A friends Dad who is a carpenter by trade used to listen to these audiobooks while he worked, actually on a cassette tape walkman. He would come do some odd jobs for us now and then when we needed new flooring or doors etc and I was fascinated with the covers (same as the books) of these huge plastic tape collections, bigger than the hardback books were. He offered to let me borrow them and so I was about 14 and started with the colour of magic. Id listen to them in bed and in the bath and while playing my PS2 on mute, and then my Mum found at her office jumble sale someone was selling a whole bunch of discworld novels in paperback, second hand so she snapped them up for me. Those books saved my life being bored to death by the pool on family holidays I was forced to attend, Id end up reading almost 5 of them in 2 weeks in Turkey I remember, that really staved off the monotony of sitting by a pool everyday (its fun for a couple days, but then you just wanna be home with ur consoles and friends when you are a teenager). Then later on my grandmother whos no longer with us would get me his latest hardback every birthday and christmas if she could find one I didn't have already and she kept a hand written list of every one I owned so she would know which to buy when she went into a book shop, so they remind me of her and have a special spot in my heart to this day. So cheers to Terry ^^
I had The Shepherd's Crown on my bookshelf for a year, unread, for the obvious reason. Kept looking at it, thinking "not yet". Then the next Christmas arrived, and with it, obscurely, the realisation that tomorrow is never guaranteed. The only thing worse than having no new Pratchett left to read was the thought of being hit by a bus and dying without ever having read his last book. I'd recommend reading it, in the company of a big box of tissues and something to keep you hydrated.
I got tears in my eyes as soon as you mentioned “The Shepherd’s Crown.” It took me over twelve months to begin as I didn’t want to be in a world where there was no new Terry Pratchett books to look forward to.
Yeah, I know the feeling. Bought it, and didnt read it for a better part of a year. And when I did, I cried while I read. Well, at the beginning at least (the Granny Weatherwax bit). And at the end, when I closed the book, knowing this is the last new Pratchett book I will ever read.
I think the correct answer is "any". I was a late comer to Sir Terry's Discworld but much better late than never. Young Tiffany taught me more good uses for a Frying Pan than I ever knew. And to puzzling things like why Kitchen Drawers stick inexplicably...
Long time ago, I picked up a book called Strata by one Terry Pratchett. Looked interesting. Started out with a 200 year old woman whose job was building habitable worlds, complete with fossils, who gets invited to lead an expedition to a disk shaped world with a company of nonhumans. Hold on! I was rereading Larry Niven's Ringworld! It was interesting but I didn't get overexcited. Later on, I noted the appearance of a series of novels on the shelves I loved to browse. Hmm. Discworld stories by Terry Pratchett. It took a while, but I picked one up and started learning about Rincewind, Twoflower, Ankh-Morpork... And I was laughing so hard that people on the train were giving me funny looks. I never looked back. Terry, whom I met briefly when he signed Lords and Ladies plus two copies (his,n,hers) of Witches Abroad, proved Wittgenstein's assertion that a book of philosophy could be composed entirely of jokes. Discworld is roundworld, brilliantly engineered so that we can look at ourselves and laugh. Still haven't gotten around to reading every single work. That's the trouble with having a favorite series or author. There has to be a last one.
Accidentally picked up a copy of The Colour of Magic at a railway station, I just wanted something light to read. After that, I have read everything that Terry wrote as soon as it was available. It is such wonderful, well written fiction to lose yourself in. RIP, Sir Terry
My first was reaper man, I was recovering from a bad dose of flu and my boyfriend took my library books back for me to avoid the fine and picked up some more, I'd told him anything pure fantasy, he looked at the cover and thought that will do, he's long gone but my love for Pterry will never end.
Mort was my first Terry Pratchett book also, iy got me through a very hart time with my over hypper teenage son who had problems getting to sleep, thus I also couldn' get to sleep also. His books were amazingly funny and a laugh solves many of lifes troubles. :D
For me, the hard part was closing "The Shepherd's Crown". I knew what was coming, but didn't know how hard it was going to hit me. His loss was a massive blow, & I'm not sure I'll ever get over there being no more Terry Pratchett books.
My first was Mort. I was backpacking and got it in a book swap. I hadn't laughed so much reading a book *ever*. That was it, I was hooked. I can't hold a book while reading any longer (thank Anoia for Kindle!), but I've kept the books in the hope of finding The Right Home for them rather than just take them to the local charity shop. Because they, and Sir Terry, really were a gift to the world in my opinion. My nephew's 13 year old stepdaughter mentioned on social media that she liked funny books (rather than the teen vampire stuff), and yes, she'd love to have any books I recommend. I'm overjoyed that I get to gift her the Discworld as my "Welcome to the family". She's going to learn a lot from Vimes, Granny, Nanny, Magrat and most of all Tiffany. Lockdown is ending, I'm about to have my second vaccination, and I can't wait to get together with my Nieceling. Though I'm holding back The Shepherd's Crown so that she can't be tempted to jump ahead and spoil that ending. I wonder who her favourite is going to be?
When I read my first Discworld novel, Witches Abroad, I was laughing so hard that my chair was shaking. I too had never known a book to make me laugh like that. Mort is definitely my favorite.
What first got me into Discworld was actually the BBC miniseries adaptations of Discworld, they made Hogfather (with a Terry cameo) and also colour of magic...both of those adaptations are really good, have the same total runtime to the audiobooks, and had Terry himself to guide the things.
this video is so heart worming, I am reading Sir Terry's books now, I think only the people who read these books will understand this it just lifts me up from everything going bad in my life and just enjoy every second living n this beautiful rich world. May his soul rest in peace.
I actually read The Light Fantastic first and then The Color of Magic. I absolutely devoured his books. I haven't been lucky enough to read all of the books, but I loved every one I did read.
Thank you for this great informative mini tribute! 😊 I fall asleep and spend my subconscious mind and body every night with The Disc World audiobooks I look forward to discovering your writing as well! ❤
When i was at college (im 52 now) people kept mentioning Good Omens. I loved The Omen series and thought, oh a p#ss-take book. Then i read it . . .and WOW. Then Mort, Equal Rites, Guards Guards. ... The Shepherds Crown (understandably) doesn't have Sir pTerry's usual polish. i still miss not asking for / receiving the latest pTerry Pratchett' for birthdays or Christmas. Miss you Sir 😢😢
My first was Thud!. The best accidental finding of a bookshop ever ( that is to say, grew up in a non English-speaking country, found a little British Council run place that actually could and would order books in English on request and ever since, Terry Pratchett was a thing)
The guards were never a favourite of mine....until Thud. I fell in love with Vimes and how he beats the shadow without even knowing "Who watches the watcher?" "I do!!", I then went back and read the other guards books and enjoyed them a lot more (maybe I was too young first time round) I love the death books, closely followed by the witches (if you don't love granny, then you're beyond help lol). It took me 5 months to get around to read Shepard's Crown when it was given as a gift for Christmas. This is a lovely video, thank for reminding me about so many amazing books!
Fully agreed, I have read/listen to all his books multiple times. Sometimes more than ten times. But it took me years to get to start with Shepherd's Crown and I just got choked up just by hearing you mentioning it. Especially with what the book is about. It was definitely a fitting way to end with. He will be missed but not forgotten!
He really kind of hit a golden age with the kid's stuff. I would've thought you were crazy had you suggested it 10 years ago, but I'm hard-pressed for as much as I love it all, not to love Maurice and Hatfull most. I didn't get Hatfull til I was 35ish. Man, do I wish it had existed when I was 11.
That copy of Good Omens is beautiful! The first Pratchett book I read was Thud! but I think my favourite character will always be Moist von Lipwig. I love Hat Full of Sky as well. Great video!
That's two recommendations for Thud! I'm definitely going to have to give that another go. Did you ever play the boardgame? Hat Full of Sky is just brilliant.
I started with Guards! Guards! and it's still one of my favourite books in the series only topped by the witches books. Especially Witches abroad... so hilarious and brilliant.
Mort was my first. I just bought a copy of Mort for my nephew’s 14th birthday. I’m expecting that to start him off on a long career of suddenly laughing out while reading on buses and trains.
The Shepherds Crown, still sits on my shelf unread . ‘No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away’, that book is my ripple 😔
I will be reading Mark Stay's work as soon as I can get my greedy mitts on it! Loved this short film about Discworld and how it relates to Mark. I sobbed for half an hour straight when I got to the end of The Shepherd's Crown, but I am emphatically NOT looking for a TP replacement, I just happen to love novels about magic and witches, and if they have both humour and depth then bring them on!
