Small Gods | Discworld | Stuff You Like

[@celeritas2-810]

"Terry Pratchett believed in us" is one of the most life affirming things I've ever heard. Thank you

[@CBG232x5]

May needed to have listen to this after stumbling down the rabbit hole of old videos. Thank you.

[@samvimes117]

He wanted us to be the place where the fallen angel meets the rising ape

[@samvimes117]

And despite everything that happened to us ain 2020 I still believe in us too or at least I'm trying my best to

[@ellentheeducator]

Yep, I didn't expect to cry watching a video about one of my favourite books, but I did

[@steffenbendel6031]

Well, I think we also believe in Terry Pratchett.

[@reginal.898]

One of my all time favourite Discworld novels. One of my favourite quotes (among many others): ‘Just because you can explain it doesn’t mean it’s not still a miracle.’

[@StealthMarmot_]

Pratchett's affection for people as a whole is mirrored in his affection for Ankh-Morpork. He portrays Ankh-Morpork as corrupt, full of inefficiencies and a lot of stupidity built on faulty logic and bad tradition, polluted and unfair, constantly filled with mobs and constantly having to fix the terrible mistakes it has made. And he loves it. He loves and adores it and would never wish it gone. Because there is so much to love inside of it as well. Because DESPITE all of those troubles, there is goodness, and decency, and life, and humor and silliness and songs and adventures. Just like humanity. Pratchett embraced humanity with its flaws and loved it all the more. He taught us to accept those things and keep going because sometimes, we get the opportunity to change them for the better. Not always, but sometimes. If you keep your head up. And if everyone would live for those chances, the world would get better bit by bit. Never perfect for sure, but better.

[@doubleg281]

Well said

[@WhammeWhamme]

He also showed us how Ankh Morpork was getting better. And had gotten better. One novel at a time.

[@nacmegfeegle2310]

SO well said.

[@jaroslavb.korinek7285]

tbh any sociology class without mentioning STP is a wasted time.

[@robertmcgovern8850]

"Thou shalt not expose thy God to market forces!" Om: "You want a *constitutional* religion?" Brutha: "Why not? The other sort hasn't worked." Most terrifying to me is Om's description of Vorbis' mind as a smooth steel ball -- nothing gets in or out, there's nothing to get ahold of. This world lost a true humanist in Terry Pratchett. A gentleman, and a gentle man. He understood our weaknesses, and he forgave us them.

[@Summersong2262]

But much like Vorbis, he helped shape others into people a little bit closer to himself. He has gone, but we remain, influenced, taught, and sheparded by his work.

[@dominictemple]

"Yes, but I'm me" is one of Pterry's great lines, but then again, he's had hundreds of great lines.

[@forester2845]

I shed a tear when I read that part, it sums up Brutha's life so well.

[@Kingkent1207]

I disagree that Brutha doesn't change over the course of the novel. I think he changes quite a lot. You could still call him fundamentally good at both the beginning and the end of the novel, but for very different reasons. In beginning he has perfect unquestioning faith in Om or more accurately Omnianism. But after learning that the Great and Powerful Om is just a person and that his superiors are not necessarily even good people, he learns to do good in spite of what people and his god tell him to do, rather because of it. In the end he challenges Om's authority and even, to Om's great annoyance, allows other gods to be worshiped in Omnia. He's still loyal to Om, but it's the loyalty you have to a friend and colleague rather than unquestioning faith in a God. He learns to value and put his faith in people rather than in authority, and that transition is one of my favorite things about this book.

[@kecenavrtep]

“What have I always believed? That on the whole, and by and large, if a man lived properly, not according to what any priests said, but according to what seemed decent and honest inside, then it would, at the end, more or less, turn out all right.”

[@robpegler6545]

“Them as can do has to do for them as can't. And someone has to speak up for them as has no voices.” ~ Terry Pratchett, "The Wee Free Men."

