Small Gods

Well.... damn!

Why, why, why do adapters of books think that they can improve on perfect writing by changing the dialog. Sure, you might have to scrunch things together for time purposes... but to change the exposition that identifies characters, or the dialog between two characters...

I just started listening to Small Gods. I know the book by heart - it is my absolute favorite book of Pratchett's, and indeed my favorite book by any author, with incredible wit and deep feeling.

And there is no need, no logical reason, to take Pratchett's witty narrative and dialog and re-write it so that it is 100% less witty!

It is just ridiculous!

For example, Patrick as Om has just uttered a warning to Brutha of what will befall if Brutha doesnt' do as he asks. This, this and this will befall (various terrible things,) at at the end he says, "And I really mean it." That is a hilarious line! And it was cut out!

Well, I'll take a break and try to come to it in a few more hours with lowered expectations...

The voices are all good in saying what they've been given to say.... but the writing...oh, the writing....

Listen to Patrick Barlow's radio work

Patrick Barlow has done several radio serials:

The Messiah
The Greatest Story Ever Told
All the World's A Globe
The Patrick and Maureen Maybe Music Experience
The Arts and How They Was Done

and for some reason they aren't available commercially!

So we have no recourse but to depend on the kindness of strangers - in other words, other Patrick Barlow fans who live in the UK, record the material off the radio, and post it on their own blogs or sites so that other fans can listen to them.

So take a look at this blog.

http://theonlyspoon.blogspot.com/

Where you can listen to:

The Arts and How They Was Done
All The World's A Globe

The links are on the side of the page in silver boxes.

And --- you're in store for a treat, as Small Gods, starring Patrick Barlow as the Great God Om, will be broadcast on BBC7 starting on April 26.