r/discworld

"Shower Thought" moment as I listen to Night Watch for what seems like the millionth time.

Near the beginning of his time in The Past, Vimes thinks a comment about how everyone in their late-teens/early-twenties goes through a "twerp stage", essentially how we all have moments of feeling smarter or more cunning or more politically savvy than we actually are.

Young Vimes is a typical twerp in this regard, and one I deeply relate to in his naivety of how the world works. It's almost endearing.

I find Vetinari to be both unsettling (because it's so weird for how he is later) and amusing (see below) in his twerp-ness.

You can see the early stages of his political and social awareness, but it has an element of teenage arrogance that makes me grin (I teach pre-teens and teenagers). His annoyance at his aunt's actions (in regards to the scene in the carriage) but still deep love and respect for her. His unwavering belief that he is better than everyone else around him (he is, but he hasn't quite got the skills to completely control the room/conversation/narrative, yet).

What got me unsettled (and later grinning) was the idea of him sprawling in the chair in his aunt's room. The very idea of Vetinari not sitting as though he commands the room, but rather as a lazy/tired teen talking with his aunt is so strange that is in funny.

On a side note - you can absolutely see where he got some of his cunning and ability to manipulate people. His aunt is a master at it. And I like that scene because you see many of the mannerisms he later adopts for himself, including the ability to manipulate Vimes.

I want to buy hard covers of some of the books in the series. What editions would be best ?

I don't think I have quite come out this satisfied with a DW book so much as I have with MAA. While my favorite still remains to be Reaper Man, holy cannoli, WHAT IN THE NAME WAS THIS BOOK? I do not know where to even start!

The plot was amazing. It was funny and cinematic.

But what I loved the most were the characters. I remembered quite adoring Vimes and Vetinari since GG but all characters become something quite else and are fleshed to an even greater degree in MAA. From Carrot's power of believing that everyone is quite decent underneath to the beaten-down, worn cynical-styled sense of duty Vimes displays at the end of day, to the way dynamics are written is amazing.

There are a few things I quite liked a lot which probably were small, in grand scheme of things:

Pratchett taking time to display that trolls can be quite smart, very very smart in fact, provided they put work or, more effectively, are freezing to death.

That Dwarfs and Trolls and Undead, and you can dislike them, as Vimes does, and you can still believe that none of them deserve of their person to be stripped away from them. And how, at the end, Watch is much more diverse.

Carrot not-so-subtly rejecting position of power or titles or just that Important Position In People's Mind everytime, despite knowing the effect he has.

And these aren't even the MAJOR things I like- the themes, the conversation on power, the effect of people on people.

What a delight! 9/10.

I came late to Pratchett, and fell deeply in thrall to the world he created and the beings in it. I read the books through three times in less than two years, first chronologically, then thematic/chronological, then chrono again, with the stand alones on repeat in between. Then I gave it a break about a year ago (though of course I read Small Gods during a lull in my other reading).

Finding Pratchett feels like it was life-changing. Like, Death as a friend life-changing. And I know, of course, that such a once-in-a-lifetime experience CAN'T be recaptured. And this has all been so recent - my break is probably not more than a year. What's a good approach to reading again for the nth time with fresh eyes?

Still on the ongoing readthrough of All The Discworld Books, and I read 'Snuff' last weekend. I'd seen other people on here say it wasn't that good because of the Embuggerance affecting things, so I went in with low expectations. Well... it was a lot better than I'd expected from those comments. Yes, it's not one of his absolute best and you can see where things are getting a little blurred around the edges, but Pterry still had what it took. Thoroughly enjoyed getting one last decent Vimes book.

(And, sadly, I think that probably is going to prove to be the last good one; I'm currently slogging through 'Science of Discworld IV' and there is absolutely no doubt that the Embuggerance had smeared his brain by then. So, I'm braced for the last two not being that great either. Though DON'T TELL ME because I still want to remain as unspoiled as possible as I get to each book. Nearly at the end.)

Edit: 'I still want to remain as unspoiled as possible as I get to each book' ALSO applies to comments about the contents of the remaining books (Raising Steam, The Shepherd's Crown, and for that matter anything from about Chapter 14 onwards of Science Of Discworld IV). Even general ones about plot or which characters show up. Please don't do that, or at least hide those bits with spoiler tags. Please. I've only got one chance to read the last Pterry books for the first time, and I'm not even looking at the jacket blurbs. I know which mini-series each of them belongs to, and I don't want to know anything else till I find it out for myself. Thanks.

"We have identified the gene that, when activated, initiates the developmental programme that results in cells forming a human body

Called NANOG, its role has been identified by making precise changes to the DNA of fertilised eggs using a technique called CRISPR base editing."

I was strolling through a park at night and saw a man lighting up a cigarette. It lit up his face which was still spotted with shadows. I found the effect particularly cool and it immediately reminded me of Vimes. If my memory serves me right, it happens in a couple of scenes in Night Watch and Thud? It took me a bit by surprise that I don't recall ever seeing this effect in person before and how I associate the imagery with Vimes. Just wanted to share this with others who might understand.

I was just contemplating buying the special edition of Nation on Amazon and I was struck by the opening lines of the description.

“Widely thought of as the best book Terry Pratchett ever wrote, this is a story of a Nation, a story of a friendship, a story of growing up and the truths we must learn. It is epic in every sense . . .”

Is this really the case? This would absolutely be news to me. I mean it’s a nice book and all but I had no sense that it was help in particular regard.

I'm listening to Mort at the moment and he's visiting the wizard in Sto Lat on his afternoon off to figure out how to walk through the castle wall to talk to the princess.

The wizard says: "Why do you trouble Ignious Cutwell, holder of the eight keys?"

I thought saying that number is a very serious no-no for wizards! Have I misheard? Is it written like that in the book?

Hi there everyone. I've been listening to various versions of 'All the little Angels Rise Up' song from Night Watch. Not only has it inspired me to re-read this magnificent story, I've also been looking for any tshirts, hoodies etc that refer to the events of Treacle Mine Road.

I want to have my own little old lady, wearable, protest against all of the current nastiness in the world, and I can't think of a more appropriate (for me), way to do that than with the Great Sir Terry.

Any advice or pointing in the direction of above mentioned apparel that eludes to hard boiled eggs, reasonably priced love, lilacs, The Republic of Treacle Mine Road etc., would be gratefully welcomed and forever remembered.

Thank you

GNU T.P.