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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   1413 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 11, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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Hey, The Motte. Recommend us some books that are fun to read and that aren't about the destination, but the journey. Books that delight the reader with clever turns of phrase, witty jokes or badass scenes every few pages.

The whole diskworld series by Terry Pratchett. The plot is roughly "use fantasy tropes to make fun of the real world" and has excellent longterm story arcs along those lines. But it's also full of excellent one-liners like the following:

Give a man fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.

Les caught Akhan's eye. They exchanged a very brief glance which was nevertheless modulated with a considerable amount of information, beginning with the sheer galactic-sized embarrassment of having parents and working up from there.

Thunder rolled. It rolled a six.

Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.

Against all rationality, his hair ached.

Thou shalt not submit thy god to market forces!

HUMAN BEINGS MAKE LIFE SO INTERESTING. DO YOU KNOW, THAT IN A UNIVERSE SO FULL OF WONDERS, THEY HAVE MANAGED TO INVENT BOREDOM.

In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.

To call Rincewind's understanding of magic atrocious left no word to describe his practical application of it

Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder. Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels. Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies. Elves are glamorous. They project glamour. Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment. Elves are terrific. They beget terror.

The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.

No one ever said elves are nice.

Elves are bad.

Thou shalt not submit thy god to market forces!

Which book is this from?

I think it’s been a decade since I last read Pratchett and should probably get back to it.

"Small Gods"

But I had to look that up, so clearly it's been too long for me too...

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