Your Favourite discworld book - and why

Auburn

Ok, thanks savemejebus and Ravaan. :cool:

That link is really handy. Didn't want to read them in the order they were written, so at least now I know which ones are related!!

Macseamusa

The watch books are good. But i think soul music is a beaut. And also the book where Rincewinde gets to controll the clay warriors is great. Cohen becoming ruler of an empire lol. The last hero, (i think its called) is also a great book.

sweep_101

Night Watch is the best one that i have read. It a little darker then some of the others and has some good Vimes moments

Ravaan

I just finished Night Watch 2 nights ago. I can see what every one means when they say it's dark and an instant classic. However I found the elvish invasion of Lancre in Lords and Ladies to be far darker.

Anyone wonder what Rincewind'd be doing during Night Watch? - He'd have been a student at UU at the time. If you reckon Night Watch starts in AM1990 and Vimes goes back to AM1960* Rincewind'd have only have been at UU for a few years, the Librarian would still have been human and the stuff from Colour of Magic still wouldn't have happened yet. I guess Terry didn't want to ruin the book by trying to fit too much in.

* http://www.co.uk.lspace.org/books/timeline/dw-timeline.html

passive

i have to put my vote in for night watch too.
i only had a loan of it and i don't usually bother to buy books i've read but i'm making an exception for this. it was excellent
definately his best work and i'd be surprised (although pleasantly) if the books can get better from here..it felt kinda perfect, amusing and gripping
(and i felt monstrous regiment to be, while good, a big step down after night watch)

Q_Elexra

I've just finished Pyrimids and not only has it become my fave Pratchett book but also leaped 'The King Beyond The Gate' by Gemmell to become my fave book ever.

It's probably just my obsession with classical cultures that put it up there????

NotWormBoy

Night Watch. Its not as funny as the rest, but there is something that keeps you coming back to it. And once you take it up, you can't put it down.

The fascination lies in wondering how the lilac is going to come into the story and also how Vimes interacts with the people from his future, especially himself.

And the one character that remains cool throughout the entire thing - the Patrician.

Slutmonkey57b

Reaper Man for sheer hilarity - Men at Arms for Carrot.

JIZZLORD

it's hard to say, Pratchett goes into so much detail that they are all brilliant, though i love the books on the watch.

jongore

This is an impossible question!
Night Wath was brilliant, The Truth was extremly funny,Soul Music made me laugh til I cried, I don't think Terry wrote a bad book and I love them all.

daisyhead

I love them all, but for the big fat exception of Equal Rites, which just doesn't do it for me! Worryingly, I quite ancy Vlad from Carpe Jugulum, should I fear for my sanity?:dunno:

OfflerCrocGod

Originally posted by daisyhead
I love them all, but for the big fat exception of Equal Rites, which just doesn't do it for me! Worryingly, I quite ancy Vlad from Carpe Jugulum, should I fear for my sanity?:dunno:

Yes. As far as not liking one book from the series it would afto be Monstrous Regiment - the only book, from the entire series, I will probably never re-read.

savemejebus

have to agree with those two sentiments, equal rites and monstrous regiment, were to me so disappointing. Monstrous regiment especially because it started off so well and had so many little things like the vampire flashbacks, but the last 100 or so pages just made me want to burn the book (something that i haven't wanted to do since i read wes cravens novel, fountainsociety of something)

jongore

Ouch, hard critisism, Although both books where not Terrys best I liked both, MR started very well but got a little predictable, ER was a little disjointed but O.K.

Sarky

Equal Rites was experimenting with Granny Weatherwax and the whole idea of Discworld witchcraft, I think. She's very different the next time she appears, in Wyrd Sisters.

Pratchett is in danger of digging himself into a comfortable little rut. He's got well developed characters in a whole world, and he has to do very little to write a book about them. I sincerely hope he puts in as much effort on his next books as he did with his earlier ones, and doesn't just take the easy "how can I work Vimes into THIS story" way...

Sooner or Later

My favourite would have to be Guards!Guards!

Probably the funniest thing he has ever written. Loved the passwords at the wrong door, the million to one chances, and the dragons. Plus it's the first Sam Vimes book.

3-D Preacher

All of them! Really, they're all funny and absorbing and cinematic (mental images anyone?) and... Arrgg... must... not... rave...
But the one's I read the most frequently (a couple times a year) are Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music and Hogfather.
And the 'Rinser Of Winds' saga.
And...

Fysh

It's a funny thing, but I've stopped re-reading my Pratchett books since I started working, probably because of the lack of free time.

