The Guardian click-bait - Get real. Terry Pratchett is not a literary genius

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Teknikal

The last kinda similar Pratchett style books I read which I found actually quite funny were the Wizard 2.0 series by Scott Meyer

Off to be the Wizard was the first one.

That said I don't read humor an awful lot so I'm probably the wrong person to ask,

As far as it goes though I do find darker humor funny I think my sense of humor is a little twisted and have found myself almost unable to breathe when reading through books like

"The alphabet of Manlyness" by Maddox,

"Emails from an A**hole* by John Lyndsay

"The Internet is a Playground" by David Thorne

Also I should be ashamed to admit really I find Tucker Max's books about his exploits fairly amusing.

For something less twisted though l have enjoyed a few Christopher Moore books they weren't super funny but definitely had their moments.

But a lot of these examples does not seem to contain a story so cannot be "better storylined". I was interested in books that have a story that are better better storylined than Pratchett and funnier that you have read. Which of these are examples of that?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Teknikal

To be fair I'm a UK citizen and I did really give Pratchett a chance (on two occasions) I just don't find his stuff funny, I'm sorry he's dead of course but I see no reason to lie just because of it as truthfully I've read far funnier better storylined books by other authors.

I take it you don't like Monty Python.

[Teknikal]

Originally Posted by tompe

But a lot of these examples does not seem to contain a story so cannot be "better storylined". I was interested in books that have a story that are better better storylined than Pratchett and funnier that you have read. Which of these are examples of that?

The very first one Magic 2.0 and the Christopher Moore books. The rest was me pretty much explaining my odd twisted sense of humor really.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I take it you don't like Monty Python.

I actually have a few of the monty python albums on my phone, it's set up in a way that when I'm in work listening to music occasionally it will shuffle in a sketch instead.

I'm not sure why Discworld doesn't appeal to me thinking about it I guess I just don't find puns very funny and the story arcs pretty weak. I did read several of his books and wanted to keep going just to have read them all but when I got to "Moving pictures" I just couldn't bear it.

Later I tried again and got as far as "Lords and Ladies" (was reading by release date) and gave up again so I have read a decent amount of his work but about 90% of the humour definitely bypassed me.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Teknikal

[...] I have read a decent amount of his work but about 90% of the humour definitely bypassed me.

Hey, if we all liked exactly the same things the world would be a much duller place ... and there would probably be fewer writers.

I also think that humour tends to be even more scattering of opinion than other aspects of fiction, and many people pick up Pratchett looking only for the humour. I'm a big fan of Pratchett, but the humour is not what keeps me coming back to re-read them.

[pendragginp]

Wodehouse is only significant in the UK. Not so much outside the UK.

Originally Posted by issybird

I love Wodehouse. Speak for yourself.

Amen. A comic genius like Charlie Chaplin, and a master of wordplay.

Evelyn Waugh once said to him, "You are the master of my profession." And of him, "One has to regard a man as a Master who can produce on average three uniquely brilliant and entirely original similes on each page."

And somebody else (I'm sorry, I can't remember who, I just at one time noted down the phrase from an article) wrote, "He is far from being a mere jokesmith: he is an authentic craftsman, a wit and humorist of the first water, the inventor of a prose style which is a kind of comic poetry."

And with all of the above I heartily concur.

<jumping off soapbox)

[Pulpmeister]

Pratchett was very widely read in science and physics as well as sf and fantasy, and his work is highly allusive. With an intricate combination of sly allusions and sometimes complex wordplay, Pratchett knew how to put the English language through hoops. To me, spotting the references is part of the fun. From Conan the Barbarian to Black Mask private eye stories, Errol Flynn movies, Schrodinger to Macbeth, grand opera to Australian Aboriginal myth and legend... there's always something going on besides the story.

And my favourite opening line?

IN A DISTANT AND SECONDHAND SET OF DIMENSIONS, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part… (The Colour of Magic)

[maddz]

I'm a Brit too, and I don't always find Pratchett's humour to my taste. I really didn't care for the early Rincewind novels, and the first I actually liked was Guards! Guards!

[eschwartz]

"don't always" != "don't"

It may surprise you, though I don't see why, to find out that many die-hard Pratchett fans were less than enthused at the early Rincewind books.
His first few books -- especially The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic -- are widely regarded as, let's just say, not his best.
I actually though Pyramids was where he hit his stride.

[GlennD]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

"don't always" != "don't"

It may surprise you, though I don't see why, to find out that many die-hard Pratchett fans were less than enthused at the early Rincewind books.
His first few books -- especially The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic -- are widely regarded as, let's just say, not his best.
I actually though Pyramids was where he hit his stride.

That's good to note. I read the first couple and liked-not-loved them. The later books have been on my "someday I oughta" list for a long time. Maybe it's time to bump them up.

[eschwartz]

Guards, Guards, Small Gods, Hogfather, The Fifth Elephant, Thud! and most especially Night Watch stood out in my mind as his greatest works.

[JSWolf]

I like the first two Discworld books. In fact, the first book I thought wasn't all that good is Maskerade.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

[...]
I actually though Pyramids was where he hit his stride.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Guards, Guards, Small Gods, Hogfather, The Fifth Elephant, Thud! and most especially Night Watch stood out in my mind as his greatest works.

eschwartz, we might not agree about everything, but our taste in Discworld novels appears to be very closely aligned.

[doubleshuffle]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Guards, Guards, Small Gods, Hogfather, The Fifth Elephant, Thud! and most especially Night Watch stood out in my mind as his greatest works.

Yes. But on the same level for me are Reaper Man, The Truth and Going Postal.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

Yes. But on the same level for me are Reaper Man, The Truth and Going Postal.

I'm trying to avoid listing all his books as his best.

That may result in a slightly inconsistent list -- please don't ask me to recreate it!


FWIW -- when introducing people to Discworld, I usually suggest people start with Small Gods, Hogfather, Going Postal, or Thud!.

[doubleshuffle]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

FWIW -- when introducing people to Discworld, I usually suggest people start with Small Gods, Hogfather, Going Postal, or Thud!.

Almost identical to my list for those cases. Mine omits Thud!, but adds Reaper Man and Night Watch.