Sadly Soul Music was the first Terry Pratchett book that was long enough for me to invoke the 150 page rule. I wanted to like this book, but I couldn’t.
Imp y Celyn is a harpist who joins up with a dwarf, Glod, and a troll to play “music with rocks in.” Even though they can’t afford to join the Musician’s Guild, a ruthless manager attaches himself to them: Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler, introduced in Guards! Guards! saying such things as, It’s cutting me own throat to sell you this fine merchandise.
Meanwhile, Death takes a holiday. Again. This time he joins the Klatchian Foreign Legion. His granddaughter, Susan, takes over the job, much to her own surprise. And much like her father, Mort, there’s someone she can’t allow to die, and this affects the musicians.
The musicians’ biggest fans are the wizards, who continue to annoy me. Led by the Dean, they can’t get enough of Music with Rocks In. I kept hoping that when the band gave their Big Concert that would be amusing, but around page 240, I realized I’ve never been obsessed enough with rock ‘n’ roll to enjoy the jokes and I pulled the needle across the record.
That’s okay. There’s plenty more platters in that stack.
Writing Every Day 