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mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




John Charity Spring posted:

In a way I think Pratchett's YA stuff is his strongest. The three Johnny books (particularly Johnny and the Bomb) are excellent, and when I read Nation a couple months back I thought it was one of his best books in years.

Going on Maurice and the 3 TA books I have to agree. The TA stuff is exactly what I'd want a daughter to be reading in the 9-13 age bracket and Maurice is just a phenomenal story with amazing writing. Do 't skip Maurice because of Gaspode (who has minimal bearing on the plot) nor for any other reason.

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mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Izz posted:

They are doing Small Gods now. Part 1 is on iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00b1p28/Small_Gods_Episode_1/

Yup. Brilliant. Thanks, Post pt 2 when they get to it.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952





Thank you. Prominently bookmarked for later.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




zacpol posted:

I've read the main Discworld series (excluding the Tiffany Aching and Wee Free Men books) several times over over the past several years, mainly because when I finish a book and don't have a new one on hand I'll pick up an old Terry Pratchett book. I love it all, but I abhorred Unseen Academicals. Anyone else feel this way? It just seemed so cliched and boring to me, and felt like several steps back in general.

Nope. It was a very interesting character development book. "Crab basket" and "hammer" are really important concepts. Reread it and keep in mind that Glenda is the main character.

No Bursar but plenty of archchancellor-formerly-known-as-dean

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Moggity posted:

I want a Team Susan Death shirt.

The logo should be a fire poker lying on a chair.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Nilbop posted:

I don't even know what Pepe was meant to be.

Apart from psychotic.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Nerdmann posted:

And I am sorry if I missed the answer to this, but is there any way for US fans to see the movies?

Netflix has Colour of Magic and Hogsfather.


I'll chime in with another Tiffany Aching recommendation, any girl who uses her brother as bait and then whacks the monster with a frying pan is ok by me. And any story where a 9-year old girl with a frying pan rescues a 12-year old prince with a sword is going right on my all-time favorites list.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




ThaGhettoJew posted:

If we're talking YA and Pterry, do not pass up Nation. It's a standalone world and maybe aimed a little older than Tiffany Aching, but it's smart and morally complex. Well worth it.

I'd forgotten about that one. My local bookstores are Borders right now, and they don't have it with the rest of his stuff, which is costing them a sale.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




inklesspen posted:

I don't believe this has been mentioned yet, but Amazon says I Shall Wear Midnight is coming out in September. And it's got cover art.

Granny Weatherwax. Uh oh. Unless she's in it to mentor Tiffany Aching, then someone's in trouble. If not the entire Disc.

Hot drat !

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




There are people 100 miles away who still can't get the smell out of their clothes.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




John Charity Spring posted:

Equal Rites isn't one of my favourites but I remember enjoying it a lot when I read it. It wasn't one of the first I'd read, though, and I'd already read Wyrd Sisters, for instance, so I knew Granny Weatherwax fairly well already.

Equal Rites would be a lot more popular if it "fit" with the later Witches books. ER, and the first two Rincewind books are noticeably different from the later books. They were first. He refined his style. If ER had been written after... let's say Lords and Ladies, and in the more mature Discworld style it'd probably be a lot more popular. In movie terms, the screenplay is fine but the script needed another draft. C'mon, Granny Weatherwax takes a student to Unseen University that they don't want to accept, then duels the Archchancellor ? Great idea for a Discworld story.

I just consider that ER happened "before" one of the rebuildings of history that have occurred.

Audiobooks... pfff. Ask me again when I don't read for an hour on the way to work.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




AXE COP posted:

I want to be happy but if it's as bad as the last two books were I can't look forward to it :(

Go reread Academicals, "crab basket" is one of the more important things you can write a novel about. The story as actually about the two women, and the goblin, not about the rest. If you missed that, you won't get the novel at all.

edit: and if you don't like the Tiffany Aching series you have no soul and should be ducked in a pond sooner rather than later.

mllaneza fucked around with this message at 23:11 on Feb 7, 2011

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Well Manicured Man posted:

He's probably referring to Unseen Academicals and Making Money (neither of which were bad).

We're also mocking him for missing the Tiffany Aching series. Making Money was a fun read, up to Pratchett's standards and similar remarks apply.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




SeanBeansShako posted:

I hope we get another appearince from Mr Shine.

Yeah, him diamond.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Mister Roboto posted:

Wow, that's great! Thanks for that. I'd love to see more.


