What is your Pratchettian history

[mrdeclandeadly]

I found a copy of The Light Fantastic when I was working on a site, started reading it on my lunch break and pretty much laughed my arse off on nearly every page, it was the wittiest book that I'd ever come across. I was hooked after that, went out and picked up The Colour of Magic the next day, and bought or borrowed a new Discworld novel weekly.

I don't know if I have ever read another author who can so easily paint an image into my mind.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

My family were massive Pratchett fans long before I was. My mum and my older sister have both read pretty much all of his books.

The first way I experienced him personally was a cartoon of Soul Music. Since I had been raised on old music like Elvis and The Beatles since a child, I absolutely loved the cartoon.

After that, I started reading graphic novels of his work, starting with The Colour of Magic and then The Light Fantastic. I then switched to reading the original books, which I really need to pick up again.

 

[Ocelano]

I found a copy of The Light Fantastic when I was working on a site, started reading it on my lunch break and pretty much laughed my arse off on nearly every page, it was the wittiest book that I'd ever come across. I was hooked after that, went out and picked up The Colour of Magic the next day, and bought or borrowed a new Discworld novel weekly.

I don't know if I have ever read another author who can so easily paint an image into my mind.

That's something I notice when reading I don't really register the words so much as my eyes take them in and form scenes and pictures in my head with a Pratchett these scenes are clear and vivid and you can't easily tear yourself away from them. I think this is why have so much trouble with text books hard to form a clear metal image of a scientific analysis of the long term cultural effects of soil degradation.

 

[Ocelano]

My family were massive Pratchett fans long before I was. My mum and my older sister have both read pretty much all of his books.

The first way I experienced him personally was a cartoon of Soul Music. Since I had been raised on old music like Elvis and The Beatles since a child, I absolutely loved the cartoon.

After that, I started reading graphic novels of his work, starting with The Colour of Magic and then The Light Fantastic. I then switched to reading the original books, which I really need to pick up again.

What was your favorite song from soul music? as stated above mine was Sionni Bod Da (Buddys harp solo) but as you said they all rocked. It would of been so easy to skimp on the musc in that show and being, arguably, a kids cartoon I doubt they would of been held to much ridicule but no each song is full length and there isn't one I skip pass when I play the cd(unless I'm rushing to Sionni of course)

 

[Zombie_Fish]

What was your favorite song from soul music? as stated above mine was Sionni Bod Da (Buddys harp solo) but as you said they all rocked. It would of been so easy to skimp on the musc in that show and being, arguably, a kids cartoon I doubt they would of been held to much ridicule but no each song is full length and there isn't one I skip pass when I play the cd(unless I'm rushing to Sionni of course)

I can't remember any of the songs, I'm afraid. I haven't seen that cartoon for probably over a decade.

My favourite moment however was "We're way bigger than cheeses."

 

[Ocelano]

What was your favorite song from soul music? as stated above mine was Sionni Bod Da (Buddys harp solo) but as you said they all rocked. It would of been so easy to skimp on the musc in that show and being, arguably, a kids cartoon I doubt they would of been held to much ridicule but no each song is full length and there isn't one I skip pass when I play the cd(unless I'm rushing to Sionni of course)

I can't remember any of the songs, I'm afraid. I haven't seen that cartoon for probably over a decade.

My favourite moment however was "We're way bigger than cheeses."

If you'd fancy being Re-aquainted go to the youtube channel of the video in my original message the dude has pretty much the whole soundtrack on there or if you'd prefer a more legitimate version you can still buy the soundtrack online somewhere I've probably still got the website round here somewhere and may be able to dig it up for you

 

[prowll]

Almost twenty years ago, I am at a friend's house. This friend lives in the country, and has every animal known to man as a pet. While we're talking, a german shepherd runs through the house... being chased by a forty pound black tomcat. I die laughing about that, and tell my friend that I have been looking for a cat.
Fast forward a few months. My friend shows up at my house, and hands me a box. Apparently that tomcat had gotten another large cat pregnant, and so there were kittens! (Seriously, 40 pounds. There was either bobcat or main-coon in it's lineage) So out of this box comes this 'little' ball of fluff, all with dark black undercoat, and white frosted tips. A very grey tomcat, that promices to be huge.

