The Science of Discworld: A Novel by Terry Pratchett (MOBI)

Description

Not just another science book and not just another Discworld novella, The Science of Discworld is a creative, mind-bending mash-up of fiction and fact, that offers a wizard’s-eye view of our world that will forever change how you look at the universe.Can Unseen University’s eccentric wizards and orangutan Librarian possibly shed any useful light on hard, rational Earthly science? In the course of an exciting experiment, the wizards of Discworld have accidentally created a new universe. Within this universe is a planet that they name Roundworld. Roundworld is, of course, Earth, and the universe is our own. As the wizards watch their creation grow, Terry Pratchett and acclaimed science writers Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen use Discworld to examine science from the outside. Interwoven with the Pratchett’s original story are entertaining, enlightening chapters which explain key scientific principles such as the Big Bang theory and the evolution of life on earth, as well as great moments in the history of science.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Being Discworld, this book cannot possibly be bad. It can’t even be mediocre. It has to be brilliant, by definition. And Sir Terry’s bits are indeed brilliant, as always. But the scientists just drone on and on, in far more detail than needed. And I can’t always tell how what they’re describing relates to the story. It’s not that I’m not a big science fan, I am, and I read a lot of science books. Maybe I was expecting something a bit different. I think I was expecting, oh, I don’t know, maybe how Roundworld laws of physics compare to their Discworld equivalents, if that makes any sense.

⭐Well. Another thing from Terry Pratchett (and some other guys) that I read. And it’s good, which is to be expected, because Pratchett. And some other guys. And SCIENCE.Worth the money, Worth the read.

⭐This was great. Combo of discworld and real world science. Both my favorite topics. Unlike what the title may suggest, this book is not about the science of discworld at all. Rather, it just uses a discworld story as a take off point to talk about concepts such as origins of the universe , history of science and evolution. And it is written in a very entertaining way. The only major knock against the book is that it has a very western focus (where people tend to focus on scientific achievements in the west only. As if we went straight from Plato to Newton with no progress in between). The second issue is the fact that it is a bit dated and new discoveries have happened since but there is no science or history book immune from that but read it soon! All in all, 4.9 stars rounded up to 5

⭐Five stars? I lied, but it’s Terry Pratchett, so what can I say? This book is WAY over my head. Ian Stewart, and Jack Cohen are marvelous writers who could make any rock fascinating. The problems are all my own. The science goes in one ear and out the other. I wish for more delightful Discworld character development and action, because I want to escape into Discworld. In this book the escapes are limited, and the science is long. However, if you have more brain power than I do, you will LOVE this book. The science is amazing, and very different from what I learned in high school! Here’s a sample, “… the point is that most of the atoms from which you are made must have come into being inside a star. As Jonie Mitchell sang at Woodstck, `We are Stardust.’Scientist like quoting this line, because it sounds as though they were young once.”

⭐I confess after the first couple of hard science chapters, I began to skip them in order to stay in Discworld. It’s been a tough week and my brain just wasn’t up to reality. That said, this is a charming Discworld tale. Not, for me, riotously funny – others in my household disagree. We all have our favorite branches of Discworld society. The hard science appears to be both solid and witty, and a sly way to sneak some “real” knowledge into the portion of my family that appears to have gotten only the creative half of a brain. Once I am ready for a visit to reality I will read all the chapters. Also when I can get it back from the rest of the hoard.

⭐Although Terry Pratchett (may he rest in peace) wrote his Discworld series as “Fantasy,” it was always firmly grounded in real science and history–from which it promptly took off into the stratosphere of the author’s spectacular imagination. This is less a novel (though alternate chapters tell a story) than a science text. In fact, I would love to have this book (updated from 1999), and its companions (Science of Discworld II, III and IV) used as junior high science texts all over the country! The chapters (written by Pratchett) that tell a story give perfect context for the chapters that provide an entertaining dose of “hard science” (attributed to Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen), leading to questions to be asked in the next story-chapter. The explanations are understandable, yet thorough–the story is funny, surprising, and all around delightful!Please read this book–better yet, please read this book to the nearest 7th-grader.

