What shall I read first?

[Ray McCarthy]

It's his birthday today too!

 

[The Big Peat]

I'd really not recommend The Colour of Magic to people. Like, really really. I'd physically hide their copy from them if that wasn't wrong!

I'd recommend starting with one of Mort, Guards Guards or Wyrd Sisters to someone who really likes reading things in order, or anything after Small Gods to those who don't mind. I remember starting with Feet of Clay and falling in love. I think all of his books work well as a stand-alone. I remember being utterly nonplussed by The Colour of Magic. It's a very different book, and imo a very inferior book. To me, it'd be like handing over a copy of The Book of Lost Tales to someone who expressed an interest in Tolkien.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Color of Magic is the book I recommend first.

 

[Keith Taylor]

Agree with the big peat. Mort is an excellent place to begin.

 

[Alan Aspie]

I want to start reading the Terry Pratchett books, but I don't know what ones to start with I have had a tip from someone in my family to start with Maskerade.

What do you think I should start with?

I think you should read them all and then - instead of asking from others - you should decide yourself which is the first book to read.

 

[ZlodeyVolk]

Some time back, I chanced to find a version of this chart: Terry Pratchett’s Discworld - Reading Order; and having read two or three of his Discworld novels, in no particular order, previously, I did find it helpful. But that's if we're talking about reading only Pratchett's Discworld stories; if we're talking about reading Pratchett in general, I think I would recommend starting with The Dark Side of the Sun (1975) and Strata (1981), inasmuch as they contain thematic precursors to many of the elements seen in the Discworld stories and The Long dot dot dot books, co-written with Stephen Baxter. Just to get a little bit of grounding.