SPOILERS I Shall Wear Midnight/Tiffany Aching question *spoilers*

[amyjw]

Hey guys, I'm new to this, but I was wondering if anybody knew if there would be a 5th Tiffany Aching book? I loved the way the 4th ended, but I wouldn't mind a 5th, I'm curious to know how Preston and Tiffany will get on, etc. Does anybody have any ideas about this? Has Sir Terry said anything? Thanks Also, I'm curious about Long Tall Fat Short Sally. I think I may have missed something obvious, but what's the deal with her?

 

[Tonyblack]

Hi amyjw and welcome!

I just reread I Shall Wear Midnight myself and you're right, it's such a great series of books.

But I kind of think that's the last of the series now.

But who knows - maybe we'll see Tiffany and Preston in one of the mainstream Discworld books. Readers asked Terry what happened to Eskarina Smith, and Terry sort of told us in I Shall Wear Midnight, so if enough people ask what happened to Tiffany, then maybe Terry will tell us.

Or maybe (as happened with Hat Full of Sky) Terry will have such a good idea that he'll have to write another Tiffany book. We can but hope.

 

[Mary Skater]

Also, I'm curious about Long Tall Fat Short Sally. I think I may have missed something obvious, but what's the deal with her?

It's a few months since I read it, but wasn't Sally "tidal"? When the moon was in high tide position she was tall and thin, low tide she got short and fat. That's how I remember it, anyway. I didn't think there was any deeper meaning, just an amusing look at how magic could affect someone.

Mary

 

[Tonyblack]

Yes, she was affected by tides. Her name is also a reference to the Little Richard song, Long Tall Sally.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I was waiting for someone to do the hand jive, and Bill Halley was in that clip.

 

[fids]

I love the Tiffany books but felt at the end of this book we were done. Her apprenticeship served and 'her coven' in place, all done and dusted.

IMO a story about the Chalk Coven would just be a Granny, Nanny and Magrat 'rip off'.

Best left IMO and I'm speaking as someone who loved the books.

 

[Tonyblack]

I'd kind of like to know how Amber gets along training with the Kelda though.

 

[fids]

she'll have the tappin' o' the foots squared away

 

[Tonyblack]

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

But it would be great to read about the Feegles again. ray:

 

[fids]

Oh aye, lots more Feegles please.

Scunner's as they are

 

[raptornx01]

Esk's appearance didn't feel like an explanation at all. It felt more like a set-up/tease for some future story.

 

[swreader]

Esk's appearance didn't feel like an explanation at all. It felt more like a set-up/tease for some future story.

I couldn't disagree more with what I think you are saying, though I'll admit that I'm not sure what kind of explanation you thought there should be.

Esk, I think, is brought in for two reasons. First, people have been asking Terry for years "Whatever happened to Esk?" And wanting to know more about her. Thus, he amuses himself by putting her in what I take to be the last of the quartet of Tiffany books. But, Esk is not a witch--she's a wizard! And she can therefore do some things that witches can't do--like go back and find the origin of the cunning man, and engage in all kinds of time travel (including providing the "traveling now"). She serves as a necessary plot device to provide absolutely necessary information and warning to Tiffany in a way that no one else can.

Tiffany (and the readers) need to know the history (and power) of this evil spirit. He is one of Terry's best villains, both in himself (and his total disregard for those he uses) and even worse,in the way he corrupts the society existing when he reappears. His power is so great that he even gets Tiffany and the Boffo shop owner witch (whose name escapes me at the moment) to turn on each other. He destroys the ability to trust and encourages everyone to find someone else to blame for everything. Since he's dead, he can't be killed--only sent back until someone awakens him again. But if he takes over Tiffany with all her power, he would be much worse. That's why the other witches are prepared to kill Tiffany if she doesn't defeat him.

 

[MongoGutman]

I've just re-read And I Shall Wear Midnight, and although I'd like to read more it did kinda feel like an ending, the four books describing an arc from little girl to full witch - acknowledged as such by the gathered witches.

On the one hand I'm sure I'd enjoy a sequel but on the other it would seem to be superfluous.

 

[raptornx01]

Esk's appearance didn't feel like an explanation at all. It felt more like a set-up/tease for some future story.

I couldn't disagree more with what I think you are saying, though I'll admit that I'm not sure what kind of explanation you thought there should be.

Esk, I think, is brought in for two reasons. First, people have been asking Terry for years "Whatever happened to Esk?" And wanting to know more about her. Thus, he amuses himself by putting her in what I take to be the last of the quartet of Tiffany books. But, Esk is not a witch--she's a wizard! And she can therefore do some things that witches can't do--like go back and find the origin of the cunning man, and engage in all kinds of time travel (including providing the "traveling now"). She serves as a necessary plot device to provide absolutely necessary information and warning to Tiffany in a way that no one else can.

Tiffany (and the readers) need to know the history (and power) of this evil spirit. He is one of Terry's best villains, both in himself (and his total disregard for those he uses) and even worse,in the way he corrupts the society existing when he reappears. His power is so great that he even gets Tiffany and the Boffo shop owner witch (whose name escapes me at the moment) to turn on each other. He destroys the ability to trust and encourages everyone to find someone else to blame for everything. Since he's dead, he can't be killed--only sent back until someone awakens him again. But if he takes over Tiffany with all her power, he would be much worse. That's why the other witches are prepared to kill Tiffany if she doesn't defeat him.

I meant explanation for what happened to Esk after Equal Rites in response to what tony said

Readers asked Terry what happened to Eskarina Smith, and Terry sort of told us in I Shall Wear Midnight, so if enough people ask what happened to Tiffany, then maybe Terry will tell us.

that to me he was just setting up something. Something involving her son.

 

[swreader]

Raptorix01-- I understand that you (and lots of other people) would like to have Terry continue his works indefinitely. But, I think that he leaves all sorts of things apparently unfinished (Esk's son, Amber's future as Kelda, Laetia as witch, and I suppose even the certainty that Tiffany and Preston will marry--something Tiffany tries to ask her future self, but is only told to "listen").

The point is, these elements are useful to Terry in his primary focus in this book, which is the confirmation that Tiffany is a full-blown, competent witch around whom, as Granny says, her whole steading revolves. And, her defeat of the Cunning Man--who has been defeated once before (that we know of) by Granny should tell you that Terry probably has no intention of writing any more of the Tiffany books. This is the greatest test of Tiffany, the greatest threat to Disc world--and I don't think Terry thinks there's more to be said.

I think, as I've said earlier, that he's finishing off all the Disc world series (with Snuff), and will write (perhaps with others for as long as he's able, other kinds of novels. I don't particularly like that conclusion, but I think it's accurate.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

As far as I there will be more Discworld books just not one a year, as the next one is probably a Moist one rumoured to have a working title of Raising Taxes.

 

[Dotsie]

If you want it straight from Terry's mouth:

Spoiler

Terry has just said at Con that he's working on a book with Moist in it, also another book with Stephen Baxter.

 

[Tonyblack]

Yes, clearly the Moist's stories need to be finished. But I have to agree that there's a general feeling of winding down the various story arcs.

 

[Dotsie]

I would say the Watch and Tiffany, definitely.