Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

PTeppic · 12th September 2006, 05:29 AM

This is going to sound very weird, but it's as true as I have heard it.

Has anyone else here come across an encrypted message in the back of either a library or second hand Terry Pratchett book.

The friend of one of my colleagues came across just such a sheet of paper, folded into the back of, I think, "Small Gods". Cracking the code wasn't difficult and it claimed to have come from a chap in Galway who had left it in a copy of the Witches trilogy. He had just wanted to see if anyone else would find and decode the message. Not sure what's happened to the original now.

Anyone else come across this quaint little tale?

I, Brian · 12th September 2006, 01:35 PM

No, but it would be interesting to hear more.

PTeppic · 12th September 2006, 07:11 PM

I'll see if I can get the scanned image of the "code" as was found uploaded somewhere... is there an image upload facility here (I'm from ASciFi land) and if so, what's the limit - I don't have the personal bandwidth to host it myself if viewed from such a popular site....

Nesacat · 13th September 2006, 03:46 AM

Have not heard of the code and neither has anyone else I've asked but we're all keen to know more. Sounds intriguing and am quite tempted to try something along those lines and see where it ends up since I often leave books I've finished on planes and in hotels.

PTeppic · 17th September 2006, 07:52 AM

fifteenjugglers · 1st October 2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nesacat

Have not heard of the code and neither has anyone else I've asked but we're all keen to know more. Sounds intriguing and am quite tempted to try something along those lines and see where it ends up since I often leave books I've finished on planes and in hotels.

Have you heard of Book Crossing? It lets you register books online before 'releasing' them in public places for other people to pick up. Each book you register gets a unique code so that you can find out where it has ended up (providing, of course, the person who finds it goes to the website to register their find). It's a lot of fun, especially when you find a book that someone else has left lying around. I'd post a link but am not able to due to my newb status - how about "bookcrossing dot com"...

bookaholic · 15th October 2006, 11:36 AM

Went on the website, quite tempted to cross one of my books. Would it be better to give the book to a friend and just pass it along, or leave it behind in a shop and risk somebody not reporting it on book crossing?

fifteenjugglers · 19th October 2006, 10:53 AM

Well, passing it on to a friend is your best bet. I've released around 20 books and only a couple of them have been reported on Book Crossing, so it's a bit of a gamble. Hopefully they will show up one day...

Nesacat · 19th October 2006, 11:04 AM

Went and looked and bookcrossings and have signed up. Let's see what happens. I usually leave books on planes and in hotels when I travel. Have left a few in restaurants as well. Usually leave a bookmark with the address of my local book store in it as well, which is often where the book is from.

I do like the sound and idea os book crossing. I'd like to imagine the book travelling and being shared and then passed along for more people to read. It's a comforting thought indeed.

fifteenjugglers · 20th October 2006, 01:00 PM

My Book Crossing username is "sparrowhawk81" if you want to take a look. I tried posting a link straight to my profile page but I'm not able to post URLs yet.

Panic_Fire · 20th October 2006, 02:15 PM

i tought about bookcrossing,
but i don''t like spending 50 bucks on a book
and then giving it away. so i decided not to do that.

fifteenjugglers · 20th October 2006, 03:21 PM

I don't give away new books that I've bought, just second-hand ones that I've picked up really cheap. There's a charity book store I go to sometimes that always has books that cost only a few dollars. I feel $2 is a small price to pay to read a book and then enjoy the idea of it travelling around from person to person, knowing that it could end up anywhere.

fifteenjugglers · 28th October 2006, 05:44 AM

I just picked up a $2 ex-library copy of "Small Gods" from a second hand bookstore. I've registered it on Book Crossing and was planning to release it into the wild then thought that someone here might like it. If you want it, please PM me and I'll post it to you, provided you are willing to register your "find" on Book Crossing and intend to pass it on after you've read it.

So, anyone interested?

