After having come across several very possitive references to Terry Pratchet’s Discworld series in a short period of time, including some on the boards, I decided to read them.
So, after making several trips to all the local library branches and all the bookstores, new and used, within a reasonable travel distance, I have a complete list of the series, in order, and notes about where each volume can be found. Perusing the list, I see that I have a problem.
Down through “Guards! Guards!” I can get them (albeit “Pyramids” and “Guards! Guards!” are only available in one bookstore). From “Small Gods” on, they are widely available. But in the middle, there are four volumes that don’t seem to be anywhere.
Now, when I was compiling the complete list, I notice that some of the books, on the list of “other books by Terry Pratchett” in the front, left out everything from “Mort” to “Witches Abroad.”
Are these two things connected? Why the missing middle? [Beating down references to the undistributed middle.] And, where can I find those missing four volumes? (Eric, Moving Pictures, Reaper Man and Witches Abroad) Any info would be appreciated.
And yes, I do know that it is a series of satiric novels, and there is no real order, and certainly no continuing plot line. But some things should be, and series should be read in order.
Okay, I’m totally confused by what you just said. You went all over the place there and I can’t tell which way is up.
Anyway, I just thought I’d say that there IS an order. Even though they are mostly self contained (except for the first two) they still progress and reference each other. You can’t really follow the beginning of a Rincewind novel without having read the end of the previous Rincewind.
As for finding the books - I don’t know. Where are you? Second hand stores are the best.
I’m also reading through these for the first time. As I understand it, the first releases were a while back, and now they’re progressively rereleasing them all again, but there’s a gap in there of a few books that are hard to find.
Of course, if you know where to look, you can find all of them online in .txt format, but that would be illegal and thus not a proper subject for discussion here. But my email’s linked down below.
Ah, they’re being rereleased! Thanks, Smeghead! That’s what I needed to know. I’ll just have to wait a bit for the next few to appear, and then I’m home free. Thanks a lot!
Hah - I started reading the series just after the release of Wyrd Sisters - the first time it came out. I only had 4 books to catch up on.
As of Reaper Man I started buying them all in hardback pretty much the day they came out. I have Pyramids in hardback too, but the rest in softback. Except someone borrowed by Mort and never gave it back. Bastard.
Been getting them since day one, since when they were only out in paperback. Small Gods is the best: “yes…but…Here and Now, WE ARE ALIVE!”
Still gives me the shivers.
Punkyova, they’re right, they are being re released - so now I can go back and find Equal Rites, which I’ve lost somewhere along the way.
I wouldn’t wait until the last few come out- they’re bringing them out gradually, and it’ll be a while before all the Pratchett books are available in the US again.
Go ahead and start reading what you can get- the series is pretty friendly to reading out-of-order, since each book is self-contained.
If you don’t want to wait for the others, I’m pretty sure they’re ALL in print in England still, so you can always get them from an English supplier.
You can also get the out-of-print ones, which aren’t actually out of print, just ‘unavailable,’ through Amazon.com for about $16 for paperbacks.
Online buying is the only thing i can think of to get the books right now in the States if you want to do that.
As for reading them out of order, try not to. Some of them are ‘on their own’ books like Small Gods and Pyramids but a lot of them are part of a series like the Witches, the City Watch, Rincewind and reading these out of order would just be confusing in my opinion.
The first one I read was Small Gods which wasn’t the best to start with seeing as it is set in a country that believes the world is round which really threw me afterwards seeing as I didn’t know a thing about the Discworld before I read it.
I too have a gap in my Discworld reading. I just started last year and got from TCOM through Wyrd Sisters (which I have on DVD too). Then I read Small Gods through The 5th Elephant. Pyramids and Guards, Guards are somewhere in route from Reno to me as we speak.
So far, my favorite has also been Small Gods. Although it falls outside the standard Discworld timeline, it represents pTerry’s finest blend of parody, satire, and social commentary. “Nevertheless, the turtle moves.”
I started reading when Equal Rites was released. This was 1987. I also have the illustrated large format Eric, and both editions of the Discworld Companion. All paperback, however.
For true fans, and ways to order books, visit here: Discworld Monthly
A suggested reading order is creatively diagrammed here for anyone who wants it. Based on what little I know of the series (I’ve only read The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery, and Pyramids to this point; I’m currently waiting on my library to let me know that Guards! Guards! is available), it seems to be reasonably on target so far. (Those who know the series better can critique it at their leisure.)
Polycarp got me started on these books, but he rarely ventures over to MPSIMS even when he’s posting regularly. But what the hey:
**HEY POLY! C’mon over - we’re talking Discworld!!! **
I’ve given up on keeping up to date-- but only because I do need to get some working in
I can brag that I have Guards Guards, Mort, and Wyrd Sisters signed by the Man! that my pal John appeared on radio to explain the cult of Terry Pratchett with the Man holding his fingers cocked like a gonne to John’s head, and that I have a photo of me and John with the Man that proves why you should always take 2 pictures: in the first John is blinking, and in the second I’m blinking.
The Man just has the most insightful touches into the human soul, and does it with wickedly delicious humour.
I can’t compete with you about signings (only have two books signed) but I once bought a book that was ALREADY signed!
Years later I was at a reading and I showed Pterry the book. He said yes it was his handwriting and signature but couldn’t remember that specific dedication (it was a special one - not one of the standard dedications).
Nothing too special I know but I think it’s a nice little story nevertheless!!!
I read The Colour of Magic when it first came out, many years ago. Of course I bought The Light Fantastic as soon as it came out, and then Equal Rites. After that, I no longer bothered to examine the book before buying it, I KNEW that I’d enjoy it.
I have an inscribed (to me) paperback of Good Omens. I know that an inscription makes the book worth less in monetary terms, but a friend got Pterry to autograph this book for me, so it’s doubly valuable to me.
When I first found out that my brother’s fiancee loved Pratchett, I told him to marry her without delay. I’ve never met a Pratchett fan that I couldn’t get along with.
you can get pretty much any discworld book, at any time, in the UK.
i’ve seen the ones you mention on sale here. you geot any nice british/irish friends/relatives who can buy them and post them to you?
as a side note…
Terry Pratchett, the most shoplifted author in britain!
RTFirefly - Thanks for the link! It kind of helps to make sense of the whole thing.
I have been reading, in order, I confess. I have got through “Guards!Guards!” and am more than a bit miffed that I can’t easily find the next few. I may, with the help of the diagram, skip around a bit. Ordering from the UK seems a bit extreme when they will be re-issued here if I just wait a bit.
I have really enjoyed all of them so far. However, as a confirmed dog lover, one who does rescue, dog sports, and whose house has gradually become a kennel with attached garage (although I don’t breed dogs), I loved “Guards! Guards!” I know these people! Wait a minute! I AM these people!
I don’t remember now the posts that led me to the series, so I am generically thankful to the board.
I was, I believe, 6 years old when PTerry wrote TCOM (1983?). A little early to get in on the ground floor. But a guy at my Dad’s word did exactly that and it was he a few years later who lent me COM and got me going.
Hah. I have maps, books and posters signed to me personally. You’ll have to do better than that Lynn. What - noone else has been to a DiscCon?
[sub](grumble grumble reading them before I was)[/sub]
