What would you recommend?

[Straw Walker]

In a way Nightwatch is the first Watch novel of course

That was my thinking Jan but afterwards I wondered if I was being influenced by my liking for the Watch. I started with Wyrd Sisters and then read the first 8 in a random order as I found them in various shops. Since then I have a regular order with the Hogfather who is very cooperative, though occasionally I suspect he's read them first!

[Vena Ravenhaired]

I started with Lords and Ladies, and I hooted with laughter at Hern the Hunted!

Cheers, Vena

[Lady Vetinari]

I started with Wyrd Sister, then I think I read Reaper Man, and then I think it was Lords and Ladies, so yes, I started with Death and the Witches. No wonder I am confused!

[Andrasta]

I've just read my first discworld book. I started with "The Colour of Magic", but reading your posts I got the idea that it wasn't a very good beginning! And I didn't find the book very interesting... What would you recommend me to read next?

[Tonyblack]

Hi Andrasta and welcome.

It wasn't so much that Colour of Magic was a 'bad book' - indeed for many of us, including me, it was the first Discworld book we read and we are still reading over 25 years later. It's a case that Terry's writing has got a lot better the more he has written. You might want to try something like Guards! Guards! which is the first of the City Watch book and a good place to insert yourself into the series.

It's a bit misleading when we moan about one of Terry's books here because we actually love each and every one of them - it's just some are more favoured than others.

[Jan Van Quirm]

Welcome Andrasta - I second what Tony's saying. CoM is a wonderful book and is where a fair proportion of us 'veteran' PTerry fans fell in love with Discworld simply because it was so different to any other fantasy series (although of course it was only that one book to start off). So there was nothing to compare it with at that stage and the more Terry wrote the better it got so of course CoM 'slipped back down the charts' in time.

I think it's also because Terry is himself exploring Discworld and so there's a lot scene-setting and experimentation? The thing I think grabbed us wrinklies back in 1983 was the weird chelonian supported world aspect, its natural magical field and the whole power of 8 magic thing, and of course the strong characters Rincewind and Twoflower who have to be one of the greatest literary comedy duo teamings of all time (Rincewind doesn't really gel with the Librarian and Ridcully so well so by the time we get to Interesting Times I was almost weeping with relief that Twoflower came back into the mix at last). It's a developmental thing in the end - very often the first few episodes of a TV series there's this settling in period and then it goes from strength to strength and achieves cult status - like 'Friends' or 'Ally McBeal' or '24'

[Batty]

I started with the Colour of Magic and have read every book since, including the books that are laughingly referred to as 'children's books'. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them and eagerly await the next addition.

I only picked up CoM as I needed a book to read on my long train journey to work and the shop didn't have any more Robert Rankin in stock!
Train delays aren't nearly as bad when I've a good book to read and lose myself in.

[Andrasta]

Thank you for the welcome!

I'll follow Tonyblack's advice and read "Guards! Guards!" next.
I heard a lot of the discworld novels and I don't wanna give up on them just because I didn't find the 1st book as appealing as I expected.

And I agree with Jan Van Quirm about the first episodes of some TV series and I hope the same happens to the discworld!

And it was my first discworld experience and it takes a bit to absorb that crazy world! I hope that as I read the books the "disc" will grow on me!

[Tonyblack]

Please let us know what you think of Guards! Guards!.

[Straw Walker]

In a way Nightwatch is the first Watch novel of course

It wasn't a good choice for first book My friend gave up after 60 pages. She said there were too many characters to remember. Of course, for seasoned Discworlders most of them are old friends. I tried again, this time lending her 'Equal Rites' and she is really enjoying it. Another potential fan for Sir Pterry? I hope so! On my journey from the beginning, I've just started rereading 'Wyrd Sisters'.

[Batty]

I've had time to re-read the books, but this time I read them based on subject matter, i.e. The Watch, The Witches, Rincewind, Moist etc.

It was really interesting to read them again as you can pick up things that you miss or forget if you read the books in the published sequence. For example, I didn't twig why Vetinari started walking with a cane until I read The Watch books one after the other (the cane appeared after he had been shot), and small events like that.
Of course, most of you will probably pick up on all the stories as they appear, but I'm only a Bear of Very Little brain and don't have the best memory in the world.

Now ... what was I saying????

[Lady Vetinari]

I absolutely loved the Guards! Guards! book. It helped me understand how Sybil and Sam ended up together. As I had read Thud! Before Guards! Guards! so it helped me understand the progression of the relationship, the next book I am going to start, after I have finished Children of Hurin, is Fifth Elephant!

[Tonyblack]

I've had time to re-read the books, but this time I read them based on subject matter, i.e. The Watch, The Witches, Rincewind, Moist etc.

It was really interesting to read them again as you can pick up things that you miss or forget if you read the books in the published sequence. For example, I didn't twig why Vetinari started walking with a cane until I read The Watch books one after the other (the cane appeared after he had been shot), and small events like that.
Of course, most of you will probably pick up on all the stories as they appear, but I'm only a Bear of Very Little brain and don't have the best memory in the world.

Now ... what was I saying????

Terry's books really need to be read several times because there is so much in them that you'll certainly miss it the first or even second reading.

They can be read in any order, but, as you mentioned, you miss things like why Vetinari has a cane and how Sam and Sybil got together.

[Straw Walker]

Sorry about the double posting. The site was very slow and timed out several times. Thanks for the tip about reading each subject in order. I'll do that after I've read them in publication order

[Tonyblack]

Sorry about the double posting. The site was very slow and timed out several times. Thanks for the tip about reading each subject in order. I'll do that after I've read them in publication order

Double post? What double post?