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Monstrous Regiment
- Thread starter MEYERTREE
- Start date
VTChEwbecca
kickbox
Yes, yes, and yes. I totally agree with you on this one. I was definitely very much disappointed. However, I've heard his new one, Going Postal is WAY better than MR (how can it not be?).
Halo
New Member
Well, I've finally finished this! I agree with you two, although it was still good (I don't think any of Pratchett's Discworld novels are poor), it was rather disappointing. I couldn't bring myself to be that bothered about the main character of Polly. The moment when the reason for her quest was resolved was dealt with in a few casual sentences - even Polly herself didn't seem that bothered! The running joke was fairly amusing but became a bit tiresome and predictable when it came up again and again. The character of Jackrum was a second-rate substitute for Vimes.
The book did have a few laugh-out-loud moments, but not as many as normal. It also had some interesting things to say about women's roles in a man's world, but barely scratched the surface of these issues really. So, good but not great.
The book did have a few laugh-out-loud moments, but not as many as normal. It also had some interesting things to say about women's roles in a man's world, but barely scratched the surface of these issues really. So, good but not great.
VTChEwbecca
kickbox
That's exactly how I felt, Halo. I got his new one, Going Postal for Christmas, and I hope its better than his last (so far, I've heard good reviews).
Yes, even those except for feet of clay which I haven't read.
Apologies in advance for this rant.
Ahem...
here goes... and don't say I didn't warn ya! Ok, here goes. This is my view on Terry. Those of a nervous disposition please change the channel
I did used to like him but now he is like a drunken uncle that doesn't take the hint and leave but insists on staying and telling you the same joke over and over again!
Put simply he is a HACK of the worst kind that's only interested in making money. There. I said it.
Didn't he say at the start of his career that he would never produce lots of tacky merchandise such as maps and mugs and so forth? He did say that you know. I used to read SFX magazine. I remember him saying that. And lo and behold... The book shops are groaning under the weight of just about every possible Pratchett merchandise you can ever possibly imagine AND then some!!! I remember him saying that he would never make a map of Ankh Morpork because he wanted it to only exist in his mind and not sell out and make some tacky map... Map of Morpork anybody????
I just feel he is one of the worst hacks in the industry. He can write these books in his sleep now. he churns out two of his cash cow Disc World books a year! He uses the same characters, the same plots, in the exact same old locations to tell the same old jokes. Terry PLEASE. for the love of god. Stop.
Also, he has come to believe his own hype. Yes, his books are ( or were ) funny light hearted entertainment with a few light social observations thrown in for good measure. Nothing wrong with that at all!!! They are NOT great literature or deep and meaningful insights into life the universe and everything. Dougless Adams did all this stuff years ago and he did it much better. I find his books smug and preachy.
If he writes something other than Disc World, then I will be one of the first in line clamouring to read it. I just refuse to read the tired old books of a tired old hack.
There. I said it.
Shall I kill myself now or wait for all you Pratchett fans to do it for me?
Sigh, ok, come and get meeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Apologies in advance for this rant.
Ahem...
here goes... and don't say I didn't warn ya! Ok, here goes. This is my view on Terry. Those of a nervous disposition please change the channel
I did used to like him but now he is like a drunken uncle that doesn't take the hint and leave but insists on staying and telling you the same joke over and over again!
Put simply he is a HACK of the worst kind that's only interested in making money. There. I said it.
Didn't he say at the start of his career that he would never produce lots of tacky merchandise such as maps and mugs and so forth? He did say that you know. I used to read SFX magazine. I remember him saying that. And lo and behold... The book shops are groaning under the weight of just about every possible Pratchett merchandise you can ever possibly imagine AND then some!!! I remember him saying that he would never make a map of Ankh Morpork because he wanted it to only exist in his mind and not sell out and make some tacky map... Map of Morpork anybody????
