Latest news with #Discworld
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Essential Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett spent more than half of his six decades on Earth writing Discworld, a sprawling fantasy series where, among many other threads, Death begins as a villain, drifts into heroism and ends as something very near to a friend. This is not because Pratchett was insensitive to the tragedy of death. He coined the term 'Embuggerance' to describe his own diagnosis of posterior cortical atrophy (a rare form of Alzheimer's), and lobbied for death with dignity as a way of wresting control from the macabre final phases of terminal illness. But Pratchett's great strength as a writer — and as a human being — was empathy. More than his humor, although he's hands down one of the funniest authors to ever do it, empathy is the beating heart of his work: Even when depicting the grim and inescapable terminus of all life, he couldn't resist making Death feel human. To fans of his books, the striking thing about Pratchett's biography is how familiar so much of it sounds. The only child of an engineer and a secretary, he grew up in a rural English village digging holes for the privy (Granny Weatherwax!) and walking above ancient fossils in the chalk (Tiffany Aching!). He met and married a girl a few rungs up the social ladder (Vimes and Lady Sybil!) when he was just 20, and thereafter became 'the most married person you were ever likely to meet,' according to his biographer and longtime assistant, Rob Wilkins. He went to sci-fi conventions in the 1960s, dabbled in early computers and accumulated a gaggle of the kind of mismatched jobs many writers inhabit before they get down to novelisting full time: newspaperman, interviewer, press agent for a nuclear power station. A series of utterly ordinary events — except that they happened to a mind we know dreamed up extraordinary things. A few precociously early short-story sales eventually gave way to larger works, including the first Discworld books, and some enthusiastic press. Then, around the time the fourth Discworld novel, 'Mort,' was released in 1987 — after years of writing, multiple publishers and a bit of old-fashioned, right-time-right-place luck with a BBC radio serialization of the first two books — something clicked. Discworld took off, and pretty much never stopped: The series eventually ran to 41 full-length novels, plus an assortment of companion volumes, graphic novels, film and television adaptations, and the children's book 'Where's My Cow?' And while Pratchett occasionally tried on other worlds and genres — plays, alternate history, dialogue for a fan-made 'Elder Scrolls: Oblivion' mod — it's this fantasy realm that remains his most enduring masterpiece. Discworld is a flat planet that sits on top of four elephants on top of a tortoise. There are gods and tentacular temples; a teeming, grimy city called Ankh-Morpork; and arcane rules governing magic. At first, the series is a slapstick adventure story about a cowardly wizard, in which Pratchett takes well-aimed shots at J.R.R. Tolkien, H.P. Lovecraft and Anne McCaffrey (to name just a few). But around Book 3 he starts opening things up. This is where the fan-made flow charts come in, explaining which books to read for the witches arc, which ones are the Sam Vimes novels, which ones follow Death and his granddaughter, Susan Sto Helit. Book by book, Discworld expands and deepens, pulling in elements from our world that Pratchett tempers in surprising ways: Shakespeare, vampires, police procedurals, musicals, Australia, high finance. Then come even bigger ideas: war, revolution, justice. By the time we reach Book 29, 'Night Watch,' Pratchett is writing comic fantasy the way Martin Luther offered theological critique to the Catholic Church: sharp and tough as nails, with a hammering moral force. Not all the jokes have aged well, and the final books are a bit haunting — more sketches than full-color paintings, as the progression of Pratchett's disease took its cruel toll. But the overwhelming sense, even in the posthumously published 'The Shepherd's Crown,' is of a man rushing to tell us something vital — about ourselves, about one another. Discworld is not about how to be good, but about how to do good, and why even the smallest acts of kindness matter. Empathy — like humor or creativity or hope — is a muscle. You don't train for a marathon by running around the world: You start with small distances and work your way up. It's cringe, as the kids say, to talk seriously about funny books. It makes me the wettest of blankets to say we're starving right now for virtue, for everyday goodness, for people who care about one another. But 10 years after Pratchett's passing — announced in the all-caps voice of Death himself — his clarity of vision may be what our world needs most: Vimes observing, 'As soon as you saw people as things to be measured, they didn't measure up.' Granny Weatherwax reminding us, 'Sin, young man, is when you treat people as things.' And Death, of course, having the last word: 'THERE IS NO HOPE BUT US. THERE IS NO MERCY BUT US. THERE IS NO JUSTICE. THERE IS JUST US.' Where do I start? If you find the flow charts daunting — and who could blame you? — 'Monstrous Regiment' (2003) is your best bet for a stand-alone, as it happens far away from Ankh-Morpork or the witchy Ramtop Mountains. We meet young Polly Perks, from a small country forever at war with its neighbors, as she cuts her hair, dons trousers and joins the army in hopes of finding her missing brother. The troops are untrained, the fields are barren, and the government insists it's treasonous to even ask which