Eric, Feet of Clay by Pratchett

Eric by Terry Pratchett	Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

No, these two books are not in sequence or in anyway related, except for the fact that they are set in Discworld and are written by one of my favorite authors.

Eric was laugh-out-loud funny in parts even if the story was fairly run-of-the-mill. But, the story had to be run-of-the-mill because it is a parody. What's not to like about the talking parrot Wossname?! Rincewind, as established early on, has this knack of staying alive despite all odds, and somehow, all things bad that can happen in a situation, happen to him. And, with Luggage, Pratchett has created a brilliant character out of a box. And Eric, while not Faust, is certainly remarkable in a snot-nosed precocious sort of way. While not packing punches as it could have parodying Faust, Eric is all in all a playful riot of entertainment.

Feet of Clay, on the other hand is the third detective mystery with Commander Vimes of the Night Watch and Captain Carrot and Angua and of course, introducing Cheery Littlebottom. It's about golems, let me leave it at that. The plot is well-woven and well-presented, as always. Nothing spectacular about the criminal or the crime when Vimes finally solves it, but, isn't that how most good mystery novels end? In an effort to confound the reader, too many clues are either peppered liberally or intentionally withheld, so as to make the solution appear brilliant. This is a fairly easy read, not many laugh-out-loud moments, but certainly the usual reflections of ourselves and our limitations as humans, our theology and social hierarchy... A fairly typical early work of Pratchett, not terribly memorable or funny like Guards! Guards! which first attracted me to the Night Watch.