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Post by grinch on Nov 6, 2021 11:23:19 GMT
Terror Out of Space (Leigh Brackett)
A short science fiction novella from back in the day published around the ‘40s. It’s a really simple story with all the trappings of what people from the early half of the twentieth thought space might actually be like. But Brackett’s descriptions of the world and its associated flora and fauna are nothing short of breathtaking.
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Post by Kestrel on Nov 6, 2021 21:59:09 GMT
Currently going through Dr. Eleanor Janenga's "The Middle Ages: A a graphic History," which just came out recently. It's basically a very general overview interspersed with comic illustrations cracking jokes or reinforcing certain points. It's an excellent introduction to the period a d--this bit is important--is written by a proper, respectable medievalist, so it jives with the latest scholarship. Probably not worth going out of your way if you've ever studied the period, but as an introductory primer it's pretty fantastic--and takes the time to highlight and explain various popular misconceptions.
If you dunno anything about medieval Europe, give it a read! Otherwise it seems most-perfectly suited as a gift for any history-minded child.
Oh! And I'm also at the 75% mark on Terry Pratchett's "Pyramids" -- and to be honest it's kind of slow-going. Like Big Finish, I got into Discworld during the Pandemic, and I've just kind of been hopping up and down the timeline, as it were. I think I wound up starting with The Monstrous Regiment? For whatever reason, I just don't find the earliest Discworld novels very compelling, so they're a bit of a slog to get through.
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Post by newt5996 on Nov 6, 2021 23:38:05 GMT
Currently going through Dr. Eleanor Janenga's " The Middle Ages: A a graphic History," which just came out recently. It's basically a very general overview interspersed with comic illustrations cracking jokes or reinforcing certain points. It's an excellent introduction to the period a d--this bit is important--is written by a proper, respectable medievalist, so it jives with the latest scholarship. Probably not worth going out of your way if you've ever studied the period, but as an introductory primer it's pretty fantastic--and takes the time to highlight and explain various popular misconceptions. If you dunno anything about medieval Europe, give it a read! Otherwise it seems most-perfectly suited as a gift for any history-minded child. Oh! And I'm also at the 75% mark on Terry Pratchett's " Pyramids" -- and to be honest it's kind of slow-going. Like Big Finish, I got into Discworld during the Pandemic, and I've just kind of been hopping up and down the timeline, as it were. I think I wound up starting with The Monstrous Regiment? For whatever reason, I just don't find the earliest Discworld novels very compelling, so they're a bit of a slog to get through. Pyramids is perhaps my least favorite Pratchett, along with Moving Pictures. It's got a good aesthetic but it's just Egypt and is surrounded by ones that are so much better.
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Post by Kestrel on Nov 7, 2021 16:59:42 GMT
I think I like Pyramids a bit more than the first three books--those were really hard for me to get through. Maybe because they have fewer characters to bounce around? I dunno.
Shame to hear that about Moving Pictures. I was looking forward to it as generally the Ankh-Morpork books I've ready have been pretty good (loved Going Postal). But given just how much Pratchett wrote, I'm certain I still have several masterpieces ahead of me. I've not really kept count, but I don't think I've read more than a dozen novels yet, and some of the ones I've put off I have relatively high expectations for (the latter two Aching books, for example, and Soul Music).
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Post by fitzoliverj on Nov 7, 2021 19:39:48 GMT
I think I like Pyramids a bit more than the first three books--those were really hard for me to get through. Maybe because they have fewer characters to bounce around? Unless you know the specific authors being parodied, "The Colour of Magic" is tricky. "Equal Rites" is hard going; no 4 ("Mort") is also pretty poor, but things pick up from "Sourcery", and then up another notch at "Men at Arms".
