Discworld book

[FabulousFryingpan]

So, a few weeks ago I decided that I should read the Terry Pratchett discworld books. Started at the first one. The reason I started was that enough people whose reading opinions I respect enjoy them immensely. Also, you rarely see them in charity shops so people that do have them must be keen and keep hanging on to them.

The first one was a bit disappointing. There were occasional glimmers of wit, but not enough to get me running to the bookshop to get the next one. This is sorta what led to my partner not reading beyond the first one (many, many years ago). He found Wee Free Men in a charity shop, read a bit on the first pages and burst out laughing, so got that for me.

Now to my query: are the discworld novels worth it? Is it just a matter that the first one (like a pilot episode of a series) is mostly scene setting and it simply hasn't gotten into its stride yet?

What attracts you to them?

Convince me.

Reread Mort a couple of summers ago and discovered that I still love that book ❤️

Has anyone seen the new editions…… if only I had a spare 600 quid I’d love all mine to match 😍

You might like the audiobooks - the witches ones read by Indira Vharma are absolutely brilliant. Jon Culshaw reads the Watch ones, which he does very well too, although Sam Vines sounds exactly like Sean Bean in Sharpe, which is discombobulating.

I was absolutely obsessed with the Discworld as a teen, then had a bit of a rest from them as I got older and moved to more miserable/bloody fantasy! My favourites to read are probably Maskerade, Witches Abroad, Lords & Ladies, and Mort. There's a few of the newer ones I haven't read, and I can't wait to catch up!

We should get together and find ourselves a Magrat!

Rather predictably, each fan has a different favourite book, you will soon be told by separate people that each one is the best 😁. My suggestion is that Guards Guards and Wyrd sisters are good starts to The Watch and Witches series'. Hogfather is seasonal and other greats for single books are The Truth and Thief of time.

But to massively generalise, his early few books were not yet perfected and the latest ones were in decline along with his health. Pick something early to middleish and you shouldn't go far wrong.

The City Watch books and Moist von Lipwigs are my fave. So much excellent wisdom "see a pin, pick it up, all day long you'll have a pin" 🤣 Sam Vimes is my hero, those novels stand out for me hugely in his pantheon.

I feel so jealous that you have them all to read for the first time.

I press Guards Guards on first timers as an excellent way in ~ then you can read to the end of the Sam Vimes stories and start the next set of stories with the witches. I hope you like them because if you do you have a set of comfort reads for life

Oh, and Hogfather is a brilliant read in the run up to Christmas! Susan as a nanny...

DH had almost full set as teen and am slowly working my way through, maybe 2 a year. Just finished Interesting Times, which I rather enjoyed - the geriatric barbarians are fun. I read the football one last year UU?

Agree with PP, the witches books are good.

I find them a good distraction from the world and its woes. I find he is just the right level of sympathetic/cynical to sort of restore my faith in things.

Guards! Guards! comes highly recommended as a first delve into the Discworld

Obviously!

I love Mort, but you could really start anywhere and just pick things up as you go along. There are stories within stories, and many recurring characters. I would agree with a pp that the first and sadly the last few are not the best, but the many in the middle are some of my favourite books in the world.

Oh god, no audio books, if I ever suffer from insomnia, an audio book is a surefire way to get me to sleep within 10 minutes. Though I admit a not-quite-yet catchy book does the same...

I mean, it's not like we need any more books in this house, to be honest. I don't know what the current count stands at, but during 2020 I got rid of a good 500 or so, finally having single rows of books on the shelves. But recently my partner bought the Game of Thrones series, so I didn't think I could sit back and not get something I might want to read for myself.

Usually ends up with the first few from charity shops then the rest new as cannot wait for them to turn up elsewhere. Which is a shame considering how many books are pulped on a daily basis.

I do have a kindle, but only do that for gutenberg stuff, things you cannot get elsewhere or stuff I wouldn't want to have on the shelves but wouldn't mind a reread. And it's ideal for plane rides which has been more than a year (used to a lot for work, no more, yay!)

My husband has taken to reading discworld books aloud to me because I've refused to read them myself, after trying when I was 17 and hating them (colour of magic). I despised the nonsense word salad and I was quite offended by parody of fantasy, at the time (I was a film student!)

Hated colour of magic the second time too!

Equal Rites absolutely loved.

Couple of pages from the end of Mort. Meh.. Death is interesting I suppose!

Granny Weatherwax all day every day. So looking forward to the Wyrd Sisters.

I have a few but haven’t ready more than a few pages because it’s hard to understand and very taxing to read

I started with Soul Music, which I think is probably a less usual starting point, but it’s still one of my favourite books.

I turned up my nose at them in the bestseller lists for years, then read Going Postal, followed by Night Watch. And I “got it”.

Intelligent social satire of the highest quality.

Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters and Witches Abroad are my absolute faves. I also like the later ones with Tiffany Aching: The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full Of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight and The Shepherd's Crown.

Basically all the ones where the witches feature most prominently. Couldn't get on with the other ones.

Agree, I've read Colour of Magic three times and I could not tell you what happens in it!

Well, just started Equal Rites, and it's looking good. Also have Guard Guard (or is it plural?) waiting to be read. But there's about 50 other books (not Pratchett) still to read too, though these seems quick ones.

Thanks for the tips!

Carpe Jugulum is my favourite followed by the witches.

Unseen university ones are not to my taste at all.

I've just started Wintersmith, which is the first of the Tiffany Aching ones I've read, and I'm a bit disappointed so far...will persevere!!

It's not the first Tiffany book, is it? Probably works better to read those in order as she's a youngster growing up so there is a progression.

Plural. There's more than one of them.
As the series goes on they increase in number and exceptional diversity!

Rincewind takes a tourist on holiday and a big suitcase is invincible