I just feel he is one of the worst hacks in the industry. He can write these books in his sleep now. he churns out two of his cash cow Disc World books a year! He uses the same characters, the same plots, in the exact same old locations to tell the same old jokes. Terry PLEASE. for the love of god. Stop.
Also, he has come to believe his own hype. Yes, his books are ( or were ) funny light hearted entertainment with a few light social observations thrown in for good measure. Nothing wrong with that at all!!! They are NOT great literature or deep and meaningful insights into life the universe and everything. Dougless Adams did all this stuff years ago and he did it much better. I find his books smug and preachy.
If he writes something other than Disc World, then I will be one of the first in line clamouring to read it. I just refuse to read the tired old books of a tired old hack.
There. I said it.
Shall I kill myself now or wait for all you Pratchett fans to do it for me?
Sigh, ok, come and get meeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Halo
New Member
Okay everyone, you bring the flaming torches and I'll bring the pitchforks!
But is there anything intrinsically wrong from making money from your writing? Surely most authors want to be published and successful? (Apart from the few that make out they are writing because of a philanthropic need to share their valuable thoughts with the world).
This does seem rather hypocritical, but then anyone can change their mind I suppose. Anyway, no-one is forcing people to buy it all! I have all his novels but I do not possess, nor do I intend to, Nanny Ogg's cookbook or a map of Ankh-Morpork.
I agree, they can get a bit preachy when he labours the point a bit, eg war is bad . I also agree that they are not great literature. However, I do think he does a great line in satire, in-jokes and running jokes. Some of his novels, including the three I mentioned, are excellent and have touches of genius. Some are much poorer, and I think Monstrous Regiment is one of those. But I still think that even on a bad day, Pratchett is the king of what I will call "comic fantasy". I do think that there is a tendency to write off popular authors merely because they are popular. Popular author = crap writer in some people's minds (see also Stephen King).
Wabbit, as someone once said, "When you are tired of Guards! Guards!, you are tired of Pratchett." You will obviously never like his books. Fair enough. *mutters* Now where the hell have those flaming torches got to?
SillyWabbit said:
But is there anything intrinsically wrong from making money from your writing? Surely most authors want to be published and successful? (Apart from the few that make out they are writing because of a philanthropic need to share their valuable thoughts with the world).
SillyWabbit said:
This does seem rather hypocritical, but then anyone can change their mind I suppose. Anyway, no-one is forcing people to buy it all! I have all his novels but I do not possess, nor do I intend to, Nanny Ogg's cookbook or a map of Ankh-Morpork.
SillyWabbit said:
I agree, they can get a bit preachy when he labours the point a bit, eg war is bad
. I also agree that they are not great literature. However, I do think he does a great line in satire, in-jokes and running jokes. Some of his novels, including the three I mentioned, are excellent and have touches of genius. Some are much poorer, and I think Monstrous Regiment is one of those. But I still think that even on a bad day, Pratchett is the king of what I will call "comic fantasy". I do think that there is a tendency to write off popular authors merely because they are popular. Popular author = crap writer in some people's minds (see also Stephen King).Wabbit, as someone once said, "When you are tired of Guards! Guards!, you are tired of Pratchett." You will obviously never like his books. Fair enough.
*mutters* Now where the hell have those flaming torches got to? 
fluffy bunny
Member
I'm not a Pratchett fan as I'm not a fan of Discworld, but I liked Good Omens, and The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Flaming torches you say? I'll get the taters and tin foil for the bonfire!
Actually, I DID like Terry Pratchett That's the point. I have read almost all of his books up until about the 5th Elephant I think. It's about 26 books of his I have read? I am too lazy to look it up now lol
The point is that yes, I liked his books! The point is that I just got tired of him. Oh hum. Another book set in Morkpork is it? Another story about the guards huh? Oh look it's that same joke you used in the other 25 books!
