The Terry Pratchett Thread: For the sake of prisoners and the flight of birds

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > The Terry Pratchett Thread: For the sake of prisoners and the flight of birds

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Zephyrine: Jun 10, 2014; This is what meat is supposed to be like, dingus

YggiDee posted:

Both answers are correct. While Small Gods happens between Witches Abroad and Lords and Ladies, it also takes place 100 years ago. It's like that shop from Soul Music. It's always been there, but it hasn't always been there yesterday. Also I figure this is why we had a whole book about History Monks.

I liked thief of time but I was a little disappointed in what happened to Unity. I expected her to stick around.

# ? Aug 21, 2014 20:05

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# ? Jun 5, 2024 01:41

precision: May 7, 2006; by VideoGames

YggiDee posted:

Both answers are correct. While Small Gods happens between Witches Abroad and Lords and Ladies, it also takes place 100 years ago. It's like that shop from Soul Music. It's always been there, but it hasn't always been there yesterday. Also I figure this is why we had a whole book about History Monks.

Wasn't it mentioned that Om was in a kind of weird pocket dimension at some point and that's why Omnian Missionaries are a new thing after Small Gods? Or was that Pyramids? Or both?

# ? Aug 21, 2014 20:11

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Zephyrine posted:

I liked thief of time but I was a little disappointed in what happened to Unity. I expected her to stick around.

You can read more about her adventures in the comic strip Cathy.

# ? Aug 21, 2014 22:05

Ika: Dec 30, 2004; Pure insanity

precision posted:

Wasn't it mentioned that Om was in a kind of weird pocket dimension at some point and that's why Omnian Missionaries are a new thing after Small Gods? Or was that Pyramids? Or both?

Wasn't that dejiwhatever for a couple of chapters in pyramids?

# ? Aug 21, 2014 22:21

Kesper North: Nov 3, 2011; EMERGENCY POWER TO PARTY

Ika posted:

Wasn't that dejiwhatever for a couple of chapters in pyramids?

Djellibabi.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 00:42

MikeJF: Dec 20, 2003

eriktown posted:

Djellibabi.

It's easy to remember when you say it out loud.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 02:11

Hedrigall: Mar 27, 2008; by vyelkin

Also it's spelt Djelibeybi.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 02:31

precision: May 7, 2006; by VideoGames

MikeJF posted:

It's easy to remember when you say it out loud.

It took me entirely too long to get that pun.

One thing I have faith in, even after Terry is gone, I'll still be finding new jokes in his books. :unsmith:

# ? Aug 22, 2014 03:00

DontMockMySmock: Aug 9, 2008; I got this title for the dumbest fucking possible take on sea shanties. Specifically, I derailed the meme thread because sailors in the 18th century weren't woke enough for me, and you shouldn't sing sea shanties. In fact, don't have any fun ever.

I literally only just got it. It's sad, sometimes, to be an American who reads Discworld.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 12:17

rejutka: May 28, 2004; by zen death robot

Hedrigall posted:

Also it's spelt Djelibeybi.

Lit. Child of the Djel.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 16:34

thespaceinvader: Mar 30, 2011; The slightest touch from a Gol-Shogeg will result in Instant Death!

DontMockMySmock posted:

I literally only just got it. It's sad, sometimes, to be an American who reads Discworld.

Try saying Hersheba out loud.

Took me a LONG-rear end time to get that, because those we don't have in the UK...

# ? Aug 22, 2014 21:30

DontMockMySmock: Aug 9, 2008; I got this title for the dumbest fucking possible take on sea shanties. Specifically, I derailed the meme thread because sailors in the 18th century weren't woke enough for me, and you shouldn't sing sea shanties. In fact, don't have any fun ever.

thespaceinvader posted:

Try saying Hersheba out loud.

Took me a LONG-rear end time to get that, because those we don't have in the UK...

I always put the stress on the wrong syllable, but now that I'm looking for it, it seems obvious.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 21:43

Doubtful Guest: Jun 23, 2008; Meanwhile, Conradin made himself another piece of toazzzzzzt.

