1. English 1057 Guards! Guards! (1989) + Sci-Fi Culture

2. Science Fiction

3. Graphic novels

4. Sci-fi Culture

5. Geek / nerd culture

6. Geek / nerd culture

7. Terry Pratchett, OBE (1948-2015)
Author of fantasy and humor novels
Best known for Discworld series (41 novels)
Born in Buckinghamshire; a journalist
until becoming a full-time writer in 1987
Did not attend university (hon. degrees)
Married with one daughter
Knighted in 2009
Died of Alzheimer’s Disease

8. Discworld themes
Playful fantasy (the Discworld is a flat disc on the backs of four elephants riding a tortoise)
Parodies and references to fairytale, popular culture, religious ideas
Imaginary alternative pasts
Few or no chapter divisions
Discworld novels are self-contained and do not have a sequence, but have repeating characters

9. Guards! Guards! (1989) No. 8 in Discworld series
Adapted into radio plays and graphic comics, but no movies or TV
Takes place in an alternative past (early modern era?)
Parodies “cop novels” and film noir
Slightly dark humor; a darker view of human nature?

10. Themes Ridiculous fake rituals of cults
Sympathetic “anti-heroes”: police watch is staffed by stupid and drunk people
Humor is based on incompetence of characters; unexpected oppositions in sentences; puns and wordplay; references to popular culture
No deep symbolisms or meanings; but some values or messages?