The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett

Yes, it's a real talent...

to make a reader laugh and think.
I've enjoyed Terry Pratchett for a while. He's from that British school of writing that is clever, intelligent and funny but readers do need to be 'with it' as far as the British political scene or they'll miss a lot of the jokes.

I think my favorite laugh is when the Nac Mac Feegle made a scarecrow so they could ride the coach.

If you'll notice under my profile, Terry Pratchett is listed amongst my all-time favorite authors. I don't have his books, but my Mum and Dad do, so I just borrow them. My sister has the illustrated version of "The Last Hero" about Cohen the Barbarian and the Silver Horde's last hurrah. As for my favorites, it's a toss-up between the watch, the witches, and the wizards (or wizzard as may be the case) of the Unseen University. Of all the characters, I think my favorites are The Archchancellor, Sam Vimes, Death (and the Death of Rats), and Greebo the Cat.

One thing I always do when reading is try and find an applicable person, or at least their voice, for each role. Here are a few that I've come up with, and what previous roles each did to inspire such thought. Of course, since Discworld is very much British, I can only hope that there are other "Yanks" out there besides me who actually get the humor (I was raised on Monty Python and Blackadder). Just curious to know what you guys think:

Rincewind - Eric Idle (he did the voice in the videogames)

Archchancellor - In my mind, Brian Blessed is about the only person with the voice and half-mad demeanor fitting (picture the Condor King from Flash Gordon, or as Richard IV in Blackadder)

Carrot - Hugh Laurie (at least the voice, anyway)

Nobby - Tony Robinson (think the scabbiest version of Baldrick in Blackadder. He also did the voice of Nobby, as well as Dibbler, in the videogame)

Granny Weatherwax - Sian Phillips (in the same demeanor as Livia from I, Claudius)

Nanny Ogg - Patsy Byrne (Nursey from Blackadder)

Death - I always pictured the voice of Sean Connery, but then saw a cartoon version of Wyrd Sisters, in which Christopher Lee does the voice. Both I think are equally fitting.

Lord Vetinarri - Rowan Atkinson (yes, I'm a big Blackadder fan, if you haven't guessed already!)

Pondor Stibbons - Daniel Radcliff in about five years

Fred Colin - Possibly Robbie Coltrane

army grunt13 - I think you've got it spot on with those characters, except for Granny Weatherwax.
I'm sorry, but Granny Weatherwax was my grandmother to the life. She and Nanny Ogg are both perfect examples of a certain sort of Lancashire old lady (sadly dying out now - they don't make old ladies like they used to).

I love everything British (American humor shows/books/movies have never really done it for me, at all). Bought the novel 'Mort' reacently and will soon start to read it. Will be my first Terry Pratchett - if you don't count the adventure games made for the PC...

Huh?

Hugh Lawrie for Carrot?
Never!

But who could possibly be Sam Vimes?

pdr said:

Hugh Lawrie for Carrot?
Never!

But who could possibly be Sam Vimes?

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I think the VOICE of Hugh Laurie is appropriate. I kind of picture Carrot as being like that bald baliff on the '80's TV show, Night Court (with hair, of course).

Sam Vimes is a difficult one, because I always put myself in that role (hey let's face it, we're all guilty of putting ourselves in the 'hero' roles!). Maybe Sean Bean?

Great minds!

Ah, I was thinking, based on Bernard Cornwall's Sharpe, as seen in the TV series, that Sean Bean could project the right air of angered innocence for Sam Vimes.

Carrot has hidden depths. Hugh Laurie isn't up to them. Pity Laurence Olivier is dead.

Er, sorry, my film and TV viewing is highly selective and, right now, very restricted. Who is Sam Elliot?

basenjinana said:

LOL...an older, sexy (IMO) movie star. He played in a lot of westerns, played a bouncer with Patrick Swayze in RoadHouse, played General John Buford in Gettysburg, and a bunch of other movies.

He just has an...air...about him that made me think of Sam Vines in the same way. Although that's probably just my imagination - of which I have too much.

