I suppose this one is really on me: on my greed, my folly, and my haste. This will make the fourth copy of Jurgen I have bought.
Also arriving today was the
copy of The Monk by Matthew G. Lewis that I had been considering. A
little battered, but inexpensive and serviceable; it only needed a little care
to make it presentable.
It is hard to believe that
it has already been eight years since Terry Pratchett passed away. During his
writing career, he produced (usually) at least one book a year, and they were (incredibly)
all of a rather high quality. We fantasy-readers were spoiled for decades, and
suddenly soon after his death we were forced to go cold turkey. As Neil Gaiman
points out in the Preface to this book, also during these eight years phantom
images have developed of Pratchett among his fans, images sometimes
diametrically opposed to one another, depending on the ideals and opinions of
the fans themselves. “What Would Terry Pratchett Think” becomes an unprovable
thesis without the real Terry Pratchett to check such assumptions, an idea
Gaiman has had to confront with his involvement in the television development
of their common property, Good Omens.
In the meantime, there has been a hunt on to somehow
continue the very profitable Pratchett franchise. In an effort to stymie such
corpse-grinding efforts, Sir Terry left directives that no-one should be allowed
to write any more Discworld novels (which would almost certainly be inferior efforts
without his genius) and to further discourage the idea he had the hard drive
where he kept stored many story notes and works-in-progress physically
destroyed under a steamroller (one of his favorite enthusiasms). Thus he
protected the future of his legacy, but did not protect the past. Perhaps he
couldn’t, or maybe wouldn’t.
Since
2016, with the publication of The Dragons of Crumbling Castle, there
have been anthologies of Terry Pratchett’s journeyman work as a teenage
newspaperman, which included writing short stories simply to fill vacant page
space. In these short tales can already be seen the seeds of ideas that would
be developed in his later work. In seeking to find a ‘lost work’ called “The
Quest for the Keys” researchers ran across an unexpected trove of tales, most
under the pseudonym of ‘Patrick Kearns’ (Kearns being Pratchett’s mother’s
maiden name). In “The Quest for the Keys”, the last story in this anthology,
many fantasy elements are used, including the ‘evil, ancient, foggy city of
Morpork,’ which would surely go on to be the pattern for one-half of the
Discworld’s capital city, Ankh-Morpork.
This
book is being touted as the last, the very last, a positively final appearance
of Pratchett’s writing. Oh, how I very much doubt but also fear that this is
true. There are a few Pratchett books I
do not have, like The Long Earth series produced with Stephen Baxter (I
tried the first two volumes and did not really care for them; no telling how
much Pratchett actually did) or Shaking Hands with Death, the
transcription of his lecture defending voluntary suicide and euthanasia (which
I watched), the premises to which I am completely philosophically opposed and
see no reason to buy. And now, perhaps, there will be ‘no more shows like this
show.’
Ancient Sorceries and Other Weird Stories by Algernon Blackwood is another Penguin ‘horror’ anthology and another volume edited and annotated by S. T. Joshi. It kept coming up in suggestions on my Amazon page, no doubt generated by my buying similar books by M. R. James and Clark Ashton Smith. Blackwood’s work has never greatly appealed to me, but he has several very notable tales in weird fiction, including ‘The Willows’ (often cited as a passing influence on Tolkien) and ‘The Wendigo’ (ditto on Lovecraft). I decided to go ahead and get an inexpensive copy of this ‘literary and culturally significant book’ to fill out this run of Penguins; in fact, I am expecting a similar volume next week, The White People and Other Weird Stories by Arthur Machen, again edited by Joshi and with a Foreword by Guillermo Del Toro. Do I really need these? Maybe not, but they fulfill a rather nagging itch.
A Stroke
of the Pen: The Lost Stories, by Terry Pratchett; Foreword by Neil Gaiman (
All quotes from the official release and Wikipedia.
“Twenty
early short stories by one of the world's best loved authors, each accompanied
by exquisite original woodcut illustrations” – though they fail to name the
artist. It is being touted as 'a positively final appearance' of Pratchett's personal works.
“None are set in the Discworld, but they hint towards the world he would go on
to create, containing his trademark wit, satirical wisdom and fantastic
imagination.”
“Sir
Terry wrote the stories for a regional newspaper under the pseudonym Patrick
Kearns in the 1970s and 80s. They had not previously been attributed to him
but have now been collected after a search by "a few dedicated fans",
publishers Penguin said.”
“In June 2015, [Rhianna Pratchett] said that her father's 41st Discworld novel The Shepherd’s Crown, to be published posthumously later that year, would mark the end of the series, and that no further novels or books of unfinished work would be authorized for publication.” Since these tales were all previously published and are not Discworld, this book falls under the wording of the act, but what of this next volume?
Tiffany
Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch, Rhianna Pratchett and Gabrielle Kent (Expected
October 26, 2023), YA Fiction, 208 Pages.
