Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Topics which don't fit comfortably in any of the other forums go here. Spamming is not tolerated.
Forum rules
- Please use the forum attachment system for jam images, or link to the CG site specific to the Jam.
- Mark threads containing nudity in inlined images as NSFW
- Read The rules post for specifics

Who is your favorite?

Douglas Adams
14
47%
Terry Pratchett
16
53%
 
Total votes: 30

User avatar
Bustertheclown
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 2390
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: ATOMIC!
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Bustertheclown »

I think So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish was one of the sweetest romances ever written. I like to believe that the Hitchhiker's cycle ended there.

I've never read any Pratchett.
"Just because we're amateurs, doesn't mean our comics have to be amateurish." -McDuffies

http://hastilyscribbled.comicgenesis.com

User avatar
Killbert-Robby
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 6876
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:28 am
Location: in the butt

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Killbert-Robby »

Bustertheclown wrote:I think So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish was one of the sweetest romances ever written. I like to believe that the Hitchhiker's cycle ended there.

I've never read any Pratchett.
I honestly thought it was one of the longest and dreariest romances ever and the weakest of the series.
Image

User avatar
Brockway
Dirty Old Man
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:57 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Brockway »

The version I bought was the big Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide that had all the books plus the short stories, so I really don't recall the individual books titles. Its funny how he kept changing the story between all the different formats. TV, radio, book, and movie were all different. I personally liked the radio version best, Dent seemed much more likeable than the movie version. He was like a little whiny tool in the movie. If badass tv/radio Dent couldn't get the girl, I dang well don't want the total wuss movie version to get her.
Image
Sharp Hall. - Ya know... don't even go there. Very NSFW

User avatar
Joel Fagin
nothos adrisor (GTC)
Posts: 6014
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:15 am
Location: City of Lights
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Joel Fagin »

Douglass is good and all but he's sillier than he is funny and silly is much easier. Terry uses cleverer and often very subtle humour. I've read his books for the tenth time and picked up new jokes. He's also very wise and profound, especially compared to Douglass's daft randomness.

Plus, you know, more books.

I do like Douglass, mind, but I do not consider him to be in the same league. I know their lumped together but... It's like Star Wars and Serenity. Star Wars was entertaining and there are probably more people who like Star Wars than Whedon's movie, but Serenity flattens Star Wars in humour, wisdom and writing.

- Joel Fagin

PS. Other people have said this, Pyro, but Colour of Magic is Terry's worst book. He doesn't really find his voice until Mort but even the second book in the series is far more... Pratchetish than his first.
Image

User avatar
Dracomax
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 1145
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:13 pm
Location: in a defective ficional universe
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Dracomax »

I find it interesting that as soon as one slips aghead of the other, the other picks up more votes, until they are approximately even again.
ImageImageImage
You and TRI are the crazy mad ones.~Cope
Give a man a fire, keep him warm for a day; set a man on fire, keep him warm for life.~unknown

User avatar
Tim
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 3285
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: State of WA, formerly MA
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Tim »

That's the nature of CG elections.
Alternate Delusions - Symbiotically Enhanced for Your Pleasure
A member of Comic Ostrich
I made a game. Download now!

User avatar
Cope
Incompetent Monster
Posts: 7377
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:37 pm
Location: Masked man of mystery
Contact:

Oh man our system of government is so corrupt...

Post by Cope »

Tim wrote:That's the nature of CG elections.
You mean someone's ballot-stuffing?
Image Image
"I've always been fascinated by failure!" -Charlie Brown

User avatar
Killbert-Robby
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 6876
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:28 am
Location: in the butt

Re: Oh man our system of government is so corrupt...

Post by Killbert-Robby »

Cope wrote:
Tim wrote:That's the nature of CG elections.
You mean someone's ballot-stuffing?
Brb, rioting.
Image

User avatar
Ahaugen
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 2291
Joined: Thu Mar 02, 2006 12:44 am
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: Oh man our system of government is so corrupt...

Post by Ahaugen »

Killbert-Robby wrote:
Cope wrote:
Tim wrote:That's the nature of CG elections.
You mean someone's ballot-stuffing?
Brb, rioting.
ALL LIES!!! There is no system to our government!!
Read The Times-Picayune
Comic Genesis' daily source for news since 2009

A Lamestream Media Company

User avatar
Brockway
Dirty Old Man
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:57 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Brockway »

I just finished Nation, started on Only You Can Save Manking. There really is no comparison between the two authors, unless you want to compare Pratchet's very worst to Adam's best. Pratchet is the better writer. The fact that he's been putting out like 2 books a year average since the mid 80's just makes it more amazing.
Image
Sharp Hall. - Ya know... don't even go there. Very NSFW

User avatar
Joel Fagin
nothos adrisor (GTC)
Posts: 6014
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:15 am
Location: City of Lights
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Joel Fagin »

Brockway wrote:I just finished Nation.
I loved how Nation didn't mention the 'A' word.* The guy can be very subtle.

