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Book Home  Books Information Interesting Times
Interesting Times
Interesting Times is a novel in the Discworld series
by Terry Pratchett.
The title of this book was inspired by the phrase May
you live in interesting times.
Synopsis
This novel marks Rincewind's reappearance from the Discworld after
the events of Faust Eric. The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork is sent a
letter from the Agatean Empire on the Counterweight Continent (by
albatross mail) commanding him to "send us the Great Wizzard".
The wizards of Unseen University, after some discussion, eventually
realise the spelling of Wizzard can refer to only one man - Rincewind.
After using Hex to assist in performing a spell to summon
Rincewind to UU, Archchancellor Ridcully convinces him to go to the
Agatean Empire and speak to whoever sent the message. A second summoning
spell is used, which exchanges the position of Rincewind with that
of a live cannon.
As usual, The Luggage is not far behind Rincewind throughout
this story, following him across the continents to its homeland.
Upon his arrival on the Counterweight Continent, Rincewind
is reunited with a companion of his previous adventures - Cohen the
Barbarian. Cohen has brought a group of ageing heroes (The Silver
Horde) with him, in order to usurp the Emperor and "steal"
the country. Rincewind also learns that the Empire is in a great state
of turmoil - all thanks to a revolutionary document entitiled "What
I did on My Holidays". Later, Rincewind discovers that this book
was written by none other than his travelling companion from his first
two novels - Twoflower the Tourist.
Rincewind travels to the capital city, Hunghung, where
Twoflower's daughters (members of the Red Army, the revolutionary
group who wish to overthrow the Emperor). The city is under "siege"
from the five most powerful lords - Tang, Fang, Sung, McSweeney and
Lord Hong, who is in fact manipulating the other four families and
the Red Army to further his own political gains. At the same time,
Cohen and his Silver Horde infiltrate the city, and penetrate the
Forbidden City, home of the Emperor.
Whilst attempting to free revolutionary prisoners from
the very same Forbidden City, Rincewind and the Hunghung cadre of
the Red Army are captured and thrown into the dungeons - where Twoflower
is also being held. With some incidental and anonymous assistance
from Lord Hong, Rincewind escapes, and eventually finds his way to
the Throne Room, where Cohen has installed himself as Emperor, having
discovered the real emperor murdered by Lord Hong's soldiers. However,
the city remains under siege from five armies, and the Silver Horde
are called out to meet their challenge.
After deciding upon his usual course of action - i.e.
running away - Rincewind, trying to avoid the battle which is about
to start, finds his way up an ancient hill outside Hunghung. As the
battle is about to commence, a massive thunderstorm appears, and Rincewind
finds himself dropped into a mysterious cave, filled with terracotta
statues - the original Red Army. After locating some magic control
armour, Rincewind leads the army out into the middle of the battlefield
and begins destroying the five attacking armies. Cohen is returned
to Hunghung victorious, and re-proclaims himself Emperor.
Lord Hong escapes the battlefield, and returns to Hunghung
for a final showdown. Twoflower challenges him to a duel, blaming
Lord Hong for the death of his wife. Just as Hong is about to kill
Twoflower, the Unseen University wizards attempt to resummon Rincewind,
returning the cannon (with the fuse lit). Hong is killed, along with
one of the members of Cohen's horde.
Due to a slight error in calculation by Hex, Rincewind
is not returned to the University - instead a large kangaroo appears
at high speed and splats into a wall. The wizards determine that Rincewind
has in fact been transported to "XXXX", an unexplored continent,
which is later revealed in The Last Continent.
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