What else could I name it? Greebo was the only logical choice...(He was an old softie, really.... Unless anyone other than me wanted to touch him...)

Clearly, Sir Terry has been a part of my life for years. Good sir, you shall be missed. (Raises a Guinness to his memory)

 

[Shinkicker444]

Have read most of his stuff, mostly the early to mid more than a few times.

Side note, say what you will about it I enjoyed the Hogfather movie, Can't say I remember the Colour of Magic movie very well though. I just loved Death in it, he was great.

 

[Albino Boo]

I read the Colour of Magic in about 1985 after hearing a radio adaptation of the aforementioned book. I read most of the books when they first cam out until about 1991 when booze, girls and rugby became the my main occupation.

 

[Mutant1988]

Borrowed "Men at Arms" from the library when I was, hmm, 13 perhaps (So it's been about 14 years)? Been a fan ever since I read that book and have read most of the books by this point. His writing is unmatched by any other, in terms of dramatic structure, satire and comedy.

Not a single one of his books is a farce, not a single joke removes the impact of the drama. And it's never ever a straight satire, adventure or comedy. Every single element is interwoven and contribute to the whole.

His books taught me so many things. To look more closely at the world around me, but without compromising my view of the whole. To consider the people around me, but not to have it make me shy away from speaking up, to make my own voice heard. To think, about a great many things, but always remember the things that are the most important.

And most of all, no matter how grim the world can be, they have taught me to never forget the feeling of joy. This has been a struggle at times, but his books made it easier to handle.

A joyless existence is not very much of an existence at all and if things are bad, we should strive towards making them better. Strive, to be sensible, realistic and optimistic and never give in to cold cynicism and apathy.

It's not an exaggeration to say that his books have made me a better person.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Side note, say what you will about it I enjoyed the Hogfather movie, Can't say I remember the Colour of Magic movie very well though. I just loved Death in it, he was great.

Yeah, second that. Hogfather was excellent, the Colour of Magic was pretty good, Going Postal was alright.

 

[Weresquirrel]

Only You Can Save Mankind was my first Pratchett book, way back in my early childhood. But while I liked the book well enough, I didn't really get into Pratchett until years later. Hell, I didn't really do much reading at all. But someway down the line I was going on a family holiday to Tunisia and knew there'd be a lot of travelling on the other side (coach tours and what have you), so I wanted to get something to pass the time. Wandered into a book store at the airport and saw the Colour of Magic and thought: "Meh, why not?". Read through it over the course of the week and was hooked. After I got back I got a new book every week. I think I've read all of the Discworld novels at least twice each.

He's pretty much the reason I love books these days. Hell, he even inspired me to take up writing myself (I really do need to finish that eventually, been working on it for years now).

I also have a copy of Good Omens signed by Terry Pratchett. My hope is to one day find my way to a Neil Gaiman book signing and get him to sign it too.

I might actually try and find my copy of Only You Can Save Mankind and re-read it.

Pratchett was a true hero to me.

 

[Pickles]

Everything else aside...

"After observing 27 people playing Trivial Pursuit"
How is 27 people even remotely close to a decent sample?

 

[Ocelano]

Have read most of his stuff, mostly the early to mid more than a few times.

Side note, say what you will about it I enjoyed the Hogfather movie, Can't say I remember the Colour of Magic movie very well though. I just loved Death in it, he was great.

While hogfather death was indeed no slouch the iconic one for me shall always be Christopher Lee from the soul music/wyrd sisters adaptation ol sauruman has a hell of a voice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRhzClMa7qs

 

[Shinkicker444]

Side note, say what you will about it I enjoyed the Hogfather movie, Can't say I remember the Colour of Magic movie very well though. I just loved Death in it, he was great.

