BS: help: Terry Pratchett books

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 12:10 PM

....I love you guys....

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 04:56 AM

Well I never! Mudcat is a wonderful learning experience :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 04:52 AM

I would suggest the good northern English word 'nouse'. Meaning something like common sense combined with get up and go.
Good 'northern English word' that. Spelt without the final 'e' it has much the same meaning in the rest of the country as well.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jan 17 - 12:13 PM

Thank you, Helen, for posting that reading order list. I've meant to pick up his books for years, but I do like to start at the beginning when reading series.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Jan 17 - 06:02 AM

what's the noun for "intrepid"?

I would suggest the good northern English word 'nouse'. Meaning something like common sense combined with get up and go.

Usage "He'll never do that. He's not got the nouse" or "That lass'll go far. She's got some nouse."

:D tG

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Jan 17 - 12:34 PM

I have looked at some of his five-book series collaboration called The Long Earth and so on. The conclusion, The Long Cosmos, was released within the last year. It's actually quite good, you do keep in mind that it is not one hundred per cent Pratchett and weight it accordingly. Of course it is helpful if you have some background from the previous entries in the series. I have not read all four of the previous books myself, but I did look at maybe three of them.

Readers expressed frustration with some of the earlier books, and it seems to me that much of this is due to the fact that you don't see how this is going to play out in the end. But I found The Long Cosmos very satisfying in this respect, and the final image is as uplifting as it is haunting. Not for everybody, but I recommend it to those with the time and the -- erm -- what's the noun for "intrepid"?

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 08 Jan 17 - 01:00 PM

The first Discworld book I read was the second one, but after that (and reading the first one) I managed to read them in chronological order.... I recorded the film of Going Postal on Pick last week and really enjoyed it, apart from feeling a bit teary when Terry Pratchett appeared in his cameo role as the postman at the end.....

Kitty

(accidentally went into Caps lock when typing this and thought of Death, as you would)

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Jan 17 - 12:28 PM

I just read "Good Omens," the collaboration with Neil Gaiman. Parts of that were boring and I flipped the pages and skimmed the paragraphs in self-defense; but overall I was entertained, and am keeping the book on my shelf for the present.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 08 Jan 17 - 03:50 AM

Just started reading 'The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner' before reading it to my Grandsons. It is very good :-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Jan 17 - 07:47 PM

The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner had passed me by - as I'm heading to the library soon I'll see it if's in the branch I'm visiting.

Shock, Horror, my library (one of the state's largest library systems) does not have it! So I asked them to buy it.

sandra (shaking head in amazement they don't have it! tho maybe they have it on order, but it was published way back in Sept, surely enough time to get onto their shelves, sigh.)

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Jan 17 - 05:59 PM

re: The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner.

It is reported in an online review that the short stories in this book include a precursor to Truckers. (Bromeliad?)

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Jan 17 - 05:40 PM

The Late Lamented Luggage has a few cameo spots.

I noticed The Luggage in Unseen Academicals, which was relatively recent. A very brief thing though. As you will recall, Unseen Academicals features football amongst other things. Somebody got the bright idea that The Luggage, with all them feets, might be useful on the football field. That lasted as long as it took for somebody to upend The Luggage, on the grass with all them feets in the air. Bye Bye Luggage.

And then there was The Last Hero, in which Rincewind plays a fairly prominent role, probably one of Rincewind's later appearances. The Luggage followed Rincewind onto the spaceship, and into the cabin, but that I believe was the extent of The Luggage's contribution.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Helen
Date: 07 Jan 17 - 05:37 PM

I just did a bit of a Google for TP's bibliography and also found this:

Reading order

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Helen
Date: 07 Jan 17 - 05:28 PM

Hi,

I've read a lot of TP's books and still love them. Now that he has kicked the proverbial bucket his books are "collector's items" and cost a packet so I would recommend buying them and re-selling them to the highest bidder, rather than donating them to a charity shop, unless you auction them off and donate the profits to the charity shop.