In terms of books I most enjoy....I have to admit, the first books from each of the groups tend to get ignored, because I don't much like re-reading the character-establishing bits. Guards Guards is the honourable exception here.

All time favourite? Can't pick one. Different books for different things....Interesting Times, Reaper Man, Soul Music, Moving Pictures, Witches Abroad...argh.

funny thing about Monstruous Regiment - I thought it was pretty good, although Vimes's appearance did feel a bit forced. But I can't see myself re-reading it, because I've tried once and just couldn't keeo interested; went for about twenty pages and then...*plop* just couldn't be arsed carrying on.

On a totally separate note, am I the only person who'd quite like to see another Johnny book?

JohnK

I don't think I have a favourite, or at least I can't think of it right now. My most disliked would have to be Monstrous Regiment. One of the worst books I've ever read.

angeldelight

Hi, I recently read Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett and loved it so I was wondering if somebody could tell me the name of hte firs 3 discworld books in order so i can start reading them? thanx!

OfflerCrocGod

angeldelight wrote:

Hi, I recently read Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett and loved it so I was wondering if somebody could tell me the name of hte firs 3 discworld books in order so i can start reading them? thanx!

His first two are the weakest of the series and I suggest you not read them first It took him a while to "flesh out" the Discworld so it might be better for you to read the stand alone Discworld novels first "Pyramids" and "Moving Pictures" would be good starting places; then you can move onto one of mainstays of the series. I tend to think the Watch books are some of the best to start of with so "Guards! Guards!" followed by "Men At Arms" at this stage you would have a good feeling of the discworld series and you can decide which ones you want to read yourself. Any other Q's don't hesitate. Enjoy

DrColossus

Reading Sourcery now, and tis all good. Have to say That Colour of Magic and Light fantastic are excellent. Havent read much of his stuff yet. But i loved pyramids. Think ill read small gods next then. (seems to have gotten a lot of praise)

Q_Elexra

DrColossus wrote:

Reading Sourcery now, and tis all good. Have to say That Colour of Magic and Light fantastic are excellent. Havent read much of his stuff yet. But i loved pyramids. Think ill read small gods next then. (seems to have gotten a lot of praise)

A man after my own heart Haven't read a Pratchett book that I haven't loved.

Blitzkrieger

Funky wrote:

guess i just like Vimes ass whooping

I just finished re-reading The Truth. That reminded me of the headline and the line underneath it :

PATRICIAN STABS CLERK WITH KNIFE
(He had the knife, not the clerk)


The watch books are my favorite too, with Feet of Clay taking the number two spot, but I prefer The Last Hero. There's quite a good story there that's easy to miss with all the fantastic illustrations. Well, maybe not a good story, but a well told and meaninfull one.

Fysh wrote:

On a totally separate note, am I the only person who'd quite like to see another Johnny book?

I agree completly. I thoroughly enjoyed Condoms Through The Ages (Vol 1 3000BC - 1900AD) and was very disappointed they never did a follow up. While I loved Good Omens and the other books set in the 'real' world, I think he'd be dangerously limiting his comedy options.

Fysh

Blitzkrieger wrote:

I agree completly. I thoroughly enjoyed Condoms Through The Ages (Vol 1 3000BC - 1900AD) and was very disappointed they never did a follow up. While I loved Good Omens and the other books set in the 'real' world, I think he'd be dangerously limiting his comedy options.

Errr....I was referring to the Johnny Maxwell books; Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny And The Dead, and Johnny And The Bomb. Although "Condoms through the ages" might well make for interesting reading...worrying, but interesting...

sceptre

Blitzkrieger wrote:

I just finished re-reading The Truth. That reminded me of the headline and the line underneath it :

PATRICIAN STABS CLERK WITH KNIFE
(He had the knife, not the clerk)

Heh, piano wanted by man with wooden legs

Kain

I haven't finished reading all the books but i think that Mort is my favorite so far due to the fact that Death is one of the central characters. I'm currently reading Reaper Man so i'm looking forward to seeing how this one works out.

WhiteWashMan

ah to be honest, if someone has not read any of the books before i think its a must to make them read the first two books. not great, and certainly not as funny as the rest, but they do set you up nicely.

you learn about the mended drum and you start to get a hold of all the little themes that run through the books, which is part of the reason that people love discworld so much.

its those little cross references which make you smile as you recall the first instance, and then add it to the second.
reading random books is fine, but you miss half the in-jokes. like reading robert rankin, except without the clown nose on

DrColossus

yeah tis a tough decision picking what book to read next

angeldelight

Is Jingo any good? I found it in a bookshelf upstairs...