This was beautiful. I am still looking for my first paper bag editions of Light Fantastic and Equal Rites that ended up in my parents loft when I went to Iraq after the first Gulf war and disappeared. Dumb as I was I did not want to risk them to the desert conditions I was going to live in. Still I I had five books with me - and they were a life saver. The next twenty year I worked in all kinds of war zones on behalf of the Red Cross and UN. Terry was always there with me - the friend whose story telling amused me, challenged my opinions and always always reminded me that humanity and humility was the basis for human existence. This was especially marked in his first books when the footnotes functioned as a side comment where you felt Terry sort of reminding you - that "we are all having fun" with a big smile. Granny Weatherwax, Captain Vimes, Death, and all the rest of the wonderful wacky characters would makes the day end on a great note. In my point of view, "Small Gods" is by far Terry´s best book. I read it every second year to remind myself about the world out there where people that are bad, pretend to be good. Where church hierarchies exist only to feed them selves. Where good people are afraid to do something - with the exception of a few good men. Where the power of a religion is not due to the Gods - but to the power of their believers. Terry was a good friend - one of the best - always there to help you in some way.
I started with Colour of Magic/The Light Fantastic and then moved on to Equal Rites. That worked just fine for me. My absolute favourite Discworld book have to be 3. Small Gods 2. Equal Rites 1. The Night Watch. Honorable mention for Snuff.
I started with The Color of Magic and Moving Pictures. A friend from Toronto gave them to me to read while I was house sitting for him. I was immediately hooked!!
Really good overview of the discworld series, love the passion you show for Terry's books. Also downloaded a sample of your book on kindle and really enjoyed what I read, will be purchasing in the very near future!
Great video! The first I read was Mort which was wonderful. But the city watch are my favourites! The audio books are read by Tony Robinson and are great to listen to at the gym or out for a run but be careful as people with flash you strange looks when you lit. LOL!
I look forward to reading your book Mark. So glad that you posted here, or I might not have known of you. For those of whom have not been able to read the Shepherd's Crown, I say be brave like Pterry and read it! It is his parting gift to us and I know that he would have said to "just bloody well read it!" Accepting the gift honours the giver. Through his books and characters, Sir Terry was and is our *friend*. I miss him, he was kind to me. Thank you Mark.
I feel that Shepherds Crown was written earlier and saved to finish his Discworld series, it is so much stronger than Snuff and especially Raising Steam.
My 1st Terry Pratchett book was also Mort and I think it's the perfect place to start. Because (POSSIBLE SPOILER:) I really felt that I was being introduced to Ankh Morpork and Discworld in general by being lead through it like Mort has been lead by Death when he took him on as an apprentice. You slowly get to know the city and the many layers of society (The Watch, Witches, Wizards, etc.) via Mort's short encounters. It can also help you decide on your next sub-series after "Death", depending on those encounters. Death is always present in the other titles, so it's only fitting to start with the 1st book of his sub-series.
I knew Gaiman novellas first so I read Good Omens, then I read Sourcery because that was the only Discworld book in the local library. After than I mostly read in publication order.
I met terry a few times, and even met the real life greebo. The joy with the discworld books is you can start anywhere and spread out from there at your own speed.
Thanks Mark Stay for the like. I was in the enviable good luck to live south of Salisbury in Wiltshire,,and being disabled terry was kind enough twice, to join me at my table to chat over a burger near the main bookshop there. And the next village south of mine was where terry's illustrator for all his books and characters had his studio, next to the village cafe/tea shop. During the summer they opened their tea garden, and Greebo used to delight in horrifying unwary customers by squinting and growling at their dogs, or sitting in the middle of the tables, dribbling onto our plates until he was bribed with titbits or crisps! Terry captured greebo's personality totally and only slightly emphasised his physical condition ( he did smell, look rather motheaten and could leer like a champion). The joy of terry's books is they were funny and clever, from the typical 80's fantasy style with rincewind, the reinterpretation of Shakespearean classics as in Wyrd Sisters, with the last few discworlds turning dickensian/ modern history into modern social comentaries. And all with his uniquely complete characters, brilliant dialogue glittering with humor and fun. I told terry to his face that his discworld books could end up as 21st century Dickens, which sparked a fascinating chat. For such a hugely popular and famous author, he never seemed to wave it about, and apart from his trade mark black and hat, you would never know who he was, unlike the suddenly famous fantasy fiction authors of the 90's onwards like JK Rowling. And he has a catalogue to suit all ages, for the future.
I started with Mort and the Death books and barely understood anything outside the main plot. After that I read the Watch books and I found they do a solid job of depicting and explaining the other aspects of TP's books such as the wizards, etc. Not to mention that it's only a couple of books in until you get the (more or less) fully realized Ankh Morpork structure.
@@MarkStayWriter thanks. I think getting to the point where the city is fully realized is key. Many characters such as the patrician were quietly "retconned" into greatness as the books progressed, but it's not talked about much.
I started reading Pratchett after reading a short story he wrote called, “The Sea and Little Fishes” in a fantasy/sci-fi anthology. All I could think at the time was, wow, if his novels are as good as this short story I may have a new favorite author. Since then I have devoured every one of his books marveling at the talent, humor, profound observations, references to literature, history, and a delightful reflection of our world and cultures. His ability to craft memorable characters, landscapes, and stories is nothing less than amazing. There is so much truth to his fiction! He is az much to re-read as to read. Crivens!
I'd recommend Mort, then Guards,Guards, then Weird Sisters, in any order. The earlier books are good, but it got a lot better, very quickly. My favourite book is The Watch, because of Sam Vimes' back story. I love the Tiffany Achin books, but am also a fan of The Dark Side of the Sun & Strata, both parodies of Larry Niven books.
Interesting you say don't start with Pyramids. I often recommend Pyramids or Small Gods as a starter, as it is reasonably matured in writing style, but doesn't require any backdrop.
Both good books, though I think because they’re atypical of the rest of the series I wouldn’t think to recommend them as a starting place. Clearly works though!😁
This was a great video to me Terry Pratchett changed my life completely in every single way from how I talk to how I see the world. He had a huge impact on my life
For any younger girls (daughters or nieces you want to introduce to him) I think I might start with the Tiffany Aching series (though I'd want to keep at least the last one way from them until after all the other books) to help hook them on Disk World before introducing the rest (the Witches books may be the first with female leads and Equal Rites the first with a young female character but the Tiffany ones are perhaps the better written (or more whimsical?) and more 'accessible' for younger children) .. for anyone else I'd just start at the start with The Colour Of Magic.
My first Pratchet book was Monstrous Regiment after picking it up Randomly whilst stuck in the Library due heavy rain. Although it is not my favourite of his books (I prefer the books featuring Vimes and Moist as protagonists) it will alway be special for introducing me to so much wonder and humour in writing.
@@dominictemple Moist was great due to him being much more of ambiguous morality and a trickster figure to boot. It is such a breath of fresh air to see such an unabashed flim-flam chancer take center stage in a setting that the Watch dominated so much. Also that scene in Making Money with the dog and the...bone was among the most cinematically rendered bits of humor I have ever read on page.
Personal opinion, of course, but I think you should start at the beginning with Color of Magic/Light Fantastic. Firstly because I LIKE the lighter tone. But by going chronologically, you can follow the development both of the characters, their relationships and progressions through life, and Sir Terry's growth as an artist. The later stories are darker and grittier. Also, as the series progresses, the less the stories depend on being on Discworld. The need for magic seems to diminish, especially in the "police procedurals" featuring Sam Vines as Superman. The poor guy suffers through abuse that would kill any ten ordinary men. More personal opinion, my favorites are Rincewind and the Wizards. Probably, again, because they tend to be more nonsensical. Least favorite are the one-offs which, once again, tend to be less reliant on the Discworld magical atmosphere.
I've just started Discworld. I'm in book 10 of Wheel of Time and wanted some lighter reading to help me through the slog, so I ordered "Guards! Guards!" which I'm about a quarter of the way through as well as Mort and the combo of "Colour Of Magic/ Light Fantastic." I started fantasy in the 80's with the absurdist world of Xanth by Piers Anthony and other than a few of Robert Aspirin's Myth books hadn't been back. So far I'm really enjoying his world. I like how Carrot's optimism is rehabilitating Vimes. Hope that's the direction it continues.
I started with NightWatch and the Colour of Magic. I couldn't get enough of it. Rincewind, Vimes and Death are my favourite. Actually the character of Death and Susan StoHelit really helped me come to terms with the death of some close relatives. I still look for the Unseen University Librarian when I go to return or pick up books at my local libraries
i generally advise people to either read: in chronological order if they want to watch the writing develop and watch Pratchett develop his comfort in the world he's creating. OR guards, guards as a start so that they can begin at a starting point of one of the main character groups and after Pratchett already became very comfortable and began letting the characters tell the story and bring the humor instead of putting characters in unusual situations to create the humor. Then they can easily look up the groupings of books in chronological order. We all owe a debt to Pratchett... the world is a bit darker without him, but thankfully he gave us these books to remember him by. His masterpiece, for my personal choice, is Night Watch. The sheer emotional range a reader experiences through Vimes and his ragtag group of rebels and the clear eyed, outwardly cynical but secretly hopeful, honest assessment of problems in worlds both flat and spherical leave me thinking about it for months afterwards each time i read it. I would have worn the lilac. Not gladly, because Sam would slap me for being a romantic idiot, but i would have worn it readily because you do the job that's in front of you. :)
I started with the first one that I saw on a book rack, “Witches Abroad.” I loved it, but it meant for to me after being more familiar with the series. I think that his books only get better with repetition, also true with Shakespeare which is why he was perfect for a parody on Macbeth.