side is winning the war. The only authority is Sgt. Jack Jackrum, a jovial nightmare in a coat 'the red of dying stars and dying soldiers' — as if Falstaff were reborn as a god of war. Polly soon discovers she's not the only soldier in disguise. Everyone has their reasons for fighting, and they're being tracked by more enemies than they know. It's trench humor at its blackest, and burns like a wound being cauterized. Take me directly to his greatest hit 'Night Watch' (2002) is not only a great Discworld novel: It is one of the greatest fantasy novels of all time. Sam Vimes, a former drunken street cop who has become a sober and reluctant duke, is the commander of the City Watch — until he gets caught in a lightning storm and finds himself magically transported 30 years back in time. He quickly assumes the identity of a police sergeant in charge of training and mentoring his 16-year-old self, on the eve of a famous late-May rebellion that Vimes knows the sergeant does not survive. (Astute readers will have noted the glorious, and specific, publication date of this article: not accidental.) This salty, poignant and brilliantly strange novel is 'Terminator 2' meets 'Les Misérables.' It also retcons a lot of familiar Discworld characters — Lord Vetinari, Sergeant Colon, Nobby Nobbs, the zombie Reg Shoe — so before you pick it up, you should read 'Guards! Guards!' (1989) to learn your way around the city and its inhabitants. Vimes's arc from a hopeless drunk to an honorable civic leader is one of Pratchett's greatest literary triumphs, turning his gift for reinvention onto one of his own comic creations and effecting something remarkably tender in the process. I like sexy, sinister elves and women saving the day The author's note for 'Lords and Ladies' (1992), Pratchett's riff on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' warns that this is the first Discworld book to build episodically on what came before … and then immediately gives you all the important context you need, in brief, with no homework necessary. A coven of witches return to their small mountain kingdom, Lancre, to discover that some glamorous elves with a taste for magical manipulation have invaded. But the trio — the dreamy Magrat Garlick, the meddling Nanny Ogg and the formidable Granny Weatherwax (maiden, mother and … the other one) — are not going down without a fight. Magrat is also shocked to learn that, in her absence, Lancre's king has been busy planning their wedding. Pratchett never wrote what I would call a romance, but this is one of his best romance-adjacent works (2001's 'Thief of Time' is another). Enough fantasy. Got any science fiction? Although I am fond of some of Pratchett's early science fiction, such as 'Only You Can Save Mankind' (1992), his best sci-fi is a Discworld book, where the science is garbed in fantasy cosplay. 'Going Postal' (2004) is the story of a con artist, Moist von Lipwig, who is reluctantly redeemed as he takes charge of the failing Ankh-Morpork postal service. The book is unusual for Pratchett in that most of the plot revolves not around magic, or even around magically inflected technology (as in 1990's 'Moving Pictures' or 2000's 'The Truth'), but around ordinary mechanical innovation. Moist and the mail must compete with the clacks network — a code-based semaphore communication system — and the clash upends social patterns and leads to political upheaval in ways fans of hard sci-fi will find gratifying. There are also plenty of references and fun Easter eggs for old-school coding nerds. I'm more of a horror reader 'Carpe Jugulum' (1998) nails the true creep factor of the vampire genre. It's not the blood-drinking: It's the way they mess with your mind. Another Lancre witches book, and one of the best, this story begins with King Verence (now married to Magrat) accidentally inviting a family of modern-sounding vampires to his daughter's christening. Once there, the hypnotically powered creatures are quick to insist they should be running things. Our witches have to fight them off while figuring out their own changing roles: The newcomer Agnes Nitt assumes the position of the maiden, Queen Magrat is now the mother, and Nanny Ogg is being pushed unwillingly into Granny Weatherwax's spot as Granny herself begins to physically fade. Luckily, witches are most dangerous when cornered, and Granny has at least one more trick up her sleeve. Got any deep cuts? 'A Blink of the Screen: Collected Shorter Fiction' (2012) is full of bite-size gems from Pratchett's prodigious, sometimes meandering career. Longtime readers will find plenty to enjoy here, including glimmerings of future stories and several unlikely surprises (one story includes a particularly delightful illustration of a 'large, fat, ugly brown bird with big eyebrows'). The illuminating and conversational introductions to each piece — where Pratchett adds context, memories and, sometimes, self-deprecating disclaimers ('I was playing with the words to see what happens. It's a thing that authors do sometimes.') — make it feel as though the writer is right there with you, reading over your shoulder. Time was I would have included 'Good Omens' (1990) on this list: It's an excellent first approach to Pratchett's work and a personal favorite. But considering the sexual assault allegations against Pratchett's co-author, Neil Gaiman, I'm not interested in sending new fans down that road. (Gaiman has denied the allegations.) Instead, I'd recommend one of the many angel-and-demon stories haloed by its influence, such as 'When the Angels Left the Old Country,' by Sacha Lamb; 'The City in Glass,' by Nghi Vo; or the whimsical 'Small Miracles,' by Olivia Atwater.
