Maskerade by Terry Prachett
Maskerade
Terry Prachett
ISBN: 0-06-105691-X
1995
Who knew opera could be such fun?
Terry Prachett is a master storyteller- one of the best in any genre, I kid you not. Maskerade is yet another triumph from the Discworld series. For those who may not know, Discworld is a planet inhabited by witches, dwarfs, trolls, vampires… the usual fantasy suspects, but here, everyone has personality and they’re not afraid to show it.
In Maskerade, country girl Agnes Nitt escapes small town life for a chance at fame and fortune in the Ankh-Morpork Opera House. If only it were that easy. Everyone agrees that Agnes has the voice and an obvious presence on the stage, but management finds her presence a little “too obvious” and respectfully requests she hide in the chorus while their chosen star lip-syncs a la Singing in the Rain. Now if this isn’t bad enough, it seems that the ghost of the opera house has been getting a bit uppity lately and started killing people. Agnes deals with the drama as best she can, but when witches Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax come to town to recruit her into their coven, it’s every player for themselves. Funny, funny stuff.
As with all Discworld novels, Maskerade is satire at its finest. Not a fan of opera myself, Terry Prachett’s comic take on human (for lack of a better word) nature still kept me turning page after page and wanting more. It is full of intelligent wit and just enough cultural digging to make you go hmmm…, but in a good way. There isn’t any filler: every page has pearls, the energy is high and the pace is consistent throughout. Another plus about this series is that each book stands alone. Getting to know the characters and their back stories is part of the fun, but not wholly necessary. Read this book! Read them all!
Remember everyone; if it comes from Discworld, it’s got to be good.
