TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The Discworld Thread

Go To

Misuki Full Time Bookworm from Clown Country (USA) (Long Runner) Relationship Status: One Is The Loneliest Number
Full Time Bookworm
#1051: Apr 22nd 2014 at 7:16:17 PM

[up] You're not the only one. I feel like I haven't really seen that much of Carrot besides him being caught in the middle of the Uberwald conflict back in the Fifth Elephant.

His role in Jingo is pretty awesome though. Playing football with the "enemy", that reminds me of the Christmas Truce in WW I between England and Germany.

@ Ag Prov: I do apologize for my knee-jerk reaction. I was making assumptions before I'd read the whole book. It was kind of my fault for going to the wiki first and the actual text second.

I'll take a look at what you've written when I'm able. Right now, I'm very tired from another long weekday.

@ everyone: Well, I am graduating college soon. Maybe I should splurge a little and order myself the hard cover of Raising Steam.

"The three rules of the librarians of time and space: silence; books must be returned on time; no interfering with the nature of causality."
Eagal Since: Apr, 2012
#1052: Apr 22nd 2014 at 7:49:31 PM

Don't. It's terrible.

A Carrot-centric book might be interesting, so long as there is no mention of Goblins in even the most tangential of ways. I also wouldn't be opposed to another book about Nutt. Maybe another wizards book, though no Rincewind. He puts me to sleep.

Though speaking of things that are tangentially related, I would like some novelizations of the Overlord series (Rhianna Pratchett is a writer for it).

Misuki Full Time Bookworm from Clown Country (USA) (Long Runner) Relationship Status: One Is The Loneliest Number
Full Time Bookworm
#1053: Apr 27th 2014 at 11:27:32 AM

I actually wouldn't mind another Carrot-centric book in Ankh-Morpork instead of abroad. It seems like nowadays abroad = goblins, and readers of those books say the goblins are an awful thing to be added to Discworld.

I wouldn't mind Ridcully and Esme appearing in the same book again either, just because I loved their relationship so much in Lords And Ladies.

And I seriously want a continuation of Twoflower/the Agatean Empire's story. I felt like it's been a cliffhanger since the end of The Last Hero.

edited 27th Apr '14 11:28:05 AM by Misuki

"The three rules of the librarians of time and space: silence; books must be returned on time; no interfering with the nature of causality."
Enlong Court Dragon from The Underground Facility Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Court Dragon
#1054: Apr 27th 2014 at 6:12:31 PM

Really? I haven't really read any books set abroad after Thud!, but I really did like the books set in Uberwald and Lancre and Borogravia and such up to that point. I really gotta read the later books.

That said, Ankh-Morpork is still a good setting. No shortage of interesing characters there.

I have a message from another time...
Eagal Since: Apr, 2012
#1055: Apr 28th 2014 at 1:35:44 PM

Another Witches book that justifies Agnes being cut out of the picture for Tiffany Aching (not that I don't love Tiffany, but still) is in order.

Seraphem Since: Oct, 2009
#1056: Apr 28th 2014 at 4:31:47 PM

Or better yet, simple bring Agnes back and ignores Tiffany.

BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1057: Apr 28th 2014 at 4:38:19 PM

Tiffany is her own thing, I think. She won't be inserting herself into the lives of the witches of Lancre - she'll be on the Chalk.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
AndrewGPaul Since: Oct, 2009
#1058: Apr 29th 2014 at 12:13:25 AM

readers of those books say the goblins are an awful thing to be added to Discworld.

Huh? No I don't.

BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1059: Apr 29th 2014 at 3:07:44 AM

I don't have a problem with goblins, either. Sure, it would've made more sense to have them in some ways present from much earlier to establish them as a species in the mythology so that they wouldn't have so suddenly emerged from out of nowhere to the readers' faces; but other than that I think they're fine.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Nightwire Since: Feb, 2010
#1060: Apr 29th 2014 at 4:02:33 AM

I don't have a problem either. So please, Eagal, don't automatically assume your opinion to be representative of everyone.

On another note, I just came back this year's Eastercon in Glagsgow. This was my very first con, and I had a really good time there, but the absolute highlight for me is the panel on Terry Pratchett and the Discworld series. It was wonderful, the hosts and the attendees alike approach with absolute love and adoration. I felt so at home.

