Terry Pratchett (was: Smell of Cabbage)

[Amy Z]

Abigail wrote:

> I swear, the man could make a discussion about the digestive 
> system of sheep funny

and probably has.

> I've found several references in recent Pratchett books which I 
think are nudges at HP.  
> They're all rather subtle, so I can never be quite sure.  Two (very 
minor) characters in 
> The Truth, for example, are named Hermione, a name which I had 
never heard before 
> reading HP.  

It also features Harry, the King of the Golden River.  And Foul Ole 
Ron appears, but he goes way back.

> In all fairness to Pratchett, though, he was using the notion of 
the psychotic boarding 
> school way back in Pyramids, which was published in the early 
90's.  

Which would suggest that JKR took the idea from TP.  Slytherin=School 
of Assassins?  <g>

Nah, I think the psychotic boarding school is too much of a staple 
for anyone to be accused to stealing it from anyone else.   The name 
of Hugglestones *does* sound like a nudge at Hogwarts.  But all in 
all, TP, who makes reference to zillions of items of popular culture, 
seems to be steering clear of HP.  What other references do you 
detect?

Amy
feeling a sudden need to buy The Wee Free Men and The Truth