Thief of Time

Inhoud

Time is a resource. Everyone knows it has to be managed.

And on the Discworld that is the job of the Monks of History, who store it and pump it from the places where it's wasted (like the underwater - how much time does a codfish need?) to places like cities, where there's never enough time.

But the construction of the world's first truly accurate clock starts a race against, well, time for Lu Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd. Because it will stop time. And that will only be the start of everyone's problems.

"Thief Of Time" comes complete with a full supporting cast of heroes, villains, yetis, martial artists and Ronnie, the fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse (who left before they became famous).

Bespreking

When you have some time to kill...

Of course, it is only a clock, a machine devised with the sole purpose of telling time. Yes, it is an accurate clock. An extremely accurate clock to say the least. But why would it do any harm. It wouldn't be stopping time, would it? No way. Or it must be that it's located on the Discworld, a place where time is slow to wake-up and has some strange habit disappearing when needed the most. When Jeremy, an excellent craftsman although quite a bit estranged from realty, decides to make the perfect clock, he is doing more than just killing time... a lot more.

Where does he keep getting those great ideas? This time Terry Pratchett takes his readers on a trip through the quantum space of time. Although many characters excel in doing a great return performance -like the pieced-together Igor and Death with his entire family- it are the new players that steal the show. Lu Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd show us how much fun you can have with keeping it humble. No wonder they resonate so well with things that will make you think about Buddhism. But certainly the most hilarious newcomer must me Ronnie, or previously known as the fifth Horsemen of the Apocalypse. But do not bother him too much, because he has to finish his milk round before his customers get annoyed.

The Thief of Time is again an excellent showcase of the talented and versatile Terry Pratchett. A must read for anyone with some time to kill.