4 ms·

Small Gods and Good Omens are the best starts; then, I'd hit up the Granny Weatherwax books, eg, Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters, etc.

EdwardDiego 3y ago
Been watching the 2nd season of Good Omens, was thrilled to see a reference to C.M.O.T. Dibbler in it.
bombcar 3y ago
I think it varies for people; if you're at all into "cop thrillers/mysteries" than I think starting with the Watch books is a great introduction. Honestly, the only thing NOT to do is read them in order of publication - his earliest works are good, but they're better read when you already know Discworld (imho).
teddyh 3y ago
The first in the “witches” series is “Equal Rites”, but is, IIUC, considered a very weak entry. The rest of the witches series don’t really acknowledge the events in it, and they start off the next book with a blank slate, not assuming that you have read the first one. If you really just want to read the witches series, I’d suggest that you instead start with the second book, “Wyrd Sisters”.
- flir 3y ago
  My personal favourite: Equal Rites (I found the balance between humour and message just perfect, and the message is incredibly humane). The funniest: Pyramids (The groan-inducing punchline about the brothers alone is worth the price of admission, and it's basically stand-alone!) The best: Night Watch (Sam Vimes' moral anger in full glory). Weakest: Either Monstruous Regiment or Carpe Jugulum.
  - namdnay 3y ago
    I think Monstrous Regiment was supposed to be a young adult entry? But I'm surprised you included Carpe Jugulum, when for me "making money" was by far the worst. it seemed so derivative, as if it had been generated with an LLM trained on his previous work (or maybe a ghost writer helping out a very sick pratchett..)
    - flir 3y ago
      I admit there are a couple I've never read (they're sitting on the shelf next to me - Raising Steam, Unseen Academicals, Making Money). That way I'll always have another Terry Pratchett novel to read. I felt that Carpe Jugulum was a retread of Lords & Ladies, and the formula was getting stale by that point. If Monstrous Regiment is YA, it has to go up against Tiffany Aching, and it definitely loses there.

EdwardDiego 3y ago

Been watching the 2nd season of Good Omens, was thrilled to see a reference to C.M.O.T. Dibbler in it.

bombcar 3y ago

I think it varies for people; if you're at all into "cop thrillers/mysteries" than I think starting with the Watch books is a great introduction. Honestly, the only thing NOT to do is read them in order of publication - his earliest works are good, but they're better read when you already know Discworld (imho).

teddyh 3y ago

The first in the “witches” series is “Equal Rites”, but is, IIUC, considered a very weak entry. The rest of the witches series don’t really acknowledge the events in it, and they start off the next book with a blank slate, not assuming that you have read the first one. If you really just want to read the witches series, I’d suggest that you instead start with the second book, “Wyrd Sisters”.

flir 3y ago
My personal favourite: Equal Rites (I found the balance between humour and message just perfect, and the message is incredibly humane). The funniest: Pyramids (The groan-inducing punchline about the brothers alone is worth the price of admission, and it's basically stand-alone!) The best: Night Watch (Sam Vimes' moral anger in full glory). Weakest: Either Monstruous Regiment or Carpe Jugulum.
- namdnay 3y ago
  I think Monstrous Regiment was supposed to be a young adult entry? But I'm surprised you included Carpe Jugulum, when for me "making money" was by far the worst. it seemed so derivative, as if it had been generated with an LLM trained on his previous work (or maybe a ghost writer helping out a very sick pratchett..)
  - flir 3y ago
    I admit there are a couple I've never read (they're sitting on the shelf next to me - Raising Steam, Unseen Academicals, Making Money). That way I'll always have another Terry Pratchett novel to read. I felt that Carpe Jugulum was a retread of Lords & Ladies, and the formula was getting stale by that point. If Monstrous Regiment is YA, it has to go up against Tiffany Aching, and it definitely loses there.