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Weston Museum showcases Terry Pratchett's Discworld art
A museum is displaying a number of illustrations that featured in author Sir Terry Pratchett's famous Discworld exhibition opens at Weston Museum on May 24 and features illustrations by artist and character designer Paul Kidby - who worked with Pratchett for 30 Terry Pratchett passed away in 2015 and lived in Somerset and the wider South West for much of his life."We are very excited for the exhibition, especially after reading the comments and seeing the engagement on social media" said Victoria Haddock, Exhibitions and Programmes Assistant at South West Heritage. "This family-friendly exhibition offers a stunning selection of Paul's work, providing visitors a rare opportunity to see how the inhabitants of Discworld are brought to life, from early sketches to the final masterpieces," she award-winning Discworld series is set on a flat planet balanced on the back of four elephants stood on the back of a giant turtle and populated with hundreds of wonderful wizards, witches and magical exhibition will feature original sketches, prints, paintings and sculptures that fully showcase Kidby's creative process. There are 41 Discworld novels in total - with the first being coming in 1983 and the last being published posthumously - five months after Sir Terry Pratchett's death in wrote 70 books in total in a 44 year career, he died of natural causes aged 66, having been diagnosed with Kidby has also illustrated for books written by Terry's daughter, Rhianna, although these are not part of the Discworld 2017 Mr Kidby created a bronze memorial bust of Sir Terry. The exhibition is a touring exhibition from St Barbe Museum and Art exhibition will run until August 30th.
Spectator
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Did Terry Pratchett really write classics?
The news that Terry Pratchett's 2002 novel Night Watch has joined the ranks of the Penguin Modern Classics series may seem, to the Pratchett uninitiated, something of an eyebrow-raiser. Penguin has proudly announced that the book 'which draws on inspirations as far ranging as Victor Hugo and M*A*S*H, is… a profoundly empathetic novel about community, connection and the tenacity of the human spirit' and that it was 'written at the height of Pratchett's imaginative powers'. All this may very well be true. But many people, even those millions well disposed towards Pratchett, might be asking another question: why this book, and why now? During his lifetime, Pratchett built on the legacy of another great British fantastical author, Douglas Adams, by creating his own universe, Discworld, in which many of his books are set. They have sold over 80 million copies, and even Pratchett's death in 2015 has done little to stem the enthusiasm. At one point, he was the most shoplifted author in Britain, so desperate were his teenaged admirers to get their hands on his stories. And his books have mostly remained books rather than being transformed into big-budget Hollywood spectacles. Pratchett once said that a film studio was interested but he was told to 'lose the Death angle', which would be tricky, given that Death is a major recurring character throughout the series. I've always enjoyed the Pratchett books and consider him one of the more amiable and less self-consciously literary knighted authors that Britain has produced. The writer Imogen West-Knights summed up Pratchett's admirers as she searched for a description of a certain kind of Briton: English, Terry Pratchett fan, sardonic humour, left wing-ish, leather jackets, maybe long hair, maybe folk music, Bill Bailey, real ale, usually middle age+. Warhammer adjacent. Likes swords but doesn't necessarily own one? If I have any disagreement with his elevation to the ranks of the Penguin Modern Classics, then, it is less to do with Pratchett's own writing and more a sense of uncertainty as to what defines a modern classic. There is no stated definition on Penguin's website, and when I interviewed Henry Eliot, the former creative editor of Penguin Classics, a few years ago, he told me that: 'The Modern Classics series gathers the greatest books of more recent times, books that have challenged convention, changed the world or created something new. They are books that speak powerfully to the moment – and time will tell if they speak for more than that.' I would argue that Night Watch, although a book loved by Pratchett's many fans, is hardly something that 'challenges convention' or has 'changed the world'. Pratchett created something new in his Discworld series, and the love that his admirers hold for his works is testament to their enduring success. Personally I was surprised that Penguin didn't opt to publish 1987's Mort, the first Discworld novel to feature Death and the one usually regarded as Pratchett's