DISCWORLD: Before You Read!

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

GET THE BOOKS HERE: Guards Guards: amzn.to/2XyDUIS Mort: amzn.to/3gtbB79 Small Gods: amzn.to/2yByZhF

[@jeffminn5251]

do you think Terry Pratchett inspired Stephen King's Maturin the turtle that held the world on his back?

[@robertwinslade3104]

@@jeffminn5251 both STP and SK borrowed the concept from Asian mythology

[@hhoi8225]

It's a super-old concept of the cosmos from Asia.

[@jeffminn5251]

@@hhoi8225 ohhhhhhhh ok I had no idea

[@mizuescueladenatacion5368]

what a coincidence! i started reading him yesterday for the first time with "Mort", as well as first law thanks to your recomendations. great channel, greeting from Argentina!

[@chuckfiero]

“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.” - Jingo Terry Pratchett

[@derekhofstetler3998]

The world rests on the back of a few large elephants? This is exactly what some of the Hindi mythology stories say!

[@97epicman]

Which book is that from? Lol I love that

[@chuckfiero]

@@97epicman JIngo. Great book where Ankh Morpork gets "political" with Klatch.

[@Mirekluk]

@@chuckfiero When it doesn't get political past guards guards?

[@chuckfiero]

@@Mirekluk Getting political was a common phrase in Jingo. the reason for my short description of the the book. There are a lot of political jokes in all of the Disc World books, and it is all hilarious.

[@threestepssideways1202]

I met Terry Pratchett twice at book signings in my home town of Salisbury. The first time I'd been eating some jelly beans which he told me were his absolute favourite and he usually had some to hand himself, I left him the remainder of my packet which delighted him, which in turn of course delighted me. The second time I arrived to get him to sign my copy of 'The Last Continent'' (his exploration of all things Australian in the Discworld sense) he recognised me and asked me if I had any jelly beans, sadly I did not. He asked who I wanted the book signed to and I said myself and reminded him of my name. He duly signed the book and as I made my way out I read his inscription, which said - '' To (me), No Jelly beans ? XXXX ! Still, no worries mate''. I treasure it.

[@jenniferpearce1052]

That is a wonderful story!!

[@analogalien651]

He actually wrote XXXX! ?? Or was it a 4 letter word that you tube doesn’t like. ?

[@threestepssideways1202]

@@analogalien651 He wrote XXXX. It's a play on two things. Firstly there is a brand of lager from Australia that was popular in the UK in the late 80's and early 90's called Castlemaine XXXX, and secondly the continent he created in the Discworld to mirror Australia was called the same, XXXX, as to be so unknowable, it just had that lable. I know of course he meant neither of those when he wrote it, but the fact that it ties into both, purposefully, was what really made me happy.

[@Hammyroxz666]

That’s absolutely awesome I love that!!

[@bethanybrookes8479]

@@threestepssideways1202 my mum had to explain XXXX to me when i first read the book, which i'd say is one of the downsides to starting discworld young...

[@danecobain]

Have you seen the tweets that were posted from Terry's account to announce his death? They read: - AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER. - Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night. - The End. I was at work, I cried :(

[@flavoredwallpaper]

Was that on his account? I thought his daughter tweeted it.

[@nealhoffman7518]

I just spent days thinking "the glass clock has been built again" after he passed. The Disc will always exist, but time has ceased.

[@Oneiropolos]

@@flavoredwallpaper It was tweets he had long established that he wanted to be tweeted out at his death. I believe is daughter is the one who technically put them up on his account, but Pratchett's battle with his body had gone on long enough that in... incredibly admirable fashion... he already knew how he wanted to say goodbye. It was just a matter of when.

[@giantred]

you absolute bastard, now *I* am crying at work.

[@justalurkr]

GNU Sir Terry

[@MrToddinoz]

It's a weird feeling to discover a new hero of yours when you're an adult. Even odder is when they've been dead for years when you've discovered him. I miss a man I never met, and am very glad you spread his beautiful works.

[@seanwarren9357]

Rejoice, for it IS the way of things.

[@BarbraYaga]

Avid Terry Pratchett reader here. The Witches' books are also a VERY good place to start. The dynamics between the protagonists' personalities are unmatched.

[@steffibiegger5373]

Esmeralda Weatherwax will always be one of my favorite fictional persons. And I named 2 cats in my life Greebo.

[@hughinsydney7]

can't agree enough!

[@fangoram29]

The witches might be my favorite part of the Discworld. That said I'd say start with wyrd sisters then go back to equal rites later. You get more and better Weatherwax right away and Rites works better if you know more of the unseen university

[@Sattantykje88]

The Witches books are amazing (I've only read Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, Maskerade, and Carpe Jugulum so far). Nanny Ogg is one of the very best Discworld characters (funniest, anyway) and the chemistry between the various witches is easily on par with the City Watch.

[@mariaslm8]

Great! I was thinking of reading those

[@rawrgitsjack]

Best evidence about Discworld's appeal on multiple levels is that almost all of the plots sound like shitposts. The Grim Reaper has been fired. A horrifying world-ending flesh-virus infects The Fantasy Capital (it's a shopping mall). Theres an assasination conspiracy against Santa Claus. A Wizard College dropout in a stupid hat gets sent to Hell. It's boring. What if The Wicked Witch became The Fairy Godmother instead (and everything goes horribly wrong) WHAT IF FRODO HAD A GUN I love Discworld, man

[@raidout5225]

I understand every reference XD

[@rettthebest]

the Chosen One doesn't want to be king A god strikes down his church A Witch/Queen fights a Fairy Queen Dwarf Casanova A musician becomes possessed by music A wizard, an orangutang, and a cop travel to the moon to save the world from a hero Goblin lives matter A con artist, a dog, and a clown takes control of a bank a regiment of women disguised as men get court-martialed by a group of women disguised as men for being women disguised as men.

[@7Seraphem7]

Failed Wizard gets blackmailed into playing tour guide. A clockmaker breaks time. What if The Phantom of the Opera had witches in it? Failed wizard gets stranded in the Australian Outback Pyramids turn out to really mess with time. Vampires vs Witches. Failed wizard gets stranded in feudal Japan. Cops vs Werewolves.

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

What if Frodo had a gun? Wich book are you refering to here? The only one featuring a gun that I can recall, and I have read all the Discworld books, is Men at Arms, and the assassin is not really a Frodo.

[@bodkinofnurk8898]

@@rettthebest lolol... The last one... Brilliant.

[@emosongsandreadalongs]

I started with The Colour of Magic and regret nothing. I think publication order is the way to go IF you plan to read them all. But if you aren't sure and want a taste, then yeah, somewhere else might be better

[@theflickchick9850]

Yup! That’s where I started! I’m reading them all in order and enjoying it!

