SPOILERS Feet of Clay Discussion **Spoilers**

[Ponderstibbons]

Yes. Dorfl smashes the treadmills and frees the animals, but doesn't tell them what happens next. They are terrified of freedom (as we can see in the scenes with Fred Colon), which is similar to what happened to the people after Lorenzo was decapitated.

It's appropriate that Dorfl should have this discussion with Vimes. "Welcome to the world", etc. It is indeed (or can be) frightening to be free.

You are absolutely right Rath. That " welcome to the world", gave me much to reflect on. Loved Feet Of Clay. Onwards and upwards to Hogfather!!

 

[RathDarkblade]

Glad you enjoyed Feet of Clay! It's one of my favourite Discworld books.

 

[FluffyVixen]

Am I crazy or is this book by and large parodying Asimov's "I, Robot"? We have a cop investigating robot's crime, and "the words" are kind of like 3 (4) laws of robotics. Unfortunately I am not actually familiar with the source material, only the movie adaptation starting Will Smith.

 

[raisindot]

I haven't read FOC in a while, so I don't specifically remember the parts with Asimov's laws of robotics quoted, but the book as a whole is not a parody of I, Robot. It's a much more meaningful examination of what it means to be sentient and moral and the benefit and price of free will, using the Eastern European Jewish folklore of golems as s starting point. (Note: I don't believe that the Jewish golems had chems placed in their heads. That may have been a Pterry innovation.)

 

[RathDarkblade]

Am I crazy or is this book by and large parodying Asimov's "I, Robot"? We have a cop investigating robot's crime, and "the words" are kind of like 3 (4) laws of robotics. Unfortunately I am not actually familiar with the source material, only the movie adaptation starting Will Smith.

Hmm, the only thing that reminds me of "I, Robot" is the question that Vimes asks Dorfl at the end ("What are your duties?"), and Dorfl's response.

I haven't read FOC in a while, so I don't specifically remember the parts with Asimov's laws of robotics quoted, but the book as a whole is not a parody of I, Robot. It's a much more meaningful examination of what it means to be sentient and moral and the benefit and price of free will, using the Eastern European Jewish folklore of golems as s starting point.

Exactly.

(Note: I don't believe that the Jewish golems had chems placed in their heads. That may have been a Pterry innovation.)

They did not. A golem's chem (derived from the Jewish word shem, "name") was written on its forehead. If a golem went berserk, a standard way to stop it was to erase its chem, which was easier said than done.

This wasn't a cruel thing to do, by the way. A golem was not a living thing. The legend of the golem arose in response to the East European anti-Jewish pogroms of the time. (The Golem of Prague is the original one).

Terry definitely invented the chem being placed in a golem's head, but that's fine, and leads to one of the most powerful tear-jerkers I've ever read: WORDS IN THE HEAD CANNOT BE TAKEN.

 

[Molokov]

There are references to I, Robot (and the laws of robotics), for sure, but there's also references to Robocop - more than one! And even Bladerunner, and the Name of the Rose, and more...

Have a read:

https://lspace.org/books/apf/feet-of-clay.html

Hmm, the only thing that reminds me of "I, Robot" is the question that Vimes asks Dorfl at the end ("What are your duties?"), and Dorfl's response.

These are actually a Robocop reference, but I can see how they might somewhat echo Asimov as well.