History Literature / RaisingSteam

* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: The extremist grags routinely abduct non-traditionalist dwarfs, interrogate them for information, then send them on their way with a bag of gold... only to kill them before they leave the room. After all, they're not true dwarfs, so they're the enemy.

* {{Expy}}: Lady Georgina Bradshaw, a recent widow, has decided to travel the railways. A conversation with Moist leads to the idea of her writing a travel diary, which Moist can get published, detailing tourist attractions, accomodation, etc. Clearly a SpearCounterpart of George Bradshaw, the ''de rigeur'' writer of European travel guides in the times just before The First World War.

** [[Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Dopey Docson]], for that matter. Along with the pre-existing Bashfull Bashfullsson.

* ExactWords: Vetinari does this on purpose for the sake of plausible deniability. Of particular note is when he says he'd execute Moist if he found any ''evidence'' of [[spoiler: Moist using the city's golem reserve]]

** Some people still haven't adjusted to goblins being recognized in society. Moist himself included, but he makes an effort to get past this, in part because his wife allows a family of them to live on their roof. He's also helped along by his frequent interactions with Of The Twilight the Darkness, who's essentially a goblin version of himself

* DecoyConvoy: w
When a civil war erupts in Dwarfdom and the safety of the legitimate Dwarf monarch has to be assured, several royal decoys are sent out to confuse the issue and to draw the rebel forces into ambushes; while the rebels are wasting time and energy on the fakes, the actual Low Monarch is safely aboard a train and is halfway there before the usurping faction catches on.

* DecoyConvoy when a civil war erupts in Dwarfdom and the safety of the legitimate Dwarf monarch has to be assured, several royal decoys are sent out to confuse the issue and to draw the rebel forces into ambushes; while the rebels are wasting time and energy on the fakes, the actual Low Monarch is safely aboard a train and is halfway there before the usurping faction catches on.

Released on November 7th, 2013. The fortieth ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'' novel (following ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}''), and the third in the Moist von Lipwig sequence (following ''Discworld/MakingMoney''). The penultimate entry in the Discworld series, and last published in the author's lifetime, due to Terry Pratchett's AuthorExistenceFailure a year and a half later. Followed by ''Discworld/TheShepherdsCrown'', published posthumously.

* AbortedArc: Apparently what's happened to the original plot for this book involving Moist taking over the Ankh-Morpork Tax Office, which was foreshadowed by the end of ''Discworld/MakingMoney'' and the original working title of this book (see below). Also the Undertaking, a massive civic infrastructure upgrade including a subway system which drove the last Moist book, is nowhere mentioned.

* BerserkButton: Goblins consider their names to be a part of themselves, so calling one by a nickname or part of their full name is like slapping them in the face. Though younger goblins aren't that fussed about it, and one--a [[Discworld/{{Snuff}} goblin special Watchman]]--allows a nickname on the logic that if they're in a fight, his human partner will want something shorter to shout.

** Vimes scares some dwarfs into telling everything they know by simply showing the mark of the [[Discworld/{{Thud}} Summoning Dark]] on his arm.
** Something very difficult is proverbially compared to getting a donkey down from a minaret. This term previously appeared in ''Discworld/{{Jingo}}'', in which Lord Vetinari did exactly that.

* ContinuityDrift: In ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', Adora Belle displays no particular knowledge or interest in how the Clacks work (at least when she's around POV character Moist.) Now she's an enthusiast who has been up in the towers since infancy. Oddly, the scene which creates this drift is completely extraneous to the plot. She ''did'' have this trait in the Creator/Sky1 adaptation, though.

** The Dwarf Civil War that was averted in ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'' finally occurs, and the "Miracle of Koom Valley" that occurred in that book's climax is mentioned repeatedly. It is essentially a direct sequel.
** Similarly, Vimes's actions in ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}'' have a profound effect on the plot, due to the recent inclusion of Goblins into society.
** The inventor of the steam engine is Dick Simnel, son of Ned Simnel, who notably failed to invent a steam engine in ''Discworld/ReaperMan''.
** Dick mentions an Ephebian steam engine which blew up. This event was shown in ''Discworld/SmallGods''.
** There's also a brief mention of the [[Discworld/MonstrousRegiment Nugganites]] smashing clacks towers.

