Discworld series - stick with it?

[WhyOhWhyOhWhyyyy]

I read a few of the books when I was a teen/young adult and remember loving them (can’t remember which ones they were though), and have always wanted to read the whole series. Just started and I’m two books in and feeling a bit lukewarm about it.
Shall I persist? If they get better as the series goes on then I’ll stick with it. If the first two are a good example of what the rest are like then I’ll probably cut my losses and just accept that my taste must have just changed over the years.

Which ones have you just re read? Find the wizard ones annoying now.
Guards Guards or Night Watch or any Moist Von Lipwig ones are my favs

Not keen on the early ones, but Carpe Jugulum is ace 🙂

@MichelleScarn I wanted to read them in order so have just read the first two (the colour of magic and the light fantastic).
I’d like to read them all in the right order, but only if they get better as they go on.

I think the later ones are better, Lords and Ladies is my absolute favourite, and the later Vimes ones.

First two are the weakest (imho) do do stick with it!

The earliest ones are really not that great. They get better and better. I understand the desire to read them in order, but you'd be better off picking a 'strand' - e.g. the Watch ones or the Witches ones. Or even just picking one of the very best ones and reading that first in order to convince yourself they're worth it! (Heresy for those completists among us, but needs must!)

Later ones much better. Maybe start with Guards Guards?

My favourites are the Watch ones btw, and The Night Watch is my fave of all.

His books with the witches are probably my favourite, I think Equal Rites is the first, closely followed by Death, think Mort was the first, or the Watch ones, think Guards, Guards is the first.

I love them all (obviously) but most people say the first two are the worst. They are purer fantasy, whereas the later ones are politics, philosophy, world history, and many other things!

The first rule of Discworld is, don't start at the beginning

Yes they do get "better" - the first couple of books are a bit of a slog. Generally the recommendation is to start with a specific "group" e.g. the City Watch books, or the Witches books, and then open out.

Some options

Handy chart

If you Google Discworld reading order there’s a guide to the best order to read them in.

Do stick with them. They’re just wonderful and Sir Terry was a genius and is sorely missed.

I like the Watch and Moist Von Lipwig ones best

Here’s a link to the Disccword reading order graphic here

I would also recommend thematically. I've read them all but the first two were my least favourite. We're currently working through the audiobooks thematically. Did witches first and now half way through the city watch.

I tries. But i think I did the same as you.
Couldn't get past the first book

The very early ones weren't great. I didn't like the last few either.

Soul Music, Mort and Moving pictures were my first three.

That's because the first book really isn't very good!
The Moist von Lipwig ones are excellent.

The first two are essentially pastiches of sci-fi and fantasy novels around at the time, written when he was still very much finding his feet as an author. Fair to say they're not entirely representative of the quality of his later books!

Thanks everyone, you’ve convinced me to stick with it! Sounds like the first two just aren’t the best examples of his writing and they do get better.

The next book in the series is a witches themed one (Equal Rites) so I’ll give that a go and then maybe go through the witches books if I like it rather than going chronologically.

Have DC2 due in a couple of weeks and hoping these books will get me through the night feeds.

My gateway drug was Wyrd Sisters. Laugh-out-loud funny (IMO)

Yep first two are a bit naff, they get better!

Much as I loved the early ones when I first read them, they're really weak now purely because of how good the series became and his gradual switch from fantasy tropes to real world issues. Stick with them and you will enjoy them.

I also could not get into the two early sci fi works and I've never seen a copy of the Carpet People (1971) in the wild.

Early editions are fetching some good money too.