I started with translated copies of The Light Fantastic and The Color of Magic - but at the time I didn't think they were all that amazing. Hilarious, yes, but not the best I'd read. Then I happened to find Mort in the English language section of the local book store (this was when it was a tiny shelf of like, 20 books of varying quality or so). After that, yeah. I have them all. Even the silly map and guide books. Not the cookbooks, though!
Great video, Mark! As you know, I'm a huge Terry Pratchett fan - I have a portrait of him on my bookshelf, "watching over me" while I write. Mort was my first Discworld book, too, and I think it's a great place to start but more often than not I find myself recommending Guards! Guards! as a starting point for new readers. I couldn't possibly choose a favourite subset of the series (the Watch and the Witches are tied currently, but it changes weekly) or a favourite character (Sam Vimes or Tiffany Aching? Impossible choice! And then there's Moist von Lipwig!) but I think Thud! is my favourite book. And I absolutely bawled all the way through The Shepherd's Crown. It's the one Discworld book I can't bring myself to reread... For what it's worth, I definitely think the comparison is deserved between your work and his.
Thank you! Yes to all of this... Though it's taken me longer to warm to Moist (now there's an odd sentence out of context). I'm planning to re-read more of the later books as they didn't have the same impact for me first time round. I suspect I was taking his writing for granted at that point and whizzing through them. They need to be given their due!
@@MarkStayWriter I can definitely understand that. I was not a fan of Moist the first time around, but I think the really great thing about Sir Pterry's writing, especially later in the series, is just how layered and nuanced the characters are. There's real depth to them. No one is all good or all bad, and rereading brings new things to light every time.
A great video. I'll see if your book has made it to my library (its not scary is it?) Thank you for the recommendations re Pratchett. I've read about 10 over the years, but got my hands on the first 5 at a charity shop. I'll be reading Sourcery after I've finished Time Regained. They are amazing books. He is such a funny writer and I loved the TiffAche book series. I hope I can get to Wyrd Sisters this year too. Thanks for posting.
Well... i did originally read the diskworld in publication order, then i re-read the books in series (the watch, death, the witches, the wizzards and rincewind, cohen and the silver horde, and Moist von Lipwig, including the "stand alone" ), and.... well, i think that readin in "series order" lets you focus on a certain part of the universe... a center plot line to follow, but i would say that reading in publishing order has its advantages, first, you can notice the evolution of the narrative, secondly, it becomes easier to get certain nods or aquire greater fondness for certain characters, one of my favorites is Reg Shoe in the watch storyline, who you can first meet in Feet of clay, and get his "origin story" in Night Watch... but if you had readed trough the Death series, youll find mr. Shoe earlier, in "Reaper Man" as the leader of an affirmative action group for the undead.... similarily, if you are reading the rincewind books or the silver horde ones and you reach "the last hero", you'll be introduced to one officer Carrot Ironfoundersonn that would appear odd if you had not read some of the city watch books before... So in my opinion, reading the books in cronological order at least once is a must (reading any terry pratchett book only once is out of question). Finally, you cannot miss "small gods" a standalone book that is a serious"must read" one
@@MarkStayWriter Hey Thanks! And nope, hent read them in reverse order, but now i will! What i have done is reading mr. Pratchett works in order, starting from "carpet people" trough "dark side of the sun" and "strata" that includes the notion of a "flat world" in other dimention.... very interesting. Seriously, Sir terry Pratchett books are just delightful, deeply humane and treating such complex themes in such a "reachable" way... "Nation" is just beautiful, for example, the bromheliad trilogy, the Johnny Maxwell series and "the long earth" (of wich i insist: the presence of an IA that claims to be the re-incarnation of a monk called Lobsang is more than just a nod for the fans). I've allways said that Pratchett, along with Michael Ende should be a cuasy mandatory read for all.
Having read the full Discworld series I have to say they should be read in order as Terrys genius comes out as characters crop up “out of their book” to interact with your current read… The Simnells in Reaper Man & Raising Steam, Eskarina in Equal Rites & I shall wear midnig, The Wintersmith taking sulphur from the postman’s boots featured in Going Postal… By reading them out of order means you may miss such subtle but brilliant character interactions
@@MarkStayWriter - excuse my ignorance but can you let me know your books title which generated the comparison to Terrys work… there’s been a gap since The Shepherds Crown that needs filling and maybe you’re the author to bridge it!
@@Blind-Dave To be compared to STP even in passing is completely bonkers, but he definitely had a huge influence me. My Witches of Woodville books have been compared to his works more than once… which is both a thrill and utterly terrifying. witchesofwoodville.com/#bookshop
im so glad this came up in my recommendations! i have been thinking about starting discworld soon and this will be a lifesaver, thank you so much for sharing!
You had me at 'just like Terry Pratchett.' Any recommendations on where to start with your books? I never take the 'just like Pratchett' comparisons seriously, but it has led me to discovering some wonderful writers in the past. Looking forward to reading your stories. I agree that Discworld is very difficult to adapt for tv / movies, because the clever use of language, the humour, just cannot be captured.
Yes, it’s a dangerous comparison! No one can possibly live up to it! But I guess my most Pratchett-y books are the Witches of Woodville. First book is out now. The next is coming in October... witchesofwoodville.com/#bookshop
Started with Wyrd Sisters...absolutely purrfect to start with. My girlfriend started with Soul Music(not the best idea for starters, especially girls), but she found her way around it and continued reading the rest
By accident started listening Terry's book just like you said, now listening them all, and in English, translated doesn't work as well. Gonna read yours as well.
I came late to Discworld too! My best takeaway from his stories is the Morality inside the humour. If only the Human Race had has much as Discworld we could solve a lot of problems. I have too many favourites but I do go back to Interesting Times and the Last Continent a lot. Reaper Man is brilliant. Oh! What the heck, they’re all great Plus, you’re quite right. No one compares to Terry Pratchett RIP
@@MarkStayWriterThank you for the reply! As far as I can see you’ve got a very cool book collection, so a video showcasing it would certainly be interesting. Personally, at least, bookshelf tours are my favourite type of RUclips videos :)
Always love exploring the Discworld fandom discourse. I personally started with “Small Gods” simply because my bookstore carried a very nice hardcover edition of the title. I’ve had always been a Neil Gaiman fan, so Sir Terry was not too far off for me to quickly fall in love with his writings. Btw I found your video through RUclips’s AI recommendation. Great chatty intro video. If I may offer a tip, maybe include a link to your published book in the description would be a great way for others to check it out? :)
@@MarkStayWriter Much better. I shared the books with my teenagers and we all became fans. Shared them with friends who also became fans. I’ve a shelf full and have read them all about a dozen times. Wore out the first set of paperbacks and am replacing them one by one. Even have a Granny Weatherwax costume.
Hearing that Colour of Magic is not Discworld at it's best prompted me. I mean, I remember grappling with this same question, which book to recommend to my friends to start with, when nobody I knew seemed to heard of him (I was lucky to start ~92). But honestly, why worry? :) By all means, do start (for example) with Colour of Magic and explore Discworld _with_ Terry Pratchett!
My first was Eric, then Guards Guards because there was a dragon on the cover :) I've read everything he wrote apart from The Shephard's Crown, it's in my book shelf along with his other books, I just can't bring myself to read it.
Wee Free Men is the last one I read. (actual physical book) I don't think it will translate as an audio book. There are too many humourous (I can't really spell yet) puns that involve seeing and saying the word as one thing but sounding like something different. Pictsies for example. I laughed all the way to my destination reading that one. My wife was driving and I just couldn't ruin any of it for her by telling her that half of the laughs are from the pronunciation sounding like something else. The color of magic and Cohen the barbarian? Dentchewers? Counterweight Continent? My children pointed me to Terry Pratchett and I sent them to Piers Anthony and Alan Dean Foster. I still can't decide which order to read his books in but one day, ONE DAY I WILL!!! (it's just going to take some time....) Thank You.
Guards! Guards! is a great place to start. Equal Rites is also great. The last book his Alzheimer's didn't noticeably damage was Unseen Academicals. I didn't read the last couple of books because their extreme drop in quality just depressed me. I will certainly look into your work.
I'll certainly get you book on audible when my next credit comes up. I can't bring myself to get Shepherds Crown. The couple novels that proceeded it read like fanfiction relative to his earlier work. Pratchett's work feels like a great marriage that had a bad couple of years at the end@@MarkStayWriter
Started late in my life with Thief of Time - listened to it on audible. Loved it. Have enjoyed many of his books since. Haven't gotten to all of them. Sort of savoring them. Is your book on audible? I'll go check.
