WOSSNAME Main Issue, August 2013

[wossname]

WOSSNAME

Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion

August 2013 (Volume 16, Issue 8, Post 1)

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WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address. Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion, you'd only forget them...

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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Alison Not Weatherwax, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Wynn-Jones
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico, Kevin
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)

Copyright 2013 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

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INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) FESTIVALS NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
05) NEW PTERRY AND STEPHEN BAXTER INTERVIEW
06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
07) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
08) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
09) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE REAL BRINDISI
10) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
11) THE DISCWORLD RALLY THAT ISN'T...?!
12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
13) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
14) CLOSE

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01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"Ask yourself how often rockets were going to the Moon in science fiction way before we ever did in reality."

– Pterry, interviewed at the Long War launch

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02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

This is a good month for festivals – and Sir Pterry and his works are enlivening some of the best! From an hour of free-form conversation with iconic programme creator John Lloyd at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, to an evening on stage at the Brighton Reads Festival, to a performance of Steeleye Span's new Wintersmith songs at Hever Castle, there is plenty of not-to-be-missed Pratchett action for those of you who are in the appropriate "jograffy". See item 3 below for details.

*

From the Official Voice of Pterrydom, a Raising Steam announcement:

"** SERVICE UPDATE **

"We regret to announce a delay in the expected arrival of the new service from Discworld. Fuel is being loaded, knobs are being polished and engines stoked.

"RAISING STEAM will arrive into the Roundworld on the new date 7th November 2013. We apologise for any delays this may cause to your Discworld journey."

*

Exciting news for the Pratchett family! This item in from Rhianna's Twitter page:

"This happened to me last night as I sat in my local cinema with Louis, his family & 50 strangers. P.S. I said yes!"

http://youtu.be/iA8XgI81ElI

*

Now read on for plays (including an exclusive presentation of Soul Music this week!) and meet-up information, interviews, news, odds and ends and all the rest...

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) FESTIVALS NEWS

3.1 PTERRY AT THE FRINGE

Sir Terry Pratchett will be in conversation with QI creator John Lloyd at AdLib, as part of this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Could this be the start of a brief, beautiful relationship involving Stephen Fry and the BBC television studios? Hmm...

When: Thursday 22nd August 2013
Venue: Edinburgh Fringe Assembly Hall
https://www.edfringe.com/venues/assembly-hall
Time: 10:30pm (the session will last for an hour)
Tickets: £17.00 (concessions £15.00)

http://bit.ly/AdLibTickets

http://tinyurl.com/lpfd2k8


3.2 WINTERSMITH BY STEELEYE SPAN AT HEVER FESTIVAL

Steeleye Span will be appearing at Hever Castle as part of this year's Hever Festival.

"Folk rock pioneers Steeleye Span are coming to Hever Castle at the end of the month. The group, whose career has spanned six decades, are currently playing live as a six-piece band, and have found inspiration in the work of author Terry Pratchett. The two are to collaborate on a new project to record an album based on Pratchett's Wintersmith novel, which is a tale of ancient rituals and secret folk dances, and is planned for release later this year."

http://tinyurl.com/m7a37h6

When: Saturday, 24th August 2013
Venue: Hever Castle, Hever, Kent TN8 7NG
Time: 8pm (doors open at 6.30pm)
Tickets: £23 (covered seating) or £15 (grass seating). To book online, go to:

https://www.heverfestival-tickets.co.uk/

http://www.heverfestival.co.uk/folkandcomedy.php

For more info about the festival:

http://www.heverfestival.co.uk/

...and here be an iconograph of legendary Steeleye lead vocalist Maddy Prior with Pterry in the studio during the recording of the Wintersmith songs:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BQbuhPaCYAA1-5O.jpg:large


3.3 BRIGHTON READS FESTIVAL: PTERRY AND HIS WORKS

A reminder that Brighton Reads will take place next month!

a. TERRY PRATCHETT AND FRIENDS

"This year's main event sees Sir Terry Pratchett and friends take to the stage. Sir Terry is a phenomenon, and despite having a rare form of early onset Alzheimer's, he's still writing. Whether you're a seasoned Discworld traveller or are just entering the Pratchett multiverse, come and celebrate the pleasure of reading with one of Britain's best loved writers. Expect conversation, excellent hats, readings as well as film excerpts from adaptations.

"Joining Sir Terry Pratchett will be three friends from his multimedia production company, Narrativia. Sir Terry is unable to do a signing, but books on sale, courtesy of City Books, will be stamped exclusively for this event."

When: Sunday 29th September
Venue: Concert Hall, Brighton Dome
Time: 2pm
Tickets: £15 (£12 conc) To book by phone, ring (01273) 709709. To book online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/mqkw3gh


b. GUARDS! GUARDS! LIVE (INCLUDES SUPPER)

"Join us for a lip-smacking interactive live reading from one of Terry Pratchett's bestselling titles. The team behind last year's sell out production of Tales from the Spotted Dog are reunited: for one night only. Join them for a live reading from Stephen Briggs' stage adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Guards! Guards! Expect delicious food, live music, locally sourced ale, fun, frolics and a modicum of group audience participation from a discreet distance. Possibly."

When: Friday 13th September
Venue: Marquee, Hove Lawns
Time: 7pm
Tickets: £24 (including supper). To book by phone, ring (01273) 709709. To book online, go to:

https://www.brightonticketshop.com/Online/default.asp


c. SCALES AND TERRIFYING TALES

"A dragon has been summoned to Jubilee Library. Families are invited to come and share the magic of City Reads and add to the dragons tail! Join artists to create the terrifying scales for a Guards! Guards! inspired dragon. The enormous dragon, by artists Bec Britain and Sharon Mee from award winning Same Sky, will take over the main hall. Write a message to the Ankh-Morpork dragon, to Terry Pratchett, a mini review or add words, phrases and fears!"

When: Saturday 14th September
Venue: Jubilee Children's Library
Time: 11am – 4pm
Tickets: FREE


d. CITY READS BOOK QUIZ

"This perennial City Reads favourite returns to test your knowledge on all things bookish. From genre fiction to literary classics; from lowbrow to highbrow to no brow at all, there's conundrums and brainteasers aplenty for book lovers of all persuasions. There's also a special Terry Pratchett round, so pay attention! Come along and join a team or bring your own. This event always sells out, so book early to avoid disappointment."

