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Sir Terry Pratchett has died

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Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#91

Post by lucraft »

albinoloverats wrote: post #84
bentcorner wrote: post #44

I've never read any of his books, although I've been meaning to for some time. Can anyone who's read through them comment? According to the Discworld wikipedia article, publication order may not be the best way to go through the series. This[1] page recommends reading a plot/chronological order. Personally I prefer reading books in publication order, since I get to follow the mind of the author. Given that, there are…

I started with Pyramids half my life ago, back in my early teens. It's the only novel not to have started its own mini series, which I have always felt is a bit of a shame. But it did hook me and made me want to read all of the others. I think by the time of Pyramids TP was really getting in to his stride, so when I went back to The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic and found them less polished I wasn't put off…

Yeah, I've read the first half of Pyramids half a dozen times ;)

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#92

Post by totalrobe »

thirsteh wrote: post #4

"Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." — Terry Pratchett RIP

“Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” - Terry Pratchett

RIP, thank you for the perspective.

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#93

Post by stsp »

arcatek wrote: post #54
bentcorner wrote: post #44

I've never read any of his books, although I've been meaning to for some time. Can anyone who's read through them comment? According to the Discworld wikipedia article, publication order may not be the best way to go through the series. This[1] page recommends reading a plot/chronological order. Personally I prefer reading books in publication order, since I get to follow the mind of the author. Given that, there are…

Small Gods is a nice standalone (despite being in the Discworld storyline, it is not really connected to the previous stories) about religion. Mort is another, talking about Death.

+1 for Mort. It is fantastic. And it is about death, so it's highly, should I dare say, appropriate for the occasion.

The Wee Free Men and Dodger are also nice to read. They focus a bit less on humour, being geared a little more towards children. Don't expect to laugh all the time. But the settings of these stories are magical.

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#94

Post by mcphilip »

The first celebrity death that hit me hard. I've read all fourty Discworld novels, some of them 4 or 5 times. His books taught me to approach the world with a twinkle in my eye and a smile quick to come out -- a good change from the cynicism of my teens.

So many memories... he wrote amazing characters.

Dorfl, a Golem who figured out how to program himself (via writing his own scrolls to feed into his head). His fireproof nature made him a great firefighter and a constant nuisance on the street of small gods since he'd engage in rational debates and was not deterred by the prospect of hell -- the first fireproof athiest.

Death quipping to his grandaughter, Susan, when asked why people taught kids to believe in lies like the tooth fairy: SO THEY'LL BELIEVE IN THE BIGGER LIES AS ADULTS, LIKE JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.

I could go on forever, but I'll leave with one last quote from Death:

THERE IS NO JUSTICE, THERE IS JUST US

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#96

Post by arcatek »

lucraft wrote: post #61

Words to live by: "There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs , however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was f…

That could be a Cave Johnson quote.

    "When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Make life take the lemons
    back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons, what the hell am I supposed
    to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager! Make life rue the day it
    thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the
    man who’s gonna burn your house down! With the lemons! I’m gonna get my
    engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!"

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#97

Post by Graham24 »

Shivetya wrote: post #70

I was introduced to Terry Prachett by watching Terry Pratchett's Hogfather as done by Sky One. Really late to get into his stories, but since then I had started with book 1 of Discworld. Are there authors who write similarly?

Robert Rankin perhaps? Try the Brentford Triangle. I've been the Griffin Park (not that i'm boasting or anything).

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#99

Post by albinoloverats »

lucraft wrote: post #91
albinoloverats wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I started with Pyramids half my life ago, back in my early teens. It's the only novel not to have started its own mini series, which I have always felt is a bit of a shame. But it did hook me and made me want to read all of the others. I think by the time of Pyramids TP was really getting in to his stride, so when I went back to The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic and found them less polished I wasn't put off…

Yeah, I've read the first half of Pyramids half a dozen times ;)

I only just finished reading The Long Mars a couple of weeks ago - I wonder whether Stephen Baxter will continue solo with the final book (as number 4 is due out later this year[1]).

[1]: http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/the-long-utopia-the-lo...

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#100

Post by lucraft »

bentcorner wrote: post #44

I've never read any of his books, although I've been meaning to for some time. Can anyone who's read through them comment? According to the Discworld wikipedia article, publication order may not be the best way to go through the series. This[1] page recommends reading a plot/chronological order. Personally I prefer reading books in publication order, since I get to follow the mind of the author. Given that, there are…

Question 1: Are you fairly determined to read them all?

YES: start with The Colour of Magic at the beginning and work your way through

NO / Not sure: Don't start at the beginning, as the first few books are weird and will put you off.

Question 2: What sounds more fun to you, reading about Badass Witches, Badass Policemen or Badass Businessmen?

Your respective starting points are Equal Rites, Guards! Guards! and The Truth.

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