[@angelikapotree2741]

@@theflickchick9850 I did the same. But for people who are used to have specific plot line in book it is kinda hard place to start.

[@robertdullnig3625]

I too started at the beginning after trying to read Guards! Guards! several times. I then read the first four in order and skipped around a bit after that. I think it's good to read somewhat in order, but if there's something you're not digging, feel free to skip it and come back later. Even if you are reading by subseries, there are some you are going to want to skip.

[@nealhoffman7518]

I would skip Pyramids

[@gnomeandgarden6157]

Now, big question: Do you include Strata?

[@LazloVimes]

Terry Pratchett, is the greatest writer of all time! A man is not dead while his name is still spoken! We miss you terribly sir.

[@byronviljoen4899]

GNU Terry Pratchett

[@TiliaHaggstrom]

Discworld is such a great book series, Granny Weatherwax is one of my all time favourite characters.

[@lesleyannfraser100]

Nanny , vimes and the librarian .... oookk ?

[@pythonfan3447]

No question

[@jamjarr8808]

I'm old school on Discworld. My favourite is always going to be Rincewind

[@LatinaVixen91]

Reminds me too much of my own granny

[@dbel1980]

Gotta go with nanny ogg myself. 2nd is moist von lipwig

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

I'm old enough, 59 today, that I've been reading Pratchett since the Discworld began. I agree with you that starting with The Color of Magic isn't the best book or starting point, absolutely agree that Small Gods is the best stand alone, and debate with myself often whether Vimes or Weatherwax is the best character. I think Night Watch is the best book by Pratchett. I love that DEATH is in every single book, if only for a single sentence. I don't know whether you particularly dislike the witches, but, when I discuss the "where should a new reader start" question with friends, generally we get to a consensus of The Witches series. It deals with more places on the Disc than Ankh-Morpork. It deals with generational shifts and mastery and compassion. Witches Abroad begins, in my opinion, the great period of Pratchett's writing which only began to ebb with the embuggerance.

[@joemcdermott1213]

When I was young I liked the UU and Rincewind tails the most because I just found the magic in Discworld fun and liked the characters, despite continual disappointment from Rincewind. I still might enjoy them the most, however I've noticed in rereading, it feels like Vimes and the Watch have real people.

[@geekasauruswreks8789]

@@joemcdermott1213 I like the Witches magic far more than the magic from UU. Granny Weatherwax is my favorite. She and Nanny Ogg are a great duo.

[@craigh5236]

Before you read Discworld: Breathing exercises, and lots of jaw stretches. You will be laughing... a lot.

[@masoodvoon8999]

Is it very political? I don't want to get invested in a series that seems overly judgmental and moralizing from a dogmatic standpoint.

[@craigh5236]

@@masoodvoon8999 No it is not political at all

[@robertwinslade3104]

@@masoodvoon8999 some of the books are very political, but not In a judgemental or moralising way eg. like Daniel said, Small Gods is very critical of certain aspects of organised religion but doesn't talk down to those who are religious and still shows reasons why religion can be a good thing even though Terry Pratchett was an atheist.

[@ReXtion88]

@@masoodvoon8999 It's not the slightest bit judgmental or moralising, but it is very political. Terry's narrative perspective is very detached the vast majority of the time (except when he needs it to be super personal to the characters), so he'll make a political observation about a certain type of behaviour, but he observes it from a detached perspective which means you can laugh at the joke, see the serious side, but not feel like he's grabbing you and telling you how things should be - he's just noticed this funny (funny-haha AND funny-weird) thing and he points it out to you and now you notice it too

[@masoodvoon8999]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'll try in 2021 when I get done with Malazan and some others. I just hate when the reader seems to break the 4th wall to input his own opinions on real world politics or even when characters opinions seem a bit too modern for no apparent reason. I have no strong opinion on religion as I realize it goes both ways so sounds like I should just give it a try.

[@DrTubeman]

Terry Pratchett's lines in Hogfather where he describes man as "The place where the falling angel meets the rising ape." What a truly remarkable Shakespearean deep reflection.

[@awizardintraining]

Quite honestly, I started chronologically and had no problem. I'm going to also endorse the City Watch books. They are the best in the series, with Night Watch being my personal favorite of the whole thing (but then, I'm a Les Mis fan boy). And yes, Small Gods is...pardon the expression, godly

[@thetalantonx]

Exactly the same story, and I think I was able to handle jumping in with the Color of Magic because wizard fantasy (Belgariad, Riftwar, Earthsea, etc) has long been my favorite genre. Night Watch is one of the best books I've ever read, but for full appreciation it helps if you've read the rest of the City Watch so the stakes are there and you know more of where Vimes came from before you delve in.

[@Thunderbear69]

Also a chronological reader, and yes, the first one or two books are not as good as the later ones, but they are still worth reading, and I think it's better get through them first. Besides, if you go chronologically you get to experience Pratchett's development as an author. Also these books do take place on a timeline that does (mostly) correspond to the order in which they were written, that does include a technological (r)evolution taking place through the series. There are also small references to what has happened before throughout, even between the different character storylines. So reading them in order does, in my opinion, give you a deeper experience than chopping it all into separate narratives.

[@wildfire160]

Same here, i actually read Strata first which though its not a Discworld book he did kinda expand into what became Discworld ...The Witches books are great and the Death books are awesome but for me the City Watch books are the peak of Discworld with Guards Guards+Men At Arms+Feet Of Clay being the best of the best and the other watch books especially Night Watch being just fantastic...

[@Bunny_Aoife]

@@Thunderbear69 I came here to basically say the same thing. The evolution of the world happening as you progress through the series, is something that gave me immense joy on my first read through. When I do eventually come back for rereads, I will probably separate it by storylines. But on the first I would recommend going chronological, or at least I would wanna have interested people know that there are certain benefits to it. You could also look forward to your favourite characters returning in the future, compared to being done with them for good.

[@flavoredwallpaper]

Yeah. I agree that it gets much better than the first two books, but they're still good. And they're perhaps the best introduction to Ankh-Morpork.

[@dylangullberg7383]

I’ve been reading these in chronological order starting with The Colour of Magic and now Wyrd Sisters and I’m loving the series so far. I haven’t had any issues following the series in this order, granted I can see why it may not work for everyone. Personally, I like following the evolution of an author so I often find myself starting from the beginning.

[@DM-hc3sb]

I have too. I’m up to the 10th book so far. It takes you on a wider journey of his writing style if you’re committed to finishing them.

