Extra Stuff

Welcome to the Year Of The Pensive Hare!

1 January 2009 (1:25) Comment!

Terry Pratchett, in a celebratory news post about his recent knighthood, wished his fans a “Happy New Year, which on Discworld is the Year of the Pensive Hare.”

A look back at the top *ate* news items of 200*ate*:

• As part of the launch of a new study in the stigma associated with Alzheimer’s, Out Of The Shadows, Terry Pratchett wrote an essay describing his experiences with Alzheimer’s published by the Daily Mail.
• 2008 marked the 25th anniversary of the publication of Colour Of Magic.
• No author besides Terry Pratchett has more than one book on a list of “evergreen” titles–titles that have never fallen out of the top 5,000 bestseller chart since 1995, earning him the title “‘evergreen’ king.”
• The Discworld Convention 2008, with a time monks theme, duly convened as scheduled.
• Of course, the news broke that Terry Pratchett made the Queen’s Honours list for this new year’s. In response to the honor, Terry Pratchett said, “I’m very grateful and pleased on behalf of the genre because the fantasy genre lags behind the crime genre in, shall we say, appreciation.”
• Nation came out, to rave reviews.
• The Colour Of Magic, the TV adaptation of the first two books in the Discworld series, finished airing for the first time March 24 in the U.K. to good reviews.
• Terry Pratchett donated $1 million to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, deploring the lack of funding for research and support for those affected by the disease. This high-profile donation gave rise to the Match It For Pratchett campaign.

So all that’s left is to wish everyone a very happy year of the pensive hare!

Competition: Win The Turtle Moves!

19 September 2008 (19:42) 2 Comments

Lawrence Watt-Evans’s new guide to the Discworld series, The Turtle Moves!: Discworld’s Story Unauthorized.  In celebration of its release last month, FromRimToHub is hosting a competition to win a free copy!  Just answer the following question in the comments or by email (fromrimtohub * at * gmail ~dot~ com):

The title of Watt-Evans’s book is taken from rallying cry of the Omnian rebels in Small Gods.  If you were to write a Discworld fan guide, what would you call it and why?

You can find a review of The Turtle Moves! on this site.

It’s August 8, 2008–otherwise known as 08-08-08!

8 August 2008 (10:07) 1 Comment

It’s an important day for Discworld fans.  While celebrating the coincidences of an arbitrary calendar system may seem irrational, that’s no reason not to have some good fannish fun today!  Some Discworld-y things to do today, in honor of the triple-eight (or is that 7a?):

• The Wikipedia entry for the number 8 starts like this: “8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. The SI prefix for 1000⁸ is yotta (Y), and for its reciprocal yocto (y).”  Sounds fun, for those math-oriented types.
• Feel like you’re a Discworld fan?Well, you won’t after you see this amazing Discworld wedding cake!
• But if you want a non-perishable Discworld, get some paper and start folding.
• Seen C.M.O.T. Dibbler recently?  He’s been hiding out in January 24’s Non Sequitur comic.
• Check out our page of online quizzes!  They’ll quiz you on your Discworld knowledge and tell you which Discworld character you are, and entertain you for at least a few minutes.
• You know you read too much Discworld when …
  • … you have tasted dried frog pills.
  • … you know the recipe to Mr. Dibbler’s sausage-inna-bun.
  • … you go tobed with a sign reading “I ATEN’T DEAD.”
  • … you ask the orangutans at the zoo for help navigating the library’s referene section.
  • … you are always kindto cats, just in case the dude with the glowing blue eye-sockets shows up unexpectedly.
  • … you talk to gargoyles and expect an answer.
  • … you actually have gotten an answer.
  • … you ask to see a license if you are being robbed, mugged, or assassinated.
  • … you know all the words to the Hedgehog Song.
  • … you ask salespersons for the suitcases-with-legs section, and complain loudly when you discover there isn’t any such section.
  • … and so much more at the Discworld Compendium.
• Watch an old interview Terry Pratchett gave when Wintersmith came out in the U.S.
• Discworld fans, being the smart people they are, seem to make the news a lot.  Check out some other authors, spelling-bee winners, actors, and even some regular Joes on our Fans In The News page.

Other suggestions are welcome in the comments!

The top 7a events of 2007

18 January 2008 (12:04) 4 Comments

Not only have we redesigned FromRimToHub.com in celebration of the new year, but we’ve also decided to look back at all the excitement of last year. Not only did FromRimToHub.com officially launch, but we’ve compiled a top 7a list of the most interesting, exciting, and popular news stories of the year 2007.