I have no intention of selling our collection, which takes up over two shelves of a rather large bookcase. Hubby and I both love his books, his twisted/warped view of the (Disc)world, and all the characters and plots he has invented.

As to which order to read the books, apart from starting with the first Discworld book to get a fix on the quirky world the books are set in, most of them can be read in any sequence at all. There are plenty of websites with info on who's who and what's what in Discworld, so if there is something about a character that you need to know, you can look it up.

For eggsample, the character of Death may be a bit confusing if you pick up a later book, but as soon as you "get" what he is about, he becomes one of the funniest & cleverest characters of all, IMHO, although I also love The Luggage, which unfortunately only appeared in a couple of early books.

I discovered TP's books when I worked in a library, and having the power to order books, I ordered every new title which came out. I also saw an old school friend sometime around that period and raved to her about the books. About a decade later I saw her and she introduced me to her teenage daughter by saying, this is the person who told me about Terry Pratchett's books and her daughter's face lit up like a sunbeam. If you do one good deed in your life and get a smile like that, it makes it all worth while. :-)

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Jan 17 - 04:30 PM

Who has read:
The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner?
I have not. Is it any good? supposed to be short stories,
NOT one long feature-length book.

By the way, Claire M, since you mentioned this in a post on this thread:

by Robin Jarvis:
Dancing Jax, Freax & Rejex, Fighting Pax: a complete series. A mash-up of Jonathan Swift, Stephen King, and at the end a touch of George MacDonald. Sound threatening? It is!

Also by Robin Jarvis:
The Power of Dark, which returns to Whitby. And believe it or not, there are....aufwaders, but I don't know why they are still around, seeing as how the Lords of the Deep and Dark had a special island world to which the aufwaders were removed. I don't know because I have only managed to read little excerpts of this book while I am waiting for Amazon to deliver my order.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Sep 16 - 04:29 PM

More thoughts on Which Books To Read When.

The last of the Tiffany Aching books, The Shepherd's Crown, is great reading regardless. Having said that, I read that book and then more recently I read a few Discworld books for the first time. And I must say, The Shepherd's Crown, which on occasion cruises across the whole surface of the Discworld away from the Chalk or Lancre, is more enjoyable if one is reading / has read:

Lords and Ladies
Thief of Time
Raising Steam

just to name three Discworld books which are very different indeed from each other.

Right now I am reading Raising Steam, and wishing that I had read it before I read The Shepherd's Crown. Particularly for the references to iron and railroads.

Most of all, though, Raising Steam is valuable for presenting engineering and steam locomotives as a metaphor for the importance of accepting challenges that require one to fail many times before arriving at success.


Oh, and a word about "The Long Earth" series. That final book has just been published, called "The Long Cosmos." This series of books is a collaboration, I've already forgotten the name of the other author, who has survived Terry Pratchett.

On another thread, a Terry Pratchett devotee lamented that "The Long Earth" had little discernible Terry Pratchett in it. I understand the lament. However, I have pinpointed something that seems to be Terry Pratchett's contribution.

The character of Douglas Black, if you look closely, has a lot of Terry Pratchett's satire in him. There is more than a touch of Havelock Vetinari in Black's status and powers. Black's remarks and personality, with a sharp sense of humor, also brings Discworld to mind.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Jack Campin
Date: 10 May 16 - 01:53 PM

I contributed three verses to the Hedgehog Song once (about buggering jellyfish, planaria and sponges). I never heard if anyone ever sang them.

Dunno what tune is normally used for it, but "Simple Gifts" aka "Lord of the Dance" is a natural fit.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 May 16 - 01:21 PM

And among the witches of the Discworld, there is Mrs. Earwig. Although I like how she negotiates with the Nac Mac Feegle in The Shepherd's Crown.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 May 16 - 04:47 PM

An earlier post had an opinion on which of the Discworld books was the darkest. That post suggested "Truth" which takes on journalism, and yes, the satire is scathing. And Death has his hands full.

