The Humour Club discussion
Group Reads
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March Group Read - The Color of Magic
Not my favourite of Sir Terry's, but still required reading, even if only to show how he developed as a writer
Being a big music fan, it has to be Soul Music. With Guards Guards next. If I ever produce anything as good as either of those I will die happy.Hogfather was my least favourite really. For me he hit a peak from his 3 book until Jingo, then dropped back a bit.
Where have you got up to? Or are you just starting now?
simple question really, wheres your blog?
I have "The Colour of Magic" on order, but am dipping into some Robert Bloch while I wait. "Terror" is not very terrifying, but it is funny, with the requisite crazy person running around killing people and glorifying small dark statues. Pretty amusing.
Question: Other authors you'd use to compare Terry Pratchett's writing style? Me, books of similar style and story...
1) Douglas Adams
2) Piers Anthony
3) Robert Aspirin
4) Robert Rankin, alike in the ability to create absolutely absurd situations., 5) same reason for Tom Holt, as his books like Who's afraid of Beowulf, and Grailblazers are again, equally as absurd in places.
Both these authors are alike to Pratchett in my book, as they all include little nods towards human frailties and absurdities, basically the inclusion of parodies of human nature.
Have to be the early Tom Holt though. I think he's fallen off recently. His plots have got stronger at tghe expense of the humour...
Hazel wrote: "Both these authors are alike to Pratchett in my book, as they all include little nods towards human frailties and absurdities, basically the inclusion of parodies of human nature."I think that is what makes these type of books interesting...and makes me think you kind of have to have above average smarts to really get the joke.
Ever try to explain an absurd plot to someone who's never read a book like this? You just end up sounding crazy.
I tried explaining Tom Holt to my brother once, as he'd given up on Grailblazers without getting far into it, and he just didn't get the idea that the different stories going on would come together in the end, and suddenly it would all make a sort of sense.My reindeer shaped hot wheaty bag is named after a character in Grailblazers.
Kat, you've picked 2 absolute crackers there.
Question: What pace are you reading this book at? Slow? Fast? I'm finding this book a slow page turner...and I mean that in a good way. It seems like you HAVE to read every word, no skimming/speedreading, to really get the writing. Seems like Pratchett makes every word count!
The two hundred and some odd pages seemed to take as much time to read as a four hundred page mammoth. Again, I mean that in a good way.
I've finished, but I have read it a few times before. I had forgotten though how utterly different death is in this book than he is later on.
I read
last year. It is narrated by death, but, a bit more on the serious side. That being said, death commenting on gathering souls is always kind of humorous, right?
Don't you love the names in the book? I think they are hilarious.
And he just keeps coming up with them throughout his books :D
except you do have to plant it, you have to plant it the year after you harvest it. If you don't then you won't have a harvest last year.
Mod
Pratchett is fun:D Don't worry Melki, it will become self explanatory.
Mod
I read The Color of Magic last year after being hounded for years by friends to read Mr. Pratchett. The Problem with Pratchett is that he has written so much, where does one start? There are actual websites that give advice and guidance on this momentous decision. Because, although there is no question that this is the first Ringworld book, many claim that it is neither the best nor particularly representative of Pratchett’s work. Some of the books are lumped together in ‘groups’ other are stand alone, and it just gets more confusing from there. So I just grabbed Color of Magic, the first RW book, while trying to keep in mind that he purportedly writes much better than this.
When do we start discussing it?
Discworld Brian, Ringworld is a whole other genre... :)I think we've already sorta started discussing it, but Melki, as our glorious leader, has only just started it, so I vote giving her a few days to finish :)
Question: Is Discworld too far fetched?Does it take away from your reading experience...or is that the point? The world is so strange that anything can happen.
I think it's actually very intellectual in a way. You have to have a good understanding of how the 'real' world works, then when an absurd concept like the world resting on the back of a turtle (which may mate at some point) is hilarious.
Mod
I thought we'd already started discussing, though I'd appreciate some spoiler-hidin' if there's anything REALLY surprising.
I think Raya was going to read it as well. Don't know if she's gotten a copy yet...
Mod
I read them all horrifically out of order, and I definitely think it's a bit easier to start with, say, Witches Abroad than The Light Fantastic (Rincewind took some getting used to), but Terry Pratchett is my absolute favorite author. Hands down. The first three books (Color of Magic, Light Fantastic, and Equal Rites) took me the longest to actually get into (and I still think Equal Rites falls a long, long way short of his other works). The Disc is one of those things that kind of sneaks into your head and never leaves. I have to say, reading these novels definitely gave me a whole new set of reading skills. At first I couldn't STAND that I didn't know what was going on and that Pratchett made no effort to make any sense at all.
But now I think he's a freaking genius. He's a true *writer* in that he takes you into his world, tells you a part of a story, and then dumps you out again to process it. To me (now), that's what I'd like all authors to do: take me along for the ride. And the hilarity definitely eases the way.
Ooooh, Twoflower in Ankh-Morpork...
Hazel wrote: "Discworld Brian, Ringworld is a whole other genre... :)I think we've already sorta started discussing it, but Melki, as our glorious leader, has only just started it, so I vote giving her a few d..."
Sorry, I meant Discworld. Ringworld, that was Larry Niven sci-fi, wasn't it?
yeah, it was. Apparently good, but I've never read it myself. I was never big into sci fi books, I preferred watching my sci fi.
Hazel wrote: "yeah, it was. Apparently good, but I've never read it myself. I was never big into sci fi books, I preferred watching my sci fi."I hear you. I read sci-fi and fantasy as a kid/youth but now my head is in a very different place.
