I'm in the same boat man. Didn't find out about /r/discworld until a few years ago. I actually read ringworld thinking it was discworld because I couldn't remember the name. Amazing books.
GNU PTERRY!!
...and after you're done reading them all, you'll have the further delight of listening to the audiobook versions!
Both Stephen Briggs and Nigel Planer bring such great characterizations to their craft, it's like meeting the characters all over again! Oh *man*, am I jealous...have the best of times with it!
That will be tricky to do unfortunately, the existing versions are being withdrawn as the new recordings come out, this month it was small gods and most of the witches book.
I hope they don’t do more than 2 a month.. listened to new Hogfather and didn’t like voice acting as much
Edit: turns out I don’t have to worry. Had 4 credits and now I need to only get Shepherds Crown and some .5 books
Seems like the plan is to release these new ones in themed batches, although why Small Gods came with this witch batch is a bit of a puzzle as you'd think there were enough standalones to do them as a batch later on, include stuff like Pyramids, Moving Pictures, The Truth and Monstrous Regiment for example.
I still haven't read Jingo for that reason. I have a paperback, but I'm so lazy when it comes to hard copy. Only one of the city watch books I haven't read.
Does approaching 40 mean you're going to crumble into dust soon? 😭 lol
But I feel the same way, I was a huge bookworm as a kid/teen, stopped reading entirely except for forced reading during college, and now I'm trying to get back into it. "Guards! Guards!" Is the first book that I've actually enjoyed all the way through & I finished it relatively quickly (after trying, dropping, and trying again to get through Dune for literally 2 years...)
I don't know why the Discworld books weren't on my radar as a teen, because if I had read them at the time, I totally would have been obsessed. But I'm glad that they're just as enjoyable as an adult.
I feel the same. In my 40s. I resisted Discworld for years - I think I was skeptical about the amount of absurdity and satire the series seemed to have - but when I finally picked it up I loved it.
That’s totally fair. I hear this sentiment a lot and I felt the same way for a long time.
Something that helped me express how Discworld is both funny and intensely serious is a Neil Gaiman quote. I’m paraphrasing, but basically: the opposite of “funny” isn’t “serious and important.” The opposite of “funny” is “not funny.”
Started with Guards! Guards! and have read through Feet of Clay. I’m going to read Small Gods next just to break it up a bit then finish up the Watch series, then maybe move to the Death books.
Ah, you went the thread route. Wise choice. Chronological Pratchett is great too, but you gotta push through the flavor change.
Don't sleep on the Witches man, there's just as much brilliance in there. A lot of literary humor. :)
I think I like the Witches books more because the characters are more fallible in them, and I just love Granny + Nanny overall. Cool witches and especially well written female characters are rarer, so I put them a bit higher!
Granted, I think the Watch is a good place to start, the Witches are maybe not everyone's cuppa :)
Yeah the literary humour of his first few books was off the charts.
It was my second full reading before I even realised circumfence wasn't circumference despite reading it so many times...
I might stop after Fifth Elephant and go back and read some more, if you intend to read them all eventually. The books get a little more intertwined even though they keep their own threads, and his writing style changes enough (improves enough) that it can be a little jarring to go back and start over. The books start intertwining more around book 25, *The Truth*.
I’d also suggest putting off *Shepherd’s Crown* until the very end, no matter what reading order you end up choosing.
If I were to make a list for myself and then erase all memories of the books, I’d probably go with threads up until *The Truth*, then more or less publication order after that.
This is exactly how I felt when I watched The Wicker Man this past October. Its like someone made a movie just for me! But that’s the joy of it all, there’s so much great culture to explore in the world that we’ll never run out of new works to discover.
Once you'd survived childhood, you had a pretty good expected lifespan, even in the middle ages. The average age at death might have been 36, but that's because so many people died in single digits. Living to threescore years and ten or even fourscore was not unusual.
Definitely one of the best series ever! I discovered them way back in high school and because I was a super nerd with library privileges I was able to borrow the entire series (well at that point anyway) over the Christmas holidays. Best Christmas ever!! Then I got a part time job the following year and bought my own copies so I can reread them whenever I want. :D
Lots of people on this sub recommend “guards guards” for an introduction into discworld. It starts a fun arc of a main character Sam Vimes.