Just finished reading "Feet of Clay," however, and WHOA, that one is dark. This one takes on Doctor Frankenstein and his monster, and how dark is that! No, I mean you won't literally see the monster, or the doctor, in this book. However there is a folklore equivalent, which I will not spoil here. Turns out that an entire category of unskilled labor in Ankh-Morpork has been answered by the creation of humanoid things with scripts in their head cavities, literally, and they are the lowest of slaves. Yeah, there is a LOT of social commentary brought to bear in this one. I'm impressed.

And here is another thread sub-topic to introduce.
Several posts have gone with, what character/behavior do you love the most.
But after all, this is English satire, which is incomplete without: The Character/Behaviour You Love To Hate.

Therefore my question:
Whom from the Discworld do you most Love To Hate? Don't be shy!

The first thing that springs to my mind has a characteristic intro:
Bingely-Bingely-Beep!    OH NO NOT AGAIN, every time.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 01 May 16 - 03:45 PM

Indeed, far worse things than being accused of being Granny Weatherwax. Horrors, to be accused of being Eumenides Treason -- !

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Brian May
Date: 01 May 16 - 09:00 AM

Must admit, I shall be eternally grateful to my oldest daughter who got me into Terry Pratchett in the 1980s.

What a treasure that man was. I have all his books (I think) permanently on my Kindle.

My favourites are the Tiffany Aching series followed by the witches. My wife is often 'accused' of being Granny Weatherwax - there are worse things . . . .

The humour and wisdom in TP's writings is peerless.

Enjoy

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 30 Apr 16 - 09:05 PM

Australian singer/songwriter/comedian Martin Pearson has written a most excellent version of The Hedgehog Song - link to a few videos of the song, lyrics as transcribed by another fan & more.

Martin is a great Discworld fan & had written a number of songs based on Terry Pratchett's writings. He's also a fan of Lord of the Rings & has put out a CD of LOTR songs.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Apr 16 - 02:14 PM

The one I love is Nanny Ogg. "but the hedgehog...."

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 03:09 PM

Hiya,

That it is!

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: MMario
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 09:40 AM

The second in the "Long Earth" series just came out - "The Long War"

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 08:13 AM

DARK IN HERE is great and oft repeated but some of the stranger snippets had me in fits.

Meat Curry - 1 cent
Named Meat Curry - 2 cents

Pavlovas Dogs - Named after dogs that, every time a bell rang, they ate a raspberry meringue

Why? Certainly, I'll have your whelk. How do we do it? Volume! (The Bursar)

You have to have been there...

Glad you are enjoying them Claire. Is the song "A wizards staff has a knob on the end"?

:D tG

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 06:14 AM

same here, Penny.

I never pick up vol one - except one time where there was no reference to the book being the start of a series. I was very close to the end thinking the ending would be very fast/squashed as a lot needed to happen to tie up all loose ends & get heroes out of extreme danger when the book ended, leaving them in danger.

So I said fooey or something a tad stronger, & never went looking for vol.2. If the author wanted to stop with a cliffhanger, let then stay there I said!

There have been other times where I've found all vol of a series in the library & happily took them all home.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Penny S.
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 02:41 PM

I know what you mean about trilogies. I never start to read one unless I know the last one has been published. If enough people do this, of course, it may never make it.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 02:26 PM

Hiya,

ALL of them??

I must've read some before, I recognise a lot of his old-fashioned words (I'm always the one who says "you know, there's a song about that, it's called ….." to a chorus of "oh NO"!) I did wonder why I kept dreaming of a man in a fedora hat, tapping his (4ft ½ ) staff on the ground.......

It's quite hard to find the later books in trilogies/series so I tend not to bother, even if I really liked the books, & I'm gagging for the next– I either can't get there, or they aren't available anyway.

I was pleased to find TP & I have the same fav band. When I found out that the Queen (his creation, not the proper one) had an elf looking after her called Lord Lankin that was it.

