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

For a start, I read the Hitch Hiker's Guide To the Galaxy, and never read any of the other Douglas Adams books after that. However, I read Wyrd Sisters and became completely addicted to Pratchett!

I have read all the h2g2 books, and virtually all the discworld books, but here's my answers
1. Discworld, at least they all speak english
2. Ankh Mopork
3. Carrot & Angua (if it's not full moon, although she can be trusted, I'd prefer to be able to talk to her) or Susan Sto Helit. Death would be good if you need a lift but his conversation is slightly hampered by his uncertain dead/alive status, and the limitations of his job.
4. The luggage. I agree with the "point 4" posting
5. Giant Turtle. The mice's philosophical world domination is slightly worring. at least Atuin doesn't have any ulterior motive.

1. No they don't, there are lots of different languages on Discworld, like Klatchian etc.

5. How do you know?

Well, according to the Big Bang hypothesis, at least Great A'Tuin's motive is humanly comprehensible.

That said, there's always the Babel Fish and the possibility of someone saying "What does Teleport mean?" in times of peril.

Infinite imporbability would be brilliant if it weren't for the annoying computer that came with it.

I'm afraid that I don't agree! I have read many Terry Pratchett's and all the hitchhikers books as well as (recently) The Salmon of Doubt. Although I can say that I enjoy both, I find Douglas Adams' humour far subtler, and his storylines are much more complex and enjoyable.

Also, I would say that The Hitchhikers Guide books can be thought provoking, whereas the Disc World books that I have read are escapism only. Not that there is anything wrong with this, we are reading books about a different world here!

As far as the points go,

yes Death would be a better companion, - but isn't that the point! Marvin is made to be pitiful, but you would hate to have to spend any time with him!

Ankh-Morpork is more like our world as far as the people go, so it would probably be preferable, but again, I think this is a plus point for Douglas Adams, that he can take us to a world and a people so different to our own, yet make it believable.

I don't think that Pratchett books are completely without substance, there's a lot of good stuff in them in that sense. Although they certainly aren't as subtle or as thought-provoking as a Douglas Adams book.

However Pratchett does produce a lot of consistantly good stories in the Discworld universe, while I thought that the Hitch Hiker's Guide series was a little weak towards the end of Mostly Harmless.

I can't see how Ankh-Morpork could be a preferable holiday destination to anywhere, a holiday in Lancre or Krikkit would be nice though.

To me, it has to be a choice between Sam Vimes and Dirk Gently and its just not possible for me to make that sort of choice.

One (slight) problem with Pratchett is you have to be exceedingly well-read to pick up on all the subtleties in his novels. Almost everything he writes is a reference (or more likely parody) of something else. I can recommend the annotated Pratchett files for evidence of this!

The only Discworld book that is slightly poorer than the rest is (in the opinion of many) Eric. The books develop as Pratchett's writing skills developed, but Eric seems to be lacking in something.

I think Carrot would be the best character to spend time with... mmmmmmm... Carrot.....

I agree. Moving Pictures is a brilliant spoof on Hollywood-if you know your classic films you can play "spot the film" while reading

I agree. Moving Pictures is a brilliant spoof on Hollywood-if you know your classic films you can play "spot the film" while reading

"Eric" was originally meant not to be text-only, but a collaboration with Pratchett's long-time illustrator Josh Kidby. (now sadly deceased)

Pratchett wanted to give Kidby something more demanding than just one piece of cover art, and so Eric was born: an illustrated Pratchett where the text and the pictures were interdependent.

The text-only version of "Eric" just about holds up, but without the pictures it kind of lags. (Pratchett has returned to the concept recently with "The Last Hero", the tale of the Disc's first astronauts, among other things)

It's also meant to be a p-take on Michael Moorcock's "Elric" books about the sickly albino necromancer... just as Elric is a social misfit cut off from his society but burdened with the inherited magic of his race, thus Eric is a spotty little nerd burdened with magickal paraphernalia inherited from HIS immediate ancestors, in this case his grandfather.