[@IreneWY]

I also decided to start with colour of magic

[@cwgreenley]

I can totally get on board with advising someone to skip the first two or three since they don't give a good example of the rest of the series. However, i very strongly feel that reading the rest chronologically has huge advantages in terms of understanding and enjoying all the references to previous books and the characters that do cross over. Even Small Gods which is totally stand alone in itself, has knock-on effects throughout the rest of the books written after.

[@happyninja42]

@Daniel Greene Another suggested starting point that is really good, particularly for young readers (specifically children) is the Tiffany Aching series. The main protagonist is a...9 year old girl I think? At the start. And it follows her going on a childish adventure! But you know....a Discworld childish adventure, so it's funny, but also serious as well. It's a REALLY great series, and I suggest it to people who have young children, and want to try and introduce them to fantasy, and Discworld in particular. Another excellent point for children is the The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, which follows a group of intelligent mice and a cat. It's won several awards for best childrens story, and is just amazing. If you are a fan of the Secret of NIMH, it's like that...but you know..Terry Pratchett. So super funny, but also super serious at times.

[@TheDAPler]

I started with the Bromeliad as a kid and moved on to the Johnny series as a young teen - the Maurice and then the Doscworld (which I at first struggled with as a young teen, but saw the light when I got slightly older).

[@LeaflingBags]

I agree Tiffany is Defoe Etsy a character children can look up to,

[@mariaslm8]

I've read Tiffany Aching! I like it

[@Arenuphis]

I actually read maurice in middleschool some 2-3 years before I found and started to read discworld as a series So that's fun Never crossed my mind until then that it was part of a series

[@happyninja42]

@@Arenuphis I dont' think it was when it was originally written. And if I recall correctly, the 2nd book never was written, before Terry's untimely death. I remember listening to the audiobook of his last book before his illness kept him from communicating, and they had an afterword about it. The narrator commented that one of the projects he had planned, was a new story following Maurice (not sure if the educated rodents were with him, don't think so given the ending of the first book), but he was going to be a Ship Cat. A feline that sailor had on their vessels to contain the rat problem in their food stores. And he would have some sailing adventure. Sadly, that story will never happen. So in essence it's a single story, just contained in the larger Discworld universe, but not really tied to any other characters in it. Other than Death, who is in every book pretty much.

[@morgenmuffel5747]

Have read the vast majority of Terry's work. My personal favourite series is that of the witches. Granny Weatherwax is a beautifully realized character, and the dynamic between her and Nanny Ogg is thoroughly awesome.

[@Weasel3001]

I actually had no problem going chronologically, although, you're right, some early entries are not as strong as later work.

[@ThanatoselNyx]

Strangely I found the later books weren't as good as the middle ones.

[@fergalmoore862]

@@ThanatoselNyx Ankh-Morpork became a little too civilised.

[@EzraBokor]

Thanatos elNyx Terry’s Alzheimer’s definitely effect his later work

[@bodkinofnurk8898]

@@fergalmoore862 That was part of Lord Vetinari's 'Great Undertaking' which alas, we'll never see completed.

[@wjaschaffhauser]

I very much enjoyed reading them in order. I will likely do it again at some point.

[@AmorinJuan]

Adding to all the great points Daniel makes about this series, I would like to add that Sir Terry Pratchett is a phenomenal observer of tropes and cultural archetypes that we usually took for granted, and he takes them apart and then shoves them on our faces with razor-sharp humor. His books are a great way to start conversations on the trappings of power, economics, sexism and tradition. Finally, I would like to add a contender for best character in the series, since Daniel didn't mention Lord Vetinari because he was recommending starting points. While it's true that, as far as I remember, no book has Vetinari as the main protagonist, every single page dedicated to this character is not only hilarious but also a very clever and insightful depiction of a master at politics. If you ever need an example of a really machiavellian ruler on top of his game, but also want to have a good laugh, Vetinari is probably one of the best examples in fiction.

[@michaelodonnell824]

I don't think I'm being too controversial here to suggest that Vetinari is arguably the BEST Ruler in Fiction - bar none!

[@majacovic5141]

@@michaelodonnell824 Vetinari ruined leaders for me, and Terry ruined books - after them, other leaders are stupid and other authors boring.

[@eepmeep8550]

*Yea, the Great God Om spake again unto Brutha, the Chosen One:* 'Psst!'

[@craigh5236]

The Turtle Moves

[@pintpullinggeek]

De Chelonian Mobile.

[@AndrewJFO]

@@craigh5236 "There's good eating on one of those!"

[@davidjones272]

Small gods is an incredible book

[@hooliganj391]

"Because it is the delight of eagles to torture tortoises" is a line that is amusing in context, but has resonated stronger with me as I experience more and more of society.

[@moev29]

Sir Terry is probably my favorite writer of all time. Brilliant and hilarious. Perfect satire. Perfect fantasy. I cried when he passed. It felt like losing a member of my family.

[@robertwinslade3104]

Regarding the politics of Discworld I particularly have to give props to Jingo and Night Watch; every time I read those books they feel even more politically relevant than the last. Also would like to say that Hogfather is the best Christmas story of all time

[@jasonyoungberg2115]

I have a copy of the audiobook and re-listen to it every year starting at Thanksgiving

[@feldegast]

I watch the DVD at Hogswatch each year...SO GOOD!

[@AbenZin1]

Ho. Ho. Ho.

[@jannetteberends8730]

Totally agree, especially with Jingo, it’s creepy how it resonates with reality.

[@ryuukake]

Last year I realized I had not read all of Discworld. I’d read most of it, so I read all of it in published order. I started in late January, and finished in early May. I legitimately cried when I read the words “the end” and realized that none of the previous said the end

[@markcreighton5888]

Thank you for giving Sir Terry some love, you nailed it as usual. A quote from one of my favourite books “The Truth” “There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass! Who's been pinching my beer? And at the other end of the bar the world is full of the other type of person, who has a broken glass, or a glass that has been carelessly knocked over (usually by one of the people calling for a larger glass) or who had no glass at all, because he was at the back of the crowd and had failed to catch the barman's eye. ”

[@MortenSjgren]

There are way too many great quotes from the books, this is one of my favorites from "Men at Arms": “The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles. But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet. This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness.”

[@jannetteberends8730]

@@MortenSjgren my mother used to say this. She didn’t read Pratchett, but figured it out herself. She used shoes as an example, also footwear.

[@liara3248]

By pure chance, Mort was my entry point into the Discworld series. I've loved every Discworld book I've read, but I couldn't agree more that this is such a good place to start, and reading Mort really kindled my love for this world. Also Terry Pratchett's Death is just one of my favorite characters in all of ever, such a good character.

[@bratturtle8631]

Mine, too. Just by luck!

