'The Truth' is the twenty-fifth of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of books, which do for the fantasy genre what Douglas Adams' 'Hitch-hikers' did for (or perhaps to) science-fiction. The Discworld is a world that, sticking two fingers up to the law of physics, is a flat disc that does stand on the back of four elephants that in turn stand patiently on the back of a space-swimming turtle, Great A'Tuin. Previous books have dealt with such issues as the trials and difficulties of being a fairy godmother, movies, Macbeth, religion and war. 'The Truth' concerns those fine, upstanding men and women of the press. 'The Truth' in question, is that of news.
The book is set in Ankh-Morpork, the grandest of cities and one of Terry's favourite locations for his stories. Ankh Morpork is, very broadley speaking, 17th century London if the toilets didn't work. William de Worde, self-exiled son of a noble family, makes his living by writing a newsletter for a few noble families outside the city who want to know what's going on. Then, some dwarves, new in town, cross his path with a new invention, a printing press, and before he knows whats happening he's created the city's first newspaper.
On day two he's having difficulties finding stories for himself and his staff (which includes a vampire who is keen on doing flash photography except that every time he takes a picture he crumbles to dust), so it's lucky that the Patrician of the city has been arrested for apparently stabbing his secretary and trying to escape the city on a donkey loaded with booty. However, as William struggles to avoid the City Watch long enough to write the story, he realises that 'the truth' doesn't make sense. And when he's menaced by the Kray Twin-like Mister Pin and Mister Tulip it's time to find out whether he will really die for his story...
Full of in-jokes and allusions, new readers and non-British may find this book a little difficult to get into. Terry writes in his customary quick style, enjoying putting the boot in and probably informed by his previous life working on a local newspaper. Unfortunately, where as previous stories have taken whatever the subject was and put them in seamlessly (being a fictional universe the Discworld finds itself susceptible to attacks by rogue stories quite frequently) it's a struggle to get a newspaper to fit into the story here. The City Watch, stars of many of their own books, are relegated to second-string status here. If they were not around then it is not difficult to see a new hero like William struggling to solve it. But really, they should have it dealt with before he's had his breakfast. It is interesting, for people who have read the other books, to look at the Watch from outside for a change, we see them almost entirely through William's eyes which gives them a new dimension.
And because characters like the Patrician and Vimes, the Chief of Police, are established characters you know that Terry is not actually going to do anything to them, which robs events of their drama. In many ways, the plot seems cobbled together from other stories, people regularly try to take over the city despite the fact that it's quite a thankless job. But it works better not as a story in itself but as a frame to hang a satire about newspapers and their ethics upon. And this is more successfully done, with digs at the tabloids and their stories of humourous veg and women giving birth to strange children (which is matter-of-fact on the Discworld).
If you are a newcomer to the works of Mr. Pratchett then I would recommend an earlier work, such as 'Wyrd Sisters', 'Moving Pictures' or 'Small Gods'. If you are an established reader then you will probably buy this anyway, it's not bad just average and Terry Pratchett's average is certainly what other authors would struggle to reach.
It certainly continues the fine tradition of British books being sold in America with truly ghastly covers...
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