Pratchett is a treasure. His Discworld novels are pure unadulterated brilliant fun.
The first of his books that I read was the one he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman, Good Omens. I rarely laugh out loud when reading, and that book made me laugh out loud hard so many times.
Reaper Man was the first of his Discworld novels that I read, and after that I was well and truly hooked.
My personal favorite Discworld novels (in no particular order): Small Gods (While TP is almost invariably good with every Discworld novel, I think he outdid even himself with this book.) Interesting Times
Hogfather
Pyramids
The Last Continent
Soul Music
Thief of Time
I want some battle bread-- it’d come in handy to store at my desk.
I managed to get TP to be a guest when I was doing midday radio in Montreal. I convinced my friend John to appear on air as “The cult of Terry Pratchett”. After 3 minutes of listening to John speak, Terry starting miming holding a gun to John’s head ('cus he was going on and on about all the fabulous hilarity and insights present in TP’s texts-- total fanboy behaviour, but respectable).
Of course then we get two pictures taken with the Man. In one, John is looking left and Terry and I are looking at the camera. In the other, I have my eyes closed and John and Terry look normal. Bugger that for a lark!
Does anyone else have the Discworld RPG? or Discworld Too? Check 'em out at http://www.sjgames.com
I loved Douglas Adams, and Neil Gaiman wrote a hilarious guide to the Guide, so when I saw Good Omens on a secondhand market stall I had to have it. Two days later I went back and bought every Pratchett book they had. They only cost 50p each - what a bargain!
Favourite characters - this is so hard:
Death tied with Granny Weatherwax. Well, not literally. That would be an odd couple.
Vimes - good cop/bad cop in one.
Susan (I’m a trainee teacher; she’s my role model…)
And I do love Gaspode! When he made a cameo in the last book I cheered like the audience used to do when Fonzie appeared in Happy Days. He’s just so downtrodden and undervalued.
I’d definitely recommend reading Pratchett’s kids’ books. Johnny and his friends are so much like myself when I was young, and the Nomes are pretty unique - and the Carpet People is an underrated gem. Strata was a letdown, however - he doesn’t do non-humour that well, sadly.
I keep coming back to this thread, for obvious reasons.
As some have noted, he’s getting better with time. There aren’t a lot of writers you can say that about. Hogfather, 5th Elephant and The truth have depth which is not at all present in his earlier works. Notice also how Rincewind has matured politically in Interesting Times & The Last Continent.
My guess is that TP has realised that he can get away with a lot more now, than he could in the beginning. His humanitarian and libertarian (in the best sense of the words) sides shine through in a totally diferent way in his later works.
I think the change started with Small Gods. His earlier books feature young people, coming of age and dealing with it, either as a plot device - Sourcery - or with that person as the protagonist - Pyramids. This started to change in Small Gods, and it’s also the first book which shows his deeper and darker sides.
Buy The Last Hero in hardcover. It won’t be nice to have as a trade paperback, with its size and the fantastic pictures.
The Science of Discworld books (number 2 just out) are good too, even if I think that the wizard novelette in #2 is not so hot…
I had a hard time with the witches at first, but Esme grew on me. Headology 101 is a class I would sign up for.
Maybe I should change my sig: “Dogs can’t talk, everybody knows that.”
I count myself tremendously lucky. I haven’t read all the TP books yet. I’ve gone through 9 of the Discworld and “Educated Rodents”, which is technically DW but also quite a departure IMHO. I count myself lucky because I have the rest of the books to look forward to reading for the first time.
My favorite characters are
Gaspode: I love this guy. I knew he was going to be a lifetime favorite in Moving Pictures when I read the line (comparing him with the idiot dog Laddie), “That the difference between looking and acting like a Wonder Dog and actually being one.”
DEATH: “There is no justice, just us,” from Mort counts as a life philosophy with me.
Thanks RiverRunner. I thought I was the only wierdo here that wasn’t too impressed with ‘Small Gods’ ;). I mean, it was a fun book, but I still prefered ‘The Color of Magic’ and ‘The Light Fantastic’.
So has no one else noticed there’s a new Science of Discworld book out? I love Pratchett, have read all the books, and am itching to buy the new Science book but alas I am too poor to be buying books in hardback.
The new Science book deals with the Rennaissance. I can’t wait until I can afford it.
Favorite characters: #5 Granny Weatherwax (but don’t tell her I put her at 5. I want to wake up the same shape I went to bed) #4 Death #3 Tie-Sam Vimes and Captain Carrot #2 The Luggage #1 The Librarian.
Ask me, Pratchett is the best author bar none. And, although I still enjoy the first 4 Hitchhikers books (don’t talk to me about Mostly Harmless), and was saddened by Adams passing, Pratchett is far and away better.
What I love is that his books seem to improve on second readings. First time I read Small Gods, it was one of my least favorites. After a second read, it became one of my favorites. Same with Lords & Ladies.
Even with his phenomonal popularity in the UK and the steam he’s picking up here in the States, I still think he’s severely underrated.
I had to specially order Science of Discworld from Europe, because apparently nobody will sell it in paperback over here (even on the internet! Grrr!). It was well worth it, even after waiting and shipping. Now to find the sequels…
For some reason, around where I live TP books have suddenly taken a price jump after a reprint. Two years ago, I bought a new copy of The Light Fantastic for three bucks, and now it’s seven. The only difference is in the price. It’s irritating, because $7 for about 175 pages feels like a lot. Maybe if they cut out the 50 pages of promotions stuck into the ends of all of them, they wouldn’t be as much.
Favorite characters, in no order:
Death (of course)
Ponder Stibbons
Ridcully
Rincewind
Vimes
Dibbler, in his various incarnations
Teach, from Interesting Times
rjung It was available in bookstores in Sweden about three weeks ago. I even saw an ad for it on the subway, from “Science Fiction Bokhandeln” Cost me ~ €28 in hardcover. A good read.