single greatest achievement, or simply to come out with the entire series of Discworld books in one go. Pratchett was always a self-effacing figure and would probably have shrugged at the Classics label There are many deep-pocketed admirers of the author who would have ordered the entire canon in this new edition, although I can imagine that the effort involved in putting together 40-something painstakingly annotated novels may have been exhausting. This Penguin Classics edition also includes a foreword by Pratchett's PA and biographer Rob Wilkins, and an introduction and annotated notes by two Terry-o-philes, Trinity College Dublin's Dr Darryl Jones and the University of South Australia's Dr David Lloyd. Despite all that effort in making Night Watch appear to be a classic, even Pratchett would not have claimed that every one of the books was a masterpiece. Yet the nature of Penguin Modern Classics is that when they go all in on an author, they generally have to publish the entire works. Which means, for instance, that Evelyn Waugh's wildly unsuccessful Catholic fantasia Helena must be given the same serious literary treatment as the far more deserving A Handful of Dust. If Night Watch is successful – and only a fool would think that it won't be – then presumably there will be more Discworld editions over the coming years. Pratchett was always a self-effacing figure and would probably have shrugged at the Classics label (although he was evangelical about the fantasy genre, which he argued was done down by snobbish literary critics). Yet I can't help thinking that Penguin has done something similar to what the Folio Society has been doing over the past few years, and published a book that they know will cater to a fervent fanbase and sell in considerable quantities thanks to the added material. The question of literary excellence therefore becomes a secondary one. This is understandable – it's fine – but the brand is called Penguin Modern Classics, rather than Penguin Modern Notables. I am unconvinced that this particular instalment in the much-loved series lives up to its grandiose billing it.
The Guardian
24-04-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
A case of the olo blues
During the recent university Boat Race, my wife and I were discussing the colour of the Cambridge crew's kit along the lines of: it's not blue, it's green; no it's not green, it's blue. It turns out we were both wrong. It's olo (Hue new? Scientists claim to have found colour no one has seen before, 18 April). There's nothing new under the sun. John CaterWimbledon, London US scientists: 'We've found an unprecedented colour signal.' Me: 'Oh, that's the colour of a waterproof jacket I've just ordered.' Anne Cowper Bishopston, Swansea The scientists who found a new colour missed a trick in not naming it octarine. Its description in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels as 'a greenish-yellow purple colour visible only to wizards and cats' seems to fit their discovery pretty SimmonsWestcliff-on-Sea, Essex Scientists believe they have found a new colour no one has seen before. Are you sure this isn't just a pigment of their imagination?Martin S TaylorByfleet, Surrey Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Buzz Feed
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
People Are Sharing The Books That Genuinely Made Them Fall In Love With The Characters, And I'm Adding Each And Every One Of These To My TBR List
Every now and then there is a book with a character so well-written, so well-developed, that you instantly fall in love with them. Here are some of those books and characters: 1. The Lonesome Dove series:"I would read a hundred books about those characters and then ask for a hundred more." — jjason82 "I think a big reason why we get so close to the characters is because we get to hear every character's thoughts in every situation. Third-person where everyone is sort of a main character. I feel so close to them all." — grassclip 2. To Kill a Mockingbird:"Atticus Finch. I've read TKaM probably 10 to 15 times, and I learn more from him with every read. His knowledge just keeps on coming. Actually, all the characters in that book have something to teach us. It's my favorite of all time and it's just so dang beautiful but also heart-wrenching." 