This week, we conclude our discussion of Terry Pratchett's Mort with thoughts on Pratchett's precision as a stylist, tick-tock structure, and how much of the theme is on the page. Is sentimentality a good thing? Is Mort effectively sidelined in the final conflict? How do we embrace subjectivity over objectivity?
To see the video version of this week's show, click here (https://youtu.be/W5gKaz3_7zo); to see the slides, click here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ooca-kTXpGcyYSXYuE4pVP8xCHL4gX3J/view?usp=sharing)!
Footnotes:
Mort (https://bookshop.org/p/books/mort-a-discworld-novel-terry-pratchett/77826e7ac2745ced?ean=9780063393233&next=t)
Terry Pratchett (https://terrypratchett.com/)
Audiobooks (including the footnotes!) (https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/discworld-audio-announcement/)
Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@StarsAndSwordsPod), Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/starsandswords.bsky.social)and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/starsandswordspod).
To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord (http://patreon.com/nextword) and pledge your support!
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://patreon.com/nextword)
22 Apr 2026
Mort 2: What Should Be Will Be
This week, we return to Terry Pratchett's Mort to discuss perspective, the dualities of life on the Disc, and what is really going on with Death. Do we believe that everything is predestined? Who gets to tell the story? Does Ysabelle sparkle in the sunlight?
To see the video version of this week's show, click here (https://youtu.be/bceBtFeAMzQ); to see the slides, click here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/16l94i99j_EB_vRW2fhjgxhzNw3RPh6Un/view?usp=sharing)!
Footnotes:
Mort (https://bookshop.org/p/books/mort-a-discworld-novel-terry-pratchett/77826e7ac2745ced?ean=9780063393233&next=t)
Terry Pratchett (https://terrypratchett.com/)
Audiobooks (including the footnotes!) (https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/discworld-audio-announcement/)
Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@StarsAndSwordsPod), Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/starsandswords.bsky.social)and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/starsandswordspod).
To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord (http://patreon.com/nextword) and pledge your support!
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://patreon.com/nextword)
2 Apr 2026
Mort 1: The Uncommon Man
This week, we dive into the Discworld with our first discussion of Terry Pratchett's Mort. Are the rules as unbreakable as they seem to be? Are ideas as dangerous? How does Death blow smoke rings?
To see the video version of this week's show, click here (https://youtu.be/K_PSCo_flXY); to see the slides, click here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CrZygXB-DDLpq6q5BtYAU691Re5c7Y4d/view?usp=sharing)!
Footnotes:
Mort (https://bookshop.org/p/books/mort-a-discworld-novel-terry-pratchett/77826e7ac2745ced?ean=9780063393233&next=t)
Terry Pratchett (https://terrypratchett.com/)
Rhianna Pratchett (https://rhiannapratchett.com/)
Terry Pratchett's Mort (BBC Radio 4) (https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/terry_pratchetts_mort/)
Audiobooks (including the footnotes!) (https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/discworld-audio-announcement/)
Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@StarsAndSwordsPod), Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/starsandswords.bsky.social)and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/starsandswordspod).
To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord (http://patreon.com/nextword) and pledge your support!
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://patreon.com/nextword)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
3,395
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.3 / 5
18 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 74 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
90
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
75
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