Book:The Last Hero/Annotations - Revision history

Guybrush: Updated intro to account for 2024 paperback which will have a new layout

2023-12-22T01:49:43Z

Updated intro to account for 2024 paperback which will have a new layout

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:49, 22 December 2023
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	These are annotations for the book '''{{TLH}}'''. Note that ~~since the 2002 Gollancz softcover edition,~~ the consistent layout means that ~~all~~ editions ~~(in English at least)~~ share exactly the same page numbers~~. Only~~ the original hardcover ~~differs, as it's missing~~ the sixteen extra pages of new illustrations added to the ~~later ones~~. The first ~~one~~ appears on page 50 in newer editions, so before that the pages are in sync, and then drift further out. We've noted both page numbers where appropriate.		These are annotations for the book '''{{TLH}}'''. Note that the consistent layout of the book means that the English editions from before 2024 share exactly the same page numbers, except that the original hardcover lacks the sixteen extra pages of new illustrations added with the 2002 Gollancz softcover. The first of those appears on page 50 in newer editions, so before that the pages are in sync, and then drift further out. We've noted both page numbers where appropriate, and will update these references when possible to include the new 2024 paperback, which has promised a new layout.

	==Specific annotations==		==Specific annotations==

Superluser: typo

2023-04-29T22:43:13Z

typo

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	;Page 111 (2001 hardcover)/121 (subsequent editions):''Adorno maximus, magister!'' - Leonard of Quirm's declaration on designing Rincewind's spacesuit translates to "Suits you, sir!" - the catchphrase of the very camp tailors in BBC long-running comedy series, ''[[wikipedia:The Fast Show\|The Fast Show]]''.		;Page 111 (2001 hardcover)/121 (subsequent editions):''Adorno maximus, magister!'' - Leonard of Quirm's declaration on designing Rincewind's spacesuit translates to "Suits you, sir!" - the catchphrase of the very camp tailors in BBC long-running comedy series, ''[[wikipedia:The Fast Show\|The Fast Show]]''.
	:''Weighted boots'': There is an old urban legend that a significant number of people believe that there is no gravity on the moon but the astronauts were held down by "[https://milk.com/wall-o-shame/heavy_boots.~~htm~~ heavy boots]." This may or may not be an intentional reference.		:''Weighted boots'': There is an old urban legend that a significant number of people believe that there is no gravity on the moon but the astronauts were held down by "[https://milk.com/wall-o-shame/heavy_boots.html heavy boots]." This may or may not be an intentional reference.

	;Page 117 (2001 hardcover)/129 (subsequent editions):"It's your own fault," he said. "I '''''told''''' you. Small steps. Not giant ones." - Rincewind is misquoting [[wikipedia:Neil Armstrong\|Neil Armstrong's]] famous quote "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" (sic) as he bandages the Librarian's head.		;Page 117 (2001 hardcover)/129 (subsequent editions):"It's your own fault," he said. "I '''''told''''' you. Small steps. Not giant ones." - Rincewind is misquoting [[wikipedia:Neil Armstrong\|Neil Armstrong's]] famous quote "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" (sic) as he bandages the Librarian's head.

Superluser: Mevlevi Order

2023-03-17T16:15:44Z

Mevlevi Order

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:15, 17 March 2023
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	:The whole extended sequence hearkens back to the original use of this device in {{COM}}, where the Lady outwits Fate as 'the die flipped gently onto a point, spun round, and came down a seven. Blind Io picked up the cube and counted the sides. "Come ''on'', he said, wearily. "Play fair!"'		:The whole extended sequence hearkens back to the original use of this device in {{COM}}, where the Lady outwits Fate as 'the die flipped gently onto a point, spun round, and came down a seven. Blind Io picked up the cube and counted the sides. "Come ''on'', he said, wearily. "Play fair!"'
	:This time, the Lady's reward is an angry and contemptuous tirade from Cohen.		:This time, the Lady's reward is an angry and contemptuous tirade from Cohen.

			;Page 150 (subsequent editions): ''Hurtling Whirlers of Klatch'': A reference to the ''[[wikipedia:Mevlevi Order\|Mevlevi Order]]'' known (possibly offensively) as the "Whirling Dervishes"