[@fenster666]

Absolutely my favourite Discworld novel and probably my one of the best explorations of faith I have ever read. GNU Terry Pratchett.

[@RillianGrant]

GNU?

[@fenster666]

@@RillianGrant It comes from the novel Going Postal. I'm shit at describing things so I've copied this from reddit comment. Pratchett’s 33rd Discworld novel, Going Postal, tells of the creation of an internet-like system of communication towers called “the clacks”. When John Dearheart, the son of its inventor, is murdered, a piece of code is written called “GNU John Dearheart” to echo his name up and down the lines. “G” means that the message must be passed on, “N” means “not logged”, and “U” means the message should be turned around at the end of a line. (This was also a realworld tech joke: GNU is a free operating system, and its name stands, with recursive geek humour, for “GNU’s not Unix”.) The code causes Dearheart’s name to be repeated indefinitely throughout the system, because: “A man is not dead while his name is still spoken.” Basically it's a way to keep Terry's name living on forever.

[@reginal.898]

@@fenster666 Chris, my dude, truer words have never been spoken. Let's keep Sir Terry's name alive! GNU Terry Pratchett.

[@MrFlashpoint1978]

GNU

[@miriam3848]

I still can’t get over the fact that there will never ever be a new Terry Pratchett book... I feel this little empty corner in my soul every time I enter a bookshop

[@andreagriffiths3512]

I used to get the new book every Christmas. Christmas has been reduced to being merely another day, a hollow emptiness. RIP Sir Terry

[@bjw4859]

Think of it this way, in an alternate dimension, possibly where people take L Space seriously, the big man still lives & writes, Lady Di has just celebrated her 60th birthday, Heath Ledger welcomed his 2nd grand child into the world, a little girl called Charlotte, & some orange git who failed to become leader of his country, has failed in his 15 bid to make the apprentice into a major motion picture, it could be so if his name is still spoken ?.

[@simonsimon325]

I know. When he left us he took a whole universe with him. I still think of the Disc and all its characters as ongoing, but Terry isn't here to tell us about it anymore. It's a great loss.

[@theamazingbatboy]

Aww, every time I see something about Terry Pratchett I get a little wistful. The only celebrity passing where I truly felt I'd lost a friend. Up there with Bowie for great people of our time imo

[@BanjoNoob2]

I'm normally a pretty stoic guy but this video and thinking about Sir Terry has me all weepy.

[@brettbaxter7882]

Then Granny said: "It's no good you trying to make me believe in Om, though." "Om forbid that I should try, Mistress Weatherwax. I haven't even given you a pamphlet, have I?" "No, but you're trying to make me think, 'Oo, what a nice young man, his god must be something special if nice young men like him helps old ladies like me,' aren't you." "No." "Really? Well, it's not working. People you can believe in, sometimes, but not gods. And I'll tell you this, Mister Oats..." He sighed. "Yes?" She turned and to face him, suddenly alive. "It'd be as well for you if I didn't believe," she said, prodding him with a sharp finger. "This Om ... anyone seen him?" "It is said that three thousand people witnessed his manifestation at the Great Temple when he made the Covenant with the prophet Brutha and saved him from death by torture on the iron turtle --" "But I bet that now they're arguing about what they actually saw, eh?" "Well, indeed, yes, there are many opinions --" "Right. Right. That's people for you. Now if I'd seen him, really there, really alive, it'd be in me like a fever. If I thought there was some god who really did care two hoots about people, who watched 'em like a father and cared for 'em like a mother ... well, you wouldn't catch me sayin' things like 'there are two sides to every question' and 'we must respect other people's beliefs.' You wouldn't find me just being gen'rally nice in the hope that it'd all turn out right in the end, not if that flame was burning in me like an unforgivin' sword. And I did say burnin', Mister Oats, 'cos that's what it'd be. You say that you people don't burn folk and sacrifice people anymore, but that's what true faith would mean, y'see? Sacrificin' your own life, one day at a time, to the flame, declarin' the truth of it, working' for it, breathin' the soul of it. That's religion. Anything else is just ... is just bein' nice. And a way of keepin' in touch with the neighbors."

