Favorite Discworld books and why

[Mr. Beyond Birthday]

1.) THUD! - Why do people not seem to like this one? Fantastic character bits, the story is The Da Vinci Code done right and it's just pure awesome.

2.) Night Watch - Fun time-travel story. Basically Vimes is Batman in Gotham City.

3.) Guards! Guards! - Predictable for about 200 pages (dragon becomes king) but still entertaining. Night Watch is where the series found the sort of tone I liked (Jingo maybe but I haven't read that one yet).

Still reading:

Lords and Ladies - 100 pages in and the plot is barely moving forward.

Snuff - Woo! Post-THUD! Vimes!

Feet of Clay - I like the Angua, Carrot and Cheery bits (and Vimes of course) but the Fred and Nobby parts are a bore. Still, more mystery behind it than Guards! Guards! (which, yes, I like but I just don't like as much as the other ones).

 

[Tonyblack]

Hi Mr Beyond Birthday. Are you the same member as Beyond Birthday?

 

[DaveC]

That's what I was thinking. Haven't we also had both Beyond and Birthday individually also?

 

[Maura:-D]

Hmm...
Well I already said I love the Granny Weatherwax books, but I reread WITCHES ABROAD yesterday, and I really enjoyed that! Also, rereading WYRD SISTERS after reading Macbeth was cool.
I also really loved UNSEEN ACADEMICALS. I thought that was fantastic!

 

[Mr. Beyond Birthday]

Yes, same Beyond Birthday.

 

[Anonymous]

mhnn...

1. Last Continent, for the character developement in it, the round story and its 'fridge brilliance'

2. Science of Discworld, just cause

3. Jingo, for being throughout delightful despite the darker topic

 

[Tonyblack]

Yes, same Beyond Birthday.

Welcome back!

 

[SpyViolette]

So far, my favorite Discworld book is definitely Going Postal. I love the plot and the message behind it about how businesses ought to take responsibility. Also I just instantly adored Moist's character, and the lovely Miss Dearheart, of course.

 

[ShaunChattey]

Re:

So far, my favorite Discworld book is definitely Going Postal. I love the plot and the message behind it about how businesses ought to take responsibility. Also I just instantly adored Moist's character, and the lovely Miss Dearheart, of course.

Agree

Followed by making money and I do like feet of clay alot too. I think the story of the Golems is one of the most interesting and involving parts of the discworld books!

Some say Thud is their favorite, I pretty much skimmed over this one. I will reread it of course!, sooner than planned I think. It seems to be a favorite

 

[Oberon]

This is tough question. I'll go for Night Watch closely followed by SNUFF.

 

[stripy_tie]

My favourites in order are as follows.

1. Mort
2. Reaper Man
3. Hogfather
4. Small Gods
5. Wintersmith
6. The Last Continent
7. Soul Music
8. Going Postal
9. Thud
10. Wyrd Sisters
11. Lords and Ladies
12. The Truth

They're the best written, the most tightly edited and have the best stories out of all his work. Most importantly they showcase the talent that makes him a truly great writer, his ability to take a subject, an idea, a concept e.t.c and unearth the very essence of the thing.

 

[Teppic]

I made this personal list up for RJH's blog a few months ago, so I'll paste it here. These are the book's I've got through so far (most of them), in order of how much I like them:

1. Night Watch
2. Small Gods
3. Pyramids
4. Feet of Clay
5. The Truth
6. Maskerade
7. Thud!
8. Going Postal
9. The Fifth Elephant
10. Wyrd Sisters
11. Snuff
12. Thief of Time
13. Unseen Academicals
14. Witches Aboard
15. Guards! Guards!
16. Making Money
17. Men at Arms
18. Jingo
19. Hogfather
20. Carpe Jugulum
21. Lords and Ladies
22. Mort
23. Monstrous Regiment
24. The Last Continent
25. Interesting Times
26. Sourcery
27. Moving Pictures
28. Soul Music
29. The Light Fantastic
30. Equal Rites
31. The Colour of Magic
32. Reaper Man

Why did you pick that novel to be your number one book?

Nightwatch is an utterly superb character exploration of Vimes, putting him in uncomfortable territory. We see the young patrician who is completely fascinating, Ankh Morpork as a lawless city, the young Nobby and Colon, and whilst there are elements of magic and fantasy (going back in time, the history monks etc.) none of it feels contrived - it all fits so well. This is a properly weighty novel about a very well rounded character, an event which makes a city what it is, and raises interesting points about our own society, but again, it's above books like Snuff and Thud! in my list because it doesn't feel like its smothering us with the character (the former did) or forcing some of those points on us (the latter did). It's a perfect Pratchett, my favourite book in my favourite series, the Watch books.

 

[raptornx01]

Thud! is my second favorite book and contains my single favorite badass scene in anything i've read, or seen if it comes to that. "Where's my cow" will be hard to top.

My favorite is Night Watch. Despite it being a better made Quantum Leap i found its realism and honesty to be its best qualities. The sense of dread you feel as the world turns to hell it tangible. and the right amount of humor to break the tension. In a story about time travel in a fantasy world it is the most "real" book in the series. its not one to start with, you need the previous books to make NW's significance stand out, but stand it does.

 

[fids]

1. Guards Guards I have to be honest, I was starting to struggle with the Discworld and then this came along. It was IMO a breath of fresh air.

2. Hatfull of Sky. Just gave me a feel good feeling.

3. Nightwatch. Great story and superb use of time travel to set the established characters up even more. Vetinari especially.

Not read snuff yet but havn't heard a bad word

 

[KEN DOG]

1 night watch. just love the idear of a young nobby nobbs. fantastic use of time travil, love the idear of meeting a younger sam. a nice hint to the back story of vetinari. i want to know more about just how he became Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, as with all the best of his books asks more questions in my mind. leaveing me wanting more.

2 guards,guards. i love to see the relation ship unfold between sam and Lady Sybil Ramkin. after all lets face it. if it was not for her he would still be a drunk.

3 eric. the first of his books i read. think i was about 17. i found it on the back seat of a bus. i just fell in love with Terry Pratchett.

4 snuff. i have only just finished it!

5 mort. i love DEATH. but i want to know more about his man servent albert. how did he get the job? but that is what i love about Pratchett. He wont tell you every thing.

 

[author3]

5 mort. i love DEATH. but i want to know more about his man servent albert. how did he get the job? but that is what i love about Pratchett. He wont tell you every thing.

That would be a great idea for a fanfiction story

 

[Bron H]

My favourite books go like this.

1-Thud
2-Fifth Elephant
3-Monstrous Regiment
4-Night Watch
5-Jingo
6-Carpe Jugulum

As you can probably tell i like Watch books. Can't wait till i get Snuff for my birthday.

 

[author3]

My favorite books are
#1.The Truth
#2.The Fifth Elephant
#3.Going Postal
#4.Equal Rites
#5.Reaper Man

The amount of signs mean how much I enjoy it out of 5

 

[SwordfishTrombone]

I've read Sourcery to Small Gods, and so far I feel Witches Abroad, Pyramids and Small Gods to be the strongest. Witches Abroad in particular has a real good narrative pace, much unlike the earlier books which seem to meander.

 

[author3]

I've read Sourcery to Small Gods, and so far I feel Witches Abroad, Pyramids and Small Gods to be the strongest. Witches Abroad in particular has a real good narrative pace, much unlike the earlier books which seem to meander.

You should read Equal Rites and Mort as well