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This is the part where I confess I've not read Stainless Steel Rat ...
In fact, I'd never even read Pratchett until Hal 2 was published. I'm a stickler for reading a series in order, and back in 2002 it wasn't as easy (or as cheap) to order books online - and I couldn't find Colour of Magic anywhere.
Subconsciously, I probably realised it wouldn't be a good idea to read in the genre, not while I was trying to establish my characters and their surroundings. Once I'd written two books I relaxed my rules a bit and got into Red Dwarf (had never seen an ep before that - I'm only halfway through season 2 now...)
That's why I don't mind people comparing my stuff with others - I know I didn't cherry-pick characters or ideas from the big names in the genre, and any similarities are coincidental.
Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the book. The first in a series is where the author is still getting to meet the characters, and there are always things which look a bit creaky when you go back and read it with a more experienced eye. (I spotted half a dozen little things when I was re-formatting it for the ebook, but I decided not to mess with it.)
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