h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yididiiii! I get to be first to discuss this one...it's cool...can't say anything bad about Discworld except that it kept me from having more than three hours sleep last night (Jingo).... I want to buy that man a banana daquiri! Anybody knows what his nearest pub is? opsidoops...homework...nice work whoever did this one... And thanks for reminding me of Ringworld. I've been recommended it once but had quite forgotten.
Marie

What I always wondered is where do people like Terry Pratchett get their ideas from? But on reading such a great book such as Ringworld, my question is kinda answered. But then....!

If you have ever read "Wyrd Sisters" or "Jingo" you would realise that Pratchett is subtly letting us know how he gets his inspiration through Hwel (Wyrd Sisters) and Leonard Da Quirm (Jingo). His theory is that particles of inspiration fly through the multiverse, but some people get hit more often that others. I think this is the case with Pratchett, that something triggers inside his head (he also is quite a well-read man, if you pick up on the millions of literary, historical and other references through all his books) and runs with it to its logical conclusion. Take, for example, Witches Abroad - it is based on the premise that fairy tales keep shaping narrative causality, and thus it is impossible for a third son of a king to embark on a quest that his two elder brothers failed at, and NOT to succeed!

I think it is his way of looking at the world, and this expansive reading, which gives him so much fodder for our amusement. None of his stories are essentially completely original - often just another way of looking at the world and human psychology (or headology, as Granny Weatherwax would call it)

Yeah, I agree. I loved the way he took the classic fairytale formula in Witches Abroad and totally mangled and twisted it, but made a very valid and accurate point. Definitely the best writer for a long time - people may see his books as comic or, to the extreme, fantasy and fairy stories in themselves, but he puts across the flaws in the human condition so masterfully.

And how his books are always about everyday things thatbother or amuse us (at leastamuse us when we read about them) The bit abotinspiration particles is elaborated iSourcery I think it is. Sorry about weird writing style, this is a airoport sponsered comuter and the keyboard is notvery sensitive (I am really being violent to the space bar to make it work)
MY plane is a whole hour late!!!!!! Poor me. Which Discworld Novel wouldyou recommend bying while Iam in books-are-cheap-UK?
Hey, and those dragon things in The coulour of magic, turning all stereotypes *upside-down* ifI may use thatexpression!

ummmm... any or all of them, really...

Yup, get them all

The excess baggage fee will be worth it!

only got a discworld omnibus (have to drag my bags myself...and I'm moving there in a year anyway) the witches trilogy...coooool

Excellent. who's your favourite witch? Mine is Nanny Ogg - I want to be just like her when I get old!

I like post-baby Magrat, I hope to see more of her in the future!

She kicks butt in Lords and Ladies (although she is still a wet hen, you find out) and great in Carpe Jugulum (which I am currently re-reading for about the 10th time!)

I also like the way Agnes handles both Nanny and Granny, which is something Magrat was never able to do properly...

But then Agnes has Perdita...

Who's Agnes? (oh my god I have read far too few of these.. but they're expensive in Denmark, methinks) I like Granny Weatherwax the best actually... but then again, I also have a particular fancy for the Patrician.. He kicks butt in Jingo

Yeah there's something a bit sexy about the Patrician. Well apealing at any rate if not quite sexy. I know what I mean I think!
Agnes is the third witch who joins Nanny and Granny after Magrat marries Verence. I think she first turns up in Maskerade.

Who's my favourite witch ? Nanny Ogg is very but I wouldn't want to be one of her daughters-in-law!, Granny is a good person to have in a crisis and I think I'm a cross between Magrat and Agnes so whose my favourite ooh I don't know Greebo!

yeaj!! The Patrician's sexy! I wuite agree. And have you read Good Omens? Not really Discworld, but still awesome (like that word, it's so very sitcom...) I've got to read more of the Discworld novels, but they're ever so hard to get in Denmark, unless you want to pay overprice. Another character I really like is Death. He's such a nice guy, especially as Bill Door... just bought the Death Trilogy from my book-club.. Nais!! (Pardon my f****d up language, but it's very late here!)

It's the power thing, with the Patrician, isn't it..? Although personally I wouldn't go for him. Good Omens is a fantastic book - it's probably the book I have borrowed the most out of the library all these years

Agnes first turns up in Lords and Ladies as one of the village girls who thinks that to be a witch you have to have a cool name like Perdita X (her alter ego in Masquerade and Carle Jugulum, that actually takes over her personailty sometimes - she's always in two minds about things...)

I read Good Omens as my first "Pratchett" book, and had to buy Colour of Magic straight away. When I re-read GO after reading some of Pratchett, you can actually hear his voice come through on some dialogue and scene-setting. So by comparison, you can also tell the voice of Neil Gaimen.

Does anyone have a clue as to when the next Pratcheet book is out, or what the title will be? I last bought and read Maurice and his Amazing Rodents - not exactly the same Discworld flavour, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Trivia Q: Who knows which book Maurice and His Amazing Rodents first gets a mention?

(Hint: You actually have to go back a long way!)

Of course she does! I was thinking that was a later book coz I'd bought Maskerade first! This is the only series I haven't read in order and it still makes sense

Good Omens is also one of my favourite books! Toptasic! Its even funnier if you've seen the Omen AND read the Just William series of books!

Have you read Neverwhere by Neil Gamon? It's set on the London Underground (sortof) and its very good the book is definatly better than the BBC series though I enjoyed that very much - Peter Capaldi what a dish!

Random guess on the Maurice Question - Maskerade or Soul Music.

Have you read Thief of Time? Thats the latest Pratchett book I've seen, don't know whether theres another one due out!

Keep Reading!

I think the next book is going to be 'Nightwatch', which is, quite obviously I imagine, about the Watch. Hope it's got Gaspode in it.
Who's your favourite Watchman/woman/dwarf/troll/zombie/werewolf/whatever?

I like Cheery Littlebottom.

Interesting. I keep looking out for the next one, but so far...no luck!

My favourite watchman? Hmmm, hard one, but would have to be Nobby by a small margin. He's just so flawed, but so lovable. Love how he has to carry proof he is human!

(biggrin)

It's been so long I posted that question above, I have honestly forgotten the answer. I think I was reading the book at the time and decided to be obscure and clevere. Now I'm scratching my head! Oh well, guess I have to go back and read them again...(tough, I know)