Dodger

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This is a little left field but I feel that story was been written in such a way that once Terry succumbs to his illness it could be continue on in its own fashion without trying to recreate Discworld, that uniqueness and wizardry belongs to Terry Pratchett. I can think of no greater tribute to Terry Pratchett if his works could be continued in a small way by others. A couple weeks ago, I was having a real pisser of a day. Then I remembered there was a new Terry Pratchett book out and things didn't seem so bad anymore.

Terry Pratchett was the acclaimed creator of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. In all, he was the author of over fifty bestselling books which have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal. He was awarded a knighthood for services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest service to literature was to avoid writing any . Obviously that's not a bad thing, but I did miss the numerous footnotes that you associate with his novels. it is to your credit that you recognize that if he was a monster then it was other monstrous things which made him so. The iron forged on the anvil cannot be blamed for the hammer...”

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In which we meet our hero, and the hero meets an orphan of the storm, and comes face to face with Mister Charlie, a gentleman known as a bit of a scribbler.” He stayed alive because he was the Dodger, smart and fast. He knew everybody and everybody knew him” As Dodger's triumphant path ultimately brings him honour from the very highest rank of society, we cannot help but cheer not only for his success, but also for the success of this ebullient, funny and delightful novel.

Produced by Slim Film + Television and Libertine Pictures, with TVNZ, the series will air later this year. The Executive Producers are Richard Fletcher and Simon Crawford Collins. Malory Towers

Still So Awkward

Appearances are also made by a youthful “Ben” Disraeli, an up-and-coming young politician and friend of Mister Charlie. He is introduced as a member of parliament and is to play a supporting role in Dodger’s scheme to fake Simplicity’s death.. Joseph Bazalgette is there too, as a civil engineer who is interested in the sewers. I had wondered about the goddess of the sewers, “Cloacina”, and her rat attendants, only to discover that there really was an ancient belief in a deity who was said to preside over the Cloaca Maxima (“Greatest Drain”), the main interceptor discharge outfall of the system of sewers in Ancient Rome! There's some pleasure to be had in Terry Pratchett writing about actual *London*, instead of Ankh-Morpork, but this is weak stuff. There ought to be a law against it; everybody said so - it was, well, it was unfair. After all, seeing policemen around kept you honest, didn't it? If they were going to lurk around like ordinary people they were basically asking you to commit crimes, weren't they? It was entirely unfair in Dodger’s opinion. Lastly, wtf was up with Dodger's mentor, Solomon? When we first meet him, he is apparently so down-at-heel that he lives in a slum, and eagerly awaits Dodger's scavenged scraps of meat: a few chapters later and it turns out that he is known and well spoken-of by the most influential and wealthy people in the country - he exchanges a secret handshake with Prince Albert, and shares a laugh with him regarding their mutual acquaintance...the King of Sweden. Willing suspension of disbelief can only be stretched so far. It can also be viewed as an inspirational tale for children, which teaches them to, um, steal from the innocent for personal gain, vandalise the property of people who happen to be from the same country as one bad apple, and elope with a girl you hardly know - who happens to have lovely hair. And not to bother with school, or even basic literacy - because crime is so much more rewarding...