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shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,675
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Post by shutupbanks on Nov 7, 2021 22:45:43 GMT
I think I like Pyramids a bit more than the first three books--those were really hard for me to get through. Maybe because they have fewer characters to bounce around? Unless you know the specific authors being parodied, "The Colour of Magic" is tricky. "Equal Rites" is hard going; no 4 ("Mort") is also pretty poor, but things pick up from "Sourcery", and then up another notch at "Men at Arms". I loved TCOM when I first read it (I was 15) because the authors being sent up were still fairly well known at the time. The Light Fantastic remains one of my favourites because the humour just doesn’t stop and the story - while fairly bog standard - rattles along. Agree with you on Equal Rites, though: it’s another fast story but it just loses something on the pacing. Pratchett’s early novels really take a long time to get to something near a climax but then they belt through to the ending. Mort was his breakout novel: all the others had sold well in the “nerd community” but this was the first one to be a proper bestseller. It is a little weak when you compare it to the later novels from post-Good Omens up until about Unseen Academicals. I love the first and last parts of Pyramids: the middle bits are okay but they’re all about setting up things for the ending.
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Post by Kestrel on Nov 7, 2021 23:09:48 GMT
What authors were being parodied in TCOM? I love the first and last parts of Pyramids: the middle bits are okay but they’re all about setting up things for the ending. That seems to jive with my experience thus far. The bits in Ankh-Morpork were pretty fun, but everything in the middle with the "King" and the embalmers and the pyramid construction is just kind of blah. I do like the camels, though. I'm not reading these books in order, but I think earlier books referenced the "greatest mathematician on the disc" before, at least once or twice. I wonder if Pratchett knew all the way back then they'd be a camel?
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Post by fitzoliverj on Nov 8, 2021 21:43:43 GMT
What authors were being parodied in TCOM? The Ankh-Morporkk sequences are Fritz Leiber - Bravd and the Weasel are Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. The long footnote about the calendar is, I suspect, a parody of Tolkien's Appendices to the Lord of the Rings. The Sender of Eight is a take-off Robert E Howard. The Wyrmburg is a parody of Anne McCaffrey. I'm not sure if the Krull section is inspired by anything in particular (but the Assasassins Guild in Pyramids is "Tom Brown's Schooldays" - Pratchett's Fliemoe = Thomas Hughes's Speedicutt, the gag being that both are also brands of lawnmower)
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Post by Digi on Nov 8, 2021 22:04:39 GMT
This morning I finished the third book in the Old Man's War series, The Last Colony. Rather sizeable departure from the first two books, but in a creative way that I still enjoyed.
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shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,675
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Post by shutupbanks on Nov 8, 2021 22:44:28 GMT
What authors were being parodied in TCOM? The Ankh-Morporkk sequences are Fritz Leiber - Bravd and the Weasel are Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. The long footnote about the calendar is, I suspect, a parody of Tolkien's Appendices to the Lord of the Rings. The Sender of Eight is a take-off Robert E Howard. The Wyrmburg is a parody of Anne McCaffrey. I'm not sure if the Krull section is inspired by anything in particular (but the Assasassins Guild in Pyramids is "Tom Brown's Schooldays" - Pratchett's Fliemoe = Thomas Hughes's Speedicutt, the gag being that both are also brands of lawnmower) The Sender Of Eight manages to throw in a ton of Lovecraft as well. The Krull section (the book was published the same year as the movie of that name which just seems to just be coincidence) always threw me a little because it didn’t really have any kind of parodic relevance but was its own story instead.
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Post by muckypup on Nov 8, 2021 23:28:25 GMT
it's junky biography season....
