![Carpe Jugulum: (Discworld Novel 23) (Discworld series) by [Pratchett, Terry]](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61hvNI7y0VL._SY346_.jpg)
The story begins with the christening ceremony of King Verence and Queen Magrat's baby girl, Princess Margaret Note Spelling. A family of modernist vampires from Uberwald attend the ceremony and quickly and painlessly take over the castle, in part by using mind control on all in attendance. But two people couldn't be controlled: one was the priest who performed the christening, the other was Agnes Nitt/Perdita, she of two minds, neither of which could be controlled by the vampires. Meanwhile, Granny Weatherwax has gone missing, and the three junior witches: Magrat, Nanny Ogg, and Agnes/Perdita (wait--isn't that technically 4?) have to work out for themselves how to conquer the vampires. They can't be killed in the usual way--they have trained themselves to overcome the effects of religious symbols, holy water, garlic, sunlight, and other traditional methods. It's not long before the witches know they're in over their heads, and have to find Granny Weatherwax. But when they do find her, she refuses to come with them. She cannot get into the vampires' minds, but they can get into hers, and the only way she feels safe is to hide out in a cave. Of course, the reader knows that won't last long. She figures out a way to store part of herself in someone else--but whom? But this weakens her and when she finally faces down the vampires, she cannot resist them, and one of them bites her.
At this point, I was wondering how Pratchett could pull off the plot resolution without it seeming terribly contrived, but he succeeded. If you want to find out how, you'll have to read the book. It's the usual pace of the Discworld books: seemingly disparate plot lines plod along, start to converge halfway through the book, then there's an action-packed crisis, and a then he ties up the loose ends in the last few pages. We get some great insights into Granny Weatherwax's character. A very satisfying read.
Review
"'He will remain an enduring, endearing presence in comic literature'" (Elizabeth Young Guardian)
"'Both his inventiveness and his moral shrewdness seem inexhaustible'" (A. S. Byatt Daily Express)
"'Both his inventiveness and his moral shrewdness seem inexhaustible'" (A. S. Byatt Daily Express)
Book Description
The twenty-third Discworld novel, now available in hardback as part of the Discworld Collector's Library
