Tompox the Dark Side of the Sun Review
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Terry Pratchett is an astonishing writer. Of fantasy. I know many people would argue, merely I don't think he would have become half the writer he was if he had not been writing in the fantasy genre. His ability to write about people is what made him wonderful and well-loved, but putting that in to a fantasy setting made information technology.
T
I retrieve, for the preservation of sci-fi every bit a book genre, this volume should only be read by either fans of Terry Pratchett himself or of obscure, vintage sci-fi. And I reason thus...Terry Pratchett is an astonishing writer. Of fantasy. I know many people would argue, but I don't recall he would have become half the writer he was if he had non been writing in the fantasy genre. His ability to write virtually people is what made him wonderful and well-loved, just putting that in to a fantasy setting made it.
The Dark Side of the Lord's day is a one-half-decent endeavour at sci-fi. Information technology has all the elements of a humorous distraction á la Hitchhiker'south and has some great imagination when it comes to technology, but there always seemed to be likewise much happening at one time. Terry had a hard time explaining everything in a well-idea out manner.
The best thing virtually this book? If you're a PTerry fan, it is the sheer amount of Discworld references (I say references, but this was a pre-cursor to Discworld so information technology's more of a starting point). We have Pocket-sized Gods here, Hogswatch and klatch and probably a couple of character traits in the robots and humans. Widdershins may too be on Discworld, only a Discworld that is 2000 years in to the future and has more advanced technology than the slide rule.
It is a fairly decent yarn, with a good story arc and some great comedy sci-fi moments. The sense of humor was lacking slightly, equally if he was only a lilliputian humble. The ending was useless in all fairness, merely you can see the tiny seedling shoots of PTerry's genius here. I mean, it was published about 5 years before Discworld, and it's nice to know that a homo similar PTerry started his career with a slight failure. It makes you feel adept about yourself.
Imaginative? Yes. Humorous? Adequately. Epic to read almost Hogswatch before Discworld had even been built-in? Totes. It's nice. It's a very quick read. Information technology'll make you chuckle a little, if just at how rubbish it is because who wrote it. But information technology's hugely enjoyable because that's what he does to you lot. He makes you enjoy stuff, the bastard.
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I remembered really enjoying this one, quite a bit more Strata in fact, and that is still true all these years la
Having gone back and read (and been pleasantly surprised by) Strata recently I knew it would only exist a matter of fourth dimension before I went even further back in to Pratchett's formative publishing years and happily I was not disappointed, particularly every bit now I am a fan of science fiction rather than a guy who loves Discworld and was willing to requite anything written past Terry Pratchett a become.I remembered actually enjoying this one, quite a bit more than Strata in fact, and that is still true all these years later. The fun that is had with Isaac Asimov's Laws of Robotics and the concept of The Foundation sequence would have been completely lost on me outset time around for example but the influence of those books is articulate and (aside from Pratchetts obvious talent for telling a story) I would propose that is a primary reason for this being a highly entertaining infinite take a chance.
The style ideas have been recycled from this volume into Strata and so into the Discworld books is not only fascinating but besides an enjoyable experience for me equally a matured reader, whereas I think finding the stuff that would subsequently appear in the Discworld as being a bit tedious in comparison when I read this the first fourth dimension circular.
The fact that this book was published a twelvemonth earlier the initial publication of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was a scrap of a slap in the confront for me as I felt certain whilst reading that Pratchett had been influenced past Douglas Adams, withal it appears that maybe the mode of Pratchett may have actually influenced the space-faring life of Arthur Dent instead.
I tin see the flaws of the piece of work (at that place are a few, sure) and perhaps if I wasn't a massive fan of the writer already I might not remember so highly of what could probably be classified equally run of the factory sci-fi, Just in that location are so many positives in this book as a precurser to the Discworld that I enjoyed information technology a lot more I, mayhap, should.
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As i said it has all the problems of space-opera, too many characters, too many names, as well much technobabble, too many weird concepts etc. but its short so not every bit abrasive. There were yet several occasions when i litera Pratchetts version of Dune. A classic fashion space-opera with all of the problems that implies but shorter and with the usual Pratchett wit. It isn't a comedy though, in fact while its not overly serious you lot could barely even call it a satire. About as funny as The Fifth Element.