Lucy Beaumont - drinking custard Michael McMacintire - funny life peter kay - sound of laughter josh - Widecombe - watching neighbours twice a day Mirram Margoles - this much is true
all fun
but need some adventure and fantasy so its a re-read of the old kingdom books by garth nix in time for the new one thats just come out
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Post by tuigirl on Nov 9, 2021 8:16:19 GMT
Currently going through Dr. Eleanor Janenga's " The Middle Ages: A a graphic History," which just came out recently. It's basically a very general overview interspersed with comic illustrations cracking jokes or reinforcing certain points. It's an excellent introduction to the period a d--this bit is important--is written by a proper, respectable medievalist, so it jives with the latest scholarship. Probably not worth going out of your way if you've ever studied the period, but as an introductory primer it's pretty fantastic--and takes the time to highlight and explain various popular misconceptions. If you dunno anything about medieval Europe, give it a read! Otherwise it seems most-perfectly suited as a gift for any history-minded child. Oh! And I'm also at the 75% mark on Terry Pratchett's " Pyramids" -- and to be honest it's kind of slow-going. Like Big Finish, I got into Discworld during the Pandemic, and I've just kind of been hopping up and down the timeline, as it were. I think I wound up starting with The Monstrous Regiment? For whatever reason, I just don't find the earliest Discworld novels very compelling, so they're a bit of a slog to get through. Hmm... Disclaimer: I am in love with Pratchett. His later books are masterpieces. However. I never have gotten into his ealier works. Basically the same experiences you are describing. One of the reasons is, like other people have been writing to you, I just do not get all the references. This leaves me completely out in the rain. I also love the witches, the later books are amazing and Granny Weatherwax is one of my favorites. But the first book they appear in? I read it back in school when we did MacBeth for our English master class.
In those days, I was very much on the fence if I liked Pratchett at all. Many people in my class liked him and recommended him to me, but I could not get access. But then I started the Watch series and the later witches books and of course Hogfather.
And I was taken over. I fell in love. I have to say, however, I had to first read the books in the Original. The first German translation we had was beyond useless. They have since then done a new translation, but I have not checked that one out, because, why should I? But supposedly it is better.
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shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,675
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Post by shutupbanks on Nov 9, 2021 10:54:14 GMT
Currently going through Dr. Eleanor Janenga's " The Middle Ages: A a graphic History," which just came out recently. It's basically a very general overview interspersed with comic illustrations cracking jokes or reinforcing certain points. It's an excellent introduction to the period a d--this bit is important--is written by a proper, respectable medievalist, so it jives with the latest scholarship. Probably not worth going out of your way if you've ever studied the period, but as an introductory primer it's pretty fantastic--and takes the time to highlight and explain various popular misconceptions. If you dunno anything about medieval Europe, give it a read! Otherwise it seems most-perfectly suited as a gift for any history-minded child. Oh! And I'm also at the 75% mark on Terry Pratchett's " Pyramids" -- and to be honest it's kind of slow-going. Like Big Finish, I got into Discworld during the Pandemic, and I've just kind of been hopping up and down the timeline, as it were. I think I wound up starting with The Monstrous Regiment? For whatever reason, I just don't find the earliest Discworld novels very compelling, so they're a bit of a slog to get through. Hmm... Disclaimer: I am in love with Pratchett. His later books are masterpieces. However. I never have gotten into his ealier works. Basically the same experiences you are describing. One of the reasons is, like other people have been writing to you, I just do not get all the references. This leaves me completely out in the rain. I also love the witches, the later books are amazing and Granny Weatherwax is one of my favorites. But the first book they appear in? I read it back in school when we did MacBeth for our English master class.
In those days, I was very much on the fence if I liked Pratchett at all. Many people in my class liked him and recommended him to me, but I could not get access. But then I started the Watch series and the later witches books and of course Hogfather.
And I was taken over. I fell in love. I have to say, however, I had to first read the books in the Original. The first German translation we had was beyond useless. They have since then done a new translation, but I have not checked that one out, because, why should I? But supposedly it is better.
Pratchett came to my home town in 1997 and gave an hour long talk then gave another hour for autographs: he had a couple of horror stories about the German editions of Discworld which were hilarious but not in a good way. I love all his books: even the weaker ones are still good fun. He’s one of maybe half-a-dozen authors that I’ve bought just about everything by. I’m acting in my third play based on one of his books at the end of this month and I buy a big box of Discworld “stuff” every year.
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Post by Kestrel on Nov 9, 2021 15:08:13 GMT
Okay, shutupbanks, you can't just leave it at that--I have so many questions! What's this month's play based on? What about the two older ones? What kind of "stuff" do you pick up?
