Terry Pratchett

[TotallyFloored]

I'm trying to broaden what I read and I have never read any Terry Pratchett - where on earth would I start with him ? He seems to have so many that are linked but I'm not sure what the starting point is ? Thanks guys x

Small Gods.

Guards is a good choice. I read Men at Arms first, which is ‘second’ in the night watch based books. And while they are mostly all stand alone, it had elements from Guards Guards that made more sense after I read that one. I think Corporal Carrot was one of my first literary loves.

If you find you enjoy the Discworld and eventually get to the end, there are some of his early works that are also enjoyable, such as Strata, Dark Side of the Sun and the Carpet People (billed as being for children, but always one of my favourites).

Go for it! (Well, I would say that, wouldn't I?)

If you find you enjoy the Discworld and eventually get to the end, there are some of his early works that are also enjoyable, such as Strata, Dark Side of the Sun and the Carpet People (billed as being for children, but always one of my favourites).

Also for children there's the "Bromeliad Trilogy" (Truckers, Diggers and Wings) which are good. Iirc the 'Johnny and the Dead' ones are a bit dated because they refer quite a bit to then-modern technology/games.

Aww, we’d be delighted to have you join. I’m not quite sure we’d quite be the cool group, but we’re certainly discerning with a good sense of humour (lawks, I’m starting to sound like a match.com profile!). Plus Discworld books show such sympathy and insight into humankind that I can’t help but think that most Terry Pratchett fans must be generally good eggs.

Oh my giddy aunt, now there’s a match link in my previous post. I do apologise, don’t click on
it is my advice, it’s not worth the bother!!

I definitely agree with this 😀

OP when you've read about half a dozen of them, come back to this thread because all our user names will then make sense!

I think Night Watch is possibly Pratchett's best book. Absolutely brilliant, and I wasn't particularly a Vimes fan.

The standalone 'Nation'. Absolutely compelling. Terry said it was his favourite book to write, and you can tell it just flowed out of him. Brilliant stuff.

Small God's is a great one to start. It gives you a feel of the world but as it's set a few thousand years before the rest there is nothing you need to know. Then I would go Guards! Guards! Or Wyrd Sisters, both introduce you to a set of characters and provide the background to them. I love ones like Going Postal and Monstrous Regiment but at some points you meet characters like Vimes with no idea how they got there and a few spoilers for earlier books (Angua for example).

But I am sure you will have a great time whatever you choose.

The world changes hugely through the series too, each change built upon the last.

Oh yes, I'm meaning to re-read that.

Such a great book.

@noblegiraffe you are not wrong about Night Watch. I also love Thud.

Absolutely! However I mentally put this one with Diggers, etc as it's non disc. It tickles me when Mau has to get the pig milk 🤣

I adore Nation (even if it makes me cry) and I think it is one of his best books, but not one I would recommend as a starter as it doesn't take you into his world in the same way.
So many great moments in it, and the best bit of the pig milk is the realisation he'd have to do it again... Off to rereread now

I would agree with PP that Night Watch is my favourite book (although I do like the Watch books in general). It’s such a magical plot and really makes me love certain characters and feel for them which is one of my favourite things about TP books. Going Postal has to be a close second for me though.

The witches are my absolute favourites - have actually just reread Equal Rites as a comfort read after just finishing a particularly dark book…
I genuinely believe the world would be a better place for reading more Pratchett

I'm a huge Rincewind fan, love the last continent but agree the first two books don't flow as well as his later writing.

'They were even stealing all the musical instruments?!

Luters, I expect'

I'm very fond of Rincewind too. I love Unseen University and the whole gang of wizards (and one wizzard).

I consider my teenagers' reluctance to read Discworld one of my biggest failures as a parent 😓although to be fair my dd has read and loved Witches Abroad, Hogfather and the Tiffany books. My ds refuses, which is a bloody shame as he would love them. He adored Douglas Adams when I persuaded him to give those a try.

just read through the posts again, didn’t see pyramids mentioned, very much a stand alone in the series, also noticed no one has talked about Dodger, not part of the discworld, interested to hear people’s opinions on it as personally could never get into it, sorry OP, doesn’t help with your choice I know, hope you’ve picked one and are enjoying it

Aah I love Rincewind too, bless his incompetent socks. It’s so hard to choose, but I love the different arcs in this order: Witches, Guards, Death, Rincewind. But I’d still rather a Rincewind than most other authors. I would happily burn a pile of Gaiman books so I could read Rincewind by the light of the flames!

Inspired! I’m an avid reader but never read a Terry Pratchett. Just bought Wryd Sisters on the back of this thread. Thanks all

Maybe with Dodger it depends whether you like Dickens or not? I'm sure I enjoyed it but tbh can't remember much about it, vs Nation which I read much longer ago.