Arise, Sir Pterry

[zooterkin]

The author Terry Pratchett - whose novels have sold millions of copies worldwide - has been made a knight in the New Year Honours list. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7804693.stm)

Nice to see that he is so widely appreciated. The page has a video clip of Sir Terry giving his (very pleased) reaction.






(Yes, I know the Queen doesn't really say the "Arise..." bit)

[Lothian]

Blind Io has looked kindly upon him.

[TX50]

I'd have expected him to refuse it, given the attitude to authority expressed
in all the novels.

[plumjam]

Hopefully he won´t slip a Disc.

[Elizabeth I]

How do you suppose Vetinari will react to the news?

[tim]

I think it's right and proper recognition for the pleasure his writing has given, and for his contribution to making people think about things rather than taking them for granted.

[Damien Evans]

Congratulations Sir Terry.


I've never read any of his books, what would be a good starting point?

[Elizabeth I]

Congratulations Sir Terry.


I've never read any of his books, what would be a good starting point?

The Colour of Magic is the first, and I've always believed in "begin at the beginning, go on till you get to the end, then stop." :D

[SusanB-M1]

Congratulations Sir Terry.


I've never read any of his books, what would be a good starting point?
Some children in my class (in 1980s) were amazed that I had not read 'Truckers'. I took it on a train journey, couldn't make head or tail of it at first, but since I had nothing else to read, I carried on. By the middle of the book I was laughing out loud. When I started on the Disc World, I read straight through the first six books, by which time I was laughing and from then on have read them all. I think if you picked one at random, you might think, so what's funny about that?, but everyone has a different approach of course.

[SusanB-M1]

Nice to see that he is so widely appreciated. The page has a video clip of Sir Terry giving his (very pleased) reaction.






(Yes, I know the Queen doesn't really say the "Arise..." bit)
Thanks for putting the link. On 'Today' this morning, he said something about he'd only really know he was a lord when he felt the sword come down.:)

[Mojo]

I've never read any of his books, what would be a good starting point?

The Colour of Magic is the first, and I've always believed in "begin at the beginning, go on till you get to the end, then stop." :D


Although the first two are probably the weakest (IMO), and might not encourage you to persevere with the rest.

I'd start with Mort and then go back to the first three.

[Elizabeth I]

Although the first two are probably the weakest (IMO), and might not encourage you to persevere with the rest.

I'd start with Mort and then go back to the first three.

Well, to each his own opinion, of course, but I fell immediately in love with the Luggage.

[zooterkin]

I'd have expected him to refuse it, given the attitude to authority expressed
in all the novels.

I don't think it was in the video clip, but I did hear him in an radio interview yesterday saying something like, how could a fantasy author resist the attraction of being a knight?

[arthwollipot]

Mort is my favourite, and always has been, but I think you need a bit of background about Death's role in the Discworld before delving into his background. Start at the beginning - The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. They're the beginning, so start there.

[drkitten]

May I suggest starting with the Guards trilogy? The cliches are easy to spot (it starts out by poking fun at the way the guards exist only to get slaughtered), the characters are among the best, and it's fairly accessible.

[Filippo Lippi]

The first two seem to be a series of sketches, the rest are proper stories. All good, nothing bad.

[volatile]

My favourite's always been Soul Music.

[Darat]

Start with Strata - the first discworld novel!

Seriously if you are a Pratchett reader and especially if you are a science fiction reader as well it's a great short novel.

[Damien Evans]

AARGH!!!

So many conflicting suggestions, I think I'll just go down to my local library and get the oldest one I can find, and start there.

[neltana]

Mort is my favourite, and always has been, but I think you need a bit of background about Death's role in the Discworld before delving into his background. Start at the beginning - The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. They're the beginning, so start there.

I quite liked Mort...and it is the only Discworld novel I've ever read. Perhaps the background reading makes it more enjoyable, but it is not a prerequisite to making the book enjoyable...IMHO.

[Madalch]

I always vastly preferred the Light Fantastic (which is a full story) to the Colour of Magic (which is more a collection of short stories).

[ParrotPirate]

A friend just recently turned me on to the Discworld books. There seems to be a slight a Douglas Adams flavor at times. Sort of a way of looking at things from a slightly odd angle,maybe. Not that this is a bad thing,as I really like Adams,also.