No more Arthur! - The S&L Podcast #47

Giveaway for The Once and Future King books! Post to the thread to win.


    
QUICK BURNS    
    
Did Harry Potter Really Steal All These Story Ideas?   
    
Worst book ever to win a Hugo   
    
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist Tells the Tale of the World’s First Computer   
    
    
BARE YOUR SWORD - feedback from the audience    
    
What makes Arthur so great?   
    
Alternate History   
     
  
BOOK KICKOFF / WRAPUP   
    
We wrap up The Once and Future King and The Princess Bride .
    
Next book! - How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe: A Novel by Charles Yu   
    

EMAILS

  
Just listened to Episode #46 where it was asked at what point is there good books to start off to get into Discworld. I too have been wondering how to get into reading Terry Prachett's books, so I did a little search and found this post from the Guys and Gals at BoingBoing. http://boingboing.net/2007/09/30/pratchetts-discworld.html#. Thought you might like it if someone has not already suggested it.

Thanks for all the hours of shows! Love everything you both do.

Chris

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Just listened to episode 46 and heard you pondering about where to start in the Discworld series. Well as someone who has absorbed the entire works of Terry Pratchett (TP) I would advise you not to worry about it and just jump into the series where ever you feel like.

The Discworld novels do not occur in chronological order with one underlining storyline.  Each book is its own individual story which just occurs within the Discworld universe. Characters constantly re-appear throughout the series however each book focus on one main character, therefore never encountering any of the characters before will not hinder your enjoyment.

However the Tiffany Aching books are aimed at younger audience than the rest of the discworld series, which results in the books having a different feel. Therefore I would recommend you to check out some of TP’s other works such as Guards, Guards, Interesting Times, Witches Abroad or Going postal to get a true feeling for the series.

YoYo

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Terry Pratchetts Author's Note in ""Lords and Ladies"":

By and large, most Discworld books have stood by themselves, as complete books. It helps to have read them in some kind of order, but it's not essential. This one is different. I can't ignore the history of what has gone before. [...]

So Pratchett has always tried to write the books Discworld books is such a manner that you can pick it up wherever you'd like. You might enjoy a couple of references and inside jokes if yu've read the whole series, but you shouldn't let it stop you if you're new to Pratchett. Especially not when it comes to the Tiffany Aching series.

In all fairness it is possible to group together ""series"" within the Discworld series that you might like to read in order. So that the handful of books starring Captain Vimes of the City guard would be more rewarding to read in their proper order, but it's entirely unimportant whether you read these before or after the books about the Lancre Witches. The Tiffany Aching books constitutes such a saga.

Martin
    
Thanks also to Gavin, Curt and Rob who wrote in about Pratchett orders as well! Kate also posted this helpful chart in the forums.


ADDENDUMS    

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No more Arthur! - The S&L Podcast #47

Oh, King Pellinore - The S&L Podcast #45

We've got some scoops on how we feel halfway into The Once and Future King.  Some thoughts on the Princess Bride as the book relates to the movie, and a few hints on how to tell if you're living in a science fiction book or not.

QUICK BURNS    
    
Sci-Fi Writer Iain Banks Talks Surface Detail’s Hell, Creationist Heresy   
    
Pink Noise: hard-sf novella about the strange battles of the posthuman   
    
Science fiction from around the world, every week   
   
    
BARE YOUR SWORD - feedback from the audience    
    
Masterpiece Mystery! - new Sherlock Holmes   
    
Walking Dead on amc next sunday at 10   
    
King Pellinore   
    
    
EMAILS
    
I don't know if you have read it or not, Tom, but one of the best (and most plausible) series on your Arthurian theme is The Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte, starting with The Skystone and continuing for 8 more books.  It starts with Arthur's and Merlin's grandfathers who are Roman soldiers that decide to stay behind as the Roman armies withdraw back to Italy.  I think you must have read them after listening to episode 44, as you partially describe the premise.  I just thought that this series deserved a mention as one of the best re-tellings of the legend.

-Rodger 

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"I found this enjoyable, hope you do too!

Justin"   


ADDENDUMS    
    
Partner Sticker Fu.  Use the code Sword1 and get 10% off the stickers at stickerfu.com

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 75,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service.  For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword

Oh, King Pellinore - The S&L Podcast #45