WOSSNAME – Main Issue – April 2014

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2014 (Volume 17, Issue 4, post 1)
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INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) A DAY TO REMEMBER!!!
04) DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE
05) A NEW KIND OF BOOKSHOP
06) ODDS AND SODS
07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
08) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
10) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
11) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
12) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
13) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
14) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"An International Terry Pratchett Day? I have a day?"

– guess who...

"My Independent Bookshop gives readers the ability to discover surprising new worlds in an interesting way. Go on, have a virtual rummage around you'll never know what you might find."

– our favourite author, on setting up his own virtual bookshop

And a lovely image to go with that last quote: http://tinyurl.com/kdgwfhb

"If you haven't read any Terry Pratchett books you are missing out. Imagine Harry Potter, Monty Python, Neil Gaiman, Blackadder, Airplane!, Alan Moore, Lemony Snicket, National Lampoon, Mad Magazine and Private Eye were all a single person. That person's name would be Sir Terry Pratchett."

– Blogger The Equiatic Blind

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Before we begin, are you sitting comfortab-, I mean, we have an urgent message for "green-eyed Kate, who wrote to Terry on 1 April". And the message is "please send Colin Smythe ( mailto:cpsmythe@aol.com ) your email or snailmail address. It's very difficult to give you answers to your questions without one or the other..." The letter in question bore what appears to be a Fourecksian postmark, with a $2.60 stamp featuring a cute image of an Echidna, but lacking an airmail label or mention of the UK in the address. If you're out there, Kate, do get in touch...

This month's issue is jam-packed with all manner of news and such, so let's go right to the meat of it. On with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) A DAY TO REMEMBER

We've already missed it for 2014, but put this in your diary for next year:

"To celebrate Sir Terry Pratchett as The London Book Fair's (LBF) Author of the Day on Tuesday 8 April, the International Authors Forum, in association with LBF, has designated Tuesday 8 April International Sir Terry Pratchett Day, to mark his phenomenal international publishing success. To launch the day, authors from around the world will be asked to vote for their favourite character from one of his books choosing from a list of Sir Terry's Official Top 10 Favourites, which are:

1. Commander Vimes
2. Death
3. Granny Weatherwax
4. Tiffany Aching
5. Lord Vetinari
6. The Librarian
7. Nanny Ogg
8. Rincewind
9. The Nac Mac Feegle
10. Willikins

"Katie Webb, International Authors Forum, said: 'Sir Terry Pratchett is a huge source of pride amongst the global author community. His innumerable achievements and dedication to his craft – unlocking imaginations, giving entertainment, education and wonder to so many – are testament to the value of the author in society. We are honoured to be celebrating Sir Terry Pratchett, and to be spreading the celebration worldwide'..."

...and here be a direct link to the official logo:

http://tinyurl.com/mzqhfh9

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04) A NEW KIND OF BOOKSHOP

It's new! It's virtual! It's Pterry's!

"My Independent Bookshop is a new reader recommendation website for booklovers everywhere. You'll be able to set up and curate your own bookshop, review books and recommend reading suggestions to others. If you've always wanted to set up your own bookshop, My Independent Bookshop is for you! We're currently in a beta phase (gotta dust off those shelves!) but we'll be opening our doors to everyone in early May. In the meantime though, you can register your interest by clicking http://bit.ly/1lDD0n1 and we'll let you know when we're ready for you."

https://www.facebook.com/myindiebookshop

"Terry has set up his own online bookshop, named Narrativia, on My Independent Bookshop – a new website where anyone can go and set up their own virtual bookshop. Narrativia is filled with the books which have most inspired Terry over the years and it'll open for new users in May. Sign up now if you'd like to receive more information and check out Terry's bookshop when it's open."

http://bit.ly/1lDD0n1

https://www.facebook.com/pratchett

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05) NEW PRATCHETT BOOK! OF OLD STORIES!

Random House Children's Publishers UK have announced the forthcoming publication of "Dragons at Crumbling Castle", a heavily illustrated new collection of children's stories that represents some of Sir Pterry's very earliest published work. "Dragons" will be released in September of this year.

"We're thrilled to announce the forthcoming publication of DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE by Terry Pratchett in September 2014. Dragons at Crumbling Castle is a new collection of children's stories with over a hundred full-page black-and-white illustrations from Mark Beech. Full of crooks, knights and dragons this is a book for children to treasure and we can't wait to read them all!"

"World rights for DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE were bought by Kirsten Armstrong, Fiction Editor at RHCP UK from Colin Smythe. RHCP will publish the collection in print and ebook in September. Kirsten comments: 'We're so thrilled to be publishing this collection – Terry's youngest work yet. These stories are full of Pratchett's trademark wit and imagination and will be adored by anyone aged 8-108. Brimming with knights, dragons, abominable snowmen and even more abominable crooks, they are a joy to read and share with young readers. We can't wait to introduce Terry's genius to a whole new generation of future fans.' RHCP will also be publishing a collector's special edition of DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE with extra content in November."

"Published together for the first time with over a hundred full-page black-and-white illustrations from Mark Beech, this is a book to make children laugh and introduce them to the wit and magic of Terry Pratchett. And the discerning Discworld reader will discover in each of these stories ideas which Terry developed elsewhere in his later novels."

"RHCP will publish Dragons at Crumbling Castle in £12.99 hardback and as an e-book in September. A collector's edition with extra content will follow in November."

http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/53325/

http://tinyurl.com/l98s3gd

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06) ODDS AND SODS

6.1 NEW DELUXE DISCWORLD DIARIES

The theme thith time ith Igorth! To be published in August, so start looking for your pre-orders now...

"Gollancz, an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group, in partnership with the official purveyor of merchandise from Terry Pratchett's Discworld, The Discworld Emporium, are delighted to announce plans to publish Discworld diaries for the next three years from 2015 to 2017. With background detail and hilarious one-liners, The Discworld Diaries will help all fans of Sir Terry Pratchett keep their lives in order. Developed in consultation with Sir Terry Pratchett, the Discworld diaries are one part diary, one part guide to the arcane practices of the funniest creation in modern fantasy. Each diary celebrates the unsung heroes of the Discworld universe; in this instance: those stoic, selfless minions from the farflung region of Uberwald, the Igors.

"Gollancz's previous Discworld diaries sold over 25,000 copies per year at their peak, and their Discworld calendars continue to sell in the order of 15,000 copies per year. The Discworld Collector's Library, launched in November last year and has already sold more than 40,000 copies. Terry Pratchett's editor at Gollancz, Darren Nash, says: 'From the moment we sat down with the team from the Discworld Emporium it was clear that they shared the Gollancz vision: fans producing wonderful things for other fans. We're delighted to be working with them and with Sir Terry Pratchett, and confident that 2015's will be the best Discworld Diary ever – until next year!' The Discworld Emporium adds: 'As any Igor will tell you, 'What goeth around, cometh around'. This excursion into Pratchett's world of the Igors has taught us more about anatomy, and indeed 're-cycling', than one could possibly have wished to know. Regardless, we're delighted to share it with you in this little tome. Hopefully it will have you in thtitcheth!'

"The Discworld Diary 2015 is the most lavishly illustrated Discworld diary Gollancz has ever produced – full-colour throughout for the first time – and is published in hardback on the 21 August 2014, priced at £16.99. The following two diaries will be published in August 2015 and 2016, and will be sure to delight Terry Pratchett fans around the world for years to come."

http://tinyurl.com/l4wckmj

6.2 DISCWORLD DAY AT THE STORY MUSEUM

On the 25th of May, the Story Museum in Oxford will host a Discworld Day! Stephen Briggs will read extracts from Going Postal at 11.30am and 2pm, and there will be various other Discworld-y goings-on from 11am to 5pm. Don't forget to wear your lilac!

"We’re Going Postal here in Oxford’s old post office with Discworld Day activities inspired by Ankh Morpork’s Post Office."

In addition to the exhibition entrance fee of £7.50 (£5 for under-18′s, full-time students, job-seekers, over-60s; no charge for children under one year and companions of disabled visitiors), there will be a £2 charge for the event. £4 event-only tickets will be offered on the day, subject to availability. Advance booking is recommended.

The Story Museum
Rochester House, 42 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP
+44 (0)1865 790050
onceuponatime@storymuseum.org.uk

http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/the-story-museum/events

6.3 THE WINTERSMITH TOUR GOES TO IRELAND

Come to Ireland and dance the Dark Morris...

Monday 19th May
Town Hall Theatre Galway
00353 (0) 91-569777
Tickets are €25. To purchase online go to http://tinyurl.com/lexdxb7

http://tht.ie/1868/Steeleye-Span

Tuesday 20th May
The Hawk's Well Theatre Sligo
00353 (0) 71-9161518
Tickets are €25.00; online booking: http://www.hawkswell.com/events/event/steeleye-span and go to http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase for that date; concession prices are available in person at the box office or by phone 071-9161518

Wednesday 21st May
Vicar Street Dublin
00353 (0)1 77 55 800

Tickets are €31.50 (including booking). For details go to http://tinyurl.com/mod7dlu

6.4 TURTLE RECALL: NEW USA RELEASE

HarperCollins, USA publishers of Turtle Recall, say:

"For every Pratchett fan, the must-have fully updated guidebook to Discworld! The Discworld, as everyone knows, is a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the shell of the giant star turtle, the Great A'Tuin, as it slowly swims through space. It is also a global publishing phenomenon with sales of nearly 85 million books worldwide (and counting). With 39 books in the canon, not including the various guides, maps, diaries, and other tie-in volumes, there's a lot of Discworld to keep track of—more than most fans can manage without magic.

"Turtle Recall is the ultimate authority on probably the most heavily populated—certainly the most hilarious—setting in fantasy literature and includes a guide to Discworld locales from Ankh-Morpork to Zemphis, as well as information to help you distinguish Achmed the Mad from Jack Zweiblumen and the Agatean Empire from the Zoons. Plus much, much more.
Covering everything from The Colour of Magic, the first Discworld novel, through Snuff!, Turtle Recall: The Discworld Companion . . . So Far is the most up-to-the-minute encyclopedia of Terry Pratchett's extraordinary universe available."

www.harpercollins.com/books/Turtle-Recall/?isbn=9780062292551

6.5 "THE DUEL" TRAILER!

Remember "The Duel", the collaborative project between Trinity College Dublin animation students and Professor Sir Pterry? Well, an official trailer is now available to view. Looks very professional indeed!

http://vimeo.com/88069708

6.6 "RAISING STEAM" REVIEW: THE WASHINGTON POST

By Sara Sklaroff

"'Raising Steam' is Terry Pratchett's 40th — yes, 40th — Discworld novel, and it won't disappoint fans of the earlier 39... Salted among all the treacle miners and nascent trainspotters are some serious ideas about technology and the irrevocable changes it brings. Pratchett's noir police commander, Sam Vimes, muses on what Discworld's version of the telegraph has meant to society: 'Here is the new thing and here it is. And yesterday you never thought about it and after today you don't know what you would do without it. That was what the technology was doing. It was your slave but, in a sense, it might be the other way around.' As on our spherical world, some folks embrace the change, while others are deeply suspicious... While exploring questions about the unintended consequences of technology, Pratchett also blasts fundamentalists who resist all progress. But mostly he seems to be having fun with words in the very British strain of absurdist humor that he has made his own..."

6.7 REMINDER: WINCANTON SPRING FLING

Heading for Ankh-Morpork's official twin town this Spring? The 2014
Wincanton Spring Fling swings into action on May Bank Holiday
weekend, 3rd and 4th May. This year's Fling will feature a Friday
night storytelling session, maker's market and grand charity
auction, among many other pleasant events.

For more information, go to http://www.discworldemporium.com/

6.8 REMINDER: NEW PAUL KIDBY EXHIBITION

Discworld and Beyond, the noted exhibition of the work of Paul
Kidby, is now open in a new venue. "This exhibition showcases
the wonderful book covers and illustrations for Pratchett's novels
including favourite characters like Rincewind, the Wee Free Men and,
of course, Death. All his work is marked by a staggering quality of
draughtsmanship and effective use of colour, bright for the book
covers and muted for his faerie paintings."

When: current, through 28th June 2014
Venue: Willis Museum, Market Place, Basingstoke RG21 7QD (phone 0845
603 5635)
Time: Tuesdays to Fridays 10am – 5pm
Tickets: Admission free

6.9 DISCWORLD AS WORLD-VIEWER

A nice shout-out by Sarah Abraham in The Indian Republic, in a piece titled "Books For All Moods: Which Ones to Read?":

"Somehow, it's easier to take an objective look at the problems of life if we can take a step back and put some distance between us and the problem. Subjectivity can mess up the process considerably. So it makes sense that one of the best ways to see the problems with our world clearly is to set it all on another one. In this case, it's a flat world carried by four elephants that stand on a turtle who swims through space. Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, despite being set in such a world, will give you fresh perspectives on religion, racism, sexism, changing world order, politics, football, the industrial revolution and much more. Oh, and they're rib-ticklingly funny, only you won't always know if you're laughing at the book or yourself."

http://tinyurl.com/mhrlco7

6.10 DISCWORLD VERSUS ACADEMIA: A THESIS ON SPEECH USES IN GOING POSTAL, AND A REVIEW OF DISCWORLD AS "THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY"

Gaenor Burchett-Vass, a teacher (and student) whose online alias is "Aunty Muriel", has posted an extract, "Speech and Thought Representation in Terry Pratchett's 'Going Postal'", from from chapter two of her MA thesis "Stylistics and the Form/Content Dichotomy". An extract of the extract:

"Terry Pratchett, the author of the hugely popular Discworld series, is a writer who, like many modern authors, makes extensive use of dialogue. Pratchett's dialogue serves both to advance plot and to delineate character, but there is more to it than this: through his use of FID, Pratchett is able to pass comment on both the characters he creates and the world they – and by allegorical extension, we – inhabit. Pratchett's use of FID enables the characters to comment both on themselves and on other characters, and the narrator can do the same. The allegorical nature of the text means that there is frequently a real-world counterpart to which the comments of the narrator/character also apply. For modern-day readers, comments of a moral nature are generally more palatable when they come from the mouths of fictional characters rather than that of the narrator. The idea that literature exists to edify and instruct the reader is now old-fashioned, but this is what Pratchett manages to do nevertheless. The didactic purpose of the text is achieved through FID without alienating the reader: because his voice is inextricably intertwined with that of his characters, the narrator can moralise without appearing to do so..."

It's always exciting to see Pratchett's work used in academic theses, and if the differences between Pure Narrative of Narrative Report of Action, Narrative Report of Speech, Narrative Report of a Speech Act, Indirect Speech, Free Indirect Discourse, Direct Speech, and Free Direct Thought whet your interest this is the link for you...

http://tinyurl.com/k3nr2sr

And then we have Linn Marie Tonstad, assistant professor of systematic theology at Yale Divinity School, considering Discworld in light of another theologian's book:

"The characters of Pratchett's city offer a vivid imaginative rendering of the vulnerabilities and possibilities of life in everyday finite contexts that bring together diverse creatures in the service of the goal of common flourishing. Although all theologies outline a social imaginary, whether implicitly or explicitly, the dry and technical character of much theological reflection can make it difficult for the reader to imagine what life would be or could be like given the proposals advanced by a particular author. Pratchett is a consummate observer of the everyday, and his world brings to life what a theology of the everyday would look like... The meaning of this life is central to the possibilities of flourishing in everyday contexts. The only protection against the yawning threat of meaninglessness and futility is to get on with things, to act wisely for the flourishing of the quotidian even while recognizing and affirming its finitude and vulnerability. A theology of finite flourishing in quotidian proximate contexts might look very much like Pratchett's satirical rendering of the challenges of life together. Pratchett offers a lively theology of finite ordinary existence that helps the reader to see her own context with eyes newly attentive to vulnerability, truth-telling, the threat of violence, and the inevitability of death. Neither Kelsey nor Pratchett are avowed feminists, but elements of their projects show a deep and unexpected affinity with feminist approaches to the value of ordinary life precisely in its ordinariness and finitude..."

http://tinyurl.com/mphzsyj

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07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

7.1 NEW: MORT IN TADLEY

The Boundary Players will present their production of Mort next month.

When: 6th-10th May 2014
Venue: William Penney Theatre, Aldermaston Recreational Society complex, Tadley, Hants RG26
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £7 adult, £5 concession (all tickets £5 on opening night which is Tuesday 6th)
Tickets can be reserved by telephoning 07756 141734 (voicemail available) or by e-mailing tickets@boundaryplayers.co.uk. When reserving tickets please provide details of your name, the type of tickets you require i.e. Full price or Concession, the performance night and the number of tickets required. Tickets will be held in the Box Office for collection on the night of the performance.

http://www.boundaryplayers.co.uk/whats_on.phtml

7.2 NEW: MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN SUDBURY

Sudbury Dramatic Society presents Monstrous Regiment in May.

When: Tuesday 13th to Saturday 17th May 2014
Venue: The Quay, Quay Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2AN Tel. 01787 374745
Time: 7.45pm
Tickets: £9.00 (Friends £8.00). Tuesday 13th only - all tickets £7.00. Groups of 10 or more students £7.00
To buy tickets, phone 01787 374745 or online at https://quaytheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873507408/events

Pre-theatre suppers are available to book on the Friday and Saturday evenings only.

http://www.quaytheatre.org.uk/whatsOn.htm

7.3 NEW: MORT IN CHESHAM

Chesham Bois Catholic Players (Amateur) present MORT at the Little Theatre next month.

When: 16th-18th May 2014
Venue: Little Theatre By The Park, Church Street, Chesham Bucks HP5 1HU
Time: Fri. 16th at 8pm, Sat. 17th at 7.30pm, Sun. 18th at 4pm
Tickets: all tickets £10. "Unsold tickets may be available at the
door."
To book online, go to http://cbcp.ticketsource.co.uk/

http://www.littletheatrechesham.co.uk/
facebook.com/pages/Chesham-Bois-Catholic-Players/692088180825325

7.4 NEW: WITCHES ABROAD IN MARYBOROUGH, QUEENSLAND

The Maryborough Players present their exclusive production of Witches Abroad, as adapted and directed by Renoir (presumably not the dead Impressionist master). Profits from the production will go to Alzheimers Australia and the Australasian Order of Old Bastards, they claim!

When: 4th-7th June 2014
Venue: Brolga Theatre & Convention Centre, 5 Walker Street,Maryborough, QLD
Time: all evening performances 7.30pm; additional Saturday matinee 2pm
Tickets: Adults $30.00, Concession and Friends $25.00, Students $20.00
To book online, go to http://www.brolgatheatre.org/default.asp?PageID=95

http://www.brolgatheatre.org/

7.5 NEW: WYRD SISTERS AROUND THE MIDLANDS

...although the new travelling production by the Jadis Shadows company is also a sort of "witches abroad"! Jadis Shadows, "Resident Company for STMO Media's Magic Alley in Stratford Upon Avon", present their production in May and June 2014, in a number of places.

When: 2nd & 3rd May 2014
Venue: Old Joint Stock Theatre, Temple Row West, Birmingham B2 5NY
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: £12, £10 concessions. Box Office 0121 200 0946

When: 16th & 17th May 2014
Venue: Leicester Guildhall, Guildhall Lane, Leicester LE1 5FQ
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: £12.50, £10.50 concessions. Box Office – 0116 253 2569

When: 29th & 30th May 2014
Venue: Swan Theatre, The Moors, Worcester, WR1
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: £13.50 (No concession prices). Box Office – 01905 611427. Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm. Tickets can be booked or held on reservation for up to 4 working days but must be paid for, in full, 4 days prior to the performance. To book online: http://tinyurl.com/lomgby3

When: 11th, 12th & 30th June 2014
Venue: Castle Theatre Wellingborough, 10 Castle Way, Wellingborough, Warwickshire NN8 1XA
Time: 7.45pm
Tickets: £10 for everyone. Box Office – 01933 270007

http://www.jadisshadows.com/index.php/current-programme

7.6 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN ACCRINGTON

Oswaldtwistle Players will present their production of Wyrd Sisters, adapted by Stephen Briggs and directed by Martina Burns, in late April and early May.

When: 30th April – 3rd May 2014
Venue: Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre, 157 Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington BB5 3HZ
Time: 19:30
Tickets: £8.50 (concessions £7.50); all tickets £7 on 30th April

http://i72139.wix.com/oswaldtwistleplayers

7.7 REMINDER: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN ELTHAM (LONDON, NOT FOURECKS)

The Bob Hope Theatre's in-house amateur drama company will present
their production of Guards! Guards! in May.

When: 14th-17th May 2014 at 19:45
Venue: Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road, Eltham SE9 5TG
Time: 7.45pm (bar opens at 7pm)
Tickets: £9 (concessions £8, not available Friday or Saturday).
Group discounts are on offer. Box Office: 020 8850 3702 or book
online at www.intelligent-tickets.com/index.php?th=bh

www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

7.8 REMINDER: MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN CHICAGO

Chicago has already experienced Discworld on stage a few months ago, and now the Windy (and currently bloody freezing) City gets another taste: Lifeline Theater will present their production of Monstrous Regiment, as adapted by Chris Hainsworth and directed by Kevin
Theis, on various dates in May, June and July, a veritable season!

When: 30th May – 20th July 2014
Venue: Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL, 60626
Time: evenings at 7.30pm on Thursdays and Fridays and at 8pm on Saturdays; matinees at 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays
Tickets: $20 for previews (30th May-8th June), $40 for Regular Run: June 12-July 20 (Thu & Fri at 7:30pm, Sat at 4pm & 8pm, Sun at 4pm). To book online in advance, go to http://tinyurl.com/kzehtaw and click on the desired dates at the bottom of the page (or scroll through from there to the June or July calendars for tickets on those dates)

http://www.lifelinetheatre.com/performances/13-14/mr/index.shtml

7.9 REVIEW: LORDS AND LADIES IN CHELTENHAM

By Simon Lewis in the Gloucestershire Echo:

"Engaging and entertaining, if disjointed, chaotically pantomimish and blighted by fluffed lines, it peaked and troughed through whirlwind of set pieces that bristled with splendid costumes, luxuriant beards, unsteady doors, laugh-out-loud humour and lengthy elf ears. Yet out of the mirth and mayhem emerged several outstanding individual performances. With characteristic skill, Mike Sheldrick turned another off-beat role into an award-winning display, this time as the hilarious helmeted herald Shawn Ogg, while Jan Uzzell shone as his cheery mother Nanny. She, in turn, was suavely romanced by the foppish dwarf Casanunda, deliciously played by the velvet-voiced Gwenefer Roskilly. American-accented Anja Stevens commanded all attention as the glamorous, red-robed Queen of the Elves, while Anthony Bolding oozed charm as the lovelorn academic Ridcully, seeking reconciliation with the haughty, but captivating, Granny Weatherwax, whose studied portrayal by the supremely capable Sharon Villiers securely anchored the entire performance..."

http://tinyurl.com/lu6a35n

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08) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

DISCWORLD EMPORIUM UPDATES

"Greetings all,

"The Emporium recently enjoyed a visit with the lovely Paul Kidby at his New Forest home to pick up copies of his illustrated book, The Charmed Realm. While there we were lucky to ogle his work in progress for a HUGE group portrait of Discworld denizens, and admire the Discworld BookBench he is painting for the Literary Trust's Books about Town project

http://tinyurl.com/mqmskpj

"And so we are proud to offer the English edition of the Charmed Realm, a truly beautiful book depicting a world of fairy folk and magical creatures, imagined and brought to life by Paul's sumptuous imagery and words penned by wife Vanessa.

http://www.discworldemporium.com/The%20Charmed%20Realm

[Editor's note: there are five additional images, clickable on the page]

"We've also added a brand new poster print to our range from Ankh-Morpork's most disreputable drinking establishment, The Mended Drum! Visitors to our Hogswatch event may remember seeing Discworld artist Peter Dennis creating this image in person at his live draw session, and here is the result! This humorously detailed rendition of Discworld's iconic tavern brings the Drum to life in all its gory - this is certainly a poster that demands a closer look, if you're brave enough!

http://tinyurl.com/kb3dene

[Editor's note: there are three additional images, clickable on the page]

"New releases from Discworld Stamps include the elegant Assassins' Guild 3p issue

http://tinyurl.com/mxoduds

and the Fools' Guild 10p

http://tinyurl.com/mg6ce9j

"Both stamps are available as singles or as attractive full sheets, and in the latest edition of our lucky-dip envelope full of assorted Discworld Stamps. Every envelope will include the Assassins' Guild 3p, while select LBEs will contain the Fools' Issue along with the chance of finding rare and elusive 'sport' variants.

http://tinyurl.com/n96fsyg

"For all our latest wares and releases have a browse through our New Products page – it's mostly harmless!" http://tinyurl.com/l8ztg9n

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09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 WADFEST 2014

"This year's theme is heroes and villains. This means you get the chance to dress up as the hero or villain that you have always wanted to be. You can take your inspiration from comics, films and cartoons, or invent a new character for yourself. There will be trophies for the best dressed villain and best dressed hero, so get your sewing machine out and give it a go! If you're no good at sewing and you don't have anyone to help out, you can always hire a costume for the weekend. As well as special themed hero and villain games there will be all your usual Wadfest favourites, including smack the penguin. If it's your first time at Wadfest, why not take a look through the photos of Wadfests past to get an idea of what to expect?

"The X-Men's blackbird? Batman's batmobile? Green Goblin's glider? If you're feeling really adventurous why not turn your vehicle into the kind of transport a hero or villain would have? Perhaps you're more interested in a permanent base like Superman's Fortress of Solitude or He-Man's Castle Greyskull? If so, why not dress your tent up as your lair? There will be a prize for the best one. There are no limits to what you can do with your costumes. Be as inventive
as you like or faithfully recreate your favourite character's costume."

When: 15th to 17th August 2014
Venue: Wood Green, The Animal Charity, King's Bush Farm, London Road, Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, PE29 2NH
Tickets: £25.00 per adult for the weekend including Camping and Events. Children under 16 go free when accompanied by a paying adult. To purchase tickets online, go to
http://www.wadfest.co.uk/page2.html

http://www.wadfest.co.uk

9.2 AUSDWCON 2015

Nullus Anxietus V is coming! Some early details:

When: 10th to 12th April 2015
Venue: Novotel, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
Tickets: current ticket prices are $80-$140 per Attending Member, $400 per Family, $30 per Supporting Membership. To purchase at these rates, go to http://ausdwcon.org/shop/

"Previous Conventions have had Guilds. For Nullus Anxietas V the Guilds are replaced by the Studios of Holy Wood and Convention members (who choose to join a "guild") will be randomly assigned to one of the five studios for activities. Can't sing? Can't dance? Can handle a sword a little? Then Holy Wood beckons, and the clickies want YOU." – Daniel Hatton, Guildmeister

"The date of the convention is still too far distant for us to start negotiating room rates but we will have the upper hand if we can go into the discussion with an estimate of how many we would likely need. We'd like to convince them to be the cheapest rate in all of Parramatta and make their money by booking every room rather than them charging a lot for a few rooms. If at all possible, please give us an indication if you will be booking accommodation at the venue
and what sort of room you would like. You do not need to be registered to fill in the survey, we would just like an idea of how many rooms we will need for the weekend. Rest assured we will not
hold you to this – it's just an estimate. Your name will only be used to ensure you're not on the spreadsheet twice. You will still need to book your own accommodation." – the organisers

http://ausdwcon.org/

9.3 CABBAGECON 2015

Cabbagecon 3, the third Dutch Discworld Convention, will take place in June of next year. Among the special guests will be Venugopalan Ittekot, Dutch translator of the Discworld novels.

When: 27th and 28th June 2015
Venue: Tulip Inn Hotel Val Monte in Berg en Dal (near Nijmegen)
Tickets: Membership of Cabbagecon 3 for the whole weekend is priced at €40,00, with a €5 discount for children, seniors and students. For the Saturday only or the Sunday only, the price is €25,00, with the same discounts as above applying. To book online in advance, go to http://www.dutchdwcon.nl

Apparently Cabbagecon 2 was a great success on the fun front. The organisers say of next year's event, "It will be a happy occasion for fans of Sir Terry Pratchett from the Netherlands and abroad to meet each other again and have fun. We hope to see you too!"

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10) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group", meets on the first Monday of every month at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ: "We welcome anyone and everyone who enjoys Sir Terry's works, or quite likes them or wants to find out more. We have had many visitors from overseas who have enjoyed themselves and made new friends. The discussions do not only concern the works of Sir Terry Pratchett but wander and meander through other genres and authors and also leaping to TV and Film production. We also find time for a quiz. The prize is superb. The chance to set the quiz the following month."

Next meeting: Monday 5th May 2014, from 7pm onwards.

For more information, go to http://brokendrummers.org/ or email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Pratchett Partisans are a 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

*

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South Australia: "We have regular monthly dinner and games nights, longer games days, plus play outings, craft-y workshops, and fun social activities throughout the year. For more info and to join our mailing list, visit":

http://cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet on the first Thursday of every month from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight.

Next meeting: Thursday 1st May 2014, probably, but do email 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 Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. "Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"

Next meeting: Friday 2nd May 2014 (probably).

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has 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, North Yorkshire, 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/

*

Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, Sydney,2000.

Next meeting: Monday 5th May 2014 at 6.30pm (probably). For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

*

Perth Drummers meet on the first Monday of the month, subject to holidays.

Next meeting: Monday 5th May 2014 (probably).

"Please note we have moved to Carpe Cafe from 5.30pm Carpe Cafe, 526 Murray Street, Perth, WA. Meeting at a cafe means we are under-18 friendly!"

For details follow Perth Drummers on Twitter @Perth_Drummers and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – otherwise message Krystel directly at khewett@live.com

*

Western Drummers (that's two groups for the Sydney Pratchett fans now) intend to meet on the third Monday of every month at The Rowers, Bruce Neal Drive, Penrith at 6.30-7.30pm for food, 7.30pm for games, quizzes and chat. For more information, contact Nanny Ogg – lewis_oz@bigpond.com – or visit their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/westerndrummers

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11) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

11.1 REVIEW AND GUIDE: TREEFROG GAMES' "THE WITCHES"

By manaiaclemim, on tametheboardgame.com:

"I'm personally of the opinion that Ankh Morpork is the best Discworld board game so far, and I believe Dave agrees with me. However, this game is also brilliantly conceived. It's more laid back than Ankh Morpork, in that, you're not really trying to one up any of the other players, or double-bluff them into now knowing your objective, or anything like that, because you're all sharing the same objective and there are plenty of problems on the board, so you don't usually ever have to go for the same one as another player! It's also great because you can play it as a 1-player game, just to fill a rainy afternoon. I highly recommend this game, to everyone, but also specifically to people who prefer games that aren't super-competitive!"

The review includes detailed descriptions of the game itself and the rules of gameplay, and is clearly written.

http://tametheboardgame.com/2014/02/24/the-witches/

11.2 REVIEW: CRIPPLE MR ONION

Also by manaiaclemim:

"The game is a little like Poker in two respects, the first of which is that you must make the highest scoring hand to win the round, and the second of which is that, if you don't play it often, the rules are such that's it's easy to forget them and end up both confused and annoyed. There's a dealer for each round, which changes at the end of every round. The game starts by each player being dealt five cards face down, which they are immediately allowed to look at and can then discard up to four of them, being given replacement cards by the dealer. Once everyone's done this a further five cards are dealt face up onto the table in front of each player – except the dealer, who receives theirs face down. The first player then begins by trying to assemble a high-scoring hand (I'll list the different hand in point order in a minute), once they've done this, the player to their left must assemble a higher-scoring hand, or fold. If they succeed in creating a higher scoring hand the first player is then allowed to try to rearrange their cards to score even higher, or fold. Once on player has been forced to fold play continues to the left until one player remains. This player wins the hand and becomes the dealer for the next round..."

Again, plenty of details about gameplay, plus a link to where to get the most suitable Roundworld pack of cards.

http://tametheboardgame.com/2014/02/26/cripple-mr-onion/

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12) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

There's a lot of blog action out there lately...

Blogger Beka Cooper's short musings on The Carpet People:
"It's a cute concept made into a fairly standard quest narrative, with thoughts on free will and empire that show the beginnings of that depth-behind-humor that we know and love Pratchett for. Maybe it was just me, but the cast was large enough that I had trouble keeping track of everyone. I still prefer The Wee Free Men as a kid's first introduction to Pratchett, but Pratchett not quite grown into his full writing strength is still worth reading."

http://alibrarymama.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/the-carpet-people/

Blogger N J Magas thinks the best Discworld book to read is all of them:
"Believe it or not, my first introduction to Pratchett's writing wasn't Discworld. It was Good Omens, coauthored with the above mentioned Neil Gaiman. I adore that book to itty bitty pieces; just thinking about it now makes me want to go back and reread it. I've read a handful of his Discworld books as well and have the opinion that – as an author – he can do no wrong. As I've mentioned in previous entries, Pratchett writes an amazing, entertaining Death, such that I look specifically for those books which feature Death as a character. Really, it's hard to pick a wrong place to start with Terry Pratchett's books... Each one is a witty little adventure into a brilliant tongue in cheek fantasy world filled with complex societies, strong personalities, and a full, rich magic system. "

http://njmagas.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/p-is-for/

...as does blogger Dicken:
"Terry Pratchett is among the most creative and witty modern authors, and certainly one of my favorite authors of all time. His characters are both likable and interesting, and his world-building is remarkable (you may have noticed these things are important to me). Pratchett is a leader in the genre of fantasy-satire fiction. His jokes are funny, clever, and above all else, very British... Terry Pratchett is a very prolific writer and I have found pretty much everything of his worth the read. His Magnum Opus has got to be the collection of works set in the Discworld, thanks to which he is well known. Discworld is a place of magic and mythology, and above all else, stories. These range from epic struggles involving heroes and gods, to the adventures of a deadbeat cop. Regardless of the plot, it will be fun..."

http://tinyurl.com/m5jdv7y

...and blogger Antipelican:
"SIR Terry Pratchett (um, yes, he was knighted for being so fab-tastic and writing beautiful things) has written approximately eleventy billion books. Most of them, but not all, are set in a made-up universe called Discworld. And though his Discworld books are full of wiz(z)ards, witches, vampyres, and other magical magic-y things, and even though they're quite funny and stunningly witty, they are also some of the realest descriptions of what it is to be human that I've ever come across. And I recently found a small passel of Discworld books I hadn't read yet (joy oh joy oh joy), so I rectified that situation as fast as possible. I don't so much read books by Pratchett as inhale them, gobbling them up with my eye-holes as fast as possible. The pages sometimes catch fire behind me as I go..."

http://tinyurl.com/kp6rn8l

Game industry blogger BehindTheWires gets to grips with Discworld novels via The Colour of Magic audiobook:
"The version that I picked up was a spritely 7 hours long and narrated by Nigel Planer, who does a great job at getting hold of all of Pratchett's complicated, imaginary vocabulary. A semi-downside of the Nigel Planer version is that it sounds a lot like it has been ported from an old cassette version. You can hear the subtle, magnetic squeal of digital synthesis in the background and the volume, and even general mastering of the audio track varies from chapter to chapter; which can be obnoxiously jarring when you're caught up in the story. It does, however give it the retro feel of an 80′s novel though, which is probably as close to the feeling of picking up a tattered, much-read, beloved book as you can get with an audio track... Despite it being an introductory novel, of sorts, it actually does a great job of introducing you to the concept of Discworld and the physics, lore and jargon that surrounds it..."

http://tinyurl.com/med6u94

Blogger Mr Rhapsodist's review of Thief of Time:
"It's a given that any novel that contains Terry Pratchett's Death is going to interest me, though he doesn't have as big a role in this story as he does in Hogfather or Reaper Man. Still, his granddaughter Susan is a nice semblance of order in a chaotic storyline, trying to make sense of everything. I also loved the inclusion of irreverent characters like Nanny Ogg and Lu-Tze (the latter being so darn insistent of getting everyone to remember Rule One). The other protagonists, Lobsang Ludd and Jeremy Clockson, are interesting in their own way, but that's less to do with character development and more to do with identity and backstory... But as Pratchett is so good at doing, he also brings a nice element of pathos to the story. Characters like Lobsang, Jeremy, and Myria LeJean are more amusing because of their naivete, especially when paired with more cynical characters like Lu-Tze, Igor, and Susan..."

http://rhapsodistreviews.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/thief-of-time/

...and of The Truth:
"While the cast of this novel didn't hit me in the same as Hogfather did (which remains my all-time favorite Discworld read), it did have a quality that reminded me of Mort. William is very much like the titular character from that story, idealistic and brash in a way that puts him in danger more often than not. And just as Mort has Ygritte [sic], William has the lovely Sacharissa to assist him, though she proves to be a far more cunning writer than he is. By far, my favorite character in the story was Otto, the reformed vampire and photographer. Besides his Bela Lugosi-type accent, every 'vord' out of his mouth is a delight and he has some wonderfully terrifying moments every now and then... William de Worde is a great lens for the rest of the story, but he doesn't really bring much skill on his own. That's up to people like Sacharissa, Otto, and the dwarves. But to be fair, William does have a knack for getting into people's faces and being persuasive by whipping out his notebook..."

http://rhapsodistreviews.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/the-truth/

Blogger Rachelefish reviews The Fifth Elephant, tissues at the ready:
"What was it about this particular Terry book that got me? They all get me, on some level, but by the end of this one I was off and on crying, cheering for the characters, and holding my breath. Admittedly, I haven't had a good cry while reading in awhile so I'm glad I picked this one up. It's been on my shelf for nearly a year... I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say the whole last third had me bursting into tears and letting out terrified yelps. I was going to put in some of my favorite quotes, but I'd have to type out the whole book, and I think there are laws against that..."

http://tinyurl.com/lljvkrn

Blogger (and Scone of Stone baker!) Mari was delighted by Raising Steam:
"Of course, what is an Ankh-Morpork story without its multitude of problems? Along with the steam train revolution, there is also a civil war brewing amongst the dwarves, and to make matters worse, grags–dwarf rebels–are burning down clacks towers and attacking non-dwarfish characters. And what happens when goblins and trolls become a major part of the train-running business? Raising Steam (#40 of the Discworld novels) answers these questions, and puts forth even more to think about. But that's Terry Pratchett for you. It's actually been a while since I've returned to Ankh-Morpork, so reading up on the latest happenings within the city was tremendously welcome on my part. I loved that the entire book involved many of the Ankh-Morpork factions, especially when it meant reading about some of my favorite characters, like William de Worde and Sacharissa Cripslock, Vetinari, Sam Vimes and the Night's Watch, the wizards of Unseen University, a mention of CMOT Dibbler (who will always remain my favorite businessman), etc. The list really does go on. I loved that Moist Von Lipwig remains forever a scoundrel, but one with a heart of gold, and I loved what Pratchett concluded regarding the Low King of the Dwarves..."

http://tinyurl.com/m98b2xe

Blogger Vacuous Wastrel is back with a surprisingly positive review upon re-reading Soul Music:
"I didn't remember Soul Music fondly, or at least having read some negative reviews I came to remember it unfondly – the negative elements I remembered, while the positive I forgot. And I'm glad of that. Because the result was that this was a really enjoyable surprise... Music, in this book, is life, is creation, is the futile and ultimately self-destructive defiance of death, the great stygian opiate against pain and loss, and the question of to what extent we should imbibe of it ties the book together and gives it much of its power... Yes, the rock music is indulgent, a personal enthusiasm, but Pratchett's earned a little indulgence. Both the music and the death make the book feel authentic, and I don't think it's entirely a coincidence either that Sir Terry has essentially chosen to affiliate his family with Susan's. Susan Sto Helit feels like one of the greatest, but in particular one of the most real, the most authentic, of Pratchett's characters. I don't know what Pratchett's daughter actually is (or was) like and whether Susan is a true reflection of her, but I felt strongly when reading this that that author's attitude toward Susan is very much the attitude of a father toward his teenage daughter (whether or not its specifically the attitude of the real Pratchett toward his real daughter): there's a real tenderness there that I don't think I've seen since Equal Rites..."

http://vacuouswastrel.wordpress.com/2014/04/06/soul-music-by-terry-pratchett/

...and he also disses – or doesn't dis? – Men at Arms:
"I'm disappointed. Firstly because Men at Arms follows a blisteringly brilliant run of Pratchet[sic], from the final section of Witches Abroad, through the whole of Small Gods and Lords and Ladies, and stopping off at the non-Discworld Only You Can Save Mankind (which, OK, isn't actually brilliant, but is much better than a lightweight children's novella about computer games has any right to be) along the way. And secondly because I remember it as one of my favourites, and have been really looking forward to it... It feels like an attempt to get back to the zany humour after the relatively Big and Important Small Gods and Lords and Ladies, but I didn't feel it really worked. There were several laugh-out-loud moments in this book – but most of them weren't actually the overt 'jokes'. And yet, disappointed I may be, thanks to my impossibly high expectation, yet I did end up really liking this book. Why? Well, let's be honest here, one big part of the reason is very obvious, unavoidable, and I guess not entirely generalisable to all readers: it's got a sexy, kickass, smartarse tomboy werewolf girl in it, and thus I am genetically unable to dislike it..."

http://tinyurl.com/m9t8cvj

...and witters on lovingly about Lords and Ladies:
"Lords and Ladies is a new start for Pratchett. Underlyingly, this is because it represents a move away from (albeit not a complete abandonment of) the central themes of belief, stories, representation and so on that so dominated Moving Pictures, Reaper Man, Witches Abroad, and Small Gods – those themes remain an important part of the metaphysical bedrock of this novel, but the novel is not about them in the way its predecessors seemed to be... although the plot is standalone, this is the second outing for most of the characters, and third or fourth for some of the main ones (and in one case I think the eleventh), so it's probably a book that benefits from knowing about the previous novels, even if detailed recall of plot points is not really required. With the exception of The Light Fantastic, I'd say it's the least standalone of the novels so far. And I think this is significant: Pratchett has, it feels, said what he wanted to say, done his experimenting, and is now returning to established parts of his world to tell stories. Because while Lords and Ladies doesn't feel like it has the thematic focus of previous installments, it sure as hell has a story..."

http://tinyurl.com/lrjxqfm

Blogger reuoq returns with a review of Dodger:
"One advantage of not being Discworld is that Pratchett is freed up from having to use all his recurring characters all the time – he doesn't do this in every novel, of course, but frequently it feels like he's only including a character because he feels obliged. Here he has free reign over who gets into the book. He's also able to actively explore Victorian history, rather than obliquely alluding to it. As his postscript notes, it's something he's had on the backburner for a while, and it's good that he's had the chance to write a novel about it while he still can. It's just a shame that by writing about something non-Discworld, he's chosen the place that most resembles the Discworld, and I feel like he could have used the opportunity to write about somewhere else instead, or another period..."

http://reuoq.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/book-54-dodger-2012/

An uncredited member of blogging collective The Rabid Rainbow Ferret Society presents a list/review of favourite "quirky and captivating characters of Discworld":
"However, while I could rhapsodise on the humour (silly and serious, wound through every topic), the cultures (satiric and exaggerated, but multi-layered and deeply thought-out), the plots (wide-ranging and intriguing), and many other things, what I've actually decided to focus on is what definitely keeps me coming back to Discworld over and over again. The amazing characters... My shortlist for characters to include for even a basic overview of the variety that Discworld offers in this arena was almost twenty. It was extremely difficult to choose between then, and, no doubt, I could happily go on about all of them – and I could have gone on more about the few who made it to my final list..."

The list includes Vimes, Vetinari, Granny Weatherwax, Tiffany Aching, Carrot, and Death.

http://tinyurl.com/n8vaz53

Young blogger Ren, whose favourite Discworld novel is Monstrous Regiment, warms to Tiffany Aching:
"Tiffany is the protagonist, but the ones who get top billing (and the best part of the book, hands down) are the wee free men, aka the Nac Mac Feegle, a clan of pictsies. No, that's not a misspelling, it's just this thing that Pratchett does, he takes the idea of Picts and Pixies and so you get blue-tattooed warriors in kilt who are only a few inches tall, and it's so ridiculous that it may just work. They're loud and disorderly and fairly stupid, and have names like Rob Anybody and Daft Wullie and No'-As-Big-As-Medium-Sized-Jock-But-Bigger-than-Wee-Jock Jock. According to them, the Nac Mac Feegle rebelled against the wicked rule of the Queen and were therefore exiled from Fairyland. According to everyone else, they were kicked out for being drunk. Either way, they accompany Tiffany in her search for her brother, providing interesting dialogue and headbutting enemies. If it sounds like a big bowl of nonsense, that's because it is. Like I said, Discworld books don't go in for logic. I did rate this 3 teacups, but that's only because it's not Pratchett's best book. A 3-teacup Discworld book is as good as a 4-teacup or 5-teacup book by anyone else, in my opinion..."

http://tinyurl.com/k5oc3q8

Blogger Gingersister's fun review of Dodger:
"Mr. Pratchett. You, sir, are a genius, and I am unanimous in this. I kept finding things to photograph, from the opening paragraph, to the book's end, and I felt they were too much and too good to just randomly throw out on the interwebs without context. Instead I thought they warranted a blog post, so that I could combine quote and review in one nice spot... A) Terry Pratchett knows a lot of history. B) Terry Pratchett has a good of respect for Henry Mayhew, and we all should. C) Terry Pratchett cares about things like poverty, and injustice, and the fact that he can make a discussion about them funny and entertaining is just splendid. D) Any author who can reference 'that nice young man, Karl, that I hid from the cossacks with once' and make it clear who he is referring too without being OBVIOUS should be my friend. I liked the characters in this very much, especially since they have a place in my pop culture and literary reference library. It isn't a fantasy novel the way most of the other Discworld books are. Instead Pratchett explores Victorian London from above and below, allowing the flights of fancy point to the things our society has been battling for a long time: Poverty, injustice, the difficulty of choosing the welfare of one vs the many. I especially enjoyed Solomon who was unique, fascinating, full of surprises, scandalous stories and philosophical wisdom. Read the book, enjoy the sewers, meet Sweeney Todd, Charles Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli, and a very amused royal 'We'..."

http://gingersister.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/dodger/

Blogger funkyfacecat also enjoyed Dodger:
"Dodger is a rollicking read; it's fun spotting the cameo appearances by Victorian figures, there's a sense of the uncanny in the sewer-world, the intrigue is interesting, with echoes of Wilkie Collins as well as Dickens, and the city and its denizens are lovingly evoked. It's very enjoyable – but. It lacks edge and genuine peril. It is aimed at non-adult readers, which is fair enough, but the Tiffany Aching books are scary enough, even when their heroine is nine years old. Although Dodger's relationship with his grownups is amusing enough, they almost protect him too well, and Dodger himself is a more than capable adversary. There just could be more of everything – more verve, more danger, more cameos, more smells. What there is, though, provides a very pleasant and amusing read..."

http://tinyurl.com/m3e93a5

...as did blogger Antonio Urias:
"Terry Pratchett has created a vast and highly populated world that is now more than capable of propelling an entire novel on its own power. The cameos and honorable mentions are more than just fan-pleasing moments, although they are that too, they are also demonstrations of just how rich Discworld has become. One of the joys of this book was the interactions between Lipwig and Vimes, two characters who despite living in the same city have previously had only limited interaction. The copper's copper and the 'reformed' con man make an amusing pairing. Nevertheless, for all the fun cameos, and delightful pairings, there is little that is new here... But as I said earlier, after 40 books, one of the central joys of reading a Discworld book that it is a Discworld book, and while Raising Steam did not quite rise to the heights of previous novels, Pratchett remains highly enjoyable..."

http://tinyurl.com/mw5zmq5

Blogger Apaperbackpacker was pleased by Raising Steam:
"This story also sees a transformation in Lipwig's personality and mindset, which brings about a sort of somberness to the otherwise comical story. Pratchett emphasizes on themes that include coups, government de-stabilization, terrorism, Steam Engines and the advent of railways, commercialization, racism and gender inequality all portrayed by the various species that co-habit the Discworld. Pratchett also delves deep into the nuances and technology surrounding the working of a Steam Engine, the commercial ventures and subsequent employment opportunities that arose with the railways while managing to retain his trademark sense of humor which made this book all more enjoyable and a fast paced read..."

http://paperbackpacker.com/2014/03/28/friday-reflections-2/

...as was blogger Geekgirlinlove:
"I loved this book, but its tone is a little different from the earlier Discworld books, including those featuring Moist. The humor is sharp but less laugh-out-loud in nature. In fact there are very few sections during which I whooped with laughter, or rushed to quote a passage. The Discworld books have always had some serious points to make, and my sense with this book and the previous book, Snuff, is that Terry Pratchett has no interest in messing around – if he has a point to make, he's just gonna come out and make it... If you are deeply opposed to things like legalizing gay marriage, or equal opportunities for women, or racial and ethnic diversity, then you won't like this book although I'd argue that you certainly ought to be reading it. I don't recommend Raising Steam as the first Discworld book you should read but I do highly recommend it overall, and if you haven't read other Discworld books, don't worry, you'll catch up just fine. I loved this book even though I missed the madcap feel of earlier installments..."

http://tinyurl.com/n899u8b

Blogger Graham Rutter's take on the religious philosophies of Small Gods:
"The novel Small Gods by Terry Pratchett is another book I think that vicars and church leaders in general really should read. It's well-written and a great story, but also has an important theological message. Actually, it's even more than that. As well as being an adventure story and a coming-of-age novel, it is also a meditation on the problems of power, structure, authority and faith... The really interesting part, for theological reflection, is Pratchett's plot device that belief 'powers' the different gods. The more people who believe, the more power the god has. If a god has no believers, then they become little more than a wandering spirit... And, of course, Pratchett is absolutely right. We need structures to operate, but it's sometimes easier to act as if that is the important thing, rather than God, whom the structures of the church are meant to serve..."

