Because I'm sometimes overfocused
Sep. 26th, 2004 08:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
msagara... and I'd finished GOING POSTAL, Pratchett's latest novel, and I had reread all of the Watch novels in chronological order and was left with that slightly empty feeling one gets when one hasn't quite finished but there's nothing left to finish, I suddenly remembered that Google Is Our Friend, and, in an act much less lazy than is my wont, dug up a few words from alt.fan.pratchett, posted by the author in question.
"All this being said, at the recent DWcon I did a reading on the Friday
night and gave the audience a choice between part of the next adult
novel ( a Watch novel) and the next Tiffany/Feegle novel. They both got
loud cheers, but the latter's cheer was perceptibly louder. Maybe
there are two roads now."
I'm so excited :D. New Watch novel!
ETA: The new working titles, according to the site that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tenebris so kindly pointed out are:
WINTERSMITH (Tiffany novel)
THUD (Watch novel)
"All this being said, at the recent DWcon I did a reading on the Friday
night and gave the audience a choice between part of the next adult
novel ( a Watch novel) and the next Tiffany/Feegle novel. They both got
loud cheers, but the latter's cheer was perceptibly louder. Maybe
there are two roads now."
I'm so excited :D. New Watch novel!
ETA: The new working titles, according to the site that
tenebris so kindly pointed out are:WINTERSMITH (Tiffany novel)
THUD (Watch novel)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 05:45 pm (UTC)Still awaiting my preordered copy of POSTAL.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 07:15 pm (UTC)Returning you to your regularly scheduled discussion now. (Dang, I need to catch up on Pratchett!)
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 08:12 pm (UTC)It's idealized me, about 20 years/20 pounds ago. I simply refused to add any wrinkles. Vain? I guess.
And yes, you do need to catch up on your Pratchett.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 05:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 05:29 pm (UTC)Never having been to a Discworld Con, I find myself struggling not to be envious. Failing, too <g>.
Out of curiosity, though, what is a DW Con like? I've been to any number of SF conventions and I'm trying to imagine what kind of workload Terry Pratchett would have to shoulder by himself at a convention devoted to the Disc...
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 05:47 pm (UTC)Must admit only limited reading of Pratchett, though he's now on my need-to-read list. Read one of Discworld involving a bunch of professors from Unseen Univeristy (SCARILY accurate portrayal), a time-traveling suitcase, and random rainstorms. Any particular books of his you'd recommend for starting out?
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 05:53 pm (UTC)Starting with the first book (The Colour of Magic) is somewhat contra-indicated, as he hadn't really hit his stride at that point; it's a bit too much "make fun of High Fantasy" for many. (I thought it was "not great, but shows promise" and continued on to read the rest, which improved.)
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 06:21 pm (UTC)I wouldn't recommend starting with any of the first, oh, 6 books, although some people feel that MORT is a good starting book. Death is always a bit player, but MORT is pretty much about Death.
I'm one of the readers who didn't care as much for the early books, and who adores the later ones. I started, oddly enough, with the second of the Watch books -- Men At Arms. There's nothing in it that isn't accessible -- there couldn't have been, or I wouldn't have been lost -- but it's also one of the strongest of the books, imho. Everyone has an opinion, otoh, about Pratchett.
For instance, there are some people who love the Witches; I like them, and read them, but I love the Watch. And Moist von Lipwig, the new character in GOING POSTAL, about whom I'll refrain from saying anything else. After I'd read Men at Arms, I continued to read the books -- but GUARDS, GUARDS was, at the time, out of print in North America, so I didn't get to read it until JINGO had been published.
So... I'd start with MEN AT ARMS.
I know that a lot of people recommend SMALL GODS: I'm one of a handful who didn't love it, or at any rate, didn't think it was his Best Book Ever. I've noted that there's some minor division that falls along the "raised with religion" and "not raised with religion" camp. I'm in the latter, so the lampooning of religion seemed... less new and wonderful to me. There is always something to love in a Pratchett novel, so SMALL GODS does have the usual and expected moments of Pratchett brilliance, but MAA is more indicative of the tone and feel of the rest of his books.
THE TRUTH is a decent place to start (as someone else mentioned); so is GOING POSTAL, which is fabulous.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 06:45 pm (UTC)---L.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 07:27 pm (UTC)I'm there with you -- I still haven't read the first two, I think, and I don't much care for Rincewind -- I started with Night Watch, which I bought in hardcover and drew me in completely, and then dashed out to get Everything Else, although I think I'm rather a Witch person than a Watch person (ha, sort of like blue and green racing colors in the Byzantine empire). I agree Men at Arms is a really good starting point, although if I want to gobsmack someone, I'll lend them Night Watch (which then leads to the disturbing fact they now want to borrow all my other Pratchetts as well).
