Friday Memes and Terry Pratchett's 'The Colour of Magic'

This week has been fun. I did some work, the sun shine every now and then and I read some really interesting short stories, only shame I didn't do quite as much university work as I should have. As a consequence I am currently frantically trying write a formative essay, so bear with me if I don't hop around as much today!

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee and this week's question was suggested by Take Me Away:

Have you come up with any special memes or features on your blog that you'd like people to visit more?

I did, for a short while, run my own meme called Lyrical Tuesday where I would pick a song and choose two lines that I absolutely loved and explained why. Now it mainly serves as an example of some of my less wise song choices but I did really enjoy doing it! The main reason I stopped was because no one else really joined in and I found a couple of other Tuesday memes I really wanted to join in and I didn't want to clutter my blog with meme posts. I'm such a traitor to my own cause! Now the main thing I do that is "special" or "different" from usual is an analysis post here and there, so analyzing a poem or looking at a certain literary device or trope.

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer and this week's question was suggested by Elizabeth over at Silver's Reviews:

What is more important to you when you are deciding to read a book?

The main thing that matters to me is the blurb. Does it sound like something I want to read or not? Does the blurb make me want to open the book and start reading right now? If the answer is yes I will most likely get it, unless lack of funds stop me. The cover does also play a role because I like looking at pretty things, who doesn't. I do prefer "arty" covers rather than models etc. but I can get on board with both if the novel sounds really good.

Now on a slightly sadder note. For two of today's memes I am using the first Discworld-book by Sir Terry Pratchett, The Colour of Magic, in remembrance of his passing away. He was one of a kind and his writing brought happiness to an innumerable amount of people. Book Beginnings and Friday 56 are hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader and Freda at Freda's Voice.

On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There's an avaricious buy inept wizard, a naïve tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet...

His departure is a true loss.


BB:

'In a distant and second-hand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part... 

See... Great A'Tuin the turtle comes, swimming slowly through the interstellar gulf, hydrogen frost on his ponderous limbs, his huge and ancient shell pocked with meteor craters. Through sea-sized eyes that are crusted with rheum and asteroid dust He stares fixedly at the Destination.' p.1

His Discworld always fascinated me, as did the characters he peopled it with. His descriptions were both hilarious and strangely insightful at the same time. This opening is a perfect example of that.

F56:

'Sometimes a pulsing golden glow would race up the translucent walls until it was lost in the haze overhead. Some power in the air made it vibrate.

"Now incompetent wizard," said Druellae, "see some magic. Not your weasel-faced tame magic, but root-and-branch magic, the old magic. Wild magic. Watch."' p.56

I always loved the agency and vivaciousness of Pratchett's female characters. They were never less than their male counterparts and they were actual characters, with flaws and bad habits and incredible strength.

So, that's it for me from today! Have you started any new memes recently? And what's most important in choosing a book?