Terry Prachett's Discworld Books
 

Anybody read them? I've read a few lately, and there's much to like; but about half the time the book should have been over about 50 pages before it actually ended.

Overall, they're fun satires of the sword-and-sorcery universe and of our own world -- like, recruiting minorities for the police force, only the minorities are zombies, trolls, and werewolves. Or PDAs that have little imps inside that remember everything you say to them.

Everybody should read "Small Gods".

I love about half the Discworld stuff, I'm not a big fan of the stuff with Granny Weatherwax or Nanny Ogg tho. I just cant seem to get into them
Anything with Rincewind or the City Watch I'm all over. Plus the Librarian rules! Can you name any other series you can say that in?
So in closing "Oook".

BTW: If you like Discworld check out Good Omens by Terry Prachet and Neil Gaiman, it's great stuff.

I really enjoyed Thief of Time, but I've liked all of them.

So far, all but one I've read had to do with with City Watch characters: "The Truth" was the first I read, and although it's not about them primarily, they're all over it. I enjoyed reading about the invention of newspapers and yellow journalism; kind of like an old Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn movie, but with dwarfs and talking dogs.

My favorite so far is "Guards! Guards!," which is the first in the City Watch series and which was apparently written as an homage to all the anonymous palace guards and city guards who generally get slaughtered by barbarian heroes in sword-and-sorcery books. Lovely stuff.

I particularly enjoy the character of Lord Vetinari. One would like to believe that a person who knows himself, and others, that well, actually exists.

The early stuff, especially with Cohen the Barbarian is great.

Pratchett is definately one of my favorite escapist readings. I'm not a fan of most of the witch books, or the standalones (The Truth, Pyrimids, Moving Pictures) in general, but Small Gods and Thief of Time are two of my favorites nonetheless. Night Watch offers a slightly more serious book, although it's certainly still discworld through and through, and a wonderful read. I haven't really read more than the first couple pages of any of the Rincewin....

(the pitter patter of hundereds of tiny feet stalking toward me from behind fills the room)

ahem. I've read all the Rincewind books, and they're definately some of my favorites. That luggage chap is right on the money, stand up guy.

I like the Librarian Monkey, too.

/me runs for his life.

For me Night Watch is probably his best book. I also liked Jingo and lost continent where the cultural references were pretty neat.

I remember playing the original Discworld game on the PC and cracking up at Luggage. "Oh god...it's sticky...what have you been eating??" "Why can't I have an inventory window like a normal hero?" "Be on the lookout for a steamer trunk with a large tongue and many chubby pink legs...hmmmm"

There was a discworld game?!?! I need more info on that.

I love Pratchett, very talented author in general. I've enjoyed the Rincewind books and some of the more recent standalones with Thief of Time (as mentioned by people above) as a real standout. Pratchett makes some the most amazing characters you will find in ANY book.

I would like to start the series, and I am also considering allowing my 9 year book loving son to read them as well. Are they suitable and as there are sooo many where do we start?

Start with the first and second: The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic.

They introduce Rincewind, the greatest DW character IMO, and are generally good to get into the series. Other than that, the books can really be read in any order.

There's three discworld games. Don't know anything about the third one (Noir) but I can tell you that the first two are fantastic, and very long but difficult. All three are adventure games.

Thanks Hulk, I appreciate the information.

Anyone interested in terry pratchett's work should first start with "Small Gods". It gives you a litlle insite into Discworld without over doing it. And Om is the funniest god i've ever read about. If you like this book you'll love the rest.