New books by Mark Burrows
- Thread starter Who's Wee Dug
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Marc also wrote the first biography about Terry (The Magic of Terry Pratchett), a few years before Rob's biography came out. They are both great books, and Marc and Rob are now pretty good friends (I've interviewed/seen interviews with them both).
Marc also turned his biography into a comedy lecture show (also titled "The Magic of Terry Pratchett") which has done extensive touring of the UK over the past several years, with a few international runs including at the Adelaide Fringe in 2025, which is where I managed to see it (and Marc came out to dinner with our local fan club after the show too).
I'm quite excited about these new books - part 1 comes out this year, and part 2 next year, because Marc is actually doing a deep dive into /all/ of Terry's books (not just Discworld), so it's less of a biography and more of a critical analysis bibliography - and given that Marc is not just a comedian and author, but a musician and a newspaper columnist (you'll often see his name on articles relating to Terry), I'm sure his insights will be very good to read - even if you don't agree with every one of his opinions.
If you want to know what the contents of this book will be like, Marc has put a sample chapter (about Strata) up on his website here: https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/terry-pratchett-readers-guide
He also recently published an extract of his "Equal Rites" chapter on various social media platforms.
Marc also turned his biography into a comedy lecture show (also titled "The Magic of Terry Pratchett") which has done extensive touring of the UK over the past several years, with a few international runs including at the Adelaide Fringe in 2025, which is where I managed to see it (and Marc came out to dinner with our local fan club after the show too).
I'm quite excited about these new books - part 1 comes out this year, and part 2 next year, because Marc is actually doing a deep dive into /all/ of Terry's books (not just Discworld), so it's less of a biography and more of a critical analysis bibliography - and given that Marc is not just a comedian and author, but a musician and a newspaper columnist (you'll often see his name on articles relating to Terry), I'm sure his insights will be very good to read - even if you don't agree with every one of his opinions.
If you want to know what the contents of this book will be like, Marc has put a sample chapter (about Strata) up on his website here: https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/terry-pratchett-readers-guide
He also recently published an extract of his "Equal Rites" chapter on various social media platforms.
I still haven't read the non-Discworld books. :-\ I'm sure some people here would be either shocked by this, or ask "What are you waiting for?" or say "HERETIC! BURN HIM!" 
But I came into Discworld almost sideways, I guess. I started with Interesting Times, which was interesting (pardon the pun) but I was a bit lost because I had no idea who Rincewind or Cohen the Barbarian were. :-\ After a bit of a hiatus, I started reading other Discworldy books, got hooked, started scouring 2nd-hand bookshops for the earlier books, and the rest is, etc.
Of course I know Terry wrote books before Discworld, but part of me is afraid that they won't be as good. *shrug* At my local library, Strata and the Johnny books etc. are in the "Children's" section, which forms a little barrier all of its own. (The last time I went to the "Children's" section was to find Asterix comics for my niece, and I was frowned at, as if the parents reading to their kids were like: How dare you?) =P
I also tried to find the pre-Discworld books at bookshops, but they don't seem to exist anywhere. It's as if there's a great conspiracy around them to stop people from buying them, which is strange. (I can't find the Long Earth books in bookshops, either -- does anyone know what's happened? Did they simply not sell as well?)
But I came into Discworld almost sideways, I guess. I started with Interesting Times, which was interesting (pardon the pun) but I was a bit lost because I had no idea who Rincewind or Cohen the Barbarian were. :-\ After a bit of a hiatus, I started reading other Discworldy books, got hooked, started scouring 2nd-hand bookshops for the earlier books, and the rest is, etc.
Of course I know Terry wrote books before Discworld, but part of me is afraid that they won't be as good. *shrug* At my local library, Strata and the Johnny books etc. are in the "Children's" section, which forms a little barrier all of its own. (The last time I went to the "Children's" section was to find Asterix comics for my niece, and I was frowned at, as if the parents reading to their kids were like: How dare you?) =P
I also tried to find the pre-Discworld books at bookshops, but they don't seem to exist anywhere. It's as if there's a great conspiracy around them to stop people from buying them, which is strange. (I can't find the Long Earth books in bookshops, either -- does anyone know what's happened? Did they simply not sell as well?)
In Strata you can spot the inkling of Discworld, I found it funny it's about terraforming worlds mostly by future students and the japes they try to get away with, you are missing out not reading them.
Dark Side of the Sun is also good in mop. but Stata is my favourite between the two more laughs.
So go to the library and check them out. Click on the link in Molokov's post for a deeper review
Dark Side of the Sun is also good in mop.
but Stata is my favourite between the two more laughs.So go to the library and check them out. Click on the link in Molokov's post for a deeper review