I Read Books: Carpe Jugulum

Carpe Jugulum

As Magrat has a baby and Agnes moves into her cottage the roles of the three witches change. Maiden, mother and crone; Magrat now mother and Nanny Ogg pushing up the chain leaves nowhere for Granny Weatherwax; her invitation to the naming of the child being stolen by magpies has her feeling unneeded any more, and worse still concerned she might go to the bad.

The king has invited vampires from Uberwald to the naming and this kicks off the plot as, having been invited in, they proceed to take over. They are modern, smart vampires, making themselves immune to holy symbols and garlic by exposure therapy, arranging for blood to be given them in ceremonies. But there are older powers in the mountains, and new ones too.

If the vampire stuff leaves me underwhelmed that might be me, too much vampire fiction, or it might be the choice of topic – every possible vampire joke and commentary seems to have been made. And the vampires don’t really stand in for anything, except maybe vampires; they aren’t being an alternative to the political system of the kingdom (people want the king to rule them, but not change anything, and maybe Nanny Ogg has arranged spontaneous demonstrations against things as well). And in the meditation of how sometimes you have to move on and make way for new people, the old powers… don’t. Still, many solid jokes, a fun fantasy adventure.

Read This: A funny vampire and witches tale
Don’t Read This: If you want Pratchett really digging into themes and allegories and stuff