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

Just today I was thumbing through a Role Playing Game set in the Discworld universe. More information can be found at:
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/Discworld/

What Discworld cartoons have they done?
I've seen only "Weird Sisters" and "Soul Music" so far...

I did not know Pratchett had relised another book. The Fifth elephant is it any good? My favorite character is Captain Carrot of the Ankh-Morpork city watch. He manages to inspire everyone around him to be nice a very hard job to do in the city that all roads lead away from.
MCB

"The Fifth Elephant" is an interesting book as it really extends the known history of one of the most proliforous races on the Disc: The Dwarfs. You also get to learn a lot more about constable Angua's family past and why she is not eager to return again to Uberwuld with Vimes et al on a diplomatic mission. A very acomplished book, not my favourite, (that would have to be "Reaper Man"), but certainly worth a look, if only to keep pace with the series.

*Rumour Mill*
I read somewhere that the next Discworld novel tentativly titled "The Truth" centres aroung Ankh-Morporks first fledging newspaper, the wizards are bound to put in an appearance as the faculty of the Unseen Universities aversion to the written word is already well documented. A lack of real news leads over-zealous newspaper journalists/editors start to invent stories to boost readership and pretty soon everyones's name is getting dragged throught the mud and the wizards have a smug air of 'we told you so'. Given the Discs' perilously fragile barrier between reality and The Dungeon Dimensions - this latent foolishness attracts the attentions of the creatures the lie in wait Outside, and something similar to the finale of "Moving Pictures" ensues.

Does this ring any bells with anyone? A load of old fetid dingo's kidneys or is there a grain of truth nestled in their somewhere?
Let me know what you think.

Clive

I heard something similar somewhere on the grape vine. But then as one of my other persona's stands on the back of Great A'Tuin and balances the Disc on my shoulders I'm not likely to forget.

Actually, I found another Discworld RPG at http://discworld.imaginary.com:5678/ Are we talking about the same thing?

Ah, that'd be the Discworld MUD (Multi User Dungeon).
GURPS Discworld is more of a Real Life RPG, I think. (I don't have it.)

hi clive
I am sure the wizards will turn up in this forth coming novel by the great Pratchett as they do seem to hate anything that goes against the normal order of things Rock music and the like. Where did you get the info about the new story line?
MCB

hi clive
I am sure the wizards will turn up in this forth coming novel by the great Pratchett as they do seem to hate anything that goes against the normal order of things Rock music and the like. Where did you get the info about the new story line?
MCB

Sounds possible - I heard that the next book after The Truth (should be releaced Nov this year) is going to be called The Thief Of Time (!) and that it started out as a part of The Truth that grew a bit big and is now being written as a book in it's own right.

I think it was an interview with Terry on http:// www.amazon.co.uk on the eve of the publication of The Fifth Elephant. It might still be there, I don't know, I haven't checked.

Clive

I read an interview last week on some obscure little site...I don't recall which though. He gave information on the next two books as well as a couple more aimed toward younger audiences. He also mentioned that Terry Gilliam has signed on as Director of GOOD OMENS. We can only hope that the film gets made.

I just began reading the Fifth Elephant and am very happy with it so far. I have read everything of his except "Mort". I can't seem to find a copy of it over here in the U.S.

Try http://www.amazon.com If you do a search for "Mort" in "Books", you will find that the book is being published in December 2000 for $3.99, you can pre-order it. The ISBN is: 006 1020680

Clive

Thanks....I realy don't want to wait though.

Alright then, if you can bear the conversion rates (I gather the sterling is rather high at the moment) and the over-seas postage, Mort is available from http://www.amazon.co.uk for £4.79. The ISBN is 0552131067. Royal Mail Airmail to North America Region is £2.95 - shipping and £2.00 per book = £9.74 all togther. I am not sure what the equivelant is in dollars. If you choose to take this option, it should get there is about a week (7-10 days). If you want it there quicker than that, it is a lot more expensive (£20.00, just for shipping!), and I really wouldn't reccommend it.

Clive

I think that I'll wait until December. I have plenty of other books to keep me busy in the mean time. Thanks for the information though.

Yup, The Truth, out November is about Ankh- Morporks first newspaper. it comes into being due to a turn arround in the policy of the Patrician- his origonal opposition was that it would let people know to much, but he realises he can control what people know...
It will be based around (a) new main character(s), one of whom is a photographer/vampire who turns to dust whenever he uses the flash and has to carry arround the equivalent af a donor card- please help me to live after my death. Although since it is set in Ankh Morpork no doubt the watch, the Wizards and anyone else in town you can think of will be getting involved in the story (I wonder what CMOT Dibblers involvement will be, given his past involvemnet in the worlds of entertainment and advertising).
I think the next book to be released will be The Last Hero, possibly June next year. This is said to definately invlove the first orbit of the disk, and possibly Rincewind and Cohen.
Following that is the Thief of Time, November 2001 (gosh it seems funny writing that year.....) which will finally explain away all the inconsistancies in time on the Discworld..... Terry has said something along the lines of 'It will make it seem like I planned it that way all along'. This book was origonally a sub-plot to the Truth, but Terry found it growing out of hand.
Well that's it, the distilled wisdom of alt.fan.pratchett and alt.books.pratchett two newsgroups I seriously recommend you join if you're a fan. Just tell 'em I sent you- or even look out for me.

Robert

Yup, The Truth, out November is about Ankh- Morporks first newspaper. it comes into being due to a turn arround in the policy of the Patrician- his origonal opposition was that it would let people know to much, but he realises he can control what people know...
It will be based around (a) new main character(s), one of whom is a photographer/vampire who turns to dust whenever he uses the flash and has to carry arround the equivalent af a donor card- please help me to live after my death. Although since it is set in Ankh Morpork no doubt the watch, the Wizards and anyone else in town you can think of will be getting involved in the story (I wonder what CMOT Dibblers involvement will be, given his past involvemnet in the worlds of entertainment and advertising).
I think the next book to be released will be The Last Hero, possibly June next year. This is said to definately invlove the first orbit of the disk, and possibly Rincewind and Cohen.
Following that is the Thief of Time, November 2001 (gosh it seems funny writing that year.....) which will finally explain away all the inconsistancies in time on the Discworld..... Terry has said something along the lines of 'It will make it seem like I planned it that way all along'. This book was origonally a sub-plot to the Truth, but Terry found it growing out of hand.
Well that's it, the distilled wisdom of alt.fan.pratchett and alt.books.pratchett two newsgroups I seriously recommend you join if you're a fan. Just tell 'em I sent you- or even look out for me.

Robert

Alt.Fan.Pratchett. I have tried finding it before on the internet, I find lots of references to it, but before I could never actually find the site. What's the address please and I'll make sure I go and have a mozy around there.

Clive

AFP is not a web site, it's a usenet news group. You should be able to view it through Netscape (or, and I do hate to say this, Internet Explorer). Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) should've given you a news group server address which you can add to your settings.
You can also view AFP through http://www.deja.com/usenet .

HTH HAND