[@thehorriblebright]

I just finished binging all 41 books as audiobooks in the span of a few weeks. Damn I wish the world still had Terry Pratchett in it.

[@dogwalker666]

The Tony Robinson audio books are the best.

[@ruigen8046]

and you favorite was?

[@thehorriblebright]

@@ruigen8046 That's the question isn't it? I couldn't possibly chose one. I think I like the watch books the best overall, with the Tiffany Aching books at a close second.

[@ruigen8046]

@@thehorriblebright I like Rincewind and the luggage. But, The Watch stuff is so good. I think that Death is also one of my favorites - I like the way he is described, so different from any other portrayal. Genius.

[@TheSuzberry]

We have his books. He left us something to enjoy and hopefully make us think.

[@baronchatdelamort3522]

Granny Weatherwax said that the only sin is treating people as things... this is my moral philosophy now...

[@simonsimon325]

That's the essence of psychopathy isn't it. Imagine how it must be for them. No shame, no guilt. You don't worry about what a lamp thinks of you. You don't feel guilty about breaking up an old bit of furniture and throwing it on a fire. This is how pshycopathic people must feel about society. Must be incredibly liberating in a diabolical way.

[@jarrakul]

"Terry Pratchett believed in us" well now I'm crying. And reaching for my still-unfinished copy of Maskerade.

[@kecenavrtep]

One day a tortoise will learn how to fly - this and "place where the falling angel meets the rising ape" are my most favorit quotes. I hope humanity is that tortoise and ape.

[@jarrakul]

@@kecenavrtep Death's whole falling angel/rising ape thing is probably my favorite exchange in all of fiction. It's just so beautifully humanist in all the best ways.

[@kecenavrtep]

@@jarrakul 1)Sorry for my English 2)My most favorite part of Terry Pratchett universe, is that Death is our (humanity) greatest friend. He trully cares about us. He is telling us - Iam here and i will always be there. But do not be affraid of me. Just enjoy every moment of your life and when pain comes, i will help you and you will start a new journey.

[@jarrakul]

@@kecenavrtep No need to apologize for your English. It's quite good. As for Death, I absolutely agree. "What can the harvest hope for, if not for the care of the reaper man?"

[@HelenaHermione]

And I haven't read Raising Steam yet, the last one of the Discworld books, not including Tiffany Aching, that I haven't read yet. I'm going to soon, though.

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

Every time I see my favorite author shown like this, it makes me smile. i dont quite get why there is not more about him on the net. He was the second best selling writer from the UK, after all.

[@nacmegfeegle2310]

My theory is that in today's world most people (Western) just don't get it. They are tuned in to a noisy pop culture frequency and his voice just does not translate to something they can assimilate. My whole life I feel like a misfit because I am constantly baffled about what the majority thinks is worthy of their attention; crappy TV shows, food, music, book, etc.

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

@@nacmegfeegle2310 I see what you mean. It depends on the people around you, tho. For the same reason I felt myself resonate quite well with most of my study buddies at university.

[@doctorstrangepants6706]

"But... I'm me." This book, more than any other, has helped to shape the way I think about myself, other people, how we grow as people (or don't, as the case may be), and what it means to be "good". It helped me come to terms with the tyranny and hypocrisy of the religion that shaped my childhood. What we do, how we treat other people, and who we choose to be. Those are the things that matter. Those are the things that last. These are how we make our own reason for existence.

[@tbotalpha8133]

This book, and Mightily Oats' arc in Carpe Jugulum, may have legitimately saved my life.

