making the 2nd or later book in a series free

[JSWolf]

I do go with the author preferred order if there is one and I know of it.

[John F]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

C. S. Lewis felt that The Magician’s Nephew should be read first.

Citation please.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

But I think other readers' comments can be useful in terms of approach, especially to a long series, assuming you've identified them as sources whose tastes and opinions tend to align with your own.

In terms of whether or not I should (or shouldn't) try a series--certainly. But I take no advice on order. None. I've tried in the past and it's never worked out. Without fail, I needed to start over at the beginning of published order to set my mind at ease. Nowadays, when I hear the words; "can be read first," or "can be read as a standalone," it's flashing neon sign warning me that it really can't. At least not by me, anyway. It's not a dismissal of others opinions, so much as it's an acceptance of my own psychosis.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

C. S. Lewis felt that The Magician’s Nephew should be read first.

Originally Posted by Quoth

No, you are taking a reply letter to a young person out of context. He said he wasn't going to dictate to people what order they should read, and it could be be read in internal chronological order after the first read.

Originally Posted by John F

Citation please.

Perhaps a bit of searching would have saved you from asking this question. You could check The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia.

But then you have to also notice that in another letter, he also said, “perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone reads them”.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do go with the author preferred order if there is one and I know of it.

Finally, you agree that The Color of Magic should not be read first. I knew you'd come around.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Finally, you agree that The Color of Magic should not be read first. I knew you'd come around.

Discworld is meant to be read in published order which also happens to be chronological order as well.

If you don't read The Colour of Magic first, you then don't get the full effect of the next book which has Rincewind in it.

[John F]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Perhaps a bit of searching ...

I was interested in Jon's source.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by John F

I was interested in Jon's source.

See Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia #847 and #848.

My personal feeling is that LWW was a far better introduction to the world of Narnia and reading TMN later in series simply filled in some of the gaps in LWW and other Narnia books.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by issybird

Especially not even authors. Once an author has published a book, they need to let it go. They've had their say; done. I particularly am not interested in regrets or comments that purport to add to canon. Obviously, and unfortunately, they can do this sort of thing in subsequent publications and it does become part of canon, but I hold it against them if it's not organic. No retcons, thankyouverymuch.

But I think other readers' comments can be useful in terms of approach, especially to a long series, assuming you've identified them as sources whose tastes and opinions tend to align with your own.

The only time I would go with the author's order, is when they had written multiple books and the publisher decided to publish them out of order without care of details. It isn't super common, but I have seen it before.

[John F]

Originally Posted by DNSB

See Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia #847 and #848.

...

Again, no help.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Discworld is meant to be read in published order which also happens to be chronological order as well.

If you don't read The Colour of Magic first, you then don't get the full effect of the next book which has Rincewind in it.

Not all the Discworld is in Chronological order, but the first two certainly aren't as good as later ones and do set the scene. Rincewind becomes a bit player.

[DrNefario]

I have a memory that my childhood boxed set of Narnia was numbered in internal chronological order, and I presumably read them in that order.

I can't speak to the reliability of that memory.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Not all the Discworld is in Chronological order, but the first two certainly aren't as good as later ones and do set the scene. Rincewind becomes a bit player.

I do think the first two books are a good introduction to Discworld.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Not all the Discworld is in Chronological order, but the first two certainly aren't as good as later ones and do set the scene. Rincewind becomes a bit player.

I suspect that anyone who has read the Discworld series or Pratchett's other books would notice the way he developed as a writer over the years.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I have a memory that my childhood boxed set of Narnia was numbered in internal chronological order, and I presumably read them in that order.

I can't speak to the reliability of that memory.

That was later editions. I have had three versions as I bought my first boxed set in 1966 and one later set was a USA import (unlikely in UK, but happens in Ireland). The 1965 edition listed the original order on the back of the case, the later editions had numbers.

He did hold back at least one book till another was published. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Dawn Treader and the Silver chair were written in that order and are chronological. The Horse and His Boy has the Pensivies as adults with cameo appearance and Narnia barely features.
It does make some sense to read in internal chronology at least after the first reading. I was disappointed to discover (eventually) that he was dead and thus there would be no more inbetween books like The Horse and His Boy. Died same day as US President Kennedy so probably hardly made the news. But even that I only knew about in 1966 because a neighbour had a commemorative plate on the wall.

It's also a rare case where a USA edition of a UK/Irish author (he thought of himself as Irish) is better:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vo...rican_editions
Lewis made the revision to US edition.