Dining Table Discworld
@dtdiscworld.bsky.social
580 followers 490 following 280 posts
A monthly podcast where a geeky, British couple rereads & discusses the Discworld books, at their dining table. https://diningtablediscworld.podbean.com Available on most pod catchers also YouTube & Facebook. @davegotsu.bsky.social @ctjhill.bsky.social
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dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Pleased to say that as well as us generally being at @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social, Cathy will be moderating the Terry Pratchett and the Discworld panel on the final day.
ctjhill.bsky.social
Pleased to say that I am moderating the Terry Pratchett and the Discworld panel at @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social, noon on Sunday. Been years since I've been on/moderated a panel at a con, but I'm more confident now. Also @dtdiscworld.bsky.social is now half way, through so I'm fairly well prepped.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - October 2002
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Paul Kidby
The depth in this picture is very strong, with the distant towers and even more distinct mountains. The plains are only glimpsed between other things but you know they're wide.
Golden plains with rocky outcrops, under an evening sky. Low rocks in the foreground, a tall tree just beyond and in the distance tall cliffs with a towered city between them. In the foreground a gormless lad with a fancy, red hat is playing a pipe. Climbing over the rocks around him is a grumpy-looking, fluffy, ginger cat, and a lot of brown rats. One rat has a candle melted into its back, another is dancing with a hat and cane. In the branches of the tree is the Death of Rats, a rat skeleton in a cowl, holding a scythe and limned in blue light. Beside him is a raven. In the sky, visible between the branches is a thing sliver of the crescent moon.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - October 1999
Colour of Magic & Light Fantastic by Jack Kirby
It's the edge of the world as we know it! There is a lot going on here, mostly Colour of Magic, but with some Light Fantastic characters thrown in there, maybe wondering why they're there
The edge of the Discworld is an ocean that falls into space, though space looks like a slightly cloudy blue sky here. The long net of the circumfence and it's posts curves away into the distance. Below the disc edge is the rimbow and beneath that we can see part of an elephant and turtle. In the centre is Rincewind, a wizzard with a long white beard and pointy, star-spangled hat, clinging in terror to the figurehead of a small sail boat that is caught on the net at the edge. Also on this boat is smiling Twoflower, who has glasses, and Death is lurking behind the sail with his scythe. Towing this boat away from the edge is a smaller rowing boat, filled by a watery, blue troll. To the left the Librarian, an orangutan in a purple wizard outfit, is on the circumfence. To the right, further away, a scantily clad man, with a scantily clad woman leaning on his back, is riding the Luggage (a wooden trunk with loads of little legs) over the water. The background has a bigger ship is on the water, and beyond that a small piece of land with various buildings and a rocket. In the blue sky above all this are the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, War visible waving a mace above his head and holding a sword, Death is also there with his scythe (so who is hiding on Rincewind's boat? Scrofula?). Further away in the sky is a transparent disc with a group of black-robed figures sitting around the edge, and another in the centre. A ladder dangles from this.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Our Hogfather episode references:
- @20thcenturymarc.marcburrows.co.uk 's Terry Pratchett show, since 2 quotes he uses early on are from this book
-How to stop future humans from tampering with nuclear waste
-Nightmare Before Christmas
-Live Aid, which might have aged badly
-so much Christmas stuff
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Hogfather
Death is covering for a festive figure. Despite wanting to be normal, Susan investigates the Hogfather's disappearance. Meanwhile the wizards find household spirits popping into existence. We discuss Christmas - er Hogswatch- traditions, & cool mythic stuff.
www.podbean.com/ew/pb-z95n2-...
Dining Table Discworld - Hogfather
Death is covering for a festive anthropomorphic personification, coming down the chimney with presents, a cushion up his robe and attempted jollity. Despite wanting to be normal, Susan investigates wh...
www.podbean.com
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
It's all most admiring. We were talking about the analgesic one
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Hogfather
Death covers for the festive gentleman, Susan investigates, the wizards blunder about and a gang of crooks are scared to death. We discuss Pratchett's range from the myffic to the mundane, profound observations about humanity to slighty grubby puns.
www.podbean.com/ew/pb-z95n2-...
Dining Table Discworld - Hogfather
Death is covering for a festive anthropomorphic personification, coming down the chimney with presents, a cushion up his robe and attempted jollity. Despite wanting to be normal, Susan investigates wh...
www.podbean.com
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
We're busy folk and so we put the time into the podcast more than promoting it. Also we aren't big names or anything. But the key thing is that you've found us now. :)
We are on @pratchatpodcast.com wiki, which lists more cool folk doing similar. guild.pratchatpodcast.com/index.php?ti...
Dining Table Discworld - Guild of Recappers & Podcasters
guild.pratchatpodcast.com
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - September 2008
I Aten't Dead by Sandy Nightingale
Granny Weatherwax with the bees and her ever useful sign. It's a summery image from a summery book, but September is often still pretty summery in England.