When: Tuesday 17th September
Venue: The Latest Music Bar (upstairs)
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £5. To book by phone, ring (01273) 709709. To book online, go to:

https://www.brightonticketshop.com/Online/default.asp

For more details:

http://cityreads.co.uk/city-reads-2013/events-programme

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04) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

4.1 THE CARPET PEOPLE NEW RELEASE

Not before time! The Carpet People will finally be published in the USA for the first time ever. Release date is 5th November 5 2013:

"This special edition of Sir Terry Pratchett's hilarious and wise first novel features his own illustrations, including never-before- published art, and revised text. Also included is an exclusive short story written by Terry at age seventeen, before he went on to create the phenomenally popular Discworld series and become one of the world's most beloved storytellers."

http://hmhbooks.com/carpetpeople

"First 1,000 fans to send in their pre-order receipt receive a deluxe print of Sir Terry Pratchett's art from The Carpet People. While supplies last."

For more details, and to order:

http://hmhbooks.com/carpetpeople/form.html

In the meantime, and if you've not seen these before, here are some L-space links to full-page scans of Sir Pterry's original illustrations for the 1971 Colin Smythe Ltd edition of The Carpet People:

http://www.ie.lspace.org/art/carpet-people/illustrations.html

and

http://www.ie.lspace.org/art/carpet-people/fullpages.html


4.2 THE LONG WAR AUDIO EXTRACT

An audio extract of The Long War, as read by Michael Fenton Stevens, is available for online listening:

http://tinyurl.com/lnnuycq


4.3 RAISING STEAM: THE COVER ART

Whoo-whoo! It's the first image of the Raising Steam cover! By Paul Kidby (of course), the cover art features a number of titillating touches - rushing train carriages, flying weaponry, and is that a guard goblin in the engineer's cab? We'll be guessing for a while yet! Follow the link for a peek:

http://tinyurl.com/k6y87n7

To pre-order Raising Steam from Amazon UK in hardcover, at a special-offer price of –10.00 (even lower than previously announced), go to:

http://tinyurl.com/qxmh87w


4.4 THE PASSING OF A DISCWORLD SUPERFAN

R.I.P. Richard J. Artley.

"It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of Richard J. Artley. Richard was long-time fan of Terry Pratchett, a regular attendee at Discworld Conventions both here in the UK and abroad and a fabulous storyteller. He was famous for the detailed costumes he wore to these events, especially that of Sir Joshua Lavish and for his genuine joy at talking to other fans.

"He was for many years the Discworld Convention Charity Auction Clerk and was responsible for auctions that raised many thousands of pounds for charity. He was also a Thespian and playwright and had adapted some of Terry's Discworld novels for the stage.

"His passing leaves a hole in Discworld fandom, he will be missed."

To read this obituary online, go to:
https://www.dwcon.org/news/2013/08/16/richard-artley

A photo of Richard as Sir Joshua Lavish, pictured with the one and only Colin Smythe at NADWCon 2009:

http://tinyurl.com/lbuxfrx

Sir Pterry had this to say on his Twitter page upon hearing the news:

"Very sad to hear Richard John Artley died today; collector, reader, fan, all round good guy and the personification of Sir Joshua Lavish. Who could possibly forget his epic adaptation of Colour of Magic AND Light Fantastic... performed together in their entirety over, what seemed to those lucky souls in the audience, to be at least one eternity."


4.5 YOUR PASSPORT TO THE GREATEST CITY-STATE IN THE MULTIVERSE

It's the official Ankh-Morpork passport! You know you want one:

"The world is your mollusc with the Ankh-Morpork passport – your ticket to travel the Discworld, and all you need to validate your status as a true citizen of Ankh-Morpork! Each passport features all those marvellous little details you'd expect of such an official artefact: rounded corners, a gold foil embossed cover individually numbered by letterpress, immigration stamps from around the Disc, and a 'real' Ankh-Morpork duty stamp fixed inside. Knowing Terry Pratchett fans to be nought but trustworthy, each passport is pre- endorsed ready for you to fill in your details as honestly, or as imaginatively, as you wish. The Passport contains vital information on prohibited goods, currency, and work permits along with space for stamps should you visit the Discworld Emporium in person, or any other place that is silly enough to stamp it."

Brought to you by the ever-reliable Cunning Artificer, the Ankh- Morpork passport measures 100 x 140mm. Priced at –10.00, it's an absolute steal! Oh no, wait, that would be a Thieves' Guild licence...

For more info, and to purchase, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/k55d9os


4.6 THE COLOUR OF MAGIC: A LATECOMER'S REVIEW

By Scott McMullon:

"When it comes to mixing the genre's of high fantasy and science fiction with humour, Terry Pratchett is the undisputed master of the art. Rather than just generically copy and paste the fantastical lands created by his peers, he made it a point to create a world that was magical but used it as an avenue to lampoon traditional fantasy tropes explored in other mediums. This made his Discworld books some of the funniest and most deliciously satirical pieces of in the world of literature. With his exquisite wit, Pratchett created scenarios that pulled the reader on laughably unusual misadventures which almost inadvertently saw the characters of his works take up the mantles of heroes when any sensible person would have run away...

"Pratchett's first foray into the Discworld is a terrific rollercoaster ride which manages to be funny and thrilling in equal measure and shows that this is not a world that is intended to be taken seriously, but to be enjoyed which works fantastically. The one downside we had with the story is that as a two parter we found ourselves itching to get hold of the second book in the series, The Light Fantastic, as soon as possible. However, that only proves the power of the story that it had us invested in the characters and storyline and more than willing to lay our hard earned cash on the line to see what happened next..."

http://tinyurl.com/mxqqvdz


4.7 REVIEW: THE LONG EARTH

By Leslie Ashmore in the Los Altos Town Crier:

"Reading certain books can be like listening to a piece of beautiful music, with many of the work's themes remaining in the mind long after you've finished. 'The Long Earth' (HarperCollins, 2012) by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter is one such book. It should come as no surprise, given that the British authors are giants in the science fiction and science fantasy genres with more than 100 books in their combined list of credits... The real fun of the book chronicles the sights and sites Joshua and Lobsang discover on their voyage of adventure – all kinds of plants, animals and creatures that have evolved on the different versions of the earths... The loveliness of the book lies in the low technology and simplicity of these worlds, and the descriptions of the different earths and the new colonies that people begin to form. I am quite familiar with Pratchett's work, and 'The Long Earth' doesn't contain much of his sense of humor or wonderful wordplay. It is, however, charming and rather utopian in feel, not to mention thought-provoking and fun to ponder..."

http://tinyurl.com/k66lnry

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05) PTERRY AND STEPHEN BAXTER INTERVIEWED

In Engineering and Technology Magazine, a new interview, conducted by Nick Smith at the launch of The Long War. Below are some extracts:

"E&T: How important is it to ensure that you get the internal logic of the science, engineering and technology right in the alternative realities you create?

