Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter: The Long Earth

[Matthijs]

Recently I read “The Long Earth”, by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. I found it an odd book, and had a hard time seeing much Pratchett influence in it. What did you think of the book? Does anyone know more about how the collaboration worked?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I enjoyed the book, not too sure how the collaboration worked.

 

[Matthijs]

I found it a bit boring myself, to be honest - as if they had some sort of long-term plan that they were building up to, but never revealed in the first book.

There's an interesting interview over at Goodreads with them both, which reveals a lot about their different methods.

 

[Roxbrough]

I am plowing my way through 'Time' at the moment. Not many books back I read 'Mort'.
I cannot conceive of a merging of these two writers!!!
'Mort' was witty, pacy and very amusing. Time.........isn't.

 

[Roxbrough]

I enjoyed the book, not too sure how the collaboration worked.

What was it about the book that you enjoyed?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I enjoyed the premise of the story...I can plow through just about anything if the author(s) can convince me to suspend my disbelief and this story did that.

 

[Bookhooked]

I absolute love Pratchett, but The Long Earth seems to have far more Baxter than Pratchett in it. The premise is interesting, but the whole "alternative earth" thing has been done to death. The ending was particularly unsatisfying.

I'm now reading its sequel, The Long War, and its just plain awful. I haven't found any evidence of Pratchett's voice in it all, and Baxter seems to be drawing from the George R.R. Martin school of endless introductions of minor characters and confusing backstories. Unlike Martin, who gets away with this most of the time, Baxter is just tedious. I'm halfway through and almost nothing of significance has happened yet.

 

[Roxbrough]

I absolute love Pratchett, but The Long Earth seems to have far more Baxter than Pratchett in it. The premise is interesting, but the whole "alternative earth" thing has been done to death. The ending was particularly unsatisfying.

I'm now reading its sequel, The Long War, and its just plain awful. I haven't found any evidence of Pratchett's voice in it all, and Baxter seems to be drawing from the George R.R. Martin school of endless introductions of minor characters and confusing backstories. Unlike Martin, who gets away with this most of the time, Baxter is just tedious. I'm halfway through and almost nothing of significance has happened yet.

This was my experience of Baxter. Also has not Pratchett got alczheimers? How could he collaborate with anyone?

 

[Meadow337]

Yes Terry Pratchett has got Alzheimer's but apparently it has not progressed as rapidly as expected and he is still writing. I did hear that he had written 'his last book' towards the end of last year but now I see there is a new disc world out later this year.

http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2013/03/pratchett-announces-new-discworld-book.html

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Collaboration can be as simple as the premise being one authors idea and the other author writing the story.

Alzheimer's victims are not stupid, they are actually quite clever, they still have the innate talent and intelligence they had prior to an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

 

[Roxbrough]

Collaboration can be as simple as the premise being one authors idea and the other author writing the story.

Alzheimer's victims are not stupid, they are actually quite clever, they still have the innate talent and intelligence they had prior to an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

They have trouble with recall, some would think this a quality a writer needs. I have know people with it and would not think them capable of writing a novel. Maybe Pratchett has 'sold his name', it would not be the first time this has happened?
I love the discworld series and find everything Baxter has written convoluted and tiresome, just my opinion though.

 

[Meadow337]

They have trouble with recall, some would think this a quality a writer needs. I have know people with it and would not think them capable of writing a novel. Maybe Pratchett has 'sold his name', it would not be the first time this has happened?
I love the discworld series and find everything Baxter has written convoluted and tiresome, just my opinion though.

I believe he has a rare form of Alzheimer's that affects his motor function and spatial perception so he is no longer able to type but can dictate the books.