The Long Mars (No Spoilers Please)

[Tonyblack]

Interestingly, considering Terry normally doesn't write in chapters, this book has something like 47 chapters - the longest being the first.

This is good solid Sci Fi - taking an idea and running with it. What if the Yellowstone super volcano erupted? What would happen to the Earth? How would it effect the world away from the disaster zone? And what if we could do away with the need to build huge and powerful rocket ships in an attempt to escape the Earth's gravity? What would it mean for space travel? And what would the various religions think of the idea of infinite variations of the Earth? Would they denounce or embrace the idea? I'm only a few chapters in and these are some of the questions being asked. Yes it's different to Discworld . . . but it's bloody good Sci-Fi.

 

[Tiffany]

Interestingly, considering Terry normally doesn't write in chapters, this book has something like 47 chapters - the longest being the first.

This is good solid Sci Fi - taking an idea and running with it. What if the Yellowstone super volcano erupted? What would happen to the Earth? How would it effect the world away from the disaster zone? And what if we could do away with the need to build huge and powerful rocket ships in an attempt to escape the Earth's gravity? What would it mean for space travel? And what would the various religions think of the idea of infinite variations of the Earth? Would they denounce or embrace the idea? I'm only a few chapters in and these are some of the questions being asked. Yes it's different to Discworld . . . but it's bloody good Sci-Fi.

Ooooooh! Tony. :naughty: :naughty: Almost spoilers?
I agree though, it is very good Sci-Fi.

 

[Tonyblack]

Drat - I forgot this was a No Spoiler thread, even though I started it and wrote "No Spoilers Please". :doh:

 

[Tiffany]

Drat - I forgot this was a No Spoiler thread, even though I started it and wrote "No Spoilers Please". :doh:

I still prefer Discworld though.

 

[Tiffany]

I have finished it. Kept thinking towards the end...No, I do not want to go there.
I am not at all adventurous.

 

[storm]

have just finished The Long War and got very annoyed with Sally towards the end for no particular reason.

I now have to track down a copy of The Long Mars. Was going to wait till it got into the charity shops but reading about it here I am now impatient to start it.

Storm

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

storm! asda and tesco have it for £9.00.

 

[storm]

Thank Who's Wee Dug. Will try to get to the nearest tesies over the weekend.

Or might have to resort to another battle of wills with the demonic book web sight named after a large river

Storm

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

If you get it from the warrior women site you will have to pay postage on it if it's under a tenner.

 

[storm]

Ta.
Will bear that in mind.

Storm

 

[raisindot]

Without getting into details, I've started reading this and while it still retains many of the narrative faults of The Long War, it's (so far) a much tighter book, with far less of the endless expository chapters that made the second book a complete bore.

 

[Catch-up]

I've started it too, even though I wasn't able to get far in the last one. And, I agree, this one moves along really nicely. Enjoying it so far.

 

[jujub33]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this (and I'm very sorry if it isn't) but apparently the next book is the series will be called The Long Utopia (Amazon UK and Amazon US links). The release date for the US is June 09 and the UK is June 18.

 

[Tonyblack]

Thanks for the info!

 

[davevh]

I have to say that the only collaborative effort of Terry's that I have tried to read was 'Good Omens', and I struggled three times to try and get through it and gave up. Story and characters just did not appeal. I have read all the Discworld novels except 'Raising Steam' and enjoyed them (finding 'Thief Of Time' a little confusing) immensely, and of course Nation was great too.
Are his works with Stephen Baxter worthwhile picking up, do they retain the quirky humour and outrageous characters like in the Discworld novels?

 

[raisindot]

Welcome, Dave!
<br><br>
To answer your question: No, the "Long...." books show almost no "presence" of Pterry's writing style or wit whatsoever. They're traditional SF fare and not particularly innovative either conceptually or in execution. I believe that Pterry mainly contributed some of the themes and plot elements and character outlines, and perhaps a bit of dialogue with certain characters. But it you didn't know he was involved you'd never guess.

 

[Penfold]

I came to the same conclusion as well.

 

[davevh]

Hmm, thanks for letting me know. Guess I need to pick up Raising Steam next then

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

One of my favorite books is Good omens, but then I have bombed down the M6 motorway on a bike, but you may not have got that far into the story.

 

[Mixa]

Welcome, Dave!
<br><br>
To answer your question: No, the "Long...." books show almost no "presence" of Pterry's writing style or wit whatsoever. They're traditional SF fare and not particularly innovative either conceptually or in execution. I believe that Pterry mainly contributed some of the themes and plot elements and character outlines, and perhaps a bit of dialogue with certain characters. But it you didn't know he was involved you'd never guess.

I was afraid of reading that because I didn’t quite enjoy Good Omens either. What a pity. Nevertheless, sometime I’d like to give an opportunity to the books… I can’t resist to something with the name “Pratchett” written on it.

Mx