Discworld: The Ankh-Morpork Map – Review – A New Sort of Book
By App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
By: Random House
Version #: 1.0.1
Date Released: 2013-02-11
Developer: Random House
Price: 13.99
User Rating:
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Full confession: I’ve been a fan of Terry Pratchett’s novels for a long time and go to his signings at every available opportunity. As an author, he has always had his finger on the pulse of culture (expressed through his satirical Discworld novels) and has never been afraid to experiment with new uses of his franchise. In this case, the experiment is a resounding success.
Discworld: The Ankh-Morpork Map seems a bit expensive for an app. That’s because it’s not an app. It’s an interactive book. The full text of the book “The Compleat Ankh-Morpork” can be read within. There are also quotes regarding Ankh-Morpork from Pratchett’s novels littered throughout the app and some audio narration in the form of walking tours fitting the environment and mood.
The level of detail in the app is nothing short of astounding. You can even see people (or other sorts of Ankh-Morpork denizens) walking around the painstakingly-drawn streets. The user can tap the icons that exist at each landmark to explain it’s fictional historical significance. There is even a city directory in case you want to be aware of the sights of Ankh-Morpork. Although the most common sight of visitors of Ankh-Morpork is the gravel after they’ve been knocked down and robbed.
I suppose more could have been done with this app. They could have made it 3D interactive, but that doesn’t fit with the general technology and culture of Ankh-Morpork. A reader can even unlock achievements by visiting various Ankh-Morpork sites.
If you’re not a Terry Pratchett fan, then this app might not be completely understood (in which case, go out and read some of his books then come back). This is the Discworld’s version of Google Maps. Given the level of magic in that world, it wouldn’t surprise me if this app actually pops up in the next novel. Recommended.
Quick Take
Value:High.
Would I Buy Again:As a Discworld fan, absolutely.
Learning Curve:Medium-Low.
Who Is It For:Discworld and Terry Pratchett fans.
What I Like:Incredible wealth of knowledge of Pratchett's fictional world. Terrific interactivity.
What I Don't Like:A little pricey compared to other apps but understandably so.
Final Statement:For a new sort of book that takes you into another world, look no further than the Ankh-Morpork Map. Just watch where you step.
Discworld: The Ankh-Morpork Map 'Ankh-Morpork at your fingertips. Just remember to wash your hands afterwards!' - Terry Pratchett
Welcome to Ankh-Morpork!
There’s a saying that all roads lead to Ankh-Morpork. At least, there’s a saying that there’s a saying that all roads lead to Ankh-Morpork. And it’s wrong. All roads lead away from Ankh-Morpork, but sometimes people just walk along them the wrong way. You, dear traveller, have made such a glorious mistake.
We offer up this guide to our vibrant metropolis for your information and delight.
Key features:
* Two beautifully detailed, hand-drawn maps of Ankh-Morpork
* Explore a living, breathing animated map of Discworld’s most famous city with over 1,500 residents wandering the streets
* Keep an eye out for famous Discworld characters going about their business
* Find your way around with a detailed street map
* Discover over 2,000 businesses, services and landmarks
* Listen to a bespoke soundscape that ebbs and flows as you explore to match the atmosphere of the city at work.
* Navigate with ease, with a fully searchable city directory and street index
* Take a guided walking tour of famous landmarks with historian Hortensia D’Antiqua (voiced by Blackadder’s Helen Atkinson Wood)
* Read quotes from the Discworld novels
* Unlock achievements as you explore
* Deliver post for the Blind Letters Office
Features all the text from the book The Compleat Ankh-Morpork plus exclusive new illustrations, animations, audio and video.
Praise for Discworld:
'The Discworld is warm, silly, fantastically inventive... There's never been anything quite like it' - Evening Standard
'His spectacular inventiveness makes the Discworld series one of the perennial joys of modern fiction' Mail on Sunday
What's new
- Fixed a problem with location icons when turning on the Street Index
- Improved memory usage
