*hums slightly before wandering to sleep*

[conuly]

This is just a gratuitous post, to indicate my current favorite Discworld quote. It's got a nice rhythm.

"I comma square bracket recruit's name square bracket comma do solemnly swear by square bracket recruit's deity of choice square bracket...to uphold the Laws and Ordinances of the city of Ankh-Morpork, serve the public trust comma and defend the subjects of His stroke Her bracket delete whichever is inappropriate bracket Majesty bracket name of reigning monarch bracket...without fear comma favor comma or thought of personal safety semi-colon to pursue evil-doers and protect the innocent comma laying down my life if necessary in the cause of said duty comma so help me bracket aforesaid deity bracket full stop Gods Save the King stroke Queen bracket delete whichever is inappropriate bracket full stop."

*smiles*

I'm going to memorize that, and start reciting it every time I'm asked to promise to something. Maybe I can vary the promise part somewhat.

*frowns*

Am I missing part of it? I don't know for sure, and I can't check.

Comments

[joeymew.livejournal.com]

Somewhat related question: What Discworld book would you recommend starting out with? I've heard that you could pretty much pick up any of them and start reading, but I wanted your opinion on it.

too lazy to use proper underlining for titles

[griphus.livejournal.com]

*hijacks thread*

i started reading from the first book (Colour of Magic, i think) and that was a pretty good start for me. I started a friend of mine on "Pyramids" (he'd never even heard of Pratchett before) and now he's got almost a complete library.

My suggestion is either start from the first book, start from a one-shot (something that doesn't have a huge history behind/in front of it like the later Rincewind books or the Guard books), or from the beginning of a particular series if you like the archetypes (the Grannys or the Guard).

Although, heck, his writing is par enough that if you accidentally pick up a book from the middle of a certain series, you won't be at too much of a loss. Hell, he pretty much just throws you in smack into the middle of something, anyway.

I guess the whole point of this has been lost by my contradictions. And it amounts to "it almost doesn't matter...just start reading".

Although I never did like "Moving Pictures" if that's the one-shot you're planning on starting with. Or "Faust Eric" for that matter.

[griphus.livejournal.com]

http://www.voidspace.org.uk/cyberpunk/pratchett_order.shtml

this should help infinitely more than i did.

[conuly]

Hm. I started with Reaper Man, which can be a *little* confusing if you haven't read the others.

The Truth might work, since it doesn't concentrate on the major characters....

Ibid you already know.

[griphus.livejournal.com]

What book is that from? I really need to get back to reading Pratchett. I stopped at "Moving Pictures" and skipped the Guard books. Hmm. I think I'll start from the beginning, a friend that i got into Pratchett actually has physical copies of the books (as opposed to my TXTs).

Oh, and as far as grammar quotes go:
"'You shouldn't ---- them, then,' muttered one of his henchmen, effortlessly pronouncing a row of dashes." - from "Mort"

Re: Ibid you already know.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

It's from Men at Arms if I recall correctly, but sadly I could only bring 5 Discworld books with me and it was not one of the chosen few (since I've read it more recently than those I brought.)

Re: Ibid you already know.

[conuly]

I'm thinking of Night Watch.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

I checked it for you--you got it right.

Letter for letter, comma for comma, bracket for square bracket.

(My favorite grammar quote from Pratchett is "the drink here is v. cheap there is one called a Bananana dakry which is basicly Rum with a banananana* in it.

*Nanny Ogg knew how to start spelling "banana," but didn't know how you stopped.")

[rantinan.livejournal.com]

What gets to realy very silly is if you read the charges listed in Guards Guards out in that style. it;s implied you should, but nowhere near as specific as in night watch.
My favorite prachet quote is also guard related, the slogan from the old treacle mine watch house, "Fabricati Deium, PVNC"

Apparently it meens "to serve and protect"

right.
My latin isint THAT good but it;s good enough.
Anyone fancy translating "do you feel lucky punk" into latin?

[joeymew.livejournal.com]

Somewhat related question: What Discworld book would you recommend starting out with? I've heard that you could pretty much pick up any of them and start reading, but I wanted your opinion on it.

too lazy to use proper underlining for titles

[griphus.livejournal.com]

*hijacks thread*

i started reading from the first book (Colour of Magic, i think) and that was a pretty good start for me. I started a friend of mine on "Pyramids" (he'd never even heard of Pratchett before) and now he's got almost a complete library.

My suggestion is either start from the first book, start from a one-shot (something that doesn't have a huge history behind/in front of it like the later Rincewind books or the Guard books), or from the beginning of a particular series if you like the archetypes (the Grannys or the Guard).

Although, heck, his writing is par enough that if you accidentally pick up a book from the middle of a certain series, you won't be at too much of a loss. Hell, he pretty much just throws you in smack into the middle of something, anyway.

I guess the whole point of this has been lost by my contradictions. And it amounts to "it almost doesn't matter...just start reading".

Although I never did like "Moving Pictures" if that's the one-shot you're planning on starting with. Or "Faust Eric" for that matter.

[griphus.livejournal.com]

http://www.voidspace.org.uk/cyberpunk/pratchett_order.shtml

this should help infinitely more than i did.

[conuly]

Hm. I started with Reaper Man, which can be a *little* confusing if you haven't read the others.

The Truth might work, since it doesn't concentrate on the major characters....

Ibid you already know.

[griphus.livejournal.com]

What book is that from? I really need to get back to reading Pratchett. I stopped at "Moving Pictures" and skipped the Guard books. Hmm. I think I'll start from the beginning, a friend that i got into Pratchett actually has physical copies of the books (as opposed to my TXTs).

Oh, and as far as grammar quotes go:
"'You shouldn't ---- them, then,' muttered one of his henchmen, effortlessly pronouncing a row of dashes." - from "Mort"

Re: Ibid you already know.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

It's from Men at Arms if I recall correctly, but sadly I could only bring 5 Discworld books with me and it was not one of the chosen few (since I've read it more recently than those I brought.)

Re: Ibid you already know.

[conuly]

I'm thinking of Night Watch.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

I checked it for you--you got it right.

Letter for letter, comma for comma, bracket for square bracket.

(My favorite grammar quote from Pratchett is "the drink here is v. cheap there is one called a Bananana dakry which is basicly Rum with a banananana* in it.

*Nanny Ogg knew how to start spelling "banana," but didn't know how you stopped.")

[rantinan.livejournal.com]

What gets to realy very silly is if you read the charges listed in Guards Guards out in that style. it;s implied you should, but nowhere near as specific as in night watch.
My favorite prachet quote is also guard related, the slogan from the old treacle mine watch house, "Fabricati Deium, PVNC"

Apparently it meens "to serve and protect"

right.
My latin isint THAT good but it;s good enough.
Anyone fancy translating "do you feel lucky punk" into latin?