All of Terry’s books are being re-recorded too, so you can enjoy them all over again! And yes, my books are on Audible, narrated by the wonderful Candida Gubbins.
@@MarkStayWriter thank you. I didn't know that about the re-recordings. For your books, here in usa, on my audible, I'm seeing only back to reality and robot overlords. I wonder if availability is regional? Back to reality is narrated by Kim Bretton. Looks like you did the honors on robot overlords. Since I can get back to reality I'll start listening to that now. 🙂
@@scofah Aah, yes I believe we're still waiting to sell the US rights to the Woodville books. That's a shame. Kim Bretton does a great job on Back to Reality. Robot Overlords is narrated by the brilliant Rupert Degas (I narrate a short story and film diaries at the end).
The first book I ever picked up was ''the amazing Maurice and his educated rodents, just absolutely loved the story, after this book i picked up Dodger - just so many references to real life it was funny and sad at the same time but mostly shocking to the life of dodger and his acquaintances. I've got all the books in hardback except these three being - Strata, Sourcery and Dark side of the sun. I will get them sometime but waiting on eBay to list a very good quality or mint condition sort. I think they typically range from £40 - £220 each :/ depends on when it was printed, print 1-2-3-ect and or if it was signed.
I have all his hardbacks, though the early ones are all bookclub editions, so probably not worth much. I think Guards Guards was the first regular first edition I have.
I started by running across an animated version of Wyrd Sisters. Death became a favorite character. Eventually, I went to audiobooks. I agree with you that animation, and live action loses something.
I loved the "Hogfather" movie but, agree that the book is better. Same for the "Color of Magic" pair. The animated series of "Soul Music", however, is better than the book because of the music. The "in the style of..." treatment, including visuals, is simply a work of genius. Even Terry said so.
I read Colour of Magic when it first came out and was not overly impressed and did not bother with The Light Fantastic.It was Guards,Guards that drew me into his world completely and I have now read every book of his.I believe that the Night Watch and Witches are his finest works but The Shepherd's Crown was,a little disappointing because I believe he did not have enough time to polish it to his normal standard.That said it is a fine book and a fitting final one,
I bought "guards guards" but after ten or fifteen pages if you asked me what I was reading about all I could tell you would be "I don't remember or know. So far I can't assign any meaning to these words." I'm assuming it gets much better because of how highly it's regarded.
Mark, I have two questions for you: Where do you live, and where, exactly, is the signed first edition of Good Omens inside your residence? Why do I want to know? Why, no reason. No reason at all... :-D In a more "serious" note, I'd present Discworld with one of the standalones. Pyramids, specifically, since it's my favorite. But standalones being slightly different from the "sets" in that they give a general idea of where the series go, without committing to any one of them. We all know that we get more firmly attached to the set you read first, and by starting with with a standalone, you get to see all of them in an equal light. Otherwise, I fear that Discworld becomes the series of the Guard and the other sets, when you get to remember them. I do know that the Guards, my first set of stories, have a firmer hold on me than Granny Weatherwax or Rincewind. And that's not very fair to them. My $0,02.
I live in, er, the Tower of London. Yes. In one of the really secure rooms with all the Crown Jewels. Ahem. A good point on the standalones. Small Gods is another fun way in for a newbie, perhaps?
@@MarkStayWriter Wow, what a posh address ;-P (it could be worse. It could be that you are a tenant in Lord Ventinari's palace) The problem with Small Gods, as compared with other standalones by Pratchett, is that Neil Gaiman, while an excellent author, isn't as good as Terry Pratchett. I consider GO to be below average to a Discworld book. Death, for example, isn't anywhere as entertaining as the cat loving one from DW. GO has the advantage of having a more conventional setting compared to DW. If you are worried that a newbie might find a Disc on top of four elephants on top of a turtle as too outlandish, it might be a way to ease them in. I suppose it depends on the newbie.
I wasn't a huge fan of it on my first read, but enjoyed it a lot more the second time around. I don't think Moist is as instantly appealing as some of Terry's other characters.
And another author was added too the "must read" list... Not Pratchett, he's been in my head since i was around 14.. Mark Stay though...i often judge a book by the cover (Ha! Just like moma always taught me not to) and first few lines of text. The Crow Folk tickled my fancy...
I would also suggest Nation as a stand-alone Pratchett novel if one wants to introduce a reader to his style without trying to tackle the leviathan that is the Discworld. It is, IMO, a distillation of everything great about him in a small but potent package. "This book contains some thinking. Whether you try it out at home or not is up to you."
@@MarkStayWriter The Johnny Maxwell series is a more accessible (and bloody good!) way into sampling Pratchett. I actually find his non-Discworld work better than the Discworld because it freed him from the tropes and constraints of his main creation. You sense him breathing easier now that he doesn't have to work around Vimes or Granny or Havelock.
Terry Pratchett can teach you about socioeconomics with a pair of boots, and make you laugh doing so.
He will never die as long as we remember.
That was his real genius. 😁
GNU Sir Terry Pratchett.
this is true but lets not make him the undead
@@timothygray7412 Reg Shoe would probably take offence to that statement.
@@Bustermaniax absolutely lol
A friends Dad who is a carpenter by trade used to listen to these audiobooks while he worked, actually on a cassette tape walkman. He would come do some odd jobs for us now and then when we needed new flooring or doors etc and I was fascinated with the covers (same as the books) of these huge plastic tape collections, bigger than the hardback books were. He offered to let me borrow them and so I was about 14 and started with the colour of magic. Id listen to them in bed and in the bath and while playing my PS2 on mute, and then my Mum found at her office jumble sale someone was selling a whole bunch of discworld novels in paperback, second hand so she snapped them up for me. Those books saved my life being bored to death by the pool on family holidays I was forced to attend, Id end up reading almost 5 of them in 2 weeks in Turkey I remember, that really staved off the monotony of sitting by a pool everyday (its fun for a couple days, but then you just wanna be home with ur consoles and friends when you are a teenager). Then later on my grandmother whos no longer with us would get me his latest hardback every birthday and christmas if she could find one I didn't have already and she kept a hand written list of every one I owned so she would know which to buy when she went into a book shop, so they remind me of her and have a special spot in my heart to this day. So cheers to Terry ^^
Terry kept me sane on many family holidays, too!
aw this made me tear up! your grandma sounds so lovely
This is delightful to hear. Great memories are the best. Ive started a pottery studio at my farm and ive been listening to these on youtube.
I had The Shepherd's Crown on my bookshelf for a year, unread, for the obvious reason. Kept looking at it, thinking "not yet". Then the next Christmas arrived, and with it, obscurely, the realisation that tomorrow is never guaranteed. The only thing worse than having no new Pratchett left to read was the thought of being hit by a bus and dying without ever having read his last book. I'd recommend reading it, in the company of a big box of tissues and something to keep you hydrated.
I got tears in my eyes as soon as you mentioned “The Shepherd’s Crown.” It took me over twelve months to begin as I didn’t want to be in a world where there was no new Terry Pratchett books to look forward to.
I know what you mean. I guess the good news is his books are endlessly re-readable.
I still haven't read it.
I still haven't got there but it was so nice to know that I'm not the only one and that for many true fans it doesn't really need explanation.
I still haven't read it. I already cried enough on Raising Steam.
Yeah, I know the feeling.
Bought it, and didnt read it for a better part of a year.
And when I did, I cried while I read. Well, at the beginning at least (the Granny Weatherwax bit).
And at the end, when I closed the book, knowing this is the last new Pratchett book I will ever read.
Recently started with Small Gods and Guards! Guards!, now I can't get enough of Discworld
It gets as good often, but it doesn't get any better than Small Gods. What a wonderful book.
I think the correct answer is "any". I was a late comer to Sir Terry's Discworld but much better late than never. Young Tiffany taught me more good uses for a Frying Pan than I ever knew. And to puzzling things like why Kitchen Drawers stick inexplicably...
A more correct answer is "All". And the Goddess Anoia is indeed another favorite of mine. I may need to set up a small altar in our kitchen for her.
An even more correct answer is, "Just not Thief of Time."
I started off with Mort in my early tweens. Was a fan ever since, and I feel lucky I live at a time when Terry Pratchett was around.
GNU Sir Terry.
I dedicated my first novel to him, thusly:
"For making us laugh for a moment and think for a lifetime."
Beautiful.
Long time ago, I picked up a book called Strata by one Terry Pratchett.
Looked interesting.
Started out with a 200 year old woman whose job was building habitable worlds, complete with fossils, who gets invited to lead an expedition to a disk shaped world with a company of nonhumans.
Hold on!
I was rereading Larry Niven's Ringworld!
It was interesting but I didn't get overexcited.
Later on, I noted the appearance of a series of novels on the shelves I loved to browse.
