3 ms·

I will seconds Guards! Guards! it's what I always suggest to friends as a starting point and it leads more naturally into a coherent series as you follow Vimes

by munk-a 4y ago

I will seconds Guards! Guards! it's what I always suggest to friends as a starting point and it leads more naturally into a coherent series as you follow Vimes and the city watch - as an alternative the witches are quite hilarious especially if you're familiar with Shakespeare (a particularly good one here might be Lords and Ladies). The Lipwig books are also quite excellent featuring a lot of most folks favorite characters but I think they work better if you're familiar with the setting. Lastly, I think a really good shout out is Monstrous Regiment which is absolutely hilarious, especially if you don't know the characters and just incredibly wholesome.

ErrantX 4y ago
Vimes is my favourite character arc; I don't always rate Guards Guards but it is essential entry to Night Watch (IMO one of the best books). Also a shout out for underrated options; Soul Music (great tag line, lovely observational comedy) and Carpe Jugulum (some fan favourite characters, but also one of my fav bit-part characters - Lacrimosa)
- simonw 4y ago
  In terms of underrated options: I have a very strong affection for Pyramids. It's almost completely unconnected from the other books - it starts in Ankh Morpork but quickly heads out to Djelibeybi (Child of the Djel) - the Discworld's ancient Egypt. And it's loosely about quantum physics.
  - nop_slide 4y ago
    Pyramids is also my favorite (so far, still working through the series chronologically)! Without too much of a spoiler, but at the point whenever, uh, the physics and time gets weird, I was dying laughing about the interactions between the pyramid building brothers. I also read it during the week my son was born this year and generally have some really positive associations with it :)
    - munk-a 4y ago
      Another sort of weird one is Small Gods which is intensely good and definitely very message driven. Small Gods, Pyramids, Soul Music and Night Watch are probably peak pratchett when it comes to actually being fantastical - a lot of his writing is very grounded but in those books he really leaves the beaten path to explore something very... odd.
      - wombatpm 4y ago
        The turtle moves!
  - stevekemp 4y ago
    > Djelibeybi Is obviously also a reference to Jelly Babies - the rubbery sweets that were preferred by the fourth Doctor Who. I have to say that Pyramids has always been one of my favourites, it doesn't have the depth of Nightwatch due to less history with the characters, nor does it have the biting satire of Small Gods, but as standalone "typical Discworld" novel it is outstanding. I should re-read it again soon. Having moved countries I didn't transport all my books, but once I arrived here I made damn sure that I bought the complete set again. They're great comfort-reads. For me the line that always sticks in my memory involves Pteppic getting dressed "and then he turned and slowly fell over". (I love the "Ptraci" lines too. Always paying off to be slightly foreign.)
- andreareina 4y ago
  Vimes has the most development in his arc, from Guards to Night Watch to Thud. Soul Music is indeed excellent.
its_bbq 4y ago
Monstrous Regiment was my first one! It's nice as a standalone book and I think really shows off the compassionate satire that the essay is talking about

by munk-a 4y ago

ErrantX 4y ago

Vimes is my favourite character arc; I don't always rate Guards Guards but it is essential entry to Night Watch (IMO one of the best books). Also a shout out for underrated options; Soul Music (great tag line, lovely observational comedy) and Carpe Jugulum (some fan favourite characters, but also one of my fav bit-part characters - Lacrimosa)

simonw 4y ago
In terms of underrated options: I have a very strong affection for Pyramids. It's almost completely unconnected from the other books - it starts in Ankh Morpork but quickly heads out to Djelibeybi (Child of the Djel) - the Discworld's ancient Egypt. And it's loosely about quantum physics.
- nop_slide 4y ago
  Pyramids is also my favorite (so far, still working through the series chronologically)! Without too much of a spoiler, but at the point whenever, uh, the physics and time gets weird, I was dying laughing about the interactions between the pyramid building brothers. I also read it during the week my son was born this year and generally have some really positive associations with it :)
  - munk-a 4y ago
    Another sort of weird one is Small Gods which is intensely good and definitely very message driven. Small Gods, Pyramids, Soul Music and Night Watch are probably peak pratchett when it comes to actually being fantastical - a lot of his writing is very grounded but in those books he really leaves the beaten path to explore something very... odd.
    - wombatpm 4y ago
      The turtle moves!
- stevekemp 4y ago
  > Djelibeybi Is obviously also a reference to Jelly Babies - the rubbery sweets that were preferred by the fourth Doctor Who. I have to say that Pyramids has always been one of my favourites, it doesn't have the depth of Nightwatch due to less history with the characters, nor does it have the biting satire of Small Gods, but as standalone "typical Discworld" novel it is outstanding. I should re-read it again soon. Having moved countries I didn't transport all my books, but once I arrived here I made damn sure that I bought the complete set again. They're great comfort-reads. For me the line that always sticks in my memory involves Pteppic getting dressed "and then he turned and slowly fell over". (I love the "Ptraci" lines too. Always paying off to be slightly foreign.)
andreareina 4y ago
Vimes has the most development in his arc, from Guards to Night Watch to Thud. Soul Music is indeed excellent.

its_bbq 4y ago

Monstrous Regiment was my first one! It's nice as a standalone book and I think really shows off the compassionate satire that the essay is talking about