Terry Pratchett.......love him or.......

[BigShot]

ArkAngel...
If keeping the order is an issue, get yourself to Waterstones once in a while, if I'm passing with around £10 to spare I'll drop in and see if they have a 3 for 2 offer on. They often have a 3 for 2 on sci-fi and fantasy books (that's the section you'll find Discworld in). So far it's the cheapest way I've found to buy the books, sometimes I'll have 3 or 4 unread ones, usually it's 1 or 2.

Just get a new book (or 3) whenever you fancy. It's not only one story, it's all based on the same world, and there is sometimes a crossing of paths, but usually the books either stand alone or come in an arc of 2 or 3 books.

If you want one to start with, The Truth is a standalone book - the first Pratchett novel I read and I loved it. It was after reading that when I started buying up the series in 3s. I cracked and got a 2 recently - have read Guards! Guads! and am going to get a few more next time they have a sale on.


The one thing I like about keeping the order (and it is no chore to do so) is that you are gradually introduced to the world and recurring characters - all the books have a sort of intro to them so you'd never be lost, but I find following the order does keep it fun.

 

[tim wakefield]

vimes best charecter but any will raise some laughs. not sure about nation but will continue reading pratchett till he has to stop some of his books get better the more often you read them.

 

[crazydave]

for bushcraft it has to be rincewinds desert island adventures as that man can survive anywhere

My first was pyramids and I loved the description of the boy saying his prayers in the dorm. read most of them lost more than I dare count through not returned lends

not really got a favourite as they all have their merits and truly original moments. is it interesting times with the remote control terracotta army? the later books as they twist and turn with myriad streams merging at the end are fantastic and not everyone can read them. my missus and brothers cant keep up with the way a grand pun will creep up behind you and wait 5 minutes before tapping you on the shoulder.

is he still the most shoplifted author in the UK?

hopefully the laylines in wiltshire will keep his ailments at bay as he is truly irreplacable. I read a book a few years back called urth which was claiming to be by the next pratchet but characters in it like mad rolf hilter and sad max just made it a grim experience.

 

[mortalmerlin]

Hogfarther was the first I read and I nearly died laughing so that would be my favourite. Followed by The last continent, Science of the disc world and Good omens. But to be honest I love them all, I even read the kids books

 

[FGYT]

all the early ones the newer ones just dont seem to me to be as good maybe hes trying to much

Interesting times is a Fav with the classic answer of how to feed thousands of enemy soldiers poisoned food

" Something Simple with pasta "

think its long enough to start reading at teh begining again

ATB

Duncan

 

[mortalmerlin]

1. The Colour of Magic 1983
2. The Light Fantastic 1986
...
35. Wintersmith 2006
36. Making Money 2007

I think that's just about all of them apart from his science of discworld books, mapps of discworld etc etc.

What did folks think of the television adaptations of The Hogfather and The Colour Of Magic?

That's just the disc world series, there is also;

Truckers
Diggers
Wings
The carpet people
Only you can save mankind
Johnny and the bomb
Johnny and the dead
Where's my cow
Strata
Dark side of the sun
The unadulterated cat

 

[Wallenstein]

If you've not already seen it, can I recommend http://www.lspace.org/ ?

Loads of interesting discworld stuff - I found the "annotated pratchett file" useful for picking up some of the more subtle jokes and references that would otherwise have passed me be!

For example, on p99 of Maskerade Granny Weatherwax greets one of the girls at Mrs Palm's with the words "Hello Colette, what fascinatin' earrings you are wearing."

When I first read it, I didn't think anything of it... but as the APF explains:

Clarecraft is a company that sells highly popular handcrafted Discworld miniatures and jewellery. Information on Clarecraft can be found in the Discworld Merchandise FAQ, available from the Pratchett Archives.

One particular item of jewellery they sell is the anorankh, a small model of an Egyptian cross wearing an anorak. (Don't ask -- but in case you think you want to know: the precise story of how the anorankh came into existence can be found in the Holy Anorankh file, also available from the Pratchett Archives.)

Meanwhile, over on alt.fan.pratchett, it became, for some reason, standard practice for the male readers of the group to propose marriage (often all of them at the same time) to female readers. Colette, our resident net.goddess and therefore one of the most 'visible' females on the group, was one of the most popular proposal targets. (For more detailed information about marriage proposals and other characteristic a.f.p. habits, see the A.f.p. Timeline file, also available from -- you guessed it -- the Pratchett Archives.)

With all this background information in mind, Colette herself will tell the rest of the story:

"The interesting earrings thing comes from when I went to the Discworld Companion signing in central London in May 1994. The signing was at lunch-time on a weekday and I was going to see our main computer supplier in the afternoon so I was fairly smartly dressed, but I was wearing my anorankh earrings, which Terry suddenly noticed while I was standing in front of him getting my book signed, and it was the first time he'd seen them made into earrings.

On 31st December 1994, completely out of the blue, I got an email from Terry. In it he said he was doing the polishing draft of Maskerade and which of the following two characters would I like to be called Colette -- the make-up girl at the Opera House, or one of the 'young ladies' at Mrs. Palm's and that mention might be made of her interesting earrings. When I had picked myself up off the floor, and being the mischievous soul that I am, I wrote back to Terry and asked if Colette could be one of the 'young ladies' at Mrs. Palm's, explaining that I felt that such a 'young lady' would be much more likely not only to wear interesting earrings, but also to receive lots of marriage proposals from men she hardly knew.

When I got my copy of Maskerade signed, Terry wrote in it 'What's a nice girl like you doing in a book like this?' -- a dedication in the same league as that which he wrote when he signed my Discworld game booklet, which was 'To Colette, Will you marry me?'"

I'd never have got that reference otherwise - and there's a whole bunch of stuff in the discworld books along those lines.

 

[SCOMAN]

I have about 17 of his Novels in hardback most read only once, if someone wants to make me a sensible offer let me know. Postage would be expensive but I will be heading around the UK in Nov and I may be able to drop them off.

 

[Kerne]

Someone gave me "Money" as a cd (read by "Baldrick") I ripped it onto my iPod and listened to it in my tent over four or five nights. Fantastic - It was like being a kid again: snug and warm while someone read you a story - that is magic.

 

[silvergirl]

I love Hatful of Sky - I found his emotion of the land that I live on (the chalk downs) touched me deeply. We do have "ships" and chalkand, rabbits and indeed I regularly sit beside (though never on) a bronze age wind swept barrow. The shepherds huts on wheels are still here too - I promise you a guided tour if you are ever in the area Silvergirl.

Thanks for the offer Red. :You_Rock_

This is possibly the one area of the UK I really don't know and I've always been fancinated by pictures and tales of the chalk downs.

I've read books on the ecology and social history, but still feel I have lots to understand.

I hope Terrys books captured some of the feel of the place.
I do however recognise the Nac Mac Feegles, I think I may be related to some of them

 

[Cairodel]

Here's one of his short stories that may appeal to some on here....


http://members.fortunecity.com/bookdepository/stories/pratchett/trollbridge/trollbridgetext.html

 

[British Red]

Sure appealed to me - cheers Del

 

[firecrest]

I did enjoy Good Omens, co wrote by Neil Gaiman

 

[markheolddu]

For me it,s Mort or Whiches abroad. Havent read any in a while though.

Mark

 

[BigShot]

Here's one of his short stories that may appeal to some on here....


http://members.fortunecity.com/bookdepository/stories/pratchett/trollbridge/trollbridgetext.html

I've just read 3 of the 4 shorts on that site and thought they were great.
(One of the links was broken so I couldn't read that).

Turntables of the Night was particularly good.

Thanks for the link - loved it.