Discworld

Terry Pratchett’s Wee Free Men Is Coming to the Big Screen

Terry Pratchett’s young adult Discworld novel is getting adapted by the Jim Henson Company, which means we’ll finally see young witch Tiffany Aching in action. The script will come from Rhianna Pratchett, the co-director of Narrativia, which is partnering with the Jim Henson Company to make the movie a reality. “I’ve loved the Jim Henson…

Neil Gaiman Is Writing a Six-Part Good Omens Miniseries

Neil Gaiman’s latest project was recently announced along with two other brand new Pratchett-based adaptations. When it rains, it pours. At a memorial for Terry Pratchett on Thursday night, it was revealed that Gaiman would be writing the script for the long-awaited filmed version of Good Omens (there was a radio play on BBC 4…

10 Heroes Whose Parents Were Somehow Not Dead or Evil

All of our favorite characters are orphans. Or else, they had horrendously abusive childhoods. Basically, giving characters childhood trauma is an all-purpose motivation—why else would someone be a vigilante/wizard/etc. unless something had gone wrong in their lives? But here are 10 people who had normal families that weren’t already dead—but they went on to become…

The 4 Kinds of Fake Christmases in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Everyone loves a good seasonally-appropriate special, and that usually means Christmas. Unless, of course, you’re a science fiction or fantasy story where real Christmas would make no sense. Then you’ve got to come up with something Christmas-like to fill the void. Type One: The Satirical and Parodical Kind This is the best kind of fake…

The 10 Greatest Personifications of Death in Pop Culture 

When tackling something as big as death, it’s sometimes easiest to make it into a single personality. Genre fiction is replete with capital-“D”-Deaths. Some are serious, some are funny, and some are just annoying. Here are ten great representatives from the great beyond. 1. Death, Discworld The Discworld version of Death looks like the stereotype:…

Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather Is the Best Defense of Christmas There Is

The winter holidays have a developed a life of their own, separate from whatever religious basis they originally had. And while it’s easy to decry it all as shallow, the best argument in favor of Christmas comes from Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather. And it’s a secular one. Minor spoilers for Hogfather follow. Hogfather is the 20th…

The Final Discworld Book Is Bittersweet For Many Reasons

The latest Discworld book, The Shepherd’s Crown, doesn’t just have the task of wrapping up the story of Tiffany Aching, trainee witch. It’s also the very last Discworld book, since author Terry Pratchett sadly passed away earlier this year. The good news is, this is a solid ending to both stories. Some minor spoilers ahead…

Want to make an origami Discworld for your desk? The tumblr Folds Within Folds has a post all about how to make one.

The Shepherd’s Crown will be Terry Pratchett’s last Discworld novel

Ever since Terry Pratchett’s death in March, there’s been some speculation as to whether or not the series would continue. Now, his daughter, Rhianna Pratchett has announced that his forthcoming novel, The Shepherd’s Crown, will be the final installment of the series. https://gizmodo.com/rip-sir-terry-pratchett-1948-2015-1691042794 Pratchett confirmed that she, nor anyone else would be continuing the series…

10 Most Brilliant Con Artists In Science Fiction And Fantasy

Great cons belong to that special category — along with heists — of things that are very fun in fiction but not something you want happening to you. And con artists in fiction are usually charming, smart, and have an abhorrence of violence. Here are the 10 greatest con artists in science fiction and fantasy…

The io9 Guide to Discworld

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld might look intimidating — there are 40 books, and they’re humorous fantasy, which seems like it could be an acquired taste. But everybody should read at least one Discworld book, because they’re wonderful, and there’s something for everyone. Here’s our complete guide to Pratchett’s masterwork. What is Discworld? In our universe, Discworld…

We Really Need This LEGO Set Of Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching

We have boundless love for Tiffany Aching, the teenage witch who stars in her own series set in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. So while we’re all waiting for the final Tiffany book, The Shepherd’s Crown, let’s all vote for this lovely LEGO project paying tribute to her. And the Wee Free Men! Contact the author at…

Great Science Fiction Stories That Can Help You Make Sense Of Economics

We all know that economists love science fiction — especially Isaac Asimov fan Paul Krugman. But science fiction and fantasy can also help teach ordinary people about the Dismal Science. Here are 22 great science fiction and fantasy stories that can help you make sense of economics. Top image: Making Money by Terry Pratchett The…

Why I Revisit My Childhood Favorites All the Time

I watch a lot of television and read a lot of books. I don’t think that’s going to shock a lot of people. It’s literally part of my job. I’m at the point where no one really questions how much I watch or read. But the secret is: I spend way more time revisiting old…

There’s One More Terry Pratchett Book Still To Come

We’re still devastated by the news of Sir Terry Pratchett’s passing last week. But at least there’s one last book to look forward to: Pratchett’s The Shepherd’s Crown, a book about his young witch, Tiffany Aching. https://gizmodo.com/rip-sir-terry-pratchett-1948-2015-1691042794 The Shepherd’s Crown had been announced as coming this fall, and as of August 2014 it was announced…

Discworld Cake Is Almost Too Wonderful To Eat

Paris bakery Paint Cakes (which bills itself as a “pâtisserie geek”) crafted this marvelously detailed pastry tribute to the late Sir Terry Pratchett. https://gizmodo.com/rip-sir-terry-pratchett-1948-2015-1691042794 Check out more geeky Paint Cakes (how do you say “It’s a traaap!” in French?) creations here. [Via Geek Art Gallery]

RIP Sir Terry Pratchett, Author of The Discworld Series

Sir Terry Pratchett, author of the beloved Discworld fantasy novels and countless other bestselling books, died earlier today at the age of 66. Terry Pratchett was one of the funniest, cleverest and most human authors in the world; although he wrote primarily fantasy, his keen observations also made him one of the world’s foremost satirists.…

The Most Deadly And Disgusting Liquors In Science Fiction And Fantasy

With fictional worlds come fictional alcohol. But not just alcohol that’s bad for you in the usual ways — bad for you in the “this will kill you if you drink it” kind of ways. These are drinks bartenders need hazmat suits to prepare and serve. These are not just the drinks that are part…

Neil Gaiman’s Account of Terry Pratchett’s Quiet Rage Is a Must-Read

A while back, Neil Gaiman heard someone said of Terry Pratchett, “What a jolly old elf Sir Terry is.” And that struck his long-time friend and sometime collaborator as absolutely wrong. So Gaiman took pen to paper to explain why. In The Guardian is an sxcerpt from Neil Gaiman’s introduction to A Slip of the…

Science Fiction And Fantasy Comedies That Hit Harder Than Most Dramas

A lot of people seem to think “funny” equals “light-weight.” Like a comedy can’t deal with important issues, or pack a huge emotional punch. But decades of science fiction and fantasy comedy prove otherwise. Which funny story actually hits you where it counts, more than most “serious” dramas do? Please include a picture, book cover…