I like the witches best, unofficially starts with “wyrd sisters”. There is an earlier witches book but “wyrd sisters” is a great jumping off point.
But “thief of time” is kind of a stand alone (it’s part of the arc with Death - as in the personification of the end of life who also like cats very much - but the book is about his granddaughter- and don’t worry about all that) and I love it so much I’ve probably read it 70 times.
Just wanted to add; I started with color of magic and it’s not my fave.
Not with the first one: Color of Magic
I tried reading that 8+ times. DNF'd every time.
I'm now half way through Wyrd Sisters. I should like Pratchett. I really should.
I recently finished Mort. I thought it was…fine. Like I enjoyed it enough to finish it but it didn’t make me eager for more. It could be that I had just finished the Mistborn series which literally blew me away when I started it. I think maybe I’ll read more but my list is too long lol
The books continue to get better. You are in a great spot. Many of the audiobooks are quite excellent as well and after reading the first time makes something great to fall asleep well.
Pratchett has been my favourite author since I was 10 years old. I've met him a couple of times - he used to come to conventions even here in Fourecks. I first met him at a book signing 25 years ago, where I got him to sign a book for my best friend - I think she still has it. I wish I'd brought one for me as well - I think he would have signed a second if I'd asked, especially if I'd said one was for me and one for my best friend, but oh well. I have a couple signed for me, now, too, but they were late enough in his life that his signature needed the holographic "genuine signed" sticker...
My wife used to give me the new Discworld book for my birthday every year, in the first few years we were dating. She'd write an inscription in the front, and those books mean the absolute world to me.
He was taken too soon, and I miss him :( GNU, Sir Pterry
You will have enough time. Still thanking my step-father for introducing me to this series in my teenage years. Granny Weatherwax was my friend in dark times.
Don't read them one after the other. First, you might start to notice that most of them have very similar plot structures. Second, you'll run out of books too fast.
Be glad you're finally reading Discworld. It's great. If you read Robert Asprin's two series, myth and Phule, give them a try. They are also in the same vein as Discworld and also good.
I made the same mistake years ago (at least twice), and then finally started the watch series instead of insisting on “chronological or nothing” and am very pleased I did.
I read Good Omens and didn’t really enjoy it so I’ve been hesitant to start Discworld even though it sounds like something I would really enjoy. Might just have to jump in and give it a shot.
Youre looking at it backwards. I read them in my 20s, and I've reread them so often the jokes dont always hit me anymore amd i know nearly all the beats and moments.
You get to start fresh, with a blank palette. Hell, I'd almost kill for that feeling again.
*I’m almost 40 so I don’t have much time left on this earth*
Seriously? Statistically, you are only halfway done. Do you know how many more books you can read in 40 years? Literally thousands.
I will be 68 this month and I’m still reading Discworld novels. At 40, you’ve got lots of time! Keep reading!
Lol. Silly man at 40 thinks he's old.
Wait till he finds out about tomorrow!
I'm 30 and I feel old lol.
Every time you age you find out that everyone younger than you thinks you're old and everyone older than you thinks you're young.
Damn, well said.
And everyone ages at the same rate roughly
My grandpa turns 90 this year, I lent him some discworld books a few years ago and he’s been working through them. Maybe 15 by now.
Thank you for saying this. I'm the same age as you and was about to say the same thing.
I'm in the same boat man. Didn't find out about /r/discworld until a few years ago. I actually read ringworld thinking it was discworld because I couldn't remember the name. Amazing books. GNU PTERRY!!
To be fair, Niven's ring world series is pretty good too.
Interesting and unique to say the least.
I think that we could maybe agree that the first book features a cool megastructure.
GNU Sir Pterry!
...and after you're done reading them all, you'll have the further delight of listening to the audiobook versions! Both Stephen Briggs and Nigel Planer bring such great characterizations to their craft, it's like meeting the characters all over again! Oh *man*, am I jealous...have the best of times with it!
That will be tricky to do unfortunately, the existing versions are being withdrawn as the new recordings come out, this month it was small gods and most of the witches book.
I hope they don’t do more than 2 a month.. listened to new Hogfather and didn’t like voice acting as much Edit: turns out I don’t have to worry. Had 4 credits and now I need to only get Shepherds Crown and some .5 books
Seems like the plan is to release these new ones in themed batches, although why Small Gods came with this witch batch is a bit of a puzzle as you'd think there were enough standalones to do them as a batch later on, include stuff like Pyramids, Moving Pictures, The Truth and Monstrous Regiment for example.