http://0lem.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/small-gods/

Blogger Coree, on Radical Farmwives, admires the Tiffany books:
"Tiffany is a practical girl who thinks a lot. She's an astute nine year old, but still definitely a youngster. She also fends off the magical creatures and even the deceptive and wicked Queen of Fairyland with nothing more than her common sense, love of the land, and a cast iron skillet. There are more nuggets of curious wisdom in this first book than in the whole Potter series (no offense to Harry – I do love those books – just saying). Tiffany's wonderful foil throughout her adventures are the Nac Mac Feegle, otherwise known as the Wee Free Men. They are a class of fairies unto themselves... Feegles are the rogues of the fairy world, whose misadventures are written phonetically in such a strange and hilarious brogue accent that it brought the whole family to uproarious laughter – even the three year old... One of the things I love about these books, besides the good entertainment, is that they promote a sense of place, and the place, in this case, is a rural countryside. That's a rare find these days..."

http://radicalfarmwives.com/2014/03/27/inspired-12/

Blogger Canadian Bibliophile praises The Light Fantastic:
"There is so much to love about the Discworld, and especially the first two books in this series. I love Twoflower for many reasons. One is that my career is the same as his – he sells insurance (or in-sewer-ants as he describes it to Rincewind). He's definitely a glass-is-half-full kind of guy and a perfect match for Rincewind, who is sure the glass is pretty empty... I really enjoyed this on audio. I have only listened to one other Discworld on audio (Raising Steam) and I'm glad that Nigel Planer's narration lived up to my expectation. His voice for Death is just perfect, as was the scene where Twoflower teaches Death and several gods to play cards! After imagining all these voices in my head for the last two decades of reading these novels, I'm glad to discover that the audiobooks are just as fantastic..."

http://tinyurl.com/k527rhk

Blogger The Childlike Author thinks I Shall Wear Midnight did not come up to the brilliance of the first Tiffany book, but was still fine:
"Tiffany defeats them all in the end. She beats the Hiver and the Wintersmith by submitting to them (in a way), and she beats the Cunning Man and the Queen of the Fairies by (essentially) having more help. And yet they're all too inhuman for my taste. Miss Aching needs a real person as an enemy for once... if I were to rank the four antagonists, greatest to least, they would be in this order: Queen of the Fairies, Cunning Man, Wintersmith, Hiver. What I like so much about the Cunning Man is his curious ability to affect a crowd's mind and thoughts... The story itself is a good one, despite the antagonist clone straight from the two previous books. Tiffany Aching has aged a little more, gets jilted instead of doing the jilting, and finds herself surrounded by supportive friends as well as an especially supportive friend in the final scene. The main difference in this novel compared to the others is simply that Tiffany Aching is her own witch. She has officially 'grown up' as the saying goes, and is no longer apprenticing. But she still has to prove to herself (and to all the other witches) that she truly can handle being on her own. And, of course, she acquits herself well..."

http://tinyurl.com/l42n6aw

...but (grudgingly) admires Wintersmith:
"I will admit that I may have underrated both this book and the preceding Tiffany Aching novel, A Hat Full of Sky... I liked The Illustrated Wee Free Men simply too much and couldn't bear to see them rated at the same level. However, Wintersmith follows in the spirit of both just fine, though more in the spirit of A Hat Full of Sky than The Illustrated Wee Free Men, and more in simply the spirit than anything else... My favorite part of the book is Tiffany Aching's dealings with one of her witchy peers... Tiffany deftly handles the situation that arises, and ends up, in no uncertain terms, showing everyone that she is indeed Mistress Weatherwax's future successor. And if she's not, I'm going to eat a pair of woolen socks..."

http://tinyurl.com/kjlcahv

Blogger Lakes Mum offers a short rave review of Equal Rites:
"Having loved reading this myself its great to return to it as an audio book. Having a female narrator is perfect as the story is mostly about Esk and introduces Mistress Weatherwax the witch (one of my discworld favourites). This was a perfect one to be listening to over International Women's Day as it shows the fight for the rights of females to be accepted as wizards and attend Unseen University. Its also a great contrast between the rural back water of Badass and the metropolis of Ankh Morpork. I would definitely recommend this one. It can stand on its own or as an introduction to Discworld for newbies."

http://tinyurl.com/l9h6bu4

Blogger Edouard Stenger gives Night Watch 9/10 rating in his short review:
"I haven't chronicled here all the previous Pratchett I read, I have really the impression, reading Discworld novels that they are getting better all the time. Night Watch is indeed even funnier than the previous ones and is an even fiercer satire of our world... This is the occasion for Terry Pratchett to give numerous treats to his readers with several explanations and facts about the main Ankh Morpork characters and I have to admit I enjoyed them all. A state-of-the-art book that will send you – again ! – rolling on the floor laughing out loud. A must if you have enjoyed previous Discworld novels."

http://tinyurl.com/k2dtj2d

Blogger nobookshallbeleftbehind gives a big thumbs-up to Hogfather:
"This book is very funny and you might get some strange looks for randomly laughing in public places. This is a book about the nature of beliefs. It is a reminder that things as we think of as essential, eternal, unbreakable are here because we willed them to be. Death is nothing like you would expect, he is very sarcastic, funny and witty. Susan, who is Death's granddaughter, is left to fix this entire mess. Susan is level headed, rational, self-sufficient duchess-turned-governess who firmly believes that 'Real children do not go hoppity skip unless they are on drugs.' This is an amazing book which I am very happy to have read. It makes a great reading any time during the year..."

http://tinyurl.com/n7mg4o2

Blogger PoiSonPaiNter reviews Eric:
"I read this in German. Simply because almost every book I own is the German translation/version. Therefore I can't say anything about Pratchett's original jokes, as I don't know which are his and which came through the translation.
The only thing that I can properly say about the reading itself is, that the novel is far too short.
It seemed a bit rushed at times and I am certain there would have been way more stories to tell, but we only got a little glimpse of that. Still a fun read though..."

http://randompoison.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/tp-eric/

...and finally, a delightful short observation about Discworld and parody, by blogger Farilian:
"Pratchett's parody of fantasy cliches is not the same as in so-called 'true' parodies (like Bored of the Rings, The Chronicles of Blarnia or Barry Trotter). It goes deeper. While the parodies mentioned are happy with poking fun at the original text and trying to make some money while doing it, Pratchett takes his inspiration from countless authors and sources. He takes mythology, folklore, fantasy and numerous other topics and genres and mixes them together to form his own world – the Discworld. Compared to the copycat-worlds we encounter in parody texts, the Discworld is a world on its own – yes, it is based on a cosmological image from Hindu mythology, but Pratchett's interpretation of it is unique and fresh. In short, it is not a copy but something that hasn't been there before. So don't go tell the inhabitants of the Discworld that they are cardboard copies of someone else – they might take offence."

http://realmsofacademia.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/parodies-parody/

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13) IMAGE OF THE MONTH

A lovely Discworld Reading Order chart:

http://tinyurl.com/m8njm7t

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12) CLOSE

And that's all we have time – or room – for this month, apart from a note that Raising Steam retains last month's number 2 position on the Locus hardcover bestsellers list: www.locusmag.com/Magazine/2014/04/locus-bestsellers-april-2/

I hope everyone received plenty of treats from the Soul Cake Duck last weekend. And remember – next month brings the Glorious 25th, and also Towel Day on the same date, so do remember to at least take a lilac towel everywhere you go then!

– 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) 2014 by Klatchian Foreign Legion