[@ashrog82]

Reaper Man is my fave Discworld book, and one of my favorite books of all time. The B plot is a little weak, but the Death plot is strong enough to make up for it. Death's monologue is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ᴜs. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏ ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ ʙᴜᴛ ᴜs. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏ ᴊᴜsᴛɪᴄᴇ. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴜs. Aʟʟ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ, ᴀʀᴇ ᴏᴜʀs. Bᴜᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ. Fᴏʀ ɪғ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ, ᴡᴇ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxɪsᴛ. Iғ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxɪsᴛ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ʙʟɪɴᴅ ᴏʙʟɪᴠɪᴏɴ. Aɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴏʙʟɪᴠɪᴏɴ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴇɴᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴅᴀʏ. Lᴏʀᴅ, ᴡɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ɢʀᴀɴᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ? Fᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴘᴇʀ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪɴɢs. Tᴏ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɢɪᴠᴇɴ. Fᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴋᴇ ᴏғ ᴘʀɪsᴏɴᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ʙɪʀᴅs. Lᴏʀᴅ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀᴠᴇsᴛ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ғᴏʀ, ɪғ ɴᴏᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Rᴇᴀᴘᴇʀ Mᴀɴ?

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

Pratchett said he got letters asking what part of the Bible was he quoting in that last sentence.

[@paul-antonywhatshisface3954]

I agree this is one of the most beautiful sentiments put to paper

[@Juan_Jose_Miraballes]

I started with Colour of Magic and thought it was brilliant, the Rincewind arch is totalmente excelente. The asgardianish gods playing D&D and shaping the future of the world? Excelent! I read them in chronologic order, and that had the advantage of never getting tired of a particular arch or some characters.

[@swagromancer]

Idk, I found much satisfaction in reading them all chronologically. There are so many small nods to events in other books, not to mention character cameos, that I think I would have missed otherwise.

[@wizardsmossjar9767]

I nearly spat out my tea with the rincewind cameo in mort

[@StevenFox80]

Monstrous Regiment is also very underrated, imo. It's a great one-shot as well, even though you do get more out of it, when you've read the Watch series and The Truth (which is also -ing great!).

[@Jim-so3zm]

The only thing that book was missing was a woodworm thinking 'this is -ing good wood!'

[@codycoco3058]

My favorite Discworld book is "Going Postal", OMG it's fantastic lol

[@samt.1743]

Moist von Lipwig is still my favourite character, his books are hilarious (by Terry's standard that is)

[@ericsuxmeballs]

Agreed! Moist is a really fun protagonist and the follow up books were also great. Though, it's hard to say which discworld book was my favorite - Going Postal is certainly the one I would most often say.

[@davelewis8270]

A fantastic book. You could start with it i'd say but maybe not as it's pretty late in the overall series. Personally my favourite is theif of time. I have read it 3 and a half times. The half is because on the third reading the book kinda fell apart.

[@chrislanger1067]

I love Moist and it’s so sad he came along so late in the series.

[@jonathanpuccetti9258]

Also my favorite.

[@christopherzuren9426]

If you enjoyed vimes in the watch, you should definitely sink into the Witches series of books. Granny Weatherwax acts as vimes on more a much larger scale, and instead of vimes having to work inside the system to get things done, she breaks the parts she knows she can get away with.

[@drAq44]

I started with "Pyramids", but usually recommend others to begin with "Small Gods". I agree, this series is a must read, not only for fantasy fans. Side note: My signed copy of "Feet of Clay" is probably my most precious possesion!

[@notsosecretsnacker5218]

Feet of Clay is my favourite book. Enjoy your signed copy man!

[@sylveritas]

Right there with you on Small Gods being the best! That said, you missed a great entry point option: the Witches line starting with Wyrd Sisters (I disagree with that table on starting with Equal Rites, it's not really part of the line, and can be read separately). The Witches books also have some of the most iconic and well loved characters in the Discword.

[@MrMortull]

What particularly strikes me about Discworld's "politics" is that there's no point where any system, mindset, set of values or beliefs is held up as an obvious ideal or a self-evident nightmare. Jingoism is looked at in a negative light when examined in the book that's directly named after it, but an insular national/racial identity is also applauded here and there for percieved merits in context (there's no singular book there, but Dwarfs as a whole are general presented as a favourable and sympathetic people sometimes despite and sometimes because of their conservative nature). By the same token the likes of "Monstrous regiment", "Pyramids" and "Feet of clay" shows us the very nasty and harmful aspects of closed-minded or backwards-looking mentalities. Some of the most heroic and laudable characters are somewhat ignorant, arrogant and faintly racist but these are personal flaws rather than defining traits and on balance oftentimes a starry-eyed effort at utopia ends up going quite badly when people with all the best will in the world end up doing the wrong things for causes that we might even agree with on the surface. Religion (especially actual, provably real GODS) gets a bit of a paddling from time to time, but faith in/of itself is also a source of strength and purpose, driving a number of characters to greatness and heroism by way of adhering to the spirit of their religion rather than rigid dogma and when a point is made about cultural or ethnic diversity it's never a blanket "This is good because of course it is", it's just people doing people things around other people and getting along the best they know how... the emergence of places like Ankh-Morpork as enormous melting pots and hubs of culture, learning and commerce comes about as an accident of these processes rather than some pre-ordained awesomeness just because sentient boulders and magically-animated ceramic statues have a horse in the race. It all comes together as a refreshingly non-judgemental look at the drives and thought processes that make us tick through the lens of absurdist fantasy where nothing is taken as absolute from the start and every viewpoint, however misinformed or monstrous, gets a chance to explain itself fully even if that explanation completely fails to vindicate the character offering it. Good people are good because they do good things and bad people are bad because they do bad things... nobody is ever outright handed a card that says they're the hero or villain because their beliefs and motivations are just flat out RIGHT or WRONG as dictated by an invisible moral council.

[@bodkinofnurk8898]

Niiiiice... Very well put Sir.

[@dr.grogsaudiostories]

Except the Grand Vizier. Never trust a Grand Vizier

[@bodkinofnurk8898]

@@dr.grogsaudiostories "I just kill 'em on sight, saves time later..." Cohen the Barbarian.

[@MrMortull]

@serriuussam Yeah, that one really got away from me. I might have been drunk at the time.

[@littlestbroccoli]

And all that without being cynical or grimdark is a very big accomplishment.

[@unseenlibrary2845]

It makes me so happy as a Discworld fanatic to see so many booktubers getting into Discworld!

