Fantasy Books -Terry Pratchett

[Time Waster]

Is anyone into fantasy books? I'm curious about Terry Pratchett. I was a schoolkids when he first published his first discworld novel. He's had a decent career writing with plenty of success but having bought his first two books in the school bookshop that sold books at less than normal price to encourage reading. I liked it enough to buy a second but no more. A long time later I read that it took to something like the 5th book to really find its voice. Anyone know if this is true? Which of his books would you recommend starting with? I thinking I might read one of his books on holiday next week on kindle.

Just borrowed steam world from the library and one of the books he wrote with Baxter the well known sci-fi writer, Long Earth. Not sure if they're any good.

BTW there's often snootiness about the fantasy genre but they're really not about fantasy but about real world things affecting us. Take JRR Tolkiens comment on WWI and WWII through his fantasy world. I'm not sure what Pratchett was writing about but I'm guessing it'll be a kind of parody of more modern times. There was a good BBC programme series about three genres of fiction by the former political journalist about detective, fantasy and iirc sci-fi genres. All still on iplayer.

Anyway, I just wondered what the starting book recommendations you might have for Pratchett's work. Indeed any other good fantasy writer. Any views?

 

[Punkawallah]

Guards! Guards!? Anything with Vimes in. The Colour of Magic was a bit of a slow burn. If he left it at that , no one would know him.

 

[Time Waster]

Which book number did Vimes start in?

Are the books all standalone in discworld or linked? If you started later on series do you miss out on something you need for understanding of it?

 

[oldwheels]

Pratchett has two different scenarios. Some are aimed at school age involving witches and suchlike but others are more adult.
All I seem to remember are set on Discworld but so long as you know that it is mostly of no real importance.
I would agree with Punkawallah that anything with Vimes is generally good but I think the earlier ones are better than the later ones.
Mostly they are standalone but the Vimes ones do have a sort of order.
The books co written with Baxter are totally different and I never really got much from them.

 

[raleighnut]

Tremendous imagination, I love the way he 'nicks' bits of classical literature and weaves them into his stories.

 

[mistyoptic]

Discworld brilliant, I’m currently re-reading them. Sky made a few into films. Of those, Hogfather is the best IMO.

Best of the books is a difficult call as they have different appeals. Making Money is good, Unseen Academicals was less interesting for me as I’m not into football. Anything with Granny Weatherwax is automatically good

The Long World series didn’t do it for me. I read three and then lost interest.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I love Pratchett, I have all the Discworld series and have read them to death lol. I've also got an assortment of other accompanying books - I just bought the Discworld Map which was only £2.49 second hand lol.

I actually started Discworld in the middle ish, I came across a copy of 'Men at Arms' and for many years afterwards every birthday/Christmas I was guaranteed a Terry Pratchett book so I read them quite hapzardly.

I've since read them in all kinds of different orders, I don't think it matters really except for his final Tiffany Aching books which you really have to read in order!

I read that it took to something like the 5th book to really find its voice. Anyone know if this is true? Which of his books would you recommend starting with?

Anyway, I just wondered what the starting book recommendations you might have for Pratchett's work. Indeed any other good fantasy writer. Any views?

The first two books are very much him finding his feet, and there's a few things later contradicted but they are two bona fide great fantasy book that are worth reading in order at some point. I'd very much recommend for a new reader to pick a book from the first half of the series, and just read it. As theres over 40 books in the main series you'll go back and read it again if you get hooked I guarantee it.

Just as an aside there are many adaptions as well. The Cosgrove Hall animated films are brilliant, and have a great voice cast. The Sky adaptions are good, I like the Hogfather and Going Postal best.

Lastly there is a live action version of various The Watch stories, it's a big departure from the source material though and not a lot of fans like it, I think it's worth watching at least to see of you like it.

 

[Punkawallah]

Which book number did Vimes start in?

Are the books all standalone in discworld or linked? If you started later on series do you miss out on something you need for understanding of it?

I wouldn’t know about ‘number’, but ‘Guards!’ was followed by Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, Fifth Elephant, and Night Watch., with Where’s My Cow coming later.

 

[Seevio]

For the main disc world series, you can't go wrong with sticking to chronological order. The quality of the writing tended to improve over time so if you were to, say, finish the watch books and then go back to the witches books, you may be somewhat disappointed.

I did quite like the long earth. It was proper sci-fi and not what I expected.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I wouldn’t know about ‘number’, but ‘Guards!’ was followed by Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, Fifth Elephant, and Night Watch., with Where’s My Cow coming later.

Vimes is all over many stories, Terry Pratchett once said it's hard to write him into a story without him taking it over.

My favourite 'Vimes Lite' stories are probably Monstrous Regiment and Making Money, he's only in MR for really a cameo but it's instantly Vimes and he brings some of the Watch with him.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

From my point of view start with Guards Guards and then move on in the order he wrote them

Lots of social commentary from weird angles - and very funny at times - most times actually

If you jump around then you sometimes miss some of the details - such as the subtleties in the characters and how they develop

anyway - have a go at it

Don;t let me detan you

 

[Gillstay]

Loved just nipping back to read a Pratchett year after year. Don't feel there is snootiness, i know some very clever people and they all read fantasy and Sci fi. Try Ian Banks.

 

[Time Waster]

People read them but when they are talking about good books or books you must read they rarely include fantasy. The few book shows on tv seem to be totally ignoring the genre. I mean it is a shame because there are truly some great writers in the genre such as Ursula Le Guin who as well as being a good fantasy writer she is a significant feminist thinker / writer too. It is rare that I like the same author as an arch feminist I know but leGuin is certainly one.

By snootiness I mean they ignore it ass a genre for finding good writing meritorious of recognistion in best books lists. I do however expect that some of the best known and respected literary figures will have a fantasy boook or author as their secret guilty pleasuree. I just think it should not be a guilty pleasure but fully recognised.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You could Google the chronology of the books.

Guards! Guards!? Anything with Vimes in. The Colour of Magic was a bit of a slow burn. If he left it at that , no one would know him.

Seconded!

If you started later on series do you miss out on something you need for understanding of it?

Not really, I started with a random Vimes one, but they are more enjoyable in the right order, imo.

Anything with Granny Weatherwax is automatically good

Yes, agree, she is a great character.

 

[cyberknight]

I think i missed the boat on that series, dune series , dragonriders of pern, thomas covenent , hhtggt to name but a few .