SPOILERS Moist von Lipwig Character Discussion

[Tonyblack]

Making him chairman of the railway is no more a reward than making him postmaster or chairman of the bank. It basically means that the AM$ stops with him.

 

[Molokov]

Harry King is bankrolling the railroad, but Moist is put in charge (or, finds himself in charge) in RS. Can't remember if he officially gets called Chairman. And certainly do give RS a second read, it's got some really great bits in the first half.

 

[Tonyblack]

So many books . . . so little time

 

[raisindot]

An interesting example of Pterry's rare continuity errors came up in a FB DW discussion. In Going Postal (the U.S. at least) Moist is hanged under the name of Alfred Spangler. In Making Money, Vetinati mentions that he hanged under the name of Albert Spangler. Do these same naming errors occur in the UK versions? If so, don't try to explain it away with "trousers of time" and "Moist's many identities" excuses. Pterry and his editors simply missed this one. And Stephen Briggs continues this error by using the Albert Spangler name under Moist's entry in the new Discworld Companion.

 

[Tonyblack]

Going by the Kindle version, there are two Alfred's mentioned, but neither of them is Albert Spangler. That mistake seems to have been sorted out.

 

[raisindot]

Interesting. On the audiobook version of Making Money, Briggs uses the name Albert Spangler.

 

[Molokov]

It's definitely Albert Spangler in my copy of Going Postal (and Making Money). Mine are, of course, the UK/Australia versions (paperback for Going Postal, but we do have a hardcover copy as well).

Maybe there was a typo in the US first printing that nobody picked up?

 

[RathDarkblade]

I agree - it's definitely Albert Spangler in my copy of Going Postal and Making Money too. (Sorry for the "me too" post).

 

[raisindot]

Interesting. On the audiobook version of Making Money, Briggs uses the name Albert Spangler.

On Briggs's audiobook version of Going Postal, on the first page of Chapter 1, Briggs voices his name as Alfred Spangler.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Eh? I was sure that ... hold on. *listens again* Yes, you're right -- Alfred Spangler. But in the book ... *re-checks* It's Albert.

*shrug* How odd!

 

[Tonyblack]

It's like Sybil's "iron mast" to her "iron mask" all over again.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Er, I'm sorry? I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean, Tony.

 

[Tonyblack]

In Thud there was/is a mistake in the print version. The Kindle version seems to have sorted it out.

‘Oh, Sam . . .’ murmured Sybil, the iron mask falling for a moment.

Pratchett, Terry. Thud!: (Discworld Novel 34) (Discworld series) (p. 268). Transworld. Kindle Edition.

The print version mentioned Sybil's "Iron Mast", which made no sense, but I have still had discussions with people that insisted it was "Mast".

 

[raisindot]

In Thud there was/is a mistake in the print version. The Kindle version seems to have sorted it out.

‘Oh, Sam . . .’ murmured Sybil, the iron mask falling for a moment.

Pratchett, Terry. Thud!: (Discworld Novel 34) (Discworld series) (p. 268). Transworld. Kindle Edition.

The print version mentioned Sybil's "Iron Mast", which made no sense, but I have still had discussions with people that insisted it was "Mast".

Y'know, I always wondered about that. Because in a previous paragraph it mentions Sybil taking off her helmet. Did she wear a mask under it? Or was the mask/helmet falling? It's bad continuity writing.

But now I can actually see the argument for the word "mast." Sybil is always a pillar of strength, and up to that moment, when she orchestrated the defense of Sam and the dragons, she was the Ramkin of military. But in that moment afterward, when she realized what could have happened, her steadfast "iron mast" disappeared for a moment and her true emotions were expressed.

 

[Tonyblack]

I believe "mask" referred to her outer expression of strength. The image she shows to the outside world. I think a "mast" generally refers to a pole, particularly ship.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Tony is correct - a mast is a tall spar, or arrangement of spars, erected more or less vertically on the centre-line of a ship or boat. That doesn't make much sense for Lady Sybil.

 

[raisindot]

Tony is correct - a mast is a tall spar, or arrangement of spars, erected more or less vertically on the centre-line of a ship or boat. That doesn't make much sense for Lady Sybil.

Even though mask is probably the right word, mast also would be appropriate--it's the tallest, straightest, strongest part of the ship that's designed to withstand the strongest winds. When a mast falls, the ship is doomed. Since Sybil is always described as an unflappable pillar of strength, she is the center of her ship. And the phrase "her mast fell" would be appropriate. Maybe even more so than "her mask fell," since one would more likely write "her mask disappeared for a moment."