Is Discworld the best?

Welcome to the Sir Terry Pratchett Forums
Register here for the Sir Terry Pratchett forum and message boards.
Sign up

Tonyblack

Super Moderator
City Watch
Jul 25, 2008
30,966
3,650
Cardiff, Wales
#41
I also loved the Red Dwarf books. The first two are the best - book one had one of the sadest endings to a book - EVER!

I wasn't too keen on Last Human, but really enjoyed Backwards. ;)
 
Jan 13, 2012
2,337
2,600
South florida, US
www.youtube.com
#43
Tonyblack said:
I also loved the Red Dwarf books. The first two are the best - book one had one of the sadest endings to a book - EVER!

I wasn't too keen on Last Human, but really enjoyed Backwards. ;)
I'll have to go through them again. the first two kind of meld together in my mind since i listen to them at work and go straight from one into the other. :laugh:

And on the other two I can see that. And that seems to be the consensus based on the reviews i've read. While neither really satisfy as a conclusion i've always been drawn to comedic stories that can be serious. And the "theme of redemption", if you catch my meaning, in last human hit a nerve with me. I always felt it was a better bookend to the series and a more satisfying end to a personal story arc. on top of that i never liked how the highly emotional beat at the end of book two was treated in the begining of backwards. i get why, but it never set right with me.
 

Ridcully

Lance-Constable
Jan 7, 2012
48
2,150
NL
#44
I'll definitely give some of the other mentioned authors/books a try, but for me DW is unsurpassed. I never tier of reading the books over and over again - which in my world, is a very good sign.
Thanks for the tips!
 

Majblast

New Member
Mar 3, 2012
3
1,650
#45
Um, no. There are many other books or book series that I think can lay claim to being better than Discworld books. HOWEVER, if dropped alone on a desert island I was given the choice of only ONE author's books to keep me company, I would choose Sir Terry Pratchett's. They are really that good, rather lengthy in their entirety, and the humor would do me some good.

Also, if rescued by aliens who might ask me about humanity, I really think I could describe the lengh and breadth of all of Western Civilization's history and all it's moral, religious, psychological,philosophical, political, economic, and mythlogical thought using my own education and the Discworld series as a crib sheet. And a large chunk of the same for Eastern and other civilization's as well. Really if you look at the books it's pretty much all there-some of it writ boldy and other bits like the shadows in Plato's cave. Provided I wasn't pressed to describe the relevancy of Nobby I'd do OK.

But for the love of God, please don't ever compare the Discworld series to some garbage with sparkly vampires. :devil:
 

Evergreen

New Member
Aug 16, 2011
7
1,650
Europe
#47
Discoworld series is best of the best in fictional literature. But i believe there is is alot of great books with same level in the world - in all genres.

(sry for my bad eng)
 

TimBou

Lance-Constable
Feb 29, 2012
36
2,150
Canberra, Australia
#48
Majblast said:
Um, no. There are many other books or book series that I think can lay claim to being better than Discworld books. HOWEVER, if dropped alone on a desert island I was given the choice of only ONE author's books to keep me company, I would choose Sir Terry Pratchett's. They are really that good, rather lengthy in their entirety, and the humor would do me some good.

Also, if rescued by aliens who might ask me about humanity, I really think I could describe the lengh and breadth of all of Western Civilization's history and all it's moral, religious, psychological,philosophical, political, economic, and mythlogical thought using my own education and the Discworld series as a crib sheet. And a large chunk of the same for Eastern and other civilization's as well. Really if you look at the books it's pretty much all there-some of it writ boldy and other bits like the shadows in Plato's cave. Provided I wasn't pressed to describe the relevancy of Nobby I'd do OK.
Nicely said. To me, Nobby is nothing without Sgt Colon then he forms the perfect comic duo like Lenny and Carl in the Simpsons - they can provide the counterpoint to just about anything with their uninformed, off-kilter, completely left-field perspectives on any "serious" topic - I thought they were at the top of their game in this respect re the world of art in "Thud!".... "Nude women are only Art if there's an urn in it... or a plinth..."
 

Natalya

Lance-Corporal
Feb 1, 2012
130
2,275
53
Russia, Lipetsk
www.youtube.com
#49
DiscWorld is the best for me (apart from books of two Russian co-authors which write under nick "Henry Layon Oldi", but no need to compare it because it's quite different!).
DiscWorld is the best for me because:
no books which can pick up me from deep depression apart from DW
no books which can teach me love my life (in any cases) apart from DW
no books where such simple words falls down in middle of my heart apart from DW
However... It's as poem, soul music: someone hear it as very beatiful sounds but other people can hear not... It's depend from our own soul tuning.
I think it is impossible to say "this is the best" without continue "for..." .
For example: I love my husband but my husband not love TP books ( He says "they are so simple for me! not interesting!"). :)
 

pip

Sergeant-at-Arms
Sep 3, 2010
8,765
2,850
KILDARE
#51
Very good. So has your husband read one yet. My girlfriend said that for years then she finally gave in and read Soul music and got a little hooked. :laugh:
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
#55
Oh, don't worry. If you feel like you made a mistake, just feel free to ask. We won't bite your head off.
 

S@mwich

Lance-Constable
Apr 16, 2012
23
2,150
27
#56
I chose not to pick sides, I enjoy : discworld, hitch hickers guide, Harry potter, percy jackson, diary of a wimpy kid, Alex rider, the kane chronicles, and lots more.But the only thing is, I still haven't figured out how I've managed it, along with school, gaming, homework and much much more, and I'm only in 14!
 

TimBou

Lance-Constable
Feb 29, 2012
36
2,150
Canberra, Australia
#57
S@mwich said:
I chose not to pick sides, I enjoy : discworld, hitch hickers guide, Harry potter, percy jackson, diary of a wimpy kid, Alex rider, the kane chronicles, and lots more.But the only thing is, I still haven't figured out how I've managed it, along with school, gaming, homework and much much more, and I'm only in 14!
14 is the perfect time to read all of this stuff in my opinion. I'm 48 now, but one of my fondest reading memories is still of when I was about 14 staying up till 3am to read the end of Lord of the Rings - unforgettable!
 

Turtles4Ever

Lance-Constable
Jun 6, 2010
46
1,650
#58
Yes, for me the Discworld series is easily the best. Up until Discworld, I was an avid re-reader of Tolkien and Robert Holdstock (the Mythago Wood books), but now Terry's vast variety and (mostly) wonderful story-telling means that I have re-read his books far more than I did for Tolkien's and Holdstock's works.

I just love the variety and situations in Terry's writing - some light, some pretty dark. And most of the characters are superb.

Having said that, I'm not beyond criticising his output - for my tastes 'Snuff' is dreadful, as is the much earlier 'Moving Pictures'. Still, those are but minor hiccups compared to Terry's largely superb output which has kept me entertained for hundreds (perhaps thousands?) of hours.

Thank you Terry! :laugh:
 

Prolekult

Lance-Constable
Jun 11, 2011
47
1,650
#59
Personally I thought Hitch Hikers series was pretty overrated. Maybe I should give it another try. Tolkien - zzzzz. Love the Rankin books. Almost loved HIs Dark Materials and then the last book was a bit of a mess, which I thought was a tragedy as it could have been the best ever.
The Flashman books were OK but I thought the Pyrates was much funnier, loved that one.
 

User Menu

Newsletter