Scenes in which Rob Anybody, primarily, uses his head for “thinkin’ and not headbuttin’” are ones that are treasured, in my opinion. In fact, it is their inherent humorous insanity and obsessive love of fightin’, drinkin’ and stealin’ that, when they have their “center stage wisdom” moments, makes the moments all the more important and moving.
But that doesn’t mean that they can’t also be wise, smart (well…), brave, witty and honest. The Nac Mac Feegle are written to be funny there’s no two ways about that. Rob Anybody, Big Man of the Chalk clan, is possibly one of the funniest and simultaneously most endearing characters I’ve ever come across. For those who don’t, I’m focusing on the sidekick, for lack of a better word. So where can I point my focus then? Well if you’ve read the book, you know who I’ll pick from the opening paragraph. You continue to fall in love with her like you think it’d be like falling for your best friend. Tiffany is precocious, smart and everything you’d want in a daughter or big sister (but probably not what you want in a little sister). This is not Pratchett’s first foray into writing, obviously, and so Tiffany doesn’t get better, she is just as good as last time, you just find out more. I could go on, but I would just be repeating myself. In the review for The Wee Free Men, I mentioned my love for the character of Tiffany. But with second and third thoughts in tow, as well as the Nac Mac Feegle, Tiffany has a slim hope of making it out alive.
But in the process, poor Tiffany finds herself the victim of an ancient evil, all because she is just as powerful as Granny Weatherwax supposes she is. Two years after she cast the Queen from her land, Tiffany Aching leaves the Chalk to learn witching from Miss Level, a singularly talented witch (that’s another joke). No, Tiffany Aching experiences the angst expected of 11 year old girls that have all of a sudden been thrust away from home and into a world that isn’t as expected, and contains girls like Annagramma: ie, mean, spiteful, and literally stupid (you’ll get that joke when you read the book). In the second entry in the Tiffany Aching series of books, and his 32nd visit to the Discworld, A Hat Full of Sky continues Terry Pratchett’s brilliant look into the world of a young witch: this time, with more angst.īut it isn’t angst that will drive you crazy, like so many authors somehow manage effortlessly. And in a series of more than 30 books that are all pigeon-holed into the fantasy/comedy genre, Terry Pratchett has made attempting this template into an art form. But when it is done well, there is seldom anything that can beat it. If done poorly, it can be nothing short of horrible.
One of the great character templates in literature is the often dim-witted, often humorous sidekick who is allowed a moment of center stage wisdom.
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