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Member 9082365 wrote: a Dutch Discworld Convention
But how many people are attending? 
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The british DiscWorld Convention 2015 has 900 members and was sold out in 2 or 3 days.
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Sander Rossel wrote: I rarely see any of his work in the Netherlands
So he did, really! 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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OriginalGriff wrote: I'm just guessing that he isn't "big" in the Netherlands because of the difficulty of translating him into Dutch?
I'm pretty sure everything can be translated.
The HP translations are the best ever by the way, better than the originals!
Dumbledore is called Perkamentus, which, translated back, would mean Parchmentus.
Diagon Alley is called Wegisweg, which, translated back, would mean Wayisaway (bit of a stretch, but in Dutch "road" and "gone/away" are both "weg", so the road is away (weg is weg)).
Hermoine Granger is called Hermelien Griffel, which would be Hermoine Stylus (or Pen), but it goes very well in Dutch.
It's great 
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More popular? By what standard? His sales are in the millions. His books are translated into a huge number of languages. There are Discworld Conventions across the world from USA to Australia. The play adaptations are amongst the most performed by amateur groups. There are cartoon and radio versions of many of the books and the mini-series actually number three (of which the one you highlighted is possible the least convincing).
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Member 9082365 wrote: More popular? By what standard?
I believe the OP meant in the Netherlands.
Mongo: Mongo only pawn... in game of life.
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Member 9082365 wrote: By what standard?
Is there a standard? Maybe some ANSII standard for popularity?
What I meant was that I don't see Terry Pratchett or Discworld half as much as other fantasy books/movies/series/universes.
I doubt you'll find anyone (in the Netherlands) that hasn't heard of LOTR, HP or GoT, but ask about Discworld and I think many people won't know it.
Even with the worldwide popularity of Discworld there doesn't seem to be any blockbuster Hollywood productions.
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Basically because is works are much less serious than those you mentioned - for example there exists the camera, except that it works by holding inside a tiny demon who paints very rapidly what he sees (and offers occasional wry remarks), there is the character of Death, who speaks only in UPPERCASE, and so on...
That is a plus but attracts way less kids than those you mentioned
Geek code v 3.12 {
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Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
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THAT WOULD BE A GOOD REASON!
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AND A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON
vuolsi così colà dove si puote
ciò che si vuole, e più non dimandare
--The answer to Minos and any question of "Why are we doing it this way?"
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Sander Rossel wrote: I rarely see any of his work in the Netherlands
I've received a few as a gift, should be available on Bol.
Sander Rossel wrote: I don't really read novels
Read one of the books first, and then post your new opinion 
Sander Rossel wrote: I'm really waiting for a Discworld movie. Is the mini series any good?
What mini-series?
I did enjoy the adventure-games[^], but those are a lot more fun if you actually read the books.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Eddy Vluggen wrote: should be available on Bol
The "Schijfwereldreeks" sounds awful, I think I just found out why it isn't more popular here!
Eddy Vluggen wrote: Read one of the books first
What part of "I don't really read novels" didn't you understand? 
Eddy Vluggen wrote: What mini-series?
This one[^].
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Sander Rossel wrote: The "Schijfwereldreeks" sounds awful,
You read it in English ofcourse. The great masters are always read in the original language.
Sander Rossel wrote: I think I just found out why it isn't more popular here!
Combine that with the forced reading in school that prevents people from ever picking up a book again during their entire life..
Sander Rossel wrote: What part of "I don't really read novels" didn't you understand?
You read the Lounge.
Sander Rossel wrote: This one[^].
Never seen them, and don't know whether I want to
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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So let me get this straight...
You don't read novels.
There's a novelist you've never heard of.
Could the two facts be connected?
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moongarden wrote: There's a novelist you've never heard of.
There's many novelists I haven't heard of, as goes for everyone.
There seems to be only one of us who doesn't read though, as I've clearly said I've heard of Terry Pratchett, as wel as many others
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"I don't know any Terry Pratchett story." is what you said. I paraphrased that as "there's a novelist you never heard of".
Apologies (I guess).
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moongarden wrote: Apologies (I guess).
Usually I make people grovel and beg, but I'm in a good mood today.
Apology accepted!
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One reason is that Pratchett's first Discworld stories were reasonably-good play-around-with-fantasy tropes parody. As he wrote more, his writing skills skyrocketed.
They also fall into an odd category- they have humor, but the characters are in serious jeopardy and the stakes are usually high. In most humor/parody we just laugh at the jokes but don't care about the characters.
When people decide to give his work a try, they usually start with the first books, and wonder what all the fuss is about. If you start with one of the later books, you don't know the backstories of many of the characters.
Another approach is to read one of the standalone books, like Dodger or Nation. That way you can get a better appreciation for his style and themes, and see if it's worth your time slogging through the first few novels.
Or you can watch the Hogfather movie.
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Spectrum has published a lot of Pratchett's works: See e.g De boekenplank.
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Thanks, will look into it!
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I've only read The Colour of Magic, which I enjoyed very much. My kids are much more current and one of their friends gave us this DVD - Hogfather[^], which, again, I enjoyed quite a bit. It's made for TV, so maybe under the radar.
On another note, if you also appreciate Neil Gaiman, there's always Good Omens[^]
In theory, theory agrees perfectly with practice.
In practice, this is virtually never the case.
"*the {VOiCE} says: The truth is analog - not digital." - jonathan HICKMAN
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Sander Rossel wrote: I don't really read novels, so I'm really waiting for a Discworld movie. Is the mini series any good?
If you mean "mini series" as in a two part TV movie consisting of the 1st two books of the Discworld series ... yes it's pretty good, though personally I think it's not his best storylines. It's basically the intro to Rincewind the Wizzard (yes with 2 Z's) and his escapades.
As for movies: There's always Hogfather (sort of a Christmas story with the "daughter" of death). And then Going Postal was also turned into a 2 part TV movie (i.e. "mini-series"): Going Postal. There's a few other "true" TV series like Wyrd Sisters (the witches of Discworld), Truckers (the Bromiliad Trilogy - not a Discworld story, takes place on Earth) & Soul Music (Death takes a holiday) - but they're animated and more intended for "the younger viewer".
If you're not too into reading ... you could always try the audio books. All of his books have been turned into listen to the book instead's ...
Most of his fans have at least read the Discworld novels, but personally I found that some of the other novels were even "better". I've not got too much love for the Wizards books (a bit too much of "stupid" for me), but do like the Nightwatch, the Witches, and some of the solo-stories of the Discworld. Stuff like Strata and Good Omens are very good too. And of course all those Discworld spinn-offs like the Science of Discworld trilogy's not bad either. Personally I'm still trying to find time to read the Long series (Long Earth, Long Mars, Long War, Long Utopia).
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I know what you mean. I did see a news article on the Beeb or the Guardian from a midnight bookshop opening for the release of this book which mentioned that some fans would refrain from reading the last page for the same reason.
I must admit though that of all his wondrous creations, the Nac Mac Feegle were my least favourite but I don't feel I can not read it.
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I don't think I could do that - not unless there was a big sign on the second-to-last-page saying "the next one is the last" - but I do remember the final lines of David Eddings "The Seeress of Kell":
"And so, my children, the time has come to close the book. There will be other days, and other stories, but this tale is finished."
And then he went on to write two more... 
Not sure if I want to see that in a Pterry book, but it's kinda fitting.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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It wouldn't surprise me to learn in future years that there are notes for one or two further books but I wouldn't want them to be diluted by anyone else's hand. This book has several themes that were under development by all accounts.
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