Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23; Witches, #6)

Title: Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23; Witches, #6)

Author: Terry Pratchett

Published in: 1998

Date read: 17th March 2009

Score: 5/5

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Comedy

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Carpe Jugulum" by Terry Pratchett is the 23rd novel in his Discworld series, and the fifth featuring the witches of Lancre. It cleverly satirises the gothic horror genre, particularly the romanticised image of vampires, while exploring themes of tradition, belief, and progress.

The story begins in the mountain kingdom of Lancre, a land fiercely proud of its ancient customs and largely resistant to change. King Verence II, eager to modernise and broaden his kingdom's cultural horizons, makes a fateful decision: he invites a family of scientifically-minded, "modern" vampires, the Magpyr family, to the naming ceremony of his newborn daughter, Princess Esmeralda Margaret Note Spelling of Lancre.

The Magpyrs – Count de Magpyr, his wife Countess de Magpyr, their children Vlad and Lacrimosa, and their stern but loyal retainer, Igor – are not the traditional, cloaked, blood-craving vampires of legend. They are sophisticated, urbane, well-dressed, and claim to have moved beyond crude blood-drinking, preferring a more "civilised" approach to life... and death. Their motto, "Carpe Jugulum," means "Seize the Throat," and they arrive with a subtle but insidious plan: to subtly infiltrate Lancre, undermine its traditions, and ultimately take over the kingdom, believing its people are ripe for conversion to their "progressive" ways.

This, of course, puts them on a collision course with the formidable Lancre witches: Granny Weatherwax, the fiercely traditional and uncompromising matriarch; Nanny Ogg, the earthy, jovial, and cunning mother of fifteen; and the younger, more pragmatic Magrat Garlick, who is now a queen and trying to balance her royal duties with her witching heritage.

Granny Weatherwax immediately senses the true, insidious nature of the Magpyrs' intentions. The conflict escalates as the vampires attempt to exert their mental influence over the townsfolk and royalty, clashing with the witches' unwavering common sense and powerful will. The narrative is a battle of beliefs and wills: the Magpyrs, armed with their sophisticated vampiric abilities and modern ideas of conquest, against the witches, who rely on their deep understanding of humanity, their connection to the land, and the sheer power of belief and "headology" (psychological manipulation).

The arrival of a newly ordained, fundamentalist priest, Reverend Oats, who arrives to preach against the "old ways," further complicates matters, as he initially misidentifies the true evil. The novel is a hilarious and insightful exploration of good versus evil, the nature of evil itself, and the strength of a community's core values when faced with an existential threat. Ultimately, the witches must find a way to defeat the Magpyrs without compromising the very soul of Lancre.

Comments:
Where do these stories come from? Another amazing story and how brilliant to see Granny Weatherwax on top form.

Books that we've read by Terry Pratchett (39):
The Colour of Magic (Discworld, #1; Rincewind, #1) (1983), The Light Fantastic (Discworld, #2; Rincewind, #2) (1986), Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches, #1) (1987), Mort (Discworld, #4; Death, #1) (1987), Sourcery (Discworld, #5; Rincewind, #3) (1988), Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches, #2) (1988), Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch, #1) (1989), Pyramids (Discworld, #7) (1989), Eric (Discworld, #9; Rincewind, #4) (1990), Moving Pictures (Discworld, #10; Industrial Revolution, #1) (1990), Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches, #3) (1991), Reaper Man (Discworld, #11; Death, #2) (1991), Small Gods (Discworld, #13) (1992), Lords and Ladies (Discworld, #14; Witches, #4) (1992), Men at Arms (Discworld, #15; City Watch, #2) (1993), Soul Music (Discworld, #16; Death, #3) (1994), Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind, #5) (1994), Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches, #5) (1995), Feet of Clay (Discworld, #19; City Watch, #3) (1996), Hogfather (Discworld, #20; Death, #4) (1996), Jingo (Discworld, #21; City Watch, #4) (1997), Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23; Witches, #6) (1998), The Last Continent (Discworld, #22; Rincewind, #6) (1998), The Fifth Elephant (Discworld, #24; City Watch, #5) (1999), The Truth (Discworld, #25) (2000), The Last Hero (Discworld, #27; Rincewind, #7) (2001), Thief of Time (Discworld, #26; Death, #5) (2001), Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6) (2002), The Wee Free Men (Discworld, #30; Tiffany Aching, #1) (2003), Monstrous Regiment (Discworld, #31; Industrial Revolution, #3) (2003), A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32; Tiffany Aching, #2) (2004), Going Postal (Discworld, #33; Moist von Lipwig, #1) (2004), Thud! (Discworld, #34; City Watch, #7) (2005), Wintersmith (Discworld, #35; Tiffany Aching, #3) (2006), Making Money (Discworld, #36; Moist Von Lipwig, #2) (2007), Unseen Academicals (Discworld, #37; Rincewind, #8) (2009), I Shall Wear Midnight (Discworld, #38; Tiffany Aching, #4) (2010), Snuff (Discworld, #39; City Watch, #8) (2011), Raising Steam (Discworld, #40; Moist von Lipwig, #3) (2013)