I can’t remember when I first discovered Terry Pratchett, or which book it was, but I was hooked from the start. From the Nac Mac Feegle to the Night Watch, I’ve loved every journey in Discworld. Knowing there will be no more stories is definitely sad, but also makes me appreciate all the books that do exist. I’ve reread most of them. Several years will go by before I come back, so that when I return to the books the stories feel like seeing an old friend. If you forced me to pick a favorite character I’d probably go with Sam Vimes although Mort/DEATH is a close second. The ensemble cast of the Watch is unparalleled which was why I was so excited when they made the TV show. Then I watched the show. Once I accepted how impossible it was to recreate the fantastical world Pratchett had created (Nobby Nobbs as just one example) I watched it on its own terms and enjoyed it.) I’ve never written fan-fiction, but if I ever do, I think I’ll start in Ankh-Morpork.

As the question marks suggest, I haven’t gotten into either one of these yet and I don’t know if I should. I’m not sure what to put that down to other than neither one really grabs me. This might be entirely unfair, but prequels never seem to live up to the hype, much the way the Star Wars prequels disappointed. I never wanted or needed to know what Darth Vader was like as a teenager, and I can’t say I’m any more interested in the prehistory of these two franchises either. Having said that, I did enjoy Kenobi which was both new while also being a prequel.

This is not a recap but more a first impression. I’ve never seen or played the game so I went into this knowing next to nothing (to be fair, that’s how I enter most things). I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic zombie/monster/alien stories so I was definitely going to check this one out. I’ll be tuning in next week for the second episode. I won’t go into details other than to say the opening is a brilliant, and arguably one of the best, explanations for a zombie epidemic that I’ve ever seen. It makes sense.

Personally, I prefer these stories to start with a solitary figure in a vast, desolate landscape, but I’m intrigued with the more populated approach of this one.

Yes, I’m still here and still kicking.

You know how some people say that if social media had been around when they were teenagers they would have been all over it? Yeah, me either. My resistance to it is strong though I don’t really know why. I do view it, and hit the like button on all kinds of posts on FB, Twitter, YouTube etc., but when it comes to posting my own content I find myself at a loss for words. If/when I do post I usually just link to an article I found interesting. The fact that I view this as an issue is probably an issue (of mine). For me at least, it boils down to the idea (right or wrong) that I should be engaging with my readers. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy to, but in the back of my mind the little voice says what you, the reader, wants is the next book, not an update on whether Wednesday has been renewed (it has!)

Anyway, enough of my pathology. Hope you’re all doing well and working toward a happy, healthy, and productive 2023.

Cheers,

Chris