As i said it has all the problems of space-opera, besides many characters, too many names, too much technobabble, besides many weird concepts etc. but its brusk so not as annoying. At that place were still several occasions when i literally take no thought what happened, mostly action sequences.
Likewise a lot of Discworld terms thrown virtually then longtime fans might get a kicking out of that.
Its good only non nifty. It does make me wonder though if Pratchett actually liked writing fantasy or just stuck with it because it received more beatitude? If this had been a success instead of 'Color of Magic' would he have continued on from here and been known as the worlds funniest sci-fi writer? No uncertainty in another universe he did ;) .
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I think this books principal fault is in the fact it is too alien. Strange places, ideas and people were explained by even stranger places, ideas and descriptions, making it difficult to know what was going on.
Having said that, the concept or For the amount of pages this volume had, it took me a while to get through. Information technology was not an easy read, mayhap feeling a bit more similar an experimental book? Indeed, to my knowledge Pratchett has non really fabricated a habit of writing sci-fi, possibly with good reason.
I think this books main fault is in the fact it is too conflicting. Strange places, ideas and people were explained by even stranger places, ideas and descriptions, making it difficult to know what was going on.
Having said that, the concept or 'moral' of the story was epic in its way and touched upon some very absurd and original perceptions of the Universe and our ultimate place in it.
Recommended for either hardcore sci-fi or Pratchett fans only. ...more than
This volume, like Strata, is from his "science fiction / fantasy" stage where he concentrates too hard on the things about fantasy worlds which brand them unlike - specifically the technological gizmoes.
In later life, Pratchett came to realise that all skillful story-telling is ultimately about characters (not necessarily homo!). Equally readers, we practice not care about the all
I wonder if Pratchett is embarrassed by this book or whether he simply sees it every bit a necessary part of learning to go an author?This book, like Strata, is from his "science fiction / fantasy" stage where he concentrates likewise hard on the things about fantasy worlds which make them different - specifically the technological gizmoes.
In later life, Pratchett came to realise that all skilful story-telling is ultimately about characters (not necessarily man!). Every bit readers, we practise not care near the allegedly fantastical elements of fantasy worlds: we do invest such things with our emotions. We need "people" of all species that we tin worry well-nigh,lovve, hate or cheer on to ultimate triumph.
Fortunately for the reading public, Pratchett did learn this lesson and gave us the wonderful Discworld books.
This book should but be read by afficionadoes of Pratchett who wish to trace his development as an author. Don't give it to someone who is only coming to the Discworld for the first fourth dimension - you volition lose a fan!
Best forgotten in my stance and information technology has been to the extent that I tin barely remember the plot.
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Pratchett takes the states on a whirlwind trip (there's probably non more than nearly 50,000 words in the book, but he packs a huge amount in) around a future universe where there a few humanish species (plu
Terry Pratchett was a swell writer of humorous fantasy novels, simply not everyone knows he tried his hand at straight scientific discipline fiction before starting on the Discworld books. I had a real problem rating this book - I actually need to be able to requite information technology four stars for ideas and three for quality of writing.Pratchett takes us on a whirlwind trip (there's probably not more than than almost l,000 words in the book, only he packs a huge amount in) around a hereafter universe where there a few humanish species (plus intelligent robots and a couple of strange entities like a conscious planet that acts as a bank), living in the shadow of a much older, mysterious disappeared species known as the Jokers, who left backside vast, incomprehensible monuments. The cardinal character, Dom Salabos, is most to take over his planet-wide family visitor... except kickoff he has to survive increasingly frequent attempts on his life and to discover a destiny put in place by his father.
To get the less positive bits out of the way, it'southward not a specially original plot, and Pratchett is however finding his feet as an writer - it can sometimes be difficult to follow his writing, and the whole thing is incredibly rushed (the love interest, for example, is introduced so tardily in the volume that she (one of the few female meaning characters) is footling more than a extravaganza. Equally, some really interesting settings which look designed to be the locations for interesting prepare pieces (a maze planet, for example) are just used in the background, suggesting this was perhaps intended to be a significantly longer volume. Possibly the weakest aspect is 'probability math', a version of Asimov's psychohistory on steroids, which is fifty-fifty more than improbable (ahem) than the original and is tied into a kind of many worlds hypothesis universe.