3. The Flowers in the Attic series: "As crazy as it sounds, it was as if I actually knew the characters personally and had a bond with each one of them. When they were happy, I was happy for them. When they cried, I hurt for them. And when the series was finally over, I cried so hard. I'm talking like literal body-racking sobs. My heart ached for their family so badly. Obviously they are just made-up characters, and I know I probably sound foolish. But I can't help myself. I often find myself thinking about the characters and their story and wishing I could check in on them to see how they're doing." — u/Marandajo93 4. The Anne of Green Gables s eries: "I read ALL of the subsequent books and just fell in love with Anne and the Cuthberts." — mindfulminx "I enjoyed the Emily of New Moon books, too. They are a little darker than the Anne books, which I love, but are very good." — Adventurous-Cook5717 "Marilla is one of my all-time favorite characters. I often imagine her disapproving of my poor decision-making. " — doyoou 5. The Lord of the Rings series: "The characters live in my head rent-free. They're always there waiting for me to review parts of their story. " 6. The Harry Potter series: "There was a dread in the final books where you could feel everything crumbling and I didn't want anything to change nor anyone to get hurt, but I knew it was an inevitability." 7. The Discworld series: "I love Discworld for the same reason I loved Catch 22: It builds an ecosystem of characters that all inhabit their own space and, even if the book isn't about particular characters, it's fun as hell to see them show back up when you least expect. Like the zombie lawyer who knows the law because he's been doing it forever. All these gag characters show up and it's like old friends coming to visit with each Discworld book." 8. Never Let Me Go: "Kathy from Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is a character who I think about all the time. It's like she is a real person and I think about her and the book as a real person and real events. She is just such a wonderful achievement in literature. I adore that book." 9. The Haunting of Hill House: "Shirley Jackson does such a good job of writing about isolated lonely women who are at the cusp of insanity (like Eleanor Vance). She also does such a good job of giving Eleanor an inner life and inner thoughts in the first part of the novel." 10. It: "The relationships between the core characters are so rich, deep, and authentic that by the end of that massive story, it is hard to let go of them. It's especially painful because the characters themselves start to forget each other at the end of the book as its power over them fades. The book is a wild cosmic mindfuck but the denouement is quietly beautiful and poignant." 11. The Stand: "Larry Underwood went from my least-liked character to my absolute favorite by the end. Harold Lauder is a great character as well — not likable, but a great character to read. Honestly, Stephen King has some of the best character development ever." 12. The Wheel of Time series: "I love all of the WoT characters because they're all so complex and flawed. I can't think of a single character who didn't absolutely piss me off at one point or another (except for maybe Thom), but I can't help but love them all for it. Nynaeve is hands-down my favorite literary character of all time. Her growth arc is so, SO well written. She goes from being a hilariously/frustratingly ironic comic relief character to one of the biggest hitters on a bunch of levels." 13. The Princess Bride: "When I finished The Princess Bride, I wanted a sequel immediately. I still long for a continuation of the story to magically appear. At least I can re-read the book as often as I like." 15. The Raven Cycle: "I first read it in middle school and have reread it multiple times since. Maggie Stiefvater's characters are so captivating — I don't think I've read any contemporary YA fiction that has characters quite as likable and memorable as them." Scholastic, Inc. / Via — aliteralfool378 16. The Spellman Files series: "It's been a dozen years or so since the last entry with that beloved and hilarious crew, and I still think about Izzy, Henry, Rae, and the rest of the bunch." S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books / Via — jamibc44 17. The Count of Monte Cristo: "Edmond Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It's a story of revenge that makes you so passionately root for his success in his journey to get back what was taken from him. I loved his character the entire story, and I never wanted to put the book down because I always wanted to see what he had planned next." Penguin Classics / Via — wk2424 18. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series: "When it came out, I was the exact age as the characters in the first book and so I grew alongside them. I loved their personalities, their banter, and their trials. Luckily, I've gotten to keep going with them for a while since Riordan published a sequel series and is now doing another fun shorter series. It gives me lots of comforting nostalgia." Disney Publishing Group / Via — kat1701 19. The Hunger Games series: "I always find myself missing Katniss Everdeen." Scholastic, Inc. / Via — sixeyedgojo Which other literary characters are missing from this list? Let us know in the comments! Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
