Oh. Oh, friend, you need to read these books. They get *better* over time, not worse. I still read them and feel smarter than I did before I picked them up. There are ethics! And Ireland! And exploration of the concept of sainthood! And the studied incorporation of computer programing into wizardry!

Um. Yes. I highly recommend further reading if you've the time, as they make me grin and giggle to this very day, despite me being A Very Busy and Important Person (bah, humbug).