# Late to the party: Terry Pratchett **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078 "2010-03-03T02:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/21 "2010-03-03T23:46:42Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [The Reading Guide](http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/the-discworld-reading-order-guide-1-5.pdf) > > From **LL** , I’d read **Maskerade** and **Carpe Jugulum** , then switch over to the Watch books. Or go back one and read **Witches Abroad**. Slightly contrary opinion: I’d go back to _Wyrd Sisters_, the first book to feature the Lancre coven (Granny Weatherwax by herself was first in _Equal Rites_\*). Then continue in order to _Witches Abroad_, then either re-read or skip past _Lords and Ladies_ and continue on in order with _Maskerade_ and _Carpe Jugulum_. **Savannah** could continue forward from _Lords and Ladies_ without much trouble, but if she’s going to go backwards she might as well go back to _Wyrd Sisters_ and find out about how Magrat wound up engaged to the King of Lancre. That relationship is put on hold for the entirety of _Witches Abroad_, since the witches do in fact go abroad. I like _Witches Abroad_ a lot and it provides some interesting character development and good humor, but in terms of the Lancre Witches subseries it could be skipped without missing any crucial plot developments or new characters. Greebo’s transformation in _Maskerade_ makes more sense if you’ve read _Witches Abroad_, though. I’d definitely recommend that _Maskerade_ and _Carpe Jugulum_ be read in that order though, because Agnes “Perdita” Nitt goes from being a very minor character in _Lords and Ladies_ to a major one in _Maskerade_. I think it would be difficult to fully enjoy _Carpe Jugulum_ if one were wondering why this Agnes girl was such a big deal all of a sudden or what was up with her personality. \*ETA: _Equal Rites_ is technically the first Witch book, but it doesn’t need to be the first someone reads. A lot of people don’t think it’s as good as the later ones, and whether you like it or not it doesn’t really tie in with the others. Granny Weatherwax is a major character but none of the other recurring characters from the Witch subseries are there, and the plot doesn’t have anything to do with the later books. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/22 "2010-03-03T23:58:21Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > Small Gods is a stand-alone, doesn’t require any previous Discworld experience, and is always near–if not at–the very top in the “Your Favorite Discworld Book” polls. I just re-read it for the 4th (or so) time and I’m more awed each time at how good it is. It also benefits from having read **Carpe Jugulum** (because of Mightily Oats, and his reverence for Brutha), as well as **Night Watch** (so you can appreciate the Monks of History, and the role they played in the development of Omnianism). ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/23 "2010-03-04T01:00:03Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > It also benefits from having read **Carpe Jugulum** (because of Mightily Oats, and his reverence for Brutha), as well as **Night Watch** (so you can appreciate the Monks of History, and the role they played in the development of Omnianism). I think that you mean **Thief Of Time** , not **Night Watch**. The Monks of History have a bit part in **Night Watch** like they do in **Small Gods** , but that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![\_xiao\_wenti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b782af/32.png) [@\_xiao\_wenti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_xiao_wenti)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/24 "2010-03-04T01:20:22Z")
It isn’t DW, but Nation is wonderful. re - Masquerade. I read it in the bath. When I got to the Joy of Snacks, I thought I might drown. People have their favorite arcs – I like the Watch. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/25 "2010-03-04T01:24:03Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > It also benefits from having read **Carpe Jugulum** (because of Mightily Oats, and his reverence for Brutha), as well as **Night Watch** (so you can appreciate the Monks of History, and the role they played in the development of Omnianism). This seems backwards to me. _Carpe Jugulum_ benefits from having read _Small Gods_ first, because then you know about the Omnian religion. The Monks of History play a small enough role in _Small Gods_ that I don’t think it matters much if one reads it before or after _Night Watch_, but I don’t see any particular benefit to doing so. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/26 "2010-03-04T01:24:29Z")
> [@](#): > > It also benefits from having read Carpe Jugulum (because of Mightily Oats, and his reverence for Brutha), as well as Night Watch (so you can appreciate the Monks of History, and the role they played in the development of Omnianism). Or you can look at it the other way, and say you’ll appreciate _Carpe Jugulum_ more after reading _Small Gods_, for the same reason. And _Witches Abroad_ is also, IIRC, where the concept of Dwarven bread is really first developed (_Guards, Guards_ has Carrot getting a care package from home of Dwarven cake, but it’s still something one is expected to actually eat). ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/27 "2010-03-04T05:42:02Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > I wonder how many people have stumbled upon Pratchett due to Good Omens? I know I did, and apparantly am not the only one! I’ve heard that several times now. > [SIZE=“1”] I did too, because Gaiman wrote a book called ‘Don’t Panic’ as a companion to the Hitch-hikers books. Good Lord, that word really doesn’t look right no matter how you spell or hyphenate it. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I actually read _Going Postal_ before I read _Making Money_. It was the 3rd DW book I read. I had no trouble with it, and the allusions to previous events only fueled my need to read more DW. Those two books are in a different style to the other Discworld books. The regular discworld books have no chapters, tons of asides, and lots of postcripts; the Moist books have chapters with summaries, no postscripts and a slightly more straightforward storytelling format. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/28 "2010-03-04T05:47:51Z")
The whole “no chapters” thing can be really annoying, too, when you’re telling yourself “Just one more chapter, and then I’ll put it down and go to sleep”. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/29 "2010-03-04T05:49:52Z")
