Chapters in Discworld Books
- Thread starter poohbcarrot
- Start date
I took a leaf out of Batty's book and contacted the Oracle;
"They're more than just chapters. I suspect because he thought them appropriate for the story's shape - and he's taken a liking for the old Victorian style of describing the contents - though in his case in rather more cryptic form, which he enjoys. Does that satisfy??"
Colin Smythe
That explains the Moist books (but not Nation).
"They're more than just chapters. I suspect because he thought them appropriate for the story's shape - and he's taken a liking for the old Victorian style of describing the contents - though in his case in rather more cryptic form, which he enjoys. Does that satisfy??"
Colin Smythe
That explains the Moist books (but not Nation).
Well, of course. Pratchett continually experiments with styles, words, formatting and whatever he thinks works (or he enjoys just for the fun of it). As for Nation, of course it has chapters. It's both a young adult and a non-discworld novel. Incidentally, it has been named an Honor books for the Matthew Prinz Award this year--the American equivalent of the Carnegie award.
I must, however, take exception to your suggestion that Terry is at the mercy of his American publishers, by which I assume you mean Harper. Terry has had fans from the beginning in the US, and has sold more and more books (moving to larger publishers). But he has mob scene signings for all his US book tours, was the Guest of Honor at the 2004 Worldcon. There are chapters in the British editions of the children's books, just as in the American ones. And perhaps the reason that Pratchett's rise to fame in the US was slightly slower than in the UK (and the rest of the world) lies in the fact that he is an English writer, and by and large writes about the foibles and humorous aspects of life as he sees it around him--which explains why some of his puns (for example) have to be explain to non-Brits.
I must, however, take exception to your suggestion that Terry is at the mercy of his American publishers, by which I assume you mean Harper. Terry has had fans from the beginning in the US, and has sold more and more books (moving to larger publishers). But he has mob scene signings for all his US book tours, was the Guest of Honor at the 2004 Worldcon. There are chapters in the British editions of the children's books, just as in the American ones. And perhaps the reason that Pratchett's rise to fame in the US was slightly slower than in the UK (and the rest of the world) lies in the fact that he is an English writer, and by and large writes about the foibles and humorous aspects of life as he sees it around him--which explains why some of his puns (for example) have to be explain to non-Brits.
I'm coming into this discussion way too late, and I don't really have anything of substance to add. But am I the only one who reads those chapter teasers in an old-timey radio voice? That sort of charismatic tone seems to fit with the character of Moist pretty well. It always reminded me of the "coming up after the break..." teasers from that era.
Tonyblack said:
It's interesting that he's done it with the two Moist books. This is a very old style and somewhat in fitting with the feel of the books. So maybe we'll see them on the Moist books and then no more. 
Moist's life, then & now, is divided into chapters.
Hollywodd keeps changing the ending of films - even those that are based on fact.
The enigma machine was captured by the British before America entered the war, for example, 'Titanic' was a betrayal of the memory of the crew as they did not pull a revolver on the passengers and try to save themselves, and Hollywood even wanted to make a film of The Battle of Hastings and asked if they could change the ending - as the wrong guy won!
I even remember a documentary on TV with Terry who recountered that Hollywood were talking about making a film of 'Mort', but asked if he could lose the Death character, as the Mid-West weren't ready for Death as an individual entity!
The enigma machine was captured by the British before America entered the war, for example, 'Titanic' was a betrayal of the memory of the crew as they did not pull a revolver on the passengers and try to save themselves, and Hollywood even wanted to make a film of The Battle of Hastings and asked if they could change the ending - as the wrong guy won!
I even remember a documentary on TV with Terry who recountered that Hollywood were talking about making a film of 'Mort', but asked if he could lose the Death character, as the Mid-West weren't ready for Death as an individual entity!
On the theory that this thread has gone totally of the original point, but because your post, Batty, reminded me that young editors have been equally inclined to miss the point also. Tony Hillerman used to tell a story about an editor (his first) who looked at the first of the famous Joe Leaphorn (Navajo policeman) novels and said, "This is a pretty good mystery, but lose the Indians." 
I think chapters are fine. In fact they help when you only have a certain time to read in a day and going for one chapter helps, escp when you are laying in bed at night. It is easier to say I will read one chapter, then just the next page, then 30 pages later and half the night is gone you feel like a complete -ing idiot!
It was a surprise in Going Postal and I thought it was fun to go back and look at the headers and see what it specifically referencing.
It was a surprise in Going Postal and I thought it was fun to go back and look at the headers and see what it specifically referencing.
Bingo Dotsie! Thankyou.
J K Rowling didn't bow to UK editorial pressure, but to US EDITORIAL PRESSURE. Which is exactly my original point!
So supposing TP had to bow to US editorial pressure and put chapters in. As an act of rebellion he also includes little teasers to make HIS chapters different from everyone elses' chapters. Makes sense to me.
J K Rowling didn't bow to UK editorial pressure, but to US EDITORIAL PRESSURE. Which is exactly my original point!
So supposing TP had to bow to US editorial pressure and put chapters in. As an act of rebellion he also includes little teasers to make HIS chapters different from everyone elses' chapters. Makes sense to me.
But your email from Colin Smythe seems to say the opposite to this. It says, from the way that I read it, that it was Terry's choice.
And if you use the Rowling example, she did change the US title but NOT the UK ones. ALL the Discworld books in the UK or the US have the chapters - why couldn't he (if her objected so strongly) leave the chapters out?
It makes a lot more sense that this was Terry's own decision. It sounds like you are trying to lay blame where there is none.
And if you use the Rowling example, she did change the US title but NOT the UK ones. ALL the Discworld books in the UK or the US have the chapters - why couldn't he (if her objected so strongly) leave the chapters out?
It makes a lot more sense that this was Terry's own decision. It sounds like you are trying to lay blame where there is none.