** [[Discworld/SmallGods Lu-tze]] makes a cameo appearance, paying a brief visit to his old friend Ridcully to talk about the dawning of the new age. Ridcully also actually mentions ''deja-fu'', the martial art practiced by Lu-tze in ''Discworld/ThiefOfTime.''
** The [[Discworld/WyrdSisters King of Lancre]] writes to request that the rail system be extended to his kingdom. Characters present note that Lancre is home to witches -- and that one of said witches tend to fly up to the top of the clacks towers to have coffee with the operators. Fans speculate that this is [[CoolOldLady Nanny Ogg]] -- especially since Adora Belle says she's most likely to do it if the operators are [[DirtyOldWoman young, human and male]].
** It's mentioned that Lady Margolotta has encouraged the vampires of {{Uberwald}} to [[AddictionDisplacement switch to coffee rather than blood]], which Maladicta had done in ''Discworld/MonstrousRegiment''.
** When outing herself as female, [[spoiler:Queen Rhys]] mentions [[Discworld/LordsAndLadies Queen Ynci of Lancre]]. If anyone present knows Ynci never existed, they don't call her out on it.
** Moist is apparently [[Discworld/IShallWearMidnight yet]] [[Discworld/{{Snuff}} another]] person who was traumatized by the picture of the jolly goblin when he was a child.
** Near the end, Vetinari mentions that [[Discworld/NightWatch the world needs its shepherds, as well as its butchers.]]
** Queen Keli makes her first appearance since ''Discworld/{{Mort}}'', although she doesn't get any lines.
** There are quite a few mentions of [[Discworld/{{UnseenAcademicals}} micromail]] throughout the story, as well as Madame Sharn.
** In ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}'', we have mention of a dwarf and a troll who have "set up house together". In ''Raising Steam'', we get to see a relationship between a dwarf and a troll get started.
** The towns of Zemphis and Ohulan Cutash are mentioned for the first time since ''Discworld/EqualRites'', as is the Fiddler's Riddle, although it seems to have improved since Esk was there.
** Charlie from ''Discworld/TheTruth'' makes a brief appearance.
** There's a reference to a [[Discworld/InterestingTimes MacSweeney Dynasty]] vase.
** This is the second time a [[Discworld/MenAtArms prototype invention with a mind of its own]] has surreptitiously killed a dwarf, albeit with better cause this time.
** Several locations from previous books also appear in the book, including [[Discworld/TheLightFantastic the Forest of Skund (with an observation that a Wizard may fall on your head)]], [[Discworld/SoulMusic Scrote]] and several places from ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'' such as the Wilinus Pass and Bonk. Even more that aren't mentioned appear on the map at the front of the book.
** The idea of the steam train is described as another Wild Idea, as in Discworld/MovingPictures (and its means of taking root is described in Discworld/{{Sourcery}}), but this one actually succeeds in the long run.
** [[Discworld/GoingPostal Mr Trooper]] apparently still asks after Moist's well-being. Vetinari comments that he never forgets a neck.
** A footnote mentions [[Discworld/TheLastHero a group of old men reaching the top of Cori Celesti and dying]].

** Nobby still has his goblin girlfriend, Shine of the Rainbow, from ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}''. People think she's throwing herself away on him.

** Rhys assumes a few disguises when it becomes necessary to smuggle the Low King back to Schmaltzberg. He later mentions that he attended [[Discworld/UnseenAcademicals a Dwarf fashion show]] in Ankh-Morpork incognito.

** Vetinari himself is rather apprehensive of new technology, like in ''Discworld/TheTruth'', because of his [[Discworld/MovingPictures past experience]]. He's come around by the end of the book, though, to the point he gleefully celebrates workshop tinkerers everywhere.

* RetCon: Diamond trolls are supposed to be extremely rare, so much so that even most Trolls consider them myths, and non-trolls don't have any knowledge of them, with Mr Shine having to travel everywhere in disguise in ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', but Thunderbolt is a diamond troll and a long-standing and highly visible member of the Lawyers' Guild. [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight His uniqueness goes largely unremarked upon.]]

* {{Unobtainium}}: Sorortanium, whose name means "sister of iron". It happens to be what [[Discworld/UnseenAcademicals micromail]] is made of. [[spoiler:The last (seen) incarnation of Iron Girder has an engine made of an alloy with sorortanium in it, allowing it to shrug off thrown boulders]].

** The Dwarf Civil War that was averted in ''Discworld/Thud'' finally occurs, and the "Miracle of Koom Valley" that occurred in that book's climax is mentioned repeatedly. It is essentially a direct sequel.
** Similarly, Vimes's actions in ''Discworld/Snuff'' have a profound effect on the plot, due to the recent inclusion of Goblins into society.

