A TOAST TO SIR TERRY

British fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett passed away last week at the age of 66. He was best known and loved for his Discworld series, which started life as a satirical spoof of the fantasy genre but went on to become a work of rich worldbuilding and unique storytelling in its own right. Consisting of over 40 books, the novels were clever, captivating, fresh, poignant -- and always, always funny.

As a massive fantasy fan, the Discworld books were breaths of fresh air to me in my high school and college days. They were fantasy novels that had something new, fascinating, and hilarious to say. It's been years since I've picked up a Discworld novel, but I still remember my fondness for the world and characters that Sir Terry created.

Here are a few of my favorites:



- The Color of Magic

Pratchett fans will often recommend that newcomers not pick up The Color of Magic, the first book in the Discworld series. Indeed, the novel has a much different flavor from future installments in the series, serving as more of a straight-up satire of the fantasy genre than a solid, standalone fantasy tale. Still, if, like me, you're well-versed in the tropes of epic fantasy, this is the satire for you.



- Pyramids

By this, the seventh novel in Pratchett's series, the Discworld had become a unique fantasy realm in its own right. Pratchett still had fun shaking up his stories by drawing on a variety of tropes and influences, however, and here we get a story heavily influenced by Ancient Egyptian culture (and, to a lesser extent, the fairy tales of the Arabian Nights). Teppic is the young prince of Djelibeybi (sound it out, you Doctor Who fans) who has spent the last few years being educated … by the Assassins Guild. When he returns home to reclaim his throne, complications, as can be expected, ensue -- particularly involving the local pyramids, which are magically constructed to control the flow of Time itself.



- Maskerade

This eighteenth entry in the series features the Witches -- Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg -- and newcomer Agnes Nitt, who they hope to make their coven's new protege. But Agnes is off in the town of Lancre for a job at the local Opera House, and promptly finds herself in the middle of a story not so unlike The Phantom of the Opera ... (This one is extra-delightful if you're familiar with that musical; watch especially for Pratchett's take on Christine, who ends all of her sentences with double exclamation points.)



- Monstrous Regiment

Pratchett excelled in writing complex, relatable female characters. Here we're introduced to Polly Perks, who disguises herself as a man and enlists as a soldier to track down her brother (without him, she'll lose all claim on the family business). Luckily for Polly, she's fully accepted by her fellow soldiers -- but it turns out she's not the only one with a secret to hide.



- The Last Hero: A Discworld Fable

Lavishly, beautifully illustrated by Paul Kidby, this Discworld novella stars my favorite character of the series. Rincewind is a wizard (well, actually a "WIZZARD," if his hat is anything to go by). He only knows one spell, and seems to spend the majority of his time running away from all the various people, things, and circumstances that are constantly conspiring to kill him. Reluctantly teaming up with Leonard of Quirm and Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson, Rincewind finds himself on a mission to stop a hoard of elderly barbarians from killing the gods themselves.



- Good Omens

The Apocalypse. Four Horsemen on motorcycles. A misplaced Antichrist (who is kind of fond of the human race). A book of prophecy. An angel and a demon who actually get along. All co-written with Neil Gaiman. It's not Discworld, but it's my favorite Pratchett novel all the same. Don't miss it.



- Interesting Times

… well. Maybe Good Omens is my second-favorite Pratchett read. This story probably takes the true top spot, as we follow Rincewind the Wizzard as he encounters Cohen the Barbarian, meets up with an old tourist friend, and gets involved in a rebellion against an empire being controlled by a villainous Grand Vizier (aren't they always villainous?). He's only on his unlikely mission because he's determined to earn back his title as a right and proper Wizard -- but with Fate and Luck literally playing a game for the rebellion's outcome, Rincewind's got his work cut out for him.

There is a curse. They say:

"May You Live In Interesting Times."

Browse the works of Terry Pratchett from the Catalog

- ARTICLE: Terry Pratchett's Discworld Might Be the Highest Form of Literature on the Planet

- ARTICLE: Neil Gaiman on Terry Pratchett

- ARTICLE: 50 Terry Pratchett quotes



-- Post by Ms. B 

One Hit Wonders

There are not too many people who have not seen the film Gone With the Wind or even read the novel of the same name by Margaret Mitchell. But I'm not sure how many people know that Mitchell never wrote another novel in her life. She was a first time novelist with the publication of GWTW in 1936. The book was met with mostly positive reviews and record setting sales.