- Joel Fagin

* Spoiler: 'Atlantis'
Image

User avatar
Brockway
Dirty Old Man
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:57 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Brockway »

Yeah, he really trusts that his readers are keeping up with the hints.
Image
Sharp Hall. - Ya know... don't even go there. Very NSFW

User avatar
[AlmightyPyro]
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 5339
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 8:12 pm
Location: noitacoL

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by [AlmightyPyro] »

I'm very intrigued by Mort and would love to pick up a copy, but sadly I have to wait until the next time I can drive an hour to a city who actually has a book store not for old people that only read westerns.
I'm glad 90's style forum signatures don't exist anymore.

User avatar
Brockway
Dirty Old Man
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:57 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Brockway »

I just can't bring myself to read the color of magic and the sequel. I finished every other Pratchet book I had (Discworld series, Johnny series, Nation, and Good Omens) and after reading Equal Rites (3rd book), I just don't think I'll enjoy them. Sort of like they'll detract from the other ones (which Equal Rites did to me for what it did to Granny Weatherwax). I really can't include that book in the timeline, its like a pilot episode to me, where they change (to better) actors and add the potty mouthed sidekick.

On a somewhat related note, I've moved back to the Asimov novels again, gonna hit the Caves of Steel series (on the 3rd one now), then the Foundation series. I think I've read almost all of his short stories.
Image
Sharp Hall. - Ya know... don't even go there. Very NSFW

User avatar
Dracomax
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 1145
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:13 pm
Location: in a defective ficional universe
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Dracomax »

Brockway wrote:I just can't bring myself to read the color of magic and the sequel. I finished every other Pratchet book I had (Discworld series, Johnny series, Nation, and Good Omens) and after reading Equal Rites (3rd book), I just don't think I'll enjoy them. Sort of like they'll detract from the other ones (which Equal Rites did to me for what it did to Granny Weatherwax). I really can't include that book in the timeline, its like a pilot episode to me, where they change (to better) actors and add the potty mouthed sidekick.

On a somewhat related note, I've moved back to the Asimov novels again, gonna hit the Caves of Steel series (on the 3rd one now), then the Foundation series. I think I've read almost all of his short stories.
I took Equal rites as a younger, less experienced granny weatherwax. I just put it 20 or more years before the rest of the series, and brush off the other bits as youthful non-crankiness.
ImageImageImage
You and TRI are the crazy mad ones.~Cope
Give a man a fire, keep him warm for a day; set a man on fire, keep him warm for life.~unknown

User avatar
BrownEyedCat
Cartoon Hero
Posts: 1848
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 11:24 pm
Location: Lurking in the Corners
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by BrownEyedCat »

Yeah, Equal Rites is one of my least favorites - Color of Magic and Light Fantastic aren't as bad, if you can be persuaded to give then a go. The major characters, Rincewind, Twoflower, and Cohen in Fantastic aren't changed too much in recent books. In fact, the background on Cohen and Twoflower makes Interesting Times a little richer.

You may still end up separating them from canon, but they come across fine if you go in expecting a lighter story and less-developed Ankh-Morpork - an Ankh-Morpork pulled straight from Sword and Sorcery stock settings, that needs to be burnt down and rebuilt a couple of times before becoming the AM we all know and love, an Unseen University before Ridcully's stabilizing effect, etc.

The only thing you really need to dismiss is any personal details given about the Patrician, who really has not 'become' Vetinari yet. But aside from that, there's a lot of fun in them. The Light Fantastic was my favorite Discworld book for a long time.
Image

Image
Previously Catrine until my account crashed.

User avatar
Komiyan
HOLD ON TO YOUR INTERNETS!!
Posts: 2725
Joined: Sun May 16, 2004 11:35 am
Location: Hrmph.
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Komiyan »

Don't let equal Rites sour you on Granny Weatherwax, since she is one of my favourite characters ever. Gotta love the way Kidby draws her, too.
Image

A big part of the problem with Equal Rites was its Ogg deficiency. It was severely lacking in Ogg.
Image
Image

User avatar
Brockway
Dirty Old Man
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:57 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Brockway »

It didn't sour me on Granny, I loved the other witch books, I just disliked the way it showed her. It might not have been so bad if the witch had been named something else, but I kept thinking "who is this person and what have you done with Granny?". The fact that the book had some weird pseudo-Granny bugged me to no end while reading.
Image
Sharp Hall. - Ya know... don't even go there. Very NSFW

User avatar
Joel Fagin
nothos adrisor (GTC)
Posts: 6014
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:15 am
Location: City of Lights
Contact:

Re: Douglas Adams Vs. Terry Pratchett: The War of the Writers!

Post by Joel Fagin »

It always takes Terry about a book to refine his character to the point where you think "Ah ha! That's him/her/it." Death, Vetinari, Vimes, Carrot and Weatherwax were all weaker, more diluted versions of themselves in their first books.*

- Joel Fagin

* And I'm not counting the fat-fingered Patrician from Colour of Magic. That wasn't Vetinari, no matter what Terry Pratchet says.
Image

Locked