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ficbot · 10-09-2008, 02:56 PM

I know we have some sci-fi rans on the board and I need some help about the Discworld. I never gave Pratchett much thought until after I read Good Omens, which I loved. Then I got the first Discworld from the library and did not get through it all. It just did not grab me.

A year later, I read 'Mort' and loved it. LOVED it. Death is the funniest character ever. Periodically, I tried to read other Discworld books but always got stuck because I felt guilty about never reading book 1, which I felt I 'ought to' do. Also I did not want to get stuck collecting them because I do not have the space to store six million books. Now, of course, the whole e-thing has liberated me from the shackles of having to 'store huge piles of books' and I am enjoying being able to purchase things I like instead of just borrowing them or buying them second-hand and selling them back to the used bookstore when I am done.

So now, Fictionwise is having a Big!Sale! and Discworld books can be had for like three dollars each. Suddenly, it is looking tempting again. But there are so many now that I am a little lost. What do I do?

1) It is vitally necessary to read the first one? Is there anything I will miss if I don't?

2) I heard they tend to go in sort of mini-series within the whole oeuvre. So for example if I am not really a witches or dragons person, I could just read the Death books or the whatever other books and not miss anything vital?

3) In such a case, what exactly should I read? Which books do you suggest? If you were to put together some sort of Discworld Starter Package of, say, 5-10 titles for a 'newbie who really liked the death books' what would you suggest?

I don't tend to read a ton of sci-fi, but for reference, here are some sci-fi novels I have really enjoyed:

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
The 'In Death' series by J.D. Robb
Most of Connie Willis
Most of John Wyndham
Thirld World Products by Ed Howdershelt
Anonymous Rex by Eric Garcia
The 'Women of the Underworld' series by Kelley Armstrong
Most of Neil Gaiman (although he took awhile to grow on me)

I generally read mystery, pulp, literary fiction and stuff that would be best categorized as 'paranormal sci-fi.' I am not big on dragon and space ship sci-fi

But I did like Good Omens and Mort, and this sale is a fabulous chance to maybe pick up some more. So...advice?

10-09-2008, 02:56 PM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Need some urgent Discword help! I know we have some sci-fi rans on the board and I need some help about the Discworld. I never gave Pratchett much thought until after I read Good Omens, which I loved. Then I got the first Discworld from the library and did not get through it all. It just did not grab me. A year later, I read 'Mort' and loved it. LOVED it. Death is the funniest character ever. Periodically, I tried to read other Discworld books but always got stuck because I felt guilty about never reading book 1, which I felt I 'ought to' do. Also I did not want to get stuck collecting them because I do not have the space to store six million books. Now, of course, the whole e-thing has liberated me from the shackles of having to 'store huge piles of books' and I am enjoying being able to purchase things I like instead of just borrowing them or buying them second-hand and selling them back to the used bookstore when I am done. So now, Fictionwise is having a Big!Sale! and Discworld books can be had for like three dollars each. Suddenly, it is looking tempting again. But there are so many now that I am a little lost. What do I do? 1) It is vitally necessary to read the first one? Is there anything I will miss if I don't? 2) I heard they tend to go in sort of mini-series within the whole oeuvre. So for example if I am not really a witches or dragons person, I could just read the Death books or the whatever other books and not miss anything vital? 3) In such a case, what exactly should I read? Which books do you suggest? If you were to put together some sort of Discworld Starter Package of, say, 5-10 titles for a 'newbie who really liked the death books' what would you suggest? I don't tend to read a ton of sci-fi, but for reference, here are some sci-fi novels I have really enjoyed: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell Old Man's War by John Scalzi The 'In Death' series by J.D. Robb Most of Connie Willis Most of John Wyndham Thirld World Products by Ed Howdershelt Anonymous Rex by Eric Garcia The 'Women of the Underworld' series by Kelley Armstrong Most of Neil Gaiman (although he took awhile to grow on me) I generally read mystery, pulp, literary fiction and stuff that would be best categorized as 'paranormal sci-fi.' I am not big on dragon and space ship sci-fi But I did like Good Omens and Mort, and this sale is a fabulous chance to maybe pick up some more. So...advice?