Question: Douglas Adams & Terry Pratchett - both English. Is this kind of humour a cultural thing or just a coincidence?
I'd say it is cultural as, although you have mentioned these two authors, the sense of humour runs further than that by far.You can go back to the Goon Show and work up from there. Monty Python is another obvious landmark on the British humour landscape.
I am, of course, a Brit, so my opinion may well be biased, but I think these are among the best examples of British humour.
Question: What do you think the luggage represents? Is it just a joke?
Does it represent materialism? Seems to make people follow the 'tourist' around.
I kind of saw it like a loyal dog who will follow you through thick and thin, will travel across the continent to find you, will be there to help when you are in trouble (Lassie grab the rope!)
If its like a dog, then its like a badly raised pitbull, loyal to master, will rip anyone else a new one at the drop of a hat...I'd say its a joke based on everything that luggage represents in the real world. When you go on holiday, you run the risk of loosing your luggage, wounding yourself trying to lug it around, luggage seems to have a life of its own. Its the worst bit of travelling, no-one really wants to have to deal with luggage. As my other half puts it, luggage is an inanimate object that is possessed of an inherent malevolence.
Think about it, have you ever managed to go on holiday and not get at least pissed off at your luggage? Or in some way injured by it?
The enforcer who is as hard as nails is a common character in fantasy. In this case, the absurdity is that the enforcer is a piece of luggage with a bad temper. I think the luggage is therefore more a parody of a genre classic - the unthinking brute that is loyal no matter what.In addition, the luggage is as competent in everything it does, in contrast to Rincewind's incompetence, and is therefore a comic foil; the straight man to the bumbling fool.
As plot device, the luggage is also quite necessary. It would be a short book if Rincewind had no help. Rincewind gets into trouble, the luggage gets him out. Where you have an idiot main character, you need a mechanism to save the day. The great thing Pratchett does is to make it funny and deflect the reader away from the Deus Ex element. If it's funny, you don't care.
Very spot on Paul! You could write your a PHD paper on this I bet.
Bookworm wrote: "Very spot on Paul! You could write your a PHD paper on this I bet."I already have one unsubmitted Phd in Computational Theoretical Physics in a box in my attic. I'm not sure it needs company ... though there are worse subjects than humourous fantasy to study.
What I really found smart (as in funny and intelligent) was in the Dragon mountain section. I really liked how Pratchett brought up the idea of bad magic doing strange things in just a certain area - mirroring nuclear radiation anyone?I'm sure there were more examples like this, but, I either missed them or can't think of them right now. Anyone?
Do you like Rincewind as a character?He seems very selfish and cowardly to me? I think I like him, but, strangely I'm not 100% sure.
I do like the idea that he has this super powered atomic bomb level spell stuck inside his head...when will that go off? What will happen when it does? Makes me want to read more of the series to find out.
he's a worm, but its like he's our worm, so he's also kinda likeable, in a tolerating the massive amounts of bad stuff for the faint glimmer of good stuff sort of way.
Mod
"I run, therefore I am; more correctly, I run, therefore with any luck I'll still be.”Not sure if that's a quote from Rincewind, but it's definitely his thought process. I like him, but it took me a while to get used to a hero who is deliberately trying to avoid most of life.
Twoflower irritated me to high heaven, though, so I was soon glad that Rincewind was there to ground him.
Mod
I picture myself as a Rincewind of the real world. If there was a bar room brawl I would bite, scratch, and jump to the rafters. Oh, and kick groins if need be.I'm interested to find out more about the 'hero' and the assasin from the beginning of the book.
Terry P - "There are no maps, you cannot map a sense of humour"How fitting to be on the back of one of his books.
Here is my review -Irrelevant, illogical, borderline insane.
Yet, imaginative, inventive, and irresistible.
This book has it all, or at least most. There are characters that are out of this world, literally. The world is out of this world, literally. And, the plot is so faint it doesn’t get in the way, however, it does gently glide the story along like a gentle summer breeze.
This is the first book in the well known Discworld series. Discworld is a made up land where almost anything goes. The laws of time, space, and sometimes gravity do not apply. There is magic, magical creatures, magical luggage…overall, all things magic. This land is completely unbelievable and you will need to let go of reality to even have a chance at enjoying this book. But, that’s the point I think? You don’t run across many adult books where the imagination is free to roam, but, you do here.
Trying to explain what happens in this novel will make anyone sound a bit crazy. I’ll give it good try though. There is a cowardly unwizard (never graduated wizard school) who runs across this tourist with a magic luggage chest. They end up burning down the town, destroying a giant one eyed monster, falling off the edge of the earth…in a ‘spaceship’. All the while being followed by the tourist’s luggage, by Death himself, and Fate (who is in competition with Lady Destiny). Crazy? No, in fact it’s a highly intelligent satire. Including some thinly veiled comparisons between deadly magic and nuclear radiation. I believe there is a lot more than I could comprehend on my first pass through.
I found the book a slow read, but I mean this in the very best way possible. Pratchett makes every word count, so I took my time savouring every phrase, every metaphor, every syllable! You really have to read it to know what I mean.
Apparently these Disworld books are so popular there have been many more published. They seem to have a bit of a cult following. Conclusion: They must be good.
I thought it was good, not mind-blowing mind you. But, partway between Great and Good. Good+ if it were a grade.
The Humour Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Book Thief (other topics)Barking (other topics)
The Color of Magic (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Tom Holt (other topics)Robert Rankin (other topics)
This month we'll learn all about The Color of Magic. (I'm betting it's chartreuse.)