Hmm. Discworld stories by Terry Pratchett.
It took a while, but I picked one up and started learning about Rincewind, Twoflower, Ankh-Morpork...
And I was laughing so hard that people on the train were giving me funny looks.
I never looked back.
Terry, whom I met briefly when he signed Lords and Ladies plus two copies (his,n,hers) of Witches Abroad, proved Wittgenstein's assertion that a book of philosophy could be composed entirely of jokes.
Discworld is roundworld, brilliantly engineered so that we can look at ourselves and laugh.
Still haven't gotten around to reading every single work.
That's the trouble with having a favorite series or author.
There has to be a last one.
Accidentally picked up a copy of The Colour of Magic at a railway station, I just wanted something light to read. After that, I have read everything that Terry wrote as soon as it was available. It is such wonderful, well written fiction to lose yourself in.
RIP, Sir Terry
My first was reaper man, I was recovering from a bad dose of flu and my boyfriend took my library books back for me to avoid the fine and picked up some more, I'd told him anything pure fantasy, he looked at the cover and thought that will do, he's long gone but my love for Pterry will never end.
Mort was my first Terry Pratchett book also, iy got me through a very hart time with my over hypper teenage son who had problems getting to sleep, thus I also couldn' get to sleep also. His books were amazingly funny and a laugh solves many of lifes troubles. :D
Terry's writing is a definitely panacea to many of life's problems!😁
@@MarkStayWriter yep :D
For me, the hard part was closing "The Shepherd's Crown". I knew what was coming, but didn't know how hard it was going to hit me.
His loss was a massive blow, & I'm not sure I'll ever get over there being no more Terry Pratchett books.
My first was Mort. I was backpacking and got it in a book swap. I hadn't laughed so much reading a book *ever*. That was it, I was hooked. I can't hold a book while reading any longer (thank Anoia for Kindle!), but I've kept the books in the hope of finding The Right Home for them rather than just take them to the local charity shop. Because they, and Sir Terry, really were a gift to the world in my opinion.
My nephew's 13 year old stepdaughter mentioned on social media that she liked funny books (rather than the teen vampire stuff), and yes, she'd love to have any books I recommend. I'm overjoyed that I get to gift her the Discworld as my "Welcome to the family".
She's going to learn a lot from Vimes, Granny, Nanny, Magrat and most of all Tiffany. Lockdown is ending, I'm about to have my second vaccination, and I can't wait to get together with my Nieceling. Though I'm holding back The Shepherd's Crown so that she can't be tempted to jump ahead and spoil that ending. I wonder who her favourite is going to be?
Mort was my first, too. Would love to know what your niece's favourite is. She has so many treats to come!
When I read my first Discworld novel, Witches Abroad, I was laughing so hard that my chair was shaking. I too had never known a book to make me laugh like that. Mort is definitely my favorite.
Never read any book of Terry Pratchett, but will start with Guards Guards. thx for your video.
Wonderful! Happy reading!
What first got me into Discworld was actually the BBC miniseries adaptations of Discworld, they made Hogfather (with a Terry cameo) and also colour of magic...both of those adaptations are really good, have the same total runtime to the audiobooks, and had Terry himself to guide the things.
this video is so heart worming, I am reading Sir Terry's books now, I think only the people who read these books will understand this it just lifts me up from everything going bad in my life and just enjoy every second living n this beautiful rich world. May his soul rest in peace.
I actually read The Light Fantastic first and then The Color of Magic. I absolutely devoured his books. I haven't been lucky enough to read all of the books, but I loved every one I did read.
Wow! I hope it wasn’t too much of a head-scratcher. I hope you get around to reading more of his books. You’re in for such a treat. 😁
I owe this man so much. No author has shaped my views on humanity as much as Terry Pratchett.
You and me both!😂
Reaper Man was my first discworld book.
A beautiful story. Must read that again soon.
Thank you for this great informative mini tribute! 😊 I fall asleep and spend my subconscious mind and body every night with The Disc World audiobooks
I look forward to discovering your writing as well! ❤
That's a wonderful way to end a day!😴
When i was at college (im 52 now) people kept mentioning Good Omens. I loved The Omen series and thought, oh a p#ss-take book. Then i read it . . .and WOW. Then Mort, Equal Rites, Guards Guards. ... The Shepherds Crown (understandably) doesn't have Sir pTerry's usual polish. i still miss not asking for / receiving the latest pTerry Pratchett' for birthdays or Christmas. Miss you Sir 😢😢
Me too. 🥲
@@MarkStayWriter but although I admire his writing, I never really got into Neil Gaiman 🥺
@@daemonartursson7159 Neil's writing is incredibly varied. Definitely worth sticking with.
My first was Thud!. The best accidental finding of a bookshop ever ( that is to say, grew up in a non English-speaking country, found a little British Council run place that actually could and would order books in English on request and ever since, Terry Pratchett was a thing)
The guards were never a favourite of mine....until Thud. I fell in love with Vimes and how he beats the shadow without even knowing "Who watches the watcher?" "I do!!", I then went back and read the other guards books and enjoyed them a lot more (maybe I was too young first time round)
I love the death books, closely followed by the witches (if you don't love granny, then you're beyond help lol). It took me 5 months to get around to read Shepard's Crown when it was given as a gift for Christmas.
This is a lovely video, thank for reminding me about so many amazing books!
Thanks for your kind words!
Fully agreed, I have read/listen to all his books multiple times. Sometimes more than ten times. But it took me years to get to start with Shepherd's Crown and I just got choked up just by hearing you mentioning it. Especially with what the book is about. It was definitely a fitting way to end with.
He will be missed but not forgotten!
He really kind of hit a golden age with the kid's stuff. I would've thought you were crazy had you suggested it 10 years ago, but I'm hard-pressed for as much as I love it all, not to love Maurice and Hatfull most. I didn't get Hatfull til I was 35ish. Man, do I wish it had existed when I was 11.
That copy of Good Omens is beautiful! The first Pratchett book I read was Thud! but I think my favourite character will always be Moist von Lipwig. I love Hat Full of Sky as well. Great video!
That's two recommendations for Thud! I'm definitely going to have to give that another go. Did you ever play the boardgame? Hat Full of Sky is just brilliant.
@@MarkStayWriter No I didn't know there was a board game! Immediately researching it now though...
@@HannahRPalmerAuthor Never played it myself, but here it is... www.discworldemporium.com/games-activities/229-thud
@@MarkStayWriter wonderful!
I started with Guards! Guards! and it's still one of my favourite books in the series only topped by the witches books. Especially Witches abroad... so hilarious and brilliant.
Love those two! And your first is often your favourite. There's no beating that first encounter with Terry's amazing writing.
Those books are so beautiful 😍 starting discworld series with Guards guards! ✌
Fantastic! You’re in for a treat!
Metoo! But I got the new hardback editions
Good start!
Those are incredible. You are in for a treat..
My absolute favourite is monstrous regiment 👍
A superb choice!
Mort was my first. I just bought a copy of Mort for my nephew’s 14th birthday. I’m expecting that to start him off on a long career of suddenly laughing out while reading on buses and trains.
The best kind of laughter!😁
I started with Maskerade because I loved the idea of a fantasy story that parodies the Phantom of the Opera.
A great place to start! (And I went to the launch party for it when I was a bookseller!)😁
The Shepherds Crown, still sits on my shelf unread . ‘No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away’, that book is my ripple 😔
Very excited to say that I just ordered your first book! The setting sounds like a delight, can't wait.
Thank you so much! I really hope you enjoy it!
I will be reading Mark Stay's work as soon as I can get my greedy mitts on it! Loved this short film about Discworld and how it relates to Mark. I sobbed for half an hour straight when I got to the end of The Shepherd's Crown, but I am emphatically NOT looking for a TP replacement, I just happen to love novels about magic and witches, and if they have both humour and depth then bring them on!
Thanks, Diana. There's more about my books on my website. I really hope you enjoy them... witchesofwoodville.com/#bookshop
This was beautiful. I am still looking for my first paper bag editions of Light Fantastic and Equal Rites that ended up in my parents loft when I went to Iraq after the first Gulf war and disappeared. Dumb as I was I did not want to risk them to the desert conditions I was going to live in. Still I I had five books with me - and they were a life saver. The next twenty year I worked in all kinds of war zones on behalf of the Red Cross and UN. Terry was always there with me - the friend whose story telling amused me, challenged my opinions and always always reminded me that humanity and humility was the basis for human existence.
This was especially marked in his first books when the footnotes functioned as a side comment where you felt Terry sort of reminding you - that "we are all having fun" with a big smile. Granny Weatherwax, Captain Vimes, Death, and all the rest of the wonderful wacky characters would makes the day end on a great note.
In my point of view, "Small Gods" is by far Terry´s best book. I read it every second year to remind myself about the world out there where people that are bad, pretend to be good. Where church hierarchies exist only to feed them selves. Where good people are afraid to do something - with the exception of a few good men. Where the power of a religion is not due to the Gods - but to the power of their believers.