[@InsaneProf]

Terry's books are my go to read when I'm having a bad day, a couple of pages in & the grin spreads from ear to ear. I love how his characters are developed over the course of various series of books - my favourite character being Corporal Cedric Wormsborough St. John "Nobby" Nobbs, who seems to be Fred Colon's conscience. I love how he won't do certain things because "Vimes would go spare". He's a coward & a thief but his heart's in the right place - almost Baldrick at times.

[@Lorddacenshadowind]

There are far too many characters for me to simply pick one lol The chancellor, vetinari, vines, captian carrot, nanny ogg, granny weatherwax, moist von liptwig, detritus and sooooo many more lol

[@csgollum]

I felt like Twoflower when I read my first Pratchett. As with all the other books, many pages in 'Small Gods' made my hair stand on end and there was certainly some watering of the brain area which tended to overflow a bit, in spite of the smile as I read the last page. Thank you, Jill!

[@calladeem240]

Great review, Pratchett is easily my favorite author and Discworld is my favorite escape to fantasy! GNU Terry Pratchett

[@Atriviality]

I'm pretty sure "Brutha" is pronounced like "Brother" based on the joke from the book where Vorbis says he will need to promote Brutha because calling him "Brother Brutha" would be confusing.

[@johns9652]

Mostly unrelated, but I grew up next to neighbors whose toddler girl could not yet pronounce "brother". That poor boy got saddled with the nickname "Bubber" for over a decade, maybe till he graduated highschool, I don't know, I moved away and joined the military.

[@simonsimon325]

It is. It's how brother is pronounced with a northern accent. Nigel Planer gets this and does Brutha as a northerner in the audio version for that very reason. Brutha is the humble equivalent of Bishop Bishop or Pope Pope. He's both religious and humble by name and nature. The pun/concept doesn't work if you pronounce it any other way.

[@craigreardon3914]

Well now I’m gonna stop crying and re-read this book. Again.

[@nanajiloh]

A Discworld review video? Finally something good in 2020.

[@ericthompson3982]

"What's that?" "It's a spanner." "What's it for?" "It's for twisting nuts."

[@chibiktsn3]

Still one of my favorite Discworld novels.

[@WhichDoctor1]

“Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things.” from I Shall Wear Midnight. Its one of the main themes running through the entire Discworld series, and something that sank into my brain like a lead plumb bob into jelly while growing up being read these books by my parents, and listening to them over and over again on audiobook, from a young age. As a 30 something adult, I still find it a pretty solid foundation for morality

[@darthplagueis13]

Pretty sure that quote predates I Shall Wear Midnight. I believe it's from Carpe Jugulum.

[@dominuspopuli]

"Let there be lettuce! Let there be slices of melon!" One of the few authors where I've re-read the books. May Sir Terry rest in peace.

[@sataprescott7588]

Just finished reading Small Gods to my husband, and found your channel via this video being recommended. Lovely summary, and some perfectly accurate insights.

[@tomireland4740]

I recently got recommended your channel by a friend for the brilliant stage-fight analysis, and I've been loving those. I'm really glad that youtube suggested this video to me just now though. I haven't read this book in an age, but I love it and other Pratchett books for exactly the kind of cynical hopefullness you express so well here. Been some rough times for a while, and this has genuinely helped me feel a bit less anxious, and a bit more hopeful. Thank you, it means a lot.

[@covenawhite4855]

I like how they satire religion while recognising how important religion to believer. It shows how religion affects culture, art, and morality. It also shows how believers have an important relationship with God. How it brings them hope, order their world view, and how it makes people act.

[@washellwash1802]

It's more a satire of religious institutions while retaining full respect for religion itself.

[@biseinerheult78]

It's hard to say, but reading Discworld never gave me the feeling that Pratchett was full of respect for religion itself. In the Discworld gods are of course real, but Pratchett has little sympathy for the pantheon he created and he very empathically does not hold up religion as a source of ethics in his books. It is very clear that gods are made by humans and the heroes of his stories , while not denying the gods existence, usually have little time or respect for them.