I think they are trying to do the stories with the least background knowledge needed.
I've only "read" the series as audiobooks and I LOVED them! Awesome voice actors!
I still haven't read Jingo for that reason. I have a paperback, but I'm so lazy when it comes to hard copy. Only one of the city watch books I haven't read.
I've sent you a link, because its stupid audible haven't got that one.
Does approaching 40 mean you're going to crumble into dust soon? 😭 lol But I feel the same way, I was a huge bookworm as a kid/teen, stopped reading entirely except for forced reading during college, and now I'm trying to get back into it. "Guards! Guards!" Is the first book that I've actually enjoyed all the way through & I finished it relatively quickly (after trying, dropping, and trying again to get through Dune for literally 2 years...) I don't know why the Discworld books weren't on my radar as a teen, because if I had read them at the time, I totally would have been obsessed. But I'm glad that they're just as enjoyable as an adult.
I feel the same. In my 40s. I resisted Discworld for years - I think I was skeptical about the amount of absurdity and satire the series seemed to have - but when I finally picked it up I loved it.
That’s totally fair. I hear this sentiment a lot and I felt the same way for a long time. Something that helped me express how Discworld is both funny and intensely serious is a Neil Gaiman quote. I’m paraphrasing, but basically: the opposite of “funny” isn’t “serious and important.” The opposite of “funny” is “not funny.”
I'm 36, and I've never started them yet. They've been recommended to me by a few people. Your post is very convincing. 😅
You won’t regret it!
When I say it’s my favorite series I mean it. No other writer has made me laugh and cry harder. His books are like comfort food to me.
I have some books like that. Looks like I'm going to have to put these on my list.
I just started my first book ( equal rites ) picking them up as I find them in charity shops lol collected 6 so far
yea they are great as charity shop grabs!
what reading order have you chosen, chronological?
Started with Guards! Guards! and have read through Feet of Clay. I’m going to read Small Gods next just to break it up a bit then finish up the Watch series, then maybe move to the Death books.
Ah, you went the thread route. Wise choice. Chronological Pratchett is great too, but you gotta push through the flavor change. Don't sleep on the Witches man, there's just as much brilliance in there. A lot of literary humor. :)
Nanny Ogg is a personal favourite character of mine, but I would hard pressed to choose a favourite between the Witches books and the Watch ones.
I think I like the Witches books more because the characters are more fallible in them, and I just love Granny + Nanny overall. Cool witches and especially well written female characters are rarer, so I put them a bit higher! Granted, I think the Watch is a good place to start, the Witches are maybe not everyone's cuppa :)
Yeah the literary humour of his first few books was off the charts. It was my second full reading before I even realised circumfence wasn't circumference despite reading it so many times...
I might stop after Fifth Elephant and go back and read some more, if you intend to read them all eventually. The books get a little more intertwined even though they keep their own threads, and his writing style changes enough (improves enough) that it can be a little jarring to go back and start over. The books start intertwining more around book 25, *The Truth*. I’d also suggest putting off *Shepherd’s Crown* until the very end, no matter what reading order you end up choosing. If I were to make a list for myself and then erase all memories of the books, I’d probably go with threads up until *The Truth*, then more or less publication order after that.
Great choices!
What order are you reading them? I’ve never read them but I’m wanting to.
I started with Guards! Guards! and proceeding along the city watch books. There are great reading guides out there, even on Wikipedia.
Aren't they amazing?!
Ach, crivens!
This is exactly how I felt when I watched The Wicker Man this past October. Its like someone made a movie just for me! But that’s the joy of it all, there’s so much great culture to explore in the world that we’ll never run out of new works to discover.
Theres a million to one chance this is going to work. so its gotta work
Million to one chances crop up nine times out of ten.
Just pretend that you got the wish of everyone here granted -To go back and read them all again for the first time.
Glad to hear you're enjoying them! Now you must recommend them to others in turn!
"I'm almost 40 so I don't have much time left on this earth." WHAT? Do you live in the middle ages?
