Mark Reads ‘The Science of Discworld’: Chapter 7

In the seventh chapter of The Science of Discworld, the wizards mess with a universe. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Discworld. 

I figured that the greatest challenge for me in reviewing this book would be any of the science sections. I studied an okay amount of it over the years, but honestly, I feel much stronger about my critical literature analysis over my ability to engage with deeper scientific concepts. So that was my worry: I’d have a lot to say about the prose parts of this book, and I would struggle with everything in the science parts.

Funny how this has turned out. I actually have TONS to say about the Roundworld chapters, as the fandom apparently refers to them, and much less about the Discworld chapters. This particular chapter was certainly fun to read! Towards the end of it, I was reminded of the wizards’s experience in The Last Continent, which made me absolutely certain that letting them own and control a universe is a Obvious Bad Idea. Like, let’s say that book didn’t exist and I didn’t know what the wizards would do with a world that was forming and evolving around them. Dean STUCK HIS FINGER INTO THE BUBBLE OF A UNIVERSE. That was his first reaction, and that is it. We need to know no other facts about these people. They’re doomed from the start.

Of course, that depends on what happens in that universe of nothingness. There are a couple of developments since the Project spit out this spherical existence, which… was I correct in assuming that the wizards named elements after themselves? They’re so humble! Anyway, there might be stars forming in the Project, which is exciting, but it’s this part that excited me:

“The project can’t help being affected by this world. Piles of sand try to look like mountains. Men try to act like gods. Little things so often appear to look like big things made smaller.”

Which highly suggests that what we’re going to see a universe forming in this book that is… a very similar universe. Oh, can it just be slightly off? Or 100% different? NOTHING IN BETWEEN ALLOWED. I’m guessing, though, that the general framework for this universe will be the same as the Discworld. Stars, turtles, elephants, and all, but perhaps the people within it will be slightly different.

SO MAYBE???? I may not have a whole lot to say about this otherwise, but oh my god. Two of everything? What a disaster CAN THEY ALL BICKER WITH ONE ANOTHER

https://youtu.be/4UDJSBPrrQo

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