Terry was a good friend - one of the best - always there to help you in some way.
Wonderful stuff. Thanks for sharing, Björn.
I started with Colour of Magic/The Light Fantastic and then moved on to Equal Rites. That worked just fine for me. My absolute favourite Discworld book have to be 3. Small Gods 2. Equal Rites 1. The Night Watch. Honorable mention for Snuff.
I started with The Color of Magic and Moving Pictures. A friend from Toronto gave them to me to read while I was house sitting for him. I was immediately hooked!!
I love Moving Pictures! Must give that a re-read soon.
What a touching tribute!
Thank you, James!
I started with Moving Pictures. Loved it. Probably my favorite of what I've read, along with Night Watch, and maybe The Color of Magic.
I love Moving Pictures! An underrated book in the series (but then I am a big movie nerd!)😂
@@MarkStayWriter Yeah, well I think that part of it hit me, too. Or I became one, after that. Who could have guessed? Lol.
@@FiresideChatswithMatts😂
Really good overview of the discworld series, love the passion you show for Terry's books.
Also downloaded a sample of your book on kindle and really enjoyed what I read, will be purchasing in the very near future!
Thank you, Chris!
I met him in a pub at a folk festival where he was going to present a prize. A really great guy.
Great video! The first I read was Mort which was wonderful. But the city watch are my favourites! The audio books are read by Tony Robinson and are great to listen to at the gym or out for a run but be careful as people with flash you strange looks when you lit. LOL!
I look forward to reading your book Mark.
So glad that you posted here, or I might not have known of you.
For those of whom have not been able to read the Shepherd's Crown, I say be brave like Pterry and read it! It is his parting gift to us and I know that he would have said to "just bloody well read it!"
Accepting the gift honours the giver.
Through his books and characters, Sir Terry was and is our *friend*.
I miss him, he was kind to me.
Thank you Mark.
Thanks, April!
I feel that Shepherds Crown was written earlier and saved to finish his Discworld series, it is so much stronger than Snuff and especially Raising Steam.
My 1st Terry Pratchett book was also Mort and I think it's the perfect place to start. Because (POSSIBLE SPOILER:) I really felt that I was being introduced to Ankh Morpork and Discworld in general by being lead through it like Mort has been lead by Death when he took him on as an apprentice. You slowly get to know the city and the many layers of society (The Watch, Witches, Wizards, etc.) via Mort's short encounters. It can also help you decide on your next sub-series after "Death", depending on those encounters. Death is always present in the other titles, so it's only fitting to start with the 1st book of his sub-series.
That’s spot on! The perfect introduction. 💀
@@MarkStayWriter Thank you, kind sir ^^ I've enjoyed the video and subscribed. :) I'm always on on lookout for new fantasy-related content.
Thank you!!
I knew Gaiman novellas first so I read Good Omens, then I read Sourcery because that was the only Discworld book in the local library. After than I mostly read in publication order.
I met terry a few times, and even met the real life greebo. The joy with the discworld books is you can start anywhere and spread out from there at your own speed.
Thanks Mark Stay for the like. I was in the enviable good luck to live south of Salisbury in Wiltshire,,and being disabled terry was kind enough twice, to join me at my table to chat over a burger near the main bookshop there. And the next village south of mine was where terry's illustrator for all his books and characters had his studio, next to the village cafe/tea shop. During the summer they opened their tea garden, and Greebo used to delight in horrifying unwary customers by squinting and growling at their dogs, or sitting in the middle of the tables, dribbling onto our plates until he was bribed with titbits or crisps! Terry captured greebo's personality totally and only slightly emphasised his physical condition ( he did smell, look rather motheaten and could leer like a champion).
The joy of terry's books is they were funny and clever, from the typical 80's fantasy style with rincewind, the reinterpretation of Shakespearean classics as in Wyrd Sisters, with the last few discworlds turning dickensian/ modern history into modern social comentaries. And all with his uniquely complete characters, brilliant dialogue glittering with humor and fun.
I told terry to his face that his discworld books could end up as 21st century Dickens, which sparked a fascinating chat.
For such a hugely popular and famous author, he never seemed to wave it about, and apart from his trade mark black and hat, you would never know who he was, unlike the suddenly famous fantasy fiction authors of the 90's onwards like JK Rowling. And he has a catalogue to suit all ages, for the future.
I started with Mort and the Death books and barely understood anything outside the main plot. After that I read the Watch books and I found they do a solid job of depicting and explaining the other aspects of TP's books such as the wizards, etc. Not to mention that it's only a couple of books in until you get the (more or less) fully realized Ankh Morpork structure.
That’s a very good point about the Watch books!
@@MarkStayWriter thanks. I think getting to the point where the city is fully realized is key. Many characters such as the patrician were quietly "retconned" into greatness as the books progressed, but it's not talked about much.
I started reading Pratchett after reading a short story he wrote called, “The Sea and Little Fishes” in a fantasy/sci-fi anthology. All I could think at the time was, wow, if his novels are as good as this short story I may have a new favorite author. Since then I have devoured every one of his books marveling at the talent, humor, profound observations, references to literature, history, and a delightful reflection of our world and cultures. His ability to craft memorable characters, landscapes, and stories is nothing less than amazing. There is so much truth to his fiction! He is az much to re-read as to read. Crivens!
Jings!!😁
I'd recommend Mort, then Guards,Guards, then Weird Sisters, in any order. The earlier books are good, but it got a lot better, very quickly. My favourite book is The Watch, because of Sam Vimes' back story. I love the Tiffany Achin books, but am also a fan of The Dark Side of the Sun & Strata, both parodies of Larry Niven books.
That’s a great selection!
Interesting you say don't start with Pyramids. I often recommend Pyramids or Small Gods as a starter, as it is reasonably matured in writing style, but doesn't require any backdrop.
Both good books, though I think because they’re atypical of the rest of the series I wouldn’t think to recommend them as a starting place. Clearly works though!😁
This was a great video to me Terry Pratchett changed my life completely in every single way from how I talk to how I see the world. He had a huge impact on my life
For any younger girls (daughters or nieces you want to introduce to him) I think I might start with the Tiffany Aching series (though I'd want to keep at least the last one way from them until after all the other books) to help hook them on Disk World before introducing the rest (the Witches books may be the first with female leads and Equal Rites the first with a young female character but the Tiffany ones are perhaps the better written (or more whimsical?) and more 'accessible' for younger children) .. for anyone else I'd just start at the start with The Colour Of Magic.
Love the Tiffany Aching series!
My first Pratchet book was Monstrous Regiment after picking it up Randomly whilst stuck in the Library due heavy rain. Although it is not my favourite of his books (I prefer the books featuring Vimes and Moist as protagonists) it will alway be special for introducing me to so much wonder and humour in writing.
The first is always a special one.
I do like the Moist novels, he's a really good protagonist for the City books where Vetinari uses him for the "Undertaking."
@@dominictemple Moist was great due to him being much more of ambiguous morality and a trickster figure to boot. It is such a breath of fresh air to see such an unabashed flim-flam chancer take center stage in a setting that the Watch dominated so much.
Also that scene in Making Money with the dog and the...bone was among the most cinematically rendered bits of humor I have ever read on page.
Personal opinion, of course, but I think you should start at the beginning with Color of Magic/Light Fantastic. Firstly because I LIKE the lighter tone. But by going chronologically, you can follow the development both of the characters, their relationships and progressions through life, and Sir Terry's growth as an artist. The later stories are darker and grittier.
Also, as the series progresses, the less the stories depend on being on Discworld. The need for magic seems to diminish, especially in the "police procedurals" featuring Sam Vines as Superman. The poor guy suffers through abuse that would kill any ten ordinary men.
More personal opinion, my favorites are Rincewind and the Wizards. Probably, again, because they tend to be more nonsensical. Least favorite are the one-offs which, once again, tend to be less reliant on the Discworld magical atmosphere.
For me, it's always Small Gods that I recommend, as it introduces Lu-Tze
Great choice! Must revisit that one soon.
I've just started Discworld. I'm in book 10 of Wheel of Time and wanted some lighter reading to help me through the slog, so I ordered "Guards! Guards!" which I'm about a quarter of the way through as well as Mort and the combo of "Colour Of Magic/ Light Fantastic." I started fantasy in the 80's with the absurdist world of Xanth by Piers Anthony and other than a few of Robert Aspirin's Myth books hadn't been back. So far I'm really enjoying his world. I like how Carrot's optimism is rehabilitating Vimes. Hope that's the direction it continues.
Keep reading. You’ll love it!
I started with NightWatch and the Colour of Magic. I couldn't get enough of it. Rincewind, Vimes and Death are my favourite. Actually the character of Death and Susan StoHelit really helped me come to terms with the death of some close relatives. I still look for the Unseen University Librarian when I go to return or pick up books at my local libraries
Every library needs an orangutang or two.