12th September 2006, 05:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
PTeppic Reetou Diplomatic Corp Join Date: May 2001 Location: North-west UK Posts: 3,073	Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book This is going to sound very weird, but it's as true as I have heard it. Has anyone else here come across an encrypted message in the back of either a library or second hand Terry Pratchett book. The friend of one of my colleagues came across just such a sheet of paper, folded into the back of, I think, "Small Gods". Cracking the code wasn't difficult and it claimed to have come from a chap in Galway who had left it in a copy of the Witches trilogy. He had just wanted to see if anyone else would find and decode the message. Not sure what's happened to the original now. Anyone else come across this quaint little tale?

12th September 2006, 01:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
I, Brian Admin and Tea-boy Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: UK: SCOTLAND: Posts: 5,354	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book No, but it would be interesting to hear more.

12th September 2006, 07:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
PTeppic Reetou Diplomatic Corp Join Date: May 2001 Location: North-west UK Posts: 3,073	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book I'll see if I can get the scanned image of the "code" as was found uploaded somewhere... is there an image upload facility here (I'm from ASciFi land) and if so, what's the limit - I don't have the personal bandwidth to host it myself if viewed from such a popular site.... Last edited by PTeppic; 12th September 2006 at 07:26 PM. Reason: Add more detail

13th September 2006, 03:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
Nesacat The Cat Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Malaysia Posts: 2,625	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book Have not heard of the code and neither has anyone else I've asked but we're all keen to know more. Sounds intriguing and am quite tempted to try something along those lines and see where it ends up since I often leave books I've finished on planes and in hotels.

17th September 2006, 07:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
PTeppic Reetou Diplomatic Corp Join Date: May 2001 Location: North-west UK Posts: 3,073	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book

15th October 2006, 11:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
bookaholic Smile, Harry Rocks! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 60	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book Went on the website, quite tempted to cross one of my books. Would it be better to give the book to a friend and just pass it along, or leave it behind in a shop and risk somebody not reporting it on book crossing?

19th October 2006, 10:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
fifteenjugglers Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 20	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book Well, passing it on to a friend is your best bet. I've released around 20 books and only a couple of them have been reported on Book Crossing, so it's a bit of a gamble. Hopefully they will show up one day...

19th October 2006, 11:04 AM	#9 (permalink)
Nesacat The Cat Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Malaysia Posts: 2,625	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book Went and looked and bookcrossings and have signed up. Let's see what happens. I usually leave books on planes and in hotels when I travel. Have left a few in restaurants as well. Usually leave a bookmark with the address of my local book store in it as well, which is often where the book is from. I do like the sound and idea os book crossing. I'd like to imagine the book travelling and being shared and then passed along for more people to read. It's a comforting thought indeed.

20th October 2006, 01:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
fifteenjugglers Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 20	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book My Book Crossing username is "sparrowhawk81" if you want to take a look. I tried posting a link straight to my profile page but I'm not able to post URLs yet.

20th October 2006, 02:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
Panic_Fire Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Netherlands Posts: 7	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book i tought about bookcrossing, but i don''t like spending 50 bucks on a book and then giving it away. so i decided not to do that.

20th October 2006, 03:21 PM	#12 (permalink)
fifteenjugglers Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 20	Re: Encoded message found in 2nd hand Pratchett book I don't give away new books that I've bought, just second-hand ones that I've picked up really cheap. There's a charity book store I go to sometimes that always has books that cost only a few dollars. I feel $2 is a small price to pay to read a book and then enjoy the idea of it travelling around from person to person, knowing that it could end up anywhere.

28th October 2006, 05:44 AM	#13 (permalink)
fifteenjugglers Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 20	Travelling copy of "Small Gods" I just picked up a $2 ex-library copy of "Small Gods" from a second hand bookstore. I've registered it on Book Crossing and was planning to release it into the wild then thought that someone here might like it. If you want it, please PM me and I'll post it to you, provided you are willing to register your "find" on Book Crossing and intend to pass it on after you've read it. So, anyone interested?

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