“Listen, there are forty-one books in this series that’s been going since the 80′s, so it’s going to be a little daunting! Luckily there are at least forty-one approaches to the reading order, so you’ve got options! Just…don’t start with The Color of Magic, for god’s sake. I mean, theoretically, yes, you could read them in order but hell, who would want to? Start with Guards! Guards!, he’s got the hang of the thing by then. Personally, I read them using this chart!”
At which point they’ll pull out this lovingly made infographic that probably has sodding footnotes to boot, they’re so goshdarn helpful about it, when honestly, none of us really care which order you read them in, as long as you read them somehow.
Just…don’t judge the series by The Light Fantastic, wait to read that one after you’ve finished Soul Music or something and feel brave enough to go back. Seriously, the first few books aren’t BAD or anything, but they’re like comparing a sketch in Leonardo’s notebook to The Last Supper.
Discworld fandom gatekeepers do gatekeeping about as well as Ankh-Morpork does. We just let you in, and before you’ve turned around twice you’ve spent all your money and live here, and for all intents and purposes you’re one of us.
can i have one of these guides because about four years ago a friend of mine said “hey i think you’d like this series” and gave me two books for my birthday to start me off. They were the color of magic and the light fantastic and i haven’t read anything else by pratchett since lmao
Here’s the official guide!
I’d recommend starting with The Truth or with Guards, Guards! The former works as a standalone and was my first book, the latter is the beginning to the Watch cycle, which is probably the best overall place to start imo (I started the Watch right after I finished The Truth)
(the chart recommends Moving Pictures before The Truth, but I haven’t read Moving Pictures and didn’t find it difficult to follow The Truth at all.)
People say this, but I got The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic from an English friend at age 12 and was unable to find any other Pratchett book until I was old enough to drink, so I won’t hear a thing against them. 😛
The Witches books are also especially good when it comes to fairytale, mythology and theatre. Maskerade is pretty much a spoof of Phantom of the Opera. Wyrd Sisters is a Macbeth/Shakespeare mashup. Lords and Ladies takes a healthy swig of fairytale mythology and Midsummer Night’s Dream. Carpe Jugulum would be the classic vampires. I tend to be biased towards those, because I love being able to spot the obscure jokes 😀