You tearing up about his last book. Thats class. I'll start reading terry
Start at the beginning!
Several of these are going on my tbr📚Thank you!👍👍👍
Happy reading!
i generally advise people to either read:
in chronological order if they want to watch the writing develop and watch Pratchett develop his comfort in the world he's creating.
OR
guards, guards as a start so that they can begin at a starting point of one of the main character groups and after Pratchett already became very comfortable and began letting the characters tell the story and bring the humor instead of putting characters in unusual situations to create the humor. Then they can easily look up the groupings of books in chronological order.
We all owe a debt to Pratchett... the world is a bit darker without him, but thankfully he gave us these books to remember him by.
His masterpiece, for my personal choice, is Night Watch. The sheer emotional range a reader experiences through Vimes and his ragtag group of rebels and the clear eyed, outwardly cynical but secretly hopeful, honest assessment of problems in worlds both flat and spherical leave me thinking about it for months afterwards each time i read it.
I would have worn the lilac. Not gladly, because Sam would slap me for being a romantic idiot, but i would have worn it readily because you do the job that's in front of you. :)
Reaper Man is one of my favorites as well, probably on the level of going postal/making money
I love Reaper Man. Must revisit Bill Door’s holiday soon.
I started with the first one that I saw on a book rack, “Witches Abroad.” I loved it, but it meant for to me after being more familiar with the series. I think that his books only get better with repetition, also true with Shakespeare which is why he was perfect for a parody on Macbeth.
I think you’re absolutely right. The more you read him, the better he gets.
I started with translated copies of The Light Fantastic and The Color of Magic - but at the time I didn't think they were all that amazing. Hilarious, yes, but not the best I'd read. Then I happened to find Mort in the English language section of the local book store (this was when it was a tiny shelf of like, 20 books of varying quality or so). After that, yeah. I have them all. Even the silly map and guide books. Not the cookbooks, though!
Yeah, I guess something can get lost in translation.
Great video, Mark! As you know, I'm a huge Terry Pratchett fan - I have a portrait of him on my bookshelf, "watching over me" while I write. Mort was my first Discworld book, too, and I think it's a great place to start but more often than not I find myself recommending Guards! Guards! as a starting point for new readers. I couldn't possibly choose a favourite subset of the series (the Watch and the Witches are tied currently, but it changes weekly) or a favourite character (Sam Vimes or Tiffany Aching? Impossible choice! And then there's Moist von Lipwig!) but I think Thud! is my favourite book. And I absolutely bawled all the way through The Shepherd's Crown. It's the one Discworld book I can't bring myself to reread... For what it's worth, I definitely think the comparison is deserved between your work and his.
Thank you! Yes to all of this... Though it's taken me longer to warm to Moist (now there's an odd sentence out of context). I'm planning to re-read more of the later books as they didn't have the same impact for me first time round. I suspect I was taking his writing for granted at that point and whizzing through them. They need to be given their due!
@@MarkStayWriter I can definitely understand that. I was not a fan of Moist the first time around, but I think the really great thing about Sir Pterry's writing, especially later in the series, is just how layered and nuanced the characters are. There's real depth to them. No one is all good or all bad, and rereading brings new things to light every time.
@@MoonBunnyCreative Yeah, it was like he was just getting started.
A great video. I'll see if your book has made it to my library (its not scary is it?) Thank you for the recommendations re Pratchett. I've read about 10 over the years, but got my hands on the first 5 at a charity shop. I'll be reading Sourcery after I've finished Time Regained. They are amazing books. He is such a funny writer and I loved the TiffAche book series. I hope I can get to Wyrd Sisters this year too. Thanks for posting.
Thanks Angela! I don't think the Crow Folk is *too* scary. There's no blood or gore if that helps!
Well... i did originally read the diskworld in publication order, then i re-read the books in series (the watch, death, the witches, the wizzards and rincewind, cohen and the silver horde, and Moist von Lipwig, including the "stand alone" ), and.... well, i think that readin in "series order" lets you focus on a certain part of the universe... a center plot line to follow, but i would say that reading in publishing order has its advantages, first, you can notice the evolution of the narrative, secondly, it becomes easier to get certain nods or aquire greater fondness for certain characters, one of my favorites is Reg Shoe in the watch storyline, who you can first meet in Feet of clay, and get his "origin story" in Night Watch... but if you had readed trough the Death series, youll find mr. Shoe earlier, in "Reaper Man" as the leader of an affirmative action group for the undead.... similarily, if you are reading the rincewind books or the silver horde ones and you reach "the last hero", you'll be introduced to one officer Carrot Ironfoundersonn that would appear odd if you had not read some of the city watch books before...
So in my opinion, reading the books in cronological order at least once is a must (reading any terry pratchett book only once is out of question).
Finally, you cannot miss "small gods" a standalone book that is a serious"must read" one
This might be my favourite response to this. Wise words, indeed. Now, have you tried reading them in reverse order?😁
And Reg is a great character.
@@MarkStayWriter Hey Thanks! And nope, hent read them in reverse order, but now i will! What i have done is reading mr. Pratchett works in order, starting from "carpet people" trough "dark side of the sun" and "strata" that includes the notion of a "flat world" in other dimention.... very interesting. Seriously, Sir terry Pratchett books are just delightful, deeply humane and treating such complex themes in such a "reachable" way... "Nation" is just beautiful, for example, the bromheliad trilogy, the Johnny Maxwell series and "the long earth" (of wich i insist: the presence of an IA that claims to be the re-incarnation of a monk called Lobsang is more than just a nod for the fans). I've allways said that Pratchett, along with Michael Ende should be a cuasy mandatory read for all.
@@luisarturoorduna2098 Excellent. Happy reading!
Having read the full Discworld series I have to say they should be read in order as Terrys genius comes out as characters crop up “out of their book” to interact with your current read… The Simnells in Reaper Man & Raising Steam, Eskarina in Equal Rites & I shall wear midnig, The Wintersmith taking sulphur from the postman’s boots featured in Going Postal…
By reading them out of order means you may miss such subtle but brilliant character interactions
Good point.
@@MarkStayWriter - excuse my ignorance but can you let me know your books title which generated the comparison to Terrys work… there’s been a gap since The Shepherds Crown that needs filling and maybe you’re the author to bridge it!
@@Blind-Dave To be compared to STP even in passing is completely bonkers, but he definitely had a huge influence me. My Witches of Woodville books have been compared to his works more than once… which is both a thrill and utterly terrifying. witchesofwoodville.com/#bookshop
Thanks for attracting me to Terry Pratchet..I am an epic fantasy fan..but haven't read any of his books..Will surely buy and try...😊
You’re in for a treat!
@@MarkStayWriter 😊🙏
im so glad this came up in my recommendations! i have been thinking about starting discworld soon and this will be a lifesaver, thank you so much for sharing!
My pleasure. Happy reading. You’re in for such a treat!
You had me at 'just like Terry Pratchett.' Any recommendations on where to start with your books? I never take the 'just like Pratchett' comparisons seriously, but it has led me to discovering some wonderful writers in the past. Looking forward to reading your stories.
I agree that Discworld is very difficult to adapt for tv / movies, because the clever use of language, the humour, just cannot be captured.
Yes, it’s a dangerous comparison! No one can possibly live up to it! But I guess my most Pratchett-y books are the Witches of Woodville. First book is out now. The next is coming in October... witchesofwoodville.com/#bookshop
Started with Wyrd Sisters...absolutely purrfect to start with. My girlfriend started with Soul Music(not the best idea for starters, especially girls), but she found her way around it and continued reading the rest
Soul Music has some big fans out there! I personally prefer Moving Pictures (being a movie nut), but they're both fun.
@@MarkStayWriter im a sucker for anything about the witches or death...including books "around" Edward d'Eath! 🤣🤣
By accident started listening Terry's book just like you said, now listening them all, and in English, translated doesn't work as well. Gonna read yours as well.
Thank you, Sari. Happy reading!
I came late to Discworld too! My best takeaway from his stories is the Morality inside the humour.
If only the Human Race had has much as Discworld we could solve a lot of problems.
I have too many favourites but I do go back to Interesting Times and the Last Continent a lot. Reaper Man is brilliant. Oh! What the heck, they’re all great
Plus, you’re quite right. No one compares to Terry Pratchett RIP
100% agree!😁
Can you show us the entirety of your DW/Pratchett collection?
I'm sure I can rustle that up. What would you prefer? Video or photo? Either way, it's not that interesting... 😀
@@MarkStayWriterThank you for the reply! As far as I can see you’ve got a very cool book collection, so a video showcasing it would certainly be interesting. Personally, at least, bookshelf tours are my favourite type of RUclips videos :)
"Eric" ❤️ my favorite
Such a brilliant retelling of Faust. And beautiful illustrations.