Mitchell was overwhelmed by the success and the intrusion of her and her husband's privacy. That success led to Mitchell's constant involvement in copyright issues, translations and piracy. Also, her and her husband's ill health meant she didn't have time to write another novel. And in 1949 Mitchell was struck by a car on her way to see a movie. She never regained consciousness and died five days later.

More than 30 million copies have been sold of Gone With The Wind in the more than 75 years since the book was first published. Not too many books can claim that stat!

Amazingly, there are many other very successful authors who never wrote more than one novel in their lifetime. Here are few of them:

Harper Lee -- The infamously reclusive author of To Kill A Mockingbird has not spoken about her only novel or why she has never written another. It's been reported that she was working on a second novel in the 1960s, but it was never publsihed.

Emily Bronte -- Wuthering Heights would be Bronte's only novel since she died in 1848, a year after its publication. The Bronte siblings, and fellow authors, (Charlotte, Anne, Emily and brother Branwell) lived a very sheltered life in Northern England, which led to their rich imaginations.

J.D. Salinger -- Another reclusive author, Salinger wrote many short stories and novellas. But after the publication of Catcher in the Rye, Salinger chose a life of anonymity over publishing any more of his writings.

Boris Pasternak -- After failing to find a publisher in the Soviet Union, Pasternak looked to the west to have his novel, Doctor Zhivago published in 1957. This caused quite a fury in his homeland. His health declined soon after and he passed away in 1960.

Anna Sewell -- One of the most beloved children books, Black Beauty, was the only novel written by Sewell. Not until she was in her late fifties did Sewell put her love of horses into this story which would be published only a short time before her death in 1878. It is still one of the most popular books of all time.

-- Post by Tracy

200 Years of a Universal Truth

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

This is one of the most famous opening lines of any book in the English language. In a single sentence, Jane Austen set up everything that would follow in her now-famous classic, Pride and Prejudice. P&P is one of the most beloved books of all time. Its enduring popularity (along with all things Austen) continues to grow in a way that I'm sure the author could never have imagined.

Jane Austen published six novels, but none as well known as Pride and Prejudice. The characters of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, and their love story, continue to endure.

Why does it endure? Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel, so for me it's more than just the love story between the two main characters. It's also the subtle commentary on the social mores of Jane Austen's day. Austen had a keen eye for irony and had the ability to showcase all of the different personalties that made up her world. I think that we all recognize people that we know in her characters. Times and customs may change, but we still all know someone like Mr. Darcy, who thinks he is far superior than most of the people around him. And there are still women (and men) who are outrageous flirts like Lydia Bennet. We may not have to worry about whether someone would ever want to marry us because of our social standing, like the Bennet sisters do -- but we all look for someone to share our lives with, just like they did.

Pride and Prejudice was the second of Austen's six published novels. And while everything she has ever written has been read and scrutinized many times, the problem for most fans is that she only wrote these six novels and a few unfinished stories. With the immense popularity of the BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice in 1995, the world's obsession for more exploded. Sequels, spin-offs, modern updates, and even a graphic novel have been published in the last 18 years. There is even a book with Mr. Darcy as a vampire!

To honor the 200th anniversary (January 28, 1813) of the publication of Pride and Prejudice, here are a few of the sequels and spin-offs of Pride and Prejudice (and even some books regarding our ever-lasting love for Jane). But only a few. Any more than that would require you to spend more time reading about them than actually reading them!

[For any Janeites out there who are interested, the Jane Austen Society of North America, Pittsburgh Region, will be having its 2013 Jane Austen Festival on March 15 and 16. For more information, check out the group's website.]

-- Pride and Prejudice (Graphic Novel) by Nancy Butler
This is one of my favorite versions of the novel. It's so much fun! It tells the story very accurately and the illustrations are beautiful.

-- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters as zombie hunters? In this adaptation, they are. There is still the love story of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, but with zombies attacking the countryside, we see a whole different side of the famous novel.

-- Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston
In this sequel, we meet the five daughters of Elizabeth and Darcy. It has been twenty years since their wedding. The Darcy sisters have much in common with the Bennet sisters, with their widely different personalties. Appearances are also made by several loved (and not-so-loved) P&P characters.

-- Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris
Here we have Elizabeth and Darcy, newly married, acting as a crime-solving duo. Not long after Caroline Bingley has married a rich American, strange things begin happening. Since these odd occurrences involve the Bingleys, the Darcys step in to figure out what is going on. The first in a series of mysteries.

-- Darcy's Story by Janet Aylmer
Pride and Prejudice is told primarily from Elizabeth's point of view. The only time we, as readers, get to know what Darcy is thinking is when he writes a letter to Elizabeth to explain his relationship with Mr. Wickham (among other issues). In this novel, we get the whole story from Darcy's perspective.

-- Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron
The first in a delightful mystery series where we see the Jane Austen many of us believe she was -- smart, observant, and resourceful. The stories are supposed to be long-lost diaries of Jane herself. In each one, we find Jane involved in helping a friend or family member, proving their innocence in some crime. We even get a chance to see Jane have a little bit of romance with a mysterious Lord!

-- Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
In this series, Jane Austen is now a vampire and has been for 200 years! She is now living in upstate New York and owns a book store. The last novel she wrote before becoming a vampire has been rejected 116 times by publishers, while her books and all of the sequels and spin-offs fly off the shelves of her store. Although she has kept a low profile all these years, she is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, and a mysterious person from her past has come to complicate her life.

-- Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman
Harman examines the many ways that the popularity of Jane Austen has grown all over the world, and why we are still so fascinated by Austen's books and her life.

-- All Roads Lead to Austen: A Year Long Journey with Jane by Amy Elizabeth Smith
Does everyone love Jane Austen? Even in countries where the culture is very different from that of Regency (or even modern) England? Smith decides to find out when she takes a year to read Austen's novels, in Spanish, with book-loving friends throughout several Latin American countries.

-- A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and The Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz
For a nice change, we have a look at Jane Austen from a male perspective. Deresiewicz discusses how each of Austen's six novels influenced his life and helped him become the man he is today.


Happy Reading!



-- Post by Tracy

Time And Relative Dimensions

On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, and the world was changed forever. What if you could change it back? Stephen King’s newest novel, entitled 11/22/63, tells the story of Jake Epping, a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher who is presented with the opportunity to alter history. Jake's friend Al, who runs the local diner, shares with Jake a secret: Al's restaurant contains a portal to the year 1958. So begins Jake's trip back in time -- to the world of Elvis, sock hops, big American cars ... and JFK. It's the world of troubled loner Lee Harvey Oswald, and of high school librarian Sadie Dunhill -- both of whom will have an impact on Jake's life in a way that transgresses all the ordinary rules of time.

King's novel is being touted as a fascinating look into America in the 50s and 60s, as well as being a thrilling page-turner with a great premise and fully-realized characters. It's also King's first real foray into that sub-genre of science fiction known as time travel, which got me thinking about time travel stories in general.

Since H.G. Wells arguably invented the genre with his classic story The Time Machine (see below for a link), time travel stories have flourished on the printed page as well as in movie theaters and on television screens. So while you're waiting for your reserved library copy of 11/22/63, check out these other great stories about traveling through time:

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.

Here's a novel about someone presented with the chance not to alter the course of history -- but rather to study it. Kivrin will be traveling to the fourteenth century to observe one of the deadliest eras in human history: the Black Death sweeping through Europe. While on the surface, the assignment seems easy -- she'll just receive her modern-day inoculations and be on her way -- things get complicated when a crisis leaves her stranded in the past. While her instructors try desperately to get her back, Kivrin is left to struggle her way through one of the most harrowing periods of the Middle Ages. A different sort of time travel story, this novel places less emphasis on flashy technology and action sequences, and more on the unfolding of character growth and development.

Night Watch: A Novel of Discworld by Terry Pratchett.

