Happy Atheist Forum

Pyramids by Terry Pratchett
It's bad enough being new on the job, but Teppic hasn't a clue as to what a pharaoh is supposed to do. After all, he's been trained at Ankh-Morpork's famed assassins' school, across the sea from the Kingdom of the Sun. First, there's the monumental task of building a suitable resting place for Dad -- a pyramid to end all pyramids. Then there are the myriad administrative duties, such as dealing with mad priests, sacred crocodiles, and marching mummies. And to top it all off, the adolescent pharaoh discovers deceit, betrayal - not to mention a headstrong handmaiden - at the heart of his realm.


The Reporter by Scott Sigler
The Reporter follows Yolanda Davenport, a reporter for Galaxy Sports Magazine, as she searches for the truth about Ju Tweedy's involvement with the murder of Grace McDermott - the incident that drove Ju to join the Ionath Krakens. The Reporter takes place between week three and week six of the 2684 Galactic Football League season, the season that encompasses The All-Pro.

The Tortilla Curtain, by T. C. Boyle
A novel set in Southern California about middle-class values, illegal immigration, xenophobia, poverty, and environmental destruction. 

Under the Skin by Michel Faber
Set in northern Scotland, it traces a woman who drives around the Scottish countryside picking up male hitchhikers whom she drugs.  (sci fi)

Looks like it's Pyramids by Terry Pratchett. I already bought the book a while ago because I was planning on reading it either way.

Quote from: Davin on July 29, 2019, 03:13:24 PM
Looks like it's Pyramids by Terry Pratchett. I already bought the book a while ago because I was planning on reading it either way.

Ditto.  Still working thru the Cat book.

I think I'll dig my copy off the shelf for the nth time. :)

I finished it, and I thought it was great. The series keeps getting better.

I like the way the author mixes magic and science to the most ridiculous results but keeps things consistent enough to give the feeling of suspense. Very funny and some good stories besides. It brings back the feelings I have when reading Douglas Adams, even though I wouldn't consider their writing all that similar. But the jabs at societies, pomp and circumstance, and pretty much everything else.

We've all been there, child of a living god responsible for the rising and setting of the sun, born into a kingdom that's remained unchanged for thousands of years, so we decide to go off and become assassins. Very relatable.

The characters are fairly well fleshed out, enough to make me care about them. There were not many women characters, I can only remember one fleshed out character. I don't say that as a harsh criticism, I love his witch books which are almost the other way around, but it was something I noticed.

Anyway, very enjoyable read. I'm going to keep working through the series.

I like the way 'You Bastard!' got his name.

Quote from: Tank on August 14, 2019, 04:04:13 PM
I like the way 'You Bastard!' got his name.

;D  I loved all the camels names.  It seemed to me that Pratchett had a personal knowledge of camels. 

I really liked the whole story too, and have ordered 3 more Discworld novels: Mort, Hogfather, and The Colour of Magic.  The first two because they sound particularly interesting to me, and the third because it's the first of the series and it just seemed proper to read that one.

Quote from: Sandra Craft on September 01, 2019, 04:44:32 AM

Quote from: Tank on August 14, 2019, 04:04:13 PM
I like the way 'You Bastard!' got his name.

;D  I loved all the camels names.  It seemed to me that Pratchett had a personal knowledge of camels. 

I really liked the whole story too, and have ordered 3 more Discworld novels: Mort, Hogfather, and The Colour of Magic.  The first two because they sound particularly interesting to me, and the third because it's the first of the series and it just seemed proper to read that one.

The Colour of Magic really explains the Rincewind character.

The first book was a bit rough for me, but it had so many good parts and great underlying character that it kept me going. It's a great book.