Top Ten Terry Pratchett Discworld characters

[doubleshuffle]

No idea if I could really come up with a top ten - but Susan Sto Helit would definitely be on it. And what about that dog? Or Ponder Stibbons? Or Hex?

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

No idea if I could really come up with a top ten - but Susan Sto Helit would definitely be on it. And what about that dog? Or Ponder Stibbons? Or Hex?

Maybe we need a top twenty

[doubleshuffle]

At least.

But there seems to be no question that Death is No. 1. Although perhaps he really should be last...

[Angst]

I was always partial to the guard.

Trying to skew the odds for a one-in-a-million shot was hilarious!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

No idea if I could really come up with a top ten - but Susan Sto Helit would definitely be on it. And what about that dog? Or Ponder Stibbons? Or Hex?

Susan is included with Death and so are the rats.

[derangedhermit]

A little OT, but so useful to me I thought I would point it out for those who might not have a current version.

Discworld reading guide poster at lspace.orgf

EDIT: + zoom is good.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by derangedhermit

A little OT, but so useful to me I thought I would point it out for those who might not have a current version.

Discworld reading guide poster at lspace.orgf

EDIT: + zoom is good.

Thanks! I actually had this, but couldn't remember where from. You just saved me a google search.


I see they haven't updated it for the last few books...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by derangedhermit

A little OT, but so useful to me I thought I would point it out for those who might not have a current version.

Please edit your message to remove any mention of that chart. That chart is nothing but a pain in the butt. It's just wrong. It tells new Discworld readers that it's OK to read out of order. It's not OK. You ruin the series if you do read out of order. Please get rid of any links to it and any mention of it. We don't need it and new readers should never know of it's existence.

[jemc]

Originally Posted by derangedhermit

A little OT, but so useful to me I thought I would point it out for those who might not have a current version.

Discworld reading guide poster at lspace.orgf

EDIT: + zoom is good.

That looks like an interesting way to sort through Discworld. Thanks for posting the reading guide!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Please edit your message to remove any mention of that chart. That chart is nothing but a pain in the butt. It's just wrong. It tells new Discworld readers that it's OK to read out of order. It's not OK. You ruin the series if you do read out of order. Please get rid of any links to it and any mention of it. We don't need it and new readers should never know of it's existence.

That is a mere opinion. Many people like to read chronologically, and a warning might be in order, that that is what this is. However, to simply say we're not allowed to read in this order, or to suggest it to others, is flat-out wrong. Allowing people a more knowledgeable decision is not a crime.

It's just a GUIDE, for G-d's sake.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jemc

That looks like an interesting way to sort through Discworld. Thanks for posting the reading guide!

If you've not read Discworld, that chart is a waste of space. It's only good for a reread. But a first time read gets ruined by following that chart. Discworld is written to be read in published order.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

That is a mere opinion. Many people like to read chronologically, and a warning might be in order, that that is what this is. However, to simply say we're not allowed to read in this order, or to suggest it to others, is flat-out wrong. Allowing people a more knowledgeable decision is not a crime.

It's just a GUIDE, for G-d's sake.

It's not about chronological order. It's about the way Discworld is written. It's written in order. Terry does not summarize from previous books. Even though the main characters do change, a lot of the secondary characters do not and as we go from book to book (in order), we see the secondary characters develop. We learn things that aren't explained again. Terry doesn't waste words telling us things we should already have read. That's why reading out of order is not a good idea. Also, some things do get spoiled by jumping around.

[jemc]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you've not read Discworld, that chart is a waste of space. It's only good for a reread. But a first time read gets ruined by following that chart. Discworld is written to be read in published order.

Thanks for your opinion on the guide for a first time read but I'll have to disregard that opinion as not useful to me. I've never managed to read more than the first fifty pages of "Colour..." by using the Discworld "chronological" method. The L-Space chart looks like the perfect way for me to skip around and find what I want to read in Discworld. I have read and enjoyed a couple of the novels like "Mort" and "Small Gods" but others less so. The chart will help me look for similar volumes in the series.

Anyway thanks for confirming that using the L-space guide to explore Discworld is the best way for me to try some more Discworld!

And thanks again to derangedhermit for posting the link to L-Space!

[eschwartz]

Just for the record, the individual story arcs were written in chronological order and the chart mostly just separates the different story arcs. The worst that can happen is you read the witches stories, for example, before the color of magic WHICH IS NOT A LOSS!

And honestly, I feel that reading the first book first is what scared off several friends from reading Pratchett. After I suggested some of the later books first, I had success getting people hooked. The first few were NOT representative of his skills.

Again, the biggest "danger" in following that chart is to skip over the books that were less relevant to certain story arcs. And that isn't really the disaster you are making it out to be.

In my personal experience, I did not have it ruined for ME by following the story arcs first. And I didn't either feel that I was missing stuff which Pratchett didn't explain.

The same thing by Redwall, by Brian Jacques. Before I stopped reading them, realizing it was basically stories about a bunch of stupid animals and they were ALL THE SAME, I read those in chronological order, against many peoples' advice. I did just fine.

What works for me may not work for you. But what works for you may not work for me. Everyone must make their own choice. Our opinion is no less valid than yours. So stop acting like your opinion is all that matters. Warn people by all means, that they might find it to be spoiled this way. But let them make their own choice.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by jemc

Thanks for your opinion on the guide for a first time read but I'll have to disregard that opinion as not useful to me. I've never managed to read more than the first fifty pages of "Colour..." by using the Discworld "chronological" method. The L-Space chart looks like the perfect way for me to skip around and find what I want to read in Discworld. I have read and enjoyed a couple of the novels like "Mort" and "Small Gods" but others less so. The chart will help me look for similar volumes in the series.

Anyway thanks for confirming that using the L-space guide to explore Discworld is the best way for me to try some more Discworld!

And thanks again to derangedhermit for posting the link to L-Space!

YES I have proof! My personal opinion is no one should start with the first few. But I always state my reasons and then let them make the choice. (I feel Pratchett only developed his style by Mort, and potentially scares people off with his earlier works.)

More knowledge never hurts, just so long as it's explained properly.