Although it is too early to tell, I imagine that this volume will be a 'stitch': a gathering of what Terry Pratchett has written about Discworld witches and witchcraft in other books, a scrapbook companion surrounded by a framing device. Although it is advertised as 'Fiction', I imagine it can be termed as such because it is a guide to an aspect of a fictional world, rather like Nanny Ogg's Cookbook. Furthermore it is illustrated by the great Paul Kidby, adding much to its air of authenticity.
Rhianna Pratchett (Terry's daughter) is renowned for her work in script writing and narrative design for video games, for which she also wrote several book tie-ins. Perhaps that is from where she knows her co-author, Gabrielle Kent.
"Gabrielle worked as a graphic artist on videogames. Now a full-time author [of YA fiction], her work includes Alfie Bloom – a series about a boy who inherits a castle and a whole load of magical problems, and Knights and Bikes – a series based on the video game of the same name."
I've never read anything from either series, so I don't know what to expect of her contribution. Needless to say, this autumn should prove very interesting.
"Terry
Pratchett, creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, knight of
the realm, and holder of more honorary doctorates than he knew what to do with,
was known and loved around the world for his wildly popular books, his
brilliant satirical humor, and for the humanity of his campaign work. But
that's only part of the picture.
"At the time of his death in 2015, he was working on his finest story yet—his
own. The story of a boy who was told by his headteacher aged six that he would
never amount to anything, and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. Who
walked out on his A levels to become a journalist, encountering some very dead
bodies and the idea for his first novel before he reached twenty. Who
celebrated his knighthood by smelting himself a sword, and who, on being
awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal, switched it during the prizegiving for
a chocolate replica and proceeded to eat it in front of an audience of
horrified librarians.
"Tragically, Terry ran out of time to complete the memoir he so desperately
wanted to write. But now, in the only authorized biography of one of our best
known and best loved writers, his manager and friend Rob Wilkins picks up where
Terry left off, and with the help of friends, family, and Terry's own
unpublished work, tells the full story of an extraordinary life." --Amazon.
Got
it in the mail yesterday, then spent an intense 24 hours (from 9 AM to 1 AM,
and then from 7 AM to 9 AM again) reading it all the way through. Wilkins is an
engaging writer, and he orchestrates Pratchett’s unfinished autobiography with the
memories of Sir Terry’s wife, daughter, and friends, as well as his own
experience (as personal assistant, friend, and ultimately one of the managers of
his estate) into a masterful, lively, and almost seamless whole, garnished (in
the best Terry Pratchett manner) with amusing footnotes aplenty. Wilkins’ style
has been polished by helping Pratchett dictate and edit his novels when the
ravages of Alzheimer’s were slowing him down.
But
how quickly his life moved when he was alive! Born into a working-class family,
published his first story in a sci-fi mag at 14, left school before graduating
to become a journalist, an amateur engineer and science buff, became the
publicity man for the nuclear power plant in his area, and wrote several
science fiction novels before hitting upon the golden idea of Discworld. He
quit his job to take up writing full-time at the age of 39 and never looked
back.
The
Discworld novels evolved from a rather simple parody of Fantasy and D&D
into a remarkably flexible and deep vehicle for examining the human condition (even
when that human was, say, an orc) while all the time keeping up a level of
humor that never failed to help the medicine go down. It was Pratchett’s careful
curation that never let his work devolve into mere “intellectual property”;
this is amply exemplified by the fact that his will stipulated that the hard
drive that contained his unfinished Discworld stories be flattened by a steamroller. There
would be no continuations by less talented authors, as had happened to Douglas
Adams’s Hitchhiker books.
As
usual it is the dibs and dabs of his life rather than the simple facts or
catalogue of his successes that interest me. His encounter with reading Tolkien
as a boy, his meeting writers at the early sci-fi conventions (including
Michael Moorcock and Arthur C. Clarke), his muted aggravation when J. K.
Rowling surpassed him as Britain’s favorite Fantasy author, his chance
encounters with Neil Gaiman before they became friends and writing partners,
and so on and on. You get a glimpse of the restlessness that had him
writing two novels every year (and sometimes three), his reaction to suddenly having
tons of money (remarkably humble and generous), and his anger at the greed and
stupidity that tried to latch onto his creations.
What
you see much less of (beyond the simple facts) are his wife Lyn and daughter
Rhianna, perhaps because Wilkins is reluctant to overanalyze living persons,
close friends, and co-workers in the preservation of Pratchett’s legacy. Lyn
particularly seems a bit shadowy, but maybe that’s the way she wanted it.
Wilkins himself is a big self-deprecating presence in the latter half of the
book, mainly because this was the part of Pratchett’s life that he was deeply
involved in.
Having heard bits and pieces of Pratchett’s story over the years since I first received The Colour of Magic by accident in the early 80’s, I am glad to finally see his biography laid out in order and stripped of some of the trappings of adoration that it has accrued. I wouldn’t say it was made of ‘plain’ facts. The facts about this remarkable author are baroque, interesting, and humorous enough to need no embellishments.