I'd also heard a rumour (maybe in this thread) that the inspiration for the name Ankh-Morpork was from the signs for 'Lancaster and Morecambe' district council - often abbreviated to 'Lancs/Morecambe.' Morecambe is small northern British holiday resort, now going to seed - pronounced More-Cam or Mork-Ham, depending on dialect. Replace Ham with Pork and voil�.

Lancashire being an obvious inspiration for Lancre (though chalk hills are more southern)

There is also a tiny cramped bookshop run by a tall gangly guy named Pete, who is rumoured to be a friend of Pratchett and inspiration for the Librarian. His shop is crammed full and the only way to navigate is to take long strides between patches of clear floor. He generally has lots of Pratchett signed and early editions there. I had a friend who used to cover for him.

I don't know how much of this is true, or just local nerd folklore. Lancaster University does have one incongruously tall tower in the centre of campus - Arts student housing, so it could be connected to the Unseen University's Tower of Art - though UU is more of a general composite of academia in general.

Anyone heard these rumours before or have anything similar?

I learned the Djelibeybi one long after reading the book, but Hersheba is new to me too.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 22:13

Gambrinus: Mar 1, 2005

Doubtful Guest posted:

I'd also heard a rumour (maybe in this thread) that the inspiration for the name Ankh-Morpork was from the signs for 'Lancaster and Morecambe' district council - often abbreviated to 'Lancs/Morecambe.' Morecambe is small northern British holiday resort, now going to seed - pronounced More-Cam or Mork-Ham, depending on dialect. Replace Ham with Pork and voil�.

Lancashire being an obvious inspiration for Lancre (though chalk hills are more southern)

There is also a tiny cramped bookshop run by a tall gangly guy named Pete, who is rumoured to be a friend of Pratchett and inspiration for the Librarian. His shop is crammed full and the only way to navigate is to take long strides between patches of clear floor. He generally has lots of Pratchett signed and early editions there. I had a friend who used to cover for him.

I don't know how much of this is true, or just local nerd folklore. Lancaster University does have one incongruously tall tower in the centre of campus - Arts student housing, so it could be connected to the Unseen University's Tower of Art - though UU is more of a general composite of academia in general.

Anyone heard these rumours before or have anything similar?

I learned the Djelibeybi one long after reading the book, but Hersheba is new to me too.

Whereabouts is this shop? If I ever get up that way, I'll have to have a look at it.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 22:59

Rand Brittain: Mar 25, 2013; "Go on until you're stopped."

Reading again through Witches Abroad, the characters are in the right place and the humor is there but the plot is really disappointing compared to Lords and Ladies or even Wyrd Sisters. Lily is kind of creepy but she's just not effective as a villain because her ideology is basically "make people follow stories, which makes me the good one because."

Still, Nanny got farmhouse'd, which was worth the price of admission right there, as is the joke about gumbo.

# ? Aug 22, 2014 23:18

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Rand Brittain posted:

Reading again through Witches Abroad, the characters are in the right place and the humor is there but the plot is really disappointing compared to Lords and Ladies or even Wyrd Sisters. Lily is kind of creepy but she's just not effective as a villain because her ideology is basically "make people follow stories, which makes me the good one because."

The last third is really strong, but it seems like Pratchett could have done something better with Lily if he'd saved her for later.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 05:01

GodFish: Oct 10, 2012; We're your first, last, and only line of defense. We live in secret. We exist in shadow.

And we dress in black.

A lot of the book is just having fun throwing the witches into a bunch of stories and watching them derail everything.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 05:23

Elector_Nerdlingen: Sep 27, 2004

Doubtful Guest posted:

I'd also heard a rumour (maybe in this thread) that the inspiration for the name Ankh-Morpork was from the signs for 'Lancaster and Morecambe' district council - often abbreviated to 'Lancs/Morecambe.' Morecambe is small northern British holiday resort, now going to seed - pronounced More-Cam or Mork-Ham, depending on dialect. Replace Ham with Pork and voil�.