A white thatched cottage with plants growing up the walls and from the roof. The windows are wide open and on the windowsill are three dishes. Inside an old, white woman, wearing black, is lying on a bed with her mouth wide open. The bedspread has an orange and green geometric design. Bees are buzzing around the dishes and the old woman. She has a sign around her neck saying 'I Aten't Dead'
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
We're just reading it and even a few pages in when it goes "suddenly the problem was Klatch" feels far too real. Like I can immediately think of three groups that the UK press is doing this with. Though much of that isn't really sudden, and sadly the government seems to be falling for it.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
We commented in our Feet of Clay ep that Angua is an ally to Cheery, but Cheery is (initially/unknowingly) prejudiced against Angua. And Angua is prejudiced against golems, whereas Carrot becomes their ally. No one is Bad, everyone's got their baggage but it's shown to be complex and improving.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Our whole podcast is basically one of us taking a multi-year, 40 book run up to this.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
For the weekend crowd, our Hogfather episode is now live. At least it's cooler now than when we were reading and recording it.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Hogfather
Death is covering for a festive figure. Despite wanting to be normal, Susan investigates the Hogfather's disappearance. Meanwhile the wizards find household spirits popping into existence. We discuss Christmas - er Hogswatch- traditions, & cool mythic stuff.
www.podbean.com/ew/pb-z95n2-...
Dining Table Discworld - Hogfather
Death is covering for a festive anthropomorphic personification, coming down the chimney with presents, a cushion up his robe and attempted jollity. Despite wanting to be normal, Susan investigates wh...
www.podbean.com
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - September 2006
The Lancre Morris Men by Melvyn Grant
Now this is supposed to be midsummer, but the rain and gloom makes it feel very autumnal. Presumably Jason Ogg is the big guy at the front. The shadowy elves are very sinister, and are those horns or ears?
8 burly, white men are Morris dancing down a muddy lane in driving rain. 7 of them have black trousers and boots, white shirts, red socks and neckerchiefs, with open waistcoats on top. They also have a lot of small bells strapped to their shins, and are wielding heavy, wooden sticks. The burliest man at the front has a terrifying look on his face and is clearly bellowing into the storm as he stomps and jumps with his fellows. The 8th man seems smaller than the others, but isn't jumping. He is wearing a blue, ruffly dress with big pink butterfly wings attached to the back, on his head is a blonde wig that looks like straw. He is playing the accordion, and also has the ranks of bells on his shins, but he is far more subdued than the others, walking rather than jumping. Under the white greasepaint and red lipstick his expression is put upon and fearful. Behind the dancers, indistinct in the rain, are the silhouettes of at least mounted figures with quivers of arrows on their backs and helmets with tall, thin horns, assuming those are horns.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Hogfather
Death is covering for a festive figure. Despite wanting to be normal, Susan investigates the Hogfather's disappearance. Meanwhile the wizards find household spirits popping into existence. We discuss Christmas - er Hogswatch- traditions, & cool mythic stuff.
www.podbean.com/ew/pb-z95n2-...
Dining Table Discworld - Hogfather
Death is covering for a festive anthropomorphic personification, coming down the chimney with presents, a cushion up his robe and attempted jollity. Despite wanting to be normal, Susan investigates wh...
www.podbean.com
Reposted by Dining Table Discworld
malilarobinson.bsky.social
So, the world is on fire, but I rescued a turtle about 4 months ago, a while later she laid 3 eggs, 2 didn't make it, one I 'buried', and today... Please meet A'Tuin's baby: 'Om'. #TerryPratchett #DiscWorld #SmallGods
A hand is facing upwards and a tiny blackish baby turtle with a cracked open, off white egg, semi-attached is sitting on 3 of the hand's fingers. There is a gray wall in the background.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - September 2005
The God of Evolution designs the MK1 Elephant, later discontinued by David Wyatt
Some of the details in this could be gory or lean towards horror art, but it has a lightness that keeps it comic. The anatomical & workshop details make it an almost scientific WIP.
Imagine building an elephant, using various pieces of an elephant, but it's in a comic style not intended to be gross. So it's an elephant with the skin pulled back (or more accurately not yet attached), large ribs barely holding a sprawling pile of intestines. The front and back legs are attached to 2 axels with wheels on the outer ends, all in the colour and texture of elephant skin. The elephant is marked up with dotted lines, like a butcher's diagram, and there are labels on pins stuck in various places. In the midst of all this an old, white guy wearing a gown and slippers is standing on a wooden step ladder. Deep in thought he consults one of 2 floating leather bound books. His stuff is spread all around the floor, most of it is equipment and loose sheets with notes, drawings and diagrams, including a bird, an orangutan holding a skull and an elephant with a straw hut attached to its back and rear. There's a narrow chest of drawers next to the step ladder, one drawer is on the floor and contains neat rows of eyeballs. There are flies buzzing around the whole scene.
Reposted by Dining Table Discworld
esmeweatherwax8.bsky.social
In times like these, I desperately recommend reading Terry Pratchett.

