The Long War, Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

[amancalledrob]

Someone bought me The Long Earth for Christmas, probably because I'm known among my family for a deep love of the Discworld series and they saw Sir Terry's name on the cover.

I was excited about it but by the end of the book I just didn't feel like much had happened. I'm now a third of the way through The Long War and I still feel like I'm waiting for something to happen. I'm considering abandoning it.

Has anyone else read the series? Does it get exciting?

[brrapp]

I'm the same, read The Long Earth and got bored before the end, something I've never done with anything written solely by TP. My son is a great TP fan and has read everything he's ever written, he's read all 5 books in the 'Long' series and while he says they're not as good as the better Discworld novels, they're still worth a read. I'll get round to the rest one day.

[amancalledrob]

I've managed a bit more of it at lunchtime, and it appears there may be some (minor) drama on the horizon. I'll give it a bit more time but at the moment it's a chore. Fingers crossed, I hate abandoning books/films

[HappyMidget]

I found the first hard reading and never bothered getting round to reading the second one. Guess I should at some point though.

[jimmyjimjim]

Just acquired all 5 in the series today. In no rush to read them, though.

[Bullett]

Read the first one, don't really remember much about it and can't be bothered to read anymore.

Sorry Terry.

[tankplanker]

I've read all of them, mostly because I was intrigued by the premise. They didn't feel like any of Pratchett's other work (I'm a massive Pratchett fan), more like he and Baxter came up with the idea, then Baxter did all the heavy lifting due to Pratchett's illness. While I don't mind Baxter I don't find him anywhere near as engaging as Pratchett.

They do feel a lot like Waiting for Godot.

[55palfers]

Bullett said:

Read the first one, don't really remember much about it and can't be bothered to read anymore.

Sorry Terry.

Yes, agreed. Very much the same feelings.

I wanted to enjoy the book but found myself struggling to finish it.

[amancalledrob]

jimmyjimjim said:

Just acquired all 5 in the series today. In no rush to read them, though.

Oh god there are five of them? I was really hoping it'd just be three. I suppose I could have looked in the cover to find out. I'll finish the second and see how I feel

[CanAm]

I've read all the Discworld books and more. Bought The Long Earth and Long War together; struggled through the first without really enjoying it and have never bothered to start the second.
But with a wonderful back catalogue of Sir Terry's to enjoy I'm not complaining.

[jet_noise]

If you like the idea of parallel worlds then have a go at Zelazny's Amber series. More fantasy than the Long Earth's sci-fi but a great read,

regards,
Jet

[amancalledrob]

jet_noise said:

If you like the idea of parallel worlds then have a go at Zelazny's Amber series. More fantasy than the Long Earth's sci-fi but a great read,

regards,
Jet

Thanks, I'll give it a try. Might hang in there with Long War as I've just found some excitement (it's taken seven hundred pages and two books so I'm making the most of it while it lasts!)

[jet_noise]

amancalledrob said:

Thanks, I'll give it a try. Might hang in there with Long War as I've just found some excitement (it's taken seven hundred pages and two books so I'm making the most of it while it lasts!)

I too found the Long Earth series not as entertaining as the 100% Terry stuff. I also felt I could spot the bits that were Terry from the rest!

[amancalledrob]

jet_noise said:

I too found the Long Earth series not as entertaining as the 100% Terry stuff. I also felt I could spot the bits that were Terry from the rest!

Yeah I agree with you there. Kinda shines through doesn't he

[jimmyjimjim]

amancalledrob said:

jimmyjimjim said:

Just acquired all 5 in the series today. In no rush to read them, though.

Oh god there are five of them? I was really hoping it'd just be three. I suppose I could have looked in the cover to find out. I'll finish the second and see how I feel

I'm just glad they didn't cost me anything.

[perdu]

I found that anything by Baxter causes me to sleep better than anything by Pratchett



As for that excitement in The Long War, it's not for long

Nor is it really exciting, almost a relief that Terry isn't writing/involving himself in any more of them

Although I would naturally prefer it if he could...


I tried a series by Baxter about the land under the North Sea before it flooded

Number one (Stone Spring?) was OK, the rest of the series tailed off into inconsequence for me

[Ace-T]

Terry Pratchett in his own words.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08fjlvx/terr...

A bit of a cross posting with the telly forum, I know, but I only spotted this programme by chance. Enjoy and be glad we can still read his wonderful words.