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re: Death Novo Send a noteboard - 08/01/2011 01:33:10 PM
I have read most of the Discworld novels.

While he certainly has a great sense of humour and sharp wit, you cannot get away from his underlying mockery of religion and the greater meaning of life.

The way Death is parodied, the way Small Gods depicts the small mindedness of the gods and the way the meaning of everything is fooled around with with the so called "auditors" being in charge of everything, is far too reminiscent of Douglas Adams's nihilistic masterpiece, the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, for my liking.

Actually, this modern trend of relativism leading to the ultimate message of "nothing really has meaning" strikes me as very similar to Ishamael's supposed philosophical views as depicted in his Age of Legends writings "The Absence of Meaning" and so on.

I far prefer the affirming themes found in Dean Koontz's later books to the nihilistic satirizing of the Meaning of Life found in the works of authors like Pratchett and Adams.


I actually really enjoy not only the way Death is characterized but Pratchett's idea of death on Discworld in general. It's kind of whatever you want it to be (or rather whatever, deep down, you really think it should be). Maybe, to someone of a religious bent, that's not ideal - there's no ultimate truth, no guaranteed great revelation of an all-knowing and all-powerful God - but then again, maybe there is, for you. Or not. It's deliberately ambiguous and open-ended, which I find somehow very satisfying.

Also, while more often than not Pratchett treats death as humorously as he treats everything else (the reaction of most recently deceased characters to the appearance of the Grim Reaper is a comical "oh" ) there are other instances in which death is treated with respect and solemnity.
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Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 05:42:34 PM 1206 Views
I'm torn between my love of Pterry and my inherent laziness. - 07/01/2011 05:55:25 PM 761 Views
Why do think you don't like unseen academicals as much as the others? *NM* - 08/01/2011 05:41:30 PM 356 Views
It just felt... unfocused? (spoilers) - 08/01/2011 08:49:51 PM 845 Views
Re: - 07/01/2011 05:58:54 PM 905 Views
What do you particularly enjoy about Pyramids? - 08/01/2011 05:44:31 PM 890 Views
Re: It is self contained, it examines its themes and then moves on, it is packaged to my tastes. - 08/01/2011 07:45:23 PM 920 Views
Plus, it has that great assassin test scene at the beginning. - 08/01/2011 08:51:15 PM 774 Views
Re: Packaging. *NM* - 08/01/2011 08:52:14 PM 296 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 08:21:35 PM 883 Views
Heh. I forgot Good Omens. - 07/01/2011 10:15:01 PM 772 Views
Re: Collabs can't count, surely? *NM* - 08/01/2011 09:24:59 AM 369 Views
Why not? - 08/01/2011 10:20:57 AM 729 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 08:21:46 PM 917 Views
I just finished Unseen Academicals yesterday! - 07/01/2011 08:34:03 PM 800 Views
Thief of Time was pretty great - 08/01/2011 08:51:46 PM 957 Views
Stupid iPhone predicative text. Spot the error *NM* - 07/01/2011 09:31:55 PM 5087 Views
Good survey, thanks for posting. - 07/01/2011 09:55:39 PM 924 Views
I posted a review of it, but feel free to post another one. - 07/01/2011 10:12:00 PM 887 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 10:43:56 PM 1010 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 11:04:02 PM 812 Views
Humorous. But his underlying nihilism always leaves me somewhat disturbed after finishing a book.. - 08/01/2011 09:21:56 AM 935 Views
Interesting - 08/01/2011 12:18:56 PM 878 Views
To me atheism = nihilism... - 08/01/2011 12:47:04 PM 816 Views
Ok, I fundamentally disagree with you, but I respect your opinion - 08/01/2011 12:49:54 PM 811 Views
Fair enough. However... - 08/01/2011 12:54:24 PM 855 Views
To quote the Angel line that is in the quotes here... - 08/01/2011 03:29:33 PM 757 Views
A lovely word confusion (not quite a paradox but I'm not sure what to call it) - 08/01/2011 05:38:38 PM 676 Views
I always loved that quote - 08/01/2011 09:04:07 PM 743 Views
re: Death - 08/01/2011 01:33:10 PM 726 Views
That's exactly my point... - 08/01/2011 01:40:45 PM 952 Views
Well. - 08/01/2011 02:05:36 PM 853 Views
What nihilism? - 08/01/2011 04:28:59 PM 749 Views
To him, atheism = nihilism... - 08/01/2011 05:06:28 PM 771 Views
Then he has misunderstood the concept. *NM* - 08/01/2011 10:22:04 PM 321 Views
not really a big fan - 08/01/2011 04:25:33 PM 1030 Views
oops *NM* - 08/01/2011 04:26:09 PM 342 Views
Re: not really a big fan - 12/01/2011 09:00:54 AM 809 Views
I read about half of it and seemed to be going nowhere - 12/01/2011 02:12:28 PM 697 Views
A couple of new questions; - 08/01/2011 06:03:15 PM 713 Views
Re: A couple of new questions; - 08/01/2011 06:19:18 PM 796 Views
Character development is almost a double edged sword - 08/01/2011 09:00:44 PM 731 Views
I agree. *NM* - 12/01/2011 02:58:16 PM 304 Views
Re: A couple of new questions; - 08/01/2011 10:53:32 PM 882 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 12/01/2011 05:15:30 AM 970 Views

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