What a timely survey!!
I have read the entire Discworld series, many of them multiple times. Oh wait, I haven't read Wintersmith or I Shall Wear Midnight. So there's that. His only non-Discworld stuff I have read is Nation and Good Omens.
I think that puts me around 39 books? Yes?
I think he's great. His early books were pretty weak, very one dimensional, but he really hit his stride later in the series reaching that magical combination of fantastic characters, actual emotion, solid, exciting plotting, and hilarity. I think recently he's been struggling to find new places to take his writing, and in Unseen Academicals there was a lot of backtracking over themes and character archetypes that we've already seen before, and were done better previously too.
I think the Watch books for overall quality - Night Watch is very likely the best book he's ever written, I think, and Feet of Clay, The Fifth Elephant, and Men at Arms are all very strong too ... but my absolute favorite is The Thief of Time, which I never hear anyone else talk about. Maybe it's because it was the first Discworld book I read, but I love it. Anyway, I also love Going Postal an inordinate amount ... flippin' hilarious.
I thought Unseen Academicals was pretty weak, but I am loath to attribute that to his disease. I think it might be more that he's written so many books in this world it's very probable that he's running out of fresh material. He's pretty much written himself into a wall with the Watch ... they're so competent now there's not that much more to say about it.
If actors can be knighted on the basis of their acting, then I think it's only fair that authors can be knighted for their writing.
Probably the Thief of Time.
do you also think this is his best work?
No, I think Night Watch probably is.
Yup. Like I said before, I have sentimental attachments to Thief of Time.
No, I don't really like Tiffany Aching all that much.
I like the ones that are still funny while also containing dynamic, interesting characters and evoking real emotion. My one criticism of Night Watch is that it's not really very funny.
Yeah, I saw the Hogfather one. It was alright, but I thought it sacrificed humor for accuracy to the novel. Honestly, I think most of Pratchett's humor comes from the writing itself, so I don't know if a film adaptation will ever be able to capture that.
I'll probably answer them.
Thanks for posting!!
Just finished reading I Shall Wear Midnight, and I will post a review in the next couple of days as I can't see that anybody else has. But first, I wanted to ask a few questions about what you think of Sir Terry.
1) have you read any Terry Pratchett?
I have read the entire Discworld series, many of them multiple times. Oh wait, I haven't read Wintersmith or I Shall Wear Midnight. So there's that. His only non-Discworld stuff I have read is Nation and Good Omens.
2) if so was it Discworld or something else or both? How many books?
I think that puts me around 39 books? Yes?
3) what is your overall opinion of Pratchett's writing?
I think he's great. His early books were pretty weak, very one dimensional, but he really hit his stride later in the series reaching that magical combination of fantastic characters, actual emotion, solid, exciting plotting, and hilarity. I think recently he's been struggling to find new places to take his writing, and in Unseen Academicals there was a lot of backtracking over themes and character archetypes that we've already seen before, and were done better previously too.
4) which are your favourite arc of books by TP? (e.g Tiffany Aching, Vimes, Strata, the truckers etc.)
I think the Watch books for overall quality - Night Watch is very likely the best book he's ever written, I think, and Feet of Clay, The Fifth Elephant, and Men at Arms are all very strong too ... but my absolute favorite is The Thief of Time, which I never hear anyone else talk about. Maybe it's because it was the first Discworld book I read, but I love it. Anyway, I also love Going Postal an inordinate amount ... flippin' hilarious.
5) have you noticed a change in his style or quality since his diagnosis with Alzheimers?
I thought Unseen Academicals was pretty weak, but I am loath to attribute that to his disease. I think it might be more that he's written so many books in this world it's very probable that he's running out of fresh material. He's pretty much written himself into a wall with the Watch ... they're so competent now there's not that much more to say about it.
6) do you think it is right for an author to be knighted on the basis of fiction he has written?
If actors can be knighted on the basis of their acting, then I think it's only fair that authors can be knighted for their writing.
7) what is your favourite individual Pratchett book?
Probably the Thief of Time.
do you also think this is his best work?No, I think Night Watch probably is.
9) do you ever find that you don't think of your favourite book by an author etc as the best one? Why is this (not) so?
Yup. Like I said before, I have sentimental attachments to Thief of Time.
10) have you read I Shall Wear Midnight? What did you think?
No, I don't really like Tiffany Aching all that much.
11)do you prefer TP's funny satires, his somewhat darker mire serious works (generally still satirical) something in between or do you see his work as something else? Or do you hate all of it?
I like the ones that are still funny while also containing dynamic, interesting characters and evoking real emotion. My one criticism of Night Watch is that it's not really very funny.
12) have you seen any of the tv sealskins of his works? How do you think they compare to the novels?
Yeah, I saw the Hogfather one. It was alright, but I thought it sacrificed humor for accuracy to the novel. Honestly, I think most of Pratchett's humor comes from the writing itself, so I don't know if a film adaptation will ever be able to capture that.
I may post more questions later
I'll probably answer them.
Thanks for playing,
Thanks for posting!!
Jac xx 
Insert theme music here.
Sir Terry Pratchett
- 07/01/2011 05:42:34 PM
1136 Views
I'm torn between my love of Pterry and my inherent laziness.
- 07/01/2011 05:55:25 PM
687 Views
Why do think you don't like unseen academicals as much as the others? *NM*
- 08/01/2011 05:41:30 PM
326 Views
Re: 
- 07/01/2011 05:58:54 PM
832 Views
- 07/01/2011 05:58:54 PM
832 Views
What do you particularly enjoy about Pyramids?
- 08/01/2011 05:44:31 PM
822 Views
Re: It is self contained, it examines its themes and then moves on, it is packaged to my tastes.
- 08/01/2011 07:45:23 PM
856 Views
*NM*
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett
- 07/01/2011 08:21:35 PM
813 Views
Heh. I forgot Good Omens.
- 07/01/2011 10:15:01 PM
702 Views
I just finished Unseen Academicals yesterday!
- 07/01/2011 08:34:03 PM
725 Views
Humorous. But his underlying nihilism always leaves me somewhat disturbed after finishing a book..
- 08/01/2011 09:21:56 AM
855 Views
Interesting
- 08/01/2011 12:18:56 PM
805 Views
To me atheism = nihilism...
- 08/01/2011 12:47:04 PM
738 Views
Ok, I fundamentally disagree with you, but I respect your opinion
- 08/01/2011 12:49:54 PM
742 Views
Fair enough. However...
- 08/01/2011 12:54:24 PM
774 Views
To quote the Angel line that is in the quotes here...
- 08/01/2011 03:29:33 PM
687 Views
A lovely word confusion (not quite a paradox but I'm not sure what to call it)
- 08/01/2011 05:38:38 PM
596 Views
re: Death
- 08/01/2011 01:33:10 PM
655 Views
What nihilism?
- 08/01/2011 04:28:59 PM
678 Views
not really a big fan
- 08/01/2011 04:25:33 PM
956 Views
A couple of new questions;
- 08/01/2011 06:03:15 PM
640 Views