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okay, I'm succumbing

LibraryLady

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LibraryLady
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I'm tired not not getting all the Pratchett jokes and references, so I have consulted with our Young Adult librarian who is looking up the title of the first Disc World book and I will borrow it today.

I blame you all if I hate it.

So there.
 
You should also blame everyone here when you become hopelessly addicted. ;)

Seriously though, I wasn't particularly fond of the first or even second books. For some reason I kept going, and eventually made it into the really good ones. It's not necessary to read the in order, although some will make more sense if they follow others in the same general story line. But IMO you could easily start with the third book and not miss out on anything.
 
LibraryLady said:
I'm tired not not getting all the Pratchett jokes and references, so I have consulted with our Young Adult librarian who is looking up the title of the first Disc World book and I will borrow it today.

I blame you all if I hate it.

So there.
Click to expand...

Remember that the first two books are a little different from the others. They are still good, but for me it really takes of with 'Equal Rites', introducing the witches and 'Mort' where Death get's His first Star role. From then on they get better and better.

Happy reading.. I am so jealous. Discovering this world has been one of my best experiences in life, for me about 15 years ago now.
 
While Pratchett first few books are funny, they are not nearly as good as some of his later ones. His ability to tell a more complex stories has improved with time.

My point is that if you find the first few books, say, not as good as you expected, please come back again and ask us for a few recommendations.
 
There are tons of books listed on his website. Is there a chronological list for the different series? Or is there a way to tell which are stand-alone novels?
 
I once struck up a conversation with a pretty girl who immediately bored me with blather about Pratchett and his 'dystopian' creations... she used the word excessively and annoyingly... she turned me off to trying something that might otherwise have interested me someday. If you do succumb, give me the short version.

Hopefully, for the sake of your reading experience, that short version isn't, "It's boring."
 
All are stand alone, but some main character reappear in following books: Basically you have few lines.

The City Watch (my favourite)

order to read: Guards! Guards! - Men at Arms - Feet of Clay - Jingo - Fifth Elephant - Night Watch

Rincewind

order to read Color of Magic - the Light Fantastic - Sourcery - Faust Eric - Interesting Times - the last Continent

Death

order to read Mort- Reaper Man - Soul Music - Hogfather

Witches

order to read Equal Rites - Wyrd Sisters - Witches Abroad - Lords and Ladies - Maskerade - Carpe Jugelum

Random (still excellent) Pyramids - Moving Pictures - the Truth


I recommend you read them in chronical order because Discworlds is a very rich world and you will be picking up details in every book. and if you really like a certain group of characters you will know you will be meeting them again some day, but you might not know where or when.
 
I am one of those who loves each and every Discworld novel AND Good Omens, which is not set in Discworld.

Don't let them put you off the first novels. The Luggage alone is worth the price of admission.
 
yes :(. He is being amazing about it though. He is participating in research and stuff.

It is quite inspiring how he talks about it actually
 
The Colour of Magic is the "first" book, each book is really stand alone.

I second the Good Omens recommendation.
 
His young adult novels (is that what they're calling what used to be juvenile novels?) set in the Discworld also form their own series, with a subset of characters that don't appear in other books (IIRC):
The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents
The Wee Free Men
A Hat Full Of Sky
Wintersmith

I'd like to also put in a recommendation for the products at www.DiscworldEmporium.com. Their Discworld Stamps have really taken off, co-designed with Terry I think. Lots of good signed stuff at http://www.paulkidby.com/ as well.
 
I read "Witches Abroad," first (and so far only). It was funny enough. I would read more if they fell into my hands (which they haven't, but I'm sure they will).

Enjoy!
 
Gilmar said:
His young adult novels (is that what they're calling what used to be juvenile novels?) set in the Discworld also form their own series, with a subset of characters that don't appear in other books (IIRC):
The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents
The Wee Free Men
A Hat Full Of Sky
Wintersmith
.
Click to expand...

Well you might be right about the rest, but The Wee Free Men is anthropology :p
 
I love the Nac Mac Feegle books ;)

The first books were very good and it's only in light of the superlative quality of his later work that makes them seem less so. Personally I think some of his recent stuff has been amongst the finest work I've ever read; philosophically and otherwise.

Good Omens is a must-read.

I have to put my weight behind 'Nation' though - it's not Discworld, but it is a marvellous piece of work.
 
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