Withal, on the plus side, there'south loads of invention hither. Although some aliens are archetype humans in a different shape, others are genuinely conflicting-feeling. In that location's lots of fun engineering science (including a sarky robot that puts Marvin the paranoid android to shame) and Pratchett piles on the content, from an inverted order where the rich pb very spartan lives to the aforementioned one-of-a-kind conscious oddities. For Discworld fans, y'all will even find a couple of religious concepts (Hogswatchnight and Small Gods) that he reused in his fantasy books.
It's a fascinating period piece (first published in 1976), both for Pratchett fans to see how his writing evolved and as a piece of thought-packed, if imperfectly written, science fiction.
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The four bands in question are Judas Priest, Fe Maiden, Metallica, and Blind Guardian. Their contributions and accomplishments are many, only the first ii albums rock forever.
Which brings me to T I have a special relationship with four pairs of first albums. Certain, as musicians mature, the best amidst them become more technical, more complex, 'deeper' in many ways; yet in very special cases, the combination of youthful bulldoze and youthful naiveté tin can produce what in hind sight is their best piece of work.
The four bands in question are Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Blind Guardian. Their contributions and accomplishments are many, but the first ii albums rock forever.
Which brings me to The Nighttime Side of The Sun and Strata – Pratchett'southward first two 'albums' (not counting his early on Carpet People demo). Naïve, a bit clumsy, yet buzzing with the energy of the point in life when everything is possible, and one specific direction has not yet been chosen in favor of the infinite other ones. These are my most favorite – equally in uplifting and energizing Pratchett books. I heartily recommend them to all lovers of cool one-time-schoolhouse scientific discipline fiction adventures, equally opposed to social satires in fantasy setting.
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A practiced read.
A cute story. Popcorn for the encephalon. The usual tongue-in-check social commentary of all Practchett's discworld tales.A good read.
...more He has a very facile mode, like Adams, of spooling out wild scifi (more fantasy, really) concepts and this volume throws more things at the wall than you can shake a stick at, for such a short novel. Information technology could be hard to follow or visualize at times,
P is for Pratchett, and this is my outset Terry Pratchett novel somehow. He's oftentimes recommended alongside of Douglas Adams, though information technology must be confessed that Pratchett was genuinely a author (equally opposed to a guy like Adams, who really resisted that title).He has a very facile way, like Adams, of spooling out wild scifi (more fantasy, really) concepts and this volume throws more things at the wall than you lot can shake a stick at, for such a curt novel. It could be hard to follow or visualize at times, like with Neuromancer, though if the latter is occasionally opaque, this is more translucent and occasionally quite brilliant with its imagery.
Case in signal, the "sundogs".
It, like many SF novels, is basically a mystery. Having just read The Night of Kadar and The Douglas Convolution, which are besides mystery-centered SF, I give the catastrophe here—the solution to all the mysteriousness—a "satisfying". Didn't blow me a style but was more than merely adequate.
Information technology's remarkable how Pratchett manages to requite this book an epic feel. I was really worried when I was ten pages out he was going to fluff the ending and he did not so, bravo and 4 stars.
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The Dark Side of the Sun was Pratchett'southward 2d novel and the commencement aimed at adults. It really shows. It lacks the tremendous sense of humor and wit of the Discworld books. I become the feeling the setting was
My book guild wanted to read a book by Terry Pratchett. Pratchett is of course the widely beloved fantasy author and creator of the legendary Discworld serial. Naturally, we chose ane of his other books. I am sad to report The Dark Side of the Sun does not live upwards to the expectation of Pratchett's work.The Dark Side of the Sun was Pratchett'southward 2nd novel and the first aimed at adults. It actually shows. It lacks the tremendous sense of humour and wit of the Discworld books. I get the feeling the setting was intended to be comically absurd, just it never surpassed the bounds of serious science fiction and did not include any straight men like Arthur Paring for contrast. It has some puns (mainly playing off the creepy Creapii) and obscure references, but they fall apartment (the one exception beingness a funny joke about Asimov'due south Laws of Robotics).