Pratchett's infamous Discworld series has been renowned for years for its sharp humor and witty satire of the typical fantasy tropes. But as the series has continued its grown into a fine (and funny) fully developed story of its own, with fully-developed characters and fresh ideas of Pratchett's own. This particular installment in the series stars the put-upon leader of the Watch, Sam Vimes, as he's dragged back in time to serve as a mentor ... to his younger self. And it's up to the two Vimes to deal with a revolution -- which, for the elder Vimes, has already happened.

Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card.

Most famous for his young adult sci-fi series about Ender Wiggin and his fellow classmates from Battle School, Card has also written a number of other science fiction and fantasy titles. This book, the first in a planned series, follows a group of future scientists sent back in time to observe Colombus's westward exploration. They find out more than they bargained for when they discover that Columbus is acting under the orders of another group of scientists -- these from an alternate future -- who were sent back to try and prevent their own terrible timeline from coming to pass. The scientists from our own timeline send back three agents to various turning points in history, trying to find an outcome for history that won't result in the genocide of the Native American people -- but the agents will never know if they succeed. Sound confusing?  It is, but Card pulls off the the twisting, turning plot-tangle with aplomb.

Yesterday's Enterprise - from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Trials and Tribble-ations - from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

The various Star Trek series -- there are five in total -- are full of episodes about time travel and alternate timelines. Here are two of the most famous: in Yesterday's Enterprise, the crew of the starship Enterprise suddenly find themselves in an alternate timeline where dead crewmates haven't died, the Federation is at war with the Klingons -- and only one person on board knows anything has changed. And in Trials and Tribble-ations, the DS9 crew travels into the past to the time of Captain James T. Kirk, in an episode with such plot twists (and with an impressive use of CGI technology used to place DS9 actors onto the bridge of Captain Kirk's Enterprise) that the story would be nominated for a Hugo award.

Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality by Ronald L. Mallett, with Bruce Henderson.

A non-fiction read about time travel? Not as far-fetched as it sounds. Dr. Ronald Mallett, a Pennsylvania native (who is also one of the first African-American theoretical physicists), writes about his discovery of the basic equations that he believes are needed to one day develop a working time machine. Interwoven with his personal journey about his life and family (he first became interested in the concept of time travel after losing his father at the age of ten), this book is both science thesis and memoir -- and truly original.


Time Travel Classics:

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells.
Wells's classic novel has been adapted into audiobooks, radio plays, and films.

Doctor Who - the series.
This classic British television series -- about an alien called the Doctor and his time-traveling blue police box -- was recently updated for modern audiences.

Back to the Future - Complete Movie Trilogy.
Join Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in the famous film trilogy about an ordinary high schooler and his mad scientist friend traveling into the past and future as they try to keep their own timeline intact.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain.
A nineteenth-century man is transported back in time to the land of Camelot.

Terminator - film.
A cyborg assassin is sent back in time to kill the mother of future rebel leader John Connor -- before Connor can even be born.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle.
Though not having quite as much time travel as its three sequels, the first novel in L'Engle's YA, sci-fi, time-traveling quartet is easily the best of the lot.

Peggy Sue Got Married - film.
A fainting spell at her high school reunion send Peggy Sue back in time to her senior year of high school -- and gives her another chance at getting her future "right."


-- Post by Ms. B

All About Atwood

My favorite author is Jane Austen. My favorite living author, however, is Margaret Atwood. While on the surface that might appear odd, but I think they have more in common than you would think. Plus I like to read a variety of things.

To me Jane Austen was a great observer of human nature. She had a keen eye for the everyday foibles of the average person. Margaret Atwood is also a keen observer of human nature in all its frailties. The big difference is that Jane Austen's protagonists almost always have a happily-ever-after ending; Margaret Atwood's characters are not always so lucky.

I first read one of her novels over 15 years ago and have been hooked ever since. She is an incredibly prolific writer having published over 50 books which include novels, poetry, non-fiction, short fiction and children's books over more than 40 years. She has been short-listed for the Man Booker Prize on numerous occasions and won it in for The Blind Assassin in 2000, which just happens to be my favorite Atwood book.

