Guards! Guards! Was Not The First Discworld Book I Read But It Is The One That Punched My Angsty, Edgy

Guards! Guards! was not the first Discworld book I read but it is the one that punched my angsty, edgy thirteen-year-old self in the face. I have never had a book hit me like that since. Nothing has ever picked me up by the scruff of the neck and shown me my own face in the mirror that way.

I was angsting around, all "the world is terrible" and "people are evil" and "humans are a blight upon the earth" and "everyone is stupid" and Vimes showed up and said, "Yeah, and?"

So what? So they're stupid and petty - save them anyway. So they're selfish - save them anyway. So it's all fucked and there's never going to be a happy ending - save them anyway. Do it anyway. You don't get to opt out of caring just because they're grubby and ignorant and reactionary and petty because so are you and that's all we've got.

No other book has ever changed my worldview in one blow before or since. I reckon that's something that can only happen to you when you're a teenager anyway. But I've never quite gotten over it.

5:20 The Devil You Know

I love Colon and Nobby's discussion of art in Thud!. Colon's assertion that the difference between artistic nude and smutty images is whether the picture also includes an urn or a plinth is silly on the surface, but suggests a real conversation about classism and what sort of art is valued in society and the double-standards therein.

Because it's true. Not just any artist's nude work will be valued. You have to urn it.

there must be something 😳 I can do for you 😳 in return?

You posted that you'd choose Doom Coalition for your desert island disc. Is it your favourite BF story of all time? Can you share your favourite which doesn't feature the doctor?

I do love Doom Coalition! I chose that first disc for my lonely exile because of the variety it packs in - a bit of Gallifrey, introducing the Eleven, introducing Helen, established Eight-with-Liv, and four very different stories. Doom Coalition definitely is among my favourites, and it's a set I've listened to more than most, but I'd hate to have to pick just one favourite from the whole range. My shortlist of 'ones to revisit every few months' is pretty long now!

As for a fave non-Doctor title... hmm. I adore The Bekdel Test, from the Diary of River Song #5 set - the one where River meets four different incarnations of the Master. They're all great stories on that set, but that Missy one makes me ridiculously happy!

The third story on the first Missy set grew on me slowly to become a huge favourite, too - The Broken Clock.

One of the new series UNIT stories really stood out for me - Invocation from the UNIT: Encounters set.

I get a big kick out of Masterful, the multi-Master special released for the Master's 50th anniversary.

And I'm a huge fan of the original run of Gallifrey - series 1 to 3. I've continued to follow the saga over the years, of course, but I've listened to the original run of stories over and over. I particularly like the second story from the first series, Square One.

he's never been held before

tagging @goodomensafterdark