Long Shot

[mccfluff]

I don't think I'm going to get the answer but i thought i would give it a go..

1977 my dad read a book that was recommended by the DT, it was sci fi fantasy. he thought it was Terry Pratchetts Colour of Magic and I've had a two day ongoing argument with him, stating that it can't be as COM was published in 83. Its not the carpet people or dark side of side sun, lord of the rings.

can anyone think of any other sci fi books that would have been released 76/77 that would be in the same sort of vein as Terry P??? (not robertt asprin)

(my protestations that i was 4 or 5 at the time and wouldn't of taken any notice of what he was reading has fallen on deaf ears, i should have been paying attention.....)

[aelmpvw]

really long shot ... deus irae, philip k dick

[Fitzer]

Not sure how he can argue that it was CoM. If by 'Pratchettesque' he means it involved humour as well as fantasy the there would be very few. Piers Anthony published the first in his Xanth series in '77 (A Spell for Chameleon) which was not totally unlike Pratchett. Terry Brooks published The Sword of Shannara that year as well.

[rowanwitch]

Michael Moorcock wrote a lot of bizarre fantasy stuff and Poul Anderson was big in sword and sorcery I was a fan of both so if you can remember anything about the characters or plot line I might get a bit closer. I was a two sci first books a day girl in the 1970s

[mccfluff]

I think that really is a long short ael.. Fitzer, its my dad, he had it in his head that was it and that was that.... I considered Piers Anthony but i don't recall the books being round the house and i read everything (eventually) but i will suggest it. Def not Terry Brooks.

thanks :-)

[mccfluff]

the only quote he could remember turned out to be from Mort, Rowan so my dad's no bloody help at all. It's just bugging me now (he is 79 btw)

Rowan - On a completely diff note - recommendations for real ale pubs birm city centre ? We are going to be in Crown Plaza and want somewhere within walking distance that isn't madly expensive??

[rowanwitch]

The Wellington in Bennett's Hill best choice with a few ciders, the Post Office Vaults for ciders and perries and amazing bottles of craft beer, or if you want food as well there are three Nicholson pubs of which the Old contemptibles is the biggest. If you start with the Welly they usually have the Birmingham ale trail leaflet which has all the camra approved pubs on it. Pretty much everything is in walking distance in Birmingham. Oh and if you go out the back door of the Welly you will be able to get into the back door of the Old Joint Stock... forgot that one. It is a Fullers pie and ale house, lovely pies and another good beer place.

[Buenchico]

The Chronicles of Amber series, by Roger Zelazny, is also a possibility, with the fourth book (The Hand of Oberon) being published in 1976:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Amber

[Lie-in King]

Admittedly dissimilar to Pratchett, "Lord Foul's Bane" was published in '77 as the first of the 10-volume Thomas Covenant Chronicles. As a single entity, I'd have to put them on my list of all-time top 10 best reads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Thomas_Covenant

[mccfluff]

thanks Rowan - the welly sounds like a good option, i had the post office vaults down as i remember it from our last excursion!

B & LIK - not sure either of those fit the bill but i will mention them, they also sound like I would love them to

thanks all

[jackthehat]

Robert Rankin?
I've had a look at his bibliography (on Wiki) which lists books from 1981....but it says he started writing in the late 1970's.

[rowanwitch]

Good suggestion from LIK from that era I preferred Anne McCaffrey the Dragonriders series set in the world of Pern and the Crystal Singer series. I think you would find the Ship who sang ok too but it makes me cry.

[mccfluff]

i love anne mcaffrey, i've read all those


we're we talking about my dad or books i love... :-D

I'll have a look at robert rankin again, i did rule him our for that reason - Dad reckons he specifically bought it because of a review in the DT (which confused me as long as i can remember he has always always read the times....)

[Canary42]

Frank Herbert's Dune series
Anne McCaffery's Dragon series
Moorcock's Stormbringer(?) series, or Dancers at the End of Time series

[jno]

just to ask the bleedin' obvious, are you sure it isn't the date rather than the title that he's misremembered?

[Tilly2]

L-I-K, thanks for the reminder about The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant. I had forgotten all about them. A blast from my past. :-)

[mccfluff]

its not dune or Moorcock but thank you

and jno - this was my argument but he is adamant that its when we were in Zaire (as it was called then) and my mum had taken me and my brother home to her parents and it was a list of books to bring back for him and that was in 77. My mum can't remember the list (after 40 years I'm not surprised) and i just think he's got confused about times and dates.

however he knew by landing this on me, it would drive me batty till i figure it out, so this way, he is sitting in his recliner, doing the times crossword and just going no to every suggestion i send him :-D

[Canary42]

Just tell him you were mistaken and agree it was Colour of Magic ;-)