This volume is actually a common pulp adventure of the 1960s and 1970s. Information technology has all the hallmarks of the era: a fast-paced romp through colorful settings with almost no character or thematic depth. There are lots of jerky activity scenes with acts of derring-do by our courageous hero Dom Sabalos, though he commonly escapes by quirky chance rather than solid planning or skill. I practice appreciate some of the many concepts it throws against the wall. The living planet Commencement Sirian Bank, the living water Chatogaster, the five classes of robots, the incessantly variable Creapii, the tech - all of these were interesting if not mindblowing. It reminds me of the superior Norstrilia published the year before (not to suggest any inspiration). The Dark Side of the Sun is ultimately a fun, low affect story.
Unfortunately, this book has many of the flaws of lurid likewise. It has a plot that jumps from set piece to set piece. Those jumps do not always make sense. Sometimes one scene just ends, and the character wakes in the next scene. Other times, Dom of a sudden has noesis that leads him to the next step. Those jumps are particularly frustrating, as they seem contrived to comprehend up that the writer wanted the previous scene to last a certain length and had no believable way to transition to the next scene. It creates the sensation of fits and starts with the graphic symbol being restrained or accelerated artificially. The story also manages to take far too much exposition without actually explaining the universe or plot or grapheme motivations well. I observe myself request why certain plot points happened or why characters involved themselves, and the answer is ultimately "the plot said so." Characters are plot devices. Conversations make no sense. The abrupt ending slams into the reader. The story is as disjointed every bit it is flashy.
I retrieve the core of this story is poker. The unabridged plot is driven by p-math, which is effectively statistical magic. The future can be told by p-math downward to an individual level. It works perfectly for the 52 known races, but the Jokers throw information technology all into doubt. Dom relies heavily on intuition and luck in his search for the Jokers. I am not sure how this ties into the themes of discovery and perspective that are explicit with the Creapii and others, merely there are too many connections to ignore. I wish Pratchett had gone farther with it to the betoken of existent satire or parody. Information technology would have been much more unique.
I will acknowledge, The Dark Side of the Sun is my introduction to Pratchett'south written work. The others in the group had all read Discworld books previously, and their reactions were much less favorable. I tin only imagine it would be like me finding a standalone volume by Douglas Adams and discovering information technology to be a bog-standard pulp space opera. I could non recommend that book, and I practise not recommend The Dark Side of the Lord's day. Still, I observe myself wishing that current writers would publish new stories that combine the fun of pulp adventures with the quality we expect from mod genre novels. Sometimes I want books that are but fun, simply I never desire books that are bad.
CHARACTER LIST (abridged)(view spoiler)[
Dominickdaniel "Dom" Sabalos - human, from Widdershins, multiple attempted assassinations, saved from 1 by googoo which turns him light-green, prophesied to discover the Jokers,
Korodore - human, security master, killed on the day Dom becomes Chairman of Widdershins
Hrsh-Hgn - phnobe, Dom's tutor, adventure partner
Joan - human, Dom's grandmother, tries desperately to stop Dom from searching for the Jokers
Ig - swamp ig establish by Dom after the opening bump-off attempt, kept every bit a pet throughout the adventure, discover to be one of the Jokers
Keja - Dom's sister, wife of Emperor Ptarmigan of Laoth
Isaac - Form Five robot with Man-Friday circuitry, given to Dom past Keja, adventure political party
Abramelin-lincoln-stroke-Enobarbous-stroke-50.3-Enobarbous-McMirmidom - sundog, brings Dom et a. to the First Sirian Depository financial institution
First Sirian Depository financial institution - Dom's godfather, living planet, earthquakes amid huge silicon deposits created his intelligence, acts as a banking concern, can change orbit at will, sends Dom to Ring
Ways - Class 5 robot, assassin in the employ of the Joker Constitute, sent to kill Dom, fails repeatedly due to manipulation by the Jokers
Chatogaster - sentient water, lives on Ring, Dom takes it to Widdershins
CReegE + 690° - high Creapii, meets Dom at the Concatenation Stars, tells Dom that the riddle may be almost perspective and thought processes rather than a physical world
Tarli - man girl, beats up Dom on Laoth (hide spoiler)]
There's a sentient planet, who'south also a ba
Dom Sabalos is destined to be assassinated on the day he becomes Chairman of his home planet, Widdershins. However, Dom survives this bump-off attempt (view spoiler)[(and oh so many more) (hide spoiler)], and, upon being shown a recording of his father predicting Dom's decease, his father also predicts he will go on to find Jokers Globe. After viewing this, Dom feels compelled to do so and sets off, confronting the wishes of his very powerful grandmother.In that location's a sentient planet, who'due south also a depository financial institution; a sentient ocean; the sundogs! There's everything y'all could possibly expect or want from a Pratchett Sci-Fi novel.
