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

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

We aren't disagreeing with your assertion that characters in the background appear and change as the books progress in publication order.

We disagree that that matters when introducing someone to the series. The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic are for hard-core fantasy/SF fans, who will recognise (most of) the references to other series. A different starting point s (IMO) best for other people.

I disagree. Even if you miss some of the references in the first two books, you do get all the information to learn about the Wizards (including Rincewind), the luggage, and Ank Morpoor and other lands. So these two books are a good introduction to Discworld (references to other books not withstanding). And if you don't want to read them, the movies of the first two books is well worth watching.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's not an opinion. if you read Discworld in order and pay attention to what's going on with the characters who are not the main characters of the story and you also pay attention to the places, then you would notice these things. This is a fact that they do progress. You miss this progression when you read willy-nilly. Try reading in order from Book 1 and you'll see this is what Terry does.

Once again, the same can be said of any non-ordered collection of stories set in the same universe. Which is to say, your random drive-by assertion applies equally to a hugely diverse set of stories.


Once again, what you are actually arguing is a philosophy that one brings to reading in general -- that of reading things in chronological order even when it isn't required, in order to enhance the stories with optional extras.


Once again, you are saying something which has no purpose other than to attract a flame war.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's not an opinion. if you read Discworld in order and pay attention to what's going on with the characters who are not the main characters of the story and you also pay attention to the places, then you would notice these things. This is a fact that they do progress. You miss this progression when you read willy-nilly. Try reading in order from Book 1 and you'll see this is what Terry does.

You could, however, read the Wizards (You could probably pull out the Rincewind specific as their own set), Witches, Death, Guards, Lipwig & Aching books in their own timeline without reading the others.

Pyramids & Small Gods can be read at any time & I wouldn't of though you would need the Guards backstory to read monstrous regiment.

[latepaul]

I read them in publication order because, well I'm old and there were just two in existence when I first heard about them.

It would never occur to me to recommend them in a different order because that's just how I think. If I was approaching a new-to-me series I'd want to start with the first published. TBH though I'm always wary of recommending books (or music, or films, or...) anyway because I've done it before, excited to hear someone's praise for my favourite thing, only to receive a muted, "meh, it's OK".

I suppose the first few books aren't as good. Certainly the first two aren't novels in the way the later ones are. They are a collection of jokes and spoofs loosely tied together with something approaching a plot.

But the first book I really loved was Mort, which is only book 4. I also love Wyrd Sisters, Pyramids and Guards! Guards! - which are consecutive. So if someone asked for a place to start I think I'd explain about Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic, and then mention Mort or Wyrd Sisters etc. and leave the choice to them.

[Teknikal]

I found this on reddit which is a suggested reading order for following characters arcs, I thought it was worth saving in case I try again.

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

That said I do usually try to read things in publication order but in the case of Discworld I've already tried that twice and then hit books that don't really gel with me.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Once again, the same can be said of any non-ordered collection of stories set in the same universe. Which is to say, your random drive-by assertion applies equally to a hugely diverse set of stories.


Once again, what you are actually arguing is a philosophy that one brings to reading in general -- that of reading things in chronological order even when it isn't required, in order to enhance the stories with optional extras.


Once again, you are saying something which has no purpose other than to attract a flame war.

I feel sorry for you for not getting what is. This is not a shared universe. This is the same universe. These places and characters are all part of the same universe. Discworld is Discworld. It's not some other place in the Discworld universe.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

You could, however, read the Wizards (You could probably pull out the Rincewind specific as their own set), Witches, Death, Guards, Lipwig & Aching books in their own timeline without reading the others.

Pyramids & Small Gods can be read at any time & I wouldn't of though you would need the Guards backstory to read monstrous regiment.

It's not the backstory or story of the main characters that's at the heart of this discussion. It's that while we have different main characters such as Rincewind, Wizards, Witches, Death, The Guards, etc. We have some of the same minor/secondary/background characters and places. These progress while we read about different main characters.

An example character we see progress/change behind the scenes of stories with different main characters is Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler.

http://discworld.wikia.com/wiki/Cut-...Throat_Dibbler

Claude Maximillian Overton Transpire Dibbler, usually known as Cut Me Own Throat (or C.M.O.T) Dibbler (or simply "Throat") is one of the numerous bit part characters that enrich the world of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Teknikal

I found this on reddit which is a suggested reading order for following characters arcs, I thought it was worth saving in case I try again.

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

That said I do usually try to read things in publication order but in the case of Discworld I've already tried that twice and then hit books that don't really gel with me.

The problem is that you won't know which books won't hit you until you read them.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I feel sorry for you for not getting what is. This is not a shared universe. This is the same universe. These places and characters are all part of the same universe. Discworld is Discworld. It's not some other place in the Discworld universe.

I have absolutely no idea what you are even attempting to say.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's not the backstory or story of the main characters that's at the heart of this discussion. It's that while we have different main characters such as Rincewind, Wizards, Witches, Death, The Guards, etc. We have some of the same minor/secondary/background characters and places. These progress while we read about different main characters.

An example character we see progress/change behind the scenes of stories with different main characters is Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler.

http://discworld.wikia.com/wiki/Cut-...Throat_Dibbler

Terrible example. CMOT Dibbler is a constant, not a progressive character.

[eschwartz]

Once again: Aren't opinions nice...

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's not the backstory or story of the main characters that's at the heart of this discussion. It's that while we have different main characters such as Rincewind, Wizards, Witches, Death, The Guards, etc. We have some of the same minor/secondary/background characters and places. These progress while we read about different main characters.

An example character we see progress/change behind the scenes of stories with different main characters is Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler.

http://discworld.wikia.com/wiki/Cut-...Throat_Dibbler

When does CMOT progress/change?
No matter what happens through a story he always drops back to the default setting (seller of sausages in a bun) at the end of the book.

[Cinisajoy]

Now the question becomes "do I own any Terry Pratchett? "
This argument has made me want to try his books.
So argument over.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Now the question becomes "do I own any Terry Pratchett? "
This argument has made me want to try his books.
So argument over.

Just make sure you read them in the correct order!!



Shari (Running away before people start throwing things at me)

[tompe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I feel sorry for you for not getting what is. This is not a shared universe. This is the same universe. These places and characters are all part of the same universe. Discworld is Discworld. It's not some other place in the Discworld universe.

No, it is strictly speaking not the same universe since things is changed in the universe if the story need the change.

Concerning reading order some of the first books are really weak and when trying to re-read them in order I had trouble finish Pyramids which I did not like at all. If that was the first time reading the books I would not have continued reading.

I have tried to read the Dresden book but the first book is so weak that I am not tempted to continue. And people tell me that it starts to be good in book 4-5 or so. But I have a hard time reading some bad or medicore books just waiting for it to get good. So one more example were starting in the wrong place does not work.