Terry Pratchett

[LordVyreth]

I've just recently got into Pratchett, and am currently trying to work my way through the series in order (except for Lords and Ladies and Men At Arms, which I read before making the decision.) I'm midway through Small Gods so far, and like what I've read, though I agree that he's been improving as he goes. My favorites to date include Pyramids and Moving Pictures. Of the series regulars, my favorites are probably Rincewind, Death, and Magrat, though the last is probably mostly because she has to put up with Granny Weatherwax, who's probably my least favorite series regular.

My only complaint is that sometimes his endings tend to peter out a bit. There were a few I liked (like Pyramids,) but a lot either get anticlimatic or incomprehensible.

 

[Daniel Knight]

/looks at signiture

*caugh* Discworld Movie *caugh*

/buggers off into lurkville again.

 

[Darkness]

Pratchett's books are extremely hard to translate and there is probably no way to get them to be as good as the original versions.

I agree that the original versions are best but the German translations, of which I used to read a lot, aren't bad.

 

[shilsen]

My only complaint is that sometimes his endings tend to peter out a bit. There were a few I liked (like Pyramids,) but a lot either get anticlimatic or incomprehensible.

Of course you'd have to ask the man to be sure, but considering his writing style and general philosophy (sure, I read Pratchett for philosophy), I always thought that was a stylistic choice. Endings, realistically, are not about climaxes or neat wrap-ups, and Pratchett is just about the most realistic writer I've ever read, so I always figured that the kind of endings he has are a direct result of that.

P.S. Any examples of endings which you found anticlimactic and/or incomprehensible?

 

[haiiro]

I've always read lines like "Nobby was thrown out of the human race for shoving" or "We're on a mission from Glod" and wondered whether it's possible to tranlsate them effectively in another language. Probably not.

It seems like you'd have to toss out the idea of translating them directly, and go with finding an idiom in the target language that approximates ones like what you mentioned above -- complete with target language cultural references. The product wouldn't be an "exact" translation by any means, but it would have a similar feel, and ideally get a similar point across -- but most importantly, it would hopefully still be funny!

From the bit of translation theory I studied in college, I came away preferring that approach. Much like turning a great book into a great movie, not everything can make the transition -- but if you can preserve the heart of it, and enough of the trappings, you wind up with something like Jackon's LotR trilogy: not exact, but faithful and just as good in a different way.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Mustrum, about your sig..."Gummibears also help?" What is the significance? Is it a quote?

It´s a quote, but not related to Discworld. My cousine (as she was 3 or 4 years old) said it in a conversation with one of my aunts.
I can´t remeber the exact course of it, but the end of the conversation was approximately as following:
"Look, I have 'ouch' " (I don´t know if that´s what english-speaking children say )
"Oh, ouch? Then you will need a plaster. That will help."
"Gummibears do also help"

 

[Null Boundry]

His early work is interesting enough but for the last 10 years or so he has simply been recycling the ideas.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Everything the man writes is gold. Recently he's been knocking out 2 books a year, which worried me somewhat - I was concerned that the quality of his writing would suffer. It hasn't so far, but it's costing me a packet! I haven't bought Going Postal yet in the hope that someone will give it to me for Christmas (you hear me Russ... that's a hint, that is!).

I'd love to see him satirise the building of the British Empire. I don't think he's covered huge corporations or traffic management yet, either.

Haven't read Going Postal yet?

Spoiler

Trust me, there is indeed some huge corporate stuff in it.

Not much of a spoiler, but well, it's Pratchett...

And some Vetinari goodness too.

I really don't think he has been recycling ideas, characters, settings, themes, yes. Plots? No.

The Auld Grump

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

That's hilarious, Mustrum!

And Going Postal rocks.

 

[Tonguez]

I'd love to see him satirise the building of the British Empire. I don't think he's covered huge corporations or traffic management yet, either.

Isn't Strata pretty much huge corporations?
Detritus is a comment of Traffic management
and the British Empire - um Jingo?