characters
Main Characters
- Rincewind, wizard
- Twoflower
- Cohen the Barbarian and the Silver Horde:
- Boy Willie, the only member of the horde under 80
- Caleb the Ripper
- Ronald Saveloy, or "Teach"
- Truckle the Uncivil
- Old Vincent
- Mad Hamish
- Lord Hong, head of the Hong family, and the Emperor's Grand Vizier
- Red Army (both as an army of mostly children [some named below], and as an army of nameless golems):
- Four Big Sandal and Three Maximum Luck, slaves rescued by Rincewind and Cohen
- Pretty Butterfly, also Twoflower's older and wiser daughter
- Lotus Blossom, also Twoflower's younger and more naive daughter
- Two Fire Herb, traitor & agent provocateur
- Three Yoked Oxen, who is tortured
- One Favourite Pearl, a young girl whose parents were killed by the feuding warlords
- The Luggage
Minor Characters
- Gods
- Feuding families, whose heads form the Serene Council:
- Quantum Weather Butterfly (Papilio tempestae)
- Havelock Vetinari
- Wizards
- Death
- War and his family
- Emperor of the Agatean Empire
- Cut-me-own-Throat Dibbler
- Mr Boggis, Thieves Guild instructor
- Wilkins, Thieves Guild student
- Imperial Guard
- Captain Three High Trees, inadvertently dispatched by Rincewind
- District Commissioner Kee
- Disembowel-Meself-Honourably Dibhala
- Five Tongs, District Commissioner of Bes Pelargic
- Two Little Wang, the Emperor's Master of Protocol
- Six Beneficent Winds, Deputy District Administrator and Collector of Revenues for the Langtang district
- One Big River
- Four Big Horns, who is promoted to Lord Chamberlain
- Horsemen of Panic:
Cameos and Mentions
- Ly Tin Wheedle, philosopher
- "Bloody Stupid" Johnson (mentioned)
- Drumknott, Vetinari's clerk
- Reader in Woolly Thinking (mentioned), faculty position at Unseen University
- Coin (mentioned, as are the events of Sourcery)
- Adrian Turnipseed (mentioned)
- Modo
- Mad Lord Snapcase (mentioned)
- Spooner Boggis (mentioned)
- Thog the Butcher (mentioned), a barbarian hero who wasn't invited to join the horde due to his incontinence
- One Sun Mirror, first Emperor of the Agatean Empire
- Mr Whu, a dead person
- Nine Orange Trees
- Four White Fox, guard captain who is killed by Cohen
- Bruce the Hoon and his Skeletal Riders (mentioned), Truckle compares Cohen unfavorably to this barbarian hero/leader
- Noodle Jackson, trouble-making wizard from Rincewind's youth
- Seven Lucky Logs, a lucky peasant
- Leonard of Quirm (mentioned)
- P'gi Su, former Emperor, who had a famous Talking Vase, and whose name sounds like the English name "Peggy Sue", perhaps a reference to the Roundworld song of the same name
- Sung Ts'uit Li, who had a famous Jade Head
- Mad Bishop of Pseudopolis, bathed by 15 naked maidens, killed by Boy Willie
- Schz Yu, who had a legendary Diamond Coffin, and whose name sounds a bit like "says you".
- Three Solid Frogs, a painter
- Jade Fan, concubine and model for Three Solid Frogs
- Two Streams, Peach Petal, and Jade Night, ladies at court of the Emperor
- Green Necromancer of the Night, harmed by Cohen
- Lord Nine Mountains, dies from the poison intended for the Silver Horde
- Famine and Pestilence (mentioned, but absent from the proceedings)
- Horsemen of Common Cold (mentioned):
- Horsemen of public holiday:
- Corporal Toshi, member of the Imperial Army
- Three Pink Pig and Five White Fang, Privates (approximately) in the Imperial Army
- Fafa, dwarf who made Boy Willie's sword
- Mr Schism, member of alchemist's guild who blew himself up (non-fatally)
- Voltan the Indestructible (mentioned), dead barbarian hero
- Immortal Jenkins (mentioned), dead barbarian hero
- Hrun (mentioned)
- Crowdie the Strong, barbarian hero eaten by Terrible Man-eating Sloth of Clup
- Organdy Sloggo, dead barbarian hero
- Slasher Mungo, presumed dead barbarian hero (only his head was found in Skund)
- Gosbar the Wake, barbarian hero who ironically died in his sleep
- Big Nurker, dead barbarian hero
- S'ang Dynasty, former Imperial family
- Captain Nong, killed by the Luggage
Concepts, Items, Etc.
- God games (many refer to Shakespeare plays)
- Mad Kings, reference to King Lear
- Star-Crossed Lovers, reference to Romeo and Juliet
- Tempest-Wrecked Mariners, reference to The Tempest
- Floods and Droughts
- Mighty Empires, game played in this book
- The many meanings of Arghh!
