Nation (New Terry Pratchett Book)

[H. Zee]

Has anyone else read this yet? It's his first non-Discworld book for ages, and it's bloody brilliant.

I've never been able to decided what my favourite Terry Pratchett book was - I love so many of them it's really hard to pick and choose. But, in Nation, I think I finally have a winner.

So, yes. Awesome book. Well worth buying.

(It was an added bonus to find it in Waterstone's, as well, since I didn't think it would be coming out for another week or so. But I'm not complaining.)

[Turcano]

Huh. I thought that was still in its formative stages.

[Eldpollard]

Yes, it's odd. Amazon says it isn't released until the end of the month. Yet WHSmith had it in. I say had because I bought the only copy they had on the shelf. Then in Waterstones they had a huge display. Either way I have a new Pratchett book.

[mayonase]

Books are funny like that: They're kinda released whenever the store feels they should be. Anyway, congrats to those who have snagged it before the 'Official' Sept 30th launch; seems it's time for me to go out and try to find some less-than-scrupulous bookseller in town...

[chiasaur11]

Must...Get...New...Pratchett...

[Arioch]

I haven't finished it yet. I should by this time tomorrow, at the very latest. I'm a fast reader.

[Manga Shoggoth]

I've got it, but I am having great trouble starting it. Hopefully it's just me going through a rough patch, 'cos I would hate to think that Pratchet has writing a book that doesn't engage my interest.

On the other hand, how many good ones has he written so far?

[Evil DM Mark3]

On the other hand, how many good ones has he written so far?Pretty much all of them, although I would say mid to high 20s in terms of GREAT books.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Pretty much all of them, although I would say mid to high 20s in terms of GREAT books.

Indeed. The only ones I have not liked were the "Science of Discworld" ones.

[Eldan]

I thought that those were high up there amongst the best ones, especially number three, Darwin's Watch. I recently tried to reread some of the earlier ones and found them a lot worse than the new ones, especially the first two. But I guess a lot of that is also thanks to the abyssmally bad german translation. From about the middle of the series on I have them in english, thank god.) Also, I found Making Money not all that great.

[Manga Shoggoth]

I thought that those were high up there amongst the best ones, especially number three, Darwin's Watch. I recently tried to reread some of the earlier ones and found them a lot worse than the new ones, especially the first two. But I guess a lot of that is also thanks to the abyssmally bad german translation. From about the middle of the series on I have them in english, thank god.) Also, I found Making Money not all that great.

Coincidentally, I was discussing this on the phone with a friend last night. My problem with the "Science of" books was that they were half-popular science book, half-discworld book. The individual halves were quite good on their own, but mixed together they ended up being neither one thing nor t'other.

Obviously other people liked them, but they weren't to my taste.

I agree that "Making Money" was not outstanding, but it wasn't bad by any means, and had sufficient good scenes (and characters) to keep it in my "good" list.

I wouldn't be too quick to blame the translators - The early Discworlds ("Colour or Magic", "Light Fantastic") were more or less straight fantasy parodies (COM in particular - the four sections parody different genres). It wasn't till "Equal Rites" that Pratchett was really getting into his stride.

I have really got to sit down and make myself read "Nation".

[Eldan]

I'm not blaming the translater (only one in the early books) for making the story "bad" (it wasn't. I liked those books). However, the language was quite bad, and there were often sentences, that failed to make any sense at all, before I tried to retranslate them back into english on my own.

[LeonardQuirm]

I was of the belief that, in the UK at least, it officially came out today.

Personally, I bought it last Friday, when I found it in Waterstones (to my notable surprise).

I thought it took a while to get going (not to mention a while to get over my mental block of "oh no, Terry Pratchett's written Lord of the Flies") but from the half-way point on it became brilliant - I enjoyed it far more than any of the Tiffany Aching books, and probably more than Making Money as well.

I also felt it got better after the Grandfather's voices stopped. They were just annoying...

Also, although I haven't read many of them for some time, I agree with Eldan - the older ones are weaker. Pratchett simply wasn't into his style and humour properly earlier on. They've got laughs in them, but I'd place several/most of the first ten among my ten least favourite Discworld books...

[Evil DM Mark3]

Interview! (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/mayo/)

[Mewtarthio]

I wouldn't be too quick to blame the translators - The early Discworlds ("Colour or Magic", "Light Fantastic") were more or less straight fantasy parodies (COM in particular - the four sections parody different genres). It wasn't till "Equal Rites" that Pratchett was really getting into his stride.

To be honest, I didn't think Equal Rites was all that hot, either. I'd say the Discworld books jumped from "decent" to "good" around Mort.

[Manga Shoggoth]

To be honest, I didn't think Equal Rites was all that hot, either. I'd say the Discworld books jumped from "decent" to "good" around Mort.

People draw the line in different places and for different reasons. I have seen it drawn as late as Sourcery. We could probably have a huge discussion on that subject alone (I say we, but I would have to go back and re-read them first, and ife is a little hectic at the moment).

Equal Rites is the point at which Pratchett stops writing simple fantasy spoofs (The Colour of Magic and to a lesser extent The light Fantastic) and and starts writing the type of books he is better known for. It is a huge improvement on TCOM/TLF, but I agree that the overall quality is not as great as his later books.

Back on to topic...

I have got half-way through the book (reading it on the train...). LeonardQuirm is quite right - It is slowly improving, but it is not nearly as good as his later books. It is more on a level with Strata and The Dark Side of the Sun. It reads very much like an "angry at (the) God(s)" type of book, which - given the circumstances - is quite understandable.

[nagora]

On the other hand, how many good ones has he written so far?

Lots. Reaper Man and Jingo stand out as actually bad, and perhaps Eric was too thin for its own good, while Last Continent was just a string of half-arsed Austrailian jokes. Other than those, I've liked all of them, including Strata and the Science of the Discworld ones. Nightwatch is the masterpiece, though; superb.

And, of course, Good Omens is the best thing Neil Gaiman has (co)written and probably always will be.

Edit: yes, the first two don't stand the test of time very well, but they were good when they were novel.

[Eldan]

Yep, the later Watch books definitely take the cake. Nightwatch and, for me personally, Thud!
I mean, Pratchett is, interestingly, one of the guys who managed to write up one of the most interesting dwarfen cultures.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Lots. Reaper Man and Jingo stand out as actually bad, and perhaps Eric was too thin for its own good, while Last Continent was just a string of half-arsed Austrailian jokes. Other than those, I've liked all of them, including Strata and the Science of the Discworld ones. Nightwatch is the masterpiece, though; superb.

I think you missed the cut of my phrase somewhat. It was more along the lines of "Nation is not looking like a good book so far, but then again, unlike most authors I read, most of his other books have been good".

The posting made more sense before I reworded the first paragraph.

To be fair to Eric, it was originally an illustrated story, which does limit its size somewhat (drawing pictures for every page is very expensive). If you don't have the original publication (in all its full colour glory) it is a little anorexic.

[H. Zee]

Lots. Reaper Man and Jingo stand out as actually bad.

Jingo I liked, but I can see why some people wouldn't.

For saying Reaper Man is bad, however, I may have to kill you. It's one of the best, for goodness' sake.