Sometimes it is very easy to be put off something by an enthusiast ... and then discover that you should have listened to them!
A few years ago, whilst I was still working as a teacher, I had a line manager who was an enthusiastic watcher of all things sci-fi and a reader of Terry Pratchett's DISCWORLD books. He was such a devoted fan of the latter's books that he not only bought every one as it was published but also bought a series of highly detailed Discworld buildings (including a multiple-piece model of the Unseen University) made by Bernard Pearson. I'm sorry to say that his enthusiasm rather put me off reading any of Terry Pratchett's books, but a couple of years ago I bought a couple of recorded CDs of two of them ... and I became hooked. (It helped that Sir Tony Robinson read the books and gave the characters distinct 'voices'.)
A couple of days ago I was in a local branch of THE WORKS and saw that they had a copy of THE COMPLEAT DISCWORLD ATLAS on sale for £10.00, a reduction of £15.00 from the original published price. In less than five minutes I had bought a copy, and I am currently reading my way through it.
For a lover of maps of imaginary places like me, this book is a veritable goldmine, and has given me a few ideas for possible imagi-nations that I might want to develop in the future.
THE COMPLEAT DISCWORLD ATLAS is published by The Ankh-Morpork Guild of Trespassers and Unseen University Press (actually Transworld Publishers Ltd [ISBN 978 0 857 52130 9]).
A few years ago, whilst I was still working as a teacher, I had a line manager who was an enthusiastic watcher of all things sci-fi and a reader of Terry Pratchett's DISCWORLD books. He was such a devoted fan of the latter's books that he not only bought every one as it was published but also bought a series of highly detailed Discworld buildings (including a multiple-piece model of the Unseen University) made by Bernard Pearson. I'm sorry to say that his enthusiasm rather put me off reading any of Terry Pratchett's books, but a couple of years ago I bought a couple of recorded CDs of two of them ... and I became hooked. (It helped that Sir Tony Robinson read the books and gave the characters distinct 'voices'.)
A couple of days ago I was in a local branch of THE WORKS and saw that they had a copy of THE COMPLEAT DISCWORLD ATLAS on sale for £10.00, a reduction of £15.00 from the original published price. In less than five minutes I had bought a copy, and I am currently reading my way through it.
For a lover of maps of imaginary places like me, this book is a veritable goldmine, and has given me a few ideas for possible imagi-nations that I might want to develop in the future.
THE COMPLEAT DISCWORLD ATLAS is published by The Ankh-Morpork Guild of Trespassers and Unseen University Press (actually Transworld Publishers Ltd [ISBN 978 0 857 52130 9]).
You know, I would have thought you would have been a Terry Pratchett and Discworld fan. But I recall my own entry into the Discworld was somewhat tentative. I started and failed to finish three of his books, but then the fourth had me hooked.
ReplyDeleteI also recommend his 'Science of Discworld' series, especially the first of them.
Archduke Piccolo,
DeleteIt wasn’t until I realised that they were more a hilarious and sometimes satirical comment on real life than a series of stories set in a more traditional fantasy world that I began to appreciate and enjoy them.
Thanks for the book suggestion. It sounds interesting.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, I know what you mean. I avoided them in the bookstore for years assuming it was YET another D&D knock off. How wrong I was... I look forward to seeing how you use the atlas.
DeleteJozi Patrick,
DeleteThere is so much poor quality and formulaic fantasy fiction out there, that I tend to avoid even looking at it. I was wrong to think that Terry Pratchett's books fell into that category, but not too late to remedy the situation.
All the best,
Bob
I'm probably one of the few who has never read any of his books. However I like your idea of using the info in this book for some Imagi-Nations states etc.
ReplyDeleteSteve J,
DeleteI only began to take an interest in the DISCWORLD books relatively recently, and soon realised their potential as backgrounds for imagine-nations.
All the best,
Bob
:)
ReplyDeleteBetter found late than never
I have listened to the first six on Audio .. then my wife put them in a car boot sale!
I might wander by The Works .. inspiration for a certain imagination !7th to 18th Century domain and Dutchy perhaps?
Geordie an Exile FoG,
DeleteVery true. It's a great pity that your wife disposed of your audio books ... but there's always eBay and Amazon!
I think that you'll find a copy of this book useful as a source of inspiration for your imagi-nations.
All the best,
Bob
My son has them all. The TV movie versions are excellent as well - Susan in the Hogfather is one of my favourite characters.
ReplyDeleteRob Young,
DeleteI have yet to see the TV versions of the stories, but I plan to as soon as I can.
All the best,
Bob
I was at uni when The Colour of Magic came out and was an immediate hit among my group to fellow nerds...erm...students.
ReplyDeleteMy son is at uni now and is also a fan. I had to send him a photo of a recipe from his Discworld cookbook last week for " Mrs Whitlow’s Artery-Hardening Hogswatch Pie". He's made this before and it's very very good!
Alastair,
DeleteIn my in my day, the books one had to read at college were THE HOBBIT and LORD OF THE RINGS.
The pie recipe sounds very interesting. I assume from its name that it is not a low calorie dish ... which makes it even more appealing to me!
All the best,
Bob
Has anyone seen any of Nanny Ogg's recipes?
DeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteI'm sure that someone has got them somewhere.
Good luck with the search.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, congratulations on your find... just remember, "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." All the best....
ReplyDeleteRick Krebs,
DeleteIt was a very lucky find, especially as the book is still on sale online for £25.00.
Am I 'on fire'? I suppose that I am ... and enjoying it!
All the best,
Bob
I am also a lover of maps of imaginary places (as well as real places). For me it basically started with The Hobbit and LOTR, and many other works by various authors since then. The Discworld Atlas is brilliant. Well-executed maps in the appropriate styles.
ReplyDeleteThe first couple of Discworld books are more parodies of various fantasy tropes, but many of the later ones are also satirical commentary on our world as well. The Tiffany Aching stories also seem to be rooted in traditional British folklore (and the Nac Mac Feegle are a fun lot).
I don't have a complete Pratchett collection by any means, but I do have some of the mappes, almanacs, railway guides, Discworld art, science of Discworld books, etc. Probably enough to qualify me as a bit of a nutter to some people. ha ha (well, with a post title like that it's bound to draw a few of us out of the woodwork)
Fitz-Badger,
DeleteIt seems as if we share quite a lot more than wargaming in common!
It was not until just before he died that I discovered that the wife of a good friend and fellow wargamer had been Terry Pretcett's literary agent and editor and knew him very well. It was talking to her that helped me to understand that he was not just another fantasy writer, but was much, much more.
It sounds to me as if you are a bit of a fan of DISCWORLD ... but not an obsessive. If the atlas is anything to go by, then I will look out for other books about it.
All the best,
Bob