Lancashire being an obvious inspiration for Lancre (though chalk hills are more southern)

There is also a tiny cramped bookshop run by a tall gangly guy named Pete, who is rumoured to be a friend of Pratchett and inspiration for the Librarian. His shop is crammed full and the only way to navigate is to take long strides between patches of clear floor. He generally has lots of Pratchett signed and early editions there. I had a friend who used to cover for him.

I don't know how much of this is true, or just local nerd folklore. Lancaster University does have one incongruously tall tower in the centre of campus - Arts student housing, so it could be connected to the Unseen University's Tower of Art - though UU is more of a general composite of academia in general.

Anyone heard these rumours before or have anything similar?

I learned the Djelibeybi one long after reading the book, but Hersheba is new to me too.

I thought it was "her Sheba". You know, because all most people know about Sheba is that it had that famous queen or whatever.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 07:30

Ika: Dec 30, 2004; Pure insanity

precision posted:

It took me entirely too long to get that pun.

One thing I have faith in, even after Terry is gone, I'll still be finding new jokes in his books.

I'm rereading reaper man and just yesterday noticed "SO! Its not magic! Its not Gods! Its not people! What is it? And who's going to stop it? Who am I going to call?"

# ? Aug 23, 2014 12:08

SeanBeansShako: Nov 20, 2009; Now the Drums beat up again,
For all true Soldier Gentlemen.

GodFish posted:

A lot of the book is just having fun throwing the witches into a bunch of stories and watching them derail everything.

The bit on the Riverboat with Granny and that game of Cripple Mr Onion is one my favourite Weatherwax moments.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 14:26

Doubtful Guest: Jun 23, 2008; Meanwhile, Conradin made himself another piece of toazzzzzzt.

Gambrinus posted:

Whereabouts is this shop? If I ever get up that way, I'll have to have a look at it.

It's called (or was) Interstellar Master Traders (last updated 2012) with his special Pratchett stuff here. I think the mail order stuff is still running - that was always where he made the majority of his money from.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 18:41

The_Doctor: Mar 29, 2007; "The entire history of this incarnation is one of temporal orbits, retcons, paradoxes, parallel time lines, reiterations, and divergences. How anyone can make head or tail of all this chaos, I don't know."

Doubtful Guest posted:

It's called (or was) Interstellar Master Traders (last updated 2012) with his special Pratchett stuff here. I think the mail order stuff is still running - that was always where he made the majority of his money from.

Oh ha, you're talking about ppint, should have realised.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 18:53

thespaceinvader: Mar 30, 2011; The slightest touch from a Gol-Shogeg will result in Instant Death!

DontMockMySmock posted:

I always put the stress on the wrong syllable, but now that I'm looking for it, it seems obvious.

Doubtful Guest posted:

I learned the Djelibeybi one long after reading the book, but Hersheba is new to me too.

AlphaDog posted:

I thought it was "her Sheba". You know, because all most people know about Sheba is that it had that famous queen or whatever.

Pleasede to be of service

One of the best things for me about Pratchett is rereading them and finding the jokes I missed the first half-dozen times.

re: Lancre - I always thought it was fairly transparently Scotland (particularly given that not-Macbeth is set there...), at least in significant part - though these days the Chalk is becoming more prevalent, I felt that part was Hampshire/Wiltshire, which is IIRC where Pterry's been living for a decent chunk of the past 30 years.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 22:21

Doubtful Guest: Jun 23, 2008; Meanwhile, Conradin made himself another piece of toazzzzzzt.

The_Doctor posted:

Oh ha, you're talking about ppint, should have realised.

That rings a vague bell. Is he known/famous/infamous in the fan community or something? Reading this thread is the nearest I've been to Pratchett fandom.