[@blatherskitenoir]

"betortoised"

[@celeritas2-810]

Oh I know right

[@jenniferschmitzer299]

Nuthink wrong wiv that

[@1965anthony]

One of my favourite things are the omnians. In this book, Pratchett creates a church just to be corrupt and inflexible. But, he never falls into the trap of lumping the religion and the religious together. By this, I mean that most of the omnian characters in the other books are good people. A good example of this is the witch book 'A Hat Full of Sky'. here, a young witch learns that her mentor, Granny Weatherwax, is bringing an omnian priest to meet her. She is horrified! How can a witch even talk to a witch-burner? And so she learns that who people are is more important that what people are. Without even knowing that she needed to learn this.

[@Valandar2]

What I love about Discworld is how, if you look at it from a distance, there's no way a truly good man could survive, let alone get ahead, especially in Ankh-Morpork. But the people who actually THRIVE, are some of the best human beings. Carrot Ironfoundersson, Brotha, Vimes, and more. Even Vetinari might be a corrupt human, but one who aims his corruption at improving the lives of the city he serves (and he honestly sees himself as SERVING Ankh-Morpork, not the other way around). Even cowardly Rincewind overcomes his fear to do the right thing, even if "the right thing" is slipping half a brick into a sock to take out a Sourcerer preparing to bring about the Apocralypse.

[@ralphgibson3696]

Wonderful video, and I can't believe I didn't locate your channel sooner. I've been a Sir Terry Pratchett fan, ever since I received Equal Rites from the Science Fiction Book Club, because I forgot to send back the bingo card. I enjoyed the book so much I ordered The Colour of Magic, and The Light Fantastic right away. And have purchased every Discworld book published after the first three. I was very saddened by his passing, and purchased The Shepherd's Crown, published shortly after his death. And my sister has promised to return it soon. Looking forward to the rest of your work. Thanks for bringing his amazing work out to new, and old, fans. Cheers, Ralph

[@hoopymcgee7083]

This is my very favorite of the Discworld books. It inspired a major arc of my D&D campaign, which was a blast.

[@captnwebb4669]

Never seen anyone do a video about my all time favourite Pratchett book before. You have my respect and subscription ;)

[@garycort7997]

This book is like an onion, plenty of layers. Stands up to reread to view things from the prism of where the reader is then versus before. Nicely reviewed.

[@lloroshastar6347]

I'm glad you liked Small Gods, after seeing your face in the thumbnail I was worried you might not be so keen. I'll bear that in mind for future thumbnails.

[@TheSuzberry]

I’m enormously grateful that this wonderful video came up on my YT recommendations. I’ve been a subscriber to your channel for months and have been working through the older videos. I’ll be working faster - after I’ve watched this a few more times.

[@dodgyvideo]

You are delightful, and, yes pTerry believed in us. I met him a few times. Such a smart and funny man.

[@FemkevanDrooge]

I just discovered this channel because of your boob armor video's and I've been a huge fan of Terry Pratchett for two decades. I absolutely love this review of Small Gods, very touching ❤️

[@HugSeal42]

Easily one of my favourite Pratchett books.

[@davidioanhedges]

The most profound thing ever written : “There’s no grays, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is. “It’s a lot more complicated than that . . .” “No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.” “Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes . . .” “But they starts with thinking about people as things . . . ”

[@umjackd]

My favourite Discworld book to introduce people to the series. That and Wee Free Men.

[@AAARRRGGGHHHHHH]

Too right! My first three books were Wee Free Men, Going Postal, and Small Gods.

[@KaiTenSatsuma]

"Vetinari if Vetinari had no conscience" Wait, Vetinari has a conscience?

[@tbotalpha8133]

Vetinari believes that the world is an awful, awful place. And it is humanity's duty to be better than all that.