Well.
First things kickoff: After all the Pratchett I've read (ALL of it), it's actually funny coming back to his first developed novel and seeing how many kernels of Things to Come up are in here. If you didn't know any better, you'd think he'd written this afterwards Discworld and The Long Earth.
But it's definitely non as tight as his other novels. I don't recall it's that bad, only Pratchett'southward my favorite author (you should see my Pratchett shelves former); I'k biased. Situations and scenes aren't equally fleshed out, described, or overall explained as they'd go on to be in later on books. It still retains all the Pratchett-ism you'd come to love in his later works though, trust me; information technology'south very funny (I hateful, the scene with Isaac and the other robots? Endeavor not laughing at what he calls them), but this is more comedic Sci-fi than the satiric fantasy most fans have come up to know him for.
Would I requite it to someone new to Pratchett? I definitely say let them read around the rest of his catalog and then come back to this one. But, of course, one never really knows unless one tries it out.
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I myself have quite enjoyed reading this book, yes it is void of some more thorough descriptions but they are non so much needed to be able to bask the book.
The thing is this is one of Terry Pratchett's earliest books and is not riddled with cleverly placed satiric sentences that catches you off guard and you find yourself laughing out loud in a public place looking like a complete idiot.
Northward
Here is the affair, I practise not understand why in that location are so many negative reviews and bad ratings on this volume.I myself take quite enjoyed reading this book, yes it is void of some more than thorough descriptions but they are not so much needed to be able to enjoy the book.
The thing is this is 1 of Terry Pratchett'southward earliest books and is not riddled with cleverly placed satiric sentences that catches y'all off baby-sit and you lot notice yourself laughing out loud in a public place looking like a complete idiot.
Now if you are a seasoned Discworld reader and you do make up one's mind to have the leap of the rim and visit the other worlds, you demand to clear your preconceived views of the goodness of the Discworld novels, you need to read these before Terry Pratchett books as if yous have never read whatever of his books before and never heard of him earlier either, only then will you exist able to fully savor them.
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If you always read a book by Terry Pratchett you may have noticed a feeling of "okeyness" within your solar day to day li
In my most apprehensive opinion everybody should be always (I mean in each moment of a human being existence life) reading at least: one spiritual book, a (peradventure not) fiction book and one written by Terry Pratchett. Now, you may become a wrong idea of what is going on upwardly here, but in a nigh future I will write something about the start two "must be reading". Now you are hither to read nearly the third one.If yous ever read a book by Terry Pratchett you lot may have noticed a feeling of "okeyness" within your twenty-four hour period to day life. For instance, I am thinking in the Discworld books. There you can read such things that whatsoever you are going through it may non be such a big bargain. It makes you widen your focus, see your issues from unlike points of view, and there are moments when you stop seeing them. Definitely they are essential books for these stressful days.
Let me get for the 1 I chose for this occasion: "The Dark Side of The Sun". I bought this book three or four moths ago, when I was 2 thousand miles from home (yep, I just have searched in google miles vs km). I was on Erasmus doing a thesis almost let's say "amazing stuff". In one of those moments when I felt somehow homesick I read that Pratchett had passed out. That made me feel the urgency to go and purchase one of his books. I did and then. Withal I did not read it until a month ago, when I was looking for some "stress cure", nonsense therapy, or... have some fun. Not only I found the dose of whatever I was looking for, I also establish a really well congenital earth in a quite short book. I found a flake of Asimov. I found Gods. I found perfectly casuistic things. I found puppies raining from the sky. I establish a book to read once more.
I picked this particular book because I was looking for a book not related with the Discworld series. Yet information technology was somehow related. To avoid saying too much about it I will say that I had the feeling that "The Night Side of The Sun" is strongly related with the book "Small Gods" (I did non read this final one).
