Page 4 • Terry Pratchett • Non-Gaming • Books • Eurogamer.net

JoelStinty 3 Dec 2014 10:00:02 9,530 posts
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Yeah should make mine too

Here's a radio time doings on it.

If you like your Christmas a bit dark, funny and involving the antichrist, then you’re in luck – Radio 4 has a festive treat to run over the Christmas week.
The radio adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s comic apocalypse novel Good Omens will air at 11pm from the 22nd to the 27th of December, with the last episode a bumper hour-long special.
The news was announced by Gaiman on Twitter, accompanied by props from the series:

And once you've marked that date on your advent calendar, feast your eyes on a string of new cast images released by the BBC today and including Merlin’s Colin Morgan, Fresh Meat star Charlotte Ritchie, Mark Heap (Green Wing), Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy), Paterson Joseph (Peep Show), Sherlock’s Louise Brealey and many more (see below).
Good Omens follows the attempts of an angel and a demon (Heap and Serafinowicz) to save the world from the antichrist, but all is not as it seems thanks to a bureaucratic mix-up. Soon, the fate of humanity is left to a gang of young children, a trainee witchfinder (Morgan) and a collection of garbled flashcards.
It was written by Gaiman and Pratchett in 1990, and became a bestseller that remains popular to this day. Now, the two writers have joined up with the team behind the 2013 smash-hit radio adaptation of Gaiman's book and TV series Neverwhere which starred Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy, Christopher Lee and Natalie Dormer.
Gaiman (who appears in the promotional photos) has assisted returning Neverwhere director and adaptor Dirk Maggs with the scripts, and both he and Pratchett will make cameo appearances alongside the main cast.
RadioTimes.com caught up with the drama's star Colin Morgan who explained, despite appearances, you won’t find a better listen for the festive season...
“It’s about the antichrist, at Christmas – nothing more festive that that!” said the Merlin and The Fall actor.
“But it’s got heart and the soul. It’s the escapism, the fantasy element of it, the charm and magic that surrounds Christmas, I think. And it’s pure escapism.
He added: "I think everybody can get something from it. I think fans of Terry and Neil will be extremely pleased.” [\quote]

mal 6 Dec 2014 15:58:48 29,326 posts
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Missed this announcement! (Damn you Neil, no announcment on your blog? For shame!). Picked up on it browsing the R4 pages, and landed on this decent enough intro:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02cwzpp

It's linked from the programme page on the previous page, but worth listening to/watching if you've not heard it already. Judging by the character art, Serafinowicz is playing Crowley (as you might expect) which means Heap is playing Aezeraphale (or however you spell it).

opalw00t 24 Dec 2014 09:49:56 12,836 posts
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Episodes available now!

varsas 24 Apr 2015 10:01:48 2,493 posts
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Pre-orders for the last Discworld book in hardback are down to Ł13.60 now.

Deleted user 24 April 2015 11:19:57

Is it a proper discworld one or one of the books for younger readers?

RobAnybody 24 Apr 2015 12:28:23 2,892 posts
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andytheadequate wrote:
Is it a proper discworld one or one of the books for younger readers?

It's a Tiffany Aching story.

RyanDS 24 Apr 2015 12:34:34 14,073 posts
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On holiday at the mo, with lots of train journeys. I skipped the first few Discworlds as they are a bit pooh and started on Mort, and fuck me I remember why I fell in love with his books so badly, I forgot just how FUN the earlier books are before he became more serious. (Don't get me wrong, I love his message books, but I just forgot the exuberence that was in the early ones.)

In fours days Mort / Sourcery / Weird Sisters / Pyramids / Guards Guards and Eric all done. And looking at what is upcoming I just see a stream of awesome books up until Carpe Jugulum which is the first I remember being somewhat dissappointing.

JoelStinty 20 Jun 2015 11:28:33 9,530 posts
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I'm trying to decide what book to start my old man on.

Not sure whether to start him at Colour of Magic/light fantastic, or guards guards. Or try witches abroad or something.

Colour of magic is obviously where it all starts, but i'm aware that the the series doesn't really hit its stride for some time (Although thats not to say they're not enjoyable, and i dunno whether this is just some internet meme or something

)

Guards Guards will suit his humour a lot, and i think he will really dig the characters. He is an ex armourer in the RAF, so i think that crew dynamic will make him laugh.

But he is also massively into british history, and i think the shakespherian riffs of the witches series might intrigue him to.

Or perhaps Small gods or something. I dunno

Edited by JoelStinty at 11:30:39 20-06-2015

Fab4 20 Jun 2015 11:38:14 8,924 posts
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Yeah, I would go for 'Wryrd Sisters' for the familiar, if somewhat skewed, storyline.

magicpanda 20 Jun 2015 11:44:22 15,130 posts
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Guards guards without a shadow of doubt. No brainer.

RyanDS 20 Jun 2015 11:47:01 14,073 posts
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Start with Guards Guards, one of his top three books I reckon, and sets up a load of the series.

AwesomeWells 20 Jun 2015 11:56:04 1,119 posts
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Mort.

Because it's the best one. At least in my mind. At the moment. Subject to change.

Deleted user 20 June 2015 12:06:19

Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic aren't that good, quite different to the later books, more satiring fantasy concepts, whilst the later and better books satirise the real world in a fantasy setting.

Guards Guards is a good place to start, I agree. I'd read the City Watch novels in order, just because Vines is the best character with the most interesting development. And Nightwatch is the best Discworld novel imo.