Possibly related to the idea that without death, there is too much life, and not all life forms are friendly towards humans.

The B story in Reaper Man is just there for pacing and so the Bill Door parts don't crush your mind with pure awesomeness. It coulda been anything, it's just there to space out the good stuff.

Yo.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Jeabus Mahogany posted:

But admittedly, it's more of a step towards than a complete arc of development.

I'm looking at Snuff as Vimes coming to terms with the power and authority he has won over the years. HE's come a long way from the simple cop who was archly uncomfortable with his title new position. The last few years were filled in with exposition and Pratchett just plain telling us, but it becomes clear that Vimes may not enjoy the social circles he moves in, most of the other husbands don't either. And he's doing the job.

I'll mark Snuff as the book of Vimes' maturity. If there's time, one more book would fit in him taking an active role to work some positive change on Ankh-Morpork. Not just cleaning up and professionalizing the Watch, something major.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Blind Melon posted:

Didn't he drive out everyone?
I don't remember the details, but IIRC he was the last watchman, and the rest of the watch had formed a guild. I do remember "Vimes would go spare".

Yeah. My take wasn't that it was a species-thing. It was just Fred Colon being the worst possible choice to run the Watch.

Except for Nobby.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




inklesspen posted:

To compare, here's the UK cover art:


Nobody is ever allowed to complain about the difference between the US and UK covers of anything. Ever.

It's a decent novel. Not one of Stross' best, but decent.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




FactsAreUseless posted:

Atwood just released a collection of essays about science fiction. Her most recent series is dystopian sci-fi with environmentalist themes. She's not some sort of genre traitor or whatever you're implying here.

I've read that series, it's heartbreaking and brilliant.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




supermikhail posted:

Okay. But what's the Patrician's angle (or as Vimes sees it)?

It turns Vimes into, symbolically, Ankh-Morpork itself. Notice that Vetinari sends Vimes around on diplomatic missions as the Duke. Vetinari wants the rule of law (applying to everyone else) and sentient rights implemented, and Vimes is his tool to do it. Every time Vimes does something awesome and gets promoted again he becomes more useful as an instrument of policy. He's been promoted over the heads of the nobility too, he hasn't thrown it around too much but he's the authority in Ankh-Morpork behind only Vetinari. He doesn't need to become Patrician after Vetinari retires, he's not suited for the job in any way but he'll be there keeping the next one honest.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




supermikhail posted:

Well, Vetinari is a cool dick.

...That could have been said better. He's certainly a clever jerk.

Anyway, in my reality there haven't been any diplomatic missions as Duke yet, as Jingo is as far as I've gotten right now. (Not that I have gone completely unspoiled up to now.) And not that I complaining. That's spoilers I'm now looking forward to.

He goes on a couple through the rest of the series.

And yes, Dodger is a good book. I'd happily read more, but I'll accept it as well wrapped-up where it ended.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




EvilTaytoMan posted:

Assuming they didn't get David Jason to play him and every second role. :v:

You say that like it'd be a bad thing.

I always took the wizards v mall sequence to be part of the Windle Poons Is Dead arc. An action sequence is exactly what happens wham Yo ! starts being thrown about. The whole thing is about risk, mortality, and sacrifice. Just like the A plot.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Zephyrine posted:

Isn't swearing a peculiar thing when it comes to established characters in a story? It's probably the quickest immersion breaker in any story for me.

The thing in Snuff is that nobody is on their home ground. Vimes, Willkins, and Sybil are all on unfamiliar ground. Sybil is reverting to behaviors learned in childhood, and the other two are out of their element in the country, dealing with people they never deal with and situations unfamiliar. Add to that that they're supposed to be on holiday, and I really wasn't surprised that they're acting, and speaking, strangely.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Zephyrine posted:

Private monopolies where the government is to stay out because "It's a free city"

On the other hand, telling Vetinari what he may or may not do is a career-limiting move. If he's in a good mood.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




the JJ posted:

Glen Cook's Black Company also has a lot of dark humor in a... I don't want to call it grim or anything, but definitely a not happy setting where the characters are trying to get by. At one point the narrator gets caught writing sexy fan-fiction about his boss, who happens to be the Evil Empress sorceress of doom. It's pretty funny. I'd probably rate it as less grimdark than Abercrombie. His Instrumentalities of the Night is also really fun if you're into actual history instead of theme park history.

If you want to branch out a bit into sci-fi, Ian Bank's Culture novels are actually just loving brilliant and they've got a nice sense of humor, especially with the Minds.

