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Questions tagged [discworld]

For questions about Discworld, a series of comic fantasy books by Terry Pratchett.

19 votes
3 answers
5k views

Logical fallacy in "Pyramids" by Terry Pratchett

Teppic meets Ephebian philosophers who are trying to prove that a tortoise can outrun an arrow. I understand this is because the tortoise moves, so when the arrow gets to where the tortoise was, it ...
NiceOrc's user avatar
  • 4,674
40 votes
1 answer
4k views

What line from the Discworld books did Neil Gaiman put into Sandman?

I saw this in an interview (about Good Omens) that Neil Gaiman posted on his tumblr. TP: “In fact, people that have read a lot of the ‘Discworld’ books and a lot of the ‘Sandman’ comics will ...
NiceOrc's user avatar
  • 4,674
12 votes
1 answer
909 views

Who sent a would-be killer in Night Watch?

In one chapter of the Discworld novel Night Watch, a man tries to kill Vimes from a nearby roof using a crossbow while the latter is enjoying a cocoa outside the Watch House (it makes sense in context)...
Eureka's user avatar
  • 5,505
14 votes
2 answers
3k views

Discworld quote about students getting in the way

There's a famous quote by one of the staff of Unseen University, where they say something along the lines of the university being a great place if it wasn't for all the bloody students. Does anyone ...
Vitaly Mijiritsky's user avatar
10 votes
3 answers
3k views

Does Terry Pratchett's Discworld follow on from Strata?

I've only recently read Strata, and I've heard it repeatedly mentioned that Strata not just inspired the Discworld setting, but the two universes are the same. Is this proven/stated ever? Are there ...
AncientSwordRage's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
1k views

Minesigns in Discworld

Just read up on the various mine-signs in Discworld at https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Mine_sign. What is the Calling Dark and why is it regarded to be dangerous?
Chetter Hummin's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
3k views

Death's motivation in part of Terry Pratchett's Hogfather

There is a scene in which Death enters the toy store (shopkeeper played by Terry Pratchett himself) and buys a wooden horse, outbidding whoever ordered it. That boy outside in the frost with his nose ...
Marcos's user avatar
  • 307
8 votes
1 answer
4k views

Who is the Tooth Fairy really in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather?

In Terry Pratchett's Hogfather (television adaptation) Susan finds towards the end of the Hogfather story, who is this? How is this the In what sense? Is this any relation to the monster scaring ...
Marcos's user avatar
  • 307
22 votes
7 answers
7k views

What are the sources of the imagery for the Discworld resting on the backs of the four elephants and Great A'tuin?

The turtle and elephant bit come from Hindu mythology. But the Vedas mention only one elephant and the world spins at the end of his trunk. I want to know if there are other mythologies Pratchett is ...
Izugoma's user avatar
  • 341
20 votes
2 answers
2k views

How old is Vimes?

At the end of Unseen Academicals (or, if it's easier to place, Thud!), how old is Sam Vimes? Is it possible to even figure out what his age is?
DForck42's user avatar
  • 5,863
50 votes
7 answers
4k views

Originator of the "Gods Require Belief" Trope

Terry Pratchett (and Neil Gaiman afterwards) seems to have popularized the idea of gods as supernatural beings that require belief in them to exist. But is this idea truly original to him? Or are ...
System Down's user avatar
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31 votes
10 answers
12k views

Which Discworld book to start a newbie on [closed]

If you were going to loan one Terry Pratchett book from the Discworld series to someone, which book would you use?
Justin C's user avatar
  • 4,660
21 votes
5 answers
6k views

What is headology in Discworld?

In Discworld, Granny Weatherwax discusses "headology" fairly often as one of the keys to her power. What exactly does she mean by the term?
Martha F.'s user avatar
  • 4,550
77 votes
5 answers
46k views

What order should I be reading the Discworld books in?

I've read some of the Discworld books, and they were referencing each other in an order different than what I've been reading. If I wanted to maintain chronology, and get all of the back references, ...
blueberryfields's user avatar

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