What I said about Volume I:
"A hardback guidebook to Ankh-Morpork's Guilds, institutions & environs containing an anthology of text & illustrations from previous Discworld diaries - revamped & redesigned for the new visitor to Discworld's premier city! Written by Terry Pratchett and produced by Stephen Briggs, with artwork by Paul Kidby!" - https://www.discworldemporium.com/
By the time I became aware that there were Discworld Diaries they were almost at the end of their run. I thought I would have to make do with what was revealed of them in "The Discworld Companion". There were copies available online of course, but they were already going for fairly high prices, certainly out of my limited range. But the publishing of these Archives remedies my lack.
"Lavish coffee-table book" pretty much
describes this volume, and a good deal of its beauty is attributable to Paul
Kidby, who has come to be my favorite artist when it comes to interpreting the
Discworld. The art is second only (for me) to being able to read 'new'
Pratchett on his fantasy world again. I can hardly wait for Volume II when it
comes out in February 2022.”
As it is, it has come out in April. Just as beautiful,
funny, and interesting as Volume I. I sat down and voraciously devoured it, and
as it largely artwork with generously spaced text I finished it in a single
afternoon. Though I can find no indication that there will be a Volume III, it
seems there should be enough material in the remaining Diaries to produce one.
Some of the artwork in the later Diaries is not by Kidby, though, and that
might complicate things.
Paul Kidby, Sir Terry Pratchett's artist of choice, provided the illustrations for The Last Hero, designed the covers for the Discworld novels since 2002 and is the author of the bestseller The Art Of Discworld.
Now, Paul Kidby has collected the very best of his Discworld illustrations in this definitive volume, including 40 pieces never before seen, 30 pieces that have only appeared in foreign editions, limited editions and BCA editions, and 17 book cover illustrations since 2004 that have never been seen without cover text.
If Terry Pratchett's pen gave his characters life, Paul Kidby's brush allowed them to live it, and nowhere is that better illustrated than in this magnificent book. - Amazon.
And yesterday morning it was off of the Wish List and into the Christmas collection, a weighty, beautiful art book that demanded that its own space be opened on the shelf that holds all my Pratchett. A stunning tribute to Sir Terry's Discworld and to the man himself.
The reason that the rich
were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.
Take boots, for example. He
earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of
leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were
sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard
gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always
bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in
Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
But the thing was that good
boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a
pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while
the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred
dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
This was the Captain Samuel
Vimes ‘Boots’ theory of socioeconomic unfairness.
Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms
Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Imaginarium
Paul Kidby, Sir Terry Pratchett's artist of choice, provided
the illustrations for The Last Hero, designed the covers for the
Discworld novels since 2002 and is the author of the bestseller The Art
Of Discworld.
Now, Paul Kidby has collected the very best of his Discworld illustrations in
this definitive volume, including 40 pieces never before seen, 30 pieces that
have only appeared in foreign editions, limited editions and BCA editions, and
17 book cover illustrations since 2004 that have never been seen without cover
text.
If Terry Pratchett's pen gave his characters life, Paul Kidby's brush allowed
them to live it, and nowhere is that better illustrated than in this
magnificent book. - Amazon.
The Ankh-Morpork Archives: Volume One
Think you know Ankh-Morpork? Think again.
In this top-secret
guide, intrepid explorers will receive a first-hand experience of the real city.
If you've ever wondered where Unseen University students wet their whistles
(while avoiding their teachers as they do the same), or pondered just what the
Assassins' Guild constitutes a proper means of inhumation - there are standards
to be upheld - then this is the book for you.
That's right, have yourself a glimpse of what actually goes on in the city's
societies. Cut the chaff, peek behind the curtain, see how the sausage gets
made . . . err, you get the idea.
Just don't let the Thieves' Guild catch you with this. They won't appreciate
their methods being flogged behind their back. Flogging's their job.
Completely revamped and redesigned, this full-colour book contains material
from Discworld Diaries across the decades. - Amazon.
The Time-Travelling Caveman
*A brand new collection of short stories from the incredible
Sir Terry Pratchett!*
Imagination is an amazing thing.
It can take you to the top of the highest mountain, or down
to the bottom of the deepest depths of the sea.
This is where it took Doggins on his Awfully Big Adventure: a
quest full of magic and flying machines. (And the world's best joke - trust me,
it's hilarious.)
It took three young inventors to the moon (where they may or
may not have left a bottle of lemonade) and a caveman on a trip to the dentist.
You can join them on these adventures, and many more, in this
incredible collection of stories . . .
From the greatest imagination there ever was.
Written for local newspapers when Terry Pratchett was a young
lad, these never previously published stories are packed full of anarchic
humour and wonderful wit.
A must-have for Terry fans . . . and young readers looking for a fix of magic. – Amazon.