	;Page 156 (hardcover edition)/172 (subsequent editions):At the end, the formerly foppish minstel is seen transformed, wearing the animal-skins of a barbarian warrior, a sword at his side, and even the light around him taking on the heroic air of the character on the front of a typical Iron Maiden album sleeve... has he discovered '''''heavy metal? ''''' This might be typical of the origins of many of the great seventies heavy bands - Deep Purple and Status Quo both began as typical flower-power psychedelic bands in the late sixties, their earliest released work (''Book of Taliesyn, Pictures of Matchstick Men'', et c) being almost completely unrecognisable, in terms of musical content and the foppy Carnaby Street clothes they wore, from what their ''ouevre'' later mutated into. Led Zeppelin were born out of the ashes of sixties' experimental band the Yardbirds, and most amusingly, Spinal Tap started as a band called the Kingsmen who performed an anodyne first single called ''Listen To The Flowers Grow''. (A theme they later revisited as ''Working In My Sex Garden'').		;Page 156 (hardcover edition)/172 (subsequent editions):At the end, the formerly foppish minstel is seen transformed, wearing the animal-skins of a barbarian warrior, a sword at his side, and even the light around him taking on the heroic air of the character on the front of a typical Iron Maiden album sleeve... has he discovered '''''heavy metal? ''''' This might be typical of the origins of many of the great seventies heavy bands - Deep Purple and Status Quo both began as typical flower-power psychedelic bands in the late sixties, their earliest released work (''Book of Taliesyn, Pictures of Matchstick Men'', et c) being almost completely unrecognisable, in terms of musical content and the foppy Carnaby Street clothes they wore, from what their ''ouevre'' later mutated into. Led Zeppelin were born out of the ashes of sixties' experimental band the Yardbirds, and most amusingly, Spinal Tap started as a band called the Kingsmen who performed an anodyne first single called ''Listen To The Flowers Grow''. (A theme they later revisited as ''Working In My Sex Garden'').

Superluser: The Right Stuff

2023-03-17T15:53:15Z

The Right Stuff

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	:The net result of this is a system where Britain has a great number of Arts grads who might be up to speed in English Lit or History, but who at age 21 last saw the inside of a laboratory at age 15 and who are woefully science-illiterate. Similarly, we have science grads who last read a novel at school and whose foreign language skills, viewed as belonging to Arts, have atrophied. These are the Two Tribes, whose stereotyped opinions of the other are illustrated by the interaction between Vetinari and Stibbons.		:The net result of this is a system where Britain has a great number of Arts grads who might be up to speed in English Lit or History, but who at age 21 last saw the inside of a laboratory at age 15 and who are woefully science-illiterate. Similarly, we have science grads who last read a novel at school and whose foreign language skills, viewed as belonging to Arts, have atrophied. These are the Two Tribes, whose stereotyped opinions of the other are illustrated by the interaction between Vetinari and Stibbons.
	:Leonard of Quirm, in contrast, embraces both Art and Science equally, as befits an expy for Leonardo da Vinci: the archetypal "Renaissance Man", who masters both.		:Leonard of Quirm, in contrast, embraces both Art and Science equally, as befits an expy for Leonardo da Vinci: the archetypal "Renaissance Man", who masters both.
			:''you've definitely got the wrong stuff'': ''[[wikipedia:The Right Stuff\|The Right Stuff]]'' is a Roundworld book, later film, later miniseries about the first manned US spaceflights. The equivalent book in Discworld, I suppose, would be the one that this annotation is for.

	;Page 139 (hardcover edition)/153 (subsequent editions):Cohen chops the dice in two as it tumbles, so that the two halves come down together as a one and a six, making a seven. There are referents to this feat in both Norse and Irish mythology, the trick being attributed to both Finn McCool and to King Olaf of Norway, when in a dispute with the King of Sweden over ownership of an island, they diced for it. The Swedish king rolled two sixes, knowing this was unlikely to be beaten. Olaf rolled two dice, one coming down as a six, and the second induced to come down as a winning seven due to the intervention of his sword-blade.		;Page 139 (hardcover edition)/153 (subsequent editions):Cohen chops the dice in two as it tumbles, so that the two halves come down together as a one and a six, making a seven. There are referents to this feat in both Norse and Irish mythology, the trick being attributed to both Finn McCool and to King Olaf of Norway, when in a dispute with the King of Sweden over ownership of an island, they diced for it. The Swedish king rolled two sixes, knowing this was unlikely to be beaten. Olaf rolled two dice, one coming down as a six, and the second induced to come down as a winning seven due to the intervention of his sword-blade.

Superluser: heavy boots

2023-03-17T14:57:34Z

heavy boots

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:57, 17 March 2023
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	;Page 111 (2001 hardcover)/121 (subsequent editions):''Adorno maximus, magister!'' - Leonard of Quirm's declaration on designing Rincewind's spacesuit translates to "Suits you, sir!" - the catchphrase of the very camp tailors in BBC long-running comedy series, ''[[wikipedia:The Fast Show\|The Fast Show]]''.		;Page 111 (2001 hardcover)/121 (subsequent editions):''Adorno maximus, magister!'' - Leonard of Quirm's declaration on designing Rincewind's spacesuit translates to "Suits you, sir!" - the catchphrase of the very camp tailors in BBC long-running comedy series, ''[[wikipedia:The Fast Show\|The Fast Show]]''.
			:''Weighted boots'': There is an old urban legend that a significant number of people believe that there is no gravity on the moon but the astronauts were held down by "[https://milk.com/wall-o-shame/heavy_boots.htm heavy boots]." This may or may not be an intentional reference.

