New reader seeks advice

[turnipician]

Hi all

15 years after being recommended Discworld I finally picked up The 1st 2 books and thoroughly enjoyed them. I agree with those of you who say the writing doesn't start off too well but it does improve and the more the story progresses the more hooked I am.

I understand that reading them chronologically might not be the best idea. I just popped into the library and they didn't have many options and I didn't really know what to pick so I went with 'The fifth Elephant' basically because it had the most intriguing name but just the front cover puts me off (and I feel I may have missed too much in the 17 years of books since COM.

Any advice? Shall I swap it for something else?

[Tonyblack]

Hi there turnipician! And welcome to the site.

Fifth Elephant is a great book, but quite a way along in the 'Watch' books. I'd recommend Guards! Guards! as a good starting point as it's the first of the Watch books and also a great introduction to Ankh-Morpork.

Good luck, happy reading and let us know what you think of whatever you choose.

[michelanCello]

Hi all

15 years after being recommended Discworld I finally picked up The 1st 2 books and thoroughly enjoyed them. I agree with those of you who say the writing doesn't start off too well but it does improve and the more the story progresses the more hooked I am.

I understand that reading them chronologically might not be the best idea. I just popped into the library and they didn't have many options and I didn't really know what to pick so I went with 'The fifth Elephant' basically because it had the most intriguing name but just the front cover puts me off (and I feel I may have missed too much in the 17 years of books since COM.

Any advice? Shall I swap it for something else?

Hi, turnipician!

Why not? It's not nessesary to read them in chronologycal order, but I think reading them like that is the most "clear" way to do it... like this you don't miss a thing, and you get every clue... I think the only reason people don't suggest to start chronologically, because the COM and LF (and Equal Rites too, maybe, but I quite liked that one, actually) don't really represent TP's style... well, they do, of course, but... well, for further information and opinions, see the Color of Magic discussion thread.
But since you sarted with the first two books - and obliviously liked them - I think there's nothing against reading them in chronological order... I, personally would recommend that (I wish I had... ), but I'm sure there'll be some people who'll disagree with me.

[turnipician]

Thanks guys

I think I will swap fifth elephant for equal rites or maybe mort, now I've just gotta find something to do before I go to sleep other than read...

[DaveC]

Thanks guys

I think I will swap fifth elephant for equal rites or maybe mort, now I've just gotta find something to do before I go to sleep other than read...

Welcome to the site turnipician!

Go chronological!

PS. That's what I'm doing, am on Wee Free Men now.

[raisindot]

[quote="turnipician"][/quote]

TFE was the first DW book (well, maybe the second--I think I started with Thief of Time first) because it was one of only two DW books available at my library (and I ran across it accidentally, having never heard of PTerry).

Even though there was clearly a lot of backstory in TFE (much more so than in TT) that would have benefited from a read of the earlier Guards series, I was totally hooked on TFE that I immediately went back through the entire series and then re-read TFE. So, if that's all that available at your library, don't necessarily pass it up.

I feel quite lucky in this situation. If COM had been the only DW at my library I probably would have put it down halfway through and never read another one.

J-I-B

[Who's Wee Dug]

Hi turnipician, welcome to the site.