Salka Posted December 12, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7141458.stm nooooooooooooooooooooooooo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted December 12, 2007 :\ He seems to be facing it with typical cheerfulness though. And Alzheimers is slowly becoming more treatable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coldkill Posted December 12, 2007 Indeed, cures are being developed but far too slowly for my liking! Terrible news anyway Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Noyb Posted December 12, 2007 :\ Words fail me. Reading through Making Money right now. He's still a damn good author. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmuerte Posted December 12, 2007 I wonder what effect that will have on this writing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted December 12, 2007 I like his attitude to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted December 12, 2007 Not that I've read his books, but I enjoyed the audiobook of The Colour of Magic immensely. Very sad to hear all the same. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ysbreker Posted December 12, 2007 ;( ;( ;( :\ :\ :\ :\ :\ :\ :\ :\ Also: wrestle: you infidel! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted December 12, 2007 Tried several, couldn't get into them. Having one read to me by Tony Robinson was good though. But I don't have my own personal Tony Robinson for bed times, so I've not tried the analogue versions again since. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted December 12, 2007 There's a big change in style and content between the early books and the later ones. Just in case you do want to try them again. EDIT: if nothing else, you should read Small Gods. It's generally hailed as the most profound and the one most read by non-discworld fans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vimes Posted December 13, 2007 Arg, I knew there was a time at which some idol of mine would appear as mortal, but not this one. I hope he's still planning on writing the non-Discworld stories he mentioned a few times in the past few years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Salka Posted December 13, 2007 I was thinking about that sort of stuff recently, Vimes. What happens when people I idolise start dying? omg. I need to write Gene Wilder a fan letter, NOW. Otherwise regret will drown my soul in years to come... EDIT: er Dan's signature is in reference to my new monitor by the way... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted December 13, 2007 I regret not sending a thank you to Kurt Vonnegut. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted December 13, 2007 EDIT: if nothing else, you should read Small Gods. It's generally hailed as the most profound and the one most read by non-discworld fans Thanks for the tip. I'm in the midst of The Dice Man at the moment, but this is going on the list as my next potential read. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lama Himself Posted December 13, 2007 So I can read discworld books in any order? The first book is in my stack "to read" but I was not sure if I was able to jump from one book to an other in any order. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted December 13, 2007 Yeah, you can read them in any order. Pretty much. There are some books that follow certain groups of characters, and those ones have a natural order, but it is by no means mandatory. They are: The Rincewind Books Colour of Magic Light Fantastic Sourcery Eric Interesting Times The Last Continent The Last Hero (also the Science of Discworld books, kind of) The Death Books Mort Reaper Man Soul Music Hogfather Thief of Time The Witches Books Equal Rites (kind of) Wyrd Sisters Witches Abroad Lords and Ladies Maskerade Carpe Jugulum (also the Tiffany Aching series, kind of) The City Watch Books Guards! Guards! Men at Arms Feet of Clay Jingo The Fifth Elephant Night Watch Thud The rest pretty much stand alone (although the latest, Making Money, follows on from Going Postal). Man, I know far too much about Discworld. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spaff Posted December 13, 2007 http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/ this is your friend Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted December 13, 2007 That's what I said! Interesting to see that they have classed the remaining novels into "industrial revolution". I guess that is kind of a running theme. And I've seen the "ancient civilisations" ones classed as the "Gods Novels" as well. Those groups have very little continuity though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lama Himself Posted December 13, 2007 So great!!!! Exactly what I was looking for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted December 13, 2007 It should be noted that each series has its own tone as well, so people tend to have a favourite group. It may help you choose where you want to start. The Death books are quite philosophical, as tend towards, guess what, contemplation of death and mortality and humans place in the world. The Witches books tend to borrow from Shakespeare, as well as British folklore and rural life, and are about personal struggle, power, and doing what's right. The Rincewind novels are about lampooning fantasy clichés, and also about travel to foreign cultures and the nature of heroism. The City Watch books are based on Film Noire and detective stories, but are also about politics and how cities develop, and battling personal demons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nappi Posted December 13, 2007 How sad. I like his style but have only read few books (namely, Reaper Man, Pyramids, Interesting Times, and half of Mort, which I didn't like that much). Seeing that there are way too many Discworld books for me to choose from, could you suggest some of them? I don't really care about the order that much. I kinda like Rincewind (probably because I got familiar with the series through Discworld 2 adventure game), but it doesn't have to be about him. Other areas of interest: gods, death, evilness, science. Not that keen on witches though. (Faust) Eric sounds interesting. Is it any good? Also, what are those science novels like? Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted December 13, 2007 Going by Spaff's diagram and Dan's summing up (thanks, gents), I find the Death and City Watch series' immediately appealing. I observed a bit of either Discworld adventure game when I was younger and liked the Death character in them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted December 13, 2007 Nappi, as with Wrestle, I recommend Small Gods. Eric is OK, but not my favourite of the Rincewind series. Since you've read Interesting Times it would perhaps make sense to carry on to Last Continent (especially if you like jokes about Australia). The Science of Discworld books are, despite the title, actually about real science in our world. However they use the magic-based reality of Discworld as a means to compare and contrast with our physics based universe, and every other chapter is part of a discworld story that kind of illustrates the ideas. The first book is about the creation of the universe, the Earth, and Life. The Second book is about Human evolution and the rise of civilisation. And the third book is, I believe about Evolution in general. Wrestle, I like all the books, obviously, but I think on the whole the City Watch series is the one I find the most... satisfying? Something like that. Sam Vimes is a great character. And Death has a cameo in every single book, I think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoannaDark Posted December 13, 2007 Death! Death death death. Best ones ever. Can someone make me a Death of rats emoticon? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted December 13, 2007 Perhaps one like the desktop icon on this page? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