I've noted that there's some minor division that falls along the "raised with religion" and "not raised with religion" camp. I'm in the latter, so the lampooning of religion seemed... less new and wonderful to me
That sounds right to me -- I was in the latter camp (w/o conventional religion) as well, and so it didn't seem as wonderful as The Truth or Thief of Time or other books I loved whole-heartedly. Which isn't to say it's bad, just....fell a little flat for some readers, I suppose.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 08:06 pm (UTC)I'm not a big fan of Rincewind in general, but Interesting Times is good, mostly because it doesn't focus too strongly on him!
The Watch books are probably my favorite subset, as with
I very much enjoy Small Gods despite being, at best, a lapsed agnostic; I do know that it's not to everyone's taste, which is why I mentioned The Truth; it'd be the one I would suggest for anyone who would prefer the newspaper/printing industry to the church as a central focus.
I don't consider SG his "Best! Book! Evar!" but since he keeps writing new "Best! Book! Evar!"s almost every time out....
One drawback I have is that, having started with British editions, I now feel compelled to make sure I keep the string going (even without Josh Kirby, sadly missed, doing the covers) which makes acquisition require somewhat more work. I am happy to see the US editions now being somewhat more timely, though!
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 08:21 pm (UTC)I love all the subsets fairly equally except for the Rincewind books. He just doesn't float my boat. Overall, I would give the edge to the Guards because I adore the verbal sparring between Vimes and the Patrician. I sometimes ponder Granny butting heads with him on some occasion, just because.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 05:57 pm (UTC)Pratchett is one of the only authors that, once I start on a set of Theme books, I have to read them all. I've re-read the Watch and the Witch series so many times now...
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 06:24 pm (UTC)This didn't happen to me until NIGHT WATCH -- I read it first, and then had to go back and reread all the rest of the Watch books. But oddly enough, GOING POSTAL had the effect of (as mentioned above) making me go and reread all of the Watch books, and they aren't even in it, go figure.
What I love about his work -- well, aside from everything -- is that he consistently gets better with time; his work isn't stale, he's clearly not bored with his creation, and his ability to twine a number of subplots together has also become so seamless it's just sheer joy.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-26 07:28 pm (UTC)Oh yes -- when I look at Night Watch and something like Equal Rites I can believe they're by the same author, because the style is recognizable, but the growth is incredible. He's clearly a writer who's always pushing his own limits and not content to settle for anything.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-28 07:20 pm (UTC)YES! Exactly. While I enjoy early Pratchett (well, not a huge fan of Rincewind, but...), I truly love later Pratchett. Thief of Time, Carpe Jugulum, and Night Watch all left me in a state of...awe, almost, and I had to go back and read what I had not-quite-missed before.
One of the interesting things about Pratchett is that his characters seem to evolve not just in the books, but between them as well. It's something I only noticed when I went back and reread each book in the Watch series, but the Sam Vimes of Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms have interesting, subtle differences (which, of course, I cannot detail at this time). And this makes sense, though in another writer, I might find it disconcerting.
OT - Farscape - Squeee!
Date: 2004-09-28 05:26 am (UTC)Yay Mini!
Date: 2004-09-28 07:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 04:08 am (UTC)(See my sketch o' Vetinari: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/349257/ )
I just finished Monstrous Regiment and am reading Wee Free Men right now. I read aloud the Feegles discussion of marriage to Lee, and he laughed.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 08:36 am (UTC)Vetinari is my favorite character as well. His back-and-forth with Vimes in FEET OF CLAY is a three page encapsulation of why I love Pratchett.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 08:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 07:40 am (UTC)---L, saving it for a rainy day.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 10:11 am (UTC)I don't find this shameful -- well, okay, not to me <g>. I will frequently try to "hold" one Pratchett novel in abeyance as a Just In Case. Because he's one of the very, very few I authors whose works I can read in any state of mind, most particularly the bleak and unhappy one that requires a bit of elevation.
Otoh, I can't actually hold off on the Watch books with that in mind; in the need-to-read vs. the rainy day in the case of Vimes & co., the reading wins.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-27 10:42 am (UTC)---L, glances at bet me on his desk.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-28 05:32 am (UTC)All in all, I think Pratchett has a little bit of something for everyone.
Many moods of Pratchett reading
Date: 2004-09-30 02:51 pm (UTC)I found that I held onto Night Watch for over a year, being unable to bring myself to read it because of what was going on in my own life. One deployed loved one later, I devoured it and enjoyed it immensely.