Terry Pratchett builds a earth (in fact a whole universe) with more than fifty races, including robots, humans and big guys (lakes, planets, puppies...). Some fourth dimension paradoxes, conspiracies and the virtually tasty ingredient; a prophecy. In fact, in the world everything is already written down, everything happens because it has to happen. It has been already calculated. Amid those calculations there is ane that will alter everything.
You may hold that in our earth, chaos is something relative, unpredictable and... chaotic. However in a world where the futurity can be computed information technology has a consummate different roll. It is non and then relative, not so unpredictable and... not so chaotic. In fact in a world similar this, prophecies are more than prophecies. Nosotros are dealing with Prophecies. At this point I would similar to remind you that we are dealing with Terry Pratchett. It happens to be that some predicted actions do non evolve as expected (equally predicted), what leads u.s. to some chaos. And just to put the lid on it, some predictions around the "Prophecy" fail.
Determination: chaos. If you desire something that makes you lot smiling, something that deals with flying shoes, magic swords, anarchy and randomness, get some Terry Pratchett book. I am distressing, I am biased, I practice non think I can say annihilation negative about his books (maybe too chaotic but even though you go used to it).
Highly recommended.
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In his outset novel, Pratchett tried his luck with a Sci-Fi story, the effort itself commendable. But even
What a disappointment! I do realize this was Pratchett's offset proper novel, even though he, for example, wrote the childrens' book The Carpeting People (I liked this 1, see my review here) earlier this one. Later came Strata, which was a endeavour-out for his Discworld series. To exist honest, despite the problems Strata had, it was better written and more consistent than The Dark Side of the Sun.In his outset novel, Pratchett tried his luck with a Sci-Fi story, the try itself commendable. Simply even if this is a quick read, it'southward hard - except for certain moments - to put your mind to it, to picture the different characters, events, and and so on. At least, I had problems with this little novel.
Sure, there are fragments and signs of Pratchett'southward sense of humour and behavior, which are expressed better and more coherent in the later Discworld novels. Hither, I found, the humour and some setting elements were comparable to Douglas Adams's famous The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy serial, which came out later and were amend worked out (in my opinion).
The Nighttime Side of the Dominicus is virtually a character, Dom, who's about to rising in function, is on a quest to find Jokers World, simply encounters several issues to preclude him from succeeding. Fifty-fifty from his relatives he's not to expect much help (that'south what I understood). Robots, eh, humanoids, are besides part of the story.
Of course in that location's probably some thought behind this story, be information technology philosophical, satirical, a parody on the typical infinite-based Sci-Fi stories (?), ... In any case, Pratchett used many hard words, but also wasn't consistent when letting the Phnobic do the word: the creature is supposed to lisp, hence double s in most words, only not everywhere. At that place were also some comma's missing (hello, clarity?) and a few conjugations were wrong (like he forgot to edit the phrases, or perhaps his editor forgot).
On several occasions the story swerved off topic: Dom (and his friends) are doing something, the next instant they're elsewhere already. Bridging events could have been improve. In that location were moments I wanted to throw the book away.
In brusk: not a recommended read at all, unless y'all're a tr00 dice-hard fan of Terry Pratchett and are drastic to read anything he has written.
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All in all an enjoyable read, perchance of more interest to the existing Terry Pratchett fans than to full general sci-fi fans. Besides, though there is some subdued humor and parody, there is nil similar what y'all find in the Discworld books. I would non recommend it as a first Pratchett novel to the uninitiated, instead recommending Guards! Guards! or Wyrd Sisters .
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The story follows Dom, a humanoid brute of the planet Widdershins, who tries to solve two mysteries: who wants to kill him and what is the secret of the ancient race "Jokers".
The persiflage I
2,five stars. I am not really sure, if I liked this standalone sci-fi novel. I am a fan of Terry Pratchett'southward writing, of his style, his ideas. But is later on work is more structured, more elaborated than this. This is one of his earlier stories and information technology is not quite every bit mature as the books, I fell in beloved with.The story follows Dom, a humanoid animate being of the planet Widdershins, who tries to solve two mysteries: who wants to impale him and what is the secret of the ancient race "Jokers".
The persiflage I love then much can be found in this book equally well as the writer's appreciated talent to bring all the opened up strands to 1 conclusive catastrophe.
