Discworld discussion

Anybody else getting excited about the imminent release of the next Discworld book Snuff on the 13th October? It's a Sam Vimes book so has a lot to live up to.

Excited? Is Granny Weatherwax a witch? My copy is preordered and eagerly awaited.

I have to wait until the library has a copy because I have the series in the Dutch translation and in this translation the book is coming out in july 2012. but as soon as the library has it I will get it.

Yes and no. I think the Watch peaked with Feet of Clay, and while I enjoyed both Fifth Elephant and Night Watch, I was bored by the cameos in the Truth and Monstruous Regiment, and THOROUGHLY, THOROUGHLY unimpressed by Thud. I think Discworld in general is not going through a great spell, and the Watch storyline in particular is becoming tired and monotonous. So I'm worried I may hate this.

On the other hand: the Watch still COULD be interesting. And Pratchett can always write a brilliant book if the stars align correctly. And what little I've heard about Snuff has been very promising. So although i'm trying to tell myself I won't like it, and not to get my hopes up, I still nurture a hope that I may love it.

Louise wrote: "I have to wait until the library has a copy because I have the series in the Dutch translation and in this translation the book is coming out in july 2012. but as soon as the library has it I will ..."
Louise, Pratchett is worth buying and rereading. For me anyway. I agree with Wastrel that Thud and Monstrous Regiment weren't the best of the bunch but I still enjoyed them.

I actualy liked both Monstrous Regiment and Thud. giggles and sniggerings escaped from me often enough. And I think I would like snuff also.

I really enjoyed Monstrous Regiment, I know Vimes, et al. were in it, but it had nothing to do with the Watch, so it doesn't really stand with watch stories. It's like saying Unseen Academicals was a poor Rincewind story. The same with the Truth, which if anything, I would class more with Going Postal and Making Money.
Personally I don't like this trend of lumping the books into Watch, or Death, or Rincewind books or whatever else, it's enough that they are all Discworld books and I see them all as stand alone novels (except Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic)
Anyway that's my 2p worth :-p

I agree

I think that the watch series is the most consistent series of them all, i rate Nighwatch as my favorite. I also thought Monstrous Regiment was very good. I do however think that his last few books have not been as good. I hope snuff will turn it around, initial reports are positive.

as I say I like all the books, however, I felt that Unseen Academicals was the weakest of the books, but even then it's better than so many other books and I will happily read it again. I think Snuff will be a good read although, I hope the next will be the promised Raising Taxes, as I find Moist Von Lipwig is becoming one of my favourite characters.

I believe I have to re-read going postal,and begin with making money. because I don't really remember what this character was like. I remember the man with his socks full of some homemade whatever. But, wow, I must read it again.
back to the topic of this discussion... we'll have to wait and see.
Oh, and Unseen Academicals... laughter and giggles

In my opinion: you can't remember what the character was like because he had no character. He was just a compilation of the ghosts of a dozen other Pratchett characters.
[the Moist books are my LEAST favourite. There's nothing original about them. Not to say they don't have funny moments, of course, but still... ]

I found he was the male version of "the tart with a heart" it was an old fashion morality tale of a doing things without ever considering the consequences and then being forced to face his crimes and choosing redemption. worthy of Chaucer.
at first glance he is just a cad and chancer, but he is funny and as his faults are made manifest his character deepens.
as for originality, well, there is nothing new under the sun.

I like Moist, and Going Postal is one of my top discworld books. Making Money is not one of my favorites, it was too similar an idea to Going Postal. Like Niall says any discworld book is better than most other books.

Just now I received a mail from an online shop. The DVD of Going Postal is on his way. And with a bit of luck I will get it today. Then this evening I hop in my bed, turn on the tv and hopefully enjoy it. And than, probably tomorrow I take my copy of the book and read it again. can't wait.

I even enjoyed the Color of Magic and Light Fantastic and they were the weakest of the bunch. But even in something as thoroughly enjoyable as Pratchett's Discworld series, it must be said some books are better than others. I eagerly await delivery of Snuff in the mail. Pratchett is probably the main reason I decided to become a writer.

Last night I have seen the first 90 minutes of going postal and I liked it. This evening the next 90 minutes. Tomorrow I can tell you what I liked and not. And I have started reading the book again. But slowly there are other books I'm reading to at this moment. And I have to keep an eye on the library for a copy of Snuff.

The other day I pre-ordered "Snuff" for my Kindle. I was "pleasantly" surprised to find out that the electronic version will be out on 18th :(

I completed watching Going Postal and I loved it. Even Lord Vetinari is perfect. And the bad man from the clacks. That was Poirot. When I found out, I had to laugh. I never knew that man was stil alive. I just liked the dvd very much. And I'm reading the book now. Just to prepare for Snuff.

Going Postal is the best of the three live action adaptations, in my humble. :)
David Suchet does not plan to die until he has done a tv version of all of the Poirot stories :)

That is good to hear. I think Going Postal is just as good as Hogfather. But hey that's is my humble opinion.

Yes, I too was quite pleased with the film adaptation of Hogfather. Death and Susan were both great.

woohoo, email from Amazon. My order has been shipped and I should be all Snuff'd up tomorrow :)

I'm afraid I won't be buying it until next year, when it comes out in paperback (!)

From Sourcery onwards, I have always bought the mass market paperback as soon as they came out - I don't remember ever seeing them in hardback in the 80s. And I want to keep a matched set...

now the choice is original cover art or the black cover when it comes out in paperback :S

That's exactly why I have to wait a year to. Only I have to wait a year because of the translation. I have the serie in Dutch translation and I also want to keep a matched set. I started reading this books when I was not good in English. And after a few books I just wanted the same covers. But new books that are not yet available in Dutch translation I get them from the library and read them. And when the book is coming in the translation I read them happily again.