Baxter: I'd say it's very important, if only because the alternative is getting it wrong and readers will pick up on that. In the case of the Long Earth, although the geography is all invented, we've tried to keep it consistent. And so if World 1,000,005 is a certain way, it will stay that way.

Pratchett: Also, you can't have dragons that fly. And that's because dragons can't fly on Earth. And so the things that can't happen are not allowed to happen...

E&T: Being an author is traditionally regarded as a solitary occupation, but you have collaborated on this sequence. What's it like to write with someone else?

TP: You have to start at the beginning of everything, really. I don't know why, but quite a long time ago I had an idea, which ultimately was going to be the 'Long Earth' series. And it stayed with me quite a long time. I was only just into 'Discworld' at that point, and I suddenly had this series of ideas which turned out to be 'the voice in the shell', if you know what I mean. And it was going to be the Long Earth. I realised that I didn't know enough to do it properly. And then I thought: "who do I know that's good at quantum stuff?" Within the science fiction world you meet people all the time at conventions. I knew Steve and we got talking about it, and, well, that was it.

SB: Where we really collaborate is on generating ideas. So you've got the seed from Terry's old material. Some of the characters are still there. But it was like the first chapter of a beginning...

E&T: How important are imagined technological inventions in science fiction generally?

TP: Well, you have to imagine them before you can have them! I read lots of science fiction in my youth – and that is exactly the right time to do that – and it does start you thinking about things. I'm happy I read all that science fiction. But to tell you the truth, and I think I talk for the pair of us on this, it's about imagining things.

SB: I see this as a virtuous circle. In order to go to the Moon you must have the fantasy of going to the Moon, just like the Greeks. That then feeds back into people who come later like Jules Verne, who imagined a huge cannon. That's vaguely plausible, I suppose, and that expressed itself in the 20th century with engineers coming up with rockets. But you have to have the vision of going to the Moon in the first place, which is where science fiction comes in. It's a feedback loop of the imagination.

TP: You're pulled through it really, because once you've decided that something can happen then that in turn leads to the idea that something else can follow. And you follow that path. It's a strange way of doing things. The first thing that struck me was that from now on everyone is going to be richer than any king that has ever been. But gold isn't worth anything except that it is very, very shiny and you can do things with it. Throughout the life of mankind, up to now, everything has been scarce, simply because that is the nature of things. In the Long Earth there is no scarcity whatsoever. And what does humanity do about that?

SB: And so the question is what do we do all day when there is no need to scrabble to survive?

TP: We imagined at one point the hunter-gatherers, who more or less stay in the same place – possibly where a certain apple tree is – going from Earth to Earth...

E&T: It was the science fiction author from a generation ago, Robert Heinlein, who described the genre as being 'realistic speculation about future events'. Does that seem a reasonable description of your new book?

SB: It can be that way, but it doesn't have to be. And I think that our new book is a case in point. And that's because I don't think that we can say that we're expecting to discover the Long Earth tomorrow. But it is a resonant metaphor for some of the conditions that we can expect to happen. It draws on what we know about the multiverse and so on. But I don't think we can predict that it will happen this way. Science fiction is like a distorting mirror.

TP: But you also have to remember that science fiction is like one of those things you peddle without actually going anywhere. Just to keep your hand in. You know what I mean. An exercise bike or a treadmill at the gym. It's never going to take you anywhere, but it can certainly beef up the muscles that might do that sooner or later...

To read the full interview, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/ltk5erk

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06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

RICE – the Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly – is holding its yearly Memory Trail sponsored walk next month. As WOSSNAME readers will remember, Sir Pterry opened the new RICE Centre back in 2008. The Memory Trail is a great way for people living or visiting in the Bath area to have a lively day out and raise funds for Alzheimer's and elderly care research:

"It is one of the longest running annual charity walks in Bath, first taking place in September 1993. The walk is suitable for the whole family to join in and each year takes place in the beautiful countryside surrounding Bath. The 2013 Memory Trail starts at the wonderful medieval market town of Marshfield, 9 miles north of Bath. Three walks of 3, 5 or 8 miles will take you through some of the Cotswold's most secluded and hidden valleys, steeped in Roman and medieval history and stories from the Civil War. The longer walks take you through the impressive village of Cold Ashton and the beautiful woods and valleys near St Catherine.

"You can raise sponsorship or just bring yourselves, as your contribution through the registration fee is valuable to us. Encourage your friends to come as well and visit one of the wonderful local hostelries for lunch after your walk. Registration is between 10am and 12pm in the Marshfield Church Hall.

"All entry fees and sponsorship raised goes to RICE for our research programme and for supporting and educating carers and families. Entry fees are £5 per adult; £2.50 per junior or £12 per family and we have a prize for the person who raises the highest sponsorship."

The RICE Memory Trail 2013 takes place on Sunday 22nd September. To download a registration form, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/mwhwtzz

and send your completed form to: RICE Memory Trail, the RICE Centre, Building 8, Royal United Hospital, Bath BA1 3NG

The fundraising office can be contacted by phone (01225 476435) or email (info@rice.org.uk) if you have further questions about the event.

http://www.rice.org.uk/the+memory+trail

*

Here be a photo of the cast of Monstrous Productions' recent presentation of Carpe Jugulum. The performances raised an excellent –3,000.00 for Alzheimer's Research UK. Well done, lads, lasses, witches and vampires all!

http://tinyurl.com/n65v4le

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O7) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

7.1 NADWCON 2013 REPORT

From the virtual pen of the lovely Emily Whitten:

On the Thursday evening of this week, my good friend Erica and I hosted a cozy gala in celebration of the Glorious Revolution (of Treacle Mine Road, of course. And yes, dear readers, I do realize that we are a bit delayed from the traditional celebrations on the 25th May, but we thought it would be appropriate due to hearing that there would be fireworks on the evening of 4th July, for some other celebration of the day). It was a smashing sensation, full of good company and sprigs of lilac, and yes, even a hard-boiled egg or two. We served scumble, a most appealing drink brewed from a recipe handed down through my family for many generations, and made of apples (well, mostly apples). It is very nutritious, and was extremely popular amongst the guests; many of whom did not even begin tripping over the furniture or falling down until their second servings.

