Interesting times Book

Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Bruce Lee, Yun Fat Chow, David Carradine and Michelle Yeoh sit in an Italian pizza place in Queens and discuss Terry Pratchett's 17th Discworld novel Interesting Times.

Bruce Lee: Ok, first of all, David, why are you even here, you're not Chinese.

Carradine: Come on, you all know why, I played Kwai Chang Caine on King Fu in the 70s, don't act like you don't …

Michelle: Anyhoo - Pratchett, pays homage to Asian culture through his counter continent Roman eclef, The Agatean Empire, which is just China on the Discworld.

Jackie: But did he really pay homage and respect? I think he could have been making fun of us.

Yun Fat Chow: I thought that too, our great culture is seen as bureaucratic, myopic and superficial. Compared to Anhk - Morpork, which is practical and highly functional.

Jet Li: Yes, but this was really a vehicle whereby Rincewind can be seen as a greater hero figure, leading up to The Last Hero a few years later, he and Cohen the Barbarian are the clear protagonists here, and China and the Discworld Agatean Empire are just a literary foil.

Michelle: Lord Hong was a very effective antagonist, even if a caricature of Asian imperialism and hauteur.

Jet Li: Yes, I did like Pratchett's description of Hong and I also like that one of the great families was the McSweeneys, that was hilarious.

Carradine: See? The McSweeneys was an indirect allusion to my portrayal.

Bruce Lee: No. No, it wasn't, it was just Pratchett being funny. Nothing about you at all.

Carradine: You seem very sure, you answered very fast, you sure?

Michelle: Stop it, both of you. We also got to visit the wizards and the luggage and Death and this was just more Discworld magic and fun.

Pratchett (arriving late): Who wants to blow this pasta stand and go get some tacos?