[@saskiadavies111]

Of a kind, yes. He puts people who are good at specific things into positions where they can do those specific things really well and on a larger scale. He likes things running efficiently and "things" includes a populace who are easier to manage if kept productive and under the impression that it was their own idea to do so.

[@jameshart2622]

Oh yes. Very much so. He's also brilliant; he hides a truly ridiculous amount of social reform, technological progress and general betterment behind a veil of self-interest and "tyranny".

[@saskiadavies111]

That is all true.

[@rayharley597]

Brutha is one of three Discworld characters that I want to grow up to be; others are Sam Vimes and Nanny Ogg. Met Terry Pratchett twice; he was one of the best people I've ever known. kerk

[@talonsaurn5764]

As I've gotten older I've appreciated Small Gods more and more, especially end ending in the afterlife, just the perfect way to end

[@ketharnathsambamoorthy9062]

With the present pandemic sweeping the world, it's a great pleasure to escape into the fantasy world of Terry Pratchett. May the Great A'tiun take care of him in some other disc world.

[@lillianb8762]

I don't know how the algorithm realized I wanted to watch your video from almost four years ago, but I really wanted to watch this and I'll admit I got a bit weepy.

[@thecocktailian2091]

Night Watch remains my favorite, Small Gods is next. I rather think it was his most understated book,

[@nathsami]

Brutha = carrots long lost brother for sho. Thanks for the review of one of my fave Pratchett books. (Second after Pyramids)

[@ariaflame-au]

Difficult because they lived centuries apart

[@hawkbox]

@@ariaflame-au Just extremely long lost.

[@BOABModels]

I've not read Pratchett in too long!

[@cDayz]

I've just finished the Small Gods novel 3:43 for the umpteenth time. I also have the Mort novel somewhere as well. I'm now reading Nanny Ogg's Cookbook, it's surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be.

[@davidmidknight6785]

Great review, love your sence of humor. Keep up the wonderful work

[@2opler]

I miss him so much.

[@Halbared]

Quite possibly the best intro to the Disc.

[@vilstef6988]

On my shortlist of favorite disc world books.

[@TorridPrime217]

Kunal Nayyar as Brutha [think specifically Raj] Ben Kingsley as Vorbis Christopher Lloyd as the void of Om Sir Anthony Hopkins as Didactylos Arthur Darvill as Urn

[@zvimur]

Didactylos, well, a year ago I would vote John Hurt, now maybe Derek Jacobi.

[@zappawoman5183]

Agree to that with one exception: Didactylus - Brian Blessed.

[@alanbarnett718]

Yesyesyes! Good Gods, you've really thought about this, haven't you!

[@jenniferschmitzer299]

Alan Barnett oh ye gods I can see it now. As long as theres no budget and in a community theatre that hasn’t been updated since the early 90s.

[@jessicajayes8326]

I would have cast Taika Watiki as Om and Vorbis has to be a little younger. By the way, James Hong as Lu Tze would be awesome. Maybe Michael Gambon voicing Death.

[@houdin654jeff]

The first Pratchett book I read, still one of my favorites, not only of his work but novels in general. His work is not well suited to adaption generally, it works so well as a book, but I'd love for a short series about this novel ending with Brutha reaching out to help Vorbis up only to pause for Death to remind him of who Vorbis was in life... only to have Brutha acknowledge it and still try to help the man who ordered him tortured and killed while the music swells and a black cloaked figure leaning on his scythe watches them recede into the desert...

