Discworld – Soul Music

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld – Soul Music: A Novel of Discworld is a 1996 comic fantasy novel by British author Terry Pratchett, the sixteenth book in the Discworld series.

Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett’s “Soul Music” is the 16th book in the Discworld series, published in 1994. The story follows the adventures of young aspiring musician Imp y Celyn, who discovers that his music has the power to raise the dead. With the help of his friends, he sets out to make a name for himself in the music industry. But as his popularity grows, so does the danger.

Life and career

Sir Terry Pratchett, OBE, was an English author of fantasy novels, especially the Discworld series. He is known for his humour and satire. In 1987, he was the UK’s bestselling author.Pratchett’s first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which came The Light Fantastic in 1986. Over forty Discworld novels have been published since then; the most recent being Snuff, published in 2011.

In 2001 he suffered a minor stroke and then a more serious one in 2008. On 12 September 2007 it was announced that Pratchett had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015 at his home in Wiltshire, aged 66 years.

Major works

Most of Terry Pratchett’s novels take place on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle. The books frequently parody or take inspiration from J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare, as well as Traditional stories, often telling them from the point of view of a character within that story (e.g., “Wyrd Sisters” is based on Macbeth).

Pratchett’s first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic (1983), was subtitled (tongue-in-cheek) “A Discworld Novel”. Since then he has written 41 Discworld novels over a period of almost 32 years; the most recent being Snuff published in October 2011. He has also written five collections of short stories and four non-Discworld books: Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman), Strata, Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook and Truckers. In addition to these he has been involved in writing five computer games (as well as game concept work for two further games), 18 graphic novels and three stage plays though none have been adapted for television or cinema.

The Discworld series

Discworld is a series of fantasy novels written by British author Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which are in turn standing on the back of a giant turtle.

Plot

The fourteenth Discworld novel, Soul Music tells the story of Susan Sto Helit, granddaughter of Death, and her dotty great-aunt Isobel, who go on the run from their home in Ankh-Morpork to escape an arranged marriage. Along the way they meet a mysterious bard named Imp y Celyn, who Susan is shocked to discover is actually a tree. When Imp is recruited by The Quire, an all-elf rock band fronted by Glod Glodsson, to replace their deceased lead singer, Susan finds herself drawn into their world. As the band’s popularity soars, Susan must contend with Elf radicals, angry trolls, and unexpected romance. With its unforgettable characters and delightfully witty prose, Soul Music is a joyous ode to the power of music – and one of Terry Pratchett’s most beloved novels.

Characters

The main character in the series is named after the author, Terry Pratchett. He is a wizard and the head of the Unseen University, a place where wizards go to learn magic. He is also the captain of the watch, a group of people who keep the peace in Ankh-Morpork.

other characters include:
-Rincewind: A wizard who can’t do magic, he is often in danger and goes on many adventures.
-Death: A skeleton who rides around on a horse named Binky and takes people’s souls when they die.
-The Librarian: A man with a long beard who turns into an orangutan. He is very strong and loves books.
-The Patrician: The ruler of Ankh-Morpork. He is a clever man who is always looking out for his city.
-Nanny Ogg: A witch who is very wise and knows a lot about herbal medicine.

Reception

Reception to the Discworld series has been generally positive, with critics praising Pratchett’s humor and imagination. The series has also been a commercial success, with over 85 million books sold by 2011.

Soul Music

Soul Music is a fantasy novel by British author Terry Pratchett, published in 1994. It is the sixteenth novel in the Discworld series and the second to be based on the character of Death. The book tells the story of Susan Sto Helit, Death’s granddaughter, who tries to stop a rock band from playing a dangerous and magical piece of music.

Plot

The story follows the life of young musician Imp y Celyn, who joins a band called the Iwoop as its lead guitarist. Imp falls in love with Susan Sto Helit, the band’s new singer. Together, they take the band to the top of the charts with their unique style of “soul music”: a mix of rock and roll, blues, and country.

However, all is not well in Discworld. The music of soul is literally killing people, and only Susan seems to be aware of the danger. As the death toll rises, she must find a way to stop the music before it destroys everything she loves.

Characters

The story revolves around the Discworld’s most famous rock band, The Comsat Angels, and their new lead singer, Susan Sto Helit.

The Angels are on the verge of breaking up, due to both creative differences and the death of their original lead singer, Buddy Holly. They are persuaded to stay together by their manager, Irving Braxiatel, who convinces them to audition Susan as their new lead singer.

Susan is a teenage girl who has recently inherited the job of “Discworld’s Death” from her grandfather. She is reluctant to take on the role, but soon realizes that she is the only one who can do it properly.

The Comsat Angels’ first gig with Susan is a disaster, as she is unable to connect with the audience. However, she eventually comes to understand the power of music and uses it to save the day when the band’s van breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

The Soul Music story arc continues in the next two Discworld novels, Interesting Times and The Last Continent.

Reception

Soul Music was generally well-received by reviewers. In a contemporary review for The Times, Jon Nichol wrote that “there are few writers working in any genre today who can match the height of Terry Pratchett’s imagination”, and described the book as “a riotous, truth-seeking rock ‘n’ roll fantasy”.[1] In a retrospective review for SF Site, John O’Neill praised the novel’s handling of serious themes and remarked that “one of the hallmarks of Pratchett’s work is how well he integrates comedy with more serious underpinnings.”[2]