# I'm getting rady to start the Discworld series... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777 "2008-01-16T20:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/41 "2008-01-18T20:48:07Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] One advantage of reading in chronological order is so that you can track the development of Unseen University politics. There was a time when wizards advanced up the career ladder, especially to the Archchancellor post, by assassination. Then along came Mustrum Ridcully, who proved surprisingly hard to assassinate, and the whole tone changed - the senior faculty still squabble a lot among themselves, but it’s only bickering these days. 😃 [/QUOTE] In my opinion, the series really gelled when Ridcully entered the picture. That was when Pratchett figured out his characters’ personalities. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/42 "2008-01-18T20:58:53Z")
**Small Gods** or **Mort** would be the best to read next, I think. I don’t think that **Moving Pictures** was that good, and am surprised to see how many people did enjoy it. **Small Gods** and **Night Watch,** on the other hand, are books that made me glad I could read. ---
**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:** [January 18, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/43 "2008-01-18T21:59:27Z")
Personally, I’ve got this thing about always reading series in publication order, so I started with _The Color of Magic_ and _The Light Fantastic_. Having done so, though, I can say that if you don’t have a hang-up about reading in order like I do, you really can start almost anywhere in the series. And if you do have a hang-up about it, be prepared to read three or four books in before you give up, because they do definitely get better. That said, I would not recommend starting with _Pyramids_. It rather fell flat with me, and I think that I actually liked the first two books better. Oh, and for those keeping count, Ridcully first appeared in _Moving Pictures_. But to understand precisely what’s going on in the climax of that book, it helps (though it’s not essential) to have an understanding of certain aspects of the underpinning of Discworld wizardry, which can be found in _Equal Rites_ and _Sourcery_. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/44 "2008-01-18T23:28:58Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] [What to read when.](http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/the-discworld-reading-order-guide-1-5.jpg) [/QUOTE] Nifty chart, but it leaves me a bot 🙂 confused about something: I was under the impression that the books it labels “Science Novels” were nonfiction (and were essential reading only for science nerds). Was I wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Garula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Garula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garula)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/45 "2008-01-18T23:53:57Z")
_TCoM_ was pretty meh, but for some reason I liked _The Light Fantastic_ a lot more. Can’t really remember why… I just want to make a note that if someone is reading the city watch series, be sure to read _Thief of Time_ before _Night Watch_. The events of the former basically precipitate the latter and work together marvelously, in my opinion. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/46 "2008-01-19T00:17:25Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] Nifty chart, but it leaves me a bot 🙂 confused about something: I was under the impression that the books it labels “Science Novels” were nonfiction (and were essential reading only for science nerds). Was I wrong? [/QUOTE] Nope. I found them tedious in the extreme. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/47 "2008-01-19T00:46:55Z")
I’ve read about half the books. I’ve just received the other half from Amazon. (Although I inadvertently ordered five duplicates, which I’ll send back.) Except for _Reaper Man_ and _Witches Abroad_, which I read first, I’ve read the ones I have in order of publication. I’ll read this next batch the same way. I blame **Shayna** and **Spiny Norman**. They gave me the first two books one Christmas. (Though I read _Good Omens_ back in the '90s.) ---
**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:** [January 19, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/48 "2008-01-19T00:50:03Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] I blame **Shayna** and **Spiny Norman**. [/QUOTE] Aren’t good friends wonderful? 😃 ---
**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:** [January 19, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/49 "2008-01-19T00:57:18Z")
Indeed, they are. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/50 "2008-01-20T18:25:52Z")
My personal two cents is that I prefer City Watch to Witch stories and that those stories dealing with DEATH the character,are even lower down on my scale of appreciation,but even the worst books that Pterry brings out are totally works of genius. And thats all I have to say. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/51 "2008-01-21T05:40:23Z")
Coincidentally I’ve just gotten back into the Discworld series after reading CoM and tLF years ago. I wasn’t particularly put off by them but I got sidetracked. After reading a few more into the series, I think the first two weren’t necessary but it is nice to have that bit of back story about what octarine is and why the number eight is so significant to wizards. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/52 "2008-01-21T12:08:30Z")
[QUOTE=Yumblie] why the number eight is so significant to wizards. [/QUOTE] You mean 7a don’t you? 😉 ---
**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:** [January 21, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/53 "2008-01-21T16:17:53Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] Nifty chart, but it leaves me a bot 🙂 confused about something: I was under the impression that the books it labels “Science Novels” were nonfiction (and were essential reading only for science nerds). Was I wrong? [/QUOTE] They’re \*half \*science popularisation (non-fiction) and _half_ Discworld framing story (fiction, featuring the UU faculty, HEX and various historical earth settings). I enjoy them, but I can’t say what someone who uses the expression “science nerds” would think of them. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/54 "2008-01-21T19:04:19Z")
Thanks, everyone. I’m enjoying all of the replies, & I’ve even understood some of the references. I’m about halfway through COM (I’d be done if I didn’t have some other books going right now), and I’ve enjoyed it quite a bit so far. If the other ones are significantly better, I think I must be in for a great time. Quick question: Is the game the Gods are playing supposed to be of the RPG variety? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777/55 "2008-02-07T02:59:27Z")
I want to thank everyone who suggested starting elsewhere in the series, after I found _CoM_ underwhelming. I’m about halfway through _Guards! Guards!_, and after the first few pages, I could tell it was miles funnier than _CoM_. For years I listened to people say how funny Pratchett was and assuming that _CoM_ was typical, I could only marvel at the apparent differences in taste. But now I see my mistake was relying on too small a sample of the Pratchett _ouevre_. And now I’ve got dozens of funny Pratchett books to read! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-rady-to-start-the-discworld-series/433777.md?page=2)