Is it just me...

biodroid

biodroid

A.D.D.
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Because I can't seem to get into Pratchett, he just doesn't seem funny unlike Douglas Adams. Anyone else having this problem?
 
I read Reaper Man and Mort (recommended by someone who said it was hilarious) and was disappointed. I guess it did not work for me, i just did not find it funny. A lot of people say British humour is different to American humour but Douglas Adams is British and I have no problem reading his books, I think he is really funny. Oh well, I guess each has his own taste. Maybe someone can recommend another Pratchett to try? Is it necessary to read them in order as its difficult to get some of them?
 
They don't need to be read in any particular order. A lot of Pratchett's humour is subtle or situational, he doesn't often come out with punchlines. The odds are that you read right through a lot of parodies and references to other books without realizing it.
Everyone has their own personal favourites from Pratchett's books, so I wouldn't be able to point you at any particular one without know where your main interests lie.
 
I think some of them are best read in order - to see the characters develop and their own personal story lines but most of them you could pick up and just read and still understand enough to get the book.

I have to say although my husband loves the Death books they aren't my favourites at all. Give 'the Watch' a go.:)

I also have to say that although I love Pratchett and Adams, I think their humour is quite different.
 
biodroid said:
Because I can't seem to get into Pratchett, he just doesn't seem funny unlike Douglas Adams. Anyone else having this problem?
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Short answer: No! But some are funnier, and more accessable than others.

Try the Watch books (Guards, Guards is the first one) as Essie suggested...they're my own personal favourites.
And have a look here for some idea about what each one is about:

Discworld - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Nah i like the Witches ones! Granny Weatherwax rules!!!

I would try lords and ladies or Carpe Jugulum.
 
Is that the one where Death is Bill Door? I get them all a bit muddled - but if it is I have to say that was one of the funnier Death ones.

I'd still say get into the Watch first - have a go at the Witches later. Just my opinion though.:)
 
the Watch books are probably the most accessable, especially for a US reader considering the American love of a good police/crime series with political themes, corruption and organised crime.
 
Why expect to like them?

Adams is just funny, Pratchett has a much deeper satirical intent (but you don't need to either know that or care about it to enjoy the books).

Do you like pop or rock?

Beethoven or Stockhausen?

The most recent books are much more classical in construction and Going Postal might be more to your taste.

But worrieth not - enjoying Pratchett is not compulsory.
 
I think it is just you, but to be honest his books are sometimes very different the Death books have a slightly different humour to the Watch books or the witches books as said before try guards guards for the watch or Witches Abroad for the witches or go for one of the individual books like Pyrimids or moving pictures
 
There are one or two which don't really work - If Monstrous Regiment and Thief Of Time were my first experieces of Pratchett , I too would be put off Pratchett

The Guards books are definately some of the funniest , with Nightwatch being the best Discworld novel ever

And am I the only one to think though that the Discworld novels really SHOULD be read in the sequence they were published?
 
I have to admit I read them in order but I think some of them can be read out of sequence - you really don't have to have read the others to follow Pyramids for example.
 
Essie said:
I have to admit I read them in order but I think some of them can be read out of sequence - you really don't have to have read the others to follow Pyramids for example.
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Oh , I agree , not all require you to read them in order - but could you honestly say that you would have enjoyed Nightwatch as much as you did , without first having read all the other 'Watch' books first?
 
paranoid marvin said:
There are one or two which don't really work - If Monstrous Regiment and Thief Of Time were my first experieces of Pratchett , I too would be put off Pratchett
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:mad:

How wrong can you get?

Monstrous Regiment is one of the best things El Prat has written - and Thief of Time as good as any other.

As I almost said in an earlier post - horses for courses.

If I wanted to get certain people into El Prat - the recent stuff and the more thoughtful would be my starting point.
 
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