Time and seasons

[Woofb]

Anyone else love the use of time and seasons in.Discworld? They become almost another character pulling you throughout the book. The freezing winters in The Truth, Hogfather and Wintersmith. The rain trapping the Lancrastians in Wyrd Sisters. The restless midsummer-night's-dream in Lords and Ladies, and hot summer to autumn in Reaper Man'. Unseasonal midsummer weather in Night Watch. The "dance of the sneaso's" (snerk!) in Wintersmith, where I visualise the Cornucopia &c as rather like those Arcimboldo paintings where the space around the subjects is made up of food and harvest items--the potential for spring, summer and plenty. Autumn fogs in Feet of Clay , Carpe Jugulum and Masquerade. And the jarring transitions between midwinter and hot summer as the Unseen faculty travel to Fourecks and discover some really rapid evolution. (one thing I don't love in the Discworld books is PTerry's choice not to use chapters in almost all the books, because it makes them a pig to navigate on a Kindle)

 

[Tonyblack]

I must confess that I hadn't thought of the seasons in the books very much, but you are absolutely right. The awful snow in Wintersmith and how it was such a threat to the people experiencing it. I also like how Terry would create a character of the Smell in A-M. That was almost a season unto itself.

 

[=Tamar]

I enjoy how the seasons and the weather both are characterized almost as intelligent beings, in line with the theme of the particular story. In Wyrd Sisters for instance, the storm is an actor.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Hmm. Same thing at the start of Maskerade, where the thunder grumbles like an old man who can't find his teeth (or similar).