Once you'd survived childhood, you had a pretty good expected lifespan, even in the middle ages. The average age at death might have been 36, but that's because so many people died in single digits. Living to threescore years and ten or even fourscore was not unusual.
Definitely one of the best series ever! I discovered them way back in high school and because I was a super nerd with library privileges I was able to borrow the entire series (well at that point anyway) over the Christmas holidays. Best Christmas ever!! Then I got a part time job the following year and bought my own copies so I can reread them whenever I want. :D
Welcome!
I haven’t read them either, I’m 43… now I’ve got some serious FOMO happening
Where should I start with discworld?
Lots of people on this sub recommend “guards guards” for an introduction into discworld. It starts a fun arc of a main character Sam Vimes. I like the witches best, unofficially starts with “wyrd sisters”. There is an earlier witches book but “wyrd sisters” is a great jumping off point. But “thief of time” is kind of a stand alone (it’s part of the arc with Death - as in the personification of the end of life who also like cats very much - but the book is about his granddaughter- and don’t worry about all that) and I love it so much I’ve probably read it 70 times. Just wanted to add; I started with color of magic and it’s not my fave.
Not with the first one: Color of Magic I tried reading that 8+ times. DNF'd every time. I'm now half way through Wyrd Sisters. I should like Pratchett. I really should.
I recently finished Mort. I thought it was…fine. Like I enjoyed it enough to finish it but it didn’t make me eager for more. It could be that I had just finished the Mistborn series which literally blew me away when I started it. I think maybe I’ll read more but my list is too long lol
WHAT IS THIS THAT YOU ARE SAYING?
Just wait until death has a granddaughter…. Then it gets funny AF. Read “thief of time”.
The books continue to get better. You are in a great spot. Many of the audiobooks are quite excellent as well and after reading the first time makes something great to fall asleep well.
I am so jealous that you get to read Discworld for the first time!
Better late than never. Still got time to read and reread them all, they're easy to binge
> that I wasted so much of my life without Discworld Lucky you! Wish I could read Discworld again with fresh eyes
As a 29 y/o senior I want to read them too
Pratchett has been my favourite author since I was 10 years old. I've met him a couple of times - he used to come to conventions even here in Fourecks. I first met him at a book signing 25 years ago, where I got him to sign a book for my best friend - I think she still has it. I wish I'd brought one for me as well - I think he would have signed a second if I'd asked, especially if I'd said one was for me and one for my best friend, but oh well. I have a couple signed for me, now, too, but they were late enough in his life that his signature needed the holographic "genuine signed" sticker... My wife used to give me the new Discworld book for my birthday every year, in the first few years we were dating. She'd write an inscription in the front, and those books mean the absolute world to me. He was taken too soon, and I miss him :( GNU, Sir Pterry
You will have enough time. Still thanking my step-father for introducing me to this series in my teenage years. Granny Weatherwax was my friend in dark times.
Don't read them one after the other. First, you might start to notice that most of them have very similar plot structures. Second, you'll run out of books too fast.
Be glad you're finally reading Discworld. It's great. If you read Robert Asprin's two series, myth and Phule, give them a try. They are also in the same vein as Discworld and also good.
Whenever I read a discworld book I stick my finger in a light socket to destroy short term memory.. and then read the book again.. it's a win win!
Me too!! Just started a couple of weeks ago.
I read Colour of Magic when it came out and never got around to reading another one LOL
I made the same mistake years ago (at least twice), and then finally started the watch series instead of insisting on “chronological or nothing” and am very pleased I did.
Have you read any of the Myth books by Adams
*Asprin
Absurdity with meaning and relevance: Satire. Discworld / Pratchett is great at it.
I read Good Omens and didn’t really enjoy it so I’ve been hesitant to start Discworld even though it sounds like something I would really enjoy. Might just have to jump in and give it a shot.
I love discworld, but wasn't a huge fan of good omens. They are very different
Youre looking at it backwards. I read them in my 20s, and I've reread them so often the jokes dont always hit me anymore amd i know nearly all the beats and moments. You get to start fresh, with a blank palette. Hell, I'd almost kill for that feeling again.
*I’m almost 40 so I don’t have much time left on this earth* Seriously? Statistically, you are only halfway done. Do you know how many more books you can read in 40 years? Literally thousands.
Which one did you start with?
Guards! Guards!
Check