On the Friday I was most fortunate to hear several learned scholars, including that incomparable novelist of stories for young adults, Esther M. Friesner, and the wise reviewer of books for The Washington Post, Mr. Michael Dirda, discuss their choices and recommendations for literature that fans of the good knight's writings might also like to peruse. It was most educational. I believe that Mr. Christopher Moore and Mr. Jasper Fforde may have been mentioned. We were also privileged on Friday to hear from Sir Terry himself, in a message sent from across the ocean via the mechanism of moving pictures in combination with some sort of modern technological wonder. Later, via that same wonder, the manager of Sir Terry's affairs, a Mr. Robert Wilkins, did read to us the beginning chapter of the current work in progress, Raising Steam. It was most diverting! However, I have been informed that if I share any details more than that with you, my good readers, I may soon suffer the proverbial 'fate worse than death.' Which I do believe involves mimes. I shudder to think, and will therefore keep my countenance on this matter.

On the Saturday I was privileged to be a panelist, along with the aforementioned Esther M. Friesner and other knowledgeable ladies, on a panel entitled 'Dress to Express,' in which we discussed methods of costuming ourselves with both effect and economy. Tips shared by the good ladies and myself included the advice to repurpose items located in various thrifty shops or originally masquerading as bedclothes, curtains, or other large rectangular bolts of fabric (I believe a woman named Maria once utilized this technique to great effect); to look to hardware stores and to shops available through the wonders of technology, such as eBay, Etsy, TrulyVictorian.com, Laughing Moon Mercantile, Corset Story, American Apparel and more for supplies, items of clothing, patterns, and custom-made items; and to examine text references, references from moving pictures and moving gaming, and other similar places for inspiration and information about costuming details. It was also suggested that one might call upon friends with knowledge and skills at variance with one's own to give advice, aid, and occasionally custom-made items, perhaps in trade for an item made for the friend.

On the Sunday, yours truly was honored to be inducted into that well-established Ankh-Morporkian institution, the Thieves' Guild, by the head of the Guild himself, Sir Josiah Boggis; and to receive the traditional bowler hat, as well as a new guild name. Those meeting me on the street in future while I am engaged in the Guild's business may now call me 'Snake Eyes Burke' if they wish, and I will happily respond. I was also delighted to hear a wise discussion of what it is like to work with Sir Terry on his writings, in a panel featuring his esteemed UK agent, Colin Smythe, and his US editors, Jennifer Brehl and Anne Hoppe. Most enlightening! Sunday also hosted a technologically assisted long-distance discussion with Sir Terry, in which he answered questions regarding his wonderful creations. The day ended with a most marvelous gala banquet and entertainment from all over the Disc, including a quite remarkable aerial and acrobatic display by the usually quite sedate Miss Tiffany Aching.

Monday, alas, was our last day of festivities, but it did allow me the time to attend a quite amusing discourse on the world of map- making for the Disc and Ankh-Morpork. An alternately rapt and rowdy audience was informed that not only will there soon be a new map of the Disc coming to us from that historic establishment, The Discworld Emporium, but also that at some time in the near future, we will be able to purchase deeds for real estate in the great city of Ankh-Morpork; complete with a bill of sale and detailed description of each property being sold. I have already informed the proprietors of my desire for a choice and historical piece of property in the most exclusive environs, and expect to soon be able to direct everyone to the new address of Ms. Snake Eyes Burke, Esq. That concludes my news of Discworldian festivities to this point. I hope you have been at least slightly diverted by my report.

With all sincerity and fond wishes,
Ms. Emily S. Whitten, Esq.
a.k.a. Snake Eyes Burke

To read the original on the web, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/lx8n4c4


Also, a fairly comprehensive set of Emily's iconographs from NADWCon 2013:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/charishawk/sets/72157634933358307/


7.2 WADFEST: THE POST-MORTEM (AND POSTVITAL LURCH)

Lucy Millar writes in the Cambridge News:

"Zombies partied hard in a 'parallel universe' at a sci-fi camping festival. Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester transformed into a zombie apocalypse with fantasy enthusiasts covered in flesh wounds, murder mystery and a late-night light parade through the fields. Wadfest has been invading reality for a weekend of mayhem since 2002, but had never taken place in Cambridgeshire before. Rod Lupine, co-organiser of this year's family camping festival, near Huntingdon, said: 'Wood Green was the perfect location, all our regulars loved it. We had an expert face painter who transformed people into looking like zombies, with flesh wounds or bits of flash hanging off their faces, a bouncy castle, a ship merry go round, a game of Zombie Attack which is like bulldog but innocents run around with nurf guns to try to catch the zombies, and our trademark game, Smack the Penguin.' Around 250 people turned up to get involved in the bizarre experience, which also held a charity auction to raise funds for Cancer Research UK..."

http://tinyurl.com/kptsmyb

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08) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

8.1 SOUL MUSIC! IN BERKSHIRE! WITH ROCKS IN! THIS WEEK!!!

"Youth Music Theatre UK presents a brand new musical development of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel, Soul Music – a gripping and witty tale for all ages. Directed by Luke Sheppard (Matilda), Soul Music is a story about Imp Y Celyn a.k.a 'Buddy' (Welsh for 'bud of the holly') and his short-lived yet glamorous musical career fronting 'The Band with Rocks In'. Join in his adventure as he meets band manager Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dribbler and Death's Granddaughter Susan."

When: Saturday 24th – Sunday 25th August 2013
Venue: Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Ringmead, Bracknell, Berks RG12 7PA
Time: 7.30pm (evening show), 2.30pm (Saturday and Sunday matinees)
Tickets: £12, Conc £11, Members £10, Under 21s £7. To buy online (£1.25 booking fee per sale), go to:
http://southhillpark.org.uk/?lid=11746#buytickets

Box Office:
+44 (0)1344 484 123

http://tinyurl.com/kxvkrfn

Nice poster for the production:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BQ_5_I7CIAAZXoX.jpg


8.2 COMING SOON: THE RINCE CYCLE!

Studio Theatre Club continues its world-famous Discworld stage series with a new offering: "The Rince Cycle", dramatised by Stephen Briggs. "An adventure based on Terry Pratchett's Rincewind novels The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic and snippets of Sourcery."

When: 26th to 30th November 2013
Venue: Unicorn Theatre, Old Abbey Buildings, Checker Walk, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3HZ
Time: 7:30
Tickets: £8.50. "Tickets won't be on sale until 12 September. We'll publish booking details here then."

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html

http://www.abingdonabbey-unicorntheatre.org.uk/findus.html


8.3 REVIEW: MORBACON THEATRE'S WYRD SISTERS IN CHICAGO

As reviewed by Jon Gad:

"Translating the humor from the page to the stage takes effort, and I'm glad to say that in this case the work paid off. Wyrd Sisters is good material competently executed... What's complicated about this review, however, is that while I did in fact read the book Wyrd Sisters, it was many years ago, and I only vaguely recalled that it had something to do with a play and witches... let me say that Wyrd Sisters was cannily chosen. Not only, as I mentioned in the introduction, does the story not require any particular knowledge about Discworld or Pratchett's other works, but it also deals with the power of theater itself, which works exceptionally well in a theater setting...

