The New Discworld Companion (Gollancz S.F.)

Once again the alphabetical round-up of Discworld's people, places, creatures, organisations, books, food and miscellanea is (to hi-tech Pratchett's alleged disgust) based on Stephen Briggs's much-thumbed, uncomputerised card index. It draws its material not only from the first 30 Discworld novels and novellas--from The Colour of Magic to The Wee Free Men--but from associated maps, guides, diaries, cookbooks, short stories and two volumes of The Science of Discworld.

This torrent of information about a world that doesn't even exist (though often seeming suspiciously more real than our own) is carefully channelled. Minor entries on walk-on characters from the early novels have been ruthlessly crossed out to make room for Discworld facts and fancies that are either more important or--preferably--offer better scope for jokes. The Companion is consistently, unashamedly entertaining. From a geopolitical entry on a small but frighteningly important country:

Lancre operates on a feudal system--everyone feuds all the time and hands on the fight to their descendants. The chips on some shoulders have been handed down for generations. Some have antique value. A bloody good grudge, Lancre reckons, is like a fine old wine; you look after it carefully and leave it to your children.

It would probably be madness to read the New Companion from cover to cover, but it's endlessly browsable and offers something amusing on every page. From Abbot via Bugarup University, Orang-Utan/Human Dictionary ("Ook"), Place Where the Sun Does Not Shine, and Vestigial Virgins to "Zweiblumen, Jack", all Discworld life is here. In a closing interview Pratchett lets slip the title of the Autumn 2003 novel, Monstrous Regiment. All in all, it's a must for the hardened fan. --David Langford

One point must be stressed: the Companion consists mostly of spoilers, so if you didn't read all the Discworld series, wait until you do before getting a copy for yourself.

There's a lot of stuff to be found in the book. Words of Ankh-Morpork national anthem, complete with all the "ner hner ner". Extensive entries on most of major guilds, together with the crests and the mottos. Sadly, most of them are not translated, no doubt in order to grant the readers a possibility to exasperate Oxbridge Professors of Clasics with questions like "But sir, what does 'non ante septem dies proxima, squiri' really mean?"
There is even a complete list of guilds. And of books, songs, food and drinks.

Anyway, and that's a remark only for fanatics like myself - do not expect too much. You'll be disappointed.
I knew that minor characters had been left out, but I was nonethless surprised when I didn't find any entry for Stronginthearm. Neither the seargant nor the crossbow maker. And there is a whole paragraph about the Gaiters (the people who employed Susan Sto Helit for some time).
It is mentioned that the Patrician throughout the Discworld series is Vetinari, except for "some events in Night Watch". I do not complain that the "some events" happen to make 4/5 of the book, but what about "Colour of Magic"?
All in all, the people who know the series will find the book strangely uninformative at times, while the new readers will jump on a spoiler mine every now and then.
How can it be that the entry of Treacle Mine Road failes to mention either the burnt Watch House or the Republic? On the other hand, Vimes is described as a Duke of Ankh-Morpork; quite a surprise for all those who are yet to read "Jingo".
Frankly, the entries about "The Thief of Time" characters are quite shocking: as for characters X, Y, Z it is only said that they had "a special relationship". You'd say it's a nice shot at keeping the book spoiler free, but unfortunately, those who check up character W will learn all about the aforesaid relationship. Shame.

You still remember that I mentioned the book will make fans happy? Fine. It will.


I now know how to speak monkey- I mean ape- with this book.   June 7, 2003
 11 out of 16 found this review helpful

Ook! An excellent book for flicking through -impossible to read like a novel- and finding out all you need to know about the Discworld. If like me, you'll first check out your favourite characters first and the ones you always wondered what happen to.

What's a bit annoying is that seemingly small, minor characters get a whole page, but a character I would deem as main one gets a paragraph- Angua from the Watch series an example of this.

Be warned: if you haven't read all of the books and don't like the plot of them told you before you do, don't get this book. It's a spoiler landmine, really.

Definately a fan book, though. Although it's unfashionable to like reading Terry Pratchett books, I really don't care. His books aren't read by social, spotty retards who discuss Star Trek online, but by lots of people, me included. I don't even like science fiction that much, haven't read Lord of the Rings and I count shoe buying as a hobby. I'm a fashion student who has a decent social life and would class it a personal hell if I was forced to watch Star Trek. Play Celine Dion and shove pointy things under my finger nails, but never that...


Revised, Rehashed and Remarkable!   April 11, 2003
 19 out of 19 found this review helpful

They lied. The Discworld Companion (1994) proclaimed itself to be the definitive, and only guide...but then Terry Pratchett wrote a bunch of fantastic new books. They changed Discworld, and expanded on the characters and so the answer was clear, and the New Discworld Companion was written. Yay!

It's hugely informative, collating together the histories of characters, places, guilds and even dogs of Discworld. Some of the original entries are still present and many characters that were born only to leave the world with a messy squish have been removed. There is an immense amount of new material, much of it hilarious, taken from Terry Pratchett's more recent novels, the Discworld Diaries and other publications. It's arranged in a simple, easy to use A-Z, and comes with the added bonus of a Pterry Interview at the back.

This is a must for Discworld fans, and anyone else who wants to know what happens when the Quantum Weather Butterfly flaps its wings, or how to select the best Bonsai Mountain to cultivate.