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The word from Penguin Classics on the newly published (Doubleday) graphic novel of Small Gods:
"Like all things on the Discworld, religion is a controversial business. Small gods, elbowing for space at the top, rely on faith and followers to retain their status. Not a good time then, for the Great God Om to be reduced to tortoise form, barely able to muster up a static shock let alone a good old fashioned thunderbolt. He needs followers, fast, and Brutha the novice is the Chosen One – or at least, the only One available... Follow the misadventures of our favourite novice priest and his tortoise deity in Ray Friesen's stunning new adaptation of Terry Pratchett's bestselling novel. Fully illustrated for the first time, this graphic novel brings Brutha and Om to life as never before."
I will agree with them that the adaptation is stunning – but not in the way they undoubtedly meant it. As Editor of Wossname and as a passionate Discworld enthusiast of many years' standing, I cannot in conscience promote this volume. As in really, really can't. I hate saying negative things about any Pratchett work, but there is no way around it this time: I think this is some of the worst, ugliest and least competent "professional" comics art I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot), and at the very least I find its childish, visual-slapstick style horribly inappropriate for what could well be the most artistically significant and intellectually bracing of all the Discworld novels.
Graham Higgins' artwork for the graphic novel of Guards! Guards! was simply delicious, and brought the A-M City Watch to glorious life. Higgins' artwork for Mort was decidedly inferior to that, but still bearable if one viewed it with a squint in a following wind. But this... this... I swear, if I were Nuggan I would Abominate the new graphic novel of Small Gods, and rightly.
I'll grant that Ray Friesen's Official Terry Pratchett Brand[sorta-TM] icons have a certain twee charm. But I can only deplore the decision from Team Pratchett to hire Friesen as artist for any graphic novel, much less one as mighty as Small Gods. I won't be buying it and I won't be promoting it, and I am very saddened by this. I probably will lose some goodwill from Team Pratchett by making my opinions on this public, and that saddens me as well, but my conscience demands I tell my true opinion here. And so it goes. Ah well, there's always the forthcoming (and utterly fabulous) Paul Kidby Discworld Colouring Book to console myself with...
/rant
Now then – if you, O Reader, are interested in purchasing or even doing a suck-and-see crash test of the Small Gods graphic novel, you can go to http://classics.penguin.co.uk/q/1H7kqwtAO5cfPZCdyGG9j/wv where you will find links for both a free sample download and purchasing options.
Also, if anyone out there wants to send a review of the Small Gods graphic novel to Wossname, we will publish it whether the reviewer agrees with your Editor or disagrees just as violently :-)
Here endeth this rant. July edition of Wossname coming in a few hours' time...
"Like all things on the Discworld, religion is a controversial business. Small gods, elbowing for space at the top, rely on faith and followers to retain their status. Not a good time then, for the Great God Om to be reduced to tortoise form, barely able to muster up a static shock let alone a good old fashioned thunderbolt. He needs followers, fast, and Brutha the novice is the Chosen One – or at least, the only One available... Follow the misadventures of our favourite novice priest and his tortoise deity in Ray Friesen's stunning new adaptation of Terry Pratchett's bestselling novel. Fully illustrated for the first time, this graphic novel brings Brutha and Om to life as never before."
I will agree with them that the adaptation is stunning – but not in the way they undoubtedly meant it. As Editor of Wossname and as a passionate Discworld enthusiast of many years' standing, I cannot in conscience promote this volume. As in really, really can't. I hate saying negative things about any Pratchett work, but there is no way around it this time: I think this is some of the worst, ugliest and least competent "professional" comics art I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot), and at the very least I find its childish, visual-slapstick style horribly inappropriate for what could well be the most artistically significant and intellectually bracing of all the Discworld novels.
Graham Higgins' artwork for the graphic novel of Guards! Guards! was simply delicious, and brought the A-M City Watch to glorious life. Higgins' artwork for Mort was decidedly inferior to that, but still bearable if one viewed it with a squint in a following wind. But this... this... I swear, if I were Nuggan I would Abominate the new graphic novel of Small Gods, and rightly.
I'll grant that Ray Friesen's Official Terry Pratchett Brand[sorta-TM] icons have a certain twee charm. But I can only deplore the decision from Team Pratchett to hire Friesen as artist for any graphic novel, much less one as mighty as Small Gods. I won't be buying it and I won't be promoting it, and I am very saddened by this. I probably will lose some goodwill from Team Pratchett by making my opinions on this public, and that saddens me as well, but my conscience demands I tell my true opinion here. And so it goes. Ah well, there's always the forthcoming (and utterly fabulous) Paul Kidby Discworld Colouring Book to console myself with...
/rant
Now then – if you, O Reader, are interested in purchasing or even doing a suck-and-see crash test of the Small Gods graphic novel, you can go to http://classics.penguin.co.uk/q/1H7kqwtAO5cfPZCdyGG9j/wv where you will find links for both a free sample download and purchasing options.
Also, if anyone out there wants to send a review of the Small Gods graphic novel to Wossname, we will publish it whether the reviewer agrees with your Editor or disagrees just as violently :-)
Here endeth this rant. July edition of Wossname coming in a few hours' time...
