If you don’t know, I have been working my way leisurely through Terry Pratchett’s 41 novel Discworld over the last few years. I haven’t been reviewing them, because there doesn’t really seem to be a point. If you haven’t read them, you should. If you have read them, you know why everyone who hasn’t should. They are truly some of the best fantasy novels ever written, and you are doing yourself a grave disservice if you haven’t checked them out. However, I am nearing the end of my grand read (I have five books left), and I have been wondering if I should discuss the series in some form as I wrap it up. Then the talented Mr. Paul Kidby kindly provided me with a catalyst.
Terry Pratchett sadly passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2015, and I get the sense that many people have been hoping for some sort of Discworld compendium since then. It takes time to get those sorts of gears in motion, but the first pieces are starting to roll out. When I was given the chance to read a review copy of Paul Kidby’s Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, it felt like kismet.
Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is part art book, part biographical short story collection, and all a celebration of Discworld art and a brilliant homage to the decades-long collaboration between artist Paul Kidby and Sir Terry Pratchett. Kidby was the cover artist for several Discworld books, and he also created a vast number of bonus art pieces and supplementary materials for various worldbuilding and supporting elements as Pratchett expanded his universe.
Normally, I am not one to go in for art books. However, this piece goes into illuminating and informative detail of the thought process and design between a huge number of iconic characters. It has stunning art laid out in a wonderful manner. It shows how the Discworld was brought to visual life—from the earliest sketches to the final magnificent masterpieces—and how Pratchett and Kidby were influenced by art and pop culture, fusing them into the Discworld universe. While Pratchett was the undisputed creative fountainhead, for three decades Kidby has been the artistic force taking the people, places, and pieces of man-eating luggage from Terry’s ever-fertile imagination right into our world.
One of the defining characteristics of reading Discworld, to me, is its impressive fusion of an intimate reading experience about themes and ideas that feel universal to the human experience. As a result, while I can always feel Pratchett’s opinions and vibes in each individual book, I have struggled to put my finger on the larger ethos of the Discworld series as a whole. Although they carry many through lines across the entire series, each entry feels very distinct from the others. As I read Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, it built a bridge in my mind that helped me better link all of the stories and ideas into a clear web of Pratchett’s world. Discworld has always been about characters and charictures. Turning clever observations about the human mind and condition into living avatars of folly. Each book individually does a fabulous job ofpoking fun at specific pieces of pop culture and behavior, but Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld gives a bird’s eye view of Terry’s larger philosophy through his character design work with Kidby. It made the Discworld feel more like a cohesive place, and I enjoyed that immensely.
If you are a fan of Discworld, Paul Kidby’s Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is a delightful addition to the series reading experience. Pratchett was taken from the world much too soon, and I hope that this is only the first of many pieces that come out in the near future, tributing the power and legacy of his many books.
Rating: Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld – 9.0/10
-Andrew
An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.