His words about "magical leakage" had me in fits (that just about happened finding out the above).

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Cats
Date: 25 May 13 - 02:39 PM

DARK IN HERE ISN'T IT..... My favourite quote.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 25 May 13 - 02:24 PM

Hiya,

ALL of them ??!!

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 30 Apr 13 - 06:17 PM

My hubbie loaned a colleague of his an early TP book. This is a guy who is a voracious reader, knows what he likes, and is something of a complete-ist. The day after he finished the book, he called Waterstones (US-ians, think Borders or Barnes & Noble) and the conversation went something like this:

"Hello, do you carry Terry Pratchett books?"

"Certainly Sir. Which titles would you like?"

"All of them."

"ALL of them? You do realise that's a very large number of books, Sir."

"That's fine."

"There are some we don't have in stock, Sir."

"I see. Would you please order them for me?"

"Certainly, Sir."

"Thank you. How much does that come to?"

Wish I could remember the amount to tell you here...

Apparently he managed to read the lot within two weeks.


Claire, BBC Radio has done lovely adaptations of a fair few of Pratchett's books (AaMOF, one of them, "Only You Can Save Mankind" (not a Discworld novel) is currently running on BBC Radio4Extra at midnight on Sat nights/Sun a.m.s

Hubbie & I have downloaded most (possibly all) of these; if you're interested in having them to listen to, let me know.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 30 Apr 13 - 03:36 PM

Hiya!

Seems like I'd like the Witch novels, or at least the Tiffany books – you've got me thinking of 'I Shall Wear Midnight' now. Heard song of same name, referring to a "prison of fantasy & fiction"

Howled my eyes out, face as red as my dress. I swear Peter Knight was looking at me as he sang the last line of the song –

"one day I shall wear midnight" changing I to WE.
Crivens, I'm tearing up again.

I really hope TP is as good as i've heard he is – I was deep into someone else's books then – too embarrassed to say whose! -- so wasn't that bothered about his, but I recognise the cartoon, & various words he uses from songs. In hindsight I wish I'd read the 1st 4 books (a series) by said other author then stopped – the rest were crap !!

Any ideas where to get Nanny Ogg's fox scarf ?

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Jeri
Date: 15 Apr 13 - 03:31 PM

MMario, I knew he had been, but not that he still was. It's good to know. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 15 Apr 13 - 03:14 PM

Hiya,

I know.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: MMario
Date: 15 Apr 13 - 10:23 AM

He is still **dictating** books from what I understand...there are at least two more in the chute and rumours of more.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Apr 13 - 04:11 PM

Pratchett's Discworld sounds as though the books are going to be silly, but he has really figured out how to balance ridiculous with deadly seriousness. I think the darkest novel was "Truth", but that's just my opinion.

Pratchett has Alzheimer's and can't write any more. I haven't read the last one or two he wrote, but I, along with everyone else who loves his work wishes there would be more.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: michaelr
Date: 14 Apr 13 - 03:21 PM

Claire. thanks for the YouTube link. It led me to discover the TV adaptation of Going Postal, which I did not know about.

Pratchett is a genius at satire. Enjoy!

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 14 Apr 13 - 02:02 PM

Hiya,

My cousin-in-law, who I get on really well with – he's a male version of me -- loves him too, so I'll see what he can bring up/recommends when/if he visits. I'm not a re-reader, & don't see the point of paying for books I'll read once. I just hope he's as good as I've been led to believe.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Apr 13 - 12:52 AM

I enjoy re-reading them, they don't get stale.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 12 Apr 13 - 01:16 PM

Hiya,

Thanks. I've seen Wyrd Sisters the cartoon, (vaguely remembered it) so watched it again,   loved it. I say "parched" the same way they do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vjKTwUWIZo
I laughed so hard at the rendition of 'A Wizard's Staff' I cried. When I'm older I will actually be like one of them.

