Is Strata consistent with Discworld? Discuss!

Probably not the first debate of its type, nor the last.

I'm not saying that the world depicted in Strata IS Discworld, as it has evident geographical differences, but.........applying Clarke's Law that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic", a world that has a controlling intelligence that applies its technology to giving the inhabitants the impression that they live in a magical environment would be consistent with DW.

They see a turtle because the world wants them to, broomsticks fly because the technology lets them. It's a bit "Matrix" but with the exception that the controlling intelligence is benign rather than malign.

Any opinions?

Well, we also know that the Diskworld is part of a multiverse, the disk world in Strata could be THE Diskworld, in another reality, or a different world in the same one... As you said, Mr Cake, this probably won't be the first or last debate about this, and I'm not even sure if Pterry knows for sure... But in many non-DW or even pre-DW books you can find elements of diskworldiness, in Strata, but also in The Dark Side of the Sun, or in Good Omens, characters, technical things, jokes, etc. Pterry is a great one for recycling ideas he likes... Doing so in the DW novels doesn't show up so much, because it's one world, and therefore any re-using of elements is easy and continuous, it shows up more when you look at the earlier pre-DW books.

There are some similarities, being a disc is the main one, but quite a few differences too.

Spoilers for Strata and The Light Fantastic (highlight to view)

Having said that, Terry could always turn it round by having a book that involves the inhabitants discovering they are merely in the midst of a very powerful technology with the ability to create magic. But I don't think that'll happen and I hope it doesn't.



P.S. Grace, use <> (html) instead of [] (UBB) to get rid of those spaces

[quote:f77928872b="Buzzfloyd"]Dis[b:f77928872b]c[/b:f77928872b]world. ::twitches::[/quote:f77928872b]
Sorry Grace, it's all the americans' fault. I blame Garner.

I don't think it's the same world. . . . I could however be completely wrong.

BUt looking at the differences, I think its fairly clear (in my twisted mind anyway) that they aren't the same world.

[quote:efe7df8a03="Buzzfloyd"]I started reading Strata but didn't get very far with it. Maybe I should try again. So I'm afraid I can't add anything very helpful except that Pterry has said Strata shows a kind of proto-Discworld.

It occurs to me that we know there can be more than one Discworld because of the events of TLF. Perhaps Strata is set on one of those?[/quote:efe7df8a03]Yeah, me too. Strata was quite a boring book.

As far as I am aware, the other planets in TLF also had turtles.

[quote:c65f24506d="Rincewind"][quote:c65f24506d="Katcal"]
Sorry Grace, it's all the americans' fault. I blame [s:c65f24506d]Garner[/s:c65f24506d] Doors[/quote:c65f24506d]

Corrected.[/quote:c65f24506d]
Doors is american ? Nah come on Rinso, for once it is blatently someone else's fault !

[quote:552e33c0ae="Ba"]Rule 1) It's always Doors' fault
Rule 2) If someone other than Doors is at fault, refer back to 1
Rule 3) When in doubt, smite a doorman[/quote:552e33c0ae]
Oh all right then...

I blame Doors.

**smites Rinso with a free space turtle**

[quote:57568740cc="Buzzfloyd"]I started reading Strata but didn't get very far with it. Maybe I should try again. So I'm afraid I can't add anything very helpful except that Pterry has said Strata shows a kind of proto-Discworld.

It occurs to me that we know there can be more than one Discworld because of the events of TLF. Perhaps Strata is set on one of those?[/quote:57568740cc]
[quote:57568740cc="Electric_Man"]Having said that, Terry could always turn it round by having a book that involves the inhabitants discovering they are merely in the midst of a very powerful technology with the ability to create magic. But I don't think that'll happen and I hope it doesn't.[/quote:57568740cc]
Bit of a chicken and egg situation that. I'd prefer to think that Strata could happen when the galactic turtle and elephants decide they need a break from guiding the package space tour of Discworld and go off for a convivial pint, parking it somewhere. It would give the Auditors hysterics trying to keep everything in order in case the tourists notice.

I think Buzzfloyd's theory comes from not having finished Strata, I don't think it can lie in the same universe as Discworld for a reason that's only just come to me, don't know why it took so long... stupid brain.

I don't think that I was arguing that DW and the Strata disc were one and the same, only that the theories behind Strata's world might create a DW-style of world, because the inhabitants are unaware that the motive force behind their world is technological rather than occult.

If the Controller convinces the people that there are elephants supporting their world, then that is what they will see (as I said - rather Matrix, but without the malice)

People will develop theories about the Universe that fit their observations of it, and that can result in a reality that depends upon Narrativium, Quantum, or Gaffa Tape.

While Strata and Discworld may be consistent, I believe it isn't. Said consistency requires elabourate roundabout thinking so that even the possibility of said consistency could exist.

Also, it would make Discworld less fun.

[quote:c2a4b869c2="Roman_K"]Also, it would make Discworld less fun.[/quote:c2a4b869c2]

Which is the best reason of all.