[@trollson66]

Some time in, as I recall, the 90s, a critic on a late night literary TV show was berating SirTP because he "didn't even write in chapters". Another time, during the Harry Potter phase, he was being interviewed as 'another' fantasy author (JKR couldn't make it - you may have seen the t-shirt). The interviewer rounded off by aaking if he wished he could be as successful as JKR, to which SirT calmly as ever pointed out that he had infact written and sold far more books than JKR. Now, since his annoying death I've seen the same critics and pundits lavishing praise and comparing him favourably to Shakespeare. Which just shows how good a career move suddenly dying can be.

[@ericchristen2623]

Most literary critics are imbeciles. JK Rowling is an infant compared to Terry.

[@majacovic5141]

Your last line could be a Discworld quote. 😂

[@grimdolo918]

Pratchett was a master world builder. If you are interested in the writing process and watching someone grow as a writer I highly suggest starting at the beginning and reading it in order. It's amazing watching seeds growing into a forest.

[@TheRealZenman]

I am an old guy and have read every one many, many times. O have purchased at least a dozen copies each of Small Gods and Pyramids and with the zeal of an evangelist press these copies into the hands of people I know and tell them that they should read these. Some people are scared and might think i am a Scientologist, but others will read them and then beg for more. BTW the best book of. Them all is Night Watch. Pratchett make you laugh and cry. Thanks for this video!

[@Talven_Daluka]

How Do They Rise Up.

[@grannyweatherwax9666]

They rise feet up!

[@juliaviljoen3542]

Sir Terry is arguably the best writer of our time. Having read his entire catalogue many times, I never fail to enjoy them or notice something new with each read. Sam Vimes is for me the best character, a flawed and bitter man who reaches deep and learns something new about himself in every book to become a better version of himself. My favourite is when the following dark meets his inner watchman, the formless deamon from the dawn of time, is so impressed and scared it runs. Genius on every level, should be studied alongside Shakespeare.

[@meghanh6978]

I recently read Guards Guards! as my first Discworld book and loved it so much.

[@Ishasgirl]

that was my first discworld book too! and the city watch books only get better in my opinion.

[@davidmaka6742]

@@Ishasgirl It's my favorite series as well in the disc world universe and I can only agree. I must have read them literally dozens of times and I still get chills when feeling the raw intensity of some of these passages.

[@Ishasgirl]

@@davidmaka6742 same here. I'm pretty new to discworld, but I keep going back to the city watch books. I've probably read them about 6 or 7 times each by now. I even bought a copy of Where's My Cow lol

[@ChattieTheMadChatter]

I think Where's my cow is great, Thud is probably my favourite Watch book, Men at Arms I have read so many times, it's a go to comfort read for me.

[@andrewmurray1084]

"Terry Pratchett was the Johnathan Swift of our modern age" - Sir Philip Pullman. 🧙❤️🐢 Thanks so much for this pitch perfect rundown of the Disk World series Mr. Greene. In the 5 long years since Sir Terry's sad passing, I sincerely believe that the world needs his gentle good humour more now than ever, with every passing day! And as a fantasy fan, I feel the more newcomers we can help learn of his work, the more we'll be able to help bring about a more happy, wise, mirthful, imaginative & humanely wholesome world. 💖

[@sampew1605]

Sam Vimes! Now that that’s out of my system. My first few disk world books were guards guards, mort, and wyrd sisters

[@silusnode]

Captain vimes is a legend of a character..from drunkard to badass,hes got one of the best story arcs....well..apart from the librarian

[@axtell500]

Loved Discworld books, had the honour of meeting the great man twice

[@Nerotashyk]

Started from the very beginning (The Colour of Magic), and am now up to book 4 (Mort). Although I will say the Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic definitely were not easy entry points, I don't regret starting from the start at all. I already see by book 4 how Pratchett is building his world and mythos brick by brick, and it's super satisfying to see the world evolve as it did in the writer's mind. It's a great (if incredibly complex) atlas of the world, as our characters pinball around (and off) Discworld, meeting so many different class and types of characters that I felt I got to know this fantastical society quite well. By the time I'd put in the work and got to Equal Rites and Mort, I felt stable on my two feet and fully equipped to go on these new journeys with all the intimate knowledge of the world I needed. Plus, god I love Rincewind, Twoflower and the Luggage.

[@Zeerick11]

My introduction to Discworld was through the Tiffany Aching (audio)books, and they genuinely mean so much to me, that story really left a mark on me and was a significant factor in me being so into fantasy now. And I honestly think that Tiffany Aching is the best character in all of fantasy ever, at least for me, as I've never connected with a character more than her. So that's also a really good starting point for Discworld. Oh also, Tony Robinson's (yes Baldrick from Blackadder) narration is incredibly good and so funny, I would never have the Nac Mac Feegle sound any different.

[@wallywest2360]

I started with Mort, which was the newest book at the time. Loved it, read the others, and went on order of publication from there on. I vividly remember the point where I was hooked. Pratchett spends an entire page describing this beautiful scenery that Mort could see riding Binky at high altitude, and capped it off with "but Mort was too distracted to notice any of it". It was hilarious to me how he gets the reader to go through that and then throws it in the garbage, narratively speaking. But I agree picking one of the story arcs and reading it that way is a good plan. I love the colour of magic and the light fantastic, but they might not be the best intro to the series. I met Pratchett once, in a small book store in PA. Had a pile of books for him to sign and he graciously went through them all. My favorite is an old hard cover of Reaper Man. He drew a scythe and wrote Have Fun! Probably thought I was going to sell them, but I still have every one.

[@keeprockin69]

I started last year with Mort, and instantly fell in Love. Death is just so precious!

[@ericsuxmeballs]

Thanos is that you?

[@VikingSchism]

I will argue for chronological order, as a bunch of jokes build off of running things from previous books and there is a loose chronological development of the world that happens. Plus it gives nice variety

[@stevesmiff7944]

Also one gets to see the arc of Pratchett's development ... especially if you can manage to get a hold of his science fiction work from before DW.

[@EvaSnyder]

Yes. I agree with you.

[@albinodeer7449]

Perfect timing. A set of my first Discworld reads is on its way to me and should arrive soon-ish

[@vincentvulture8250]

I have read them all and fully agree. Don’t start with the color of magic! Other great ones are Jingo and going Postal also carpe jugulum is great

[@albinodeer7449]

@@vincentvulture8250 I actually don't have TCOM in my order, and I've heard many times before not to start there ;) I found three in a set quite cheaply, and according to Daniel, hit a jackpot Small Gods, Mort and one other Thanks for the other recs ^^

[@ReXtion88]

I cannot tell you how jealous I am of you getting to experience these books for the first time. They are, in every possible sense, magical

[@lu-gp4ld]

If you are a bit younger I recommend the Tiffany Arching novels, I started at 14 with Wee Free Men and loved the Discworld ever since.

[@rukh03]

Or older too. I was 25 when I 1st read Wee Free Men & it has consistently stayed in my top 5 favorite Discworld books.