I have the whole lot in original English paperbacks, too, but I made an exception for "Unseen Academicals", I just couldn't wait...

The result is that I now own BOTH the hardback and the paperback editions of that, which is a bit of a waste of money.

Luckily, these days you could get e-book editions from "alternative sources", that's what I did with "I shall wear Midnight", so I could read it straight away and waited to add the paperback to my collection in relax, and I think that's just what I'll do with "Snuff", too :-)

Got my copy, just £5 in Tesco.

Gomez wrote: "I have the whole lot in original English paperbacks, too, but I made an exception for "Unseen Academicals", I just couldn't wait...

The result is that I now own BOTH the hardback and the paperback..."

I have first edition hardcovers of all of Pratchett's books since "The Truth." Most of those before that are paperback. I'd like to get hardcovers of those as well if I can find them cheap. Some of the paperbacks are getting a bit ragged.

My copy of Snuff came in the mail today! Please excuse my absence. I'll be visiting Ankh-Morpork and environs for the next few days.

I have an essay to write. my motivation to finish is that I don't open Snuff until I finish, so I now have Vimes glaring at me until I finish

good motivation.

Well the essay was a dog, but it is finished and forgotten. Bring on the Snuff.

bought Snuff when I was in London 3 days ago, and finished it in 2 days.

Stephanie wrote: "bought Snuff when I was in London 3 days ago, and finished it in 2 days."

I tried to make mine last to savor it. I made it to three days.

taking my time with it. it's my treat at the end of the day

Niall wrote: "taking my time with it. it's my treat at the end of the day"

When I was done, loaned it to my son. He finished in two days. Loaned it to another son. He read it straight through in an afternoon. Kids! They always want to rush things.

Mine just arrived, but i have two unread books due back at the library, so Snuff will have to wait. Soon...my precious...

What did people think of it?

I thought it was ok, definitely better than a lot but not quite up there with the best. On my ranking of discworld books i put it 21st (out of the 39) about half way.

(has anyone else ranked all the series?)

Andy wrote: "What did people think of it?

I thought it was ok, definitely better than a lot but not quite up there with the best. On my ranking of discworld books i put it 21st (out of the 39) about half way.
..."
I try not to rank Discworld books. It's like trying to choose my favorite child.

I have not finished reading Snuff yet, and I will not put any spoilers in here, but my giddy aunt, there is some rather dark and deep material at the heart of this story. I am enjoying it a lot, but some parts have left me quite thoughtful

It wasn't one of my favorites. I don't rank Discworld books, but there are a few that I just didn't enjoy on the same level I enjoy the majority of them. Snuff was good, but not great.

I think that the Discworld turns pretty much without too much help from pTerry. As a result he has been able to develope the characters as you would in any other series. In Snuff, Vimes is even more out of his depth than usual - geographically and emotionally - and has to fall back on his own personal definition of right and wrong. The last few books have contained much more dark matter (and fewer belly laughs) and are more overtly satirical than before. At what point do we decide whether a race has rights,or not? If they are only animals, we can do anything we want to them? Right?

Other characters have been allowed to develope into their own personalities. Lady Sybil shows her understanding how the world really works. Willikins personifies the Summoning Dark, going where Vimes cannot. Young Sam just loves poo; he will get over it, it's just a phase he's going through.

This book mad me sad. It's not as sharp as Sir Terry's usual stuff. I feel as if I can see him declining since the unseen academicals. Will ALWAYS be a fan though!

I think Niall and Huw have it right about Snuff. Some very deep and dark themes and it's right to be thoughtful about them, as well as enjoying the story. I think Sir Terry is as sharp as ever, and is demanding that his readers keep up. The themes in Snuff may be sad, but I love the book!

I don't understand why people say Sir Terry is declining. Snuff deals with all sorts of issues, placing modern trafficking in the context of historical slavery. It is really topical.

The book is darker and is dealing with the emotional issues of older people, rather than with the madcap adventures of the younger. There aren't as many puns and it might not be quite as much fun, but that goes with the territory.

Plus, while it is simpler than some other books, "Unseen Academicals" was the most structurally complicated book he has written.

A very personal opinion... one of the things that I always appreciated in Pratchett's writing was that delicate balance he managed to achieve between the "serious" stuff, especially the social commentary on Roundworld, the madcap adventures and the fine humour.

Recent books, indeed, were more inclined towards "darker stuff", and while character development is a good thing, there can be too much of it when it takes over the Story, which used to rule in Pratchett's universe, remember narrativium?

I always thought Pratchett's best character was the Discworld itself, and while it still makes a nice background, there's little more than that to it, lately.

Mind you, I don't think Pratchett's "declining", despite his illness, he's made choices, don't think he's "lost" that delicate balance I mentioned above, he renounced it, and I have to accept that.

Still, those howling laughters... and letting your mind wander around a few thousand years of history (and evolution) gone wrong, than back to reading and more howling laughters, and tears of myrth streaming down your face... I miss that... but I'll keep reading!

Personally, I didn't care for Snuff, how many misunderstood, discriminated against races are there in Discworld? And how does the story re: prejudice here differ from Unseen Acadamicals? Seems like a rehash of the same storyline. Plus, I don't particularly like the moral of the story the opperessed people have to prove themselves by doing something extraordinary (with football, music whatever) before they can be accepted. Why can't they be accepted as regular, average people?

And I miss the humor.

Agreed. I recently started re-reading it, and came to the passage where Willikins has that rediculous anti-Newton exposition, and I realized that, besides how out-of-place it felt, it was also LONG, at least a full page, for something should have kept to 2 sentences. I feel that younger Pratchett would never have let that occur.

Those are reasons that I feel Sir Terry isn't as well as before- the wit and sharp story is somehow blunted...