[@garypatterson2857]

A solid review of a great book. Lots of people see Terry Pratchett books and think "Fantasy! That's for children." and tragically for them, they miss the essential truth that novels - good novels - are about people and the setting is less relevant than how the people are written. Pratchett wrote them as fantasy, but many of them could have easily been written as modern day novels, or historical fiction novels and been just as good, more widely read but less fun. I hate labelling people but Pratchett was a compassionate humanist and almost all of his major characters are about becoming better people (except maybe Rincewind, who's too terrified to change). Even Vetinari improves as a person throughout the Watch series (but maybe he was always a better person and was more able to show it through the foil of Vimes). Look at comments by people who knew him (Neil Gaiman for one) and you may see an anger driving him, but that was always at the structures we surround ourselves with, not the people we are and can be. Small Gods is a book I've read many times. I'll read it again soon. It's from an author I was lucky enough to come across during my formative years, and my belief in the essential nature of people is all the better for that. Terry Pratchett was a lovely man and I was lucky enough to meet him once in Tasmania, back in '90? (on his Good Omens book tour) and his patience with irritating uni students like me was, on reflection, astounding. Thanks for the review Ms. Bearup, I really enjoyed it and you've reminded me that I've neglected some re-reading.

[@benmcelwain5301]

Small Gods was my first Discworld book.

[@andrewsearle9153]

Birtha? Bertha? Brutha! Everything else was fabulous.

[@fiercerodent]

Everything, except that Vetinary would be a bit surprised to hear about this conscience he's supposed to have,

[@darthplagueis13]

@@fiercerodent He might express surprise, but he wouldn't genuinely be surprised. He knows he's got a conscience. At most, he'd be surprised that someone would realize it, since he prefers to style himself as a tyrant.

[@teachmycat2read]

Loved this video! We read Small Gods in series 1 of the podcast and really enjoyed it!

[@dogwalker666]

Met Mr Pratchett at a book signing once he seemd to be a very nice guy.

[@thetalantonx]

Same, he was an amazing man.

[@goonerhill]

I loved the book. And i loved this review.

[@nbell63]

whispers, "(De Chelonian Mobile)."

[@TheInnerParty]

1:25 is a life lesson I'm about a third way through your older vids (since I recently discovered you). I'm read a lot, but mostly non-fiction (all that pesky science). I read my first novels in decades this year. A song of ice and fire. Would just love to see and hear your special perspective on those! (disclaimer: not talking about the show which became nothing but hollywood's "boobs and dragons").

[@qwertyTRiG]

You made me cry.

[@Call-me-Al]

Same

[@therealmerryjest]

The Turtle Moves!

[@fatboy7609]

I think the scary thing about this novel is how it acknowledges Vorbis's great ability to change people.

[@A._is_for]

Your analysis made me misty eyed. GNU STP

[@tarnishedknight9909]

"Oh me" is still one of the funnest things I have ever read

[@vilstef6988]

Brutha is pretty much goodness personified. If a god can be loving and humane, they need a few people with Brutha's qualities.

[@dugswank]

I am convinced that Small Gods is the best entryway into Discworld .

[@dogwalker666]

I always recommend Guards,Guards.

[@TonkarzOfSolSystem]

Vorbis and Bertha in the desert of the afterlife is like the reverse of the scorpion and the frog.

[@countluke2334]

Brutha not changing is, as you said, important. The should have remembered that for Luke Skywalker when doing the sequel trilogy.

[@Sparkbomber]

Gotta disagree with you on parts of what you've said in this video: Brutha does change over the course of the book, significantly at that. He goes from a well-intentioned abuse victim, believing innocently to a man who manages to not only reform the bloodiest religious organisation known to the Disc into a more peaceful one (still killing folks, but by boring them with perpetual pamphlets and invitations to sermons), but also pacifies a lot of people who'd previously been intent on eradicating Omnia. He goes from not knowing anything to carrying a large section of the library of Ephebe in his mind, by memorizing every page as an image. FTR, he never learns to write as we do, but simply draws the words in his correspondence. His belief shifts to one where he trusts Om despite the latter's many faults and holds him accountable. Sadly enough Pratchett only later brought Om back and basically futzed the character then due to either his alzheimers, or due to the hidden understudy. Or both.

[@benjaminbrewer2569]

The turtle moves!!!

[@GGMCUKAGAIN]

Terry Pratchett the Jedi to Alan Moore's sith.

