Monday, July 27, 2015

Discworld - Watching the Past

Night Watch is an immediate parallel sequel to Thief of Time.  The sudden storm that stops the glass clock appears at the beginning of the book, and the fracturing of time is what drops Sam Vimes into the past.  The other part I really like about the book is the cover created by Paul Kidby.

This is one of the first covers that Kidby did for the Discworld.  And he shows that he is as amazing as Alex Ross in his abilities to make a collage of made up people into something that almost looks real.  Kidby took the original Rembrandt painting that has come to be called "The Night Watch" and repopulated the painting with the characters from the book.

Here is the Rembrandt's original painting:


Most people know that it only came to be called "The Night Watch" because of the protective varnishes that were regularly added to it aged and darkened hiding the image.

Now here is Kidby's cover artwork:


And, this being the internet there is a comparison graphic:


All because Pratchett inspired a great modern artist.

------

Recurring themes and characters appearing in this book:

“Leggy” Gaskin, corporal
“Mayonnaise” Quirke, Corporal
Angua, Sergeant
Borogravia
Burleigh and Stronginthearm
Cable Street Particulars
Carrot Ironfoundersson, Captain
Cheri Littlebottom, corporal
Clacks
Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler
Dark Empire
Death
Detrtitus, Sergeant
Dolly Sisters
Downey, Assassin’s Guild
Dr. “Mossy” Lawn
Drumknott, secretary
Elm Street
Events of Guards Guards
Events of The Fifth Elephant
Events of Thief of Time
Fred Colon, Sergeant (Corporal)
Harry King
Havelock Vetinari, Patrician, Assassins’ Guild
High Energy Magic Building
Igor, Constable
Lord Ronald Rust
Lord Selachii
Lord Snapcase, Patrician
Lord Venturi
Lord Winder, Patrician
Lu Tze, History Monk
Madam Meserole (Aunt to Vetinari)
Marco Soto, History Monk
Mr. Slant, Lawyers’ Guild
Mrs. Content, midwife
Mrs. Rosey Palm
Mustrum Ridcully, Archchancellor UU
Nobby Nobbs. Corporal
Old Tom, UU bell
Ping, Corporal
Ponder Stibbons
Qu, History Monk
quantum
Reg Shoe
Sam Vimes, Duke, Knight, Commander
Stronginthearm, Sergeant
Swires, Constable
Sybil Ramkins-Vime, duchess
The Agony Aunts
The Ankh-Morpork Times
The Assassins’ Guild
The Broken Drum
The Bursar
The Librarian
The Monks of History
Uberwald
Uberwald League of Temperance
Unseen University
Visit, Constable
Wallace Sonky
Wilikins, butler

No comments: