Wossname – May 2021 – main issue
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wossnameWossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2021 (Volume 24, 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) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
07) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"I am always at some point through the cycle (I’m currently on The Thief of Time). They’re not only gloriously funny, they’re humane in a way that makes you actually feel seen and forgiven, with all your faults. He was a one-off, Sir Terry. When I finish reading them through, I simply put the last book down and pick the first one up again."
– genre author Patrick Ness
"DW books don't have chapters because, well, I just never got into the habit of chapters. I'm not sure why they should exist (except maybe in children's books, to allow the parent to say "I'll read to the end of the chapter and then you must go to sleep."). Films don't have chapters. Besides, I think they interfere with the shape of the story. Use a bookmark is my advice."
– Sir Pterry was wise. Listen to Sir Pterry
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
Looking back over assorted years of May Wossname issues just now, I discovered to my astonishment that the Glorious 25th has rarely been mentioned in Wossname and wasn't mentioned at all last year even on the Wossname mirror site! As of May 2021, Lilac Day will have come around for thirteen years on Roundworld, so I'm reposting the Lilac Day links from the May 2017 issue in hope that it will jog my memory next year:
This one means well: "The Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May, also referred to as Wear the Lilac Day, is an annual celebration observed by fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Lately it has also become an impromptu Alzheimer's disease awareness day... The Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May is a remembrance day in the fictional Discworld that commemorates the People's Revolution, which put an end to Lord Winter's[sic] reign. On May 25, the survivors wear a spring of lilac and gather at the cemetery to honor those who fell during the Revolution. The Revolution is described in the novel Night Watch. The fictional celebration was adopted by fans of Terry Pratchett's works, who began to wear springs[sic] of lilac on May 25 to commemorate his writing. In 2007, Pratchett announced that he had Alzheimer's disease. His fans began the campaign Match It For Pratchett to raise awareness of Alzheimer's. Fans are encouraged to wear lilac in support of Pratchett and make donations to Alzheimer's research funds."
https://anydayguide.com/calendar/2026
And here we have the L-space wikipage about the Wearing of the Lilac:
"Each year, on the 25th of May, a group of survivors of the uprising gathers at Small Gods' Cemetery to honor the casualties with lilacs and, affectionately, one hard-boiled egg (from Madam Roberta Meserole). The seven killed were mostly Watchmen from Treacle Mine Road : John Keel, Cecil Clapman, Horace Nancyball, Billy Wiglet, Dai Dickins, Ned Coates, and, temporarily, Reg Shoe – he will lie in his grave for a time during that day, and then leave. The 25th of May is also memorialized, among those who survive, by the wearing of lilac on that date. Persons known to wear it include Sam Vimes, Fred Colon, Nobby Nobbs, Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, and, improbably, Havelock Vetinari (he, at the time a young assassin, has kept his and his aristocratic aunt Lady Roberta Meserole's, not-insignificant involvement in the affair entirely secret). The date is not publicly known as it was one of those revolutions where everybody likes to pretend in the aftermath that it never happened, with many new Watchmen uncertain of its relevance to the point that one new recruit tried wearing lilac only to be sharply
criticised by Fred Colon. Vetinari once speculated about erecting a statue in memory of the soldiers, but Vimes rejected the idea, stating that the dead men would not want to be immortalised and inspire others to be heroes after they were betrayed for going beyond the call of duty, requesting that the men be simply left in peace... May 25th is also national Geek Pride Day and Towel Day, a day in honour of Douglas Adams. This has led to some fans having to choose between the two, until someone came up with the lilac towel."
https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Glorious_Revolution
Wossname would like to extend its congratulations to Marc Burrows, whose biography The Magic of Terry Pratchett has made the list of Locus Award finalists in the nonfiction category. [Readers may recall we reviewed it a while back! – Ed.]
Congratulations are also due to bookbinder Thomas Hosking, who has won a prestigious medal for his work on a very special edition of Mort:
"Run by Designer Bookbinders and sponsored by The Folio Society, [the Bookbinder Mansfield Medal] comes at a time when the craft of bookbindery in the UK is facing a challenging future. There are no full-time bookbinding programs currently on offer, while several of the processes involved in bookbinding, such as edge gilding, gold tooling, fore-edge painting, and vellum making, are due to appear on the Heritage Crafts Association list of endangered crafts. 'We want to spread the word that excellent contemporary bookbinding does exist, that it’s not just something in Victorian gentlemen’s libraries,' said bookbinder Kate Holland, co-organizer with fellow binder Sue Doggett of the biennial competition. 'We’re really keen to encourage new people and the younger generation into the profession so it’s exciting that there are lots of new names in this year’s entries and awards.' The two major awards were won by Thomas Hosking for his goatskin binding of Mort by Terry Pratchett featuring a scythe-shaped void, and Miranda Kemp whose bradel structure binding of the set text Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck with unsupported link stitch included imagery of the baking California sun on ranch buildings with prairies in the distance..."
https://bit.ly/34alz8K
And now, on with the show...
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) ODDS AND SODS
3.1 AMAZING MAURICE NEWS
The Amazing Maurice is on its way to becoming a real film! Some of the biggest names in screen entertainment have now been confirmed as voice cast members – including our favourite demon. The original Narrativia announcement:
"Sky today announced a new co-production with Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media, The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original. This animated family film is based on one of Sir Terry Pratchett’s wildly popular Discworld novels and will star Hugh Laurie (Avenue 5) as Maurice, Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as Malicia, David Thewlis (Wonder Woman) as Boss Man, Himesh Patel (Yesterday) as Keith, Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man) as Peaches and Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) as The Mayor... Coming to Sky Cinema in 2022, The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original, follows Maurice, a streetwise ginger cat who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a kid who plays a pipe, and he also befriends his very own horde of strangely educated, talking rats – so Maurice can no longer think of them as ‘lunch’. When Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they meet a bookworm, Malicia. Their little con soon goes down the drain as something very bad is waiting for them in the cellars... Rob Wilkins, Producer and Managing Director of Narrativia, said: 'Bringing Maurice’s story to life was such a joy for Terry and I’m delighted that the teams at Sky, Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media are honouring his vision with such reverence and respect.'.
"The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original is co-produced by Sky, Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media, with animation studios Studio Rakete (Hamburg) and Red Star Animation (Sheffield). The film has the full support of the Terry Pratchett estate and is produced in association with Narrativia. Producers are Julia Stuart (Sky), Emely Christians (Ulysses), Andrew Baker and Robert Chandler (Cantilever Media) and Rob Wilkins (Narrativia). The Film is directed by Toby Genkel, co-director is Florian Westermann..."
To read the full announcement, go to https://narrativia.com/maurice.html
And here be some updates...
From Cinema Express:
"Broadchurch-fame David Tennant is the newest addition to the voice cast of The Amazing Maurice. The animated feature is the silver screen adaptation of Terry Pratchett's The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. The film marks Tennant's second project which is based on Pratchett's novel. Previously he had starred in the Amazon Prime Video series The Good Omens. The 50-year-old Scottish star joins Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton and Hugh Bonneville in the cast. Actors Rob Brydon, Ariyon Bakare, Julie Atherton, and YouTuber Joe Sugg are also part of the film..."
https://bit.ly/3bQaspt
From Gizmodo:
"The animated adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Carnegie Medal-winning 2001 children’s book The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents has already commandeered a huge celebrity voice cast, but apparently there’s always room for more. Now Doctor Who’s David Tennant has joined the ranks, alongside Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke and House’s Hugh Laurie, among many others... Besides starring in Amazon’s adaptation of Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s novel Good Omens, Tennant actually voiced the rat Dangerous Beans in a 2003 radio adaptation of The Amazing Maurice, so it’s pretty reasonable to suspect he’ll be reprising the role..."
https://bit.ly/3fFAZHk
3.2 ABOMINABLE SNOWBABY NEWS
More animation goodies on their way soon! This one is an adaptation on UK Channel 4 of one of the lovely stories in the "Father Christmas’ Fake Beard" collection, expected this very Hogswatch. From the Narrativia announcement:
"The magic of Terry Pratchett, the legendary national treasure and maverick British author who sold over 100 million books worldwide, comes to life in this half-hour programme. The Abominable Snow Baby tells the story of a quintessentially English town which is thrown into disarray by a huge snowfall and the dramatic appearance of a 14-foot tall Abominable Snow Baby. Shunned and feared by the local townsfolk, Snow Baby is rescued by the indomitable Granny who along with grandson Albert, welcomes him into her home, showering her new pet with love and affection, changing the town’s perception and helping the community overcome their initial prejudices... Channel 4 Head of Drama, Caroline Hollick said: 'Terry Pratchett’s The Abominable Snow Baby is a magnificent, heart-warming, riotously funny story about love, courage and compassion. Witty, entertaining and deeply moving in equal measure, it captures the spirit of Christmas with Sir Terry’s unique charm'... Rob Wilkins, Managing Director of Narrativia and Manager of Sir Terry Pratchett’s Estate said: 'In his lifetime, Terry wrote over seventy books, which have been translated into 41 languages. He started his career as a writer of short stories for young people, who remained his favourite audience. The Abominable Snow Baby showcases Terry’s firmly held belief in not judging people on appearances, his reverence for the elderly, and his very genuine love of Christmas. Narrativia is delighted to see Terry’s work brought to life by the talented team at Eagle Eye Drama, in the fiftieth year of Terry Pratchett being a published author.'..."
To read the full announcement, go to https://narrativia.com/snowbaby.html
3.3 REVIEW: TERRY PRATCHETT HISWORLD EXHIBIT COMPANION
The Magic and the Memories: a review of the Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion
By Annie Mac
A few years ago, a friend of mine brought me back a present from one of her rare trips to London: Masterpieces of the British Museum, a handsome, glossy 300-page catalogue of some of the Museum's most notable exhibits, full of images and brief descriptions of each item and its provenance. It's a pretty thing, and I enjoy riffling through it now and again, but it's little more than a pleasant coffee table entertainment and is typical of the genre. So when my copy of the Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion landed on my doorstep, I was expecting a Pratchett-based sample of the same kind of thing.
It's not.
The Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion (henceforth referred to as the HisWorld Companion in this review, to save wordcount) is a thing of beauty, yes, but it is also far more than that. Have you ever been lifted to an exalted state or reduced to tears from reading a museum catalogue? I never had been, but I was more than a few times when reading the HisWorld Companion – and I think many appreciators of the world and works of Sir Terry Pratchett will be too. Everything about this book, from the stunning images to the little-known fascinating facts to the way the entire book has been constructed and presented, is... well... there is a Danish word, "hygge", that refers to a place, thing, or experience that surrounds you with feelings of warmth and cosiness and pulls you into a happy state – and in my opinion, the HisWorld Companion is filled with hygge.
But enough justified gushing for the moment; let's get to a description of the contents. The HisWorld Companion opens with a six-page timeline of Sir Terry Pratchett's lifetime and works, followed by a foreword by exhibit curator Richard Henry and eleven chapters covering periods of the author's life, histories of some of his most famous books, and of course the backstories behind the exhibits themselves, described by those who worked for and with him and the ones who knew him best: Colin Smythe, Rob Wilkins, and daughter Rhianna, plus assorted friends and co-creators.
The first chapter (How It All Began) offers a short tour of Sir Terry's origins as a writer, in his own words. Next comes Literary Beginnings, a chapter about his early works by Colin Smythe, the man who brought the author to the world, first as his publisher and then as his agent. This chapter includes some amazing images of early Pratchett illustrations for The Carpet People and The Dark Side of the Sun, and some lovely surprises (did you know that young Terry,during his days as a journalist, also drew a comic strip called Warlock Hall? I didn't!) and some amazing art pieces that represent his long interest in bees.
The third chapter is dedicated to Josh Kirby, the first official Discworld illustrator. Included here are his story, and some of his works rarely seen – stunning portraits of Sir Terry that, while they include Kirby's renderings of Discworld characters, don't have the familiar deliberately grotesque look of his covers for the novels (and I have to say, his Tsortean Horse as rendered for Eric is very impressive). Next up is The Cunning Artificer, featuring the amazing artworks and amusing anecdotes of Bernard Pearson. There is a selection of absolutely gorgeous stuff in this chapter.
Chapter five (Sockets and Wires), is Rob Wilkins' section, in which he tells the story of two friends' shared passion for tinkering with technological devices. One can see the original of HEX in Sir Terry's early computer gear. Chapter six (Crooked Wanderings on the Chalk) is by Nick Cowen, who could be described as a benign Eric Wheelbrace (twenty-eight years behind the compass, officially looking after public rights of way in South Wiltshire). In this chapter we are introduced to the descriptions and ecology of the *real* Chalk and Mr Cowen's own interactions with Sir Pterry as they wandered around it (not to mention iconographs of The Author's shepherding hut!). In the seventh chapter (Swords and Awards), master swordsmith Jake Keen shares the tale of That Sword and how he and the newly knighted author made it; also featured in this chapter are iconographs of Sir Terry's various awards, including the one he said meant the most to him (hint: it wasn't his knighthood, nor even the Carnegie medal), plus a two-page timeline of the awarding of them all.
Now we come to the chapters that cover bringing the Discworld into visibility. The eighth chapter, Designing Discworld, tells the story of how author and artist worked together to create two (and sometimes three) dimensional realisations of the beloved characters of Discworld and the other novels. This one is the Paul Kidby's showcase, and appropriately it's a long one, lavishly with reproduced illustrations including a centrefold pullout of the Discworld Massif. Mapping Terry's Worlds, the ninth chapter, offers the turn of Stephen Briggs, first and still foremost Discworld mapper and primary Pratchett stage adaptation playwright; this chapter features his own work and some pieces by Paul Kidby.
So where, are you wondering, do the tears come in? Well, the final two chapters are called The Embuggerance and Legacy. Need I say more? Chapter ten, headed by Professor Roy Jones of the RICE Institute, takes us through the heartbreak of the PCA years and their inevitable end and I'll stop right there because my tears are welling again. But the final chapter, written by Rhianna Pratchett, brought tears of both nostalgia and hope to this reader, as they cover, among other things, past, present and possible future adaptations, and the chapter is replete with yet more beautiful artwork. Weirdly, for those of us who did our best to suffer through that Discworld-adjacent television series called The Watch, the final extended word goes to the Dark Lord, I mean showrunner, Simon Allen, who, had he managed to apply even a minuscule amount of the grace and humour he shows in his short essay here, might have given the world a true glimpse of Discworld rather than a virtually unrecognisable travesty... but that's a war to be fought on another day.
At last we come to the credits, index, and more beautiful artworks and photographs. And then you might well want to read it through again. I did. All in all, the HisWorld Companion gave this reader an experience that felt closer and more personal even than attending the exhibition itself. I cannot recommend it too highly.
The Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion. Truly worth owning and cherishing and re-reading over and over. To paraphrase the quote on the back cover, it's still magic, even if it's pressed between the endpages of a book.
p.s. Have a box of tissues at the ready.
Published by Dunmanifestin Ltd
ISBN 978 1 9998081 5 0
3.4 MORE PRATCHETT PROJECT TALKS!
Allusions and Cultural References in Terry Pratchett’s Jingo: Translation and Understanding, by Damon Tringham:
https://youtu.be/NdbKghKxmnc
Humour, parody and satire in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels by Kamil Karas:
https://youtu.be/btRiFbH48dI
More to come...
https://twitter.com/PratchettProj
3.5 ROLLING ON ZERO... THE GOOD OMENS FILM THAT NEVER WAS
Here be the story of Terry Gilliam's unsuccessful attempt to bring Good Omens to the Clicks, by Joe Gillis on ScreenRant:
"Upon completing Good Omens, Gaiman and Pratchett sent Gilliam a copy – noting that the novels’ comedic sensibilities owed a debt to Monty Python – and a meeting was arranged at London’s famous Groucho Club to discuss the prospect of a film adaptation... by the late '90s, Gilliam was said to be co-writing the film with his Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas collaborator Tony Grisoni. According to Neil Gaiman, Robin Williams and Johnny Depp (who had previously worked with Gilliam on The Fisher King and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, respectively) were considered to play Aziraphale and Crowley – a match made in cinematic heaven, if ever there was one. Sadly, development hell would ultimately claim the project, as Gaiman explained to TW: “He (Gilliam) had almost all the money he needed. Unfortunately, this was like three months after 9/11 and nobody was in the mood to hear about a really funny end-of-the-world comedy”. This, paired with Gilliam’s comments to Reel in 2001, wherein he described Good Omens as “the most expensive thing” he had ever done, gives a pretty good idea of why the project was relegated to the scrap pile... While there were talks of reviving Gilliam’s Good Omens throughout the 2000s, none of them resulted in a finished film. In 2011, Gilliam’s fellow Python Terry Jones was attached to adapt the novel as a television miniseries [via Neil Gaiman’s Journal], before that project, too, went the way of the dinosaurs..."
https://bit.ly/2Rys2aV
3.6 THE MERCH CORNER
* The Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion!
"In 2017 the Estate of Sir Terry Pratchett, the Salisbury Museum and illustrator Paul Kidby joined forces to present the award winning Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibition – taking visitors to the heart of the world of the Discworld creator. This comprehensive and fully illustrated guide is the official companion to that unique collection. With additional images and extra content including essays by Rhianna Pratchett, Rob Wilkins, Paul Kidby, Colin Smythe, Bernard Pearson, Stephen Briggs, Amy Anderson for The Josh Kirby Estate, Professor Roy Jones, Jake Keen & Nick Cowen. The exhibition won Best Temporary or Touring Exhibition in the prestigious Museum & Heritage Awards. The judges described it as “an exhibition which demonstrated great emotional connection which resulted in a marked change in visitor demographics”. This book is a perfect memento for those who made the journey to view the resoundingly popular exhibition and the perfect consolation for those who were unable to visit in person."
This beautiful book, all 224 pages of it, is now priced at £15, half of its previous price. For more information and to order, go to:
https://bit.ly/3fHXgnM
(Also see item 3.3 for a review! – Ed.)
* Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook!
"Authorised by Mr Lipwig of the Ankh-Morpork and Sto Plains Hygienic Railway himself, Mrs Georgina Bradshaw’s invaluable guide to the destinations and diversions of the railway deserves a place in the luggage of any traveller, or indeed armchair traveller, upon the Disc. From the twine walk of Great Slack to the souks of Zemphis: edifying sights along the route. Ticketing, nostrums and transporting your swamp dragon: essential hints on the practicalities of travel Elegant resorts and quaint inns: respectable and sanitary lodgings for all species and heights. From worm-herding to Fustic Cake: diverting trivia on the crafts, foods and brassica traditions of the many industrious people for whom the railway is now a vital link to the Century of the Anchovy. Fully illustrated and replete with useful titbits, Mrs Bradshaw’s Handbook offers a view of the Sto Plains like no other."
Another beautiful book at another reduced-price bargain price! Now priced at only £8. For more information and to order, go to:
https://bit.ly/3yAtBp5
3.7 WHY SKYNET WILL NEVER BE A BESTSELLING AUTHOR
...but given the nature of "Literature with a big L", could possibly win a Booker Prize. Here is what happens when and AI programme, "Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3", is asked to write a short story in the style of Pratchett or Gaiman. As posted on reddit by user summerstay, who gave the AI a simple short prompt in each case after feeding in samples of each author's work:
Sir Pterry... not:
"The Old Queen’s palace is dark and full of dust. But there are lots of little lights there. Little bug lights. And bugs. There are a lot of them, for some reason. There are lots of things in the Underland. There are bugs and birds, and foxes and deer, and bears, too. Everything you might expect to find in an old forest, except that this is a place you can’t see. And you can’t leave.
"But the strangest things are not the bugs and the animals. They are the people. They are small. They are the same size as the bugs and the birds and the animals. And they walk around, too. Sometimes you can hear them down below. You can hear them coming and going. You can hear them talking and singing. You can hear them cry. You can even hear them fighting. But that doesn’t happen very often. And when it does, the fights don’t last long. Because when they are done, the winner picks up the loser and puts them in the
window.
...or Neil Gaiman... not:
"I take off, fly out the window, circle around the city. I can't go back to Heaven. They don't understand anything. They'll keep me here in this chrysalis until it rots, and I'll rot with it. So I fly to Hell. Satan is an angel too, but he's an angel who understands. He says, 'Of course. Why else would you be here? You're a perfect butterfly, a golden-eyed chrysalis. Your place is in Heaven. But they don't understand anything. You don't have to go back.'
'Thank you,' I say.
'Don't mention it,' says Satan...."
https://bit.ly/3vfiCj7
...and more about Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3, in an op-ed by Leonid Bershidsky on Bloomberg.com:
"It’s been almost a year since OpenAI, the San-Francisco lab co-founded by Elon Musk, released Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3, the language model that can produce astoundingly coherent text with minimal human prompting – enough time to draw some conclusions on whether its brute-force approach to artificial intelligence can in time allow most writing to be delegated to machines. In my current job at Bloomberg News Automation, I’m in the business of such delegation, and I have my doubts that the trail blazed by GPT-3 leads in the right direction....
https://bloom.bg/3ud4nd1
3.8 PRATCHETT BOOK CLUB UPDATES
On the website of publishers Tor, Emmet Asher-Perrin continues a Discworld discussion page. This month's instalments take us from the wrap-up of Good Omens through the entirety of Eric.
Finishing Good Omens...
"I’m not a Christian theologian by any stretch of the imagination (and I’m not Christian myself), but as far as I’ve always understood it, Jesus embodies qualities that people are supposed to strive for – kindness, forgiveness, mercy, a sense of moral responsibility, that sort of thing. Yet here we have an entire book dedicated to this idea that Heaven and Hell aren’t inherently Good and Evil places because you find real grace and real cruelty in humanity. We have the capacity for the whole spectrum in each and every one of us. Thus, the point of Adam isn’t showing how true evil works, it’s showing a potential flip side to the characteristics of the 'savior.' Because sure, Adam saves the world, for a definition of that, but he doesn’t go around fixing everyone’s problems – and he could. He thinks that people need to take responsibility for their own messes, hence his point to Anathema that he won’t be saving whales for everyone; if he does that, then people will forget that their actions have consequences. He keeps Armageddon at bay because he hasn’t seen enough yet, which is a fair complaint from an eleven-year-old boy..."
https://bit.ly/3yxABDi
...and the first part of Eric:
"Maybe this is a weird thing for me to say, but there’s some part of me that wonders if writing the Good Omens version of Death didn’t clarify some things for Pratchett about the Discworld version. Because his very first appearance in The Colour of Magic is notably not quite there yet, and obviously we get a lot of him in Mort, and he continues to coalesce with every additional appearance. But there’s something about this particular bit with the Rite of AshkEnte that feels just exactly correct, like the Discworld’s Death has finally distilled down or aged appropriately like a fine wine – his being on the wrong side of the octogram, the “expression of polite interest,” the expectant curiosity whilst being very to-the-point. (Picking invisible particles off the scythe, I could die.) When I think of the character, this is how I’m usually thinking of him... there’s a lot of Good Omens influence in this book, particularly in the explanation of Discworld’s Hell, and Lord Astfgl's mission to make the whole thing function better. (Plus his petty grievances with the old guard of demons.) It’s there in the talk of how Astfgl wants Eric because Hell is missing out of human imagination, giving Pratchett a spot to really drill down on that concept. There’s the mention that the difference between gods and demons on the Disc is basically the same as the difference between “terrorists and freedom fighters,” which immediately puts me in mind of Crowley and Aziraphale’s conversation about guns and moral arguments. Then there’s the “bell, book and candle job” line, which has that air of echoes in the brain working their way out, and I have to say, it’s comforting? Obviously writers don’t usually mean to repeat themselves, but if someone like Pratchett can do it, we can all feel a little less awkward when we do it. But I feel like the real crux here is the moment when Rincewind is looking at Eric looking out over the world and he wonders if he was like him at that age, and then thinks 'I wonder how I survived?'..."
https://bit.ly/2Spu8tm
...and the second...
"This… this is just a weird lil book, isn’t it? I mean, it’s a bit fun if you’ve read any of the myths and classics attached to the story, but that only really takes you so far, and then you’re mostly left wondering why at the end. Because Eric is thoroughly boring as a co-protagonist. He doesn’t really do much, it’s all Rincewind, and by this point we know full well that Rincewind is a better protagonist when he’s got someone to bounce off of – Twoflower, other wizards, barbarians, literally anyone with a personality and a point of view that will get in the way of his sense of self-preservation. But throughout this book, he’s mostly stuck at the whims of the plot. I mean, you know it’s all gone wonky when even the Luggage doesn’t get to have much fun... My theory here is that there was just too much leftover in Pratchett’s head after working on Good Omens, and he wanted to shove it somewhere, so this is where he put it. Right? I mean, this version of Hell is basically what the place would be like if demons actually listened to Crowley. That’s the whole arc we get with Astfgl being deposed by demons who really just want to go back to the good ol’ days of flames and blood. Which is fun to play with, but maybe not enough material for an entire book. And you know, this is less than half the length of most Discworld books, so you can kind of rest your case there..."
https://bit.ly/2T8LgnD
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04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
It's a promising-looking season for Australian Discworld plays!
* MAKING MONEY IN BRISBANE, FOURECKS (NOW–JUNE 2021)
Brisbane Arts Theatre is back in the swing with more Discworld! Currently playing is the Stephen Briggs adaptation of Making Money. "Someone is killing Lord Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. No one knows who; no one knows why; and, worst of all, no one knows how – he just gets weaker and weaker. But, it’s not just Vetinari. Across the city, people are being murdered, but there’s no trace of anything alive having been at the crime scene. In a city teeming with vampires, werewolves, dwarfs with attitude, and golems, Vimes must solve the crime and save the Patrician."
When: now through 5th June 2021
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Time: Thursdays 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays 8pm, Sundays 6:30pm
Tickets: $36 (concession/group $29,Student Rush: $16), available online via https://aubat.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/5873 ($2 fee on all transactions)
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/productions/making-money/
*MORT IN SUBURBAN MELBOURNE, FOURECKS (JUNE 2021)
How good is it to see Fourecksian Discworld productions getting back to normal? The CPP Community Theatre will present Stephen Briggs' adaptation of Mort in June! "When Mort and his father attend the Sheepridge hiring fair in the hope that this year Mort will finally get an apprenticeship, they didn’t expect the day to end with death. But at least Death offered Mort a job! As Death’s apprentice, Mort gets to travel and meet interesting people… well, for a short time anyway. But once Mort is trusted to take on the Duty by himself, trouble brews, as Mort lets his heart rule his head… Adapted by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs from the fourth of Terry’s wildly successful Discworld novels, Mort brings the Discworld to the stage. Come and see how Mort gets out of the trouble he’s caused!"
When: 11th–19th June 2021
Venue: CPP Community Theatre, Doongalla Rd & Simpsons Rd, The Basin, Bayswater, Victoria 3154
Time: 8pm Fridays and Thursday, 2pm and 8pm Saturday 12th, 5pm Saturday 19th
Tickets: $27 (concession $24, group – minimum of 10 tickets – $24, family of 4 $75), available online via https://bit.ly/2ShDmbp
https://cppcommunitytheatre.com.au/mort/
* FEET OF CLAY IN BRISBANE, FOURECKS (SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2021)
Brisbane Arts Theatre returns with a second Discworld production of a Stephen Briggs adaptation! Making up for lost pandemic time... "Someone is killing Lord Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. No one knows who; no one knows why; and, worst of all, no one knows how – he just gets weaker and weaker. But, it’s not just Vetinari. Across the city, people are being murdered, but there’s no trace of anything alive having been at the crime scene. In a city teeming with vampires, werewolves, dwarfs with attitude, and golems, Vimes must solve the crime and save the Patrician."
When: 12th September–17th October 2021
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Time: Fridays and Saturdays 8pm, select Thursdays 7:30pm, select Sundays 6:30pm (see booking page)
Tickets: $36 (concession/group $29,Student Rush: $16), available online via https://aubat.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/640 ($2 fee on all transactions)
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/productions/feet-of-clay/
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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! Also note there are a few updates below...
A new Fourecksian meeting group joins the gang: the Purdeigh Islanders, based in Hobart, Tasmania. "Purdeigh (or Purdee) Island lies hubwards of Fourecks. Roundworld islanders are fans of the great Sir Terry Pratchett resident in Tasmania, the island state of Australia."
The Purdeigh Islanders is a private group. To join in, go to their Facebook page and see if they'll have you!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/205967619882683/
*
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://bit.ly/2YrPGW7
NOTE: the Drummers are still meeting occasionally via Zoom. Check out the above link for updates!
*
Drumknott's Irregulars
Facebook https://bit.ly/31FlSrq 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
"What are we doing while we're stuck at home due to COVID-19? Given that our normal social gatherings can't happen while everyone's under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are instead trying to host regular activities and discussions online. Most of these will be done via our Discord Server – https://discord.gg/3RVzsyJ – which has several text chat channels and a few voice chat channels as well. We will still use our Facebook group – https://facebook.com/groups/cityofsmallgods – to coordinate scheduled events. When things get back to normal... (semi-) regular social meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm.
"We'll try to keep this page up to date (no promises!) but always check emails on the mailing list or our Facebook Group for further details of these events."
*
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 now hosts two groups of fans who meet on a regular basis.
In the CBD, The Mended Drummers (Sydney) meet on the first Monday of each month at Albion Place Hotel from 6.00pm. Join the Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/downunderdrummers/ – for more information.
And over in the western suburbs of Sydney you can find the Western Drummers who meet on the third Tuesday of each month at the Nepean Rowers Club from 6pm. Join their Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/100376433635355/ – for more information.
All we do is chat over a few drinks, with subjects ranging far and wide, have a Discworld themed quiz and generally enjoy the company of fellow discworld fans. Sometimes we end up getting together for a Zombie Walk, table top games or Supanova - nothing formal, just a loose group of like minded people.
Editor's note: If either of these supersedes the Sydney Drummers, please let Wossname know! Still posting the original for now: Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder)
Contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers https://bit.ly/2EKSCqu – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
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06) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
The Author with ducks. What ducks? Posted on reddit by user Bill-Door064:
https://i.redd.it/50jjcsxryc561.jpg
Another round of Discworld cakes! By canadabakes:
https://bit.ly/2RwzymD
By Michelle Pearce: https://bit.ly/3fKaD7c
By Denise Allen: https://bit.ly/3hIJvrH
...and by the Nightwitch, who is possibly Elza Baldzhiyska:
https://bit.ly/3468oFG
Two glorious Grannies by Paul Kidby:
https://bit.ly/2Td2IYn
...and Death as beekeeper, for World Bee Day which was this week:
https://bit.ly/3bKjt3C
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07) CLOSE
Paul Kidby's fantastic Discworld and Beyond exhibition may have been somewhat derailed by the pandemic, but it will surely be back. If you know a local UK museum that might want to feature it in the near future, here's the info: "We are currently taking bookings for this ever popular exhibition from Galleries & Museums around the UK for 2021 and onwards. For details please contact Steve Marshall, Exhibitions and Collections Officer, St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, New Street, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9BH (phone 01590 676969)
And finally, your Editor has never been a one to recommend fanfiction, but this one, by Sue Kesby, is an exception. Not trying to imitate The Author, not even pastiching, really, but... well... observing. Observing what a certain event might well be like. Enjoy!
https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/132559172/posts/3095
Right then, that's it for now. To our readers in the UK, may you enjoy your government-permitted hugs on the Glorious 25th! For our readers in Fourecks and the Land of Fog, try to remember that there's still a pandemic on out there. For our readers everywhere else, stay safe and remember, someday this will be over. And to everyone, mind how you go, and we hope to see you next month!
– Annie Mac
Copyright (c) 2021 by Wossname for the Klatchian Foreign Legion
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2021 (Volume 24, 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) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
07) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"I am always at some point through the cycle (I’m currently on The Thief of Time). They’re not only gloriously funny, they’re humane in a way that makes you actually feel seen and forgiven, with all your faults. He was a one-off, Sir Terry. When I finish reading them through, I simply put the last book down and pick the first one up again."
– genre author Patrick Ness
"DW books don't have chapters because, well, I just never got into the habit of chapters. I'm not sure why they should exist (except maybe in children's books, to allow the parent to say "I'll read to the end of the chapter and then you must go to sleep."). Films don't have chapters. Besides, I think they interfere with the shape of the story. Use a bookmark is my advice."
– Sir Pterry was wise. Listen to Sir Pterry
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
Looking back over assorted years of May Wossname issues just now, I discovered to my astonishment that the Glorious 25th has rarely been mentioned in Wossname and wasn't mentioned at all last year even on the Wossname mirror site! As of May 2021, Lilac Day will have come around for thirteen years on Roundworld, so I'm reposting the Lilac Day links from the May 2017 issue in hope that it will jog my memory next year:
This one means well: "The Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May, also referred to as Wear the Lilac Day, is an annual celebration observed by fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Lately it has also become an impromptu Alzheimer's disease awareness day... The Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May is a remembrance day in the fictional Discworld that commemorates the People's Revolution, which put an end to Lord Winter's[sic] reign. On May 25, the survivors wear a spring of lilac and gather at the cemetery to honor those who fell during the Revolution. The Revolution is described in the novel Night Watch. The fictional celebration was adopted by fans of Terry Pratchett's works, who began to wear springs[sic] of lilac on May 25 to commemorate his writing. In 2007, Pratchett announced that he had Alzheimer's disease. His fans began the campaign Match It For Pratchett to raise awareness of Alzheimer's. Fans are encouraged to wear lilac in support of Pratchett and make donations to Alzheimer's research funds."
https://anydayguide.com/calendar/2026
And here we have the L-space wikipage about the Wearing of the Lilac:
"Each year, on the 25th of May, a group of survivors of the uprising gathers at Small Gods' Cemetery to honor the casualties with lilacs and, affectionately, one hard-boiled egg (from Madam Roberta Meserole). The seven killed were mostly Watchmen from Treacle Mine Road : John Keel, Cecil Clapman, Horace Nancyball, Billy Wiglet, Dai Dickins, Ned Coates, and, temporarily, Reg Shoe – he will lie in his grave for a time during that day, and then leave. The 25th of May is also memorialized, among those who survive, by the wearing of lilac on that date. Persons known to wear it include Sam Vimes, Fred Colon, Nobby Nobbs, Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, and, improbably, Havelock Vetinari (he, at the time a young assassin, has kept his and his aristocratic aunt Lady Roberta Meserole's, not-insignificant involvement in the affair entirely secret). The date is not publicly known as it was one of those revolutions where everybody likes to pretend in the aftermath that it never happened, with many new Watchmen uncertain of its relevance to the point that one new recruit tried wearing lilac only to be sharply
criticised by Fred Colon. Vetinari once speculated about erecting a statue in memory of the soldiers, but Vimes rejected the idea, stating that the dead men would not want to be immortalised and inspire others to be heroes after they were betrayed for going beyond the call of duty, requesting that the men be simply left in peace... May 25th is also national Geek Pride Day and Towel Day, a day in honour of Douglas Adams. This has led to some fans having to choose between the two, until someone came up with the lilac towel."
https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Glorious_Revolution
Wossname would like to extend its congratulations to Marc Burrows, whose biography The Magic of Terry Pratchett has made the list of Locus Award finalists in the nonfiction category. [Readers may recall we reviewed it a while back! – Ed.]
Congratulations are also due to bookbinder Thomas Hosking, who has won a prestigious medal for his work on a very special edition of Mort:
"Run by Designer Bookbinders and sponsored by The Folio Society, [the Bookbinder Mansfield Medal] comes at a time when the craft of bookbindery in the UK is facing a challenging future. There are no full-time bookbinding programs currently on offer, while several of the processes involved in bookbinding, such as edge gilding, gold tooling, fore-edge painting, and vellum making, are due to appear on the Heritage Crafts Association list of endangered crafts. 'We want to spread the word that excellent contemporary bookbinding does exist, that it’s not just something in Victorian gentlemen’s libraries,' said bookbinder Kate Holland, co-organizer with fellow binder Sue Doggett of the biennial competition. 'We’re really keen to encourage new people and the younger generation into the profession so it’s exciting that there are lots of new names in this year’s entries and awards.' The two major awards were won by Thomas Hosking for his goatskin binding of Mort by Terry Pratchett featuring a scythe-shaped void, and Miranda Kemp whose bradel structure binding of the set text Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck with unsupported link stitch included imagery of the baking California sun on ranch buildings with prairies in the distance..."
https://bit.ly/34alz8K
And now, on with the show...
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) ODDS AND SODS
3.1 AMAZING MAURICE NEWS
The Amazing Maurice is on its way to becoming a real film! Some of the biggest names in screen entertainment have now been confirmed as voice cast members – including our favourite demon. The original Narrativia announcement:
"Sky today announced a new co-production with Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media, The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original. This animated family film is based on one of Sir Terry Pratchett’s wildly popular Discworld novels and will star Hugh Laurie (Avenue 5) as Maurice, Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as Malicia, David Thewlis (Wonder Woman) as Boss Man, Himesh Patel (Yesterday) as Keith, Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man) as Peaches and Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) as The Mayor... Coming to Sky Cinema in 2022, The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original, follows Maurice, a streetwise ginger cat who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a kid who plays a pipe, and he also befriends his very own horde of strangely educated, talking rats – so Maurice can no longer think of them as ‘lunch’. When Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they meet a bookworm, Malicia. Their little con soon goes down the drain as something very bad is waiting for them in the cellars... Rob Wilkins, Producer and Managing Director of Narrativia, said: 'Bringing Maurice’s story to life was such a joy for Terry and I’m delighted that the teams at Sky, Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media are honouring his vision with such reverence and respect.'.
"The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original is co-produced by Sky, Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media, with animation studios Studio Rakete (Hamburg) and Red Star Animation (Sheffield). The film has the full support of the Terry Pratchett estate and is produced in association with Narrativia. Producers are Julia Stuart (Sky), Emely Christians (Ulysses), Andrew Baker and Robert Chandler (Cantilever Media) and Rob Wilkins (Narrativia). The Film is directed by Toby Genkel, co-director is Florian Westermann..."
To read the full announcement, go to https://narrativia.com/maurice.html
And here be some updates...
From Cinema Express:
"Broadchurch-fame David Tennant is the newest addition to the voice cast of The Amazing Maurice. The animated feature is the silver screen adaptation of Terry Pratchett's The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. The film marks Tennant's second project which is based on Pratchett's novel. Previously he had starred in the Amazon Prime Video series The Good Omens. The 50-year-old Scottish star joins Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton and Hugh Bonneville in the cast. Actors Rob Brydon, Ariyon Bakare, Julie Atherton, and YouTuber Joe Sugg are also part of the film..."
https://bit.ly/3bQaspt
From Gizmodo:
"The animated adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Carnegie Medal-winning 2001 children’s book The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents has already commandeered a huge celebrity voice cast, but apparently there’s always room for more. Now Doctor Who’s David Tennant has joined the ranks, alongside Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke and House’s Hugh Laurie, among many others... Besides starring in Amazon’s adaptation of Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s novel Good Omens, Tennant actually voiced the rat Dangerous Beans in a 2003 radio adaptation of The Amazing Maurice, so it’s pretty reasonable to suspect he’ll be reprising the role..."
https://bit.ly/3fFAZHk
3.2 ABOMINABLE SNOWBABY NEWS
More animation goodies on their way soon! This one is an adaptation on UK Channel 4 of one of the lovely stories in the "Father Christmas’ Fake Beard" collection, expected this very Hogswatch. From the Narrativia announcement:
"The magic of Terry Pratchett, the legendary national treasure and maverick British author who sold over 100 million books worldwide, comes to life in this half-hour programme. The Abominable Snow Baby tells the story of a quintessentially English town which is thrown into disarray by a huge snowfall and the dramatic appearance of a 14-foot tall Abominable Snow Baby. Shunned and feared by the local townsfolk, Snow Baby is rescued by the indomitable Granny who along with grandson Albert, welcomes him into her home, showering her new pet with love and affection, changing the town’s perception and helping the community overcome their initial prejudices... Channel 4 Head of Drama, Caroline Hollick said: 'Terry Pratchett’s The Abominable Snow Baby is a magnificent, heart-warming, riotously funny story about love, courage and compassion. Witty, entertaining and deeply moving in equal measure, it captures the spirit of Christmas with Sir Terry’s unique charm'... Rob Wilkins, Managing Director of Narrativia and Manager of Sir Terry Pratchett’s Estate said: 'In his lifetime, Terry wrote over seventy books, which have been translated into 41 languages. He started his career as a writer of short stories for young people, who remained his favourite audience. The Abominable Snow Baby showcases Terry’s firmly held belief in not judging people on appearances, his reverence for the elderly, and his very genuine love of Christmas. Narrativia is delighted to see Terry’s work brought to life by the talented team at Eagle Eye Drama, in the fiftieth year of Terry Pratchett being a published author.'..."
To read the full announcement, go to https://narrativia.com/snowbaby.html
3.3 REVIEW: TERRY PRATCHETT HISWORLD EXHIBIT COMPANION
The Magic and the Memories: a review of the Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion
By Annie Mac
A few years ago, a friend of mine brought me back a present from one of her rare trips to London: Masterpieces of the British Museum, a handsome, glossy 300-page catalogue of some of the Museum's most notable exhibits, full of images and brief descriptions of each item and its provenance. It's a pretty thing, and I enjoy riffling through it now and again, but it's little more than a pleasant coffee table entertainment and is typical of the genre. So when my copy of the Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion landed on my doorstep, I was expecting a Pratchett-based sample of the same kind of thing.
It's not.
The Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion (henceforth referred to as the HisWorld Companion in this review, to save wordcount) is a thing of beauty, yes, but it is also far more than that. Have you ever been lifted to an exalted state or reduced to tears from reading a museum catalogue? I never had been, but I was more than a few times when reading the HisWorld Companion – and I think many appreciators of the world and works of Sir Terry Pratchett will be too. Everything about this book, from the stunning images to the little-known fascinating facts to the way the entire book has been constructed and presented, is... well... there is a Danish word, "hygge", that refers to a place, thing, or experience that surrounds you with feelings of warmth and cosiness and pulls you into a happy state – and in my opinion, the HisWorld Companion is filled with hygge.
But enough justified gushing for the moment; let's get to a description of the contents. The HisWorld Companion opens with a six-page timeline of Sir Terry Pratchett's lifetime and works, followed by a foreword by exhibit curator Richard Henry and eleven chapters covering periods of the author's life, histories of some of his most famous books, and of course the backstories behind the exhibits themselves, described by those who worked for and with him and the ones who knew him best: Colin Smythe, Rob Wilkins, and daughter Rhianna, plus assorted friends and co-creators.
The first chapter (How It All Began) offers a short tour of Sir Terry's origins as a writer, in his own words. Next comes Literary Beginnings, a chapter about his early works by Colin Smythe, the man who brought the author to the world, first as his publisher and then as his agent. This chapter includes some amazing images of early Pratchett illustrations for The Carpet People and The Dark Side of the Sun, and some lovely surprises (did you know that young Terry,during his days as a journalist, also drew a comic strip called Warlock Hall? I didn't!) and some amazing art pieces that represent his long interest in bees.
The third chapter is dedicated to Josh Kirby, the first official Discworld illustrator. Included here are his story, and some of his works rarely seen – stunning portraits of Sir Terry that, while they include Kirby's renderings of Discworld characters, don't have the familiar deliberately grotesque look of his covers for the novels (and I have to say, his Tsortean Horse as rendered for Eric is very impressive). Next up is The Cunning Artificer, featuring the amazing artworks and amusing anecdotes of Bernard Pearson. There is a selection of absolutely gorgeous stuff in this chapter.
Chapter five (Sockets and Wires), is Rob Wilkins' section, in which he tells the story of two friends' shared passion for tinkering with technological devices. One can see the original of HEX in Sir Terry's early computer gear. Chapter six (Crooked Wanderings on the Chalk) is by Nick Cowen, who could be described as a benign Eric Wheelbrace (twenty-eight years behind the compass, officially looking after public rights of way in South Wiltshire). In this chapter we are introduced to the descriptions and ecology of the *real* Chalk and Mr Cowen's own interactions with Sir Pterry as they wandered around it (not to mention iconographs of The Author's shepherding hut!). In the seventh chapter (Swords and Awards), master swordsmith Jake Keen shares the tale of That Sword and how he and the newly knighted author made it; also featured in this chapter are iconographs of Sir Terry's various awards, including the one he said meant the most to him (hint: it wasn't his knighthood, nor even the Carnegie medal), plus a two-page timeline of the awarding of them all.
Now we come to the chapters that cover bringing the Discworld into visibility. The eighth chapter, Designing Discworld, tells the story of how author and artist worked together to create two (and sometimes three) dimensional realisations of the beloved characters of Discworld and the other novels. This one is the Paul Kidby's showcase, and appropriately it's a long one, lavishly with reproduced illustrations including a centrefold pullout of the Discworld Massif. Mapping Terry's Worlds, the ninth chapter, offers the turn of Stephen Briggs, first and still foremost Discworld mapper and primary Pratchett stage adaptation playwright; this chapter features his own work and some pieces by Paul Kidby.
So where, are you wondering, do the tears come in? Well, the final two chapters are called The Embuggerance and Legacy. Need I say more? Chapter ten, headed by Professor Roy Jones of the RICE Institute, takes us through the heartbreak of the PCA years and their inevitable end and I'll stop right there because my tears are welling again. But the final chapter, written by Rhianna Pratchett, brought tears of both nostalgia and hope to this reader, as they cover, among other things, past, present and possible future adaptations, and the chapter is replete with yet more beautiful artwork. Weirdly, for those of us who did our best to suffer through that Discworld-adjacent television series called The Watch, the final extended word goes to the Dark Lord, I mean showrunner, Simon Allen, who, had he managed to apply even a minuscule amount of the grace and humour he shows in his short essay here, might have given the world a true glimpse of Discworld rather than a virtually unrecognisable travesty... but that's a war to be fought on another day.
At last we come to the credits, index, and more beautiful artworks and photographs. And then you might well want to read it through again. I did. All in all, the HisWorld Companion gave this reader an experience that felt closer and more personal even than attending the exhibition itself. I cannot recommend it too highly.
The Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion. Truly worth owning and cherishing and re-reading over and over. To paraphrase the quote on the back cover, it's still magic, even if it's pressed between the endpages of a book.
p.s. Have a box of tissues at the ready.
Published by Dunmanifestin Ltd
ISBN 978 1 9998081 5 0
3.4 MORE PRATCHETT PROJECT TALKS!
Allusions and Cultural References in Terry Pratchett’s Jingo: Translation and Understanding, by Damon Tringham:
https://youtu.be/NdbKghKxmnc
Humour, parody and satire in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels by Kamil Karas:
https://youtu.be/btRiFbH48dI
More to come...
https://twitter.com/PratchettProj
3.5 ROLLING ON ZERO... THE GOOD OMENS FILM THAT NEVER WAS
Here be the story of Terry Gilliam's unsuccessful attempt to bring Good Omens to the Clicks, by Joe Gillis on ScreenRant:
"Upon completing Good Omens, Gaiman and Pratchett sent Gilliam a copy – noting that the novels’ comedic sensibilities owed a debt to Monty Python – and a meeting was arranged at London’s famous Groucho Club to discuss the prospect of a film adaptation... by the late '90s, Gilliam was said to be co-writing the film with his Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas collaborator Tony Grisoni. According to Neil Gaiman, Robin Williams and Johnny Depp (who had previously worked with Gilliam on The Fisher King and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, respectively) were considered to play Aziraphale and Crowley – a match made in cinematic heaven, if ever there was one. Sadly, development hell would ultimately claim the project, as Gaiman explained to TW: “He (Gilliam) had almost all the money he needed. Unfortunately, this was like three months after 9/11 and nobody was in the mood to hear about a really funny end-of-the-world comedy”. This, paired with Gilliam’s comments to Reel in 2001, wherein he described Good Omens as “the most expensive thing” he had ever done, gives a pretty good idea of why the project was relegated to the scrap pile... While there were talks of reviving Gilliam’s Good Omens throughout the 2000s, none of them resulted in a finished film. In 2011, Gilliam’s fellow Python Terry Jones was attached to adapt the novel as a television miniseries [via Neil Gaiman’s Journal], before that project, too, went the way of the dinosaurs..."
https://bit.ly/2Rys2aV
3.6 THE MERCH CORNER
* The Terry Pratchett HisWorld Official Exhibition Companion!
"In 2017 the Estate of Sir Terry Pratchett, the Salisbury Museum and illustrator Paul Kidby joined forces to present the award winning Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibition – taking visitors to the heart of the world of the Discworld creator. This comprehensive and fully illustrated guide is the official companion to that unique collection. With additional images and extra content including essays by Rhianna Pratchett, Rob Wilkins, Paul Kidby, Colin Smythe, Bernard Pearson, Stephen Briggs, Amy Anderson for The Josh Kirby Estate, Professor Roy Jones, Jake Keen & Nick Cowen. The exhibition won Best Temporary or Touring Exhibition in the prestigious Museum & Heritage Awards. The judges described it as “an exhibition which demonstrated great emotional connection which resulted in a marked change in visitor demographics”. This book is a perfect memento for those who made the journey to view the resoundingly popular exhibition and the perfect consolation for those who were unable to visit in person."
This beautiful book, all 224 pages of it, is now priced at £15, half of its previous price. For more information and to order, go to:
https://bit.ly/3fHXgnM
(Also see item 3.3 for a review! – Ed.)
* Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook!
"Authorised by Mr Lipwig of the Ankh-Morpork and Sto Plains Hygienic Railway himself, Mrs Georgina Bradshaw’s invaluable guide to the destinations and diversions of the railway deserves a place in the luggage of any traveller, or indeed armchair traveller, upon the Disc. From the twine walk of Great Slack to the souks of Zemphis: edifying sights along the route. Ticketing, nostrums and transporting your swamp dragon: essential hints on the practicalities of travel Elegant resorts and quaint inns: respectable and sanitary lodgings for all species and heights. From worm-herding to Fustic Cake: diverting trivia on the crafts, foods and brassica traditions of the many industrious people for whom the railway is now a vital link to the Century of the Anchovy. Fully illustrated and replete with useful titbits, Mrs Bradshaw’s Handbook offers a view of the Sto Plains like no other."
Another beautiful book at another reduced-price bargain price! Now priced at only £8. For more information and to order, go to:
https://bit.ly/3yAtBp5
3.7 WHY SKYNET WILL NEVER BE A BESTSELLING AUTHOR
...but given the nature of "Literature with a big L", could possibly win a Booker Prize. Here is what happens when and AI programme, "Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3", is asked to write a short story in the style of Pratchett or Gaiman. As posted on reddit by user summerstay, who gave the AI a simple short prompt in each case after feeding in samples of each author's work:
Sir Pterry... not:
"The Old Queen’s palace is dark and full of dust. But there are lots of little lights there. Little bug lights. And bugs. There are a lot of them, for some reason. There are lots of things in the Underland. There are bugs and birds, and foxes and deer, and bears, too. Everything you might expect to find in an old forest, except that this is a place you can’t see. And you can’t leave.
"But the strangest things are not the bugs and the animals. They are the people. They are small. They are the same size as the bugs and the birds and the animals. And they walk around, too. Sometimes you can hear them down below. You can hear them coming and going. You can hear them talking and singing. You can hear them cry. You can even hear them fighting. But that doesn’t happen very often. And when it does, the fights don’t last long. Because when they are done, the winner picks up the loser and puts them in the
window.
...or Neil Gaiman... not:
"I take off, fly out the window, circle around the city. I can't go back to Heaven. They don't understand anything. They'll keep me here in this chrysalis until it rots, and I'll rot with it. So I fly to Hell. Satan is an angel too, but he's an angel who understands. He says, 'Of course. Why else would you be here? You're a perfect butterfly, a golden-eyed chrysalis. Your place is in Heaven. But they don't understand anything. You don't have to go back.'
'Thank you,' I say.
'Don't mention it,' says Satan...."
https://bit.ly/3vfiCj7
...and more about Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3, in an op-ed by Leonid Bershidsky on Bloomberg.com:
"It’s been almost a year since OpenAI, the San-Francisco lab co-founded by Elon Musk, released Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3, the language model that can produce astoundingly coherent text with minimal human prompting – enough time to draw some conclusions on whether its brute-force approach to artificial intelligence can in time allow most writing to be delegated to machines. In my current job at Bloomberg News Automation, I’m in the business of such delegation, and I have my doubts that the trail blazed by GPT-3 leads in the right direction....
https://bloom.bg/3ud4nd1
3.8 PRATCHETT BOOK CLUB UPDATES
On the website of publishers Tor, Emmet Asher-Perrin continues a Discworld discussion page. This month's instalments take us from the wrap-up of Good Omens through the entirety of Eric.
Finishing Good Omens...
"I’m not a Christian theologian by any stretch of the imagination (and I’m not Christian myself), but as far as I’ve always understood it, Jesus embodies qualities that people are supposed to strive for – kindness, forgiveness, mercy, a sense of moral responsibility, that sort of thing. Yet here we have an entire book dedicated to this idea that Heaven and Hell aren’t inherently Good and Evil places because you find real grace and real cruelty in humanity. We have the capacity for the whole spectrum in each and every one of us. Thus, the point of Adam isn’t showing how true evil works, it’s showing a potential flip side to the characteristics of the 'savior.' Because sure, Adam saves the world, for a definition of that, but he doesn’t go around fixing everyone’s problems – and he could. He thinks that people need to take responsibility for their own messes, hence his point to Anathema that he won’t be saving whales for everyone; if he does that, then people will forget that their actions have consequences. He keeps Armageddon at bay because he hasn’t seen enough yet, which is a fair complaint from an eleven-year-old boy..."
https://bit.ly/3yxABDi
...and the first part of Eric:
"Maybe this is a weird thing for me to say, but there’s some part of me that wonders if writing the Good Omens version of Death didn’t clarify some things for Pratchett about the Discworld version. Because his very first appearance in The Colour of Magic is notably not quite there yet, and obviously we get a lot of him in Mort, and he continues to coalesce with every additional appearance. But there’s something about this particular bit with the Rite of AshkEnte that feels just exactly correct, like the Discworld’s Death has finally distilled down or aged appropriately like a fine wine – his being on the wrong side of the octogram, the “expression of polite interest,” the expectant curiosity whilst being very to-the-point. (Picking invisible particles off the scythe, I could die.) When I think of the character, this is how I’m usually thinking of him... there’s a lot of Good Omens influence in this book, particularly in the explanation of Discworld’s Hell, and Lord Astfgl's mission to make the whole thing function better. (Plus his petty grievances with the old guard of demons.) It’s there in the talk of how Astfgl wants Eric because Hell is missing out of human imagination, giving Pratchett a spot to really drill down on that concept. There’s the mention that the difference between gods and demons on the Disc is basically the same as the difference between “terrorists and freedom fighters,” which immediately puts me in mind of Crowley and Aziraphale’s conversation about guns and moral arguments. Then there’s the “bell, book and candle job” line, which has that air of echoes in the brain working their way out, and I have to say, it’s comforting? Obviously writers don’t usually mean to repeat themselves, but if someone like Pratchett can do it, we can all feel a little less awkward when we do it. But I feel like the real crux here is the moment when Rincewind is looking at Eric looking out over the world and he wonders if he was like him at that age, and then thinks 'I wonder how I survived?'..."
https://bit.ly/2Spu8tm
...and the second...
"This… this is just a weird lil book, isn’t it? I mean, it’s a bit fun if you’ve read any of the myths and classics attached to the story, but that only really takes you so far, and then you’re mostly left wondering why at the end. Because Eric is thoroughly boring as a co-protagonist. He doesn’t really do much, it’s all Rincewind, and by this point we know full well that Rincewind is a better protagonist when he’s got someone to bounce off of – Twoflower, other wizards, barbarians, literally anyone with a personality and a point of view that will get in the way of his sense of self-preservation. But throughout this book, he’s mostly stuck at the whims of the plot. I mean, you know it’s all gone wonky when even the Luggage doesn’t get to have much fun... My theory here is that there was just too much leftover in Pratchett’s head after working on Good Omens, and he wanted to shove it somewhere, so this is where he put it. Right? I mean, this version of Hell is basically what the place would be like if demons actually listened to Crowley. That’s the whole arc we get with Astfgl being deposed by demons who really just want to go back to the good ol’ days of flames and blood. Which is fun to play with, but maybe not enough material for an entire book. And you know, this is less than half the length of most Discworld books, so you can kind of rest your case there..."
https://bit.ly/2T8LgnD
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04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
It's a promising-looking season for Australian Discworld plays!
* MAKING MONEY IN BRISBANE, FOURECKS (NOW–JUNE 2021)
Brisbane Arts Theatre is back in the swing with more Discworld! Currently playing is the Stephen Briggs adaptation of Making Money. "Someone is killing Lord Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. No one knows who; no one knows why; and, worst of all, no one knows how – he just gets weaker and weaker. But, it’s not just Vetinari. Across the city, people are being murdered, but there’s no trace of anything alive having been at the crime scene. In a city teeming with vampires, werewolves, dwarfs with attitude, and golems, Vimes must solve the crime and save the Patrician."
When: now through 5th June 2021
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Time: Thursdays 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays 8pm, Sundays 6:30pm
Tickets: $36 (concession/group $29,Student Rush: $16), available online via https://aubat.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/5873 ($2 fee on all transactions)
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/productions/making-money/
*MORT IN SUBURBAN MELBOURNE, FOURECKS (JUNE 2021)
How good is it to see Fourecksian Discworld productions getting back to normal? The CPP Community Theatre will present Stephen Briggs' adaptation of Mort in June! "When Mort and his father attend the Sheepridge hiring fair in the hope that this year Mort will finally get an apprenticeship, they didn’t expect the day to end with death. But at least Death offered Mort a job! As Death’s apprentice, Mort gets to travel and meet interesting people… well, for a short time anyway. But once Mort is trusted to take on the Duty by himself, trouble brews, as Mort lets his heart rule his head… Adapted by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs from the fourth of Terry’s wildly successful Discworld novels, Mort brings the Discworld to the stage. Come and see how Mort gets out of the trouble he’s caused!"
When: 11th–19th June 2021
Venue: CPP Community Theatre, Doongalla Rd & Simpsons Rd, The Basin, Bayswater, Victoria 3154
Time: 8pm Fridays and Thursday, 2pm and 8pm Saturday 12th, 5pm Saturday 19th
Tickets: $27 (concession $24, group – minimum of 10 tickets – $24, family of 4 $75), available online via https://bit.ly/2ShDmbp
https://cppcommunitytheatre.com.au/mort/
* FEET OF CLAY IN BRISBANE, FOURECKS (SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2021)
Brisbane Arts Theatre returns with a second Discworld production of a Stephen Briggs adaptation! Making up for lost pandemic time... "Someone is killing Lord Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. No one knows who; no one knows why; and, worst of all, no one knows how – he just gets weaker and weaker. But, it’s not just Vetinari. Across the city, people are being murdered, but there’s no trace of anything alive having been at the crime scene. In a city teeming with vampires, werewolves, dwarfs with attitude, and golems, Vimes must solve the crime and save the Patrician."
When: 12th September–17th October 2021
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Time: Fridays and Saturdays 8pm, select Thursdays 7:30pm, select Sundays 6:30pm (see booking page)
Tickets: $36 (concession/group $29,Student Rush: $16), available online via https://aubat.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/640 ($2 fee on all transactions)
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/productions/feet-of-clay/
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
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! Also note there are a few updates below...
A new Fourecksian meeting group joins the gang: the Purdeigh Islanders, based in Hobart, Tasmania. "Purdeigh (or Purdee) Island lies hubwards of Fourecks. Roundworld islanders are fans of the great Sir Terry Pratchett resident in Tasmania, the island state of Australia."
The Purdeigh Islanders is a private group. To join in, go to their Facebook page and see if they'll have you!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/205967619882683/
*
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://bit.ly/2YrPGW7
NOTE: the Drummers are still meeting occasionally via Zoom. Check out the above link for updates!
*
Drumknott's Irregulars
Facebook https://bit.ly/31FlSrq 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
"What are we doing while we're stuck at home due to COVID-19? Given that our normal social gatherings can't happen while everyone's under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are instead trying to host regular activities and discussions online. Most of these will be done via our Discord Server – https://discord.gg/3RVzsyJ – which has several text chat channels and a few voice chat channels as well. We will still use our Facebook group – https://facebook.com/groups/cityofsmallgods – to coordinate scheduled events. When things get back to normal... (semi-) regular social meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm.
"We'll try to keep this page up to date (no promises!) but always check emails on the mailing list or our Facebook Group for further details of these events."
*
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 now hosts two groups of fans who meet on a regular basis.
In the CBD, The Mended Drummers (Sydney) meet on the first Monday of each month at Albion Place Hotel from 6.00pm. Join the Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/downunderdrummers/ – for more information.
And over in the western suburbs of Sydney you can find the Western Drummers who meet on the third Tuesday of each month at the Nepean Rowers Club from 6pm. Join their Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/100376433635355/ – for more information.
All we do is chat over a few drinks, with subjects ranging far and wide, have a Discworld themed quiz and generally enjoy the company of fellow discworld fans. Sometimes we end up getting together for a Zombie Walk, table top games or Supanova - nothing formal, just a loose group of like minded people.
Editor's note: If either of these supersedes the Sydney Drummers, please let Wossname know! Still posting the original for now: Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder)
Contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers https://bit.ly/2EKSCqu – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
06) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
The Author with ducks. What ducks? Posted on reddit by user Bill-Door064:
https://i.redd.it/50jjcsxryc561.jpg
Another round of Discworld cakes! By canadabakes:
https://bit.ly/2RwzymD
By Michelle Pearce: https://bit.ly/3fKaD7c
By Denise Allen: https://bit.ly/3hIJvrH
...and by the Nightwitch, who is possibly Elza Baldzhiyska:
https://bit.ly/3468oFG
Two glorious Grannies by Paul Kidby:
https://bit.ly/2Td2IYn
...and Death as beekeeper, for World Bee Day which was this week:
https://bit.ly/3bKjt3C
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
07) CLOSE
Paul Kidby's fantastic Discworld and Beyond exhibition may have been somewhat derailed by the pandemic, but it will surely be back. If you know a local UK museum that might want to feature it in the near future, here's the info: "We are currently taking bookings for this ever popular exhibition from Galleries & Museums around the UK for 2021 and onwards. For details please contact Steve Marshall, Exhibitions and Collections Officer, St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, New Street, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9BH (phone 01590 676969)
And finally, your Editor has never been a one to recommend fanfiction, but this one, by Sue Kesby, is an exception. Not trying to imitate The Author, not even pastiching, really, but... well... observing. Observing what a certain event might well be like. Enjoy!
https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/132559172/posts/3095
Right then, that's it for now. To our readers in the UK, may you enjoy your government-permitted hugs on the Glorious 25th! For our readers in Fourecks and the Land of Fog, try to remember that there's still a pandemic on out there. For our readers everywhere else, stay safe and remember, someday this will be over. And to everyone, mind how you go, and we hope to see you next month!
– Annie Mac
Copyright (c) 2021 by Wossname for the Klatchian Foreign Legion
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
