Introducing my kids to Pratchett: which book first?

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Equal Rites and the rest of the Witches sub-series are also good. I would start there rather than Sourcery for empowered female types. The only books that skips are the first two which most people agree aren't the best.

Agreed yeah, I'll give her Equal Rites to start with thanks.

[danskmacabre]

Thanks ATDrake for those other books suggestions, noted.

[danskmacabre]

I'll put my son onto Guards, Guards, as I think that'll appeal to him.

Thanks all for the suggestions, it's been very helpful.

Feel free to keep discussing tho, It's all very interesting and good stuff to note.

[eschwartz]

Equal Rites... it wasn't my favorite, and I personally would choose a different one (it was still before the Disc as it is now was settled in place) but still fairly good. Definitely a much better move than the first two, and I can see how it would appeal.

Personally my favorites have all been rejected but I guess if we are targeting a derned "theme".

[poohbear_nc]

Funnily enough, the Death series of books is kid-centered -- with Susan, Death's adopted daughter, and the apprentice Mort, and the attempt of Death to have a 'normal' family. Plus it contains (IMHO) some of the funniest writing - esp. Hogfather (which has a splendid film version on DVD).

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Personally my favorites have all been rejected but I guess if we are targeting a derned "theme".

If I can get them into the Pratchett books, I'll be sure to come back to this thread to see where to go from there thanks

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Funnily enough, the Death series of books is kid-centered -- with Susan, Death's adopted daughter, and the apprentice Mort, and the attempt of Death to have a 'normal' family. Plus it contains (IMHO) some of the funniest writing - esp. Hogfather (which has a splendid film version on DVD).

Yeah I loved the Death books, I agree that's on the books to read list for them.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic are parts one and two of the first book, practically speaking.

DO NOT start them on those! They are his weakest books. I have accidentally turned several people off him, permanently, like this.

My favorite is Small Gods, but I think Going Postal and Making Money are also excellent starting books.

I am one of those people turned off Pratchett after reading The Colour of Magic (can't remember if I even finished it). So I have always thought of him as overrated, but I am willing to give him another go, starting with Small Gods I think; I assume I do not need much prior knowledge of Discworld?

[Pulpmeister]

I resisted Pratchett for years because I wasn't a fantasy fan, until I succumbed and picked up, I think, Pyramids, which is Pratchett's take on ancient Egypt, Greek philosophy (and ancient Greece), and of course English style boarding schools. One thing about Pratchett's work is that he is incredibly widely read, so many of the allusions and puns he uses may pass over the head of a teenager whose education is not so broad.

Guards, Guards! is his take on numerous things, including swashbuckling, cops, dragon lore, cultists and probability theory...

Which one to start with? Pyramids, possibly, since Egypt and ancient Greece are moderately familiar to everyone. Well, sort of. I read them well out of order, at first, because there were quite a few published and I was catching up. No worse for the experience.

Then there's Wyrd Sisters, which is Macbeth revisited. It is complicated.

[pdurrant]

I'd recommend The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

No the series was not written to be read in published order.

Even Terry Pratchett doesn't think you should start with Colour of Magic/The Light Fantastic (from his non-fiction book of essays:

http://i.imgur.com/lXfLgER.jpg

[Hatgirl]

I love the Discworld series, but I also love Pratchett's non-Discworld books. Have you considered starting them with "Truckers" or "Only You Can Save Mankind?"

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

My daughter reads huge amounts of books, she's read the Hobbit, all the Harry Potter books. Lloyd Alexander, Percy Jackson, some cats series (all of them) and all sorts of other stuff she picks up at the library and from our home collection.
she's currently reading LOTR and likes it, so she's used to pretty heavy reading.

She especially likes Anthropomorphic type books (intelligent animals), so she's also reading the Spellsinger series by Alan Dean Foster.
Oh and empowered female type characters, so I'm thinking Sourcery for her.

My son likes teen and older Fantasy, Urban Fantasy stuff, such as the Dresden files, which he's nearly finished the series, so I'm on the look out for something else for him.
I figure Pratchett will be some light relief for him.

I'll check out the Tiffany Aching books tho thanks.

If he liked Dresden, he might well like the Jacka Benedict series. (Fated? is the first I think). Don't quote me on the order. He might also like Frank Tuttle's Markhat series--in fact this has such strong male and female characters, it might work for both kids.

As for Pratchett, when I asked about where to start, I was advised this:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...itches_Trilogy

I think it may appeal to the female in your family, although some of the jokes are very much aimed at picking up on sword and sorcery stereotypes.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

No the series was not written to be read in published order.

Yes, it is written to be read in published order which is also chronological order.

That chart is 100% crap for first time Discworld readers. I've seen way too many people say "go ahead, use that chart, it's OK to spoil/ruin the series and here is my recommendation on how to spoil what would otherwise be a very good read".

Yes, you get different main characters in different books. But what you don't get is that you get a progression of place and other characters that are not the main focus. Terry does not recap. And yes, some are newer book are spoilers for earlier books.

The best way to handle Discworld (for the first time) is to take that chart and ignore it. Don't even look at it. It's a bad idea. You don't want to find out something about say a recurrent background character that you are not supposed to know because you've read out of order. Also, some of the jokes are not so funny when you don't get them because you've not read the book you need to to get the jokes.

Terry has written Discworld to be read in published order. There is no other proper order unless it's a reread.

In this case, I will say that you are 100% wrong!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Terry has written Discworld to be read in published order. There is no other proper order unless it's a reread.

I can do no better than to quote someone from earlier in this thread:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Even Terry Pratchett doesn't think you should start with Colour of Magic/The Light Fantastic (from his non-fiction book of essays:

http://i.imgur.com/lXfLgER.jpg

and for those who can't see the image

"...I find it now rather embarrassing that people beginning the Discworld series start with The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic, which I don't think are some of the best books to start with. This is the author saying this, folks. Do not start at the beginning with Discworld."
-- Terry Pratchett.

I am happy for JSWolf to hold the opinion that one should only read the Discworld series in published order. But he shouldn't try to say that his opinion is also held by Terry Pratchett.