The Death and Witch novels are also excellent. They're all good. And all quite standalone so it doesn't matter if you read them out of sequence.

Deleted user 20 June 2015 13:02:51

AwesomeWells 20 Jun 2015 13:04:49 1,119 posts
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/applauds

Quite a collection.

JoelStinty 20 Jun 2015 13:12:24 9,530 posts
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nice collection , don't want to make you cry, but have you seen the new hardback editions? They're really nice. Picked up Men at arms, Guards guards and mort. Might pick up interesting times next week.

Yeah i'm leaning guards guards, that was my first DW book ( came in a city watch trilogy) so i see if he gets on with that, and then he can sort of start from the beginning if he wishes.

Deleted user 20 June 2015 13:32:45

Thanks! my collection is far from complete but I have every Discworld novel in hardback from I think the Last Continent onwards. Mostly Christmas presents.

I've seen the new hardbacks. They are nice, not desperate to get them though, quite happy with what I have.

Could do with a new copy of Good Omens though.

kdsh7 20 Jun 2015 13:38:39 1,273 posts
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The only reason I wouldn't pick up the new editions is because on the inside back cover they won't have the words "-and is still not dead"..

mal 20 Jun 2015 13:39:16 29,326 posts
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IIRC Pyramids was my first book. Bought that when it was the current book, loved it, so went back and read the first six books in sequence, so I was ready once Guards Guards hit paperback.

Of the first seven, I'd have to agree that Mort is the best, then the Sisters books (starting with Equal Rites, of course). I'd also be tempted to put Sorcery on the list for new authors too, as it introduces Rincewind pretty well, and he's an important Discworld character (even if he does just appear for the occasional cameo roles after those first half dozen books).

I'd be tempted to put The Amazing Maurice up there with the best of the grown-up discworld books, even though it's aimed at young adults at the oldest. Really, discworld humour transcends age groups, so I'm not sure the difference between a young adult that has the vocabulary and a grown up. Everyone who has ever read a Discworld book should read Maurice. Also, Nation, which isn't even a Discworld book, but ticks all the right boxes.

kdsh7 20 Jun 2015 13:41:14 1,273 posts
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And just to add, Guards! GUARDS! I'd agree is the best place to start, but I'm re-reading Equal Rites at the moment and enjoying it a lot. It's the third DW novel so you know they'd only get better.

Or, to start off with a bang, with an incredible piece of writing that's standalone, "Nation".

Edited by kdsh7 at 13:42:46 20-06-2015

Deleted user 20 June 2015 13:49:39

Equal Rites is great, much better than TCOM or TLF.

I'd second The Amazing Maurice. The Tiffanny Aching YA novels are great too.

I was watching an episode of Pointless where the final question was name the most obscure Discworld novel. I gave 3 pointless answers and considered a fourth.

Amazing Maurice, Monstrous Regiment and Maskerade. Last Hero was pointless too.

I mean it was a pointless answer. Not a pointless novel!

Edited by drhickman1983 at 13:52:41 20-06-2015

varsas 20 Jun 2015 22:14:34 2,493 posts
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@JoelStinty from the ones you've listed and what you've said about your dad I'd say Guards, Guards.

Otherwise generally is recommend Mort since that's the one that got me into the series after not finishing TCOM and as an earlier book it's shorter.

On another note Shepherd's Crown is down to Ł10.

Edited by varsas at 22:15:16 20-06-2015

munki83 21 Jun 2015 00:50:07 1,853 posts
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@drhickman1983

I think we may be twins I've been getting the hardbacks since the last continent and need a new copy of good omens also if younger born in 83 then born in the same year....spooky

DugBriderider 15 Feb 2017 17:08:43 851 posts
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iPlayer has the 4th in the trilogy of Pratchett docs at the moment, 'Back in Black' worth watching if you want a brief biography and some Posthumous reflection on his life.

The Paul Kaye bits playing Pratchett as a narrator are a bit odd but add effective energy and Neil Gaiman made me well up a bit.

Garfy 15 Feb 2017 17:12:12 1,558 posts
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It's something in my eye honest *sniff*

Deleted user 19 February 2017 00:59:19

Just watched that documentary on iPlayer, safe to say I had a sob.

Actually like the Kay bits. A bit odd at first, but I warmed to them. The footage near the start where (the actual) Pratchett was trying to dictate his memoir to Rob was bleak, so having somebody play Pratchett instead of using the footage was probably for the best.

The interview with Neil Gaiman was moving too. But I like how the documentary gave as much emotional weight to his fans as it did to the famous contributors.

Need to reread some of his books now. Perhaps its the political climate, but Jingo and Monstrous Regiment seem appealing at the moment.

JoelStinty 21 Feb 2017 14:21:40 9,530 posts
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Just caught up with this just now as well. Have to agree with above, seeing Terry at the start was pretty brutal. The Gaiman stuff was moving too. Thought it was a nice documentary. Again, agreeing with above, warmed to Paul Kaye by the end as well. Even by the end , i guess with help by Rob, he had such a wonderful way of deconstructing ideas and funny too.

Ginger 21 Feb 2017 14:43:22 7,256 posts
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In case people haven't seen this, Salisbury Museum are planning a fairly major exhibition around Terry and his life (He lived nearby) this autumn. Details are here.

JoelStinty 21 Feb 2017 18:27:53 9,530 posts
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Ahh cool, thanks ginger. Shall try and go to see that. Have friends whom live near Andover too so it'll be a good chance to see them.

Terry Pratchett • Page 4