Cuchulain Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I've read the Dark Side of the Sun and Strata. They are the usual Pterry quality, really. Strata is funny but maybe because I got a lot of the sf references. Have you read Niven's Ringworld series? Hehehe. Dark Side of the Sun is kinda Asimovish (hey I invented a word!) with psychohistory and stuff. They are both worth reading but I wouldn't pay a fortune for either. I see. I'll check those two out at some point in the future. Luckily, most Pterry books are available cheaply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Has anyone read Pratchett's non-Discworld novels ? (The Dark Side of the Sun, Strata, The Carpet People,...) Are they worth a read ? Just those three or all of them? The Dark Side of the Sun was pretty dull. Strata was okay (an SF interpretation of the Discworld concept) but the concept works better in fantasy. Good Omens is superb, obviously. I haven't read the Nomes trilogy (Truckers, Diggers and Wings) or The Unadulterated Cat. The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy was quite entertaining (Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny and the Bomb and Johnny and the Dead). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Good Omens is great, especially Death's comment regarding Elvis. "I NEVER LAID A FINGER ON HIM." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switters Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 This isnt the kind of stuff one should take seriously as a literary endeavor anyway. I'm surprised at this statement (especially as it appears in the original post). I tend to think that Pratchett's work does warrant serious literary consideration. With few exceptions, his books demonstrate a high level of quality throughout his career. I don't believe being funny necessarily disqualifies fiction from critical scrutiny. See Kurt Vonnegut or Mark Twain. Several posters above have noted a transition from "early Pratchett" which tends to be more farcical, to "later Pratchett" where he has developed a more focused, satirical tone. I agree with this view. He's using humor, in entertaining narratives, to deliver thoughtful social commentary. In my opinion, he is very effective. And a little something for the list junkies: Favorite Book- Small Gods (A Modern Classic, should be read and taught in English courses for years to come) Favorite Discworld Arcs- City Watch/Rincewind/Death Least Favorite Book- The Fifth Elephant Least Favorite Arcs- The Witches/Tiffany Aching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Good Omens is superb <What He Said> -Poobs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alguien Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I was re-reading Clash of Kings this week and I just noticed the similarities between Ser Jacelyn Bywater, the Ironhand, and Commander "Stoneface" Sam Vimes. I wonder if it was deliberate or if GRRM had read any of Pratchett's Nightwatch books? Either way, I think CoK did a fair job showing what might happen to a Vimes-esque character in a Westeros setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Martin has read the Discworld books, I recall he mentioned enjoying them a lot, but I doubt Ironhand was supposed to be a reference to Sam Vimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alguien Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Martin has read the Discworld books, I recall he mentioned enjoying them a lot, but I doubt Ironhand was supposed to be a reference to Sam Vimes. Well, I don't think its likely that Ironhand was a direct homage, but reading over the way he talked about scum and out and out traitors in the Watch really brought Sam Vimes back to me. Made me wonder if Martin was perhaps subconsciously influenced by the Vimes books in some way when creating Bywater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokisnow Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 what's pratchett's next book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Other-in-law Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Two titles that I've heard are Unseen Academicals and I shall wear midnight, about the wizards, and Tiffany Aching respectively. No idea which one would be due first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jussi Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 The Unseen Academicals is coming out next October. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unseen-Academicals...8551&sr=1-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alguien Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Two titles that I've heard are Unseen Academicals and I shall wear midnight, about the wizards, and Tiffany Aching respectively. No idea which one would be due first. I've also heard he wants to do one more Moist Von Lipwig book where Moist becomes in charge of taxes. Because of Pratchett's condition, its difficult to predict what books will come out next. (Amazon isn't really that reliable for this kind of info--look how often they've miffed up GRRM's release dates) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokisnow Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 fwiw, he mentioned Unseen Academicals when he did his Thud tour, so I"m inclined to think that it and the fourth and final Tiffany Aching book are most likely the next two to come out. clearly he should merge the Susan and Moist threads and have the final book be "Death and Taxes" ending with Susan either killing Moist or marrying him, possibly both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 My understanding is that he started work on I Shall Wear Midnight (the next Tiffany Aching YA book) and then halted to write Nation. After that was completed he wrote Unseen Academicals, which I believe is now finished, or he's just about done with it. The last I heard, Midnight was next followed by Raising Taxes, which will apparently conclude the Moist von Lipwig 'trilogy'. I believe Pratchett hasn't made any plans beyond that for obvious reasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angalin Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Pratchett also said in a recent-ish interview that his support of Alzheimer's research had cost him some months of writing time (6 or 9, I forget which), but that he didn't begrudge it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AprilFool Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Wizard Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 There's only one Terry Pratchett.[/football chant] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alguien Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Apparently, according to Paul Kidby's website, Pratchett is going to be the focus of a two-part television special on the BBC focusing on his dealing with Alzenheimers. It sounds like something I have to watch, even though I have a feeling that I might be tearing up as I do so. Here's the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artas Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Wasn't there a book called "Scouting for Trolls" planned, as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Other-in-law Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'm wondering if there will be much on the building of the Ankh Morpork subway system in any of the upcoming books mentioned so far. It's been alluded to in at least two of the more recent ones, but it could easily just get filled in in the background, like the development of the clacks system (though that was dealt with quite a bit in Going Postal). Raising Taxes would be an obvious choice, since the Great Undertaking would be a huge drain on the budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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