⭐I read one that a borrowed from a friend, and bought this one for my library and to lend to others. A fantastic review of many aspects of physical science as understood at the turn of century. But, I am not a fiction fan. The discworld fantasy chapters did not interest me at all, and after the first and third chapter I skipped all alternate “discworld”-centered chapters. I am working my way through the second book in the series and again find myself put off by the discworld chapters so far…. I will likely skip the fantasy chapters in this volume, too.

⭐This is not a book for the faint hearted. First of all, it’s about the science of this world. Secondly, you have to pay attention while you’re reading. Half of this book is a lighthearted romp with Rincewind and the other wizards at UU as they explore the unmagical world they’ve created, and half of the book is a rigorous look at the physics that govern our universe. It’s rewarding, but at the same time, it should be taken in small bites so it can be savored.I would recommend it for the science geek. If you enjoy Scientific American, you will enjoy this book.

⭐I love Terry Pratchett, and have done ever since the blessed day I, a tireless but usually disappointed literary explorer, discovered the Discworld. This book was more about Roundworld, which is a less interesting place, and became a little less interesting, and a little less joyous, on the sad day Pratchett left us. Still, there was some interesting stuff here, and a few chuckles. Earth is great at exterminating life forms but I believe any species that can boast Terry Pratchett as one of its members deserves to make it. Giant ice balls, bugger off!

⭐A light-hearted attempt to discuss the philosophy of science by disguising it as Discworld magic – what’s the difference between science and magic? Not much, really, for most of us.The Magic is mildly entertaining. The Science interesting, but perhaps a bit haphazard – all sorts of different sciences. A Grand Theory of Everything? Not todayBut it doesn’t really work for me. The Magic isn’t very funny, and the Science drags on. I got about half way through

⭐This book is a nice piece of science divulgation. I have used successfully some of this material in a medical symposium, where I had to speak about evidence based madicine, so for me it was a great buy!The book consists of two alternating parts: one chapter belongs to the Unseen University, by Pratchett, the next one is a scientific explanation or comment on the previous chapter by Ian. The magicians in the Unseen University, with the help of their computer try to make a new universe. As usual, those people make things impossible and funny.The best part, which I think is the aim of the whole business, is that about science, knowledge, phylosophy, etc. Ian touches all the fields that we need to understand to know the difference between sicence and sorcery, between knowledge and opinion or prejudice. He takes the reader by the hand and brings him from atoms to dinosaurs and galaxies. These explanations are truly informative and as good as a class. I think that anybody interested in science should have a read at it before taking a book of hard science. The weakest part is that by Pratchett, that is constrained by the need to write a story about science that then can be commented on, but with his usual wit and fun.Maybe not so great for Pratchett funs, used to his much more hillarious books, but great for every scientific wouldbes.

⭐I hadn’t realised these “Science of” were discworld stories, as well as an explanation of science. I had assumed they were like the “folklore” of which is also a brilliant book – but actually about the folklore of our world which provides the starting point for so much of what in Discworld is real.So I was delighted to find that this is a story about the wizards, (so I haven’t run out after all and there are more of these!) as well as a non-technical (maths free) but very lucid and thoughtful discussion of “roundworld” science – real science that is, contrastred with what happens on discworld – which runs on Narrativium – the power of story.I would really recomend this to anyone interested in science – and more importantly anyone who thinks they’re not interested in science – because everybody must want to know how it all works!If you’re a discworld fan you get a story interleaved with a really good introductory science book and if you’re not – you can just skip those chapters but do read the science

⭐Firstly, this is worth reading. The science parts are (contrary to some of the more negative reviews) presented fairly, highlighting where the authors preferred theory differs from the current orthodox theory.The Discworld story intertwined with the science does its job, but isn’t Terry’s finest work. It feels disjointed, with the science parts requiring more careful reading than Terry’s story. Due to this, the science parts seem to continue for longer than the story, and the balance seems to be 66% science and 33% story. I fear that the blame for any disappointment may unfairly fall on Terry’s co-authors, when actually I feel that a bit more effort on the story side may have raised this to a different level. I enjoyed this book, but a more substantial story would have made this a 4 or 5 star read.

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