Loved Robin Jarvis when I was younger, still do, but have sadly just about run out of RJ stuff to read. Was heavily into totally different stuff when I lived near said library with TP stuff; very depressing sagas that did my mood no good at all.
I recognised various things when I looked TP up so I must've read more than one – I'll probably find I've read most if not all.

Those who love me & know me well are rarely wrong – if ever.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Green Man
Date: 12 Apr 13 - 07:18 AM

I read them all and some three times. I have them all on a bookshelf on the landing outside the bedroom and I have just finished 'The Long Earth' which while co written by Sir Tel, is very different although the humour and turn of phrase is still comedic in places.

If you haven't read them all rejoice! because, you have a great treat in store.

Reading them in order is a good idea 'I think'.

Oook

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: paula t
Date: 11 Apr 13 - 05:10 PM

I would advise reading the Discworld books in order- otherwise you will miss out on the humour of some of the situations.( E.g a passing reference to a song being sung, in a pub, which describes the hedgehog as a "very fortunate animal" and the long description of a terrified wizard barricading himself inside his bedroom and locking himself inside a cupboard - only to hear, "IT'S DARK IN HERE ISN'T IT?" I laughed out loud.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 11 Apr 13 - 01:47 PM

From the books it is obvious that TP has a good understanding of English folk music, song and dance.

You don't want to meet the Queen, at least not without an iron frying pan.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 10 Apr 13 - 03:58 PM

Hiya,

I love libraries too; used to live near library with massive TP collection. Now I don't – just my luck !!.

I've Wiki'd the TA books; Queen of Faeries/Elves with copper (I love copper jewellery!) in her hair ?? I want to meet her, were she real -- she sounds …. well, err, that sounds like my sort of book. (Sorry.....)

Hang on, Lord Lankin?? That name sounds very familiar ….......


No wonder you said beware, Bettynh!! I may need to buy a new computer, I'll be salivating all over it soon.

(….... sorry)

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 05:43 AM

I've read all his books via my local libraries & have just borrowed another couple to re-read.

Long Live Libraries!

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: EBarnacle
Date: 07 Apr 13 - 10:01 AM

Consider borowing from your local library. It costs you nothing and is supported by taxes you have already paid. Besides, the more you use it, the better their statistics look and the more likely their funding is to continue.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Bettynh
Date: 06 Apr 13 - 01:33 PM

Beware of the elves! TP takes on their sparkly looks. Keep a frying pan handy (and do start with the first of the series for the full effect if you can).

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Claire M
Date: 06 Apr 13 - 01:16 PM

Hiya,

I think I may start with the Tiffany books. It doesn't matter that they're for younger readers; when I pick up a book, all that matters is, "is it so good that it makes me forget where I am ??"   I downloaded [i]Wintersmith[/i] in a pdf to see what it was like, after hearing said songs, which made me think the book must be brilliant.

He (Wintersmith) makes me think of the Snow Queen, who was always a favourite. I had my face painted as her once, with blue sparkly lips, & didn't want to take the make-up off. I write myself, & I'm more into the witches-wizards-&-dragons type of fantasy than the sci-fi sort.

The Chalk reminds me of my own upbringing & makes me quite emotional.

TP seems to be one of those authors you get, & you like, or you don't. I never got him before, but I'm starting to now. Just because I like fantasy doesn't mean I want to read every fantasy book going.

Subject: RE: BS: help: Terry Pratchett books
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 05 Apr 13 - 01:50 AM

Bee-dubya-ell: As I said above, Mort and Reaper Man!

The Discworld of the earlier books is a very different place to that of the later ones, especially those featuring Sam Vimes (after the first one), where Ankh Morpork and its surrounds become much more like a very rough English county town with cosmopolitan additions than the sinister place of the early stories. In fact the "Discworldliness" becomes very diluted in those stories, and even more diluted in the "Younger Readers" witchy stories featuring Tiffany Aching, where it all gets a bit twee.

While I love TP, I think the last 8 or 10 books are nowhere near the quality of the earlier ones.