Always love exploring the Discworld fandom discourse. I personally started with “Small Gods” simply because my bookstore carried a very nice hardcover edition of the title. I’ve had always been a Neil Gaiman fan, so Sir Terry was not too far off for me to quickly fall in love with his writings.
Btw I found your video through RUclips’s AI recommendation. Great chatty intro video. If I may offer a tip, maybe include a link to your published book in the description would be a great way for others to check it out? :)
Top tip, thank you. If you're interested, there's more here... witchesofwoodville.com/#bookshop
My (red haired librarian!) sister introduced me to Terry when I was deeply depressed and barely functioning. Probably owe my life to her and Terry.
Hope you’re coping better now, Kathi.
@@MarkStayWriter Much better. I shared the books with my teenagers and we all became fans. Shared them with friends who also became fans. I’ve a shelf full and have read them all about a dozen times. Wore out the first set of paperbacks and am replacing them one by one. Even have a Granny Weatherwax costume.
@@pityparty9955 Ha! I draw the line at a costume. 🧙
Hearing that Colour of Magic is not Discworld at it's best prompted me. I mean, I remember grappling with this same question, which book to recommend to my friends to start with, when nobody I knew seemed to heard of him (I was lucky to start ~92). But honestly, why worry? :)
By all means, do start (for example) with Colour of Magic and explore Discworld _with_ Terry Pratchett!
Personally I started with small gods a I think its a great starting point. (It's also my favourite discworld book, so far)
My first was Eric, then Guards Guards because there was a dragon on the cover :)
I've read everything he wrote apart from The Shephard's Crown, it's in my book shelf along with his other books, I just can't bring myself to read it.
It’s a good read. Heartbreaking. But a fitting end.
Wee Free Men is the last one I read. (actual physical book) I don't think it will translate as an audio book. There are too many humourous (I can't really spell yet) puns that involve seeing and saying the word as one thing but sounding like something different. Pictsies for example. I laughed all the way to my destination reading that one. My wife was driving and I just couldn't ruin any of it for her by telling her that half of the laughs are from the pronunciation sounding like something else.
The color of magic and Cohen the barbarian? Dentchewers? Counterweight Continent?
My children pointed me to Terry Pratchett and I sent them to Piers Anthony and Alan Dean Foster.
I still can't decide which order to read his books in but one day, ONE DAY I WILL!!! (it's just going to take some time....)
Thank You.
Thank you! You have such treats to come!
Guards! Guards! is a great place to start. Equal Rites is also great. The last book his Alzheimer's didn't noticeably damage was Unseen Academicals. I didn't read the last couple of books because their extreme drop in quality just depressed me. I will certainly look into your work.
The Shepherd’s Crown is definitely worth reading.
I'll certainly get you book on audible when my next credit comes up. I can't bring myself to get Shepherds Crown. The couple novels that proceeded it read like fanfiction relative to his earlier work. Pratchett's work feels like a great marriage that had a bad couple of years at the end@@MarkStayWriter
@@TheAyeAye1 Thank you!
@@MarkStayWriter Agreed, I love that book. The whole Tiffany Aching series is amazing.
Started late in my life with Thief of Time - listened to it on audible. Loved it. Have enjoyed many of his books since. Haven't gotten to all of them. Sort of savoring them. Is your book on audible? I'll go check.
All of Terry’s books are being re-recorded too, so you can enjoy them all over again! And yes, my books are on Audible, narrated by the wonderful Candida Gubbins.
@@MarkStayWriter thank you. I didn't know that about the re-recordings. For your books, here in usa, on my audible, I'm seeing only back to reality and robot overlords. I wonder if availability is regional?
Back to reality is narrated by Kim Bretton. Looks like you did the honors on robot overlords. Since I can get back to reality I'll start listening to that now. 🙂
@@scofah Aah, yes I believe we're still waiting to sell the US rights to the Woodville books. That's a shame. Kim Bretton does a great job on Back to Reality. Robot Overlords is narrated by the brilliant Rupert Degas (I narrate a short story and film diaries at the end).
The first book I ever picked up was ''the amazing Maurice and his educated rodents, just absolutely loved the story, after this book i picked up Dodger - just so many references to real life it was funny and sad at the same time but mostly shocking to the life of dodger and his acquaintances. I've got all the books in hardback except these three being - Strata, Sourcery and Dark side of the sun. I will get them sometime but waiting on eBay to list a very good quality or mint condition sort. I think they typically range from £40 - £220 each :/ depends on when it was printed, print 1-2-3-ect and or if it was signed.
I have all his hardbacks, though the early ones are all bookclub editions, so probably not worth much. I think Guards Guards was the first regular first edition I have.
I started by running across an animated version of Wyrd Sisters. Death became a favorite character. Eventually, I went to audiobooks. I agree with you that animation, and live action loses something.
Can't beat the books!
I loved the "Hogfather" movie but, agree that the book is better. Same for the "Color of Magic" pair. The animated series of "Soul Music", however, is better than the book because of the music. The "in the style of..." treatment, including visuals, is simply a work of genius. Even Terry said so.
I love the animated movies!
My first read was Hogfather, and I think that's probably why it remains my favourite today...
Yeah, I think there's always a special place for your first!
My first was wyrd sisters, and while I do love it, I've really come to love the Watch most of all. I think Thud is my overall favourite book.
@@mikepictor I really need to re-read Thud!
I've learnt more from Sir Terry's characters than I have from anyone I've met in real life...
I read Colour of Magic when it first came out and was not overly impressed and did not bother with The Light Fantastic.It was Guards,Guards that drew me into his world completely and I have now read every book of his.I believe that the Night Watch and Witches are his finest works but The Shepherd's Crown was,a little disappointing because I believe he did not have enough time to polish it to his normal standard.That said it is a fine book and a fitting final one,
I have a soft spot for Dodger!😁
I bought "guards guards" but after ten or fifteen pages if you asked me what I was reading about all I could tell you would be "I don't remember or know. So far I can't assign any meaning to these words." I'm assuming it gets much better because of how highly it's regarded.
Mark, I have two questions for you: Where do you live, and where, exactly, is the signed first edition of Good Omens inside your residence?
Why do I want to know? Why, no reason. No reason at all...
:-D
In a more "serious" note, I'd present Discworld with one of the standalones. Pyramids, specifically, since it's my favorite. But standalones being slightly different from the "sets" in that they give a general idea of where the series go, without committing to any one of them. We all know that we get more firmly attached to the set you read first, and by starting with with a standalone, you get to see all of them in an equal light. Otherwise, I fear that Discworld becomes the series of the Guard and the other sets, when you get to remember them. I do know that the Guards, my first set of stories, have a firmer hold on me than Granny Weatherwax or Rincewind. And that's not very fair to them.
My $0,02.
I live in, er, the Tower of London. Yes. In one of the really secure rooms with all the Crown Jewels. Ahem. A good point on the standalones. Small Gods is another fun way in for a newbie, perhaps?
@@MarkStayWriter Wow, what a posh address ;-P
(it could be worse. It could be that you are a tenant in Lord Ventinari's palace)
The problem with Small Gods, as compared with other standalones by Pratchett, is that Neil Gaiman, while an excellent author, isn't as good as Terry Pratchett. I consider GO to be below average to a Discworld book. Death, for example, isn't anywhere as entertaining as the cat loving one from DW. GO has the advantage of having a more conventional setting compared to DW. If you are worried that a newbie might find a Disc on top of four elephants on top of a turtle as too outlandish, it might be a way to ease them in. I suppose it depends on the newbie.
Nice job!
Thank you!
Just got my first TP book: Going Postal. What do you guys think abiut this one?
I wasn't a huge fan of it on my first read, but enjoyed it a lot more the second time around. I don't think Moist is as instantly appealing as some of Terry's other characters.
That was a lovely video
Thank you!!
And another author was added too the "must read" list...
Not Pratchett, he's been in my head since i was around 14..
Mark Stay though...i often judge a book by the cover (Ha! Just like moma always taught me not to) and first few lines of text. The Crow Folk tickled my fancy...
Thank you!! The art is by the wonderful Harry Goldhawk. You can see more of his stuff here...
www.harrygoldhawk.co.uk/
The witches rock!!!!!!
Music with rocks in!!
I would also suggest Nation as a stand-alone Pratchett novel if one wants to introduce a reader to his style without trying to tackle the leviathan that is the Discworld. It is, IMO, a distillation of everything great about him in a small but potent package.
"This book contains some thinking. Whether you try it out at home or not is up to you."
Good call. Nation is a wonderful book. One of Terry’s best and a great introduction to his writing.
@@MarkStayWriter The Johnny Maxwell series is a more accessible (and bloody good!) way into sampling Pratchett. I actually find his non-Discworld work better than the Discworld because it freed him from the tropes and constraints of his main creation. You sense him breathing easier now that he doesn't have to work around Vimes or Granny or Havelock.
What order are the sam vimes books, I have been highly recommended to read them.
Start with Guards Guards.