Pratchat - a Terry Pratchett and Discworld book club

Where's my cow? Is that my cow? It goes, "Hi, I'm Elizabeth Flux. And I'm Ben McKenzie. Welcome to Pratchat, the monthly Terry Pratchett book club podcast." It is #Pratchat62, with special guests Joanna Hagan and Francine Carrel, from The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret, and a very special Discworld book! That's not my cow!

The first thing Terry wrote, he wrote...actually, we don't have time for that. The 34th thing Terry wrote, he wrote about Tak, about dwarfs and trolls, about Commander Vimes, and about a board game... Join Liz, Ben and guest Matt Roden as they discuss 2005's political thriller Discworld novel, Thud!

Thanks to some scheduling problems, we had to shove our episode about Thud! the novel to November 25th - but that means Ben's been able to capture academic and professional nerd Dr Melissa Rogerson to play and discuss Thud the board game in this bonus episode!

We're sixty! Sixty episodes, that is. So we're once again skipping the reading part of the book club to answer a tonne of your questions. We talk everything from villains to birds to poking corpses, making our own dresses and owning a living bicycle. And of course: books.

Roundworld’s gone wrong again! Humanity is doomed because some bloke named Charles wrote the wrong book. But what - or who - changed history? Why? And can the wizards fix it? Science and Fiction writer Dr Kat Day joins us to talk The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch!

Sally Lindsay, super-stepper, is going on the ultimate road trip with her Dad - only where they're going, there are no roads. But why go to Mars when you have infinite Earths at home? He won't say... Meanwhile Joshua Valienté chases rumours of super-smart kids, and Captain Maggie Kauffman flies her airship farther into the Long Earth than ever before. Writer and podcaster Joel Martin returns to di...

We've all found unexpected things on the doorstep after a pint too many. In Kevin Dogger's case, it's Erdan the Barbarian - the hero of his series of fantasy novels, whom he killed off in a fit of pique the night before... Join returning guest, writer Penny Love, as we discuss Pratchett's 1988 short story "FINAL REWARD"!

Fasten your "moving belt", return your podcatcher to the upright position and watch out for craters as we make an emergency step sideways! In this last-minute replacement bonus episode, Liz and Ben take a look at Pratchett's 1986 short story "The High Meggas" - the basis for his later Long Earth novels, co-authored with Stephen Baxter.

In a future where artificial reality technology allows anyone to edit their world - or escape to another one entirely - Darren Thompson makes a living keeping the machines going. But his latest job features a corpse, a suit and an apartment full of coppers... Sean Williams joins us to talk about Pratchett's 1990 short story, "#ifdefDEBUG + 'world'/'enough' + 'time'"!

What do we want? Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably Priced Love, a Hard-Boiled Egg...and another Bonus Episode of Pratchat! Join us for our second annual discussion of topics chosen by our Eeek tier subscribers, in celebration of the Glorious 25th of May.

The last hero on the Disc is going out with a bang - and he might just take everyone else with him! But who do you send to stop a hero? A genius? Another hero? A coward? How about all three... Georgina Chadderton joins us to talk the 27th Discworld book, THE LAST HERO, and its lavish illustrations by Paul Kidby!

Revolution is in the air! The people call out for truth, justice, freedom, reasonably priced love...and a hard-boiled egg? Yes, don your lilac and watch out for lightning as Nadia Bailey joins us to go back to our own pasts in the 29th Discworld novel, NIGHT WATCH.

Thanks to a technical glitch, we've had to send our next book Night Watch a month into the future - but fear not! In it's place we take the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the world of Ankh-Morpork, as expressed through three of Pratchett's shortest Discworld writings: the Ankh-Morpork National Anthem, some Medical Notes on some unique medical complaints, and a speech given by Lord Vetinari hi...

A dragon summoned by a dead man threatens the city! Time to neck a bottle of whiskey, strap on an electric guitar, and get the band back together. Patrick Lenton and Fury pick up their remotes and join us to watch THE WATCH!

When the beat calls, teenage witch Tiffany Aching answers...and attracts some unwanted attention from the ancient spirit of winter. But is he more Mr Freeze or Iceman? She's not sure yet - but there's plenty of other trouble to deal with while she finds out... Bestselling sci-fi and fantasy author Garth Nix joins us to talk WINTERSMITH.

In our fiftieth episode we cooked three recipes from Nanny Ogg's Cookbook...but the book has around fifty! So get ready for a Hogswatch feast with no fewer than ten special guests, including previous guests Elly Squire, Nadia Bailey and Anna Ahveninen, future guest Liam Pieper, and the hosts of three other Pratchett podcasts: Wyrd Sisters, The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret, and the Compleat Discography...

Throwing caution to the wind, J H C Goatberger has once again published a book of Nanny Ogg's recipes - and guest Cal Wilson and your hosts Liz and Ben have gamely tried to cook some of its contents! Join us for a discussion of the wit, wisdom and practical application of Nanny Ogg's Cookbook in this, Pratchat's fiftieth episode.

What can a man and a girl do with some copper wire? Only change the history of England! Except this isn't England - it's Albion. A world you could only get to in a broken time machine - part history, part legend... Arts journalist, critic and broadcaster Richard Watts joins us to talk about Terry Pratchett's 1995 short story, "Once and Future".

It's a case of "The Clock, the Thief, His Mother & Her Lover" as time stands still on Discworld.* It's up to Susan Sto Helit, apprentice history monk Lobsang Ludd, his mentor Lu-Tze and their weird and wonderful allies to get the Universe ticking again, or there'll be no tomorrow.** Journalist Ben Riley joins Liz and Ben to discuss Terry Pratchett's 26th Discworld novel, Thief of Time. * Literally...

When their non-magical universe in a bottle contracts a nasty case of elves, the wizards of Unseen University visit Earth to whip up a Shakespeare, since stories can turn apes into proper humans. Look, it'll probably all make sense when science comedian Alanta Colley joins Liz and Ben to discuss Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen's The Science of Discworld II: The Globe.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar! What is it good for? We endeavour to find out, as writer and editor Deanne Sheldon-Collins joins us to travel the Long Earth once more in Terry Pratchett's second collaboration with Stephen Baxter, The Long War. Soundtrack by The Kinks.

Live from the online Australian Discworld Convention, Nullus Anxietas: The Lost Con, Liz and Ben go back to the beginning and revisit the very first book discussed on the show: 1996's Men at Arms!

This world is but a tissue spread over the depths of Chaos. A tissue that may be torn at any moment by...carol singers?! Lay back, get as comfortable as the ropes will allow and hold on to your sanity as writer Penelope Love joins Liz and Ben for a Christmas in July treat: Pratchett's 1987 Victorian-style horror story, "Twenty Pence, with Envelope and Seasonal Greeting".

Surprise! We're bumping The Long War to August 2021 (#Pratchat46). For #Pratchat45 in July 2021, we're instead discussing the short story "Twenty Pence, With Envelope and Seasonal Greeting". Listen to this mini-episode or read the episode notes for more!

The Discworld is in trouble: the turtle on which it sits is heading straight for a red star! Unfortunately the only people who can help are the Disc's worst wizard, its first tourist, his terrifying magical walking Luggage, a sacrificial virgin who's miffed to be rescued and a barbarian hero whose retirement plan is "just keep pillaging"... Joel Martin joins us to discuss the second ever Discworld...