Wearing the Trousers: Fashion, Freedom and the Rise of the Modern Woman
Book
In the 1850s a craze swept through the wardrobes of the women of British and American society. These...
Primal Nutrition: Paleolithic and Ancestral Diets for Optimal Health
Nora T. Gedgaudas, Ron Schmid and Sally Fallon Morell
Book
The human body's innate mechanisms for healing and immunity extend beyond the mending of cuts and...
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Raising Steam: (Discworld Novel 40) in Books
Nov 25, 2019
The main plot is twofold, firstly concerning steam trains being created (with a nice nod to Reaper Man) and spreading across the Sto Plains and secondly the continuation of the story of the Dwarves from The Fifth Elephant and Thud. There is also some continuation of the Goblin thread from Snuff. As Moist von Lipwig is the main hero (of a sort) there are also references to Going Postal and Making Money (which is also where the title comes from - this is a Moist book).
The main plots only converge towards the end of the story but this doesn't really matter. The train story is fun and fast moving, some nice little nods to the steam pioneers on Roundworld thrown in, plenty of one liners and puns. There are also more than enough references to previous books and Rincewind makes an appearance (although Death only has a cameo and there's no Librarian which is a little disappointing). The Dwarf plot concerns the machinations of the Deep Downers in trying to preserve Dwarven ways and not to modernise.
Both have impetus and are just enough entwined that one plot didn't get left behind. The writing was crisp and well paced - Pratchett seems to have finally adapted to speaking the books rather than physically writing them.
Overall I enjoyed this immensely, certainly the one I've enjoyed the most since Going Postal. Certainly there are some flaws - Drumknott is subverted from being a dry dusty administrator and the railway is simply built too quickly - but these can easily be overcome by the reader.
Recommended for any Discworld fan. Possibly not a good introduction as there are too many knowing nods and references to previous works.
W. J. Stein: A Biography
Johannes Tautz and John M. Wood
Book
Based on personal knowledge and intimate interviews with his subject, as well as access to W.J....
In From the Cold: The Rise of Russian Capitalism
Book
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has made enormous strides toward creating a...
Mongolia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture
Book
Mongolia is landlocked between its neighbors China and Russia in the heart of Asia. For centuries...
The Trains Now Departed: Sixteen Excursions into the Lost Delights of Britain's Railways
Book
SOMETIMES you come across a lofty railway viaduct, marooned in the middle of a remote country...
The Compatibility Gene
Book
Short-listed for the Society of Biology Book Award 2014 Long-listed for the Royal Society Winton...
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick
Book
From Guy Kawasaki, the bestselling author of The Art of the Start and Enchantment, The Art of Social...