Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett was born in Beaconsfield (Buckinghamshire) on 28th April 1948. At the age of thirteen he had short story entitled “The Hades Business” published in the school magazine. Having already gained five O-levels, Terry left midway through his A-Levels (Art, History and English) and got a job with the Bucks Free Press in 1965.
Since then his career has become a huge success and his status from an author revered only by role-players and fantasy fanatics has risen to international best selling author. He has even been said to be England’s most well known and best-loved modern satirist. His ability to describe things with a succinct hilarious one liner was illustrated when he was filmed for a series with orang-utans in which he stated that they looked like “surprised coconuts”.
With the Discworld series he manages to weave aspects of modern life into a fantasy world that could have easily been derived from Tolkiens Middle Earth. Brilliant characters entertain and enthral the reader (The Librarian, Gaspode the Wonder Dog, Rincewind, Granny Weatherwax and Greebo to name but a few). Personally, I used to say that Terry Pratchett was like Douglas Adams…only funny. Don’t get me wrong, Douglas Adams’ books used to make me smile, but only Terry Pratchett and Scott Adams (Dilbert) have ever had me laughing so hard I found it hard to breathe.
So it is without any hesitation that “Carpe Jugulum” comes “heartily” recommended. The story involves a mix-up/mistake that only Pratchett’s vision of Royalty can make which results in comical carnage. King Verence invites “Uberwalds” undead (The Magpyrs) into his kingdom, Lancre, to celebrate the birth of his daughter. This really doesn’t seem a particularly bright move to begin with, and this is proven when the wine-drinking, garlic-eating, sun-loving modern vampires have no intention of ever leaving.
One would expect some dashing hero to save the day but in true Pratchett style the fate of the world is left to an alliance of a nervous priest with some argumentative local witches. For this unlikely band of heroes there's only one way to fight.
Go for the throat, or as the vampyres themselves say...
Carpe Jugulum
