Which Terry Pratchett book to begin with?

[DystopianReality]

Ds is 14, loved The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy series and JR Tolkien. Does anyone have any advice about which Terry Pratchett book would be good to intoduce him to, grab his attention and hopefully fuel his interest in the next 40 or so books in the series? Is it strictly necessary to read them in order?

No it's not necessary to read them in order.

Possibly Hogfather, certainly seasonal! Or Soul Music or Mort are all good ones to start with.

I've just checked, Mort comes before Soul Music is probably best to start with Mort.

Not strictly necessary to read them in order, although I wouldn't read anything later than moving pictures first as later in the series it does help to read them in order.
I read Mort first and recommend it, it is about an adolescent boy so may strike a chord with your ds in many places. The main character is called 'boy' throughout instead of his name so you have an in joke with ds as well

Don't bother with the first two, according to truly obsessed DS.

Oh good, both have the same suggestion!

I like Mort, and I'm not even an obsessed teenage boy.

Great minds Kelda

Mort or Guards! Guards!

Personally I do think it helps reading them from earliest to latest. In the early books Mr Pratchett adds vast amounts of detail, funny footnotes and tangents that really illustrate the world. Overtime there is less of this in the series, as the world is 'built' and the focus is on plot and characters.

It isn't strictly necessary to read them in order, but for some it helps.

Personally I'd start him off with either the Colour of Magic (the very first book in the Discworld series) or Guards Guards which begins the City Watch arc, I haven't read the first for a long time but I remember the humour being broader, more laugh out loud but to me the later Guards books are more interesting.

If he'd rather have a go at a stand alone I'd recommend Small Gods.

I'd expect a wide variety of answers to this question though.

Small Gods was the only TP book I couldn't finish. I just found it awful. I'd personally start with The Colour of Magic or Guards!Guards!

Wikipedia groups them by the groups of characters.

I am not a fan of the Rincewind books - I'd pick the City Watch and start from their first book.

Mort's brilliant - definitely one of my favourites.

I'd agree with Mort, although I started with Witches Abroad which got me hooked.

colour of magic

Not Pratchett, but also consider Philip Pulman 'His Dark Materials' trilogy starting with the Golden Compass. He is old enough to understand the complexities of the third book.

(MY DS loved Lord of the Rings and Hobbit, plus all of Harry Potter and Hitchhikers' Guide, but he didn't like Pratchett at all. But loved Pulman.

There are some Pratchett books aimed at younger readers- Truckers, Diggers, and Wings are about nomes, small creatures who live a secret life in our world, and the Tiffany Aching books are set in the Discworld and are about witches, I think the first of these is The Wee Free Men.

They may be too young for your ds, although I have 're a d and re-read them as an adult

Mort is about a young lad finding his first job and making his own way in the world, so that might appeal to your DS.

Otherwise, I'd go for Hogfather at this time of year.

How about the Wee Free Men?