• The announcement that a film adaptation of The Colour of Magic would begin production after the enormous success of Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather was huge news. Amid hopes that this film, too, would win awards, break records, and be as popular as the previous were fears that plot changes, casting, and direction would ruin Discworld forever. The results are yet to be seen, but hopes are high. We’ve seen the poster, a long cast list full of big-name actors, and seen the launch of the Colour of Magic’s production site. The questions on everybody’s mind, though, are “How will the film turn out?” and “Just who is playing the Patrician?”
• Terry Pratchett, in celebration of the release of Making Money, has toured countries on both sides of the Atlantic, giving new and old fans alike the chance to meet their favorite author. Though sad news about Terry Prachett’s health mean his touring schedule will be much lighter from now on, Discworld readers all relished this chance.
• Terry Pratchett took part in the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. in September. His invitation shows Discworld’s growing popularity in the United States he entertained his large audience with witty anecdotes as well as some heartfelt statements, garnering him a good review in the official National Book Festival newsletter.
• Though U.K. fans had already seen the TV adaptation of Hogfather (complete title Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather), American fans finally got the chance to see the mini-series air on Ion TV this November and December, as Hogfather aired at least three times during the “holiday season.” Also, the announcement of the American DVD wide release date of March 4, 2008 left this fan, at least, jumping for joy.
• The sad news of Terry Pratchett’s diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s left the fandom in a sad mood, and the news continues to spread through the internet community. Terry Pratchett took it with characteristic humor, however, saying, “I know it’s a very human thing to say “Is there anything I can do”, but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry.”
• The next book in the Discworld sub-series featuring Moist, Terry Pratchett announced, would be called Raising Taxes, which will show Moist’s attempts to, well, raise taxes in Ankh-Morpork.
• With the sequel to Going Postal, Making Money, readers found the return of Moist as a recurring character in the series. Favorites Adora Belle Dearheart and the golems also made an appearance in the September release of Making Money
• Another book to look forward to in the next few years is one which will continue to follow Tiffany Aching in her witchy adventures, to be titled I Shall Wear Midnight. Younger readers of the Discworld series hailed the news with delight, but took the vinegar with the sugar as they learned that I Shall Wear Midnight would be the last Tiffany Aching young adult book.

So all that’s left is to wish everyone a very happy (and very belated) 2008, the 25th anniversary of our beloved Discworld series!

Happy Hogswatch!

25 December 2007 (14:01) 1 Comment

A happy Hogswatch to all the denizens of Discworld!  (Yes, that includes you.)

Quote: “Probably the last sound …

21 August 2007 (17:07) Comment!

“Probably the last sound heard before the Universe folded up like a paper hat would be someone saying, ‘What happens if I do this?’”

-Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “When you want to …

16 August 2007 (8:13) Comment!

“When you want to incarcerate such an ingenious creature as the common human being, you tend to rely on the good old-fashioned iron bar and large amounts of stone.”

-Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “When you hear …

19 July 2007 (16:59) Comment!

“When you hear a man shouting ‘Forward, brave comrades!’ you’ll see he’s the one behind the bloody big rock and wearing the only really arrow-proof helmet!”

-Rincewind, Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “Grand Viziers …

18 July 2007 (16:55) Comment!

“Grand Viziers were always scheming megalomaniacs.  It was probably in the job description: ‘Are you a devious plotting, unreliable madman?  Ah, good, then you can be my most trusted minister.’”

-Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “You pay …

17 July 2007 (16:17) Comment!

“You pay a minstrel enough, he’ll sing whatever you want.”

-Cohen, Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “What’s the magic …

16 July 2007 (20:21) Comment!

“What’s the magic word? Gimme!”

-Silver Horde member, Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “They stole from …

14 July 2007 (22:39) Comment!

“They stole from rich merchants and temples and kings.  They didn’t steal from poor people; this was not because there was anything virtuous about poor people, it was simply because poor people had no money.”

-Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “Freedom did …

13 July 2007 (0:11) Comment!

“Freedom did, of course, include man’s age-old right to starve to death.”

-Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Ourworld: C. M. O. T. Dibbler discovered

12 July 2007 (18:08) Comment!

Maybe Dibbler has moved to China.  Or his fellow spirit, Disembowel-Meself-Honorably Dibhala, was caught vending questionable wares once again.  At any rate, one person’s steamed buns sold in Beijing consisted of 60% cardboard.  Sounds like something Dibbler would do, doesn’t it?

Quote: “[A]n ass …

11 July 2007 (21:42) Comment!

“[A]n ass may do the work of an ox in a time of no horses.”

-Pretty Butterfly, Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “Bits of paper …

9 July 2007 (17:43) Comment!

“Bits of paper ruled the world now[.]”

-Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “[S]ometimes people …

8 July 2007 (23:42) Comment!

“[S]ometimes people need something to believe in.”

-Pretty Butterfly, Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)

Quote: “When many expect …

7 July 2007 (23:28) Comment!

“When many expect a mighty stallion they will find hooves on an ant.”

-Ly Tin Wheedle, Interesting Times (Terry Pratchett)