# Discworld Latecomers Ongoing Discussion (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [January 12, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979 "2017-01-12T18:35:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/121 "2017-11-21T19:59:12Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I can accept any order for those two. **Reaper Man** is the deeper story, whilst **Soul Music** is a lot more fun. I’m a sucker for bad puns, so **Soul Music** generally gets my nod. I got many of the music jokes in it, but did not get them all. Some pushed the “groan level” too far, even for a pun love like me. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/122 "2017-11-21T20:35:50Z")
Personally, I found _Soul Music_ to be a rehash and mash-up of _Mort_ and _Moving Pictures_. DEATH takes a holiday and lets a mortal take over his duties, and a bit of our world’s pop culture leaks into the Disk and causes trouble before eventually leaking back. _Soul Music_ does introduce Susan, and deserves some credit for that, but _Moving Pictures_ ended up introducing or developing a lot of recurring characters, too, like Detritus and Gaspode. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/123 "2017-11-21T21:03:19Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Ook! Really? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/124 "2017-12-31T03:40:25Z")
**Feet of Clay** Not done yet, but in the final 20% or so and I do find that the City Watch books are my favorites. I love Feet of Clay and might just jump into the next Watch book right after this. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/125 "2018-05-29T23:46:10Z")
**Jingo** I can’t help myself. I just love the City Watch books. Clearly the best series in the Discworld for me. Even if the story is only OK, which it was in Jingo, the characters are so much fun, I love just spending time with them. Perhaps the weakest of the City Watch books so far, but I still loved it. I’m reading **A Hat Full of Sky** now. My second Tiffany Aching book. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/126 "2018-05-29T23:51:28Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > **Jingo** > > I can’t help myself. I just love the City Watch books. Clearly the best series in the Discworld for me. Even if the story is only OK, which it was in Jingo, the characters are so much fun, I love just spending time with them. Perhaps the weakest of the City Watch books so far, but I still loved it. Agreed! The Watch books are my favorites, they’re my go to when I need a good laugh. Though I admit it’s a tight lead with Tiffany, I wish he could have written more of her stories. ---
**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:** [May 30, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/127 "2018-05-30T00:13:38Z")
Keep on with The Watch books, and soon you will get to **Night Watch** , wherein Pterry commits Literature. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/128 "2018-05-30T12:32:13Z")
Starting last summer I’ve been rereading here and there Discworld books. Starting with my favorites (like _Going Postal_) and working my way down. (But staying away from the Witches books and the early and late ones.) Noticing some things. E.g., yeah _Making Money_ is a major step down from _Going Postal_. Plus there’s way too much plot overlap involving the bad guy with _The Truth_. I really don’t like the overuse of the single, old guy clearly has an edge over the large group of men trope. Went to that well way too many times. Currently rereading _Hogfather_. Jeez, the timeline is ridiculously twisted up. Isn’t Albert losing sand while he’s helping DEATH in the store??? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ecks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ecks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ecks)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/129 "2018-05-30T12:56:02Z")
Trailer for a new Discworld movie: [TROLL BRIDGE | Official Trailer - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJIaTBB72CM) Don’t know if it’s official or just a fan project, but it looks good. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/130 "2018-05-30T13:59:51Z")
I’ve been rereading many of the Discworld books in the last few months, starting with some of the “new stuff in Ankh-Morpork” books or whatever you want to call them (_The Truth, Going Postal, Making Money_) then to some of the city watch books (_Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, The Fifth Elephant, Thud!, Snuff_) then the witch books (_Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, Maskerade, Carpe Jugulum_) and now have started on the Tiffiny Aching books. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/131 "2018-05-30T23:34:53Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ecks](#): > > Trailer for a new Discworld movie: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJIaTBB72CM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJIaTBB72CM) > > Don’t know if it’s official or just a fan project, but it looks good. Looks good, but a fan project for sure I think?? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/132 "2018-05-31T05:46:53Z")
I think the Tiffany Aching stories should be read in the order written / published. And I suggest a new reader be familiar with Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg before they read any TA stories. When I began DW, I asked for recommendations to start with and Mort was one of the suggestions. But it wasn’t available at the local Books A Million so I got Reaper Man. Turns out I liked it better than Mort. My first introduction to DEATH was in Color of Magic and / or Light Fantastic and in those HE was mostly frightening Rincewind. HE became a lot nicer in RM. Sir Terry was just getting to know DEATH in COM and LF too. I think Witches Abroad is the best starter for the Witch stories because of this one line Finally a tall, pointy-hatted figure said, `You mean everyone brought potato salad?. Guards! Guards! is the best to start on the Watch series. They are better if you read them in publishing order. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/133 "2018-05-31T08:35:40Z")
When asked, I insist the books should all be read in publication order. I’m convinced the tonal shifts people think they see come from hopping from one end of Pterry’s evolution as a writer to earlier points. Read them as a continuum, and you grow with him. Also, Rincewind is way, way underrated as a character by most people. I’m not saying that to be a Discworld hipster, I really think some people just don’t really get what he was about, especially in the earlier books. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/134 "2018-05-31T10:33:17Z")
I’ve been bouncing between series, but reading the series in the order they were published. I’ve had no issues doing it this way. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/135 "2018-05-31T11:18:41Z")
That’s OK, as long as you recognize the Tiffany Aching books are a subset of the Witches ones. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/136 "2018-06-05T01:44:50Z")
A Hat Full of Sky An improvement over the original book by quite a bit. Very impressed. I found Miss Level to be a great character and Tiffany’s experience with the Hiver to be really neat. I like that Tiffany is getting older and that all others recognize how smart she is. I get the sense she is the next great witch. Next up is Faust(Eric). ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/137 "2018-06-05T01:51:10Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > A Hat Full of Sky > > An improvement over the original book by quite a bit. Very impressed. I found Miss Level to be a great character and Tiffany’s experience with the Hiver to be really neat. I like that Tiffany is getting older and that all others recognize how smart she is. I get the sense she is the next great witch. > > Next up is Faust(Eric). Wait until you read **“I Shall Wear Midnight”** … ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/138 "2018-06-05T01:55:35Z")
[Here is my progress.](https://imgur.com/a/1pr6gvJ) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/139 "2018-06-05T08:01:53Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Next up is Faust(Eric). Prepare for disappointment IMO. Less so if you’re reading the fully illustrated version, but even then, I’m not the hugest Kirby fan… And you’re aware your reading guide is missing a lot of later books, right? At least, I don’t see _Snuff_ and _Raising Steam_. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979/140 "2018-06-05T13:08:04Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Prepare for disappointment IMO. Less so if you’re reading the fully illustrated version, but even then, I’m not the hugest Kirby fan… > > And you’re aware your reading guide is missing a lot of later books, right? At least, I don’t see _Snuff_ and _Raising Steam_. I’ve heard negative reviews of Eric, but I want to read every book in order. I count it as a Rincewind book. I know the guide is missing later books. Has there never been a 3.0 update that is complete? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discworld-latecomers-ongoing-discussion-open-spoilers/776979.md?page=8)