# Congratulate me! I'm finally reading Discworld! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516 "2011-02-15T23:56:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/41 "2011-02-16T19:31:57Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I think if you enjoy Colour of Magic, as I did when I started reading him (way back in 1987), then you will absolutely love the series from end to end. And if you don’t, that doesn’t mean you won’t like the rest of the series. I think I’ve read every one of the Discworld novels (and most of them multiple times), **except** _Colour of Magic_. Started it several times and never managed to finish it. I’d say _Guards! Guards!_ is the best place to start. I feel it’s a much better book than the earlier ones, and also important for understanding many of the characters that recur in subsequent books. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/42 "2011-02-17T00:37:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And other Lancrians include names like Jason, Shawn, and Agnes. Let us not forget _Bestiality Carter_ however. 🙂 > [@silenus](#): > > Try **Guards! Guards!** or **Wyrd Sisters**. Those are the two I use to hook students on the place. Thirding, fourthing, whatever. 🙂 These two books are the first installment in each of two sub-series, namely the City Watch and the Witches and between them lay many of the foundations seen in later Discworld novels. > [@MrDibble](#): > > I’d disagree - strongly. _Thud!_, _Unseen Academicals_ and _I Shall Wear Midnight_, especially, are the exact opposite of formulaic. What formula are you seeing? Haven’t read _I Shall Wear Midnight_ yet – loved the other Tiffany books though. _Thud!_ didn’t feel formulaic (to me), and it’s a book I’ve enjoyed more each time I’ve read it – I’ve found there are some Discworld books that really didn’t grip me the first time but that on re-reading have provided far more enjoyment…_Monstrous Regiment_ is another of these for me. _Unseen Academicals_ was on the other hand a huge disappointment… it felt to me like a Pratchett in name only… something ghostwritten for him… and most unsatisfying after the hugely enjoyable _Nightwatch_ and _Going Postal_. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/43 "2011-02-17T00:57:44Z")
I actually had Wintersmith and Making Money in mind - I agree that Thud! was good, but I haven’t read Unseen Academicals and I Shall Wear Midnight yet. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/44 "2011-02-17T01:04:56Z")
_Making Money_ fell totally flat for me. Moist von Lipwig was a one-novel character at best. _Thud!_ was great. _Unseen Academicals_ was somewhere in the middle, mainly because I think football is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/45 "2011-02-17T01:18:57Z")
I recommend listening to these books. Nigel Planer does most of them, with Steven Briggs reading from around _The Fifth Elephant_ onward, and he suits the shift in tone that comes with that book very nicely. He doesn’t have that Asterix and Obelix attitude towards them that Nigel Planer does. That’s how I see the denizens of Ankh Morpork and Lancre: they all look like characters from the Asterix books. Personally I think Terry Pratchett struck gold (again) when he came up with Moist von Lipvig. He’s one of my favourite Discworld residents. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/46 "2011-02-17T01:35:43Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > I actually had Wintersmith and Making Money in mind - I agree that Thud! was good, but I haven’t read Unseen Academicals and I Shall Wear Midnight yet. I constantly confuse Thud! and The Fifth Elephant. Thud! just seems like an “improved version” of the latter. Pratchett tends to do that a lot. Which is why you should read the books in order. When I started reading the series I made the mistake of reading Reaper Man before Mort, big mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/47 "2011-02-17T04:06:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Thirding, fourthing, whatever. These two books are the first installment in each of two sub-series, namely the City Watch and the Witches and between them lay many of the foundations seen in later Discworld novels. Well, _Equal Rites_ is sort of a witches book, and comes before _Wyrd Sisters_ (at the very least, both feature Granny Weatherwax). But _Rites_ doesn’t really seem to be in continuity with all the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/48 "2011-02-17T04:35:24Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, _Equal Rites_ is sort of a witches book, and comes before _Wyrd Sisters_ (at the very least, both feature Granny Weatherwax). But _Rites_ doesn’t really seem to be in continuity with all the rest. Recent events have brought it further back into continuity. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/49 "2011-02-17T07:02:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Recent events have brought it further back into continuity. Ah, I’m only as far as _Going Postal_, so don’t spoil me with details. I’m a bit surprised, though… I would have thought that, had he wanted to tie it back in, he’d have done so sooner. But it does depress me a bit that one or two more Amazon orders, and I’ll be caught up. I mean, then I’ll have to wait for the next release, like everyone else, instead of just being able to order more whenever I want! ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/50 "2011-02-17T07:22:48Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > You suggest somebody who hasn’t read any Discworld books to start with Night Watch? That sounds quite bizarre to me, given its the 29th one and sort of expects the reader to know the characters already. I really like it, but a major part of my enjoyment of it was seeing the people of Ankh-Morpork I already knew in a new light. > > If we are arguing about the best way to start reading Pratchett, I’ll add my vote for the books **silenus** chose, Guards! Guards! and Wyrd Sisters. I started with Guards! Guards! myself 20 years ago, heh. Night Watch was actually the second Pratchett book I read. Well, the third, if you count Good Omens. I was a fan of Neil Gaiman, had never heard of Pratchett. Found Good Omens. I could _tell_ which writer wrote which parts, it seemed glaringly obvious, but I liked the other writer, Pratchett, enough to try one of his. Small Gods was the first real Pratchett one, and yep, I went to Night Watch right after. It remains my favorite, though of course it just grew better after having read other Night Watch books and learning a bit more history. I still think it’s the best novel. \>.\< ETA: Hey!! Someone do a Pterry poll! Favorite books, favorite sub-genres, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/51 "2011-02-17T10:41:11Z")
[QUOTE=Taomist] ETA: Hey!! Someone do a Pterry poll! [/QUOTE] [Here’s one **Lobsang** made earlier.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=534500) ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/52 "2011-02-17T13:22:46Z")
I read the series as they came out in paperback. Colour of Magic was fun because Sir Terry set out to lampoon fantasy fiction tropes. (The names of the dragonriders, for example, come from Dragonflight.) He wasn’t telling a story as such, just stringing some jokes together. The next few books were somewhat funny, but not as good as COM; this is because they were actual stories, but Sir Terry wasn’t into his stride. IMO, he started to hit it with Sourcery. Once we got to Wyrd Sisters, Pyramids and Guards! Guards! he was off to the races. My favourites are definitely the midperiod books, but most have something to recommend them. Of the recent book, Unseen Academicals is the one I like _least_, and I can’t help wondering if that is due to his illness. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/53 "2011-02-17T13:35:28Z")
I thought Pterry was simply declining in quality but he seems to have hit some kind of sine wave where some books are great and some are drivel. I like his earlier stuff but then I started reading them when I was about 11 back in the late 80s and have been following him ever since, so it’s a bit hard to be objective. I agree that starting them out of sequence is a good way to get into him, and I’d probably go for Mort, Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods too. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/54 "2011-02-17T13:45:31Z")
One of his books (I don’t remember the title) struck me as being a rewrite of [Tove Jansson’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tove_Jansson) book [_Comet in Moominland_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_in_Moominland) and when I asked him if he had ever read Jansson (“of course” was the answer) and told him about the similarities he seemed genuinely surprised. The obvious explanation must be that he had read it as a child and the basic story had lingered in the back of his mind long after he had forgotten about it. I take it not as a plagiary but an homage. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/55 "2011-02-17T13:50:18Z")
> [@MHaye](#): > > Of the recent book, Unseen Academicals is the one I like _least_, and I can’t help wondering if that is due to his illness. Me too - I found for example the list of titles joke puzzling, pointless and drawn out and the whole goblin origins plot heavy-handed and preachy. Some parts of the book just seemed off. ☹ He seems to be preaching tolerance in many of his newer books and while it is a commendable message, it can get old. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/56 "2011-02-17T14:47:51Z")
I started with _Reaper Man_, and I’m glad I did. It really drew me into the series. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/57 "2011-02-17T15:46:38Z")
I haven’t read _Unseen Academicals_ yet. I think that the two Moist Lipwig books (_Going Postal_ and _Making Money_) were fairly recent, and I loved both of them. _Going Postal_ in particular is one of my all-time favorites. (And not just because I’m married to a mailman. 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/58 "2011-02-17T20:32:14Z")
Quoth **Taomist** : > [@](#): > > I was a fan of Neil Gaiman, had never heard of Pratchett. Found Good Omens. I could _tell_ which writer wrote which parts, it seemed glaringly obvious, but I liked the other writer, Pratchett, enough to try one of his. I’ve heard the two of them say in interviews that the parts that were _obviously_ written by Pratchett were actually Gaiman, and vice-versa. They were deliberately imitating each others’ styles. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/59 "2011-02-17T20:55:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Quoth **Taomist** :I’ve heard the two of them say in interviews that the parts that were _obviously_ written by Pratchett were actually Gaiman, and vice-versa. They were deliberately imitating each others’ styles. OMG, now that I know this, I’m going to have to get more familiar with both of them, and read this! For me, one of the great pleasures of reading _The Talisman_ (Stephen King and Peter Straub) was picking out parts that were obviously written by one or the other. In this light, _Good Omens_ sounds like _so much fun_! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516/60 "2011-02-17T21:12:23Z")
If I liked _Small Gods_ very much, but was insufficiently interested in either _Guards! Guards!_ or the other volume I tried to even finish them–that doesn’t bode well for trying any others, does it? The others didn’t seem to have any _ideas_ comparable to _Small Gods_’. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulate-me-im-finally-reading-discworld/571516.md?page=4)