Eagal Since: Apr, 2012
#1061: Apr 29th 2014 at 10:32:17 AM

I don't remember saying that it was, but as you like.

edited 29th Apr '14 10:32:49 AM by Eagal

BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1062: Apr 29th 2014 at 10:35:56 AM

It was Misuki that said that the goblin=bad thing is a common opinion.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Eagal Since: Apr, 2012
#1063: Apr 29th 2014 at 10:43:03 AM

Anyway, Hughnon Ridcully needs more screen time.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#1064: Apr 29th 2014 at 10:49:09 AM

Hear, hear.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Misuki Full Time Bookworm from Clown Country (USA) (Long Runner) Relationship Status: One Is The Loneliest Number
Full Time Bookworm
#1065: Apr 29th 2014 at 11:58:26 AM

Now I'm not sure if I believe that the goblins are a bad things for Discworld, because I haven't read the books.

But if Eagal is telling me that it's not worth it to buy Raising Steam because they're in it, and that the reviews for the new book and Snuff are split 50/50 between 5-star and 1-star on Barnes and Noble, I think it's safe to say that a good portion of the readers don't like them in the books.

It's that opinion that makes me reluctant to read anything post- UA.

And I've nearly read all the Discworld stuff. I'm kind of wondering what to move onto next.

"The three rules of the librarians of time and space: silence; books must be returned on time; no interfering with the nature of causality."
BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1067: Apr 29th 2014 at 12:53:36 PM

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is wonderful. Highly recommended.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Seraphem Since: Oct, 2009
#1068: Apr 29th 2014 at 1:09:51 PM

The first three books were amazing, didn't much care for the second two.

DoktorvonEurotrash Lex et Veritas from Not a place of honour (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1069: May 1st 2014 at 2:24:50 AM

Strongly seconding the Hitchhiker books. I started by reading them, and when I read my first Discworld book (Witches Abroad, for the record), I sat up thinking "This is like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, only fantasy!"

I agree that they peaked around book 3, though.

Null ... from ... Since: Apr, 2009
...
#1070: May 1st 2014 at 3:35:12 AM

Looking into Dirk Gently may also be advisable.

...
Misuki Full Time Bookworm from Clown Country (USA) (Long Runner) Relationship Status: One Is The Loneliest Number
Full Time Bookworm
#1071: May 13th 2014 at 4:58:22 PM

I'll keep all those suggestions in mind. Thanks for the input. smile

Getting back on topic for Discworld...

Who else is reading Night Watch to celebrate the 25th of May? So far, I haven't really made good progress in reading it because I've been a slacker about it, but I caught up today.

I feel like whenever I re-read a book, I pick up more details*. For instance, I also reread Jingo recently and it made ten times more sense to me.

  • For instance, I gushed over Ponder Stibbons making a minor cameo appearance in Night Watch.

"The three rules of the librarians of time and space: silence; books must be returned on time; no interfering with the nature of causality."
BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1072: May 13th 2014 at 5:17:16 PM

One of the things that catch my attention every team I read Night Watch or Thief of Time is the simultaneity of the events. I'm always thinking about some of the scenes from Lu-Tze's point of view - this one event forces him to get immersed in parallel but largely unrelated stories, and he has to use most of the tricks in his book to get everybody through the loopholes in reality that have to be met in order for things to keep working close to the way they should be.

Before I post this, it occurs to me that anyone reading this post would have to have read Night Watch and Thief of Time to not be exposed to spoilers, which is why I ended up putting most of this post in spoiler markup. If you've read both of those books you can read through the spoiler markup.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Misuki Full Time Bookworm from Clown Country (USA) (Long Runner) Relationship Status: One Is The Loneliest Number
Full Time Bookworm
#1073: May 13th 2014 at 5:32:08 PM

Thief of Time is the only standalone story that I haven't read, I think. Do you recommend it? I got some money from my graduation, and I know I want to spend some of it on Discworld somehow. smile

"The three rules of the librarians of time and space: silence; books must be returned on time; no interfering with the nature of causality."
BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1074: May 13th 2014 at 5:38:06 PM

Thief of Time is a very good Discworld book. I wouldn't call it a stand-alone, though - it has Death and Susan, as well as Lu-Tze the History Monk (whom you'll have met in Small Gods). I think it's usually considered one of the Death/Susan books.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Rem Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
#1075: May 13th 2014 at 6:16:40 PM

[up][up]&[up] I was going to protest the, "Standalone," part too, but then I realised that Susan and Death are largely static (Although they both get chances to shine. Especially the latter.)

Granted, you probably shouldn't read it if you haven't already read the (other?) Susan novels. You'll lose very little if you read it before Small Gods.

And I'd definitely recommend it. Tabling it's exemplary quality for the moment, it reveals quite a bit about the Discworld, and why it is the way it is.

It's not necessary reading, exactly, but you probably shouldn't look at the Fridge Brilliance sections for any of the other books until you've read it.

This includes books written decades before Thief Of Time, somehow, fittingly.

Fire, air, water, earth...legend has it that when these four elements are gathered, they will form the fifth element...boron.

Total posts: 1,335
Top