To address your points
I would say if you are doing anything just for the money then yes it's actually a bad thing. There, I said it!!! Maybe I am just too damn idealistic? More importantly when we are talking about any artistic medium be it writing or be it music or film or whatever, if you are just writing for money and not for the love of the thing how can your work BE any good? Look at all the board room born junk of hollywood! Look at the charts stuffed full of marketed junk! Terry Pratchett is a talented man. That much is obvious and maybe that's why it upsets me so much to see him wasting his talent away. To be in it for the money will just produce poor quality work and not to mention for the idealistic reasons of working for love and art and that greed is something that really shouldnt be a goal or motive in this world.
Well... yeah, you have a point
Actually, I DID like Terry Pratchett
That's the point. I have read almost all of his books up until about the 5th Elephant I think. It's about 26 books of his I have read? I am too lazy to look it up now lolThe point is that yes, I liked his books! The point is that I just got tired of him. Oh hum. Another book set in Morkpork is it? Another story about the guards huh? Oh look it's that same joke you used in the other 25 books!
To address your points
I would say if you are doing anything just for the money then yes it's actually a bad thing. There, I said it!!! Maybe I am just too damn idealistic?
More importantly when we are talking about any artistic medium be it writing or be it music or film or whatever, if you are just writing for money and not for the love of the thing how can your work BE any good? Look at all the board room born junk of hollywood! Look at the charts stuffed full of marketed junk! Terry Pratchett is a talented man. That much is obvious and maybe that's why it upsets me so much to see him wasting his talent away. To be in it for the money will just produce poor quality work and not to mention for the idealistic reasons of working for love and art and that greed is something that really shouldnt be a goal or motive in this world.Well... yeah, you have a point
Halo
New Member
SillyWabbit said:I would say if you are doing anything just for the money then yes it's actually a bad thing. Maybe I am just too damn idealistic?
But I don't believe Pratchett is just going through the motions for the money. The guy must be a multi-millionaire - he could stop writing tomorrow (stop cheering Wabbit!) I think he writes because he enjoys writing the Discworld series. I personally believe it is still possible to produce good work even if you are in it for the money, though.
Maybe you are idealistic, but I am certainly too cynical!
Zolipara
New Member
I agree with Sillywabbit. The first pratchett book i read was a lot of fun. But after reading several of them i just got too tired of the same jokes and characters. Its fun for a while, but not forever. I think the series is too succesful to be healthy for Pratchett as a writer. There is probably too much pressure on him from fans and the publishers for him to stop writing them. If he writes a non-discworld novel i'll probably buy it.
Halo
New Member
Zolipara said:
Fair enough, but I would also hazard a guess that a lot of people like this familiarity with the jokes and characters. Look at the success of catch-phrase based humour like The Fast Show - you always know exactly what the characters are going to say but you still find it funny each time. Well I do anyway!
VTChEwbecca
kickbox
Wabbit, I just finished Going Postal. I know what you mean about the series getting a bit repetitive around the middle, especially by The 5th Elephant, but I think you might want to look into Going Postal. It is set in Ankh-Morpork, but features an entirely new cast of characters. The Patrician is present, but the main characters and important secondary characters are all new. The storyline is built around one man attempting to restore the post office, and the competition with the clacks. I seriously would recommend this one to you, because I think you'll enjoy the new characters and the interesting story. You can see my review here
Halo - get Going Postal asap! It will definitely restore your faith after having read Monstrous Regiment. Its excellent!
You can see my review here Halo - get Going Postal asap! It will definitely restore your faith after having read Monstrous Regiment. Its excellent!
Halo
New Member
VTChEwbecca said:Halo - get Going Postal asap! It will definitely restore your faith after having read Monstrous Regiment. Its excellent!
I will, as soon as it's out in paperback! Doesn't he usually have a new book out around October time each year? So hopefully I will only have about 10 months to wait!
VTChEwbecca
kickbox
Halo said:I will, as soon as it's out in paperback! Doesn't he usually have a new book out around October time each year? So hopefully I will only have about 10 months to wait!
Yes. That's why I ask for them for Christmas gifts...I can't wait that long