Yeah, second that. Hogfather was excellent, the Colour of Magic was pretty good, Going Postal was alright.

AMG, I was completely unaware of Going Postal. I must watch it. Now.

 

[Ocelano]

Side note, say what you will about it I enjoyed the Hogfather movie, Can't say I remember the Colour of Magic movie very well though. I just loved Death in it, he was great.

Yeah, second that. Hogfather was excellent, the Colour of Magic was pretty good, Going Postal was alright.

AMG, I was completely unaware of Going Postal. I must watch it. Now.

They were also going to do Unseen Academicals but it kind of disappeared into the aether

 

[CrystalShadow]

To be honest, I don't really know what the first thing I came across was.

I've read lots and lots of discworld novels in libraries over the years.

The first one I owned myself was 'equal rites', which was quite old by that time (it's is second discworld book)

It's not often you see someone who is genuinely, and consistently funny, but the discworld books were both funny, AND insightful.
A rare combination indeed.

 

[LaoJim]

I wrote a long comment on the thread about Terry's death, but unfortunately it got eaten by my browser (twice, gah). Anyway, participating in this thread seems like a good way to honour his memory.

I'm not sure why I picked up Colour of Magic in the bookshop, probably because of the wonderfully chaotic cover by Josh Kirby[footnote]A discworld book without a Kirby cover just isn't quite a proper Discworld book somehow. The books since his death in 2001 have really missed him.[/footnote]. I do know that within a month I had read all four of the discworld books that were in paperback at the time and had a long wait for Sourcery to be released in paperback. Checking on Wikipedia this must have been in 1987/88 and I would have been ten years old and my finances never quite stretched to buying hardback copies[footnote]Except on the occasion where I won a book voucher from my school and was gloriously able to buy and read Men at Arms early[/footnote], meaning there was always that six month period between a new book being released and being able to read it. In those days, there was no internet and Pratchett was rarely if ever reviewed in serious newspapers, so every time I went to the city shopping I would have to check if there was a new book out. In those days Pratchett wrote two books a year like clockwork and you could usually predict when they'd be released based on how long it had been since the last one. I was always slightly disappointed if it wasn't a discworld book[footnote]As a ten year old I had the rather precocious idea that I wasn't going to read any of this Young Adult nonsense and was only going to read 'adult' books. As a result I didn't read buy the Bromiliad and Johhny series until much later, which was pretty silly looking back on it[/footnote].

I did stop reading the books for a few year starting in about 2000. Last Continent and Carpe Juggelum are my least favourite Discworld books and it didn't help that I initially got a copy of CJ that had about 50 pages missing in the middle. I eventually got some of the new books from the library and The Fifth Elephant got me hooked again.

Anyway that's my history. RIP Terry, you'll be missed.

 

[mrdeclandeadly]

To be honest, I don't really know what the first thing I came across was.

I've read lots and lots of discworld novels in libraries over the years.

The first one I owned myself was 'equal rites', which was quite old by that time (it's is second discworld book)

It's not often you see someone who is genuinely, and consistently funny, but the discworld books were both funny, AND insightful.
A rare combination indeed.

Well, just to be a little pedantic; Equal Rites is the third in the Discworld series.

 

[CrystalShadow]

To be honest, I don't really know what the first thing I came across was.

I've read lots and lots of discworld novels in libraries over the years.

The first one I owned myself was 'equal rites', which was quite old by that time (it's is second discworld book)

It's not often you see someone who is genuinely, and consistently funny, but the discworld books were both funny, AND insightful.
A rare combination indeed.

Well, just to be a little pedantic; Equal Rites is the third in the Discworld series.

OK, so... What are the other two? I know one of them is "The Colour of Magic", but what's the other one?