Enoch’s Thoughts

November 22, 2009

Discworld

Filed under: Uncategorized — etblog @ 7:10 pm

My niece and her Friend recently introduced me to British author Terry Pratchett, and his Discworld humorous fantasy series. Started in the early 80s, the series includes over 30 books, and I have no idea why it took me so long to hear of them. Think Douglas Adams with witches instead of robots, or Tolkien with more snark.

I may attempt to describe them more later, but I just wanted to quote two passages from Wyrd Sisters, an early book.

Inspiration

Particles of raw inspiration sleet through the universe all the time. Every once in a while, one of them hits a receptive mind, which then invents DNA or the flute sonata form or a way of making light bulbs wear out in half the time. But most of them miss. Most people go through their lives without being hit by even one.

Crowns

From Granny Weatherwax, a wise old witch:

… She sat back, grateful that long-standing tradition didn’t allow the Crafty and the Wise to rule. She remembered what it had felt like to wear the crown, even for a few seconds.

No, things like crowns had a troublesome effect on clever folk; it was best to leave all the reigning to the kind of people whose eyebrows met in the middle when they tried to think. In a funny sort of way, they were much better at it.

If you Read, but are not familiar with Pratchett, you might want to give him a try.

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