"The acting varies from competent to excellent, with Susan Wingerter's Nanny Ogg in particular being almost exactly how I'd pictured her character from the books. I also found Shantelle Szyper's Duke Felmet to be surprisingly sympathetic for the nominal villain of the piece, and the running gag about her hands was nicely played. That does bring up an interesting aspect to the production. Wyrd Sisters has an all female cast, but doesn't make a big deal about that fact. After a conversation with the production's artistic director, I learned that the all female cast wasn't a conscious decision to play it that way... The production is intimate and minimalist, by which we mean it is held in a small room with little in the way of complicated sets. But that's alright. It means that even someone in the furthest row of seats, as I myself was, is far closer to the action than anyone would normally expect in a larger and more expensive theater..."

http://tinyurl.com/l5zfops

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09) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE REAL BRINDISI

Every Discworld fan – and Discworld opera fan – and, for that matter, fans of WOSSNAME's own peripatetic astrologer Fernando Magnifico – knows about Brindisi. According to the entry on Brindisi at lspace.org, "The country is near-tropical, rimward and turnwise of Genua and includes a peninsula into the Gulf of Brindisi. Brindisi is three thousand miles across the continent from Ankh-Morpork, but its language is obviously derived from Latatian, so it was likely an outpost of the Morporkian Empire. Brindisian immigrants contribute much to the Artistic and Food Service Industries in Ankh-Morpork. The Brindisian language is not widely spoken there, but it is common in restaurants and at the opera."

But what perhaps not so many people know is that there is a *real* Brindisi on Roundworld, and it's a famous place, although perhaps not so well known for opera.

Brindisi, "Gateway to the East", is a town of some 90,000 souls in the Apulia region of Italy on the Adriatic coast. Once known as Brundisium and a major port of the Roman Empire – significantly, the Appian Way terminates at the harbour – and later an essential stop along the Silk Road trade route, Brindisi is even to this day an important ferry port for ferries to and from Greece, and even boasts an international airport.

Brindisi is rich in history, both real and romantic. According to legend, Brindisi was founded by Diomedes, companion of Odysseus. It became a Roman town in 266BCE, and later was a base of resistance against the campaign of Hannibal. No household names were born there in ancient times, but the poet Virgil ended his days there in 19BCE, and more recently Brindisi had the honour of serving as temporary capital of Italy between September 1943 and February 1944. With its excellent natural harbour, low, sandy coastline and mild climate, it was also a prime target: in its long history it was conquered by the Ostrogoths, reconquered by the Byzantine Empire, destroyed by the Lombards, rebuilt (partly by the Saracens), stormed by pirates, conquered by the Normans, taken by then by Venice, and later by Spain.

Brindisi was known for the cult of Tarantismo which combines pagan and Christian tradition. According to Wikipedia, "In the past it was believed that women who showed forms of hysteria were infected by the bite of a Lycosa tarantula. The only known remedy was to dance continuously for days, so that the poison did not cause greater effect. Through music and dance was created a real exorcism in musical character. Each time a tarantato exhibited symptoms associated with Taranto, the tambourine, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and accordion players went in the house of the tarantato and began to do to play the pinch music with frenetic rhythms."

These days Brindisi is a well-known holiday destination, mainly for Italians, and has significant presence in the chemical and aerospace industries. In addition to a number of Roman-era ruins, Brindisi also possesses an 11th-century cathedral and 13th-century castle, two universities, and several museums... but no, no opera house!

Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Wikipedia, italia.it, others

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10) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The Pratchett Partisans are a new fan group who meet monthly at either Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things Pratchett". For more info about their next meetup, go to

http://www.meetup.com/Pratchett-Partisans/

or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au

Some upcoming Pratchett Partisans events of note:

Night Games at KG Square

"Join us for some fantastic games in the city – including Ankh Morpork the board game. There will probably be huge chess, massive connect 4 and large scrabble as well as a selection of board and card games available. Meet at Groove train for coffee or dinner beforehand."

When: Thursday 29th August 2013
Venue: Groove Train, King George Square, 100 Adelaide St, Brisbane, QLD
Time: 5:30pm

http://www.games-at-event.com/


Black Friday: celebrating Witches, Assassins and Mrs Cake's hat

"Come one, come all to the first every Black Pub/cafe night. Make sure you wear a black costume (eg assassin) or black hat (Wizard, Witch or Mrs Cake) and join us for black trivia, black drinks and possibly black food. Friends and Family most welcome. Gold coin donations gratefully accepted."

When: Friday 13th Sep 2013
Venue: Mick O Malleys Irish Pub, Wintergarden centre, Queen Street mall, Brisbane, QLD
Time: 6:00pm

*

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club is a group for fans in Adelaide and South Australia. TCoSGTPFC meets on the last Thursday of the month from 6.30pm at the Ed Castle, 233 Currie St. Their next meeting will be on Thursday 29th August 2013. Details, discussions and organisation of extra events (e.g. as play outings) can be found via their email mailing list; to sign up, go to:

https://groups.google.com/group/adelaide-discworld-fans


TCoSGTPFC will also be hosting a special one-night-only event this coming November:

"The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club presents 'QUIZ LONG AND PROSPER' – a Science Fiction & Fantasy themed Quiz Night!"

When: 26th October 2013
Venue: Clarence Gardens Bowling Club, Winona Ave, Clarence Gardens, South Australia
Time: 7pm
Tickets: $15 Adult / $12 Concession, tables of 8. To book tables, email: RoundWorldEventsSA@gmail.com

For more information, go to:
http://ausdwcon.org/pages/quizlong


*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet on the first Thursday of every month from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. The next meeting will probably be on Thursday 5th September 2013, but do email (see below) to check. All new members and curious passersby are very welcome! For more info and any queries, contact:

broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets on the first Friday of every month at the famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome! The next WOTS meeting will (probably) be on Friday 6th September 2013.

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld meeting group, will be from 7pm on Monday 2nd September 2013 at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ. Note the new web address:

http://brokendrummers.org/

Here be the Broken Drummers' August 2013 meet report:

"I am happy to report that last night had a very good turnout. We also saw two members who have not been for a long time. The first was Naomi, the second was our revered founder Jack, who arrived later on. It was great to catch up with both. Tim W was finally able to do his quiz (those of you who stayed away out of fear are safe to come out). He took a novel approach, a general knowledge quiz on Sams and Sybils. References ranged from Sybil Fawlty to Samuel Beckett (both the playwright and the Quantum Leap character). Jessica won and was presented with a humourous wind-up Dracula.