If you are interested in reading any of her novels, you might want to check one or more of these:

The Handmaid's Tale (1986)

I first read this about 10 years after it was published and really had no idea what I was getting into! This was one of those moments of serendipity while browsing at my local library at the time. To this day I'm not sure what drew me to this title or how I stumbled upon. Maybe I had heard something about it at some point and it stuck in my head. No matter what lead me to it, it turned out to be unlike anything I had ever read before. The story is set in the near future of Gilead (the fomer U.S.) after a monotheatic government has taken over and forced women into becoming "breeders". Women no longer have their own name, they take the name of their husband. The main character is Offred ("Of Fred"). She tells us how this new Republic came to be and the life she had before which included a husband and child. This is a powerful statement by Atwood regarding the Moral Majority of the 1980s and the backlash against feminists of that time period.

This was also made into a major motion picture in 1990 starring Natasha Richardson and Aidan Quinn.

Alias Grace (1996)

This was the 2nd Margaret Atwood book I read, which was about 5 years after the first. I found this while living in Germany (where the English language section at the Essen Public Library saved me!). This is a rare attempt by Atwood into historical fiction. It is also another examination of the status of women by Ms. Atwood. The story is based on the 1843 murder of Canadian Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper and lover, Nancy Montgomery. Grace Marks, 16, who worked for Mr. Kinnear, was convicted of the crimes. Her death sentence was commuted to life in prison. Ms. Marks claims to have no memory of the murders. Ms. Atwood explores the relationship that develops between Grace and an American "mind doctor", Simon Jordan, who is intent on clearing Grace's name. We learn of Grace's life through her talks with Dr. Jordan, but we never know what exactly to believe from Grace. She seems to only tell Dr. Jordan what she wants him to know. Did she or didn't she do it? You'll have to read it for yourself to find out!

The Blind Assassin (2000)

As much as I loved the first 2 Atwood books I read, they lost their place as soon as I finished reading The Blind Assassin. In my humble opinion, I think it is Ms. Atwood's finest work of fiction, if not one of the best novels I have ever read. She is once again exploring the history of Canada, but this time it is entirely fictional. The Blind Assassin is also a book within a book and it's very important to not skip that "other" book because by the end it's hard to know where the one story ends and the other begins. The book opens with the death of Toronto socialite Laura Chase in 1945. How this relates to her sister Iris, Iris' husband, a young man named Alex Thomas and science fiction book written by Laura is the roller coaster ride you will be on if you read The Blind Assassin.


Oryx And Crake (2003) and The Year of the Flood (2009)

I'm going to address these together because, although The Year of the Flood is not a sequel to Oryx and Crake, they are intertwined in so many ways. In these two books, Atwood returns to the dystopian subject she loves so well, this time involving the near destruction of the environment. The environment is very important to Ms. Atwood and it shows in these stories. From a young age she was exposed to the wilderness of her native Quebec. These family trips obviously left a lasting impression on her.

Oryx and Crake is a dark look into what could be our future on this planet. The main character, Jimmy, recalls the life he knew before the ecological disaster that befell Earth. While he struggles to survive amongst genetically altered "humans", he remembers his friends Crake and Oryx. Crake (a.k.a Glenn) was a childhood friend and Oryx was a young, Asian girl sold to a sex-seller. Life before the disaster was not a pretty one and it's a future that Atwood posits could be ours if we don't come to our senses.

In The Year of the Flood, we are introduced to another side of Jimmy's story. This time we see the destruction of the ecological plague through the eyes of Toby and Ren. They are both members of a Christian environmental group called God's Gardeners. After the waterless flood hits, they both struggle to survive. Their story, especially Ren's, is intertwined with Jimmy's. By the end, Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood will intersect. This is continues the same theme as the previous novel - the near ecological destruction of the our world at the hands of powerful corporations.

If you've already read The Year of The Flood or after you do read it, you might want to check out an interesting DVD called In The Wake of The Flood. Filmmaker Ronn Mann follows Margaret Atwood on her tour of Great Britain and North America as she promotes her book by staging theatrical versions of the book, instead of a traditional book tour with readings and autographs. The DVD includes one of these productions.

-- Post by Tracy