International Young Naturists Organisation

General Talk (primarily non-naturist) => Pitti's Book Club => Topic started by: Mark on March 19, 2015, 12:16:21 am

Title: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Mark on March 19, 2015, 12:16:21 am
Following Sir Terry's recent passing, I thought it was a teensy bit of a crime that there's no discussion thread for the Discworld series or indeed any of his works.

So, does anyone have any particular favourites? In no particular order, mine are Mort, Soul Music, Pyramids and Equal Rites.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: D289 on June 21, 2015, 04:10:48 pm
I haven't read any of Sir Terry Pratchett's book, but I found the adaptations for TV of his work really were excellent. I think he either wrote or co-wrote most of them.

His dry wit and clever characterisation usually shone through the TV movies.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: NudieDaniel on June 22, 2015, 01:26:55 am
I haven't read any of Sir Terry Pratchett's book, but I found the adaptations for TV of his work really were excellent. I think he either wrote or co-wrote most of them.

His dry wit and clever characterisation usually shone through the TV movies.

Yeah Going Postal was pretty cool maybe I should read the novel but gotta shake that bandwagon feeling that I'm only reading his books now he's dead   
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: D289 on June 22, 2015, 05:24:33 am
Which is the best book to start with? Is there an "official" first book or does it not really matter?

(I feel the same way too, I think I should've started when he was alive)
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: NudieDaniel on June 22, 2015, 05:43:39 am
Which is the best book to start with? Is there an "official" first book or does it not really matter?

(I feel the same way too, I think I should've started when he was alive)

I don't haven't started on any @Blizz will give us a recommendation
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: D289 on June 22, 2015, 05:51:09 am
Any audio-book or BBC Radio 4 adaptations worth a listen too?
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Mark on June 22, 2015, 10:01:01 pm
The first official Discworld book is The Colour Of Magic, which leads directly into The Light Fantastic. There IS a continuity, but each book focuses on a different character or group of characters, like Rincewind the wizard who can't even spell 'wizard', Granny Weatherwax and co., Death and his granddaughter, the City Watch.... You don't necessarily need to read them in order, but it can help.

I'd recommend trying a selection of the books and following the storylines of whichever characters you like the most, my personal favourites being Rincewind and Death.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: D289 on June 22, 2015, 10:32:38 pm
A lot of folks mention Death. In the TV adaptations I liked the character.

Are there any other cool characters worth looking into too?
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Mark on June 22, 2015, 11:28:43 pm
A lot of people like Vimes, but he's never really done it for me.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Dan on June 23, 2015, 01:33:22 am
I'd recommend trying a selection of the books and following the storylines of whichever characters you like the most, my personal favourites being Rincewind and Death.

Did you try the Adventure Games? They're quite old but still very good (and very funny). Rincewind is voiced by Eric Idle in them.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: D289 on June 23, 2015, 06:53:21 am
I'm pretty sure BBC Radio 4 has done a few adaptations. I'll have to check them out.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Mark on June 23, 2015, 03:45:17 pm

Did you try the Adventure Games? They're quite old but still very good (and very funny). Rincewind is voiced by Eric Idle in them.

I once came across Discworld 2 for PS1 in Gamestation. Not sure why I didn't pick it up, maybe I thought it was too expensive.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: D289 on June 23, 2015, 06:11:16 pm
Were the video game adaptations any good?
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Dan on June 23, 2015, 10:41:09 pm
Were the video game adaptations any good?

Yes, quite.

The graphics age ok. You'll go "yeah, 90s resolutions..." but not "damn, that's ugly!". The voice acting is very good (Idle is Rincewind). The puzzles are logical in their silliness. The game takes timeouts to explain the Discworld to people who aren't familiar with it.

Go get DOSBox if you don't have it already and find a torrent of it (out of print and not on GoG).
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: D289 on June 24, 2015, 04:57:45 am
I'll maybe try and YouTube the game and give it a spy
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Wombling Wurzel on October 07, 2015, 12:42:03 pm
YOU CAN TELL WHO IS THE CHARACTER I LIKE IS BY THE WAY I HAVE TYPE THIS.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: richym on January 03, 2016, 10:16:13 pm
Yeah love these books, I put my son to sleep each night and we are working our way through the series.  He is just over 2 1/2, and we are in the middle of Thud, so not many more books to go.  I think my favourite is Hogfather, just love Death trying to be human.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Rafa on January 04, 2016, 01:35:15 am
What exactly is the Discworld series about? I tried searching but everything I found was quite confusing...
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: spudfarmer on January 04, 2016, 05:44:40 am
The Last Continent will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first of the Discworld novels that I was introduced to, and being from Australia I found it hilarious.

I haven't read the whole series yet unfortunately, but luckily my partner has recently ordered the rest of the series that aren't in our collection so will be able to fill in the missing stories soon enough :)

What exactly is the Discworld series about? I tried searching but everything I found was quite confusing...

It's hard to describe Rafaegam... The stories themselves aren't really linked, it is just a collection of stories based in the same fantasy universe. The world is made of a disc that is on top of four elephants(which stand on the back of a giant turtle). Pratchett always includes a healthy amount of silly which makes the series fun for all ages.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: richym on January 04, 2016, 06:52:28 am
The discworld series is a fantasy series based on the discworld.  This is a flat world on a disc, which moves through space on the back of four elephants who stand on the shell of the great space turtle A'Tun.   There are various countries and major cities on the discworld, with many different types of people.  Humans, Dwarfs, Trolls, Gnomes, etc.   The books have different focuses.  Many are focused on probably the biggest city, Ankh-Morpork.   These books might focus on the night watch, lead by Commander Vimes, others on the Wizards who have Unseen University in the city.  The wizards are generally stupid.   Other books focus on the character death.  Others focus on the witches who live up in the mountains.   They are comedy fantasy books.
Hope that makes some sense.
Title: Re: Terry Pratchett & Discworld
Post by: Rafa on January 04, 2016, 03:31:26 pm
That makes a little more sense lol, I'll see if I can get one to when I need a light funny read. Thanks!