Still, I had trouble to get into this story. By trying to accept the states away to a far away, much more evolved future, the writer steps in a mutual trap: yous tin can't explain the things well which you made out to be too evolved for humans in our day and age. Trying to write well-nigh things besides circuitous and to unbelievable for humans is always an oxymoron. By trying to create this world the story is crammed with not tranquility scientific ideas virtually a future technology which again can't be described satisfyingly. The upshot are fantastic ideas which boarder on gibberish.
It is an engaging enough and short read. But if somebody is just starting out with Terry Pratchett's work I wouldn't recommend this book to begin, but strongly advise to start out with the Discworld-Serial.
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It's very different from the books in the Discworld serial.
The main thing that struck me was the way that Pratchett today ties upwardly all the loose ends. Everything comes full circle. Whatever appeared before in a volume comes to its conclusion or plays its part after. In this book the feeling of loose ends being tied up didn't happen for me.
***SPOILER Alert***
For instance, the Head of Security, Korodore - quite an important character earlier on - died
This is an early on Pratchett not-Discworld book.Information technology's very dissimilar from the books in the Discworld series.
The principal thing that struck me was the way that Pratchett today ties up all the loose ends. Everything comes full circle. Any appeared earlier in a book comes to its conclusion or plays its part afterward on. In this book the feeling of loose ends being tied up didn't happen for me.
***SPOILER ALERT***
For instance, the Head of Security, Korodore - quite an important character earlier on - died quite dramatically and that was it. He appeared no more and had no begetting on what happened after. Nor did the pirate phnobe who found him after the kickoff assassination effort. I don't empathise the role of Dom's tutor, Hrsh-Hgn, nor that of Sharli and Tarli later on either. Or of Joan and Keja. It was equally if characters appeared and events happened but it was all haphazard. The sigificance of each event and each graphic symbol was lost on me, I'm afraid.
But it was a good exercise for me to encounter that writers, even those who are published, go ameliorate and better the more than they write. And I'm and then glad that Pratchett DID keep writing!
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Information technology'south i of his early books, and it lacks shine. It has bits that testify up in his afterwards work - both Discworld and the Long Globe. It's got lots of bizarre creatures and languages and customs that aren't explained, or aren't explained well.
On the other manus, somehow I actually cared nearly the master character and his pet and his robot. A great deal of the time I had no clue what they were doing, or why, but I did care what happened to them. I give that to Pratchett'southward ski
This book is so ... weird.It's one of his early books, and it lacks shine. It has $.25 that evidence up in his later work - both Discworld and the Long Earth. Information technology's got lots of bizarre creatures and languages and customs that aren't explained, or aren't explained well.
On the other hand, somehow I actually cared about the main graphic symbol and his pet and his robot. A keen deal of the fourth dimension I had no clue what they were doing, or why, just I did care what happened to them. I give that to Pratchett's skill as a writer and not to whatsoever natural empathy for dark-green men with lizardy pets and sarcastic robots.
Plot - some prince is searching for Jokers World to detect the offset of the universe. Or at least the people who populated the universe? I think? I know it was the holidays and I read most of the story before falling comatose, merely er....yeah. I retrieve that was the plot.
Okay, if you're a Pratchett geek and you lot desire to read everything by him, yep, yous should read information technology. Otherwise, you're not missing a affair.
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This is (not surprisingly ) lighthearted and imaginative.
I didn't enjoy this as much as when I read "Mort" for instance only so there is a good chance I am just older and grumpier.
The story is all over the identify.
Nosotros are spun from planet to planet, ofttimes for just one-half a page to meet some odd alien before dashing off again.
The silly names of people and races I did find annoying.
Equally you would expect, short, precipitous, well written and quite far-ou
I have not read Pratchett for a while and never a sci-fi.This is (non surprisingly ) lighthearted and imaginative.
I didn't enjoy this as much as when I read "Mort" for example but then there is a good gamble I am just older and grumpier.
The story is all over the place.
We are spun from planet to planet, oftentimes for just half a page to meet some odd alien before dashing off again.
The lightheaded names of people and races I did observe annoying.
As y'all would expect, brusk, abrupt, well written and quite far-out-there.
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[proper review to follow]
three stars for a budding miracle?