"The conversation was dominated by discussions of Wadfest and the Nine Worlds Geekfest, both this weekend. Most people present were going to one or the other. It was a lively evening and a few of us ended up staying until closing time. Jack regaled us with disreputable tales of gentlemen drug dealers and Mark persuaded me to try Nobby's Nuts, a product no self-respecting Discworld fan should ever want to consume.."

For more information write to BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, have been meeting on a regular basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood (presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, N Yorks, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles.

Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/

*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. The next meeting will (probably) be on Monday 2nd September 2013. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the month. The next meeting should be on Monday 2nd September 2013.

PERTH DRUMMERS UPDATE:

Please note we have moved to San Churro this month from 5.30pm (San Churro, 132 James Street, Northbridge, Perth, WA).

For details follow us on Twitter @Perth_Drummers and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/

Otherwise message Krystel directly at khewett@live.com

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11) MASSIVE RALLY IN ANKH-MORPORK... NOT

Is this the best way ever to attend a charity fundraising motorcycle rally? Quite possibly, if you want to (not) join the Royal British Legion Riders Branch for their very special 2013 Non Attendance Rally:

"The RBLR has arranged for the NAR not to take place this year at Hyde Park in the cosmopolitan city of Ankh-Morpork on the Discworld. Headlining the relay's entertainment will be The Band With Rocks In, supported by The Whom, Dwarfs With Altitude, &U, The Blots, and Supporting Bands."

Sounds too good to be true? Well... back over to the RBLR for an explanation:

"So what is a non-attendance rally? It's pretty much exactly that. It's a rally where you pay for a ticket then don't go. Its a really good idea not to go, because if you do, there will be no-one else there! The basic concept is a charity fundraiser. All profits from the NAR will be donated to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

"So what's happening there? Absolutely nothing! There are no bands, no DJs or silly games.

"You can buy your ticket for this year's NAR by completing the application form and sending it to the address printed with your donation of £5.00 (UK) or £6.00 (The rest of the world) or you can pay via PayPal (additional costs apply). See the links below to order your ticket to this great non-event now!!!

"For your donation, you will receive an enamel 'I didn't attend' badge and a certificate (signed, numbered and with your name) soon after we receive your payment. "This non-event is brought to you by Sir Terry Pratchett."

There are buttons on the page for donation via PayPal UK and PayPal Rest of the World, plus a link button for downloading the paper application form. For more information contact Iddy: email nar@rblr.co.uk

Non-U.K. residents wishing to not attend, er, to donate can email Iddy to discuss individual postal arrangements: nonuk@iddy.co.uk

To view the lovely announcement poster on the web:
http://www.rblr.co.uk/content/?page=nar.php


A list of rally rules, kindly provided by the organisers (and reprinted here with all original grammar and spelling intact):

1. Hyde Park is neutral territory in Ankh-Morpork. There aren't many places in the city where you can't be robbed and/or killed, but the park is one of them. Even the worst of criminals likes a nice place to have a picnic.

2. If you wish to go outside the park and get robbed, please make sure you see his or her Thieves Guild licence, and get a receipt.

3. Don't pet the wolf. She's a Captain in the City Watch and she bites.

4. Eating a Dibblers Sausage inna bun is done so at your own risk.

5. The exchange rate is £1.00 to $1.00 AM. (there's a 100 pennies to 1$AM)

6. Foul Ole Ron, Coffin Henry, the Duck Man, Arnold Sideways, Altogether Andrew will leave if you pay them otherwise you'll never get rid of them.

7. This event is only possible due to the patronage of Lord Havelock Vetinari, the current Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. Please afford him every courtesy should he visit the site.

8. Anyone visiting the Shades for Mrs Palm's, or Harga's House of Ribs diner or Grabpot Thundergust's cosmetic mill and the Streets of Perfume Blenders. Should note it's best to be out of the area before nightfall as it can get a little rough.

9. The Mended Drum [is] a popular drinking house please remember to go tooled up it can get a little rough.

10. And finally Sir Terry Pratchett has offered to organise some guided tours of the city. Please take the opportunity to go on one of his tours. He is a font of knowledge about the customs and history of the city. His assistance as acting as a go-between with the locals is what's made this year's Non-Attendance Rally possible.

To view a facsimile of the list:

http://tinyurl.com/mkxnuct

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12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Great concepts can come in small packages – here be a beautifully rendered Discworld... cupcake! By Discworld fan-cum-baker Tessa Dagger:

http://tinyurl.com/k3ybndy


Swimming orangutans prefer the breaststroke:

http://tinyurl.com/m44xbp6


A video of an orangutan being born. Lovely!

http://www.durrell.org/latest/news/miracle-birth/


Markku Simonen's amazing Terry Pratchett pipe:

http://imgur.com/a/BU84i


The very brave Peter Nilsson has Feegles running up his leg:

http://tinyurl.com/mcbjowg

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13) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger Olga Godim reviews Men at Arms:

"This novel was a joy to read. The second in the Watch sub-series, it is as much a fantasy as a mystery. People often die in Ankh- Morpork, mostly from suicide (walking along some of the city streets after dark is definitely suicidal), but now a series of murders have been committed. Sam Vimes, the Captain of the Night Watch, starts the investigation, and various complications spring in his way with predictable regularity. The plot of this novel is just a pencil sketch, a colorless collection of events without much value of their own. What brings colors to this story, animates it, makes it a masterpiece of wisdom and laughter is its characters... Once in a while, there comes a book where a secondary character steals the show as soon as he appears on the page. By the sheer power of his personality, such a character often goes against his creator's intentions and becomes a protagonist on his own. That's Carrot. As soon as he steps into a scene, any scene, he becomes its star, outshining everyone else. With his absurd faith in the universal decency and his inability to understand sarcasm, he should've been pathetic and ludicrous, but he is neither. His naive magnetism is alluring, and the readers, along with everyone else in Ankh-Morpork, inevitably fall under his spell. We all want to believe in our own untarnished virtue..."

http://tinyurl.com/ms33dnc

...and also reviews Going Postal:

"Moist is an unlikely hero. Neither super brave nor overly strong, he doesn't command armies, wield a sword, or defeat monsters. Instead, he's a genius with charm and people skills, a true conman with a smidgen of honesty, in short, a decent government official. Bureaucracy is his trade. His brilliant brain is his weapon. He succeeds at impossible tasks by employing unorthodox methods and showmanship. Sometimes, he's not even proud of his twisted solutions, but nothing nice would work against his corrupt enemies. So he wins his battles by outsmarting the opposition and exploiting stupidity. A conman at his best! It was a rare joy to read about Moist – one of my favorite fantasy heroes. Don't you just love a scoundrel with scruples? The rest of the characters are as colorful as you would expect of Terry Pratchett. The good guys and gals are not perfect; they all have some rather obnoxious quirks that make them real, like your coworkers. On the other hand, the bad guys are so bad, you only need to read the latest corporate scandal in Huffington Post to recognize them..."

http://tinyurl.com/kfuo2ev


Blogger Anna Nguyen aka bookinsomnia is excited about having just bought Going Postal and Unseen Academicals:

"Anyone who knows me personally, knows I'm a huge Terry Pratchett fan. I read one of his books in seventh grade and now I'm a life long devotee. For some strange reason, Terry Pratchett books are the ONLY books I cannot buy used. I just get so excited knowing that I was the first one to break in my copy of a Pratchett novel... One of my favorite Discworld novels is Reaper Man, which featured DEATH and the Wizards. The reason why I picked up Reaper Man is because Pratchett's Grim Reaper is one of the most interesting, and complicated characters in the Discworld universe. I was pleasantly surprised when the Wizards of the Unseen University stole the show. After watching Congress for the last few years, I never thought I would find powerful, senile, old, white men so entertaining, but I was wrong. Looking forward to finding out how well an orangutan plays football (my guess is very well)..."

http://tinyurl.com/kp4smgl

...and here is her review of Unseen Academicals:

"I was relentlessly sucked into Discworld once more! Really, I think Terry Pratchett is the one to blame here, darn him and his amazing story telling abilities... Ok, I will say that this is not my favorite Discworld, which was even more disappointing because I was so hyped up to love it. Ever since Reaper Man, I have had a strong affinity for the wizards of Ankh-Morpork. While Glenda, Trevor, Juliet, and Mr. Nutt are fine characters, they did not have the charisma to outshine the wizards. I might have been intrigued the mysterious Mr. Nutt in the beginning of the book, but by the end I found the quartet rather tiresome. I read Pratchett because his characters are so engaging, and I am sorry that I was not able to strongly feel for the four main protagonist in the book. Maybe because they are so closed to my age, and their own confusion and bewilderment about who they want to be hits too close to home. Either way, I cannot give the 37th Discworld novel 5 stars. However, what salvages the novel is the plot... even someone as challenged as me in the field of sports, can appreciate the slow discovery of soccer by the rambunctious and hilarious cast of characters..."

http://tinyurl.com/l8gza6p


Blogger Evren Turan gives Mort a very high rating:

"It is like all Discworld novels an incredibly funny book that bubble along light and cheerfully while still managing to interest you in the story and characters. This is one of the best Discworld books and is a very good example of why Terry Pratchett was knighted for his services to literature... This is one of the most funniest of Pratchett's books; given that they are all hilarious this book gaurrentees many moments hilarity..."

critic42.wordpress.com/2013/08/02/mort-by-terry-pratchett/


Blogger toppersbooks enjoyed the Small Gods audiobook:

"...the narrator, Nigel Planer, talks a tad too fast. I really loved him but I wish he talked about 25% slower. It looks like he narrates most of Pratchett's books (or at least the two I've downloaded so far), so I would definitely give him a listen before buying – make sure it's something you can put up it... This is religious satire and religious satire at its best. I love the way Pratchett deftly separates believing from participating, no matter how fervently, in organized religion. Don't worry; he gets in a few well-placed jabs at atheists as well as priests, brothers, and overly religious grandmothers. The critiques are sometimes aimed at the gods – after all, in the Discworld, gods are much like people – but the majority comes from human interpretation of the god's will, fair game and always relevant. Pratchett manages to comically expose how much humans have misinterpreted the gods' will in general and, using the truthful and steadfast Brutha as a foil, how little the current interpretation of Om's will has to do with Om's actual will... Pratchett's work, if you let it, challenges the meanings of faith, religion, and belief and satirizes how things are done or have been done in much of the Abrahamic traditions for most of written history. Fun and easily digestible, certainly, but easy to find yourself thinking about it seriously as well. You'll never feel like he's forcing a point down your throat; rather you'll find yourself laughing at an exaggerated point that has described exactly how you felt at one time or another. It's a great satire – using humor to both mask and make his point. If you want only an easy and fun read out of it, you'll get only that. If you'd like to read further in, you certainly can. The best of both worlds..."

toppersbooks.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/small-gods/


On the Philosophia discussion site, blogger Liam Killingly talks about Discworld gods, belief, theology and Pratchett's humanistic views of the supernatural:

"The various gods are used as metaphors for both powerful human beings as well as for organised religion in general. This is best shown in lifecycle of gods who exist as powerless microscopic spirits who are strengthened by human imagination that allows them to transform into ancient Greek-style gods. If they are forgotten the gods shrivel back to their former state, resulting in the gods needing human worship to stay alive. This means that the gods function as a metaphor for organised religion... The powerful gods are depicted living on mount Dunmanifestin (like Mount Olympus) where they entertain themselves by treating the mundane world as giant board game where humans are simply game pieces and props. The lesser gods are obsessed with their own morality and obtaining power, committing atrocities in order to gain become safe. All gods shown are utterly amoral, caring nothing about the lives of other lesser beings. This critique is so effective because it is based in exaggerating real religious ideas of gods..."

http://tinyurl.com/lmpklut


Blogger paperwanderings was impressed by Monstrous Regiment:

"Some Discworld novels are more interesting than others, and this is definitely one of my favorites. I do have a weak spot for gender- bender plots, but this plot... this plot thinks BIG. Sure, Polly is living in backwards Borogravia, who needs to masquerade as a guy to find her brother Paul, but... think BIG. Supersize everything. International politics, gender relations, identity, interpersonal relations, humor, WAR. What is the soldier's prayer? Why do people fight? There is a lot more to the story than that one skinny sentence. You'll love the characters (a vampire addicted to coffee, a devil of a sergeant, prevalent badassery), but the plot weaves them together to make you crazy. Because crazy is a step above love. They always say his novels are satire, and I am never quite sure of what that means, but Monstrous Regiment definitely makes me think..."

http://tinyurl.com/mw7o469


Bilingual blogger mervih is back with a review of the Finnish translation of Feet of Clay:

"When Cheery adds more feminine things to her outfit, we find out that a few of the other dwarven constables are also women, they just haven't drawn any attention to it. Apparently, among dwarfs is indecent to show ankles. However, the more serious parts of the book concentrate on the golems. They aren't considered to be alive so they are used as slave labor which can work all the time and don't have to be paid. And yet, a lot of people think they are creepy and know that they are up to no good. Vimes also muses about people who obey the law and who don't, and about rich and poor people. He's trying to adjust to life as a rich man and being miserable.