	;Page 117 (2001 hardcover)/129 (subsequent editions):"It's your own fault," he said. "I '''''told''''' you. Small steps. Not giant ones." - Rincewind is misquoting [[wikipedia:Neil Armstrong\|Neil Armstrong's]] famous quote "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" (sic) as he bandages the Librarian's head.		;Page 117 (2001 hardcover)/129 (subsequent editions):"It's your own fault," he said. "I '''''told''''' you. Small steps. Not giant ones." - Rincewind is misquoting [[wikipedia:Neil Armstrong\|Neil Armstrong's]] famous quote "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" (sic) as he bandages the Librarian's head.

Superluser: The Star voyaging dragon is very similar to a ramscoop

2023-03-17T14:31:39Z

The Star voyaging dragon is very similar to a ramscoop

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:31, 17 March 2023
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	;Page 107 (2001 hardcover)/115 (subsequent editions):''"Nucleus situm ex orbita, unus certis maximus"'' - dog-Latin for "nuke the site from orbit, just to make sure!" - a shout-out to ''[[wikipedia:Aliens (film)\|Aliens]]''?		;Page 107 (2001 hardcover)/115 (subsequent editions):''"Nucleus situm ex orbita, unus certis maximus"'' - dog-Latin for "nuke the site from orbit, just to make sure!" - a shout-out to ''[[wikipedia:Aliens (film)\|Aliens]]''?
			:''Gaping Maw (to trawl debris from the void)'': This description closely resembles a [[wikipedia:Bussard Ramjet\|Bussard Ramjet]], an interstellar spacecraft design which leaves for its destination without enough fuel for its fusion engines but uses enormous "scoops" to collect hydrogen from the interstellar medium along the way.

	;Pages 116-117 (2002 softcover and later editions only):The illustration here of the UU faculty, Vetinari and the Luggage viewing the spell in the ship's hold is based closely on the 1766 painting ''A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun'' by Joseph Wright of Derby. Derby also painted ''An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump'', which Kidby used as the inspiration for the cover of {{SOD1}}.		;Pages 116-117 (2002 softcover and later editions only):The illustration here of the UU faculty, Vetinari and the Luggage viewing the spell in the ship's hold is based closely on the 1766 painting ''A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun'' by Joseph Wright of Derby. Derby also painted ''An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump'', which Kidby used as the inspiration for the cover of {{SOD1}}.

Guybrush at 04:01, 6 August 2022

2022-08-06T04:01:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:01, 6 August 2022
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	~~From~~ the 2002 Gollancz softcover edition, the consistent layout means that all English ~~editions~~ share exactly the same page numbers. Only the original hardcover differs, as it's missing the sixteen extra pages of new illustrations added to the later ones. The first one appears on page 50 in newer editions, so before that the pages are in sync, and then drift further out. We've noted both page numbers where appropriate.		These are annotations for the book '''{{TLH}}'''. Note that since the 2002 Gollancz softcover edition, the consistent layout means that all editions (in English at least) share exactly the same page numbers. Only the original hardcover differs, as it's missing the sixteen extra pages of new illustrations added to the later ones. The first one appears on page 50 in newer editions, so before that the pages are in sync, and then drift further out. We've noted both page numbers where appropriate.

	==Specific annotations==		==Specific annotations==

Guybrush at 13:45, 25 May 2022

2022-05-25T13:45:33Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:45, 25 May 2022
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	From the 2002 Gollancz softcover edition, the consistent layout means that all English editions share exactly the same page numbers. Only the original hardcover differs, as it's missing the sixteen extra pages of new illustrations added to the later ones. The first one appears on page 50 in newer editions, so before that the pages are in sync, and then drift further out. We've noted both page numbers ~~were~~ appropriate.		From the 2002 Gollancz softcover edition, the consistent layout means that all English editions share exactly the same page numbers. Only the original hardcover differs, as it's missing the sixteen extra pages of new illustrations added to the later ones. The first one appears on page 50 in newer editions, so before that the pages are in sync, and then drift further out. We've noted both page numbers where appropriate.

	==Specific annotations==		==Specific annotations==

Guybrush: /* Specific annotations */ Corrected page number for Dunmanifestin; added annotation about the home of Om

2022-05-23T04:15:42Z

Specific annotations: Corrected page number for Dunmanifestin; added annotation about the home of Om

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:15, 23 May 2022
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	;Page 8 (all editions):This is a reworking of the Prometheus fable on Roundworld, with Fingers Mazda taking the place of Prometheus. Also, Ahura Mazda was the chief god in the ancient Persian religion Zoroastrianism, and was often symbolized by fire.		;Page 8 (all editions):This is a reworking of the Prometheus fable on Roundworld, with Fingers Mazda taking the place of Prometheus. Also, Ahura Mazda was the chief god in the ancient Persian religion Zoroastrianism, and was often symbolized by fire.

