GC8

Can anyone recommend me a good first Terry Pratchett book to read...?


Simon

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Mort is good, guards, guards another good one but try mort to start with

Tony

Frosty The Snowman

Good Omens is superb and set nowish here on Earth, co-authored with Neil Gaiman and it's very funny.

For the Discworld series ones best to start at the beginning with The Colour of Magic, failing that I would perhaps suggest Guards! Guards!

Mice_Elf

Not his very early ones, to be honest. He really gets into his own around the 3rd book onwards, for his Discworld novels.

So...Mort, Wyrd Sisters, Equal Rites, Guards Guards etc
Alternatively Good Omens, written with Neil Gaiman is quite dry, humour-wise.

Mice_Elf

Equally Strata and Dark Side of the Sun are probably best to avoid until you get to know his writing.

There's also the 3 books in the "children's" series with the gnomes in a large department shop; Truckers, Diggers and Wings.

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

Colour of Magic (his first book)if you want to start with his inept wizard Rincewind.
Men at Arms if you want to start with Sam Vimes Commander of the Night Watch (bloody funny)

boxst

Hello

I suggest actually reading them in order as the characters build up over time, so as above The Colour of Magic.

If you want a great read, then Good Omens is nothing to do with his other books and is brilliant.

Steve

shooter007

as above start at the begining then you will get a continuity of characters failing that try pyramids

GC8

Thank you.

Simon C

2nd Guards guards. Its funny as ...

Pumpkin

I'd say start at the beginning and complete the Rincewind novels. I prefer his early ones to the later ones

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

Not read a Pratchett book for years, but have been reading James Patterson books and they are good. (the Alex Cross detective series are very good)

tony95

read them in order or you will always wonder why UU has an orangutang for a librarian

Shy Muppet

Haven't read any Pratchett books, but David Eddings is a good read!!

Chelspeed

I find some of the latest half dozen to be by far the best, very subtle and clever, Truth, Thief of Time, Going Postal, Thud in particular.

But as said above they all rely on characters built up over time so diving into one of these without a working knowledge of the Discworld characters would take a bit away from them.

I too love Good Omens, and that one does stand alone. I also like Strata and Dark Side of the Sun but I've always had a serious SciFi habit, you need Ringworld experience to appreciate the latter.

Steve vRS

Good Omens is extremely funny and one of the few books to have made me laugh out loud.

Steve

casualhero

Why on earth post on a thread asking for Pratchett advice then?

As others have said, gotta start at the beginning for Discworld or go for Good Omens as a standalone.

Bubba po

I'm a big Pratchett fan, but I found Good Omens to be a complete waste of ******* time.

I'm sure it's just me.

BedHog

Read them all, starting from the beginning.

Give up if you get bored.

I've enjoyed reading all of them - so has my son who probably started them when he was 10, so not exactly a demanding series of books.

OzzyWRX

Mort. That's what got me hooked.

lozgti

Witches Abroad.Best in the series.

Mice_Elf

Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic are good scene setters and character introductions but they are not his best work. He doesn't really get into his stride until Mort, Equal Rights etc.

To be honest though, I find his latest books are not his best work either. They are "amusing" rather than "funny".

Frosty The Snowman

I definitely remember having far more laugh out loud moments with his early works, maybe I have gotten too used to his humour now.

I seem to remember one joke from Soul Music taking best part of a book to hear the punchline

SPOILER ALERT






Something about being on a mission from glod I think, Blues Brothers rip-off no doubt.