Small Gods: (Discworld Novel 13) (Discworld Novels)

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Brutha is gifted with an eidetic memory and is therefore chosen by Vorbis, the head of the Quisition, to accompany him on a diplomatic mission to Ephebe as his secretary. Won't Take "Yes" for an Answer: Vorbis, when demanding Didactylos recant the word of the turtle, has to be told by Brutha that he's agreed.

Guardian god of the ancient city Lamark, where wounded heroes could find comfort and heal after battle.

The God of a Howondalandish tribe which wiped out the nearby N'tuitif tribe at his signal (an unusually large flare from the Moon). Also, the summary of Didactylos's philosophy references this novel's own previous Ephebian tavern scene, by having him pick up some extra packets of peanuts because of the near-naked woman depicted on their labels. Om manifests himself over the citadel and attempts to grant Brutha the honour of establishing the Church's new doctrines. Ungulant, born Servian Thaddeus Ungulant, a hermit who lives in the desert and communes with the small gods, who serve him imaginary feasts.

Language Equals Thought: Fasta Benj, a man from a tiny tribe that is unaware of the rest of the world, gets mixed up in the final conflict when his boat is swept along by the attacking fleet. We thank the W̱SÁNEĆ people for their resilience, perseverance, and persistence, which has safeguarded the beauty of the peninsula over the millennia. At first it seems a straightforward satire of religion; then as it progresses, Pratchett balances his satire with some truly epic (by Discworld standards, of course — there's always one foot stuck in the silliness door) storytelling that manages to make worthy commentary on belief and the never-ending conflict between good and evil all without being, well, preachy about it. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal.

I Was Never Here: The meeting in which Vorbis recruits Brutha for the Ephebe mission ends with Vorbis instructing him: "You were not in this room. He'd just published a philosophical piece, and is embarrassed when he comes face to face with Simony's resistance movement. Ironic Hell: For Vorbis, the desert every Omnian has to cross in the afterlife to reach judgement turns into this, as he's spent his whole life believing that he was following the voice of his god and realizes that it was his own all along. He's just a senile old man who nods at anything said during meetings with the high-ranking church members, who tries to bless anyone nearby.

The Easy Way or the Hard Way: At the end of the book, Brutha tells Sergeant Simony to stop the Exquisition the hard way—that is, with as few casualties as possible.The first half of the book showcases Pratchett in top comic form, with sustained scenes of hilarity that are among the best he's written.