Celebrity Deathmatch: Rowling vs Pratchett

[Taliesin]

Pterry takes a swipe at Rowling (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4732385.stm)


Pratchett takes swipe at Rowling

Writer Terry Pratchett has poked fun at Harry Potter author JK Rowling for saying she did not realise she was writing a fantasy novel.

He wrote to the Sunday Times:"I would have thought that the wizards, witches, trolls, unicorns, hidden worlds... would have given her a clue?"

Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince has been a runaway bestseller in the UK and US since its release on 16 July.

Pratchett is one of the UK's most successful novelists.

His comments came on Rowling's 40th birthday, also Harry Potter's birthday.

In a recent interview with Time magazine, Rowling said she was "not a huge fan of fantasy" and was trying to "subvert" the genre.

The magazine also said Rowling reinvented fantasy fiction, which was previously stuck in "an idealised, romanticised, pseudofeudal world, where knights and ladies morris-dance to Greensleeves".

Pratchett, whose first fantasy novel was published 34 years ago and has since sold more than 40 million books, said in his letter that the genre had always been "edgy and inventive".

"Ever since The Lord of the Rings revitalised the genre, writers have played with it, reinvented it, subverted it and bent it to their times," he wrote.

"It has also contained come of the very best, most accessible writing for children, by writers who seldom get the acknowledgement they deserve."

His full response to Rowling's admission that she did not think Harry Potter was fantasy as she was writing it, was:

"I would have thought that the wizards, witches, trolls, unicorns, hidden worlds, jumping chocolate frogs, owl mail, magic food, ghosts, broomsticks and spells would have given her a clue?"

Meanwhile, Rowling celebrated her 40th birthday on Sunday, the day she has also made her young creation's birthday.

The author's website displayed pictures of a birthday cake and birthday card with the words: "Happy birthday Harry Potter."

Fans have been trying to deduce how old he is, with one site saying the boy wizard has now turned 25.
May the fans continue the fight now.

[AimusSage]

I prefer pratchet, because the discworld series is funny as hell.

[Mark F.]

Pratchett will always be the funniest of the three, Tolkien, the best writer. I guess that doesn't leave much for Rowling, heh.

[Helga]

Pratchett by far, his books are great.

[mono]

I know very little about J.K. Rowling and Terry Pratchett, yet cannot quite call myself a fan of J.R.R. Tolkein, and I do not quite know what 'Sport' means on the poll . . . well, I once read some passages from one of Pratchett's books, and he got a few laughs out of me, so that sounds best. ;)

[Taliesin]

We have probably made a mistake and direct-translated an expression.
The expression "sport is the winner" is used (in estonian, at least), when athletes honour each other, there is fair play, taking part is more important than winning and so on.

[crisaor]

Well, if Rowling did say that thing about not liking fantasy, then Pratchett's critic is very accurate, their litarary capacities or the taste of their fans play no role in this matter.

[Beaumains]

While Rowling has a gift for selling books, I view her writing to be quite juvenille when compared with the likes of Pratchett (very humorous) and Tolkien (epic). That isn't to say that I don't read Harry Potter, but my vote goes to the other guys on this one.

[Taliesin]

We hope that everyone understands that this topic is a joke. (the image of Pratchett, little and evil, hurling his fists seems very amusing to us).
Also it seems to us, that some people didn't notice that Tolkien wasn't even mentioned in the article and that he was a total red herring who doesn't even participate in the fight.

[Chava]

Live Pratchett! And grand salutations to the likes of discworld, may they live on to the glory days!

[Logos]

I am happy to inform that I have not up till now, and never will, read a book by JK Rowling, so will refrain from voting. :D

[Nightshade]

Prattchett!! I've made my lips bleed from biting them to stop laughing reading his books and plus they are just fantastic!!!:lol:

[DieZel]

It was supposed to be a fight, right? I am a Pratchett fan too and apparently there is no point in saying that he is one of the best fantasy writers ever (I mean the funniest and easiest to read).
I see there aren't many JK Rowling fans around here... may be you'll have to let children below 13 to enter the forum :P Until you do, nothing like a fight will happen in this thread.

[Stewart]

Pratchett, in my opinion, seems bitter but he shouldn't be as his books are just as crap as hers.

[TygerTrust]

I've read all the Potter books, and while I fly through them and they hold my attention, they are honestly nothing I write home about. On the other hand, the entire Discworld series (which was difficult to track down here until I started selling my first born children to Amazon.co.jp) was amazing. I regret not reading it when I was younger, and in all honesty I'm glad I read it when I was older and could comprehend more of the jokes. The levels of humour are so much more... diverse. I consider Pratchett a master in the field, and JK Rowling is an up-and-coming talent. My money is on Pratchett any day!

[Loki]

I agree that Tolkein is much more...hmmm...epic-some, and the magic is a lot deeper, etc...and the writing style is kind of more intense...however, I wouldn't consider the Lord of the Rings a children's book. What kind of children's book is as heavy as a slab of cast iron? Therefore you can't really compare it to Harry Potter, which is, and always will be, aimed at children. However Rowling's style may have changed, but she is still essentially a children's writer.
With a good marketing sense.

[Lothwen]

In my opinion Tolkien is the best and I will vote on him even if he is not mentionet in the poll :p, but if I had to choose only between Pratchett and Rowling, I would (although I like both authors) vote on Pratchett. He is not my favourite author, but during this year exams I haven't gone mad onle because of his humour. :)

[dejosc]

Pratchett has all anyone could want and more not slating Rowling though her books can be enjoyable but havent really got any edge if you want to really enjoy a book read pratchett(although tolkien is also tres tres bon)

[Pensive]

I think Tolikien's writing style is the best and JK Rowling's HP series is also very interesting. It developed in me the interest of reading. But I will vote Tolikien as his writing style is great. I have not heard of rest of the guys....Pratchette and sport so I can't decide between them....