[@infernalsquid]

If you're younger, you can also try out - as an entry into Terry Pratchett in general - The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.

[@lowstringc]

The Wee Free Men is one of my two favorite TP books (along with Mort), didn’t read it until I was a middle aged man. Any age.

[@babsikro1252]

That's the Video I didn't know I needed in my life. I didn't even thought about reading Discworld in the near future, because it just seems so intimidating. But now I am really pumped! I love how you have 3 different books to start and the explanations for everyone!

[@michellerever3564]

Hi, reading this 2 years later. Did you?

[@babsikro1252]

@@michellerever3564 hey! Yes I started with Mort and really liked it :) definitely a fan now

[@michellerever3564]

@Babsi Kro That's great! I read The Hogfather and really long tune ago, and decided now I want to read more. Of course, I'm reading the first one, that Daniel said not to start with. 🤣 Thanks for answering!

[@coteiza4352]

Terry Pratchett is my favorite author of all time. I drive a lot for my job and I listen to his audiobooks

[@andreya9776]

Almost all the books are amazing, many of them made me eye teary at the end. The ones that stand out now in my mind are: Guards!Guards!, Equal rites, Small Gods, Masquarade, Lords and Ladies, Pyramids, Witches abroad, The last hero, Going postal. All the characters are amazing, Carrot is my favourite, and Patrician, and Rincewind, and Granny, and Miss Ogg. I am so grateful to Terry Pratchett!

[@petrusjnaude7279]

I love the Death series and especially Death as a character, and I completely agree about your points regarding Small Gods.

[@markwise9138]

You have to mention the Tiffany Aching books too. The Nac Mac Feegles (Wee Free Men) are absolutely hilarious and the stories are great. Reading the story aloud is a worthwhile experience as well. They are so much fun.

[@giuliano482]

Exactly the recommendations I would have given. The City Watch series of books starting with Guards Guards is my favourite, Mort was I think the first Discworld book I read and Death is a great character and Small Gods is phenomenal. If you've read 29 books you probably haven't finished the City Watch books yet or touched any of the Moist Von Lipwig or Tiffany Aching series?

[@ejensen]

I completely agree. Though I would have been more specific about what I think about the later part of the series. I would have added Tiffany Aching's story as a fourth recommendation: If you like more light-hearted stories or if you are reading books to a child, the Tiffany Aching series is a brilliant jumping off point. And while you definitely shouldn't start reading Discworld by reading the Moist Von Lipwig stories, since they might give you a skewed picture of what the series is, no one who likes Discworld even a little bit should give up on the series before reading Going Postal. The pacing is so different from anything else in Discworld and the borderline hopeless perspective of Moist sets a tone that makes the absurdity feel very different from the other books. I also think that both Moist's and Tifanny's stories have more exciting and satisfying endings than most of the earlier stories.

[@morganray542]

I also think that Tiffany Aching is also a good place to start. That could just be because that is where I started. I'm bad at words to explain why and I read it a while ago(I read it when I was 8), I think it's just important to know what you like in a book and Discworld probably has something you like.

[@websterkntz7]

Never commented here before, but watch a lot of your stuff. Very excited to see Sir Terry get his due on your channel! His series is life changing. And funny. And I can’t believe I read 41books in one series

[@Chadstephen2005]

Literally any video that gives more awareness to this series is a good video to me.

[@sarahbarden4135]

Thanks Daniel! I will be starting Discworld in Octobwr with Guards, Guards. I will be sure to read Small Gods before hand. Appreciate the jumping off point!

[@uxoh8492]

First time i started reading, pretty much as my introduction to the fantasy, it didn't have anything to do with chronology. I think my first discworld book was either Monsterous Regiment or Thief of Time, which my father read to me when i was around 8yo, then i finished all the books available before i turned 14. Rereading them now, I can appreciate on how many levels this series works- fun engrossing stories for everyone, wast world and relatable characters for more focused readers, and beneath all that, meta commentary on the fantasy genre in earlier books, and in later ones a lot of accurate saitire on a wide variety of topics taken out from our world, absurd, yet perfectly believable in context of the discworld.

[@TacoJim]

I always recommend people start with the City Watch books, specifically Night Watch. The first book I read was Monstrous Regiment, which was great. The second book I read was The Wee Free Men, which I adored. But Night Watch? That story gripped me in ways I wasn't expecting and it was the anchor that solidified my love for the series. Possibly the best book in the whole series, imo. I really wish I could have had an opportunity to meet Terry. His books may have saved my formative years.

[@raeecesirjue9036]

Currently reading Book of the Ancestor and can tell that post series depression is coming and this sounds a fantastic palate cleanser. Thanks Dan.

[@spenserbarranco2484]

Certainly one of my favorite series.’ I feel that Pratchett doesn’t get enough love in the book community overall sadly, so thank you for making this video! My favorite Discworld book is Hogfather!

[@Chadstephen2005]

I started with the witches series and looooooved it. Rincewind gets so much better later on but I am glad I didn’t start there.

[@mariaslm8]

That's nice to hear! I've been wanting to read the Witch books next

[@nealhoffman7518]

Did you start with Equal Rites or Wyrd Sisters? I love Granny, but I always recommend friends start with Wyrd and then backfill them on Rites

[@Chadstephen2005]

Neal Hoffman I started with Equal Rites but I can see going the way you mention for sure.

[@nealhoffman7518]

I love the Granny/Nanny dynamic. And Parodying Shakespeare is absolutely fantastic

[@daranthered]

Wyrd Sisters doesn't get enough love. It's one of my favorite Discworld stories.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Great video. Pratchett is one of my favorite authors of all time. Agree on the starting points. I started with Hogfather, and then did what you did which was start with CoM. Luckily, I had read Hogfather and persevered. The Guards books are the best of all time.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

The Guards books also have the pleasure of having a TON of the Patrician, the best Gentleman villain of all time.

[@nanotyrannus5435]

There are times when you need a Discworld book, and you still have 12 available for that. Some fan favourites are in there and they are well worth it.

[@sternis1]

I absolutely love the Discworld series, mainly because of the absurd logic in it. Pratchett often takes a standard fantasy concepts and explores (exposes) them in a very logical way, leading to both absurd and hilarious results. One of my favourite examples is from Guards! Guards! where he explains dragons and how they would actaully work. I really should try to read more of the books, as I've only read a small handful of them (maybe 7-10 books, can't remember). Related to Discworld, I would also recommend to read Good Omens, which is co-written by Terry Pratchett.

[@KalRandom]

I started with Small Gods. Yep, it was a great book. Never imagined I would root for a turtle so much.

