# Three Favorite and Three Most Disliked Pratchett Novels **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257 "2008-10-23T21:11:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/21 "2008-10-24T01:05:56Z")
Top three: Small Gods Making Money Lords and Ladies At the bottom: The Light Fantastic The Colour of Magic Pyramids Small Gods gets a boost due to the fact that I read both The Light Fantastic and The Colour of Magic when they were first released and was kind of “meh”. Then a decade later I picked up Small Gods and was stunned by how much better a writer he was, or maybe how much better a reader I was. I’d actually discarded the first two and had to go back and repurchase them. They were still kind of “meh”. ---
**Author:** ![Garula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Garula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garula)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/22 "2008-10-24T02:59:23Z")
Top Three: Night Watch Guards! Guards! The Truth Least Favorite: Eric The Color of Magic Equal Rites ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/23 "2008-10-24T03:58:40Z")
I really liked Monstrous Regiment. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/24 "2008-10-24T04:01:23Z")
This is a _really_ tough call… Favourite: Night Watch Thief of Time Going Postal And least favourite: The Light Fantastic Sourcery Pyramids ---
**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:** [October 24, 2008, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/25 "2008-10-24T11:52:04Z")
\*\*Top Discworld: \*\*_Small Gods_ _Night Watch_ \*Thud! (\*which only just edges out _TAMAHER_) \*\*Top Non-Discworld: \*\*_Good Omens_ _Johnny And The Dead_ _The Unadulterated Cat_ Least: _Moving Pictures_ _[del]Faust[/del]Eric!_ _Equal Rites_ And I like the least of those (Eric!) very much indeed. [QUOTE=Gadarene] I really liked Monstrous Regiment [/QUOTE] So did I. ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/26 "2008-10-24T13:45:53Z")
Favorite: Night Watch Thud! Hogfather (or any of the Guards/Captain Carrot/Angua/Simes/genre) especially, Is That My Cow? Least Favorite: Pyramids Rincewind anything The Last Continent esp. Good Omens ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/27 "2008-10-24T14:08:24Z")
Favorite: A Hat Full of Sky Night Watch Small Gods Least Favorite: Eric Pyramids Colour of Magic ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/28 "2008-10-24T14:25:51Z")
I don’t want to derail the topic, but I would like to ask a question. I haven’t read much Pratchett. And by “much” I mean probably 6 of the, what? 40 + books he’s written. But I’m trying to take the Discworld in a semblance of order. Anyway, it seems as if the consensus from this thread is that Pyramids is a crappy book whereas the next in line Guards! Guards! is one of his best. So if I skip Pyramids, will I miss much from the overall universal story arc? For that matter, if make a habit of going in order but skipping the subpar books in general, how much will I miss out on? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/29 "2008-10-24T14:26:48Z")
**Favourite:** Sourcery Interesting Times The Fifth Elephant Runner up goes to the Dark Side of the Sun **Least favourite:** Monstrous Regiment (the only Pterry book I couldn’t finish) The Last Continent (seriously, what the fuck happened in that book? And what an awful send off for Rincewind) The Night Watch (aka when Pterry officially disappeared up his own arse) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/30 "2008-10-24T14:40:42Z")
Faves: Thief of Time Carpe Jugulum Thud Least Faves (but still not bad): Color of Magic Light Fantastic Eric ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/31 "2008-10-24T14:59:10Z")
Favorite: Reaper Man Jingo Hogfather Least: Thief of time Carpe Jugulum any others with the witches. Not bad books, just not into thier characters as much. Ands since there is a contrroversy as to whether or not it counts: Much love to Good Omens. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/32 "2008-10-24T15:07:03Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I don’t want to derail the topic, but I would like to ask a question. I haven’t read much Pratchett. And by “much” I mean probably 6 of the, what? 40 + books he’s written. But I’m trying to take the Discworld in a semblance of order. > > Anyway, it seems as if the consensus from this thread is that Pyramids is a crappy book whereas the next in line Guards! Guards! is one of his best. So if I skip Pyramids, will I miss much from the overall universal story arc? For that matter, if make a habit of going in order but skipping the subpar books in general, how much will I miss out on? You wouldn’t miss anything at all. “Pyramids” is one of the “stand-alone” books. That also goes for “Small Gods”, most of “Monstrous Regiment”, among others. They may feature recognizable characters from other books but mostly they are outside the story arcs, if you want to call them that. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/33 "2008-10-24T15:26:57Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Favorite: > Reaper Man. . . Hogfather Who’d’ve guessed those? SQUEAK! My top three: Guards! Guards! Lords and Ladies Hogfather Bottom three (never re-read :eek:) Colour of Magic Light Fantastic Eric Good Omens would be in the top three if it counted (they should have found a way to use both their versions of Death). ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/34 "2008-10-24T16:31:49Z")
I should answer the OP, too. (Disclaimer: I’ve only read fifteen or so Discworld novels – haven’t read many of the early books, or many involving the Witches or Rincewind.) Favorites Going Postal Night Watch The Truth (Monstrous Regiment is fourth) Least Favorite Lords and Ladies Moving Pictures Maskerade ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/35 "2008-10-24T16:44:50Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I don’t want to derail the topic, but I would like to ask a question. I haven’t read much Pratchett. And by “much” I mean probably 6 of the, what? 40 + books he’s written. But I’m trying to take the Discworld in a semblance of order. > > Anyway, it seems as if the consensus from this thread is that Pyramids is a crappy book whereas the next in line Guards! Guards! is one of his best. So if I skip Pyramids, will I miss much from the overall universal story arc? For that matter, if make a habit of going in order but skipping the subpar books in general, how much will I miss out on? There isn’t really a universal story arc to the Discworld in the first place. You can skip just about any novel, and not mess up your enjoyment of the next book. _Pyramids_ in particular doesn’t feature any characters (other than Death) that show up in any other books, so it’s not a bad idea to skip it to get to _Guards! Guards!_ and then just go back and read it later. It’s not that bad a book, really. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/36 "2008-10-24T17:26:32Z")
How could I forget about Thief of Time!? It’s where I got my username from! ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/37 "2008-10-24T17:32:00Z")
Oh, Gods. I had forgotten about Eric. That’s definitely way down my list. Off the top of my head, with no deep consideration given: Top Three (no particular order) Monstrous Regiment Guards, Guards The Truth Bottom Three Hogfather Jingo Eric ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/38 "2008-10-24T17:33:00Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > How could I forget about Thief of Time!? It’s where I got my username from! And I’m surprised\*\* Bill Door \*\*didn’t list _Reaper Man_ as a favorite for the same reason.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/39 "2008-10-24T17:38:47Z")
My favorites: Night Watch Lords & Ladies Wee Free Men (4th: Soul Music) Least favorites: Maskerade (I didn’t bother finishing the last 3 chapters) Colour of Magic Sourcery ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257/40 "2008-10-24T18:00:23Z")
Favorites: Night Watch Witches Abroad Last Continent (mostly because it was my first, and got me hooked.) Least favorite: Monstrous Regiment Jingo The Fifth Elephant [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-favorite-and-three-most-disliked-pratchett-novels/469257.md?page=3)