The Science of Discworld cover art

The Science of Discworld

Revised Edition

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Science of Discworld

By: Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen
Narrated by: Stephen Briggs, Michael Fenton Stevens
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

In the 'fantasy' universe of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, everything runs on magic and common sense. The world is flat and million-to-one chances happen nine times out of ten. Our world seems different - it runs on rules, often rather strange ones. Science is our way of finding out what those rules are. The appeal of Discworld is that it mostly makes sense, in a way that particle physics does not. The Science of Discworld uses the magic of Discworld to illuminate the scientific rules that govern our world. When a wizardly experiment goes adrift, the wizards of Unseen University find themselves with a pocket universe on their hands: Roundworld, where neither magic nor common sense seems to stand a chance against logic. Roundworld is, of course, our own universe. With us inside it(eventually). Guided (if that's the word) by the wizards, we follow its story from the primal singularity of the Big Bang to the Internet and beyond. We discover how puny and insignificant individual lives are against a cosmic backdrop of creation and disaster. Yet, paradoxically, we see how the richness of a universe based on rules has led to a complex world and at least one species that tried to get a grip on what was going on. . .

©1999 Terry and Lyn Pratchett, Joat Enterprises, Jack Cohen (P)2012 Random House AudioGo
Classics Fiction Science Fiction Thought-Provoking Funny Wizardry Magic Users String Theory
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Colour of Magic cover art
Truckers cover art
Terry Pratchett in His Own Words cover art
Terry Pratchett: BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
Only You Can Save Mankind cover art
The Colour of Magic cover art
Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes cover art
14 cover art
The Quantum Series, Books 1 - 3 cover art
How to Speak Science cover art
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) cover art
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry cover art
2001 cover art
The Clockwork Universe cover art
It's Not Rocket Science cover art
Fun Science cover art

What listeners say about The Science of Discworld

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    402
  • 4 Stars
    115
  • 3 Stars
    40
  • 2 Stars
    16
  • 1 Stars
    9
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    350
  • 4 Stars
    79
  • 3 Stars
    19
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    315
  • 4 Stars
    75
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    13

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly Dense!

What made the experience of listening to The Science of Discworld the most enjoyable?

This is everything you would expect from the characters of unseen university applying their methods, and narrative luck in creating our universe.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Archchancellor Ridcully is always a favourite, as he bumbles along with an air of being above is staff, but always enjoys sinking to their level.

Which character – as performed by Stephen Briggs and Michael Fenton Stevens – was your favourite?

Rincewind's downtrodden demeanour comes across fantastically as with all of Stephen's Briggs' performances.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

That's a slightly odd question as it's not really an emotional book, but it certainly did make me laugh throughout.

Any additional comments?

Definitely not something to have on in the background and well worth a re-listen as it's absolutely crammed full of the scientific principles and theories that govern our round world.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Who Knew? Not Me…

I love Sir Terry’s Discworld anthology and I love natural history. A great way of getting across, what for some, can be a dry subject.
Personally I think this book (and probably it’s following volumes) would be a good addition to the curriculum for pupils in Years 5 and 6 in primary schools.
Personally I think anyone would enjoy this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

easy science

loved this book it teaches you complex science in an easy and humourous way.
I have had thoughts I did not think I was capable of because of this book

brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Roundworld science in narrative form

If you are interested in how the real universe works but can’t get to grips with the mathematical side of things, this audiobook is a must.

Written in narrative form, with examples given by Discworld characters and lore, The Science of Discworld combines STP’s skill for storytelling, his comical observations of the Roundworld, and actual science to explain how our Universe works.

You don’t need to have read much - or any - Discworld to understand this book, but it will add an extra dimension of enjoyment if you’re familiar with the characters and lore.

The Science of Discworld is informative, funny and interesting. The examples given are memorable and brought to life in STP’s inimitable style. Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Turtle Science

Good fun to listen to. some very interesting stuff, especially from the Wizards
I even learned a few things

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding Layman Explanation's

Seriously has all the science there, and some startlingly surprising examples. I believe that even Penny Hofsteader would understand.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Don't put it off -- read this book

I considered reading this book for years, but never mustered up enough interest to buy it. What a mistake! This is an excellent overview of our universe's creation, interlaced with a Discworld story of creating Roundworld.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely brilliant

Marvellous combination of Fantasy and Science. This is a great book which combines the best examples and explains complicated topics in a simple manner

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Terry

I have loved all this series of books so far but this one was missing something, just not as compelling as the others, I could read them again but not this one, sorry

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Science or fiction ?

I did actually read this when it was just released, but found it Very heavy going! In audio format you tend to concentrate more as you can't keep 're reading sentences, so you try harder to take it in first time! also you are not bogged down by pronunciation leaving you again free to take it in first time! on the whole I preferred the second book, due to more of a story about the wizards, discworld and how it relates to"roundworld" ! I really felt obliged to revisit them ALL in order now there will be no more...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!