# ? Aug 23, 2014 23:48

Jedit: Dec 10, 2011; Proudly supporting vanilla legends 1994-2014

thespaceinvader posted:

re: Lancre - I always thought it was fairly transparently Scotland

No, it's a collapsed form of Lancashire. The area is based on Pendle.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 00:11

YggiDee: Sep 12, 2007; WASP CREW

Sometimes I wonder how many Discworld injokes and references I've missed by not being from England.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 00:49

withak: Jan 15, 2003; Fun Shoe

YggiDee posted:

Sometimes I wonder how many Discworld injokes and references I've missed by not being from England.

Probably most of them.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 00:51

Doubtful Guest: Jun 23, 2008; Meanwhile, Conradin made himself another piece of toazzzzzzt.

Jedit posted:

No, it's a collapsed form of Lancashire. The area is based on Pendle.

...because of the Pendle Witches (and witch trials.) I should have remembered that. :doh:

Doubtful Guest fucked around with this message at 00:59 on Aug 24, 2014

# ? Aug 24, 2014 00:57

rejutka: May 28, 2004; by zen death robot

YggiDee posted:

Sometimes I wonder how many Discworld injokes and references I've missed by not being from England.

Unseen Academicals is pretty blatantly David and Victoria Beckham.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 02:21

FactsAreUseless: Feb 16, 2011

Sam Vimes is clearly a reference to Tony Blair, back when he was an MP instead of PM.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 03:21

precision: May 7, 2006; by VideoGames

rejutka posted:

Unseen Academicals is pretty blatantly David and Victoria Beckham.

Ahahaha.

Seriously though, I kind of wish Night Watch wasn't the only book where Vimes acts likes Columbo. Unless he does it in other books and I missed it somehow.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 03:29

Trin Tragula: Apr 22, 2005

I dunno, the whole point of Night Watch is that he's remembered and learned enough about how to be a good ~~detective~~ detectorer over the course of previous adventures that he's worked out how effective it can be. One of my favourite passages in Men at Arms is this one:

quote:

Vimes would be the first to admit that he wasn't a good copper, but he'd probably be spared
the chore because lots of other people would happily admit it for him. There was a certain
core of stubborn bloody-mindedness there which upset important people, and anyone who
upsets important people is automatically not a good copper. But he'd developed instincts. You
couldn't live on the streets of a city all your life without them. In the same way that the whole
jungle subtly changes at the distant approach of the hunter, there was an alteration in the feel
of the city.

There was something happening here, something wrong, and he couldn't quite see what it
was. He started to reach down�

Sure, it's a great character arc the way he rises from being an irrelevant, incompetent drunk to being the Duke of Ankh; but I do sometimes wish that we'd got a bit more of this feeling along the way, of him not being sure he's up to the job he finds himself doing and has to overcome his own self-doubt as much as the complexity of the crime. "Am I good enough to solve this?" instead of "Can I solve this in time?" is an angle I've not seen a lot of in detective stories and I wish we'd got a bit more of it before he starts dealing in the kind of international affairs that would have given Bismarck pause.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 11:22

VagueRant: May 24, 2012

Is it dumb that the news about Ferguson police keeps making me think of Night Watch? Vimes knew you don't send the cavalry in to deal with civilians. Vimes understood you don't escalate protests and riots. Vimes would be so mad at all of them.

:smith:

# ? Aug 24, 2014 11:44

Zephyrine: Jun 10, 2014; This is what meat is supposed to be like, dingus

VagueRant posted:

Is it dumb that the news about Ferguson police keeps making me think of Night Watch? Vimes knew you don't send the cavalry in to deal with civilians. Vimes understood you don't escalate protests and riots. Vimes would be so mad at all of them.

Vimes also aimed a dragon like a rifle.

# ? Aug 24, 2014 11:53

Jedit: Dec 10, 2011; Proudly supporting vanilla legends 1994-2014

YggiDee posted:

Sometimes I wonder how many Discworld injokes and references I've missed by not being from England.

Many of them are universal. For example, there's the philosopher Ibid who is described as thinking he's an authority on absolutely everything. "Ibid" is a term used in references to indicate that you drew the reference from the same source as the previous reference; as a result, there isn't a single subject where you won't find a reference attributed to "ibid".

# ? Aug 26, 2014 00:26