SOUNDTRACK: hiatus
[READ: February 2022] Hogfather
I don’t know that I’d call many Discworld books “exciting.” They’re funny, thoughtful, clever, interesting and so much more. But usually not “exciting. ” But there’s something about Hogfather that makes it an incredibly exciting read.
It starts with the Auditors. We haven’t seen them in a while. The last time we saw them, they basically fired Death because he was getting too involved with humanity. The Auditors are gray spectral beings who exist to make the sure the world is running correctly. If any of them acts even remotely like an individual, he is instantly zapped and replaced with a new even more neutral Auditor.
And what makes the world not run smoothly? Humanity. Really, the Auditors hate humanity. And they think they have finally figured out a way to make things run more smoothly. They decide to get rid of the Hogfather.
The Hogfather is more or less Santa Claus, but with a Discworld twist. Yes, he grants children’s wishes on Hogswatchnight (December 32–which takes its name from the Scottish celebration for the last day of the calendar year–Hogmanay) and brings them presents, but his sleigh is pulled by four wild boars, Gouger, Rooter, Tusker and Snouter. We don’t see much of the actual Hogfather because once Death learns that Hogfather is… incapacitated, Death decides to take over his duties for the night. Why? Because if Hogfather doesn’t exist then the Sun will not rise. This is nonsense, of course. Isn’t it? (more…)
I Just Read About That... 