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Interesting Times

Interesting Times is a novel in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.

The title of this book was inspired by the phrase May you live in interesting times.

Synopsis
This novel marks Rincewind's reappearance from the Discworld after the events of Faust Eric. The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork is sent a letter from the Agatean Empire on the Counterweight Continent (by albatross mail) commanding him to "send us the Great Wizzard". The wizards of Unseen University, after some discussion, eventually realise the spelling of Wizzard can refer to only one man - Rincewind.

After using Hex to assist in performing a spell to summon Rincewind to UU, Archchancellor Ridcully convinces him to go to the Agatean Empire and speak to whoever sent the message. A second summoning spell is used, which exchanges the position of Rincewind with that of a live cannon.

As usual, The Luggage is not far behind Rincewind throughout this story, following him across the continents to its homeland.

Upon his arrival on the Counterweight Continent, Rincewind is reunited with a companion of his previous adventures - Cohen the Barbarian. Cohen has brought a group of ageing heroes (The Silver Horde) with him, in order to usurp the Emperor and "steal" the country. Rincewind also learns that the Empire is in a great state of turmoil - all thanks to a revolutionary document entitiled "What I did on My Holidays". Later, Rincewind discovers that this book was written by none other than his travelling companion from his first two novels - Twoflower the Tourist.

Rincewind travels to the capital city, Hunghung, where Twoflower's daughters (members of the Red Army, the revolutionary group who wish to overthrow the Emperor). The city is under "siege" from the five most powerful lords - Tang, Fang, Sung, McSweeney and Lord Hong, who is in fact manipulating the other four families and the Red Army to further his own political gains. At the same time, Cohen and his Silver Horde infiltrate the city, and penetrate the Forbidden City, home of the Emperor.

Whilst attempting to free revolutionary prisoners from the very same Forbidden City, Rincewind and the Hunghung cadre of the Red Army are captured and thrown into the dungeons - where Twoflower is also being held. With some incidental and anonymous assistance from Lord Hong, Rincewind escapes, and eventually finds his way to the Throne Room, where Cohen has installed himself as Emperor, having discovered the real emperor murdered by Lord Hong's soldiers. However, the city remains under siege from five armies, and the Silver Horde are called out to meet their challenge.

After deciding upon his usual course of action - i.e. running away - Rincewind, trying to avoid the battle which is about to start, finds his way up an ancient hill outside Hunghung. As the battle is about to commence, a massive thunderstorm appears, and Rincewind finds himself dropped into a mysterious cave, filled with terracotta statues - the original Red Army. After locating some magic control armour, Rincewind leads the army out into the middle of the battlefield and begins destroying the five attacking armies. Cohen is returned to Hunghung victorious, and re-proclaims himself Emperor.

Lord Hong escapes the battlefield, and returns to Hunghung for a final showdown. Twoflower challenges him to a duel, blaming Lord Hong for the death of his wife. Just as Hong is about to kill Twoflower, the Unseen University wizards attempt to resummon Rincewind, returning the cannon (with the fuse lit). Hong is killed, along with one of the members of Cohen's horde.

Due to a slight error in calculation by Hex, Rincewind is not returned to the University - instead a large kangaroo appears at high speed and splats into a wall. The wizards determine that Rincewind has in fact been transported to "XXXX", an unexplored continent, which is later revealed in The Last Continent.