[@dwerzy]

I went in chronological order... but then I did not have a choice... I simply read them as soon as he published them =)

[@theflickchick9850]

I did start with “Colour of Magic” and I’m four books in chronologically but I’m gonna take your advice and pick one plot!!! Thank you so much!!! (My mom used the character of Death to get me into ‘Discworld’! He really is the best, I love him so much ❤️. “Mort” is one of my favourite books EVER.)

[@cletusjones1631]

If you like Death then you should check out Death Rides a Pale Horse. It's absurdist and Death in it is absolutely amazing.

[@Morfeusm]

Oh my god Discworld! Pratchett was like my second dad, I was kind of growing up with this series!

[@grannyweatherwax9666]

I know what you mean, growing up with discworld and Pratchett being like a father figure, someone you listened to their philosophys. My dad used to buy me Discworld books for birthdays and Christmas. Terry Pratchett died a month after my dad.

[@Morfeusm]

@@grannyweatherwax9666 oh... life is sometimes strange. 🙁 Nice to meet you fellow Discworld reader!

[@holywaterbottle3175]

where do you even get those socks? asking for a friend

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

Collected through a lifetime of liking weird socks.

[@deanryanmartin]

@@DanielGreeneReviews Blue might be best for you. Do you have color blue?

[@procom94]

His drawers! Duh!

[@holywaterbottle3175]

@@procom94 what are these "draw-ers" you are talking about and how would one go about acquiring such

[@Lazarus1095]

Hem Hem!

[@tacitus7797]

I loved "Colour Of Magic" - its not the strongest of stories; I think "Thud" and "Going Postal" really fit that bill.

[@robertwinslade3104]

The Colour of Magic is a fun fantasy romp and it's interesting to see how Discworld started, but it's definitely a pretty bad place to start for people who are not sure if Discworld will be their cup of tea. Its lack of anything in the way of a main plot, instead just being essentially a collection of strange short stories as Rincewind and Twoflower travel the Disc, is likely to put people off and it doesn't reflect how the rest of the books are written. It also relies heavily on parodying the kind of fantasy books which were written in the 70s and 80s; references which can now feel out of date. A few elements of the book were later retconned as well and while still good in it's own way it is just generally one of the weaker books in the series. I would not recommend it as the place to start for first time readers of Pratchett or absurdist fantasy

[@NorwegianØ]

@@robertwinslade3104 I do Think it up to what a person likes and what he or she accepts in their writing. I started with Colour of Magic and i'm doing them in release order, and honestly i like it better that way. It gives it more of a break between characters and it feels like a world is moving together instead of reading them separately. I will admit it is one of the weaker books so far and i would always say to people that i recommend the series to, that the first couple of books feels more like parody/spoof on fantasy. While the ones that come after feels more like and actual world just with absurdist elements. Which has to be taken in to consideration when reading them in order of release.

[@AlexJones-ue1ll]

I consider the sequel 'Light Phantasic' even better - the whole red star plot was just ingenious.

[@duskshard4854]

Ah yes, Dave, aslo known as Dave Teale, the main antogonist of Daniel’s life

[@deanryanmartin]

Good gods, have mercy to Daniel Greene.

[@craigmcnaughton8619]

Where's Dave????

[@rickywoerner]

City Watch all day everyday! I'll fight anyone who suggests anything else! Except the Granny Weatherwax. And Death. And Tiffany. And Moist.

[@davidbonar5190]

@@craigmcnaughton8619 dave's not here, man

[@violetrosewalsh2786]

I read it chronologically but about halfway through the colour of magic I started to re-read it because I realized I loved it and wasn't paying enough attention. I loved this approach because I spent the next month basically just looking forward one book at a time and going OKAY WHAT'S NEXT?! and it was incredible.

[@whaitiritua-warbrick1398]

Got the hardcopy of Small Gods I brought on a whim with me, and by Om, was it a great choice to pick up. Love the book, love its discussions, and it genuinely morphed how I view the world, for the better. With you on that one. Would also recommend reading Monsterous Regiment for another great one shot story, though with considerably more politics in it though that didn't diminish enjoyment one bit. Also, side note on Reaper Man: an extremely humane Death is there, and I love him for it, his acknowledgement of his role and his willingness to not be overthrow by something as heartless and cold as the process he governs, twisted into something he's not. He's a good man, yet a great reaper as well.

[@Lightning_Lance]

And here we see him in his final form: Daniel Greenescreen.

[@zakcole1558]

I recently got into Discworld by reading through the Night Watch series and quite enjoyed it. Very impressed with the blend of absurdist humor and series stakes in the story

[@halwakka504]

I was told to read them in order but not to expect much from four of the first five (Mort being the exception). I'm glad I did it because I probably would have missed a lot of references to previous books as I read through the series for the first time.

[@DenDave_]

I was listening to this video in the background and got really startled at 5:03. Did not expect that at all. Sweet socks tho.

[@thetribunaloftheimaginatio5247]

My first Discworld novel that I owned myself was "Lords & Ladies." What, no love for the Witches Of Lancre? BOO.

[@luthientinuviel3883]

I enjoy the City Watch series but the Witches are so good!

[@riderNo5]

I love this books. They were my entrance to fantasy. I'm actually reading Malazan... Was just yesterday crying like a 2 year old when Beak had his hero moment. I'd say Pyramids is a good book to start Discworld with, too.

[@bruncla2303]

i would disagree with that. Its unconected to the rest of the world (dont think any charcters appear in other stories) and in my opinion its the weakest entry(still good but not as good as other books). I would start with City watch or witches.

[@malmnn]

I came across Hogfather when it first came out in paperback. Thought it sounded interesting. Read it in one day, ended up staying awake until 3 am to finish it. Was at the bookstore by noon to see what other books there were in the series. Have read them so many times! After watching this I think it's time for another re-read!

[@planofatak5052]

aw man, I miss Sir Terry GNU also chronological isn't a bad way to read them exactly, but The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic are not very representative of the feel and writing of most of the series.

