The Science Of Discworld Revised Edition

By: Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen, Terry Pratchett

Narrated by: Michael Fenton Stevens, Stephen Briggs

In the 'fantasy' universe of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, everything runs on magic and common sense. The world is flat and million-to-one chances happen nine times out of ten. Our world seems different - it runs on rules, often rather strange ones. Science is our way of finding out what those rules are. The appeal of Discworld is that it mostly makes sense, in a way that particle physics does not. The Science of Discworld uses the magic of Discworld to illuminate the scientific rules that govern our world.

When a wizardly experiment goes adrift, the wizards of Unseen University find themselves with a pocket universe on their hands: Roundworld, where neither magic nor common sense seems to stand a chance against logic. The Universe, of course, is our own. And Roundworld is Earth. As the wizards watch their accidental creation grow, we follow the story of our universe from the primal singularity of the Big Bang to the Internet and beyond. Through this original Terry Pratchett story (with intervening chapters from Cohen and Stewart) we discover how puny and insignificant individual lives are against a cosmic backdrop of creation and disaster. Yet, paradoxically, we see how the richness of a universe based on rules, has led to a complex world and at least one species that tried to get a grip of what was going on.

Critic reviews

The hard science is as gripping as the fiction

An irreverent but genuinely profound romp through the history and philosophy of science, cunningly disguised as a collection of funny stories about wizards and mobile luggage. More that that, it offers a fresh look at the place that humans hold in the history of the planet (Richard Wentk)

Science and lies to children

Mostly focuses on the science of our universe, with a side of wizard shenanigans. Some rather heavy detail in the science part so you will need basic understanding science to get most of it. The wizards parts are classic Pratchett, and therefore very entertaining.

The narrators are excellent and Stevens does a good job performing the science parts while Briggs handles story.

Contains a balanced view of opposing scientific theories, and will forever be remembered for the "Lies to children" term.

Combines Knowledge Bombs with humor and Discworld

If there is any trilogy I can recommend to a fan of humor, fantasy or Discworld, it would inevitably be the Science of Discworld series.

Co-written by Pratchett (Narrative) Stewart (Science) and Cohen (Science), The science of Discworld offers an amusing but insightful perspective into our beliefs, our knowledge, and our behaviors.

One friend of mine described it as the Ketamine of the book world. You begin to analyse yourself for the behaviors mentioned in the book, and to grasp at how ultimate and expansive this universe is.

Great work of scientific art.

Enjoy :).

The science

Discworld and its magic, meat Round world and its science. How can you not love it?

meh

it doesn't feel much like a Discworld book because of all the science stuff...
I think I'll have to give the science series a pass