Aye, because information technology's still in the process of budding, and will not reach the blinding brilliance of DW for some years. Which is not to say that this volume is bad, but that his later work i
"The Dark Side of the Sun" is a part of Pratchett's early work, written around fifteen years before the starting time Discworld book. As someone who has been reading DW for every bit long as I take, I tin can definitely trace the beginnings of the phenomenon that was going to be Pratchett and his DW.iii stars for a budding phenomenon?
Yep, because it's still in the process of budding, and will not reach the blinding brilliance of DW for some years. Which is not to say that this book is bad, but that his later work is better. The trajectory shows you how far he has come, how he has altered his style and scope, agreement his limitations and strengths, and building upon both.
Coming back to the book at hand, I found it immense in its scope, but with all its elements loosely tied. He has tried to pack a lot in a mere 235 pages, toying with concepts of sapience (forerunner to sapient pearwood in DW), humanity (not limited to humans), universal alliance (accounting for all the different races such an Humans and all their sub-races, Creapii, Phnobes, Drosks, Course Five Robots, and more). Expect out for the Sirian Banking concern and Chatogaster, and passages where the narrator takes a sweeping view of the known universe and all its inhabitants.
What didn't piece of work for me, all the same, were the core scientific discipline-fiction elements, which simplistically means the crazy machinery adult and used, from stripper guns to monomolecular swords to the idea of matrix engines. The concept of sundogs also escaped me completely. I couldn't really visualize them, except equally huge dogs with the qualities of a sun (as well hot, too bright, take a gravitational/magnetic field).
The story follows Dom Sabalos, the Chairmanhoped-for of Widdershines (a human sub-race) whose life has been quantified and charted using probability math. He has been mathematically fated to discover the earth of Jokers, a near mythological "Elder Race" whose being is known simply through the mysterious creations scattered beyond the known universe. All the different alien races have their own hypothesis for the Joker's office in the rise of intelligent life, if they however be and where they can possibly be.
If we turn the tables to us and assume we had the definitive evidence and ways to discover god's existence and residence, will we exercise information technology? Who will aid usa and who volition chase u.s.a., and why?
It's a unproblematic story, simply layered with deeper meanings and Pratchett'due south timeless wit. The latter half of the book is far more engaging and the catastrophe left me with some food for thought, but mostly questions. Narrative passages and quoted excerpts were my favourite sections to read.
Would I recommend information technology? Who would I recommend it to?
I'm not really sure. Pratchett's work is nothing if not entertaining and there'southward never a tiresome moment. His work is for everyone who discover it piece of cake to suspend their atheism from the height of a tower, or drop information technology off altogether. The latter works for me.
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Colorful critters, a progenitor race with a sense of humor, foreign places and somewhat-flat characters make this a likeable romp effectually the milky way. Too short to become truly deep or convoluted, I still liked it.
Terry worked for many years as a announcer and press officer, writing in his spare fourth dimension and publishing a number of novels, i
Born Terence David John Pratchett, Sir Terry Pratchett sold his outset story when he was thirteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-paw typewriter. His starting time novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe.Terry worked for many years every bit a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, in 1983. In 1987, he turned to writing full fourth dimension.
There are over twoscore books in the Discworld series, of which four are written for children. The first of these, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the Carnegie Medal.
A non-Discworld book, Good Omens, his 1990 collaboration with Neil Gaiman, has been a longtime bestseller and was reissued in hardcover past William Morrow in early on 2006 (it is also available as a mass marketplace paperback - Harper Torch, 2006 - and trade paperback - Harper Paperbacks, 2006).
In 2008, Harper Children's published Terry's standalone non-Discworld YA novel, Nation. Terry published Snuff in October 2011.
Regarded as one of the about significant contemporary English-language satirists, Pratchett has won numerous literary awards, was named an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) "for services to literature" in 1998, and has received honorary doctorates from the University of Warwick in 1999, the University of Portsmouth in 2001, the University of Bath in 2003, the Academy of Bristol in 2004, Buckinghamshire New University in 2008, the University of Dublin in 2008, Bradford University in 2009, the University of Winchester in 2009, and The Open up Academy in 2013 for his contribution to Public Service.
In Dec. of 2007, Pratchett disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. On 18 Feb, 2009, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
He was awarded the Globe Fantasy Life Accomplishment Award in 2010.
Sir Terry Pratchett passed away on 12th March 2015.
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