venerdì 15 dicembre 2006

Thud!


Pungente e raffinata come sempre, l'ironia di Pratchett [...era un po' che non vi rompevo con sta storia... ;-P ] si focalizza questa volta sullo scontro tra civiltà, sul Codice da Vinci e sui fanatici di board game, senza però trascurare gli elementi ed i personaggi che hanno reso famoso il filone dela Guardia Cittadina [...anche se qualcuno meritava un po' più di spazio...]. Solo una cosa gli critico... non doveva mettermi alla fine del libro il primo capitolo del prossimo! :-P



Chess in particular had always annoyed [Vimes]. It was the dumb way the pawns went off and slaughtered their fellow pawns while the kings lounged about doing nothing that always got to him; if only the pawns united, maybe talked the rooks round, the whole board could've been a republic in a dozen moves.

Six o'clock, prompt. Every day. Read to Young Sam. No excuses. He'd promised himself that. No excuses. No excuses at all. Once you had a good excuse, you opened the door to bad excuses.

"What kind of human creates his own policeman?"
"One who fears the dark."
"And so he should," said the entity, with satisfaction.
"Indeed. But I think you misunderstand. I am not here to keep darkness out. I'm here to keep it in."

That was a phrase of Sybil's that got to him, She'd announce at lunch: "We must have the pork tonight, it needs eating up." Vimes never had an actual problem with this, because he'd been raised to eat what was put in front of him, and do it quickly, too, before someone else snatched it away. He was just puzzled at the suggestion that he was there to do the food a favour.

Sybil: "Do you remember when we last went on holiday, Sam?"
Vimes: "That wasn't really a holiday, dear."
Sybil: "Well, it was very interesting, all the same."
Vimes: "Yes, dear. Werewolves tried to eat me."

Vimes: "There's a Silicon Anti-Defamation League march in Water Street and I've got traffic backed up all the way to Least Gate--"
Vetinari: "I'm sure it can wait, commander."
Vimes: "Yes, sir. That's the trouble, sir. That's what it's doing."

It looked like something knitted as a present by a colour-blind aunt, the sort of thing you wouldn't dare throw away in case the rubbish collectors laughed at you and kicked your bins over.

Pessimal: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? your grace."
Vimes: "I know that one. Who watches the watchmen? Me, Mr. Pessimal."
Pessimal: "Ah, but who watches you, your grace?"
Vimes: "I do that, too. All the time."

Cheery: "It's only stamps, sir. I mean, there's no law against stamps..."
Vimes: "There ought to be one against being a bloody fool!"
Cheery: "If there was, sir, we'd be on overtime every day!"

Sir Reynold: "[The painting] drove Rascal quite mad, poor fellow. It took him sixteen years to complete!"
Nobby: "That's nothing. Fred here hasn't finished painting his kitchen yet, and he started twenty years ago!"

Vimes leaned back. "Don't try to put me at my ease, Miss von Humpeding,"he said. "It makes me nervous when people do that."

Vetinari: "What would you do if I asked you an outright question, Vimes?"
Vimes: "I'd tell you a downright lie, sir."
Vetinari: "Then I will not do so."
Vimes: "Thank you, sir. Nor will I."

[Vimes] gave Vetinari the look which said: if you take this any further I will have to lie.
Vetinari returned one which said: I know.

"Don't get many gods in here, as a rule," said Vimes. "Someone's pinched the Secret of Fire, have you seen my golden apple?"


Stavolta però si sono veramente presi sul serio con il realismo: il gioco da tavolo lo hanno ealizzato per davvero. :-P


6 commenti:

  1. (coincidenza: giusto oggi ho comprato "piedi d'argilla" che mi avevi consigliato tempo fa...)

    RispondiElimina
  2. curioso...non avevo mai sentito parlare di questo autore, ma da quello che ho letto mi incuriosisce parecchio.

    Mi link qualcosa?

    RispondiElimina
  3. e tu saresti capace d'essere meno scialbo ?

    RispondiElimina
  4. latartaruga: Il libro lo puoi prendere online o richiederlo da Feltrinelli. Il gioco temo si possa comperare solo online, non mi sono informato.

    riccionascosto: Poi fammi sapere che ne pensi. :-)

    RispondiElimina
  5. Cascha: De bustibus non disputandum est. :-)

    RispondiElimina