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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 1196 Views
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Re: Packaging. *NM* - 08/01/2011 08:52:14 PM 292 Views
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Why not? - 08/01/2011 10:20:57 AM 719 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 08:21:46 PM 907 Views
I just finished Unseen Academicals yesterday! - 07/01/2011 08:34:03 PM 782 Views
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I posted a review of it, but feel free to post another one. - 07/01/2011 10:12:00 PM 873 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 10:43:56 PM 997 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 07/01/2011 11:04:02 PM 803 Views
Humorous. But his underlying nihilism always leaves me somewhat disturbed after finishing a book.. - 08/01/2011 09:21:56 AM 921 Views
Interesting - 08/01/2011 12:18:56 PM 869 Views
To me atheism = nihilism... - 08/01/2011 12:47:04 PM 805 Views
Ok, I fundamentally disagree with you, but I respect your opinion - 08/01/2011 12:49:54 PM 798 Views
Fair enough. However... - 08/01/2011 12:54:24 PM 844 Views
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A lovely word confusion (not quite a paradox but I'm not sure what to call it) - 08/01/2011 05:38:38 PM 663 Views
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re: Death - 08/01/2011 01:33:10 PM 717 Views
That's exactly my point... - 08/01/2011 01:40:45 PM 937 Views
Well. - 08/01/2011 02:05:36 PM 842 Views
What nihilism? - 08/01/2011 04:28:59 PM 737 Views
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Then he has misunderstood the concept. *NM* - 08/01/2011 10:22:04 PM 316 Views
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Re: not really a big fan - 12/01/2011 09:00:54 AM 799 Views
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A couple of new questions; - 08/01/2011 06:03:15 PM 701 Views
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Character development is almost a double edged sword - 08/01/2011 09:00:44 PM 718 Views
I agree. *NM* - 12/01/2011 02:58:16 PM 299 Views
Re: A couple of new questions; - 08/01/2011 10:53:32 PM 870 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett - 12/01/2011 05:15:30 AM 962 Views

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