Wossname – May 2020 – Main issue
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wossnameWossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2020 (Volume 23, Issue 5, Post 1)
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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)
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INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
06) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
07) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
08) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"If it's too hard/expensive to make it close to Terry's vision then why bother. I think if someone gave me the plot and list of characters and didn't mention Discworld I might actually like the idea of the series. But don't claim it's one thing and then give me something else. I hold out much more hope with the new
faithful adaptations."
– Jason Anthony of Discworld Monthly speaks truth to power about "The Watch"
"The Discworld books are a huge source of joy to millions of readers, and rightly so; every paragraph, phrase and footnote was crafted with brilliance and flair and we are committed to bringing Terry’s world to the screen with the respect and care it deserves. With this partnership, we are delighted to say that Discworld has finally found its home."
– Rob Wilkins also tells the truth, with beautifully phrased stealth subtext
“I must confess the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occurred to him.”
– Terry Pratchett, of course. One wonders what he would have made of the developments since 2015...
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
Does anyone know what day it is? Or month, for that matter? A friend recently sent me a text message that said "March lasted 600 years and April was 20 minutes and what the hell is time?", and I think that all of us – and the History Monks! – can understand and sympathise. But in the world of Discworld As Seen In Roundworld, exciting news is afoot: Narrativia, the company originally formed 7+1 years ago by Sir Pterry and Rob Wilkins and now curated by Mr Wilkins and Rhianna Pratchett, has announced their intent to adapt Discworld to the screen in a manner in keeping with The Author's original vision. Here's to many successful – and accurate – renderings of our favourite world and its rich parade of characters! See item 3.1 for details.
There's also a very special short video out there on the Clacks. A positively... ineffable video, in fact – see item 3.2
A reminder: The Time-Travelling Caveman, final volume of the young Terry Pratchett's children's stories originally published long ago in the Bucks Free Press, can be pre-ordered now:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1119110/the-time-travelling-caveman/9780857536037.html
https://www.discworldemporium.com/childrens-books/639-the-time-travelling-caveman-hardback
https://discworld.com/?s=Time+Travelling+Caveman&post_type=product
And now, on with the show...
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) ODDS AND SODS
3.1 NARRATIVIA: TAKING BACK CONTROL
...and millions of Discworld fans are surely punching the air in delight. The Narrativia announcement:
"In an exclusive relationship going forward, Narrativia, the independent production company launched by Sir Terry Pratchett in 2012, strikes new development deal with Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content to create truly authentic Discworld screen adaptations. Discworld, the iconic and enduringly popular literary phenomenon, spans a series of beloved novels that sold in excess of 100 million copies around the world during Sir Terry’s lifetime and remain as popular today. Now, Narrativia, Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content announce a brand new partnership which will bring this treasured world to screens in a series of prestige adaptations that remain absolutely faithful to Sir Terry Pratchett’s original, unique genius. The spirit of this new alliance has been forged from a shared love of the source material, and a commitment to create an epic series, which will kick off with some of the most iconic titles in Sir Terry’s fiercely incisive and satirical universe.
"Rhianna Pratchett, Co-Director of Narrativia, says: “Discworld teems with unique characters, witty narrative and incredible literary tropes, and we feel these should be realised on screen in a form that my father would be proud of. It’s wonderful to embark on this journey with Motive and Endeavor Content, who both perfectly share our vision to make this a reality.”
"Rob Wilkins, Managing Director of Narrativia, says: “The Discworld books are a huge source of joy to millions of readers, and rightly so; every paragraph, phrase and footnote was crafted with brilliance and flair and we are committed to bringing Terry’s world to the screen with the respect and care it deserves. With this partnership, we are delighted to say that Discworld has finally found its home.”..."
To read the full announcement online, go to https://narrativia.com/
Some reactions...
By Alison Flood in The Guardian:
"[Rob] Wilkins, Narrativia’s managing director, said the new partnership meant that Discworld had 'finally found its home'. 'The Discworld books are a huge source of joy to millions of readers, and rightly so; every paragraph, phrase and footnote was crafted with brilliance and flair and we are committed to bringing Terry’s world to the screen with the respect and care it deserves,' he said. Wilkins denied the new deal was in response to Narrativia’s dissatisfaction with The Watch. 'Though Narrativia retain an executive producer credit in The Watch, they have no creative involvement in the project. However, they of course wish The Watch all the best.' Motive Pictures chief executive Simon Maxwell called the Discworld universe a national treasure..."
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/28/terry-pratchett-novels-faithful-tv-adaptation-discworld
A not so subtle reminder, also from Flood:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2020/jan/17/discworld-fans-are-right-to-be-nervous-about-the-bbcs-punk-rock-the-watch
By Adele Ankers for IGN:
"Sir Terry Pratchett's Narrativia is looking to expand the Discworld universe with a new series of "truly authentic" screen adaptations after striking a development deal with Endeavor Content and Motive Pictures. Narrativia, the production company launched by Pratchett in 2012, recently announced the exclusive partnership, which will bring the treasured world of the Discworld fantasy novel series to screens in the form of "prestige adaptations that remain absolutely faithful" to Pratchett's original, unique genius. Discworld spans a beloved series of novels that have sold in excess of 100 million copies globally, and the adaptations are said to be forged from a shared love of the original source material, as well as a mutual commitment towards creating an epic series..."
https://nordic.ign.com/news/36052/discworld-movies-terry-pratchetts-production-company-to-make-authentic-adaptations
An observation from Charles Pulliam-Moore on Gizmodo Australia:
"Currently, no new series to be developed from the new partnership have been announced and given the way the spread of the novel coronavirus has effectively shut down the production of new series and films, it’s not certain when we can expect to hear what Narrativia, Endeavour Content, and Motive Pictures will create first together."
https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/04/terry-pratchetts-discworld-will-get-even-more-adaptations-thanks-to-massive-new-deal/
...and more observations from Caitlin Hobbs in Book Riot:
"Key word there: develop. It’s not set in stone that the adaptation will air—many projects go into development and never come out—but hopes are high so far... According to Variety, the adaptations will remain 'absolutely faithful' to the source text. After BBC’s The Watch, which received a lot of criticism for how much the story was changed, this is a welcome bit of news. Unlike with The Watch adaptation, Narrativia will have an active hand in creating these stories, so we can breathe easy..."
https://bookriot.com/2020/04/29/new-terry-pratchett-discworld-adaptations/
3.2 GOOD OMENS NEWS
* Crowley and Aziraphale in lockdown?! A short and, er, tasty video from Narrativia and The Blank Corporation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quSXoj8Kob0&feature=youtu.be
As reported by Lauren Morris for the Radio Times:
"Released in honour of the book’s 30th anniversary, the three-minute episode listens in on a phone call between the antiquarian-loving angel Aziraphale (Sheen) and serpentine demon Crowley (Tennant) as they discuss their attempts to flatten the curve. Aziraphale checks in with the bored demon, who is also stuck indoors, waiting out the quarantine. When he asks why Crowley isn't 'out and about', he replies: 'I know I ought to be making people's lives worse but everyone’s so miserable cooped up right now anyway, I don't have the heart for it.'... The special was released on YouTube on Friday 1st May and written by Neil Gaiman... 'This is our present to all of you. It's to make people happy, because too many of us are sad,' Neil Gaiman wrote on Twitter..."
https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-05-04/david-tennant-michael-sheen-good-omens-lockdown-special/
By Petrana Radulovic on Polygon:
"Though only the actor’s voices are featured in the video, it contains many little props and nods to the world, such as a map of Lower Tadfield and the books in Aziraphale’s shop... Good Omens has long been a staple of internet fandom; officially contributing to a current trend in the fandom sphere only solidifies its stronghold..."
https://www.polygon.com/tv/2020/5/1/21243992/good-omens-30th-anniversary-lockdown-video
* A wonderful result from a Good Omens 30th anniversary online lockdown fundraiser for Alzheimer's Research UK that raised over £2,000, which was more than 200 per cent of its target. Not quite Captain Tom, but still a super result!
https://twitter.com/TheIneffableCon/status/1256593075184504832
* The Good Omens miniseries has been included in the 2020 Peabody Awards:
"The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors has selected 60 nominees that represent the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019. The nominees were chosen by unanimous vote of 19 jurors from nearly 1,300 entries from television, radio/podcasts and the web in entertainment, news, documentary, children’s and public service programming. The Peabody Awards are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. 'Peabody is proud to champion this year’s nominees who inspire our connection, provoke our thinking and delight our senses. From the communal strength of black women to the eminence of science to the conviction of those who speak up, these stories and their creators celebrate the diversity of human experience and of our democracy,” said Jeffrey P. Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Amidst the challenges of our present moment, we can find empathy, entertainment and truth in these nominees.'..."
https://www.wgauradio.com/news/local/uga-administered-peabodys-name-nominees/LnIGxPUdso3OkMqewbOXoN/
More about "the Peabodys": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peabody_Award
3.3 BERNARD PEARSON'S COMMUNICATION ADVICE
Bernard Pearson, known to Discworld fans the world around as "the Cunning Artificer" and the master of the Discworld Emporium, Roundworld's only interdimensional embassy, is also known for having strong opinions. And this opinion would be very dear to Moist von Lipwig's (and Senior Postman Groat's, and Head of Stamps Stanley Howler's) heart!
By Ellie Kendall for Somerset Live:
"You may know him as the friendly face of Wincanton's famous Pratchett-themed shop, The Discworld Emporium. But Bernard has a special, much-needed take on life - especially now... Bernard, now in his seventies, has a way of finding the bright side in life, it's not all fun and games. He is, himself, in strict isolation due to ill health. He, like so many, just wants to hug his grandchildren. So Bernard has written us a letter with his top tip for surviving lockdown - write letters. Not electronic letters, but real ones. 'Being on one's own, can be a bit of a bonus at times. At times, but not endlessly. Not being able to touch, hold, or even talk to someone special or even a neighbour - that is something we would have all found impossible to imagine a few weeks ago. But now it is the norm for so many of us. Especially if you, like me, are classed as ‘at risk’. Of course, there is the phone, video links and e-mail. But in some ways, they are more of the problem than the solution... Terry Pratchett was a close friend of mine. He was a good man with words, one of the best in fact. And he once described e-mails as being as "friendly as a thrown knife". And I think he was right... There is one form of communication that almost bridges that gap. It's not new, has been around a long, long time and was once the only way mankind communicated over any distance. The letter. The old fashioned and simple, pen on paper. There is something about a letter, a real letter landing on the doormat. It's why we still have letterboxes - that hole in the door that lets in junk mail can also let in a message from a friend. A letter from a loved one, someone from the past, or just yesterday. Distance is no object. Next door, next town, next country, it doesn’t matter. To sit and write, to put on paper with your own hand what you are thinking, feeling, hoping for or worried about. To see the words, form under your hand and the marks on the paper join you with your reader. It’s a most cathartic experience. Something you are touching - creating - will be held in someone’s hand and what you have written will form pictures in their mind...'"
To read the Cunning Artificer's entire letter, go to:
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/news-opinion/wincanton-terry-pratchett-shop-lockdown-4114739
3.4 BEE REVIVAL! TIFFANY WOULD BE PLEASED
By Isabelle Gerretsen for BBC Future:
"While people have been confined to their homes this spring, wildlife has faced less human disturbance, traffic and polluting fumes... One animal that could see a much-needed revival is the wild bee, scientists say. Bee populations are rapidly declining around the world due to habitat loss, pollution and the use of pesticides, among other factors. 'These creatures are vital to what we eat and what our countryside looks like,' says Gill Perkins, chief executive of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. 'They provide a whole ecosystem service.' A world without bees would look very different and change our lives enormously. Bees are the world’s most important pollinators, fertilising a third of the food we eat and 80% of flowering plants. Bees and other pollinating insects have a global economic value of around £120bn ($150bn)... Less fumes from cars on the road makes it easier for bees to forage, as air pollution substantially reduces the strength and longevity of floral scents, according to a 2016 study. 'In a world with less air pollution, bees can make shorter and more profitable ‘shopping trips’, and this may help them rear more young,' says Mark Brown, professor of evolutionary ecology at Royal Holloway, University of London..."
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200506-why-lockdown-is-helping-bees
3.5 THE MERCH CORNER
This month's feature is stuff from Discworld.com...
* Dark Side of the Turtle t-shirt
The t-shirt with rocks in! This one is a true beauty. "In the spirit of Soul Music, this stunning black t-shirt pays homage to a certain icon of Roundworld music, whilst giving it a distinctly chelonium spin. Printed digitally on ringspun Gildan t-shirts."
Each Dark Side of the Turtle t-shirt is priced at £20 – £22, depending on size. Sizes available are Small (34/36″), Medium (38/40″), Large (42/44″), XL (46/48″),
2XL (50/52″), and 3XL (54/56″). For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/bags-clothing/dark-side-turtle-t-shirt/
* Time to pre-order your Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal?
"In a city like Ankh-Morpork, where Assassins assassinate, thieves thieve and seamstresses, um . . . don’t, Law and Order can be a complicated business. Thankfully His Grace, His Excellency, The Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes (Blackboard Monitor) and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch are here to keep the peace. The finest body of men, women, dwarfs, trolls, werewolves, golems, igors, gnomes, feegles, vampires (and whatever Nobby Nobbs is) on the face of the Discworld! The Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal provides jotting space for your notes, reports, observations and investigations, so kick back, relax and take down your particulars. To help you keep on the straight and narrow, you'll be aided and abetted by some choice quotes from Terry Pratchett’s seminal City Watch novels."
Each Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal ("Exclusively embossed with Terry's signature and sealed with his coat of arms") is priced at £17 and will be available to ship on 6th August 2020. For more info, and to pre-order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/books/the-ankh-morpork-city-watch-discworld-journal/
* The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two
As featured in the previous issue from Paul Kidby's website. equal time for Discworld.com...
"Containing material unavailable for twenty years — this is a comprehensive guide to the capital city of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, getting to the heart of Ankh-Morpork’s secrets, societies and guilds... In the second volume of this confidential guide, brave travellers are made privy to the inner workings of more illustrious Ankh-Morpork societies. Disabuse yourself of notions of professionalism under which you may hold the City Watch; discover what serious business is undertaken by the Fools’ Guild (joking is no laughing matter); and, should you be lucky, achieve true enlightenment through the teachings of Lu-Tze. One thing’s for sure: after you’ve read this book, Ankh-Morpork’s Guilds are going to need to come up with new ways of doing things. Completely revamped and redesigned, this full-colour book contains material from Discworld Diaries across the decades."
Each copy of the Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two is priced at £25 and will be available to ship on 29th October 2020. For more info, and to pre-order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/books/ankh-morpork-archives-volume-two/
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04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
4.1 FORTHCOMING PLAYS
No plays are being performed in public on Roundworld at the moment, of course. Hopefully all will be well by November, but keep an eye out for other Discworld plays. We must keep the knowledge of Discworld circulating!
* REMINDER: MURDER IN ANKH-MORPORK IN ABINGDON (NOVEMBER 2020?)
Murder in Ankh-Morpork is currently scheduled to run from 18th–20th November. More details as soon as we know them!
4.2 REMINDER: A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM FOURECKS' FAMOUS UNSEEN THEATRE
...from director Pamela Munt:
Hi Everyone,
I do hope that you are all keeping well in these distressing times. This email is just to let you know that we are all still here and eagerly awaiting the time that we can once again entertain you on stage. What we had originally planned for the "Year of the Condescending Carp" was:-
* A huge celebration of UNSEEN'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY, including a "museum" type display of previous Props, Costumes, Scrapbooks, Cast photos and other nostalgia. The idea was that our actors would have given you all a personal tour guide of this space for half an hour before you settled in to see our shows.
* Our production in May would have been a performance of "Guards!" "Guards!" which was our first play at the Bakehouse Theatre (although the very first was "Mort" at the Tower Arts Centre)
* In November we had intended to stage a witches' play (which we haven't done for a while), namely "Wyrd Sisters".
Unfortunately we have had to cancel our scheduled performance in May, but we are still hoping that our November performance can go ahead. Obviously this is not just up to us. We will just have to wait and see what happens with the virus and the government restrictions.
Unseen Theatre's website is http://unseen.com.au/ (currently not updated)
Reprinted with permission
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05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
Remember, one day, possibly in the not too distant future, Discworld fans will be able to meet in the real Roundworld again. So keep this information handy:
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group"
BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/
*
Drumknott's Irregulars
Facebook (_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups (_https:groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or join us at our next event."
*
The Victorian Discworld Klatch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch
*
"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
*
The Pratchett Partisans
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au
*
The City of Small Gods
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers
broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn when social gatherings are possible.
*
The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, 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)
Contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummershttps://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
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06) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
Blogger Marthe Bijman reviews The Long Earth:
"Terry Pratchett gave the world the gift of his imagining, Discworld and his many other creations, and he exited this world graciously, trying to the last to do good. More so the pity then, that I did not enjoy his collaboration with Stephen Baxter in The Long Earth half as much as any of his solo novels... I approached the team effort of Pratchett and Baxter in The Long Earth with trepidation. I have never read Stephen Baxter’s books. I did not particularly enjoy Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s collaboration, Good Omens... These collaborations seem to me to be a conscious effort to groom a successor for Pratchett... Name me a famous fictional creation, and a dead author, I can guarantee you someone would have tried to keep the creation alive with more novels. I’ve read many. I’ve cared for few. To match or emulate such distinctive voices as Pratchett, Herbert, or the Brontes, takes not only intrinsic talent but also an almost chameleon–like ability to segue into the style, mannerisms, and mental quirks of the other author. Writing is simply a direct expression of one’s thoughts. Authors writing in partnership have to be incredibly in sync, mentally, to produce a novel together, of which the parts are not only on par with each author’s best, but the final product is better than the sum of the parts.
"Which brings me to The Long Earth. Knowing Pratchett would soon not be writing any more, like Iain Banks, last year, I have tried to wean myself off Discworld. I knew Pratchett’s writing style so well, I knew I would be trying to pick his voice from the narrative. Pratchett is immediately recognizable. His style is typified by his use of footnotes, departures or asides from the narrative with humorous or quirky details and puns, strange invented new idiolects like the language of the golems, the 'Wee Free Men' or the 'Igors'. (Yeth, Mathter.) His novels are spoofs of major milestones in history, from the invention of money, to the postal system, industrialization and even opera... That being said, how would Stephen Baxter step into these giant shoes, even though The Last[sic] Earth is not a Discworld novel? Well, my guess is he did all the 'bits inbetween' – the neutral, bulky bits. (I do wonder how much of it is his, and how much is Pratchett’s.) It is OK. Let’s put it that way. The premise is interesting: someone discovers that there is not one Earth, in one galaxy, but countless millions of Earths, a long line of Earths, and, with the aid of a small device (or without), some humans could step from world to world, ending up the same place, or a different place, and a different time. This gives the authors the option of introducing various scenarios – keep the new earth clean, make wars, or not, flee from persecution, or not, live free, or not. It also leaves a lot of room for descriptions of how people settled into new 'worlds' at various times in history... At the end of 424 pages, I was kind of disappointed. I was hoping there was more to it, more of a revelation, a twist in the tale, a surprise..."
https://sevencircumstances.com/2015/03/14/the-long-earth-by-terry-pratchett-and-stephen-baxter/
Blogger The Reading Bug returns with a review of Hogfather:
"In any long running series, especially where the author produces books with the regularity that Terry Pratchett achieved, one looks out for repetition – recycled material, sometimes ironically self-referential, sometimes disguised. So when I tell you that Hogfather features Death leaving his day job and assuming the role of the missing, presumed dead Hogfather, the Father Christmas of Discworld, it will ring some bells. Didn’t that happen before, in Reaper Man and before that in Mort? (It did). To be fair, that’s a minor quibble, because as I am sure I have said before, with Pratchett it is never about the plot. Here, Death is not taking a holiday, but covering for the Hogfather, who despite being the titled character makes only the briefest of appearances. Death is driven to do this on the basis that the Hogfather is responsible for the sun rising each morning, and for this to happen children have to believe in him. It’s not as awkward and contrived as it sounds... Death, becoming aware (somehow) of the Hogfather’s absence, decides to fill in for him. Along the way he visits his granddaughter, Susan Sto Helit, tricking her into investigating the Hogfather’s disappearance. This is not the first time Susan has been called upon to help Death, although at least this time she is not collecting souls for him. She tracks a missing tooth fairy to the Hogfather’s Castle of Bones, on the way meeting Bilious, the “Oh God” of hangovers (one of Pratchett’s better throw away jokes). I am not going to spoil for you what happens there, but I bet you can work it out...Pratchett as ever is a great moral philosopher, with Death as his most articulate spokesperson..."
https://readingbug2016.wordpress.com/2020/02/12/book-review-hogfather-discworld-20-by-terry-pratchett-1996/
...and also reviews Jingo:
"Jingo combines two of Sir Terry’s favourite topics – social commentary, in this case on nationalism, and the men, women and other species of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. It is silly to have favourites in these things, but if forced to choose I would probably have to opt for the Watch as my preferred set of books within the overall series... the novel divides into a series of parallel plot lines, all converging on the ominously inevitable battle in the deserts of Klatch... I have mentioned this novel revolves around a discussion of the dangers of nationalism. Please don’t assumes this means the novel is in any way worthy or preachy. The political points are made with a light touch, although there’s no ambiguity in Pratchett’s perspective. The seductive lure of nationalism is exposed, such as here where the Ankh-Morpork leaders discuss the rush to occupy Leshp... I am sure I have said this many times before, but I don’t think anyone reads Pratchett for the plots. The joy is in the language – at one point he describes 'little crunchy brown bits' (in the context of Sybil's cooking) as 'the food group of the gods' which is just perfect, isn't it? Elsewhere there is a touching demonstration of the 'Trousers of Time' theory first explained in Guards, Guards, where Vimes is able to hear how his life might have played out if he had made different decisions at a key point in the novel. STP's genius shines through in many other ways, but one I don’t think I have mentioned before is his use of names. I love how he plays with the names of the various Watch stations in Ankh-Morpork for example – Pseudopolis Yard, Treacle Mine Road, Cable Street, and possibly my favourite, Dolly Sisters, each one just simply fun in their own right, irrespective of the wit and intelligence behind the names themselves. If, 21 novels in, I haven't won you round to the idea that your life would be richer with a little Discworld in it, I probably am not going to do so, but forgive me for not giving up..."
https://readingbug2016.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/book-review-jingo-discworld-21-by-terry-pratchett-1997/
Blogger The Book Nut's short review of Carpe Jugulum:
"We’re back in Lancre, and Magrat has just had a baby. They’re doing a naming ceremony, and her husband, King Verence, has decided that it would be 'modern' and 'diplomatic' to invite the residents of the next kingdom over, Uberwald. Which would have been a really great idea, except they’re vampires... Thus starts a romp as Granny Weatherwax (who thought she didn’t get invited to the naming) goes into hiding as the vampyres take over, and it’s up to Nanny Ogg, Agnes, and Magrat (with some help from an Om preacher, Mighty[sic] Oats — go read Small Gods before this, because there are Easter eggs) to get rid of the infestation. The thing I love most about Terry Pratchett’s books are the little things. Like a character named Igor, who limps and has a lisp and keeps complaining about the new vampires, saying 'the old mathter did it better'. Or the page or two of thinly veiled penis jokes in the middle of a vampire fight that had me laughing out loud. Or the fact that the vampire castle is called Don’tgonearthe Castle. Or the Nac Mac Feegle (!), who show up (in an early iteration; they speak mostly gibberish and Nanny has to translate at one point. I like them better in Wee Free Men, but it was still delightful to see them). I think this is one of the better witch books..."
https://thebooknut.com/2020/05/08/carpe-jugulum-2/
Blogger Tracey Taylor, once a Pratchett newbie, on discovering Small Gods:
"This is the first Terry Pratchett book I read so for me it will always be the best. I loved Brutha and his struggles. He was so simple and innocent and wonderful. And I loved the caretaker tending to his tiny mountains and the idea that he was there just to witness history, that seemed to resonate with me for some reason. And it was clever and poignant and sad and exciting.I’d known from a very young age that I didn’t believe in god. I actually quite liked the bible stories, but I always knew, for me, they weren’t real and it made no logical sense. I found it really strange that adults were telling me this as if it was real and I struggled with that. So to find this book that deliberately created a fictional world of gods and the idea that there was a small god that had once been popular but was now small as no-one believed in him, that was something I could actually get behind. An allegory of why religion is how it is and the levers behind it (a bit like Book of Mormon does today)..."
https://traceytaylorbooks.wordpress.com/2020/05/10/small-gods-terry-pratchett/
Blogger At Home a Lot's thoughts on Interesting Times:
"You only have to read Terry’s first two books, The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic to know what the revolutionary treatise 'What I Did On My Holidays' would contain, which is probably a very different view to what actually happened. The Great Wizzard* sent to help the revolution is in fact a blundering idiot who just seems to get lucky sometimes. (when he’s not being very unlucky!)... The plot moves fast and can be a little confusing at times, but it’s also a great page turner and makes you laugh out loud. I remember when reading the book I got a little fed up of Mad Hamish (Who is deaf) saying 'whaaaaat' but being read by Nigel Planer it seemed a lot funnier. However, Nigel Planer also pronounced a few things not how I would have expected them to be pronounced, in particular place names. I have always pronounced Ankh Morpork as in Ank, not Arnk. This irritated me a little more than it should have done.I would say that all of Terry Pratchett books are read alone, but there is a sequence in which the characters are introduced and they become like old friends when they pop up in new stories..."
https://athomealot.com/2020/05/01/interesting-times-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Rutty muses on The Colour of Magic:
"Terry Pratchett’s wife must have thought he was on drugs when he initially thought up the concept of the Discworld. A disc-shaped world travelling through space, supported by four elephants on the back of a gigantic turtle? That’s just a bit on the far side of absurd isn’t it? It is indeed thoroughly eccentric and very silly, but the storytelling in Pratchett’s books is always grounded in (our) reality. The best of the Discworld novels all have something to say about us, and while The Colour of Magic doesn’t dig quite as far into the human condition as later books it does provide for a very engaging and amusing read... We meet many interesting characters on the way, and are introduced to many a landmark that we know and love from the series. My favourite places in this book are the Broken Drum, the Circumfence and the Wyrmberg. Pratchett’s imagination has gone wild in some of these locations, and while many of the details of Ankh-Morpork are yet to be fleshed out there’s some impressive world-building going on in what is a fairly short fantasy novel. The action is slick, the jokes come along at a good rate, and this is a really good introduction to the whole series. While you could jump in elsewhere – or even read these books in any order – there’s satisfaction to be gained by reading them in the order they were released... '
https://davidrutt.me.uk/the-colour-of-magic-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Melanie Roussel does some Discworld character analyses. On Sam Vimes:
"If Vimes agrees, we can usually be assured that it’s the just option. Paradoxically, he is also often used as a figure of revolution. Even if that revelation is a revolt against stupidity and an embracing of common sense – a rare commodity on the Discworld as it is on ours. Old ‘Stone-Faced’ Vimes is Sam Vimes ancestor – famous, or infamous, for picking up an axe and cutting off the head of Ankh-Morpork’s last King several hundred years ago. But like our Commander Vimes, Old Stone-Face’s actions weren’t viewed as for a greater political point or for personal motivated. The Vimes family usually do what must be done – even if it means getting their hands dirty... Throughout the books. Vimes is often played off against his subordinate, Captain Carrot, his natural foil. Carrot is a natural-born 'moral' character and rarely has to question what the right thing to do is. He’s the optimist to Vimes’s pessimism. Whether this is down to his simple nature, or he has a better understanding of morality, he often clashes with Vimes’s sense of the world. Vimes does not have a natural sense of right and wrong – or rather, long years in Ankh-Morpork, seeing some of the worst humanity has to offer, has eroded that part of him. It’s also clear through many of the books that Vimes lives on a razor-thin temper and is prone to angry outbursts. But that doesn’t make Vimes a-moral. On the contrary, it makes him almost hyper-aware of his own decision making. In Thud, we see that Vimes’s psyche has gone so far as to create his own internal policeman..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/sam-vimes/
...and Granny Weatherwax:
"Granny Weatherwax is one of my favourite characters, alongside Sam Vimes. Perhaps inevitably, as they’re very similar in a lot of ways... Esmerelda 'Esme' Weatherwax, known to most as Granny Weatherwax, is the crone of the Lancre coven, the country she resides in. And to explain my title – the village Granny lives in is called Bad Ass, named after a stubborn donkey who refused to move, which I’ll never fail to find hilarious. There is a strong ying-yang nature to Granny; she’s described as a terrifyingly good witch and often draws the distinction between what is good and what is nice. Granny is not evil, but she’s certainly not nice... One of Granny’s key powers is her ability to borrow. She is able to possess the minds of animals and see through their eyes. This means her own body becomes dormant, she is often found this way with a small cardboard sign with the words 'I Aten't Dead.' This prevents the unnecessary embarrassment of waking up while being mourned. But perhaps one of my favourite aspects of Granny which speaks to her character in a hilariously dark way is the fact she’s the most dangerous driver in the skies of the Discworld..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/granny-weatherwax/
...and Lord Vetinari:
"Vetinari is an ex-Assassin, highly manipulative and extremely intelligent. You’d have to be to keep a city like Ankh-Morpork together with it’s varying factions and guilds. Particularly as the city is almost weekly on the verge of destruction from a hell dimension or from the citizen’s own creative stupidity. While in the later books it’s not as frequently referred to, there’s no doubt of the somewhat extreme methods he’ll use against his enemies. He is, after all, a tyrant. Vetinari is known to despite mimes, having them hung upside down over a scorpion pit opposite a sign reading 'Learn The Words.' He was instrumental in allowing the Guild of Thieves to form, reasoning that, as there would always be crime in Ankh-Morpork, it might as well be organised. When all's said and done, there is a lot about Vetinari that seems scarily inhuman (in a good way). Including the fact he prefers to read sheet music than listen to it. We also see him as a young man in Night Watch were he is already the man we know, suggesting he just spent a lifetime honing what came naturally... I’ve always agreed with Churchill’s belief that “democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms.” I’ve listened to enough Today in Parliament to know our system isn’t perfect. But if you were to offer me our current system or Lord Vetinari, I’d have quite a hard decision to make..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/havelock-vetinari/
...and even the villainous yet many-layered "ideas taster", Dee, from The Fifth Elephant:
"Terry Pratchett was excellent at creating antagonists, ranging from classical evil to simply obstructive. But none are moustache twisting bad guys, all have their own strengths, weaknesses and motivations. The vast majority are the kind you love to hate, like Carcer, Lord de Word, Mr Gryle, The New Firm and Prince Cadram. The big exception for me is Dee. A cultural revolution begins in Ankh-Morpork which threatens the values of the conservative dwarfs back in their homeland of Uberwald. This is what sparks off the conflict we see in The Fifth Elephant. This is what Dee is fighting for – the traditions of the conservative dwarfs. I feel sorry for Dee because she’s so screwed up by the society and life she’s lived. Her fear of the world outside Überwald and the march of progress has led her down a dark path. One she never pulls back from. Her story ends in a prison cell. Honestly, maybe that’s where it would always end. But I’ve always wanted more for her..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/wwbc-a-villain-that-i-wish-could-be-redeemed/
Blogger Font Folly was a slow Pratchett convert, but got there via the Lancre witches:
"I found myself after that in a conversation with another friend about the series. She was a little bit surprised that I didn't like it, as she thought a lot of the themes the author explored were things I enjoyed. We ended up having a very long conversation about books other people had recommended that we didn’t like, and why we thought that was in various cases. This last conversation happened around the same time that my first husband, Ray, was undergoing chemotherapy. Or maybe it was during one of his surgeries? What I know is that the conversation happened in a waiting room at a medical facility where she was hanging out with me specifically to give me emotion support and distract me a bit. A few months later, Ray died – just two weeks before Thanksgiving. Just before Christmas, she dropped by one day to drop off a Christmas present, but more importantly, to loan me a few books. Most of the books in the pile I recognized as series that I had been interested in trying one day. And then one of the books was in the series that people had been trying to get me to try for a long time. She pulled it out of the pile and said, “I’ve been thinking a lot about that conversation we had about why you didn’t like other books in this series. The more I think about it, I think if any of the books will appeal to you, it’s this one. Give it a try. I won’t be offended if you don’t like it.”... I opened up the loaned copy of Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters. I had intended to just force myself to read it for an hour or so until I go sleepy. Because I was not at all confident that I’d like it any more than any of the other Discworld books I had tried before. The next thing I knew, I was on the last page of the book. The sun had risen outside. I had stayed up all night, eagerly turning pages to find out what happened next... Over the course of the next few months I read all of the witches books in the Discworld series which existed at that time (Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, and Maskerade). Having reached the end of the witch books available at the time, I was eyeing some of the other books in the series, when the friend who had picked Wyrd Sisters for me said, “Skip the earlier guard books. Start with Feet of Clay, then if you like the characters try circling back to the beginning.” And that’s how I eventually wound up reading (and buying my own copies of) almost the entire Discworld series..."
https://fontfolly.net/2020/04/16/im-not-a-lady-im-a-witch-or-more-of-why-i-love-sf-f/
Blogger MMB also does some character analysis. This one is about Discworld's Death:
"'Death' is a non-negotiable kind of guy. Whenever he appears to someone as a seven-foot skeleton, and talks to them in capital letters, they are dead already (with the exception of Reaper Man, in which he becomes, temporarily, mortal). Sometimes the recently deceased question why, where, who and what’s going on, or don’t want to go with him. But they always do.'Death' is tall, bony, and polite, and insistent. He has some difficulty with being human and what goes with that – like clothes, eating, sleeping and children. Children recognize him instantly, whereas adults look past him and through him, like he is some kind of temporal anomaly or homeless person sleeping on a hot-air vent. He knows everything there is to know about the soon-to-be-dead – their life spans, the manner of their deaths, and what they were hoping for after life. A Valkyrie and feasting in the halls of Asgard anyone? A long walk into a black desert? A reunion with the lover of your youth? Pratchett, speaking through the character of 'Death', gives readers the comfort that, firstly, the time that each person, from pharaohs to wizards, is allocated, is logical and right, and not to be borrowed or extended unless the world is going up in flames, so to speak. Also, that death is part of the cycle of life. There is life, then death, then life again. If there were no death, there would be no new life. Or there would be terrible chaos, the world would be out of balance – too many people, too much growth, too much energy, overcrowding in the after-life, and problems with the half-dead, like poor old wizard 'Windle Poons', and 'Dead Rights activist' and zombie,'Reg Shoe'..."
https://sevencircumstances.com/2014/10/20/death-and-the-flight-of-birds-in-the-discworld-reaper-man-by-terry-pratchett/
...and finally, a round-up by blogger Cultured Vultures of their reviews and rankings of ALL the Discworld books!
"I am far from calling myself Pratchett’s number one fan, but I have read all of the Discworld books and have them lined up nicely on my bookshelf. With the end of the collection, I have decided that I am going to re-read the novels, in order, and really think about them, more than perhaps I have done before. I think I owe Sir Terry that much..."
https://culturedvultures.com/book-reviews/discworld/
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07) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
A lovely photo of The Author at the end of the '90s, tweeted by Rhianna P:
https://twitter.com/rhipratchett/status/1255191782016593921
A lovely Good Omens "cake" sculpture by Annie Davies:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVvMm-LXYAMTIec?format=jpg&name=medium
A lovely Crowley and Aziraphale portrait by Paul Kidby:
https://twitter.com/PaulKidby/status/1256216203045023749/photo/1
A lovely portrait of The Author, by Paul Kidby of course:
https://www.paulkidby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Sir-Terry-Pratchett-1-1000x1186_c.jpg
...and Mr Kidby's gorgeous take on Anathema Device – a Wossname favourite:
https://i3.createsend1.com/ei/r/4A/FAA/B69/csimport/newsletterpic1.133546.jpg
...and a lovely Good Omens bookmark, made by Tumblr user deppressedbagofbadpuns:
https://media.zenfs.com/en/tumblr_books_67/2f916a0de9486d26db714241f2786d18
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08) CLOSE
According to the QI Elves (researchers for the iconic BBC programme), Queen Victoria had "a 14 year old stalker who broke into Buckingham palace at least four times and stole a pair of her underwear". Sounds like a certain recently knighted young royal operative – whose picaresque adventures were chronicled in Dodger – was practising his skills with Her Majesty's tacit approval...
Right, that's it for now. Mind how you go, REMAIN INDOORS, and we hope to see you next month...
– Annie Mac
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2020 by Wossname for the Klatchian Foreign Legion
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2020 (Volume 23, Issue 5, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)
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INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
06) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
07) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
08) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"If it's too hard/expensive to make it close to Terry's vision then why bother. I think if someone gave me the plot and list of characters and didn't mention Discworld I might actually like the idea of the series. But don't claim it's one thing and then give me something else. I hold out much more hope with the new
faithful adaptations."
– Jason Anthony of Discworld Monthly speaks truth to power about "The Watch"
"The Discworld books are a huge source of joy to millions of readers, and rightly so; every paragraph, phrase and footnote was crafted with brilliance and flair and we are committed to bringing Terry’s world to the screen with the respect and care it deserves. With this partnership, we are delighted to say that Discworld has finally found its home."
– Rob Wilkins also tells the truth, with beautifully phrased stealth subtext
“I must confess the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occurred to him.”
– Terry Pratchett, of course. One wonders what he would have made of the developments since 2015...
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
Does anyone know what day it is? Or month, for that matter? A friend recently sent me a text message that said "March lasted 600 years and April was 20 minutes and what the hell is time?", and I think that all of us – and the History Monks! – can understand and sympathise. But in the world of Discworld As Seen In Roundworld, exciting news is afoot: Narrativia, the company originally formed 7+1 years ago by Sir Pterry and Rob Wilkins and now curated by Mr Wilkins and Rhianna Pratchett, has announced their intent to adapt Discworld to the screen in a manner in keeping with The Author's original vision. Here's to many successful – and accurate – renderings of our favourite world and its rich parade of characters! See item 3.1 for details.
There's also a very special short video out there on the Clacks. A positively... ineffable video, in fact – see item 3.2
A reminder: The Time-Travelling Caveman, final volume of the young Terry Pratchett's children's stories originally published long ago in the Bucks Free Press, can be pre-ordered now:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1119110/the-time-travelling-caveman/9780857536037.html
https://www.discworldemporium.com/childrens-books/639-the-time-travelling-caveman-hardback
https://discworld.com/?s=Time+Travelling+Caveman&post_type=product
And now, on with the show...
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) ODDS AND SODS
3.1 NARRATIVIA: TAKING BACK CONTROL
...and millions of Discworld fans are surely punching the air in delight. The Narrativia announcement:
"In an exclusive relationship going forward, Narrativia, the independent production company launched by Sir Terry Pratchett in 2012, strikes new development deal with Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content to create truly authentic Discworld screen adaptations. Discworld, the iconic and enduringly popular literary phenomenon, spans a series of beloved novels that sold in excess of 100 million copies around the world during Sir Terry’s lifetime and remain as popular today. Now, Narrativia, Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content announce a brand new partnership which will bring this treasured world to screens in a series of prestige adaptations that remain absolutely faithful to Sir Terry Pratchett’s original, unique genius. The spirit of this new alliance has been forged from a shared love of the source material, and a commitment to create an epic series, which will kick off with some of the most iconic titles in Sir Terry’s fiercely incisive and satirical universe.
"Rhianna Pratchett, Co-Director of Narrativia, says: “Discworld teems with unique characters, witty narrative and incredible literary tropes, and we feel these should be realised on screen in a form that my father would be proud of. It’s wonderful to embark on this journey with Motive and Endeavor Content, who both perfectly share our vision to make this a reality.”
"Rob Wilkins, Managing Director of Narrativia, says: “The Discworld books are a huge source of joy to millions of readers, and rightly so; every paragraph, phrase and footnote was crafted with brilliance and flair and we are committed to bringing Terry’s world to the screen with the respect and care it deserves. With this partnership, we are delighted to say that Discworld has finally found its home.”..."
To read the full announcement online, go to https://narrativia.com/
Some reactions...
By Alison Flood in The Guardian:
"[Rob] Wilkins, Narrativia’s managing director, said the new partnership meant that Discworld had 'finally found its home'. 'The Discworld books are a huge source of joy to millions of readers, and rightly so; every paragraph, phrase and footnote was crafted with brilliance and flair and we are committed to bringing Terry’s world to the screen with the respect and care it deserves,' he said. Wilkins denied the new deal was in response to Narrativia’s dissatisfaction with The Watch. 'Though Narrativia retain an executive producer credit in The Watch, they have no creative involvement in the project. However, they of course wish The Watch all the best.' Motive Pictures chief executive Simon Maxwell called the Discworld universe a national treasure..."
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/28/terry-pratchett-novels-faithful-tv-adaptation-discworld
A not so subtle reminder, also from Flood:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2020/jan/17/discworld-fans-are-right-to-be-nervous-about-the-bbcs-punk-rock-the-watch
By Adele Ankers for IGN:
"Sir Terry Pratchett's Narrativia is looking to expand the Discworld universe with a new series of "truly authentic" screen adaptations after striking a development deal with Endeavor Content and Motive Pictures. Narrativia, the production company launched by Pratchett in 2012, recently announced the exclusive partnership, which will bring the treasured world of the Discworld fantasy novel series to screens in the form of "prestige adaptations that remain absolutely faithful" to Pratchett's original, unique genius. Discworld spans a beloved series of novels that have sold in excess of 100 million copies globally, and the adaptations are said to be forged from a shared love of the original source material, as well as a mutual commitment towards creating an epic series..."
https://nordic.ign.com/news/36052/discworld-movies-terry-pratchetts-production-company-to-make-authentic-adaptations
An observation from Charles Pulliam-Moore on Gizmodo Australia:
"Currently, no new series to be developed from the new partnership have been announced and given the way the spread of the novel coronavirus has effectively shut down the production of new series and films, it’s not certain when we can expect to hear what Narrativia, Endeavour Content, and Motive Pictures will create first together."
https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/04/terry-pratchetts-discworld-will-get-even-more-adaptations-thanks-to-massive-new-deal/
...and more observations from Caitlin Hobbs in Book Riot:
"Key word there: develop. It’s not set in stone that the adaptation will air—many projects go into development and never come out—but hopes are high so far... According to Variety, the adaptations will remain 'absolutely faithful' to the source text. After BBC’s The Watch, which received a lot of criticism for how much the story was changed, this is a welcome bit of news. Unlike with The Watch adaptation, Narrativia will have an active hand in creating these stories, so we can breathe easy..."
https://bookriot.com/2020/04/29/new-terry-pratchett-discworld-adaptations/
3.2 GOOD OMENS NEWS
* Crowley and Aziraphale in lockdown?! A short and, er, tasty video from Narrativia and The Blank Corporation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quSXoj8Kob0&feature=youtu.be
As reported by Lauren Morris for the Radio Times:
"Released in honour of the book’s 30th anniversary, the three-minute episode listens in on a phone call between the antiquarian-loving angel Aziraphale (Sheen) and serpentine demon Crowley (Tennant) as they discuss their attempts to flatten the curve. Aziraphale checks in with the bored demon, who is also stuck indoors, waiting out the quarantine. When he asks why Crowley isn't 'out and about', he replies: 'I know I ought to be making people's lives worse but everyone’s so miserable cooped up right now anyway, I don't have the heart for it.'... The special was released on YouTube on Friday 1st May and written by Neil Gaiman... 'This is our present to all of you. It's to make people happy, because too many of us are sad,' Neil Gaiman wrote on Twitter..."
https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-05-04/david-tennant-michael-sheen-good-omens-lockdown-special/
By Petrana Radulovic on Polygon:
"Though only the actor’s voices are featured in the video, it contains many little props and nods to the world, such as a map of Lower Tadfield and the books in Aziraphale’s shop... Good Omens has long been a staple of internet fandom; officially contributing to a current trend in the fandom sphere only solidifies its stronghold..."
https://www.polygon.com/tv/2020/5/1/21243992/good-omens-30th-anniversary-lockdown-video
* A wonderful result from a Good Omens 30th anniversary online lockdown fundraiser for Alzheimer's Research UK that raised over £2,000, which was more than 200 per cent of its target. Not quite Captain Tom, but still a super result!
https://twitter.com/TheIneffableCon/status/1256593075184504832
* The Good Omens miniseries has been included in the 2020 Peabody Awards:
"The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors has selected 60 nominees that represent the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019. The nominees were chosen by unanimous vote of 19 jurors from nearly 1,300 entries from television, radio/podcasts and the web in entertainment, news, documentary, children’s and public service programming. The Peabody Awards are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. 'Peabody is proud to champion this year’s nominees who inspire our connection, provoke our thinking and delight our senses. From the communal strength of black women to the eminence of science to the conviction of those who speak up, these stories and their creators celebrate the diversity of human experience and of our democracy,” said Jeffrey P. Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Amidst the challenges of our present moment, we can find empathy, entertainment and truth in these nominees.'..."
https://www.wgauradio.com/news/local/uga-administered-peabodys-name-nominees/LnIGxPUdso3OkMqewbOXoN/
More about "the Peabodys": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peabody_Award
3.3 BERNARD PEARSON'S COMMUNICATION ADVICE
Bernard Pearson, known to Discworld fans the world around as "the Cunning Artificer" and the master of the Discworld Emporium, Roundworld's only interdimensional embassy, is also known for having strong opinions. And this opinion would be very dear to Moist von Lipwig's (and Senior Postman Groat's, and Head of Stamps Stanley Howler's) heart!
By Ellie Kendall for Somerset Live:
"You may know him as the friendly face of Wincanton's famous Pratchett-themed shop, The Discworld Emporium. But Bernard has a special, much-needed take on life - especially now... Bernard, now in his seventies, has a way of finding the bright side in life, it's not all fun and games. He is, himself, in strict isolation due to ill health. He, like so many, just wants to hug his grandchildren. So Bernard has written us a letter with his top tip for surviving lockdown - write letters. Not electronic letters, but real ones. 'Being on one's own, can be a bit of a bonus at times. At times, but not endlessly. Not being able to touch, hold, or even talk to someone special or even a neighbour - that is something we would have all found impossible to imagine a few weeks ago. But now it is the norm for so many of us. Especially if you, like me, are classed as ‘at risk’. Of course, there is the phone, video links and e-mail. But in some ways, they are more of the problem than the solution... Terry Pratchett was a close friend of mine. He was a good man with words, one of the best in fact. And he once described e-mails as being as "friendly as a thrown knife". And I think he was right... There is one form of communication that almost bridges that gap. It's not new, has been around a long, long time and was once the only way mankind communicated over any distance. The letter. The old fashioned and simple, pen on paper. There is something about a letter, a real letter landing on the doormat. It's why we still have letterboxes - that hole in the door that lets in junk mail can also let in a message from a friend. A letter from a loved one, someone from the past, or just yesterday. Distance is no object. Next door, next town, next country, it doesn’t matter. To sit and write, to put on paper with your own hand what you are thinking, feeling, hoping for or worried about. To see the words, form under your hand and the marks on the paper join you with your reader. It’s a most cathartic experience. Something you are touching - creating - will be held in someone’s hand and what you have written will form pictures in their mind...'"
To read the Cunning Artificer's entire letter, go to:
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/news-opinion/wincanton-terry-pratchett-shop-lockdown-4114739
3.4 BEE REVIVAL! TIFFANY WOULD BE PLEASED
By Isabelle Gerretsen for BBC Future:
"While people have been confined to their homes this spring, wildlife has faced less human disturbance, traffic and polluting fumes... One animal that could see a much-needed revival is the wild bee, scientists say. Bee populations are rapidly declining around the world due to habitat loss, pollution and the use of pesticides, among other factors. 'These creatures are vital to what we eat and what our countryside looks like,' says Gill Perkins, chief executive of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. 'They provide a whole ecosystem service.' A world without bees would look very different and change our lives enormously. Bees are the world’s most important pollinators, fertilising a third of the food we eat and 80% of flowering plants. Bees and other pollinating insects have a global economic value of around £120bn ($150bn)... Less fumes from cars on the road makes it easier for bees to forage, as air pollution substantially reduces the strength and longevity of floral scents, according to a 2016 study. 'In a world with less air pollution, bees can make shorter and more profitable ‘shopping trips’, and this may help them rear more young,' says Mark Brown, professor of evolutionary ecology at Royal Holloway, University of London..."
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200506-why-lockdown-is-helping-bees
3.5 THE MERCH CORNER
This month's feature is stuff from Discworld.com...
* Dark Side of the Turtle t-shirt
The t-shirt with rocks in! This one is a true beauty. "In the spirit of Soul Music, this stunning black t-shirt pays homage to a certain icon of Roundworld music, whilst giving it a distinctly chelonium spin. Printed digitally on ringspun Gildan t-shirts."
Each Dark Side of the Turtle t-shirt is priced at £20 – £22, depending on size. Sizes available are Small (34/36″), Medium (38/40″), Large (42/44″), XL (46/48″),
2XL (50/52″), and 3XL (54/56″). For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/bags-clothing/dark-side-turtle-t-shirt/
* Time to pre-order your Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal?
"In a city like Ankh-Morpork, where Assassins assassinate, thieves thieve and seamstresses, um . . . don’t, Law and Order can be a complicated business. Thankfully His Grace, His Excellency, The Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes (Blackboard Monitor) and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch are here to keep the peace. The finest body of men, women, dwarfs, trolls, werewolves, golems, igors, gnomes, feegles, vampires (and whatever Nobby Nobbs is) on the face of the Discworld! The Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal provides jotting space for your notes, reports, observations and investigations, so kick back, relax and take down your particulars. To help you keep on the straight and narrow, you'll be aided and abetted by some choice quotes from Terry Pratchett’s seminal City Watch novels."
Each Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal ("Exclusively embossed with Terry's signature and sealed with his coat of arms") is priced at £17 and will be available to ship on 6th August 2020. For more info, and to pre-order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/books/the-ankh-morpork-city-watch-discworld-journal/
* The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two
As featured in the previous issue from Paul Kidby's website. equal time for Discworld.com...
"Containing material unavailable for twenty years — this is a comprehensive guide to the capital city of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, getting to the heart of Ankh-Morpork’s secrets, societies and guilds... In the second volume of this confidential guide, brave travellers are made privy to the inner workings of more illustrious Ankh-Morpork societies. Disabuse yourself of notions of professionalism under which you may hold the City Watch; discover what serious business is undertaken by the Fools’ Guild (joking is no laughing matter); and, should you be lucky, achieve true enlightenment through the teachings of Lu-Tze. One thing’s for sure: after you’ve read this book, Ankh-Morpork’s Guilds are going to need to come up with new ways of doing things. Completely revamped and redesigned, this full-colour book contains material from Discworld Diaries across the decades."
Each copy of the Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two is priced at £25 and will be available to ship on 29th October 2020. For more info, and to pre-order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/books/ankh-morpork-archives-volume-two/
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04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
4.1 FORTHCOMING PLAYS
No plays are being performed in public on Roundworld at the moment, of course. Hopefully all will be well by November, but keep an eye out for other Discworld plays. We must keep the knowledge of Discworld circulating!
* REMINDER: MURDER IN ANKH-MORPORK IN ABINGDON (NOVEMBER 2020?)
Murder in Ankh-Morpork is currently scheduled to run from 18th–20th November. More details as soon as we know them!
4.2 REMINDER: A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM FOURECKS' FAMOUS UNSEEN THEATRE
...from director Pamela Munt:
Hi Everyone,
I do hope that you are all keeping well in these distressing times. This email is just to let you know that we are all still here and eagerly awaiting the time that we can once again entertain you on stage. What we had originally planned for the "Year of the Condescending Carp" was:-
* A huge celebration of UNSEEN'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY, including a "museum" type display of previous Props, Costumes, Scrapbooks, Cast photos and other nostalgia. The idea was that our actors would have given you all a personal tour guide of this space for half an hour before you settled in to see our shows.
* Our production in May would have been a performance of "Guards!" "Guards!" which was our first play at the Bakehouse Theatre (although the very first was "Mort" at the Tower Arts Centre)
* In November we had intended to stage a witches' play (which we haven't done for a while), namely "Wyrd Sisters".
Unfortunately we have had to cancel our scheduled performance in May, but we are still hoping that our November performance can go ahead. Obviously this is not just up to us. We will just have to wait and see what happens with the virus and the government restrictions.
Unseen Theatre's website is http://unseen.com.au/ (currently not updated)
Reprinted with permission
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
Remember, one day, possibly in the not too distant future, Discworld fans will be able to meet in the real Roundworld again. So keep this information handy:
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group"
BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/
*
Drumknott's Irregulars
Facebook (_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups (_https:groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or join us at our next event."
*
The Victorian Discworld Klatch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch
*
"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
*
The Pratchett Partisans
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au
*
The City of Small Gods
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers
broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn when social gatherings are possible.
*
The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, 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)
Contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummershttps://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
06) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
Blogger Marthe Bijman reviews The Long Earth:
"Terry Pratchett gave the world the gift of his imagining, Discworld and his many other creations, and he exited this world graciously, trying to the last to do good. More so the pity then, that I did not enjoy his collaboration with Stephen Baxter in The Long Earth half as much as any of his solo novels... I approached the team effort of Pratchett and Baxter in The Long Earth with trepidation. I have never read Stephen Baxter’s books. I did not particularly enjoy Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s collaboration, Good Omens... These collaborations seem to me to be a conscious effort to groom a successor for Pratchett... Name me a famous fictional creation, and a dead author, I can guarantee you someone would have tried to keep the creation alive with more novels. I’ve read many. I’ve cared for few. To match or emulate such distinctive voices as Pratchett, Herbert, or the Brontes, takes not only intrinsic talent but also an almost chameleon–like ability to segue into the style, mannerisms, and mental quirks of the other author. Writing is simply a direct expression of one’s thoughts. Authors writing in partnership have to be incredibly in sync, mentally, to produce a novel together, of which the parts are not only on par with each author’s best, but the final product is better than the sum of the parts.
"Which brings me to The Long Earth. Knowing Pratchett would soon not be writing any more, like Iain Banks, last year, I have tried to wean myself off Discworld. I knew Pratchett’s writing style so well, I knew I would be trying to pick his voice from the narrative. Pratchett is immediately recognizable. His style is typified by his use of footnotes, departures or asides from the narrative with humorous or quirky details and puns, strange invented new idiolects like the language of the golems, the 'Wee Free Men' or the 'Igors'. (Yeth, Mathter.) His novels are spoofs of major milestones in history, from the invention of money, to the postal system, industrialization and even opera... That being said, how would Stephen Baxter step into these giant shoes, even though The Last[sic] Earth is not a Discworld novel? Well, my guess is he did all the 'bits inbetween' – the neutral, bulky bits. (I do wonder how much of it is his, and how much is Pratchett’s.) It is OK. Let’s put it that way. The premise is interesting: someone discovers that there is not one Earth, in one galaxy, but countless millions of Earths, a long line of Earths, and, with the aid of a small device (or without), some humans could step from world to world, ending up the same place, or a different place, and a different time. This gives the authors the option of introducing various scenarios – keep the new earth clean, make wars, or not, flee from persecution, or not, live free, or not. It also leaves a lot of room for descriptions of how people settled into new 'worlds' at various times in history... At the end of 424 pages, I was kind of disappointed. I was hoping there was more to it, more of a revelation, a twist in the tale, a surprise..."
https://sevencircumstances.com/2015/03/14/the-long-earth-by-terry-pratchett-and-stephen-baxter/
Blogger The Reading Bug returns with a review of Hogfather:
"In any long running series, especially where the author produces books with the regularity that Terry Pratchett achieved, one looks out for repetition – recycled material, sometimes ironically self-referential, sometimes disguised. So when I tell you that Hogfather features Death leaving his day job and assuming the role of the missing, presumed dead Hogfather, the Father Christmas of Discworld, it will ring some bells. Didn’t that happen before, in Reaper Man and before that in Mort? (It did). To be fair, that’s a minor quibble, because as I am sure I have said before, with Pratchett it is never about the plot. Here, Death is not taking a holiday, but covering for the Hogfather, who despite being the titled character makes only the briefest of appearances. Death is driven to do this on the basis that the Hogfather is responsible for the sun rising each morning, and for this to happen children have to believe in him. It’s not as awkward and contrived as it sounds... Death, becoming aware (somehow) of the Hogfather’s absence, decides to fill in for him. Along the way he visits his granddaughter, Susan Sto Helit, tricking her into investigating the Hogfather’s disappearance. This is not the first time Susan has been called upon to help Death, although at least this time she is not collecting souls for him. She tracks a missing tooth fairy to the Hogfather’s Castle of Bones, on the way meeting Bilious, the “Oh God” of hangovers (one of Pratchett’s better throw away jokes). I am not going to spoil for you what happens there, but I bet you can work it out...Pratchett as ever is a great moral philosopher, with Death as his most articulate spokesperson..."
https://readingbug2016.wordpress.com/2020/02/12/book-review-hogfather-discworld-20-by-terry-pratchett-1996/
...and also reviews Jingo:
"Jingo combines two of Sir Terry’s favourite topics – social commentary, in this case on nationalism, and the men, women and other species of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. It is silly to have favourites in these things, but if forced to choose I would probably have to opt for the Watch as my preferred set of books within the overall series... the novel divides into a series of parallel plot lines, all converging on the ominously inevitable battle in the deserts of Klatch... I have mentioned this novel revolves around a discussion of the dangers of nationalism. Please don’t assumes this means the novel is in any way worthy or preachy. The political points are made with a light touch, although there’s no ambiguity in Pratchett’s perspective. The seductive lure of nationalism is exposed, such as here where the Ankh-Morpork leaders discuss the rush to occupy Leshp... I am sure I have said this many times before, but I don’t think anyone reads Pratchett for the plots. The joy is in the language – at one point he describes 'little crunchy brown bits' (in the context of Sybil's cooking) as 'the food group of the gods' which is just perfect, isn't it? Elsewhere there is a touching demonstration of the 'Trousers of Time' theory first explained in Guards, Guards, where Vimes is able to hear how his life might have played out if he had made different decisions at a key point in the novel. STP's genius shines through in many other ways, but one I don’t think I have mentioned before is his use of names. I love how he plays with the names of the various Watch stations in Ankh-Morpork for example – Pseudopolis Yard, Treacle Mine Road, Cable Street, and possibly my favourite, Dolly Sisters, each one just simply fun in their own right, irrespective of the wit and intelligence behind the names themselves. If, 21 novels in, I haven't won you round to the idea that your life would be richer with a little Discworld in it, I probably am not going to do so, but forgive me for not giving up..."
https://readingbug2016.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/book-review-jingo-discworld-21-by-terry-pratchett-1997/
Blogger The Book Nut's short review of Carpe Jugulum:
"We’re back in Lancre, and Magrat has just had a baby. They’re doing a naming ceremony, and her husband, King Verence, has decided that it would be 'modern' and 'diplomatic' to invite the residents of the next kingdom over, Uberwald. Which would have been a really great idea, except they’re vampires... Thus starts a romp as Granny Weatherwax (who thought she didn’t get invited to the naming) goes into hiding as the vampyres take over, and it’s up to Nanny Ogg, Agnes, and Magrat (with some help from an Om preacher, Mighty[sic] Oats — go read Small Gods before this, because there are Easter eggs) to get rid of the infestation. The thing I love most about Terry Pratchett’s books are the little things. Like a character named Igor, who limps and has a lisp and keeps complaining about the new vampires, saying 'the old mathter did it better'. Or the page or two of thinly veiled penis jokes in the middle of a vampire fight that had me laughing out loud. Or the fact that the vampire castle is called Don’tgonearthe Castle. Or the Nac Mac Feegle (!), who show up (in an early iteration; they speak mostly gibberish and Nanny has to translate at one point. I like them better in Wee Free Men, but it was still delightful to see them). I think this is one of the better witch books..."
https://thebooknut.com/2020/05/08/carpe-jugulum-2/
Blogger Tracey Taylor, once a Pratchett newbie, on discovering Small Gods:
"This is the first Terry Pratchett book I read so for me it will always be the best. I loved Brutha and his struggles. He was so simple and innocent and wonderful. And I loved the caretaker tending to his tiny mountains and the idea that he was there just to witness history, that seemed to resonate with me for some reason. And it was clever and poignant and sad and exciting.I’d known from a very young age that I didn’t believe in god. I actually quite liked the bible stories, but I always knew, for me, they weren’t real and it made no logical sense. I found it really strange that adults were telling me this as if it was real and I struggled with that. So to find this book that deliberately created a fictional world of gods and the idea that there was a small god that had once been popular but was now small as no-one believed in him, that was something I could actually get behind. An allegory of why religion is how it is and the levers behind it (a bit like Book of Mormon does today)..."
https://traceytaylorbooks.wordpress.com/2020/05/10/small-gods-terry-pratchett/
Blogger At Home a Lot's thoughts on Interesting Times:
"You only have to read Terry’s first two books, The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic to know what the revolutionary treatise 'What I Did On My Holidays' would contain, which is probably a very different view to what actually happened. The Great Wizzard* sent to help the revolution is in fact a blundering idiot who just seems to get lucky sometimes. (when he’s not being very unlucky!)... The plot moves fast and can be a little confusing at times, but it’s also a great page turner and makes you laugh out loud. I remember when reading the book I got a little fed up of Mad Hamish (Who is deaf) saying 'whaaaaat' but being read by Nigel Planer it seemed a lot funnier. However, Nigel Planer also pronounced a few things not how I would have expected them to be pronounced, in particular place names. I have always pronounced Ankh Morpork as in Ank, not Arnk. This irritated me a little more than it should have done.I would say that all of Terry Pratchett books are read alone, but there is a sequence in which the characters are introduced and they become like old friends when they pop up in new stories..."
https://athomealot.com/2020/05/01/interesting-times-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Rutty muses on The Colour of Magic:
"Terry Pratchett’s wife must have thought he was on drugs when he initially thought up the concept of the Discworld. A disc-shaped world travelling through space, supported by four elephants on the back of a gigantic turtle? That’s just a bit on the far side of absurd isn’t it? It is indeed thoroughly eccentric and very silly, but the storytelling in Pratchett’s books is always grounded in (our) reality. The best of the Discworld novels all have something to say about us, and while The Colour of Magic doesn’t dig quite as far into the human condition as later books it does provide for a very engaging and amusing read... We meet many interesting characters on the way, and are introduced to many a landmark that we know and love from the series. My favourite places in this book are the Broken Drum, the Circumfence and the Wyrmberg. Pratchett’s imagination has gone wild in some of these locations, and while many of the details of Ankh-Morpork are yet to be fleshed out there’s some impressive world-building going on in what is a fairly short fantasy novel. The action is slick, the jokes come along at a good rate, and this is a really good introduction to the whole series. While you could jump in elsewhere – or even read these books in any order – there’s satisfaction to be gained by reading them in the order they were released... '
https://davidrutt.me.uk/the-colour-of-magic-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Melanie Roussel does some Discworld character analyses. On Sam Vimes:
"If Vimes agrees, we can usually be assured that it’s the just option. Paradoxically, he is also often used as a figure of revolution. Even if that revelation is a revolt against stupidity and an embracing of common sense – a rare commodity on the Discworld as it is on ours. Old ‘Stone-Faced’ Vimes is Sam Vimes ancestor – famous, or infamous, for picking up an axe and cutting off the head of Ankh-Morpork’s last King several hundred years ago. But like our Commander Vimes, Old Stone-Face’s actions weren’t viewed as for a greater political point or for personal motivated. The Vimes family usually do what must be done – even if it means getting their hands dirty... Throughout the books. Vimes is often played off against his subordinate, Captain Carrot, his natural foil. Carrot is a natural-born 'moral' character and rarely has to question what the right thing to do is. He’s the optimist to Vimes’s pessimism. Whether this is down to his simple nature, or he has a better understanding of morality, he often clashes with Vimes’s sense of the world. Vimes does not have a natural sense of right and wrong – or rather, long years in Ankh-Morpork, seeing some of the worst humanity has to offer, has eroded that part of him. It’s also clear through many of the books that Vimes lives on a razor-thin temper and is prone to angry outbursts. But that doesn’t make Vimes a-moral. On the contrary, it makes him almost hyper-aware of his own decision making. In Thud, we see that Vimes’s psyche has gone so far as to create his own internal policeman..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/sam-vimes/
...and Granny Weatherwax:
"Granny Weatherwax is one of my favourite characters, alongside Sam Vimes. Perhaps inevitably, as they’re very similar in a lot of ways... Esmerelda 'Esme' Weatherwax, known to most as Granny Weatherwax, is the crone of the Lancre coven, the country she resides in. And to explain my title – the village Granny lives in is called Bad Ass, named after a stubborn donkey who refused to move, which I’ll never fail to find hilarious. There is a strong ying-yang nature to Granny; she’s described as a terrifyingly good witch and often draws the distinction between what is good and what is nice. Granny is not evil, but she’s certainly not nice... One of Granny’s key powers is her ability to borrow. She is able to possess the minds of animals and see through their eyes. This means her own body becomes dormant, she is often found this way with a small cardboard sign with the words 'I Aten't Dead.' This prevents the unnecessary embarrassment of waking up while being mourned. But perhaps one of my favourite aspects of Granny which speaks to her character in a hilariously dark way is the fact she’s the most dangerous driver in the skies of the Discworld..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/granny-weatherwax/
...and Lord Vetinari:
"Vetinari is an ex-Assassin, highly manipulative and extremely intelligent. You’d have to be to keep a city like Ankh-Morpork together with it’s varying factions and guilds. Particularly as the city is almost weekly on the verge of destruction from a hell dimension or from the citizen’s own creative stupidity. While in the later books it’s not as frequently referred to, there’s no doubt of the somewhat extreme methods he’ll use against his enemies. He is, after all, a tyrant. Vetinari is known to despite mimes, having them hung upside down over a scorpion pit opposite a sign reading 'Learn The Words.' He was instrumental in allowing the Guild of Thieves to form, reasoning that, as there would always be crime in Ankh-Morpork, it might as well be organised. When all's said and done, there is a lot about Vetinari that seems scarily inhuman (in a good way). Including the fact he prefers to read sheet music than listen to it. We also see him as a young man in Night Watch were he is already the man we know, suggesting he just spent a lifetime honing what came naturally... I’ve always agreed with Churchill’s belief that “democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms.” I’ve listened to enough Today in Parliament to know our system isn’t perfect. But if you were to offer me our current system or Lord Vetinari, I’d have quite a hard decision to make..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/havelock-vetinari/
...and even the villainous yet many-layered "ideas taster", Dee, from The Fifth Elephant:
"Terry Pratchett was excellent at creating antagonists, ranging from classical evil to simply obstructive. But none are moustache twisting bad guys, all have their own strengths, weaknesses and motivations. The vast majority are the kind you love to hate, like Carcer, Lord de Word, Mr Gryle, The New Firm and Prince Cadram. The big exception for me is Dee. A cultural revolution begins in Ankh-Morpork which threatens the values of the conservative dwarfs back in their homeland of Uberwald. This is what sparks off the conflict we see in The Fifth Elephant. This is what Dee is fighting for – the traditions of the conservative dwarfs. I feel sorry for Dee because she’s so screwed up by the society and life she’s lived. Her fear of the world outside Überwald and the march of progress has led her down a dark path. One she never pulls back from. Her story ends in a prison cell. Honestly, maybe that’s where it would always end. But I’ve always wanted more for her..."
https://melanierousselfiction.com/wwbc-a-villain-that-i-wish-could-be-redeemed/
Blogger Font Folly was a slow Pratchett convert, but got there via the Lancre witches:
"I found myself after that in a conversation with another friend about the series. She was a little bit surprised that I didn't like it, as she thought a lot of the themes the author explored were things I enjoyed. We ended up having a very long conversation about books other people had recommended that we didn’t like, and why we thought that was in various cases. This last conversation happened around the same time that my first husband, Ray, was undergoing chemotherapy. Or maybe it was during one of his surgeries? What I know is that the conversation happened in a waiting room at a medical facility where she was hanging out with me specifically to give me emotion support and distract me a bit. A few months later, Ray died – just two weeks before Thanksgiving. Just before Christmas, she dropped by one day to drop off a Christmas present, but more importantly, to loan me a few books. Most of the books in the pile I recognized as series that I had been interested in trying one day. And then one of the books was in the series that people had been trying to get me to try for a long time. She pulled it out of the pile and said, “I’ve been thinking a lot about that conversation we had about why you didn’t like other books in this series. The more I think about it, I think if any of the books will appeal to you, it’s this one. Give it a try. I won’t be offended if you don’t like it.”... I opened up the loaned copy of Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters. I had intended to just force myself to read it for an hour or so until I go sleepy. Because I was not at all confident that I’d like it any more than any of the other Discworld books I had tried before. The next thing I knew, I was on the last page of the book. The sun had risen outside. I had stayed up all night, eagerly turning pages to find out what happened next... Over the course of the next few months I read all of the witches books in the Discworld series which existed at that time (Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, and Maskerade). Having reached the end of the witch books available at the time, I was eyeing some of the other books in the series, when the friend who had picked Wyrd Sisters for me said, “Skip the earlier guard books. Start with Feet of Clay, then if you like the characters try circling back to the beginning.” And that’s how I eventually wound up reading (and buying my own copies of) almost the entire Discworld series..."
https://fontfolly.net/2020/04/16/im-not-a-lady-im-a-witch-or-more-of-why-i-love-sf-f/
Blogger MMB also does some character analysis. This one is about Discworld's Death:
"'Death' is a non-negotiable kind of guy. Whenever he appears to someone as a seven-foot skeleton, and talks to them in capital letters, they are dead already (with the exception of Reaper Man, in which he becomes, temporarily, mortal). Sometimes the recently deceased question why, where, who and what’s going on, or don’t want to go with him. But they always do.'Death' is tall, bony, and polite, and insistent. He has some difficulty with being human and what goes with that – like clothes, eating, sleeping and children. Children recognize him instantly, whereas adults look past him and through him, like he is some kind of temporal anomaly or homeless person sleeping on a hot-air vent. He knows everything there is to know about the soon-to-be-dead – their life spans, the manner of their deaths, and what they were hoping for after life. A Valkyrie and feasting in the halls of Asgard anyone? A long walk into a black desert? A reunion with the lover of your youth? Pratchett, speaking through the character of 'Death', gives readers the comfort that, firstly, the time that each person, from pharaohs to wizards, is allocated, is logical and right, and not to be borrowed or extended unless the world is going up in flames, so to speak. Also, that death is part of the cycle of life. There is life, then death, then life again. If there were no death, there would be no new life. Or there would be terrible chaos, the world would be out of balance – too many people, too much growth, too much energy, overcrowding in the after-life, and problems with the half-dead, like poor old wizard 'Windle Poons', and 'Dead Rights activist' and zombie,'Reg Shoe'..."
https://sevencircumstances.com/2014/10/20/death-and-the-flight-of-birds-in-the-discworld-reaper-man-by-terry-pratchett/
...and finally, a round-up by blogger Cultured Vultures of their reviews and rankings of ALL the Discworld books!
"I am far from calling myself Pratchett’s number one fan, but I have read all of the Discworld books and have them lined up nicely on my bookshelf. With the end of the collection, I have decided that I am going to re-read the novels, in order, and really think about them, more than perhaps I have done before. I think I owe Sir Terry that much..."
https://culturedvultures.com/book-reviews/discworld/
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07) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
A lovely photo of The Author at the end of the '90s, tweeted by Rhianna P:
https://twitter.com/rhipratchett/status/1255191782016593921
A lovely Good Omens "cake" sculpture by Annie Davies:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVvMm-LXYAMTIec?format=jpg&name=medium
A lovely Crowley and Aziraphale portrait by Paul Kidby:
https://twitter.com/PaulKidby/status/1256216203045023749/photo/1
A lovely portrait of The Author, by Paul Kidby of course:
https://www.paulkidby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Sir-Terry-Pratchett-1-1000x1186_c.jpg
...and Mr Kidby's gorgeous take on Anathema Device – a Wossname favourite:
https://i3.createsend1.com/ei/r/4A/FAA/B69/csimport/newsletterpic1.133546.jpg
...and a lovely Good Omens bookmark, made by Tumblr user deppressedbagofbadpuns:
https://media.zenfs.com/en/tumblr_books_67/2f916a0de9486d26db714241f2786d18
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08) CLOSE
According to the QI Elves (researchers for the iconic BBC programme), Queen Victoria had "a 14 year old stalker who broke into Buckingham palace at least four times and stole a pair of her underwear". Sounds like a certain recently knighted young royal operative – whose picaresque adventures were chronicled in Dodger – was practising his skills with Her Majesty's tacit approval...
Right, that's it for now. Mind how you go, REMAIN INDOORS, and we hope to see you next month...
– Annie Mac
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2020 by Wossname for the Klatchian Foreign Legion