It's an instant balm for my anxiety and depression with all the world's current events.

Over the last few weeks, I've read 2-4 Discworld books a week, and it has significantly improved my mental health.

#booksky
#Discworld
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - September 2004
Rincewind having trouble with the Octavo by Stuart Williams
Rincewind presumably in the midst of the drunken student dare that lead to one of the Eight Great spells being lodged in his head. Hard to say if the spell has just gone in or is about to.
A white guy with a long, pale chin beard and a very surprised expression, raises his hands in a mystical gesture. He is looking at a floating book with blue sparkles rising up from the pages, the book has knocked over a goblet of red wine. Behind him is a partly open wooden door with a sliver of stone stairs visible beyond.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - September 2003
The Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse by John Howe
The Discworld is barely visible, hidden in cloud with only mountains, and yet high as they are the Horsemen aren't quite in space either. The character depictions here are great, especially the way each is riding.
High in the sky, the tallest mountains poke through the spinning clouds far below. 5 figures with horses are lined up. The closest (Kaos) is on a chariot and wears bronze armour and a plumed hoplite helmet that covers his face. He holds up an icy, blue-white sword, with the cold streaming off of it, it's kind of the opposite of a flaming sword. The next figure (War) has a big, red beard and black, spiky helmet, he holds a smoky black sword or a small lance, and rides a black horse wearing dragon-like, spiky, black armour with eyes and nostrils glowing red. Unless it is actually a very horsey dragon. Past him is Famine, a slightly camp looking, grey-skinned guy wearing a fancy purple hat with a white feather and an elaborate, gold and white, puffy-sleeved jacket. His horse is very bony (without being a skeleton) and either has fangs or sharp looking ornaments on the tack. The fourth rider is Death, a skeleton with glowing red eyes wearing a black cowl and wielding a scythe. His horse (Binky) is white and looks strong and healthy even when not in this company. The final figure (Pestilence) is not visible, shrouded by Death's cowl, but his horse's head and foreleg is visible, it is a very unhealthy-looking horse, it seems kinda slimy and like stuff is coming off of it.
Reposted by Dining Table Discworld
speculativeinsight.bsky.social
Today is Father's Day in Australia, so hey! even if (like me) you don't much care, have a listicle from @tansyrr.bsky.social about the dads of the Discworld...

(I'm currently re-reading Soul Music, so I have Thoughts.)

www.speculativeinsight.com/extras
Purple background, white text, which says Who's the best dad in the Discworld? Can villains be great dads? Bedtime Stories & Bony Knees: Discworld Dads -- Tansy Rayner Roberts
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Discworld Calendar - September 1999
Guards! Guards! by Josh Kirby
How is it September already? Anyway, we carry on. Never noticed the background houses before, which seem to be in the sky? Or maybe the angles are just unusual, which works with the snake-like bend of the dragon's body & receding tail
A big, red dragon flies through the middle of the scene in a curve that looks almost like a sideways S. A gout of flame comes out of its mouth, pushing a group of armored men into the bottom right corner of the picture. A tall man waves a long sword in the dragon's face and another is aiming a bow and arrow at it. Zooming in circles around the red dragon's neck is a very small green dragon. Behind the bulk of the big dragon's body is a paved area with a big group of people. There is a big, square block of stone and chained to it is a fat woman with brown hair, wearing a voluminous but very revealing purple dress. Around her are 3 yellow trolls holding axes, some armed men and beyond is a crowd of men. In the background is blue sky and various houses with red-tiled roofs.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Ah, well that's a cool journey you're on. I mean any order is cool really. The Watch subseries is our joint favourite, in that we both have it as a favourite, but Cathy's other favourite is Witches and Dave's other favourite is Death.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Thanks, that's interesting. There's so much to the series and of course artists/the author will pick up on images that strike them but might not hit the reader. I did have to double check the source of the previous August pic, and only after that spotted Two Flower in the background.
dtdiscworld.bsky.social
Ah thanks! Not a book we've got to yet in the podcast, and also one we've only read once a long time ago.
There really is so much to the series, and some pics across the calendars are brief moments in one book that obviously inspired an artist but maybe flashed by a reader (well us, anyway).