Novel
A novel is a special type of book that appears in NetHack. When unidentified, a novel appears as a paperback book.
Though they do not teach spells, novels are considered spellbooks and can be written with a magic marker, taking 5–9 charges to do so. This is subject to failure if novels have not been identified.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
As of commit 87749392, novels can no longer be written with a magic marker, and the blank spellbook you select to write on may be destroyed in the attempt.
As of commit ed6b78e2, novels weigh 10 aum instead of 1.
Generation
The first book or scroll shop to be generated in the dungeon is guaranteed to stock a novel.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Novels additionally comprise 0.1% of randomly generated spellbooks. Players and monsters cannot start with a novel, nor will one be granted as a prayer boon.Effect
Reading a novel causes NetHack to display a quote from a Discworld book. The first novel you read gives you 20 points of experience; subsequent novels have no additional effect. Reading novels breaks illiterate conduct.
List of novels
- A Hat Full of Sky
- Carpe Jugulum
- Equal Rites
- Eric
- Feet of Clay
- Going Postal
- Guards! Guards!
- Hogfather
- Interesting Times
- I Shall Wear Midnight
- Jingo
- Lords and Ladies
- Making Money
- Maskerade
- Men at Arms
- Monstrous Regiment
- Mort
- Moving Pictures
- Night Watch
- Pyramids
- Raising Steam
- Reaper Man
- Small Gods
- Snuff
- Soul Music
- Sourcery
- The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
- The Colour of Magic
- The Fifth Elephant
- The Last Continent
- The Last Hero
- The Light Fantastic
- The Shepherd's Crown
- The Truth
- The Wee Free Men
- Thief of Time
- Thud!
- Unseen Academicals
- Wintersmith
- Witches Abroad
- Wyrd Sisters
Strategy
Novels are among the many sources of experience that a pacifist player should make use of early on. Outside of this, they tend to have little practical use.
History
Novels were introduced in NetHack 3.6.0 as a tribute to Terry Pratchett, the author of the Discworld series, who passed away in 2015, the year of NetHack 3.6.0's release.
Variants
EvilHack
In EvilHack, new novels are added that can be found in some of the branches introduced to the variant:
- The Blacksmith's Cookbook can be found in a chest within the Goblin Town branch, and details what can be done with the #forge extended command.
- The Adventurer's Journal is found on the first floor of the Ice Queen's Realm, and contains hints on what can be encountered in that branch.
