# What is the deal with Terry Pratchett? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215 "2003-10-02T21:54:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/21 "2003-10-03T17:10:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ponder Stibbons \* > \*\*Pah! What do rural witches know about magic! Everyone knows the _real_ magic is done at UU! The greatest achievement of humankind to date is the High Energy – > > Oh, hi, Granny. Didn’t see you there. Hey, I didn’t mean to – hey, wait – > > Ribbit. \*\* Isn’t it fun, watching Ponder hop around thinking he’s a frog? ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/22 "2003-10-03T19:24:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*You are costing me money. > > \*\* See if your nearest public library has any of the books you want to read. I was delighted to find several of Neil Gaiman’s novels and The Sandman series at the public library. ---
**Author:** ![dewizeowl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@dewizeowl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewizeowl)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/23 "2003-10-03T21:02:49Z")
I have to admit, begrudgingly, that I like Terry Pratchett too. I say that because it means my wife was right and I was um well…wrong. I’m not as addicted as my 18year old son or my wife, but there are some interesting stories. I am not a fan of most of the hack fantasy/SciFi books. I only like a few writers (Lois McMasters Bujold). I find most need a really good editor and the more popular they are, the more they seem to need one. Pratchett’s books are one of the few exceptions. Very entertaining and an absolute great airplane read. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/24 "2003-10-03T21:36:28Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Lamia_ > In fact, I quoted Hogfather in my thesis. Just a shot in the dark, but was it the bit where Death explains that you have to believe in the little lies, like the Hogfather or the Tooth Fairy, in order to believe in the big lies, like Justice and Mercy? Cuz that’s always been way up on my list of “totally profound ideas”. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/25 "2003-10-03T22:36:11Z")
In these days, post the Iraqi war, everyone should read Jingo. I’ve rarely read abetter and more profound book about xenophobia, cultural clashes, minority groups and ethnic stereotypes. Sheep’s eyeball anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/26 "2003-10-04T01:30:21Z")
I just went out and bought The Last Hero last night, the softback with the 16 extra pages of Paul Kidby’s artwork …the fact the US readers get the garbage covers, and the UK gets the Paul Kidby covers is bunk, and it’s entirely due to the fault of the US publishers. US publishers decided that the Paul Kidby covers won’t sell them books, so they stick to the garbage fluff covers more suited to a Danielle Steele novel. Write to Harper Collins and demand our Paul Kidby cover artwork!!! Also bought Moving Pictures and Hogfather, gonna dig into one of those, a bottle of white wine, and a hot bath tonight. =) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/27 "2003-10-04T03:03:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > \*\*Isn’t it fun, watching Ponder hop around thinking he’s a frog? \*\* Yeah, send him over my way, I’ve got a hell of a fly problem just now. Granny Weatherwax is my role model. She has been ever since I laid my hands on _Equal Rites_. From Jeanster: > [@](#): > > See if your nearest public library has any of the books you want to read. > > I was delighted to find several of Neil Gaiman’s novels and The Sandman series at the public library. Hell, I MUST have my own copies of them all. They are my late night companions, I enjoy re-reading them. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/28 "2003-10-04T03:10:32Z")
I like the US covers. Especially the slightly older ones, with the shimmery covers. Kidby’s a great artist, but Pratchett is one author where I don’t need, nor particularly want, someone else’s visualization intruding. And before I decide to write angry letters to the publishers, I’d like to know wether or not they’re right. Pratchett never sold well in the States when he was saddled with the awful Darryl Sweet covers (to say nothing of the abominable Kirby covers. Thankfully, not many of those got printed over here.) However, he’s been doing much better lately. Is it because of the covers? I don’t know, but the people who job it is to figure these things out say it makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/29 "2003-10-04T03:10:50Z")
I saw Terry a few nights ago in DC, **Cerri** and he said exactly the same thing. HarperCollins decided that Kidby’s art won’t work over here, and Terry said he was reluctant to “drop the bomb” on them by throwing his weight around. He suggested fans write to HC instead. Regarding his books, I, too found it hard to get into them, but I started with “The Color of Magic,” which was more of a fantasy parody. I had misspent most of my young adulthood reading fantasy – yards of the stuff, from Tolkien and Howard down to John Norman – and found it hard to get into it. It took a couple of tries, but the hook sunk and I’ve been a fan ever since, and at my age, I’m too cynical to be a fan of anything. He’s golden. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/30 "2003-10-04T03:14:27Z")
