The Globe, Terry Pratchett
The Globe, Terry Pratchett
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The Globe
The Science of Discworld II: A Novel

Author: Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen

Narrator: Michael Fenton Stevens, Stephen Briggs

Unabridged: 12 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/20/2015

Synopsis

Roundworld, aka Earth, is under siege. Are three wizards and an orangutan Librarian enough to thwart the Elvish threat?
 
When the wizards of Unseen University first created Roundworld, they were so concerned with discovering the rules of this new universe that they overlooked its inhabitants entirely. Now, they have noticed humanity. And humanity has company. Arriving in Roundworld, the wizards find the situation is even worse than they’d expected. Under the elves’ influence, humans are superstitious, fearful, and fruitlessly trying to work magic in a world ruled by logic. Ridcully, Rincewind, Ponder Stibbons, and the orangutan Librarian must travel through time to get humanity back on track and out of the dark ages.
 
The Globe goes beyond science to explore the development of the human mind. Terry Pratchett and his acclaimed co-authors Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen combine the tale of the wizards rewriting human history with discussions of the origins and evolution of culture, language, art, and science, offering a fascinating and brilliantly original view of the world we live in.

About The Author

TERRY PRATCHETT is the acclaimed creator of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. In all, he is the author of over fifty bestselling books. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he is the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal, as well as being awarded a knighthood for services to literature. Worldwide sales of his books now stand at over 75 million, and they have been translated into thirty-seven languages.www.terrypratchettbooks.com

Reviews

Goodreads review by YouKneeK on March 25, 2017

My reaction to the second Science of Discworld book is similar to my reaction to the first. As before, the book alternates between short, fictional chapters that tell a Discworld story and longer chapters that discuss real-world (mostly) science. I enjoyed the fictional chapters. The story was prett......more

Goodreads review by Serge on October 04, 2016

The Science of Discworld may be my favorite book series ever, and this book is probably my favorite in the series. Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen write about science, philosophy, the future of humanity, while Terry Pratchett tells us about wizards trying to make William Shakespeare write A Midsummer Nig......more

Goodreads review by James on April 02, 2018

This one alternates back and forth between a Discworld story, written by Mr. Pratchett himself, and then a sciency-based chapter, written by the scientists Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart. I remember liking the first Science of Discworld novel, but the first sequel felt... off? I kept wishing I was readi......more

Goodreads review by Reenie on July 16, 2009

I think I'll keep this at three stars. Maybe it's because, unlike the first one in this series, it touches on the mind, and hence the brain, and hence what I spend 12 hours a day thinking about. (Well, 12 hours of quite a lot - yeah, okay, some - of my days. Damn you, internet, and your possibilitie......more

Goodreads review by Maria on January 17, 2016

The wizards are back on roundworld wondering what happened to the crab civilization and determined to stop the elves. Trouble is that civilization is a delicate balance of fear and responding innovation. Why I started this book: I've read this series completely out of order and enjoyed each book. Wh......more

Quotes

"For anyone looking for something fresh or even more off the beaten path than Pratchett’s own ‘Discworld’ universe. . . . The Globe manages to cover everything from the origin of human life on earth, to the birth of art, William Shakespeare, Elves, Wizards, time travel, and altering history with such brilliant effortlessness that it all gels into a cohesive and exciting whole—which demands to be both read and enjoyed." --ScienceFiction.com

"For Pratchett and Discworld devotees the volume is, of course, compulsory reading, but even science buffs who would normally eschew anything resembling fantasy will find much here to pique their interests.... The book adds another whimsical episode to Discworld lore and contrasts the magical 'rules' of Pratchett’s realm with the human world’s more logic-oriented science." --Booklist

"The hard science is as gripping as the fiction." --The Times (London)

"An irreverent but genuinely profound romp through the history and philosophy of science, cunningly disguised as a collection of funny stories about wizards and mobile luggage." --Frontiers
 
"Terry Pratchett is more than a magician. He is the kindest, most fascinating teacher you ever had." --Harlan Ellison

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