[@playersinexile72]

Several times now I've watched your videos and concluded I pronounce names in books in my head far differently to you. Brutha in my head is pronounced Brother...probably incorrectly but it's an interesting realisation.

[@darthplagueis13]

You're absolutely correct about that pronunciation. It's a pun and Vorbis even references that at one point.

[@AlphaBeta-cf5wf]

I would kindof disagree a bit that Brutha doesn't change at all. His character arc is that he was raised to be completely obedient in a society that values obedience, because Om was clearly in charge and it was right that everyone do what he wanted. Nothing done in the service of Om could be wrong. Brutha was happy to be an obedient servant to the greater good. But when he sees the harm that his obedience does/would cause he sees a certain cowardice in the obedience - an abdication of responsibility. This is when he steps up to not just try and prevent any more harm but to take responsibility for the damage he has already caused.

[@tinad8561]

Bridging the gap between “the fallen angel and the rising ape.”

[@simonsimon325]

That was very pleasant. Thanks.

[@jasonmccallum3289]

Nice plot summary

[@reddir]

A like just for 1:44 ! Finished listening to the whole vid, kinda wish I could give 2 likes.

[@kapilthevkanapathipillai6424]

Just finished listening to it

[@jessicajayes8326]

I often think if this could be adapted into a movie I'd want Om to be voiced by Taika Waititi and Death voiced by Michael Gambon.

[@nacmegfeegle2310]

Perfect

[@ethangonzalez8904]

LOL, I always thought that picture was the god turtle from Stephen King's "It"

[@Caseytify]

One interpretation I've read is that Brutha is pronounced "brotha," similar to slang for brother. So he's Brother Brutha. ... Well, I thought it was funny...

[@Skorpys365]

I would still like Brutha's eidetic memory!

[@ruigen8046]

Pratchett is up there with Tolkien, Douglas Adams as being one of the most important and influential authors in Sci Fi. His books should be big budget films and Rincewind should be the centre, although I doubt they would allow it as he is not what Hollywood believe a hero to be. I also put the first 2 Red Dwarf Novels up there as being the best - they are insanely good and well worth a read. Hollywood has all this original material to use yet they continue to re hash old ideas and the same formulaic rubbish. Are they blind?

[@Synergyseek]

The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic (following Rincewind) have a film adaptation already, it's pretty good.

[@ruigen8046]

@@Synergyseek yeah ive seen them - id just like a big budget one - but only if it stays loyal to the book.

[@josephhargrove4319]

Regarding the pronunciation of the name "Brutha": when I read _Small_Gods_ (which I think is one of the best Discworld novels along with _Wyrd_Sisters_, _Reaper_Man_, _Hogfather_, and _Snuff_), I assumed the name was pronounced with a buzzy th sound, like "the", with the u being a schwa just like "brother." Basically, the pronunciation given to "brother" in Black Vernacular. I thought that pronunciation made the wittiness of the name more pronounced. richard -- "Them as can do has to do for them as can't. And someone has to speak up for them as has no voices.” -- Granny Aching - Terry Pratchett. The Wee Free Men

[@barberaradford1706]

Best word ever: betortoised

[@jesse-got-dolphins-into-heaven]

lovely bit

[@LordPhobos6502]

Please tell me you read Monsterous Regiment? ❤

[@AndroidOO3]

Chills

[@3mepleasenow]

Thank you

[@stephanisoejono8633]

You probably should credit the artist who did the fanart, @twirlynoodle on twitter.

[@JillBearup]

Thank you, I will! (The pencil drawings or the comic panels?)

[@azazelreeds]

This book was my introduction to Discworld. My friend, a long time fan of Pratchett, recommended it because I'm an atheist who loves to mock religion but also someone who deeply appreciates the importance of religion to culture and humanity as a whole. She wasn't wrong; I absolutely adore everything about this book.