# Thanks for telling me about Terry Pratchett, folks! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 10, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958 "2019-09-10T00:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kirkrapine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@kirkrapine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirkrapine)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/21 "2019-09-11T04:06:07Z")
Adaptations available on YouTube: [The Colour of Magic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jm7zYF1A-s) [Wyrd Sisters](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGKP2vVwcDg) [Hogfather](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoWifSyA9NQ) [Soul Music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIgE23LHgPQ) ---
**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:** [September 11, 2019, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/22 "2019-09-11T05:49:33Z")
Oh, that reminds me, _Truckers_ had a Cosgrove Hall stomo adaptation, but it’s not on youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/23 "2019-09-11T10:21:47Z")
I started with “Guards, guards” because it was the one being advertised at the time I met and was picked to escort Pratchett & wife in a literary convention (I was the only member of the public to understand his opening remarks before the translator’s equipment got fixed). Why no, I never tire of trotting out that story, why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/24 "2019-09-11T11:05:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But The Wee Free Men series is his best yet Agreed. These are the only ones of his books that I’m super enthusiastic about–and I do think they’re marvelous. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/25 "2019-09-11T14:10:23Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Color of Magic is also in large part a batch of fantasy in-jokes and references, so if you haven’t read a lot of other fantasy written before 1983 a lot of it’s going to just sail past. A lot of the world of Conan goes in there, though the parody character Cohen appears much later. But the ones who think it’s not as good are wrong. It’s just different. He turned more general on some subjects later, and specific on some genres (movies for instance). It’s good to have been introduced to death via the earlier novels before you get to read his own set of novels. The Watch is an organic development from the main set of novels too… ---
**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:** [September 11, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/26 "2019-09-11T14:31:19Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > But the ones who think it’s not as good are wrong. It’s just different. I agree with this. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2019, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/27 "2019-09-11T14:41:45Z")
Yes, but according to the chart, even Pterry thought you should skip the first two books. His rec was to start with **Sourcery**. And really, the first two _aren’t_ as good. They are episodic, skimpily developed in places and and lack the characterization that Pratchett excelled at later on. Not saying CoM and TLF are _bad_, just _not as good_. I also disagree with those who are suggesting the Tiffany Aching books as starters. They are excellent in their own right, but reading them to the finish will absolutely _ruin_ the Witches series. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/28 "2019-09-11T16:12:21Z")
The Atlanta Radio Theater Company did a great audio adaptation of Guards! Guards! - dunno if you can still get it via podcast (this was 8-10 years ago). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/29 "2019-09-11T16:55:25Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I started with “Guards, guards” because it was the one being advertised at the time I met and was picked to escort Pratchett & wife in a literary convention (I was the only member of the public to understand his opening remarks before the translator’s equipment got fixed). Why no, I never tire of trotting out that story, why do you ask? Nice! ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/30 "2019-09-11T17:06:16Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I’ve never read any Pratchett and that chart is confusing. Which is the majority view on where to start on Discworld? My recommended starting points: Small Gods is an easy first, because it’s completely standalone and top-tier on most lists. Only caveat is that it’s not AS funny as many of the others. Guards Guards is great if you like police procedurals or urban fantasy. Wyrd Sisters is great if you like more classic medieval fantasy / romance. Or Shakespeare references. Wee Free Men is an okay choice if you prefer YA-style writing and only intend to read a handful of books. And if you’re somehow already completely onboard, just start with Colour of Magic and read in order. You’ll get the best experience of watching Pratchett figure things out and there’s a certain rhythm natural and meandering of topics that works nicely. Just know that the first few books are the roughest of the bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/31 "2019-09-13T00:52:55Z")
Thanks! I’m looking for an audio book version, so cross your fingers. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2019, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958/32 "2019-09-13T01:50:18Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Thanks! I’m looking for an audio book version, so cross your fingers. The unabridged audio versions of (most of) the earlier Discworld books are read by Nigel Planer (best known to some as Neil from _The Young Ones_), and the later ones are read by Stephen Briggs. Both do a fine job. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-telling-me-about-terry-pratchett-folks/839958.md?page=1)