I love all of the Discworld sub-sets almost equally, but my personal #1 favorite has to be Reaper Man. It's so neat to see the development of the embodiment of a physical process into a fully fleshed character. And of course, the introduction of the Death of Rats ;-)
Kestralyn
(waiting for payday to get Going Postal)
no subject
Date: 2004-10-09 07:49 pm (UTC)I'm one of those people who read all of the Discworld books in chronological order. Obviously I liked even the first several books enough to keep going with it, but nowadays when I try to get other people hooked on Pratchett I never start at the beginning. I give them Mort and then go on in straight chronological order, skipping over any Rincewind novels and over Moving Pictures as well. This seems to work best for bringing people into the light. Heh.
I know people who have begun their Pratchett obsession by reading one particular "strain" of novels - all the Watch books, or the Death books, or what have you - and that worked well for them. (I confess to reading them in "strains" myself, on re-readings.) But I personally feel that for the first reading it's nice to really feel the inter-connectedness of things, which allows you to be "in" on all of the in jokes. Hence, pushing the chronological approach.
As I was reading through Discworld the first time I laughed (extensively) and enjoyed myself, quick to devour the next volume - but it wasn't until Guards! Guards! that I felt I had fallen deep enough in to say that I loved them. And it was with the following book, Reaper Man, that I started to feel the first twinge of awe for someone who could not only do flawless humor (I knew that already) but also weave an insightful poignancy into the work, sneaking it in seamlessly so that it came on you unawares, and at times struck you so strong in the chest that the emotional ride from one laughing moment to the next deeply stirring one became an almost veritiginous experience, but a wonderful one. < G >
All that said, the Watch books are without a doubt my favorites. I have a very special place in my heart for Death and most of his stories, but nothing moves me like the Watch books. On the ubiquitous Favorite Character question, I would have to say that Vimes wins by leaps and bounds over most, but only by the slightest sliver over Vetinari. In all fairness, I should say they're tied. But happily, the Watch books don't force me to choose between them. < g >
I'm not big on asking authors to autograph books, for some reason, but the one autographed book I own is Men At Arms. I already knew that I adored this man's work before reaching that book, but Men At Arms absolutely worked me over, and it's got a special place in my heart, followed very closely by
I'm one of those people who read all of the Discworld books in chronological order. Obviously I liked even the first several books enough to keep going with it, but nowadays when I try to get other people hooked on Pratchett I never start at the beginning. I give them <i>Mort</i> and then go on in straight chronological order, skipping over any Rincewind novels and over <i>Moving Pictures</i> as well. This seems to work best for bringing people into the light. Heh.
I know people who have begun their Pratchett obsession by reading one particular "strain" of novels - all the Watch books, or the Death books, or what have you - and that worked well for them. (I confess to reading them in "strains" myself, on re-readings.) But I personally feel that for the first reading it's nice to really feel the inter-connectedness of things, which allows you to be "in" on all of the in jokes. Hence, pushing the chronological approach.
As I was reading through Discworld the first time I laughed (extensively) and enjoyed myself, quick to devour the next volume - but it wasn't until <i>Guards! Guards!</i> that I felt I had fallen deep enough in to say that I <i>loved</i> them. And it was with the following book, <i>Reaper Man</i>, that I started to feel the first twinge of awe for someone who could not only do flawless humor (I knew that already) but also weave an insightful poignancy into the work, sneaking it in seamlessly so that it came on you unawares, and at times struck you so strong in the chest that the emotional ride from one laughing moment to the next deeply stirring one became an almost veritiginous experience, but a wonderful one. < G >
All that said, the Watch books are without a doubt my favorites. I have a very special place in my heart for Death and most of his stories, but nothing moves me like the Watch books. On the ubiquitous Favorite Character question, I would have to say that Vimes wins by leaps and bounds over most, but only by the slightest sliver over Vetinari. In all fairness, I should say they're tied. But happily, the Watch books don't force me to choose between them. < g >
I'm not big on asking authors to autograph books, for some reason, but the one autographed book I own is <i>Men At Arms.</i> I already knew that I adored this man's work before reaching that book, but <i>Men At Arms</i> absolutely worked me over, and it's got a special place in my heart, followed very closely by <Feet Of Clay</i>, which doesn't seem to be at the top of many people's lists, but is definitely at the top of mine. "Words in the heart cannot be taken."
As for the <i>Small Gods</i> debate, I really, really loved that book. The 'religious upbringing' question is an interesting and relevant one, though I was not raised in a religious environment and I still found the lambasting very... entertaining, shall we say. :) Of course, my favorite parts of that book involved the dissection of philosophers, so it was definitely a combination of things.
Anyway, I suspect LJ is going to cut this comment soon, if it hasn't done so already. Time to sign off, and get back to <i>Going Postal.</i>
no subject
Date: 2004-10-09 07:53 pm (UTC)