[@Deep_in_the_Reads]

In response to the section at 8:23 : I strongly disagree with the idea that you can't/shouldn't infer an author's worldview based on their novels. Pratchett didn't just put socio-political messaging in his books arbitrarily, or for fun--he's using satire as a means of addressing real-world issues. To me, ignoring the political aspects of any book leaves a huge chunk of authorial intent ignored. It diminishes what writing can be. It also downplays Pratchett's agency as an author if you're reading a book of his with a certain ideological lean and coming away saying 'well I can't reeeeeally know for sure if the author reeeeally supports post-colonial reconciliation, so I'm just gonna assume he doesn't really.' Authors also shouldn't have to explicitly spoonfeed their audience outside of their novels before they accept that they really hold a certain position. It's important to engage with what an author is directing their audience to think about. If you don't, it leaves the book shallow, and makes books like 1984 or The Grapes of Wrath or many of the Discworld books a lot harder to connect with and discuss. Anyway, nice video, and thanks for providing a bit of a primer to this huge series and some food for thought :)

[@ChattieTheMadChatter]

I also really love "the Truth", but I think to enjoy it you need to have spent time in Ank Morpork with the watch. I also enjoy reading the Hogfather at Christmas time to get in the festive spirit - Nobby and Colons cameo is hilarious and I of course love the relationship between Death and Susan

[@Jim-so3zm]

I read the Truth when I was younger and didn't particularly enjoy it. Fast forward nearly ten years having read the Watch books and yeah, it's definitely up there as one of the best.

[@victorfield4607]

OMG and isn't Nobby Nobbs's attempt to arrest the Hogfather in the department store the funniest scene in all fiction? I have read the book repeatedly and it makes me cry with laughter ever time (it was just as funny in the TV adaptation, props to the producers)

[@ChattieTheMadChatter]

@@victorfield4607 if they had not kept in Nobby and Visit-the-unfaithful-with -helpful-pamphlets it would have been sacrilege! 😆😆😆

[@ReXtion88]

I am so happy you made this video after the last one you made about the Discworld. Feels like correcting the record, and I agree with, like, 98% of your comments here. Thanks man

[@gaikoehler5262]

Another amazing standalone starting point is “The Truth” just incredible book

[@rhiannejones3815]

I read Discworld chronologically and it was fantastic because you can see the evolution of STPs thinking around characters and locations and story arcs

[@Irish_Soc]

Daniel's fashion sense is honestly fitting for a Discworld video

[@claudiweather]

Im so happy you did another video and didnt give up on the series! I was really saddened by ur previous discworld vid cuz this series is awesoooooome

[@bea4828]

That's a lot of books. I can't help but ask the question: "Did Terry ever sleep?"

[@bruncla2303]

only after he crafted his own sword bcs knight should have a sword

[@christopherbacon1077]

And keep in mind that a number of his books (don't know how many) were written while suffering from Alzheimer's, the disease that eventually killed him.

[@bea4828]

@@christopherbacon1077 yeah true, I heard it was so bad he had to speak the words and his agent would write it down, I will admit I heard this somewhere and haven't done my own research on it so correct me if I'm wrong

[@nealhoffman7518]

Sir Terry had a voice to text writing system after he got diagnosed. And it was from Snuff onwards after he got diagnosed. Pretty sure Shepherd's Crown is the absolute best farewell an author could give to his readers. One of the best chapters in fantasy, ever

[@AndrewJFO]

@@bea4828 For the later novels Terry would dictate to Rob Wilkins, his assistant and business manager, who would also collaborate with him on the structural elements while typing and editing. Terry's form of Alzheimer's was a rare variant that didn't impact his memory so much as his perception of the world around him; specifically, he wasn't able to recognize the keys on his keyboard.

[@zak3145]

Thanks for doing these 'Before You Read' videos, it's been very useful for me as a newbie to fantasy books.

[@Lucas-rz3vl]

Why am I here? I've already read all of Discworld

[@matiasbaldoniamar8680]

Hey Daniel, there is another author who also explores brilliantly the idea of Death by personifying it. Her name is Liliana Bodoc and she is Argentine. Amazing writer, often called the Latin American Tolkien

[@mylesadkins7892]

I finished The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents Last Week. One of the few series that I can say hooked me within the first chapter 🐈

[@robertwinslade3104]

Initially I thought this was a joke about the fact that Terry Pratchett usually doesn't write in chapters meaning first chapter = the whole book. But then I remembered that TAMAHER is one of the few Discworld books which does have chapters

[@fangoram29]

I love comments like this because it shows me just how much people can enjoy different things. This was actually my least favorite of the series and it is still so good.

[@mylesadkins7892]

fangoram29 Really? Then I can’t wait to read Going Postal, which I’m reading next

[@hynekozana3299]

Sweet, I love Discworld so I'm happy to see you enjoying it and spreading the good word. City watch is definitely my favourite sub-series with the fifth elephant and feet of clay being my favorites

[@aliciasorenson3807]

Too late, I already started with the Color of Magic after hearing you talk about discworld months ago. It definitely didn't make me want to read more. Unique for sure. Though i did enjoy Death in it, so maybe I'll try again on the Death series now that I know what's up. Thanks!

[@christopherbacon1077]

Some recomendations for the best places to start on the various sub-series: Death: _Mort_ Ankh_Morporkh guards: _Guards! Guards_ WItches: _Wyrd Sisters_ _Equal Rites_ isn't a bad book but not as relevant to the whole. Read it later.

[@williammcnirlan4820]

Discworld is so much more than The Colour of Magic. Don't judge it by those first two. You should compare this video with Daniel's first few reviews of Discworld. His tone their is totally different from here.

[@davidjones272]

The first 2 books: the colour of magic and the light fantastic are general send ups of fantasy tropes, and lack the depth of many of the others (although the second one does introduce Cohen the barbarian, who is hilarious). The later books become more specifically focused in their satire, and a lot more clever. Guards, guards is one of the funniest, small gods is possibly the smartest.

[@Flakey101]

@@davidjones272 While I admit that the first two books he really is still learning his own style and voice. When they first come out they were like a breath of fresh air to me and blew me away. They were such a critic and parody of the standard of much of Film and book fantasy at the time. It also means that both the first two have aged far less well than many of his other books.

[@enysuntra1347]

Here's another one: DO begin with "The Colour of Magic". Discworld started out as high fantasy and was, at Pratchet's death, during the Industrial Revolution. Not only do the characters have character arcs across multiple books, but the world itself also has one. +Daniel Greene hasn't noticed that, but if you start reading in the middle and go back to the start, you get a very severe case of tonal whiplash. You can read the topical books in blocks, but in the Moist von Lipwig series, the Ankh Morpork Guard is well-established. There are references to the "Clacks" semaphore heliographs in some books. And the city of Ankh Morpork also has a story arc beginning in "The Colour of Magic" and ending with his last book in the Lipwig series. Also, I doubt that if "Colour of Magic/Light Phantastik" doesn't draw you in, you'll be drawn in by another book. The whole absurdist and satirical style was fully developed there. While the world advances - and you'll have as many phantasy fans being repelled by the introduction of telegraphy, robots and steam locomotives as you'll have steampunk fans being repelled by the high fantasy of the beginning - they are all Terry Pratchet books. That said, I cannot picture Terry Pratchet without Douglas Adams, albeit his phantastic style was more futuristic/current time.