- Pointless Albatross, bird that flies back and forth between Ankh-Morpork and the Agatean Empire for no compelling reason
- dried frog pills
- Hex's peripherals:
- Phase of the Moon Generator
- Unreal Time Clock, parodying the real-time clock most computers have
- Basic Firemaking, course taught at Unseen University
- Rowing Brown, award won by Ridcully
- Century of the Fruitbat, current century (Ankh-Morpork calendar)
- Silicon Anti-Defamation League (mentioned)
- pig's ear soup, peasant dish
- Art of War, a doctrine penned by either One Tzu Sung, Three Sun Sung, or possibly some unsung genius. It consists of five rules and nine principles (and perhaps other things).
- What I Did On My Holidays, revolutionary book
- Hunghungese dishes popular in Ankh-Morpork:
- Shibo Yangcong-san, game played in Agatean Empire that literally translates to Cripple Mister Onion
- rhinu, unit of Currency in the Agatean Empire
- The Ankh-Morpork Dream, parody of the The American Dream
- Ying, an Agatean holiday
- Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, Discworld version of Roundworld concept with the same name, but this one was invented by Sangrit Heisenberg, a wizard
- Guilds (mentioned)
- Golden Rules, legal code for the Agatean Empire
- Singing Sword of Wong
- tsimo wrestling, parodying Sumo wrestling
- Battle of Koom Valley (mentioned), Hamish was a mercenary
- Flume's Third Equation and Turffe's Law, used by Ponder to explain Hex's foul-up in returning Rincewind
Locations
- Circle Sea
- Ankh-Morpork
- The Unseen University
- Room 3B (mentioned)
- Uncommon Room (most universities, of course, have a "common room")
- Tower of Art (mentioned)
- Sator Square
- Brass Bridge (mentioned)
- Broad Way (mentioned, as Broadway)
- The Unseen University
- Ephebe (mentioned)
- Tsort (mentioned)
- Omnia (mentioned)
- Klatch (mentioned)
- Quirm (mentioned)
- Howondaland (mentioned), Ankh-Morpork imports tea from there
- Al Khali (mentioned)
- Skund (mentioned)
- Ankh-Morpork
- Counterweight Continent
- The Agatean Empire
- Hunghung
- Forbidden City
- Summer Palace, where the Emperor lives during the summer
- Imperial Square
- Hung River (mentioned)
- Forbidden City
- Winter Palace, where the Emperor does not live during the summer
- Sum Dim, city where McSweeney has 30 rebels executed
- the Great Wall, which surrounds the Agatean Empire
- Bes Pelargic (mentioned)
- Street of Heavens (mentioned), main street is Bes Pelargic
- W'ung (mentioned), a district
- Bhangbhangduc (mentioned)
- Tingling (mentioned)
- Hunghung
- The Agatean Empire
- XXXX
- Ee, lost city
- Start (mentioned), had Mad Snake Priests
- The Place Where The Sun Does Not Shine (mentioned)
- Nadgers, mountain range near the hub (in addition to being a body part reference)
- Clup (mentioned)
- Rim Ocean (mentioned)
- Trob (mentioned)
Roundworld References
Direct references to Roundworld:
- Noh theatre
- Esperanto, an invented universal language
- Pass the Parcel, a children's game
- fuzzy logic, a mathematical paradigm
Annotations
- "'So they'll sort of be in charge of themselves, will they?', [said Rincewind]. 'Indeed,' said Lotus Blossom. 'By means of the People's Committee,' said Butterfly [...] 'My word,' [Rincewind] said [...] 'I had this sudden feeling [...] that there won't be all that many water buffalo string holders on the People's Committee. In fact... I get this kind of... voice telling me that a lot of the People's Committee, correct me if I'm wrong, are standing in front of me right now?' 'Initially, of course,' said Butterfly. 'The peasants can't even read and write.'" - the Red Army's plans sound a lot like the Bolshevik revolution
- "[21] Much later, Rincewind had to have therapy for this. It involved a pretty woman, a huge plate of potatoes and a big stick with a nail in it." - This footnote appears fairly early in the book, and sort of gives away that Rincewind will at least survive the battle, since the therapy occurs "much later".
- [Harper PB p177] "So...this is the new Great Wizard of...whom we have read so much, is...it?" I suppose it's wishful thinking, but the Japanese film Gamera features the line "Maybe it's the flying saucer that I...heard them...talk...about...so much...late...ly?", which mercilessly mocked in the 1991 season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and was used as a callback in several other episodes.
- [Corgi PB, p195] The exchange between the sisters Pretty Butterfly and Lotus Blossum, debating the non-appearance of traitor Two Fire Herb.
- Lotus Blossom innocently says "You mean he had been caught already?"
- This echoes Winston Smith in Orwell's 1984, when in prison he is brought before O'Brien, who he innocently thinks is another dissident. In fact O'Brien is an agent provocateur whose role is to draw out sedition by pretending to be a rebel.
- "O'Brien! You mean they got you too?"
- O'Brien smiles unpleasantly and says "Oh no, Winston. They got me a long time ago", leaving the awful truth to dawn...
Adaptations
Theatre
Adapted by Stephen Briggs into a stage play in 2005.
Gallery
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External Links
Interesting Times Annotations - The Annotated Pratchett File
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