Pratchett for the Unenlightened

[Marky Lazer]

So, you Pratchett addicts, tell me what's so funny about the bloke? Tell me where I should jump in? Which book to start with, and everything else I ought to know...

 

[Joel007]

The Colour of Magic is the first of the discworld series. This is the place to start Rincewind's story.
However there are also the Night Watch books (starting with Guards Guards!), the witches books (I think that's Wyrd sisters), and a fair few stand alone books that can be read apart from the rest.
To be honest any old pratchett book would be fine for someone who's never tried them, as they should be read more than once anyway

I'm sure somneone will give you an exhaustive list of various methods, but I like the Johnny trilogy, and also the Gnome books as some of the best non-discworld

 

[Brian G Turner]

Some recommendations include:

Small Gods
Guards! Guards!
Going Postal

all enjoyable and among his best, and readers favourites.

 

[sanityassassin]

as said above any and all can be and should be enjoyed again and again my personal favourites include

Pyrimids
Guards,Guards
Witches Abroad

I think witches is a great introduction for anybody to get into Pratchett. Some will tell you to read in published order but I was less impressed with Rincewind than some people and start on the witches or guard stories

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Small Gods is a great standalone book.

Mort's another good 'un

 

[Nesacat]

I personally am fond of Death so I'd go with
Mort
Reaper Man
Soul Music
Hogfather

But they are all good books and you might just want to try several and see where you wish to go.

 

[Marky Lazer]

I remember something about a city build on the shell of a giant turtle... Am I correct?

 

[jackokent]

Ank Morpak or something like that, I can't be bothered to go and look at the book and I'm useless with names.

My favorite are the Death ones too. Mort made me laugh out loud so many times.

 

[sanityassassin]

no you are not quite correct the "Discworld" sits atop 4 elephants(can't remember there names but they do have names) which in turn sits atop the "great A'Tuin(proberly spelled it wrong) the great sky turtle in his journey through space

 

[CarlottaVonUberwald]

ok ..any discowlrd book is good to start with. all the books ( bar a couple dependign on your persoanl tastes) are good stand alone books. however if starting with a watch book id suggest Guards guards! men at arms or feet of clay
if you prefer withces start with Witches abroad Wyrd sister or maskerade

if wizards float your boat read the last continent.

 

[Marky Lazer]

I don't know why, but the crazy kitten is going to send me some books... How cool is that?

 

[zorcarepublic]

no you are not quite correct the "Discworld" sits atop 4 elephants(can't remember there names but they do have names) which in turn sits atop the "great A'Tuin(proberly spelled it wrong) the great sky turtle in his journey through space

The names of the elephants are hard, aren't they? I know one is called Jerakeen, and another is Great T'Phon, and the other names start with a T and B...

By the way, your spelling of Great A'Tuin is correct.

 

[Joel007]

I don't know why, but the crazy kitten is going to send me some books... How cool is that?

excellent. Soon you will join the ranks of the pratchett brainwashed army.

 

[amy why?]

i just introduced a friend to pratchett and he started with wyrd sisters and he loved it, hes just borrowed witches abroad.
but then again ive read most of them in order and i think that made it better, the few i didnt i just felt a bit like i might b missing out on some sub plot, silly i know!

 

[Raven]

If I had to recommend a book to start, Wyrd Sisters would probably be it. For hardcore fantasy fans, The Colour of Magic has more fantasy in-jokes but it's not really representative of the series as a whole - it's more of a direct parody, rather than a comic novel with parody elements.

 

[Morpheus42]

I've read the first 14. I liked them all .Some of them more than the others ofcourse.
Read the last one some 7 years ago.
Will be reading or listening some soon.

 

[ommigosh]

Lots of suggested staring points here but the original request contained the question : "tell me what's so funny about the bloke?"

So what do people think?

I reckon Pratchett packs in a lot of funny situations peppered with wry and ironic humour. He invents plenty of unusual, absurd and amusing characters (with traits we can all recognise from our Roundworld). There are more giggles per page than any other author I've read and even some belly laughs along the way. His story telling is actually very good and there is definitely a dark side to a lot of the books too despite the humour. Pratchett reads a lot and knows a lot and he includes cartloads of asides and references to things in the real world both ancient and modern and usually gets a laugh too. His mind must be continually buzzing with ideas.

Great entertainment - a word of warning though - there is a huge amount of Discworld material out there. It is all wonderful but don't read too much in one go as that may spoil the enjoyment.

 

[CarlottaVonUberwald]

i think reading it all at once may have the opposite effect and endear you to the comedy as conituing jokes stay fresher in your mind