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shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,675
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Post by shutupbanks on Nov 9, 2021 15:24:29 GMT
Okay, shutupbanks , you can't just leave it at that--I have so many questions! What's this month's play based on? What about the two older ones? What kind of "stuff" do you pick up? In 2019 I came in a month before the curtain went up and played the small part of Lord de Worde in a production of The Truth. Last year I played Sergeant Jackrum in Monstrous Regiment (the biggest part I’ve ever had on stage). This month I’m Albert in The Hogfather. The plays are great fun but they really have nothing on the books. As to my “stuff”, I buy a fair amount of gear from The Discworld Emporium (Discworld.com). Mostly socks, really, looking at my inventory, with badges coming in second. But I did buy a satchel branded with the City Watch logo that I’ve taken nearly everywhere for the last few years, and a ridiculous amount of Dried Frog Pills (which taste suspiciously of mint).
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Post by Kestrel on Nov 9, 2021 15:53:31 GMT
Jackrum! I would've loved to see that!
And thanks for the link--I'll definitely be spending some time scrolling through that. Only Discworld merch I've really seen outside the books was a set of really elaborate wooden bookends, depicting the whole of the disc, turtles and elephants and everything.
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Post by tuigirl on Nov 9, 2021 18:20:23 GMT
Okay, shutupbanks , you can't just leave it at that--I have so many questions! What's this month's play based on? What about the two older ones? What kind of "stuff" do you pick up? In 2019 I came in a month before the curtain went up and played the small part of Lord de Worde in a production of The Truth. Last year I played Sergeant Jackrum in Monstrous Regiment (the biggest part I’ve ever had on stage). This month I’m Albert in The Hogfather. The plays are great fun but they really have nothing on the books. As to my “stuff”, I buy a fair amount of gear from The Discworld Emporium (Discworld.com). Mostly socks, really, looking at my inventory, with badges coming in second. But I did buy a satchel branded with the City Watch logo that I’ve taken nearly everywhere for the last few years, and a ridiculous amount of Dried Frog Pills (which taste suspiciously of mint). Jackrum? REALLY? This is a picture of you in that Avatar?
I really have to track down some Diskworld miniatures to paint up. The Watch, the Witches, the Wizards....
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Post by fitzoliverj on Nov 9, 2021 19:54:24 GMT
Pratchett came to my home town in 1997 and gave an hour long talk then gave another hour for autographs: he had a couple of horror stories about the German editions of Discworld which were hilarious but not in a good way. Was it Germany where the translator inserted adverts into the plot?
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Post by newt5996 on Nov 9, 2021 20:27:29 GMT
Pratchett came to my home town in 1997 and gave an hour long talk then gave another hour for autographs: he had a couple of horror stories about the German editions of Discworld which were hilarious but not in a good way. Was it Germany where the translator inserted adverts into the plot? Weren’t they random soup adverts?
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shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,675
|
Post by shutupbanks on Nov 9, 2021 21:36:05 GMT
In 2019 I came in a month before the curtain went up and played the small part of Lord de Worde in a production of The Truth. Last year I played Sergeant Jackrum in Monstrous Regiment (the biggest part I’ve ever had on stage). This month I’m Albert in The Hogfather. The plays are great fun but they really have nothing on the books. As to my “stuff”, I buy a fair amount of gear from The Discworld Emporium (Discworld.com). Mostly socks, really, looking at my inventory, with badges coming in second. But I did buy a satchel branded with the City Watch logo that I’ve taken nearly everywhere for the last few years, and a ridiculous amount of Dried Frog Pills (which taste suspiciously of mint). Jackrum? REALLY? This is a picture of you in that Avatar?
I really have to track down some Diskworld miniatures to paint up. The Watch, the Witches, the Wizards....
Yes, that’s me in the middle 😂. I was padded up a little for the part. Discworld.com do some miniatures: discworld.com/products/miniatures/
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