	;Page 20 (all editions):The illustration of Dunmanifestin looks suspiciously like the centrepiece of the board-game "Escape From Atlantis!"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_from_atlantis], where the trick is to get as many Atlanteans off the doomed island as possible before it collapses under the sea. [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/224522] When the central city collapses into the sea, the game is over. And of course on page 18, Cohen himself is represented as a playing piece complete with moulded-on base... The scene also bears some resemblance to scenes from Olympus in the original ''Clash of the Titans''.		;Page 17 (all editions):The illustration of Dunmanifestin looks suspiciously like the centrepiece of the board-game "Escape From Atlantis!"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_from_atlantis], where the trick is to get as many Atlanteans off the doomed island as possible before it collapses under the sea. [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/224522] When the central city collapses into the sea, the game is over. And of course on page 18, Cohen himself is represented as a playing piece complete with moulded-on base... The scene also bears some resemblance to scenes from Olympus in the original ''Clash of the Titans''.
			:On a separate hill connected by a path to Dunmanifestin is a much smaller but still grand (when you consider the scale) building next to a large tree; [https://twitter.com/PaulKidby/status/1527940078231818245 according to Paul Kidby], this is the home of the Great God [[Om]], and was an addition to the painting requested by Pratchett himself.

	;Page 21 (all editions):The infamous portrait of Ponder Stibbons which has led some observers to notice a passing resemblance, across the mists of space-time and the infinite Multiverse, to another intrepid young Wizard called H*y P**r. Although coincidence is indeed a funny thing... there is a similar portrait on page 113. (In the t-shirt carrying the legend "Actually I am a rocket wizard", in which the play of light and shadow on a frowning forehead suggests a shape... investigation shows it to be nothing like HP's "interrobang", but you do wonder for an instant.) Still, just coincidence again...		;Page 21 (all editions):The infamous portrait of Ponder Stibbons which has led some observers to notice a passing resemblance, across the mists of space-time and the infinite Multiverse, to another intrepid young Wizard called H*y P**r. Although coincidence is indeed a funny thing... there is a similar portrait on page 113. (In the t-shirt carrying the legend "Actually I am a rocket wizard", in which the play of light and shadow on a frowning forehead suggests a shape... investigation shows it to be nothing like HP's "interrobang", but you do wonder for an instant.) Still, just coincidence again...

Guybrush: Fixed SOD shortcut (should have been SOD1)

2022-05-18T07:05:31Z

Fixed SOD shortcut (should have been SOD1)

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:05, 18 May 2022
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	;Page 107 (2001 hardcover)/115 (subsequent editions):''"Nucleus situm ex orbita, unus certis maximus"'' - dog-Latin for "nuke the site from orbit, just to make sure!" - a shout-out to ''[[wikipedia:Aliens (film)\|Aliens]]''?		;Page 107 (2001 hardcover)/115 (subsequent editions):''"Nucleus situm ex orbita, unus certis maximus"'' - dog-Latin for "nuke the site from orbit, just to make sure!" - a shout-out to ''[[wikipedia:Aliens (film)\|Aliens]]''?

	;Pages 116-117 (2002 softcover and later editions only):The illustration here of the UU faculty, Vetinari and the Luggage viewing the spell in the ship's hold is based closely on the 1766 painting ''A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun'' by Joseph Wright of Derby. Derby also painted ''An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump'', which Kidby used as the inspiration for the cover of {{~~SOD~~}}.		;Pages 116-117 (2002 softcover and later editions only):The illustration here of the UU faculty, Vetinari and the Luggage viewing the spell in the ship's hold is based closely on the 1766 painting ''A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun'' by Joseph Wright of Derby. Derby also painted ''An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump'', which Kidby used as the inspiration for the cover of {{SOD1}}.

	;Page 111 (2001 hardcover)/121 (subsequent editions):''Adorno maximus, magister!'' - Leonard of Quirm's declaration on designing Rincewind's spacesuit translates to "Suits you, sir!" - the catchphrase of the very camp tailors in BBC long-running comedy series, ''[[wikipedia:The Fast Show\|The Fast Show]]''.		;Page 111 (2001 hardcover)/121 (subsequent editions):''Adorno maximus, magister!'' - Leonard of Quirm's declaration on designing Rincewind's spacesuit translates to "Suits you, sir!" - the catchphrase of the very camp tailors in BBC long-running comedy series, ''[[wikipedia:The Fast Show\|The Fast Show]]''.