Again, sci-fi, but Douglas Adam's Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is basically all that early Pratchett goodness in a sci-fi setting, tangential asides included.

For Cook I'd recommend the Garrett series more. They're noir novels, so they will go dark at times (*cough* Old Tin Sorrows *cough*), but they're generally lighter in tone and more fun than the Black Company stuff.

Banks and Adams are both must reads anyway, never mind that they also fit the bill. And Rat Queens. It's gorey but often hilarious.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




tooterfish posted:

Eh, I can live without any more novels. All things end, that was one of PTerry's very first lessons for us, so it's fitting it's also one of his last.

Don't fear the reaper. :unsmith:

"What can the harvest hope for…"


I liked Shepherd's Crown. I'll re-read it cheerfully with great pleasure and it definitely topped Steam and Snuff - although I don't think those were THAT broken.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




cptn_dr posted:

I felt so clever when I got that one.

Velvet Underground ?

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Jaguars! posted:

I'm a bit mystified by that too. Is it non-commonwealthers who don't get the references? Australians who do? The plot is not very coherent but no more so than the other early ones.

E: Oh wow, it's way later than I thought - 1998

It's the first "modern" Rincewind book and about as well developed as, say, Witches Abroad. Which is to say very drat well put together but not quite up to Peak Pratchett. Lucky for me, I worked for an Australian for 3 years and I got the lot.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Cicadalek posted:

Witches abroad is very Peak Pratchett what the heck am i reading

Point conceded.

Time to re-read at least the witches series.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952





Hot drat !

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




great big cardboard tube posted:

I just started discworld, finished the first 2 books and liked them a lot. Looks like I'm at the point where I have to choose whether to read the rest by publication date or jump around and follow specific character arcs to their ends?

Any recommendations which way is more enjoyable?

Publication order I'd say for the first run through, there's an overall thematic development that makes jumping back to the beginning of a sub-series odd.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




chernobyl kinsman posted:

i dont want to talk about the religion thing anymore. it's not what i dislike about terry pratchett. the thing i dislike about terry pratchett is that half of his books have exactly the same plots with only the proper nouns changed and no one acknowledges or talks about this and that legitimately gives me a kind of dissociative anxiety

like, carpe jugulum and lords and ladies are the same book! reaper man and hogfather are the same book! i've read a dozen discworld books and four of those have been the same book! do you people not see or is this some kind of artistically horrifying conspiracy of silence where everyone knows this but no one says anything?

Reaper Man and Hogfather are the same book...

No, you're an idiot,. Shut the gently caress up.

They have similar themes is all, but they're not at all the same novel. They're structurally entirely different, the characters have different arcs, the themes aren't the same. What the gently caress kind of mix of bath salts and exotic animal jenkem are you on anyway ?

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Oxxidation posted:

trying to picture what'd happen to someone who ripped a book in half in U.U.'s library and my imagination just chuckles weakly and shuts down

Mine just goes back to the "ripped in half" thing.

Oook !

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




The DPRK posted:

Began Reaper Man today. Really enjoying it. Great recommendation!

Have some tissues handy for the last, oh, fifth of the book.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Big Bad Beetleborg posted:

They've cast Carcer, so maybe they're starting out with Night Watch (or other time related shenanigans) which could explain Sybil's age?

Or they're planning on building Carcer up as a bad guy before going full Night Watch. NW was the first time we met the character, but Vimes knew him all too well.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Fighting Trousers posted:

Why would a female werewolf who's always been running away from something be a part of the shabby boys club of the pre-Carrot Night Watch?

If I pare the question down to just that, it seems pretty obvious that the answer is 'because no one else would take her'. It's just changing the timing of when she joined the Guards.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




I can absolutely see him as Vimes. She's not what I expected for Angua, but she'll do. Carrot, in the other picture, looks perfect.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




u brexit ukip it posted:

Now now, there are plenty of movies where his character doesn't die, such as Ronin and, uhm...

Stormy Monday, his first lead role. Also featuring Tommy Lee Jones and Sting.


And, I'm sorry to say, Melanie Griffith.

mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




It's The Luggage, it can be both.

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mllaneza
Apr 28, 2007

Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952




Serperoth posted:

Or there could be things with Thud!, although the very much racial tension in that would need to be very carefully handled.

Or digging in to the Goblin stuff from UA and Snuff.

I'd like to see some play given to the golems. They're buying themselves out of slavery, but you';d have to have an extremely delicate touch on the metaphor.

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