Today marks the day of release for the new Discworld book, Unseen Academicals! Unfortunately, I can't get my copy 'til tomorrow, but if you've read yours already (lucky...), or when you've finished reading it, post your views in the forum!

The main characters in Montrous Regiment are:

Polly Perks aka Oliver Perks (Ozzer)
Shufti
Wazzer
Tonker
Lofti
Jade aka Carborundum
Maladicta aka Maladict
Sergeant Jackrum
Igor aka Igorina

These are all known as the ins and outs

None of these characters (with the exception of Igor... sort of) appear in any other books. The book also involves some of the Ankh-Morporkians; William de Worde, Otto Chriek, Sergeant Angua and Commander Vimes. Thanks to Sergeant Angua's 'special senses', they already know the ins and outs Secret, and provide coffee when Maladict's gets stolen, as he drinks coffee as a substitute for blood. Polly is somewhat jealous of Angua's freedom - mostly her hair.

25th May is 'wear lilac if you were there' day. But what should you have been there for?

This is first introduced in Night Watch, widely considered the best Discworld book. In this book, Sam Vimes is sent back in time 30 years, and has to teach his younger self how to be a copper, in some of the darker times of Ankh-Morporks history. The city is between 2 slightly mad patricians - this is before Vetinari, who is still a student at the assasin's guild. During this time, the people of Ankh-Morpork want a revolution. So, if you were there at the barricades of Treacle Mine Road, you wear lilac once a year. The characters that wear lilac are:

Sam Vimes - he was a new recruit at the time
Fred Colon - he was newly wed and had just been promoted to Sergeant
Nobby Nobbs - he was a young street urchin, but still recognisable as who he was; that is to say, no-one was entirely sure what he was
Vetinari - he was sent to barricades by his aunt, to warn John Keel aka Sam Vimes snr that he was about to be killed by Lord Snapcase
Reg Shoe - he died in the revolution, but that hasn't seemed to have stopped him...