**Miller,** he touched on that very thing in his talk. His earlier publishers gave him absolutely no support at all in this country. During his signing tours in the U.S., he would see more books published in the U.K. than here. He’s extremely grateful HarperCollins picked his books up, and he’s happy with the support he’s been given. Personally, I would much rather see the British “Night Watch” cover than the dog’s dinner that’s the cover over here. Even if it wasn’t a TP novel, the quality of the artwork and concept Hoovers. I’m waiting for Kidby to publish “Night Watch” as a poster. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/31 "2003-10-04T05:05:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*I like the US covers. Especially the slightly older ones, with the shimmery covers. Kidby’s a great artist, but Pratchett is one author where I don’t need, nor particularly want, someone else’s visualization intruding. > > And before I decide to write angry letters to the publishers, I’d like to know wether or not they’re right. Pratchett never sold well in the States when he was saddled with the awful Darryl Sweet covers (to say nothing of the abominable Kirby covers. Thankfully, not many of those got printed over here.) However, he’s been doing much better lately. Is it because of the covers? I don’t know, but the people who job it is to figure these things out say it makes a difference. \*\* [According to Terry](http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=kzBMcgpskdd%24EALr%40unseen.demon.co.uk&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain) > [@](#): > > For the first dozen or more years of Discworld’s existence, the books > in the US were published with such lack of thought, promotion and > interest that in any other industry than publishing you’d have thought > actual malignity was at work. The books were issued late and out of > sequence and with certain little clues that indicate lack of care > (unless spelling the author’s name wrong on every other page is an old > US tradition.) Such popularity I had in the US was build around grey > imports from the UK or Canada; I’d have a big queue at US worldcons, > signing books imported from Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/32 "2003-10-04T05:22:04Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by pesch_ > Miller, he touched on that very thing in his talk. His earlier publishers gave him absolutely no support at all in this country. During his signing tours in the U.S., he would see more books published in the U.K. than here. He’s extremely grateful HarperCollins picked his books up, and he’s happy with the support he’s been given. In other words, it wasn’t until he got a competent publisher that he started getting these “dog dinner” covers. Seems to prove my point, doesn’t it? As bad as the US covers are, that’s what sells in the US right now. I’m just happy more people are reading his books. ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/33 "2003-10-04T05:22:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dewizeowl \* > \*\*I am not a fan of most of the hack fantasy/SciFi books. I only like a few writers (Lois McMasters Bujold). \*\* Pratchett and Bujold are my two favoritest writers ever. ---
**Author:** ![nicky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@nicky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicky)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/34 "2003-10-04T07:00:47Z")
I cant believe that people dont like the Josh Kirby covers! They are perfect for the books. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/35 "2003-10-04T07:53:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*In other words, it wasn’t until he got a competent publisher that he started getting these “dog dinner” covers. Seems to prove my point, doesn’t it? As bad as the US covers are, that’s what sells in the US right now. I’m just happy more people are reading his books. \*\* Well, that’s what the publishers think sells right now at any rate. I disagree with their stand completely, and think the Kidby artwork covers surpass the US covers by a milestone…but then again, I like good cover artwork with attention to detail, and they clearly don’t want that for Pratchett’s works. The Last Hero did very well here, both in hardback and softback printings, and the artwork was most of the point…the feature of the softback being 16 extra pages of all-new illustrations, so no, I don’t see how they can think the US covers wouldn’t sell here. I wrote to Harper Collins and will continue to do so, urging them to use the UK covers instead of the god-awful mass production ones we have here. Take the cover of Soul Music for instance. Susan on the cover is portrayed as an incredibly sexy curvaceous woman. Which obviously describes the Susan of the actual novel not at all. Susan was 16 and skinny as a rail. To quote the book itself: "As far as looks were concerned, Susan had always put people in mind of a dandelion on the point of telling the time. Look at Monstrous Regiment… [US cover](http://www.harpercollins.com/catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=006001315X)[UK cover](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0385603401.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) The UK artwork puts so much more effort into it it’s not even funny. Night Watch isn’t _as_ bad, but still not anything to rave about on HC’s account, in my opinion. [US version](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060013117/ref=lib_dp_TFCV/002-7383806-6749607?v=glance&s=books&vi=reader#reader-link)[UK version](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0385602642.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/36 "2003-10-04T07:59:52Z")
(they being Harper Collins in my first paragraph, if that was unclear) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/37 "2003-10-04T10:34:15Z")
Ye gods, those US covers are eye-bleachingly hideous. The UK covers are not only more aesthetically pleasing, but are subtle parodies of other relevant images (the UK version of _Night Watch_ even shows the original _Night Watch_ painting by Rembrandt for comparison). What the hell is wrong with HarperCollins? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/38 "2003-10-04T10:37:01Z")
(In case you’re not familiar with the Rembrandt, there’s a picture [here](http://orion.it.luc.edu/~avande1/nightwch.htm). Compare with the UK cover linked above.) ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/39 "2003-10-04T12:24:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gyrate \* > \*\*Ye gods, those US covers are eye-bleachingly hideous. \*\* Because apparently, trite, ugly and unimaginative cover art sells books here. =p ---
**Author:** ![Gartog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/22d042/32.png) [@Gartog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gartog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215/40 "2003-10-04T14:10:49Z")
The Monstrous Regiment cover, is a take on the [Iwo Jima image](http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jcapshaw/iwo%20jima%202.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-terry-pratchett/205215.md?page=3)