To the consternation of the patrician, Lord Vetinari, a new invention has arrived in Ankh-Morpork - a great clanging monster of a machine that harnesses the power of all of the elements: earth, air, fire and water. This being Ankh-Morpork, it's soon drawing astonished crowds, some of whom caught the zeitgeist early and arrive armed with notepads and very sensible rainwear.

Moist von Lipwig is not a man who enjoys hard work - as master of the Post Office, the Mint and the Royal Bank his input is, of course, vital . . . but largely dependent on words, which are fortunately not very heavy and don't always need greasing. However, he does enjoy being alive, which makes a new job offer from Vetinari hard to refuse . . .

Steam is rising over Discworld, driven by Mister Simnel, the man wi' t'flat cap and sliding rule who has an interesting arrangement with the sine and cosine. Moist will have to grapple with gallons of grease, goblins, a fat controller with a history of throwing employees down the stairs and some very angry dwarfs if he's going to stop it all going off the rails . . .

Released on November 7th, 2013. The fortieth ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'' novel (following ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}''), and the third in the Moist von Lipwig sequence (following ''Discworld/MakingMoney''). The penultimate entry in the Discworld series, and last published in the author's lifetime, due to Terry Pratchett's AuthorExistenceFailure a year and a half later. Followed by ''Discworld/TheShepherdsCrown''.

** The Dwarf Civil War that was averted in Thud finally occurs, and the "Miracle of Koom Valley" that occurred in that book's climax is mentioned repeatedly.
** Similarly, Vimes's actions in Snuff have a profound effect on the plot, due to the recent inclusion of Goblins into society.

* AndTheAdventureContinues: The last (main continuity) Discworld novel ends on this note, rather than a GrandFinale. ''Raising Steam'' touches base with many of the Discworld's LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, frees them from MedievalStasis, and looks to the future with an optimistic air.

** To an English-speaking eye" a phonetic variation of "Aches and Pains".

* AnswersToTheNameOfGod: When the Marquis de Aix-Et-Pains first meets Of The Twilight The Darkness, he exclaims "''Mon Dieu!''", to which Of The Twilight The Darkness calmly replies "Not a god, Mister Mark-kee, just a goblin". (Which in context has a definite undercurrent of "And yes, I can speak Quirmian".)

* PunnyName: As usual in Discworld, this time we get the Quirmian town of Aix-en-Pains - which means "Water in bread" in archaic French, but can be read by an English-speaking eye as a phonetic variation of "Aches and Pains". It's possibly a reference to Terry Pratchett's earlier Literature/JohnnyMaxwellTrilogy, where the same name is used for the town that Blackbury is twinned with.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Vimes, as always. He concedes that Moist probably really has put his criminal lifestyle behind him, and commends him for fighting off some dwarf extremists instead of giving him the standard "you should have let the police handle it" routine.
** Less "instead of" and more "in addition to" really, and he makes it pretty clear that he only gives him the standard routine because he has to.

** Also the lower case "assassins" who early on in the book attempt to ambush the coach of a certain highly skilled upper case Assassin.
* TookALevelInBadass: Moist engages in willful violence for the first time in this book, and does surprisingly well.

** [[Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Dopey Docson]], for that matter.

* BrickJoke: Something very difficult is proverbially compared to getting a donkey down from a minaret. In ''Discworld/{{Jingo}}'', Lord Vetinari did precisely that.

* CallBack: Vimes scares some dwarfs into telling everything they know by simply showing the mark of the [[Discworld/{{Thud}} Summoning Dark]] on his arm.

* ContinuityDrift: In ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', Adora Belle displays no particular knowledge or interest in how the Clacks work (at least when she's around POV character Moist.) Now she's an enthusiast who has been up in the towers since infancy. Oddly, the scene which creates this drift is completely extraneous to the plot. She ''did'' have this trait in the Sky1 adaptation, though.

** The Goblins who have shortening or altering their name (like nicknames) as BerserkButton insist calling Moist "Slightly Damp" because it infuriates him.

* DiscreetDrinkDisposal: The landowners that Moist has to negotiate with in order to get permission to build the railway through their lines keep plying him with drink during the negotiations in the hopes that he'll be too drunk to negotiate well. Moist sets up a tube-and-bladder rig in his coat to stash the drinks without consuming them, and ends up presenting Harry King with a crate of hot water bottles full of expensive liquor when he gets back to Ankh-Morpork.