I went from Good Omens to Small Gods to Nightwatch, and Nightwatch is what I typically give to people who I think might be interested in Pratchett. Night Watch is just such a good book, on all on it’s own, that going back to re-read it after getting more backstory only improves it a little bit. \ It’s just that good. IF you like the Watch portion the best, and I admit I do. The Witches come next though; that goofy wizard never impressed me, and I can’t get into the Rincewind stories much at all. The Deaths rock, however. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/30 "2010-03-04T05:58:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The whole “no chapters” thing can be really annoying, too, when you’re telling yourself “Just one more chapter, and then I’ll put it down and go to sleep”. Oh yes. And then, sometimes, when you’ve decided to stop on page 180 or whatever, the postscript carries you on to page 181, so you decide to continue to the next round number, and then suddenly it’s 5am and you’ve finished the book. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/31 "2010-03-04T06:22:04Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > This seems backwards to me. _Carpe Jugulum_ benefits from having read _Small Gods_ first, because then you know about the Omnian religion. The Monks of History play a small enough role in _Small Gods_ that I don’t think it matters much if one reads it before or after _Night Watch_, but I don’t see any particular benefit to doing so. In _Carpe Jugulum_, the turtle is the holy symbol because it was Brutha’s execution platform. In _Small Gods_, Brutha doesn’t get executed, thanks to the Monks of History. And **Rysto** , I _might_ mean **Thief of Time** , except that I haven’t read it yet. But thanks for pointing it out to me; I do like those Monks of History, so I think that might be the one I pick up next. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/32 "2010-03-04T15:52:20Z")
_Thief of Time_ is possibly my favorite book ever. However, I don’t recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read the previous Death books. You really need a feel for Susan’s backstory to really understand her in ToT. I seem to be one of the few people who loves Rincewind. Then again, I seem to be one of the few people here who reads Pratchett more for the funny than the philosophy. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/33 "2010-03-04T16:55:00Z")
I was watching a rerun of Criminal Minds on Ion, they are always quoting something at the beginning and end of the show. One of the characters said this; “No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.”. I was thinking that sounded really familiar when he said “Terry Pratchett”. I was happy to see a Terry quote in a major American network prime-time television show. So I’ve got the bug to reread the books again but I think I will try reading by the guide, too. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/34 "2010-03-04T17:40:55Z")
> [@](#): > > In Carpe Jugulum, the turtle is the holy symbol because it was Brutha’s execution platform. In Small Gods, Brutha doesn’t get executed, thanks to the Monks of History. Wait, was it a turtle holy symbol, or a tortoise? I thought it was the latter, that being Om’s most recent incarnate form. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/35 "2010-03-04T17:43:10Z")
Turtle. I believe that the movement that replaced the Oppressive Regime had as an article of faith “The [turtle](http://www.discworldemporium.com/catalog.php?item=488&catid=46) moves!” Om manifested as a tortoise, but Brutha’s execution platform didn’t make it into Omnian symbolism, unlike a certain popular Roundworld religion… ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/36 "2010-03-05T01:20:57Z")
I always figured, “Turtle, tortoise, they’re all chelonians.” There’s a general reptiles-with-shells theme in _Small Gods_, and I took them to be pretty much interchangeable. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/37 "2010-03-05T01:40:41Z")
Mightily Oaks and Brutha, I think, stand alone. _Small Gods_ was the first Pratchett I read, and it got me to continue to read him. When I got around to _Carpe Jugulum_, there were no references there that I needed to know that came from _Small Gods_. Nor, I think, the other way around. Both good books, by the way, both enjoyable to read. For the other side of the coin, the two I’ve found to be more or less boring are _Moving Pictures_ and _Thud!_. Oddly enough, I have them still in my bookcase. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Staver808](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Staver808](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staver808)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/38 "2010-03-05T02:09:47Z")
While there have been books I haven’t liked by him (Eric), what I always enjoy is the descriptions and the dialog. His genius is in the little things, IMHO. I still chuckle when I think of the (forget his name) greatest mathamatician the world has even known, and he’s a camel. I crack up everytime I read the the line “King: Fool! [refering to the character that goes by the name Fool] Someone knocks without! Fool: Someone knocks with out what? King: Someone knocks without the door! Fool: Is this one of those zen things?” Even the books I didn’t like have these little gems in them. Makes me laugh all the time, and seeing as I’m reading a book at the time, also usually makes me look insane. Or at least that’s how I’ve interpreted the stares I’ve gotten before. ---
**Author:** ![Staver808](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Staver808](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staver808)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/39 "2010-03-05T02:26:53Z")
Question about the reading guide. I guess Wee Free Men are related to the witches since Tiffany Aching knows Granny, and Granny approves of her as Granny being a big side character, but how is this series related to Maurice? I don’t recall either the boy, the mice or Maurice being in the Tiffany books, nor vice versa. The closest I get is the girl (was it the Mayor’s daughter?) is kind of like a proto Tiffany. Can someone help my admittedly faulty memory? ---
**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:** [March 5, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078/40 "2010-03-05T02:28:53Z")
That’s why it’s linked with only a “Minor Connection” line. They needed to put it _somewhere_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-to-the-party-terry-pratchett/531078.md?page=3)