People who don't like Discworld!

[Sjoerd3000]

s more than me

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

*nods at Tina* Off topic can be a wild and wonderful ride but "I don't like being anywhere other than Boston" (or near Tokyo come to that) isn't really that enthralling or indeed inventive

Although.... "I don't like Cornwall" just now - it's blowing a bloody hurricane virtually down here to the extent that I made the dog come in as I thought he was going to be shredded through the garden fence earlier

Oh dear, I just had the oddest picture of Tom and Jerry and Tom in slices.

[poohcarrot]

In order to try and stop another American breaking out civil war, I'd just like to say;

TIME OUT

I'm not a moderator and I'm p*ssed (ie; drunk coz I know you Yanks think p*ssed means angry)

I believe Jeffinboston is a very funny guy. I hope he doesn't leave because of what I'm about to say but;

He is also a pompous, superior, know-it-all.

Tina had every right to have a go at him for his comments about early TP books and Rincewind. If Jeffinboston had prefaced his opinions with "I think..." it wouldn't be a problem. But he didn't. It's "this is right and anyone who thinks differently is wrong".

I'm sure Tina will accept his apologies for being a condescending twit and we'll all live happily ever after.

[Jan Van Quirm]

... I shall forgive you, in advance, for the rant I shall undoubtedly recieve for saying this but HUSH, you are hurting my eyes....

... We live where we live... It is, what it is and that, is THAT!

No worries pooh dear - Tina's already done it and it's put to bed with no (or very little) sulking

Now - People who don't like Discworld... are missing out on something fantastic and should be treated gently as it's pointless telling them they have no imagination or soul and a pitiful, narrow and decrepit sense of humour. Let's not blame them for this - if everyone was a Pterry fan how could we all stand out so shiney, perky and happy in a sea of mediocre and lustreless drudgeland tomes where partial or wholly recycled long-standing traditions and tired old mythic mores bring on yer athsma 'cos of the dust avalanche every time you turn a page. Places where everyone has an unassailable Cinderella complex and heroes are forced to overcome the Dragons of Banal and Pointless Geas and keep on apologising for their evil but noble ancestral stereoptypes that nobody else gives a rats arse about...

... as for those who castigate fantasy altogether as 'fluff' and weird juvenile comics - leave them to their trite coffee table books that are there as aesthetic furniture and never opened to read for the 'wonderful photography' is all they can aspire to discuss.

We do not have to launch a jihad against such feeble and closed unfortunates do we? The prophet has shown the way - belief in reality is fleeting and uncertain. It is what you make of it and if others spurn the unreal playthings of the mind and ideas that take form in the imagination out of a chaotic and unmindful multiverse - then it's just tough on them!

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

[CrysaniaMajere]

I've missed quite a debate it... fortunately I think
Well I don't know anyone who doesn't like Pratchett. I know many people that don't want to try it because they snob fantasy as a children-thing, so they don't even count.
Those who have read his books have loved it.. but i know only 2 people.. guess there's quite a lot of the snob-people around.. but i don't care and I've always a Pratchett's book in my purse or sometimes in my hands when I go out

[Ponder Stibbons]

I tried discworld on quite a few of my friends. I think the boring prologue's put them off. I think the Tiffany AChing series are better for weaning younger people onto it.
Mind you, one guy in my class last year said that 'WIntersmith' was really boring adn that its' "what, just some story about a stupid girl who's a witch". The 'girl' might have put him off.

[Penfold]

I've lent a few Discworld books to friends only to have them returned with comments along the lines of "I didn't get it/enjoy it/understand the references (to other authors such as Shakespeare, H. P. Lovecraft, Fritz Lieber)", etc. Maybe being a bit more widely read over a variety of subjects and genres helps to understand the satire?

However, I have had more success lending the non-Discworld books in that I've lost numerous copies of Good Omens and The Unadulterated Cat from persons who 'forgot' to return them, despite handing back the others.

[Quark]

It's probably best to read a bit of mediocre fantasy before reading Discworld books... just so that you understand exactly how satirical it is.

Now - People who don't like Discworld... are missing out on something fantastic and should be treated gently as it's pointless telling them they have no imagination or soul and a pitiful, narrow and decrepit sense of humour. Let's not blame them for this - if everyone was a Pterry fan how could we all stand out so shiney, perky and happy in a sea of mediocre and lustreless drudgeland tomes where partial or wholly recycled long-standing traditions and tired old mythic mores bring on yer athsma 'cos of the dust avalanche every time you turn a page. Places where everyone has an unassailable Cinderella complex and heroes are forced to overcome the Dragons of Banal and Pointless Geas and keep on apologising for their evil but noble ancestral stereoptypes that nobody else gives a rats arse about...

... as for those who castigate fantasy altogether as 'fluff' and weird juvenile comics - leave them to their trite coffee table books that are there as aesthetic furniture and never opened to read for the 'wonderful photography' is all they can aspire to discuss.

Ditto.

[Vena Ravenhaired]

Well, The first Discworld book I read was Lords and Ladies, I was a bit dubious at first, although many friends raved about them. The thing which put me off, making me think they were for juveniles was Josh Kirby's* covers.

Once I got past the covers, I found a vastly entertaining world of possibilities. Serves me right for judging books by covers, but, in all things, first impresions Do count.

The newer covers, Paul Kidby and the photographic covers are much more appealing to me personally, and hhpefully will bring many new folk into the Pratchett fold.

Cheers, Vena

* Nothing wrong with Josh Kirby's artwork, BTW, I have some of the covers in poster form, and they are great, but as covers they really put me off the books.

[Quark]

I always liked the Paul Kidby covers, myself, and they certainly didn't make me think that they were juvenile. The photographic covers all look a bit... serious.

[Moist von Lipwig]

I am happy I convinced my mother to reeading Terry. She was..."afraid" of him, she told me that couple of times. First book she has read was Hogfather and she was depressed she doesn't understand. She would start to not liking Terry but I gave her Mort.

[unseenu]

i confess i was given a discworld novel when i was very young and didn't take to it(i think it was carpe juggulum).I read the description of great atuin but when i tried to read the rest i found i couldn't understand any of it.

But then when i was a little bit older i saw the light when i saw a big cardboard display case in the school library which said "Surrender to Pratchett",not wanting to disobey an order i checked out Equal Rites and loved it.Thats how i got started with Terry Pratchett.I still have the book i was given and never read properly somewhere,i will read it and hopefully understand it this time if its ever found.

[Tonyblack]

i confess i was given a discworld novel when i was very young and didn't take to it(i think it was carpe juggulum).I read the description of great atuin but when i tried to read the rest i found i couldn't understand any of it.

But then when i was a little bit older i saw the light when i saw a big cardboard display case in the school library which said "Surrender to Pratchett",not wanting to disobey an order i checked out Equal Rites and loved it.Thats how i got started with Terry Pratchett.I still have the book i was given and never read properly somewhere,i will read it and hopefully understand it this time if its ever found.

Welcome to the site unseenu!

I'm glad you gave Terry a second chance.

[Dotsie]

Welcome unseenu Carpe Jugulum is very good, but only after you've read the other witch books that come before it I should think.