The Long Earth

By: Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter

Narrated by: Michael Fenton Stevens

The Western Front, 1916. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong, and the wind in the leaves in the trees. Where have the mud, blood, and blasted landscape of No Man's Land gone?

Madison, Wisconsin, 2015. Cop Monica Jansson is exploring the burned-out home of a reclusive - some said mad, others dangerous - scientist when she finds a curious gadget: a box containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a potato. It is the prototype of an invention that will change the way Mankind views his world forever. And that's an understatement if ever there was one....

The Long Earth is the first novel in an exciting new collaboration between the creator of Discworld, Terry Pratchett, and the acclaimed SF writer Stephen Baxter.

©2012 Terry and Lyn Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (P)2012 Random House Audiobooks

Not enough Pratchett-isms

What did you like best about The Long Earth? What did you like least?

It's a good way to preview a new storyline, and if you don't like it you can return it.

I didn't like how it ended so abruptly, with so many loose ends.

Would you recommend The Long Earth to your friends? Why or why not?

I don't recommend it to Pratchett fans, but Sci-Fi fans may find the premise interesting, if they can get past some of the oddities of the presentation.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration set the pace of the story. A bit monotonous in places.

Did The Long Earth inspire you to do anything?

Only to consider re-gifting the hardcover book that was given to me for Xmas.

Any additional comments?

This book definitely suggests to me that it is an opening story for a whole new storyline/multiverse in which Terry Pratchett can participate in without needing him to carry that much of the load. Some of his humor shone through, but the story was not compelling or that memorable to me. I was disappointed with it.

Interesting, but does it deliver?

This is a book with an interesting concept, but ultimately I think that this collaboration was less successful than either author's individual works.

The reason this left me wanting something more is difficult to pin down, but I'll try. Pratchett shines in not only comedy but his depiction of rich, and very human characters. In this story, the most interesting character that showed Pratchett's handiwork was sister Agnes, and she only made an appearance in the recollections and thoughts, and occasional conversation, of the main character. For a Pratchett book, there was a paucity of characters, I felt.

Baxter brings in his works some far-reaching concepts, and the "long earth" certainly qualifies. Yet I find his forays into biology and evolution, while interesting, often stretching plausibility beyond a breaking point - here too it seems to be the case that some of the biological entities, especially the singular one revealed near the end, don't really have a plausible evolutionary path to get to where they are. As somewhat of a biology-geek, this tends to nag me.

There is little in the way of Pratchett's usual humor - which is not automatically a negative, since this story is not in the same genre as Pratchett's other works. Yet what confuses the reader is that there clearly are hints that the story might go in a humorous direction, especially early on, and then that expectation is let down by nothing very funny happening.

With all these negatives, you might think I didn't like the book, which isn't quite true. I think it is a flawed book, but it did maintain my interest enough for me to have just bought the sequel - I do want to learn how the story ends. Ultimately, that's why the four stars.

It's okay

I'm not a big fan of multiple protagonists. But it was okay. I enjoyed Sally.

Fascinating!

What did you love best about The Long Earth?

The Long Earth has a fascinating plot, and the combination of Pratchett and Baxter's style of writing, makes it a good read.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I especially liked the character of Lobsang with his many gadgets, and dry wit.

Great, unusual escapism.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Long Earth to be better than the print version?

The narrator enhances the characters written by the authors. This alone makes the audio edition worth looking into. To bad audible only sells licenses and not real audio files.

What did you like best about this story?

What if you could have an entire world to your self? What if the nature of the universe was explained out there? What if the world might end soon? I enjoyed the grand escapism. I enjoyed the realism. No conflict is avoided in The long Earth. All the exploiters, terrorists, mafiosos, shady traders and super cops are thought of and included. The end of scarcity is not the end of problems.
To me this is what makes this read great for younger and older readers.

Of course there are also some great characters and themes to explore. Witty dialogue to enjoy, and philosophical labyrinths to navigate.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. No book should be devaoured whole. What are you, an animal? Do you eat apples whole? Do you not cram the whole box of choclates in all at once without even removing the plastic?
Still, I have to admit it was tempting.

Not a normall Pratchett, but very good

Great concept, well executed, weak ending.

I don't generally like Prachett too much, but this I enjoyed. It is not a comedy, for those that expecting that; its' a concept book, a scifi novel about an idea, and I generally like those. The characters are good, and I enjoyed spending hours listening about their adventures.

My only criticism is that it is a first half of a book; the main climax and conflict to come in the second, I expect. So it doesn't wrap up in a satisfying way. I had to check with audible to see if I had missed the last part in the downloading. According to wikipedia there are two planned in the series,

But it is engrossing and interesting. I don't imagine we will have to wait for the conclusion as long as with some other series.

With those caveats I would recommend this book.

inventive enjoyable

Where does The Long Earth rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Best book most enjoyable.

What other book might you compare The Long Earth to and why?

other Terry Prachett but with an originial story line

What does Michael Fenton Stevens bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

lob sang's voice is great.

Any additional comments?

wasn't to looking forward to a joint authored book but it is a great listen

Amazing!

Loved it, even better than I expected. The narration is also superb. Can't recommend it enough.

I've read many of the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett, which were amazing.
This book is completely different, but still very good.
Very solid sci-fi.
I definitely need to read or listen to the rest.

delivered to a deadline?

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would have made it longer and given it a stronger and more definite ending.

What does Michael Fenton Stevens bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The Narrator took the central character from a late blooming child to a confident young man using only his voice. That added a dimension that would have been harder to evoke from the printed page alone.

Any additional comments?

I was left with the feeling this book was delivered to a deadline rather than remaining in the creative oven long enough to be well baked. It is possible a sequel may have been planned but I'm afraid "the long lead-up" just didn't have a strong enough conclusion to satisfy this listener. I really do wonder if the authors became carried away with a good story and were told it was due at the printers on Thursday.

Not your usual Pratchett

I had a difficult time giving this book five stars. It deserves them. Probably one of the best sc-fi books I've read this year.
It is just with the name Terry Pratchett on the cover one expects someting. Leaving Pratchette out of it for now..
I can say this book is interesting, funny, charming, suspensful. It has an unusual theme and the writing is brilliant. Full of original ideas. The story-line weaves itself forward with a few enjoyable side paths and rambles to increase the excitement.

Then why aren't I happy? I'm sorry to say, Terry Pratchett, it is you who have upset me. I have read everything you've written and you are my favorite author. Every other Terry Pratchett novel ends. Never before have I been left with more questions that I started with, I know this is usual in Sc-Fi to get the readers to want to buy the next in the series, but Terry, that isn't your style.

A good read, but Pratchett fans be warned, it isn't his usual style and we'll probably have to buy the next book in the series when it comes out to find the answers we want.