"This is another enjoyable Discworld book. I particularly enjoyed the breads, cakes, and cupcakes used for fighting and the vampire who works in various normal, but hazardous to him, jobs. Oh, and poor Vimes is plagued by his new organizer. And of course everyone likes Carrot..."

mervih.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/terry-pratchett-feet-of-clay/


Blogger guildedearlobe reviews the audiobook of The Long War, as read by Michael Fenton Stevens:

"The Long War tried too hard to be something it wasn't, a plot driven science fiction novel, when there was nothing wrong with what it actually was, a concept driven novel of exploration... I loved The Long Earth. It was a brilliant concept and tapped that little inkling inside of everyone for the opportunity to just start over on a new adventure... The worlds that Pratchett and Baxter created opened what seemed like a playground for authors, an infinite amount of worlds for an infinite amount of stories. Yet, I sort of felt like I felt about Eric Flint's 1632 series, It's a great place for stories, but attempting to push that story, and those characters beyond the first few novels just felt like a misuse of potential. In The Long Earth, I felt that story was told. Those characters explored in full, and attempting to extrapolate more plot points set up in The Long Earth may ruin the original concept of the novel. Because, a sequel isn't about further exploration of a writer's world, but the progression of the story. I would have been down with more books within those worlds, in fact, I think that would be awesome... This was a hard one for me. I really liked some aspects, and will definitely pick up the third novel in the series. The ending offered some interesting directions for the series. My major problems was the book tried too hard to be something it wasn't, a plot driven science fiction novel, when there was nothing wrong with what it actually was, a concept driven novel of exploration..."

http://tinyurl.com/k4et4je


...while blogger Kirsty White admitted to not liking science fiction that has any actual science in it, but still managed to get through The Long Earth:

I hate science. I admit to being one of the few sci-fi fans that doesn't get science. I'm quite capable of sitting through a sci-fi film and just watching for the hell of it. I rarely pay attention to what's plausible and what would make sense in the real world. I tend to prefer though more fantasy based stories. Give me vampires and middle-earth over quantum physics any day... The idea behind the story is a good one. I like the idea of starting afresh somewhere far away from inner cities and civilisation. I'm sure many people feel the same way. I just wish I understood the quantum behind this particular one. Having said that, I know full well I will read the rest. You can't start a trilogy without completing it no matter how hard the subject matter..."

kirk72.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/the-long-earth-terry-pratchett/


...while blogger Lisa Spiral, who came upon The Long War without having first read The Long Earth, is very much impressed by the science parts:

"It wasn't what I expected. This is clearly meant to be a series, and the timeline between books is sequential and the characters repeat. But, I was entirely engaged in the world as it was presented in this novel alone. There is a lot going on, and I'm sure it would be easier with the first book under my belt. However, I must admit that this book stands on its own. (But darn it now I'm going to have to go back and read the first one anyway.) The Discworld is written as a fanciful tongue in cheek commentary. The books comment on our dearly held institutions like the Post Office (Going Postal), religions (Small Gods), and hot button issues (Equal Rites). Discworld doesn't even take itself seriously (The Wee Free Men). The Long War is more classically science fiction. It still has social commentary themes (environmentalism and racism) as is common in the genre. It isn't lacking internal humor, but it is not the comedy many Pratchett fans expect... I really enjoyed the multi- verse premise. I was familiar with the potential for a Yellowstone 'super volcano' going in, so the environmental sidebar was easy to follow. I do think that with this kind of expanded universe it's not long before a series becomes dependent on the reader having familiarity with previous books. Pratchett and Baxter haven't hit that point yet, and maybe they won't..."

lisaspiralreads.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/the-long-war/


Blogger bookclub41 praises Pratchett in general and the Discworld witches in particular:

"Sir Terry Pratchett is the author/creator of one of the greatest fantasy fiction universes of ALL TIME. The world – known as the Discworld – that he created, is populated by well drawn, complete and complex characters. His narratives are multi-layered, unpredictable, intellectual, and humorous. The humour itself is a masterclass in how to work jokes into a story without been obvious or, not funny at all. I have read most if not all the books within the Discworld series, but am by no means an expert. There is so much detail within each book, and throughout the who series, that the mind truly boggles... My mum, brother and I are all fans and have big nerdy conversations about the characters and the jokes we find amusing. The other day in one of these convo's me and mum were talking about how hard it was to choose a favourite character, or at least a top ten. So, I thought I would try to come up with a vague list, and hopefully inspire those who haven't read his books, to try one out! I was initially going to list a few characters from different series, but this just didn't do them any kind of justice. So I'll pick a series, some characters and some books, and revisit this topic sometime in the future with a different lot. The characters are numerous and I couldn't just reduce them to one sentence of description..."

http://tinyurl.com/ny847ef


...and finally, blogger Anna Roberts thoroughly enjoyed Dodger and "his" London:

"This book is great for getting to know this character who you hope turns out to be a goody, while also teaching you a bit of history. Terry Pratchett knowingly stretched some facts a little, but generally the novel is set in early Victorian times and describes the sights, sounds and atmosphere of London at that time brilliantly. The character, Dodger, is a 'tosher' by trade i.e. scavenging in sewers for money and jewellery and anything else shiny. He works in the sewers of London and lives in Seven Dials near Covent Garden. He talks about how he hasn't been to some other areas of London; areas which are so familiar to me and seem so close if you go by tube... The novel also features prominent characters (real and fictional) from that era, such as Sweeney Todd, Henry Mayhew, Angela Burdett-Coutts and Charles Dickens. Using these well- known people in the novel rounds up other literary tales into this one tale very nicely. I often think what if the characters in, for instance, Eastenders and The Bill met? I feel like I know them so well and wonder who would get on with who, who would fancy who? (I think it's only mine whose mind works that way!) Terry Pratchett does this with the Victorian version of these people..."

thelondonscrapbook.com/2013/08/08/dodger-by-terry-pratchett/

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14) CLOSE

...and that's the lot for the moment, though we might see you again this month. Still searching for our missing Fernando... Take care!

– Annie Mac

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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: interact (at) pearwood (dot) info
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Copyright (c) 2013 by Klatchian Foreign Legion