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It was odd to see him without his mostache when he portrayed Sgt Major Basil Plumely in the movie "We Were Soldiers." His voice definitely gives him away. Watching an interview with some of the guys who were part of that campaign, they all said he had Sgt Major Plumely down to a tee. Another favorite of mine with him in it is "The Rough Riders," which Tom Berenger plays the perfect Theodore Roosevelt.

Back on topic, I think R. Lee Ermey has the gruff nature of Sam Vimes, but is definitely NOT innocent. My sister suggested maybe Russell Crowe, though I still think Sean Bean would look more the part.

My dream would be to see Vimes and Granny Weatherwax together in the same book. Who would be left standing?

Discworld is one of my favorite series. I got to see Pterry when he did a bookstore visit in my town for Thud!. He's charming and quite funny in person.

A number of us here chose demon names to honor Liam's book release - you may note mine is from Good Omens - which Pterry co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.

There's a very lively Discworld community on Live Journal and another on Yahoo. Someone once started a Discworld forum - I've forgotten the link and it's home on my other computer - when I get back from this business trip I'll try to remember to post it, after I check to see if it's still up and running. I do hope you're all familiar with the L-space web...

One of my favorite things in Discworld is Hex and the wizards in the High Energy Magic department, and the phrase that seems to explain everything: "...because of quantum"

When my brother died, I inherited his huge collection of hundreds of SF and fantasy books, including the first four Discworld books. I spent the next several years going through all of my brother's books and as I finally neared the end of the collection I decided it was time to buy a few more. So I headed to the bookstore, and I said, "Hey, I remember liking those book buy that guy, what was his name, Pratchett? I wonder if he's written anything since then."

Um, yes he'd managed to write a couple more.

I've been in love with the series since. For a while, some of the older books were out of print so I missed a few volumes in the series. I was quite happy when they put out new editions.

God, I love Pratchett.

He's consistently good. When I pick up one of his books, I know I'll like it. I don't think I've ever read a crappy Pratchett - there are a few I don't especially connect with (sorry, sorry, I'm not a Rincewind gal), but there are none that have been unworthy of the purchase price.

As funny and fantastic as the situations are, he keeps the characters behaving like real people. Someone said it further up the thread - but I knew Granny Weatherwax.

I put down The Color Of Magic. It was decent, but not my thing.

Ah, satire!

Wish I could write like Mr Pratchett.
It's what Pratchett says underneath the story about people, and things like privatising the post office (Going Postal), his comments on computers via the clacks, his take on the world and crazy politics and politicians, that is so good. 'Thud' I have enjoyed as a poke at all bigotry.

And I think his belief that people can redeem themselves, Sam Vimes raising himself from drunken coward to the commander of a serious police force, or Moist van Lipwig in 'Going Postal', make the books more than satire, they give one hope in this crazy world.

My personal favorite has to be "Lords and Ladies," because it has so many of my favorites in it (except the Watch). I liked how you find out that Granny Weatherwax and Archchancellor Ridcully have a "history," and he even tries to woo her once again. I also like how it pokes fun at certain stereotypes, like finding out that fairies and elves aren't so nice after all. . .and of course the sequences with Greebo the Cat are among my favorites.

Love Pratchett!! Absolutely love him! I just got his latest juvenile, "Wintersmith" but haven't read it yet. The last one I read was "Thud!" My favorite (so far) is "Reaper Man."

JDCrayne said:

Love Pratchett!! Absolutely love him! I just got his latest juvenile, "Wintersmith" but haven't read it yet. The last one I read was "Thud!" My favorite (so far) is "Reaper Man."

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Have you read "Hogfather," where Death takes over for the Discworld version of Santa Claus?

If you like the master, you might also enjoy this...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0977367657/?tag=absolutewritedm-20

It was released yesterday I think.

I know the author and he's a jolly nice chap, rescues orphans, is working on an invention for free energy, and always treats waiters and waitresses with kindness and politeness. He's also sitting in my chair wearing my pants.

JBI said:

I put down The Color Of Magic. It was decent, but not my thing.

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Stop. Go pick up another book in the series, like Mort or later. It took PTerry a few books to get into the groove that makes Discworld great. I have The Colour of Magic on my shelf...I intend on reading it one day..really..

...meanwhile my copies of Reaper Man and Hogfather are so dogeared my dog is jealous.