Advantages: Comic genius of the first order, mixed in with vibrant, intelligent storytelling. Disadvantages: Some of the earlier novels don't quite get there - read some of the later ones first, then go back and savour the early days.
Terry Pratchett really is an extraordinarily versatile chap. If you're not yet a reader of his work you might find this difficult to believe, given that the vast majority of his output are comic fantasy novels based on a flat planet called Discworld. After all, how long can he keep writing those and still be saying something fresh? In answer, it's because Discworld really isn't all that different from our world. Certainly there are trolls, dwarves, ... ...but fundamentally, it's populated by people you know. At the heart of the comedy lies a rich cast of people with problems, dilemmas, anxieties, traumas, joys and sorrows. It makes for a potent comic brew, but also for something deeper - a selection of often extraordinary stories, most of which carry themes far deeper than the comic art covers suggest.
Unusually, the worst place to start reading the Discworld novels is at the beginning. For my money, ...
RichardW 16.04.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Terry Pratchett
Advantages: superb plot every time Disadvantages: if there are any i dont wanna know!
...I have been reading Terry Pratchett books since I was quite small! I spotted Diggers in the public library, and being small, from looking at the cover I assumed it was about little people going on adventures! The book went straight over my head and back to the library! 3 Years ago I spotted the book again and thought it would be a good challenge to try and read the book! This time I took it all in and instantly wanted more! After reading the 3 books ... ...the same high quality, but Terry is an exception! I have found that the audiotapes are just as good to listen to, as Tony Robinson(Blackadder and Time Team)
does a super job of narrating them! Pratchett has a sense of humor that is remarkably profound, and can make anyone who understands his jokes laugh out loud! To give an idea of the way the diskworld works her is what it is:
*The diskworld*
The diskworld is a flat world balanced on ...
demongit 27.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Terry Pratchett
Advantages: Characterisation, humour, Small Gods' courage Disadvantages: The strain is just beginning to show here and there
...to mix things up.
Terry Pratchett has written, at the last count, twenty-six Discworld novels (incidentally, can we take the ® as read, please? It does get on my nerves. Thanks), which have received a great deal of acclaim from a great number of people. And, for the most part, rightly so. From its inception almost two decades ago, the Discworld (I'll stick with the "the", too, if you don't mind) has expanded from merely a convenient background for ... ...fairly be called a fully functioning world.
Going back to the very first Discworld book, The Colour of Magic, I was immediately struck by how - for want of a better word - awkward it all seems. Characters drift in and out of the story for no discernible reason (Bravd the Hublander, for example). The make-up of Ankh-Morpork (yes, yes, ™) is still sketchy; the thieves appear to be non-Guild, for example, and - absurdly - the River Ankh appears ...
davidbuttery 22.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Terry Pratchett
Advantages: Laughter at the mere mention of the character Disadvantages: One book a year...Withdrawl symtoms if I miss the release...
...do at movies. But Terry Pratchett, the sick and funny one, is one of the people that can consistently make me laugh and do it without any trace of artifice or gimmic.
He is a clever and subtle writer, whilst still writing stragiht jokes. His books are both cerebrally challenging and entertaining. The characters are endearing and often just about as silly as real people.
I count Vimes and Detrius, Carrot and Vernati as old freinds, Rincewind sends ... ...some of the older legends is great.
The last book had a vampire with a suicaidal addiction to flash photograhy and don't even get me started on the witches.
It's all based on Discworld...A huge turtle that rides flies through space with four elephants supporting the world...Which is an erm...disc.
There are four sets of stories...Loosly classed as Guard ones (Vimes and the others...talk about silly policemen ina really strange city), The Withces ...
Kaiberie 03.05.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Terry Pratchett
Advantages: Funny, yet suspenseful Disadvantages: When's the next book out?
...that can be said about Terry Pratchett's Discworld series that hasn't been said before - but it's all true! He is undoubtedly one of the best comic fantasy writers of modern times and is revered by his fans. He can frequently be found popping in to the newsgroups that have sprung up to talk about his writings and comes across as a very self-effacing man. The books are based on a (presumably!) fictitious world, the Discworld, which trundles through ... ...a giant turtle, where magic is commonplace. Yes, this is comic fantasy! Several of the characters have developed lives of their own, almost, with the likes of Rincewind, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, et al. appearing on several occasions. Granny Weatherwax, in particular, seems to have developed into TP's favourite character, given the number of books she turns up in.
If you like your fantasy with a pinch of salt, but well-written nonetheless, guess ...
Injebreck 15.07.2000
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Review of Terry Pratchett
Advantages: Brilliant writing, humorous and imaginative Disadvantages: Not everybodies cup of tea for a few or more reasons. They may not like fantasy, if theis is the case, my advise is, read one of his books, then decide.
Terry Pratchett may write for the younger of generations, (although that is debatable), but he really is a genius. He has the most brilliant imagination which he uses so very well in the Discworld series. With characters such as Great A'tuin (on which the Discworld balances), Rincewind, the orangutang that used to be human but made a mistake and ended up the way he is, that wishes to STAY as an orangutang (hes the librarian). There are places such ... ...out very soon. Terry Pratchett may write fantasy, which is not everybodies cup of tea, I know, but the truth be known, you would be a fool to not at least read ONE of his books. You can not critise before you have read one, even then you can not. You must keep reading. I originally thought that his books were for the younger generation, i.e. 10-15 year olds. I could not have been more wrong. Remember: 'DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER'. ...
Laura_lu_uk 25.11.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Terry Pratchett
Advantages: Amazing Author Disadvantages: It takes time to write books
...actually brought into exsitence). Terry Prattchet is such a man.
Terry Prattchet novels have been my absolute favourite since i was introduce to his works be a friend about 6 years ago, since then i have read every book with awe as i marvel at his unique abaility to link fantsy events with real life things for example a crude discworld bomb consists of a swamp dragon (very small cat sized dragon) in a box with a covered mirror, to activate the bomb ... ...and nurtured
so that they each have seemed like they have actually been alive at some point in our lives.
I hope Terry Prattchet continues the discworld series for many years to come and to bring as much enjoyment to others as i have gotten from reading his work. ...
redemption 06.10.2001
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