[HPFGU-OTChatter] Terry Pratchett- was Byatt's attack on us

[Terry James]

>From: "Tim Regan" <timregan at microsoft.com>

>>Hi All,
>
>The Leaky Cauldron posted a link to a NYT review of the Harry Potter
>adult reader phenomenon
><http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/07/opinion/07BYAT.html> written by
>A.S. Byatt.
>
>
>

She
>contrasts the restricted imaginary world of the Harry Potter books
>with the metaphysical wit, genius for strong parody, startling
>originality, and amazing writing of authors like Terry Pratchett
>(whom I haven't read).


Going off on a tangent because I don't have time to reply to this ridiculous 
review, here's a recommendation:  Read Terry Pratchett!  It is a totally 
different style than Harry Potter, but if you like HP for all the subtleties 
you are likely to love Terry Pratchett as well.

My favorite series is the Night Watch (Sam Vimes is my hero!); my second 
favorite is the witches.  IMO all of Pratchett's series are fair-to-middling 
for the first book, and rapidly better through the series, until they are 
just excellent.

However, there's not much "numinous" in them, either:  they are grounded in 
very realistic (although vastly parodied) worlds.  From the tone of that 
review, you'd think Byatt would hate them too.  They aren't the kind of 
books which get "literary" people excited; but they are the kind that you 
can read on one level for the humor, the parody, and the fantasy; and then 
on a whole different level for the ethical questions they raise.

Terry LJ

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