h a l f b a k e r yContrary to popular belief
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If you haven't read it, you have a huge treat coming. |
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It appears there are over 40 of them... Do
I need to start with book 1, or is it like
Forgotten Realms where each book or
trilogy is a standalone story? |
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Start with The Colour Of Magic. |
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Other than a few late in the series they can pretty much
stand on their own (don't read Raising Steam first, it's
very much a farewell). |
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That being said, there is enough continuity that it
probably makes sense to start at the beginning if you can
get it. |
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I'll be honest, the first couple are not my favorite. But
that being said, if you don't find a book you absolutely
love in the first eight, I will be shocked, and it only gets
better from there. I wouldn't begin to guess which
one, however, because I'm pretty sure you couldn't get
any two readers to agree on a favorites ranking. |
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//Start with The Colour Of Magic.// |
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Or, you could start with Strata where it all began. |
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Did anyone see Sir Pratchett's last three tweets? He must've arranged for them to be sent. |
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"AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER." |
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"Terry took Deaths arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night." |
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My very favourite of his books is Night Watch, it's just so very perfect - although all of the watch books were great. |
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I envy you, getting to read them for a first time. |
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I avoided reading Discworld for the longest time; can't remember why. One day I picked up Guards, Guards; soon afterwards, I returned to the bookstore to start at the beginning. |
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Weirdly, I too have never read any Pratchett - maybe I should give it a try |
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(See link for a Reading Order Guide, if you want to start and feel overwhelmed. Myself, I'd recommend The Truth to new readers; it's a standalone and a fine example of Pterry's style.) |
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Millennium hand and shrimp, see? |
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Somebody on another site said, "Death has met his maker." |
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Pterry's main series is the Discworld collection. They all inter-relate,
but only a few count as sequels to each other, and none that I would
say require reading another, first. There was a first one, but it doesn't
really feel like the later ones. I'd just start with whichever one grabs
your fancy, or is nearest. There is a police series, one book about
movies, one about music, one about opera ... You can easily guess
the rules of the universe, and you will probably read the whole bunch
many times. |
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What [hippo] said. I feel inspired to read him now, from the
outpouring of fans he has. |
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The funny thing is, it feels as if he'd only just arrived. |
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Suggested sub-title: "A Knight To Remember" |
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.
I will give his books a try. A lot of people get more fans after
they die...sadly. |
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That is not sad at all. If his death should inspire more people to read his work it makes it more bearable and gives even his death a function connected to his work. It's all a writer can ask for. |
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"When I am gone, let only this be said: 'His name was scarlet -
but his books were read !' " |
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Does anyone know what TP actually died of? Last I
knew, he was physically well and, despite the rather
specific type of Alzheimer's he had, mentally OK too.
I was shocked (as in surprised). |
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PCA - Posterior Cortical Atrophy. A form of early-
onset Alzheimer's that degrades motor functions. |
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In honor of the great man I offer to loan out my rare copy
of Strata. It's a very early work that puts the Discworld into
new perspective. Halfbakers contact me via usual channels. |
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Is it particularly rare? I have one too. |
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Me too ; uncommon, though. |
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Fair 'nough. I'll see if I can dig mine out then and offer it as well. Emails on my profile page. |
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Just found this, did you ever get around to reading them? I
hope so, I hope you didn't forget Strata (just for the
development context) & Good Omens (with Gaiman, just for
the hell of it) :) |
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... and Dark Side of the Sun. |
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Good Omens is usually in bookstores : the other two, I think I got both secondhand. |
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There's also Johnny and the Bomb/etc, and Diggers/etc. (which I find a bit cruder, writingstylewise) |
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When reading Discworld, don't forget the "for younger readers" subseries - wossname sheepwitch (Wee Free Men, etc). Apart from the protagonist being young'ish, they read like the rest of them. |
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// Apart from the protagonist being young'ish // |
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Tiffany Aching ... not that much older than Agnes Nitt, when Nanny Ogg and Esme Weatherwax first got hold of her ... |
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Often, you don't choose witchcraft; witchcraft chooses YOU ... |
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// not that much older than Agnes Nitt, when Nanny Ogg
and
Esme Weatherwax first got hold of her // |
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How old was Esk in Equal Rites? been a while for me that
one,
probably 20 years now I come to think of it, I even had to
go
Google for her name. |
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I bought the first of the Tiffany series for my Niece to get
her started on them (bought myself a copy at the same
time too of course). |
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Both Mort and Eric were young teenagers in their eponymous novels. |
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I imagine "children's book" categorizations were done by the publisher to expand target readership. |
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//I bought the first of the Tiffany series for my Niece to get her started on them// |
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Ditto : I usually don't interfere, but I caught her reading a Twilight novel. |
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// How old was Esk in Equal Rites? // |
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Practically a newborn when Drum Billet gave her his staff, as was
Coin in Soucery; not even a teenager when Granny took her to
Unseen University. |
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Fate, luck and innate ability seem to count for a lot more than
calendar age. It's like that in the Discworld books, too. |
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Stumbled without injury upon this author today.
Admittedly I'd not heard of him. Such a following, and
reverence on the HB as well. A Brit thing? Anyways... |
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The evening is upon us, the bed is warm and tonite we
shall learn about The Colour of Magic. |
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Actually, The Colour of Magic is not as good as most of his
oeuvre. So don't be put off if you find it disappointing, but
give him another book or two to get into his stride. |
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thanks to quarterbaker who urged me to enter the world of
discworld. |
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His books have traveled with me through hospitalizations, recoveries, unexpected losses, complete life upheaval. The fact that Discworld characters soldier on, despite grave (heh--Death joke) challenges is inspiring. I like his wordplay and double entendres. I was too sad to post this for the first 5 years ATP*. |
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*After Terry Pratchett, of course. |
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Reading my first of his books now, A Hat Full Of Sky. Loving the characters and creativity. I could see missing work just to read more. |
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A valid point, thanks. Must have been distracted while looking for the turtle beyond the elephants. |
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And now I have instead The Colour Of Magic. |
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