Favorite/Least favorite Discworld books

I'm fairly sure I've read all of the discworld books, and to be honest I think Thud is the best of the lot.

Vimes is a stupendous character, in a stupendous setting with stupendous support characters. Pratchett did genius in writing a book which incorporated a game but wasnt wholly focused on it, and it really developed the background of the disk. Plus there's the comment aout chess

I think Vimes is the best character, but I dont like Rincewind. He just seems too one-dimensional.

Any of the books featuring the night watch (I know they are the whole watch these days, but they'll always be the Night Watch to me!) I love the development of the characters (Nobby is still Nobby, only more so!) and the constant internal conflict Vimes has, especially in Thud (which has become my new favorite book).

As for least favorites...it's hard beacuse all Discworld are extremely well written, but I have to go with the Lancre Witches. Granny Weatherwax just doesn't appeal me. I do like Nanny Ogg though, and Greebo.

I also admire the more recent books like Thief of Time, The Truth and Going Postal for throwing new characters into the vast Discworld melting pot.

My favourite books are the City Watch books, and while the characters in these are great I do have to admit that Rincewind is a great one, however the one that does it for me has to be 'THE LUGGAGE'.

Hiya,

My favorite Discworld book would have to be: Jingo. Wasn't sure about it when I first read it but it has grown on me with subsequent readings and now that I have read it 5 times, I love it. (The thought of Nobby in gauze pants and hobnail boots.....)

Least favorite book would be: Small Gods. I have tried and tried but I just don't like it.

Favorite character/s: Greebo, Vimes and his men, The Mac Nac Feegles, Mustrum Ridcully and Nanny Ogg. And Death. And Cohen and the Silver Horde. (Ok most of the Discworld characters then)

Least favorite: Hard to say but probably Brother Brutha.

I hate to disagree with you, Ptraci, but Small Gods is one of my favorite books.

It's very difficult to choose a single Discworld book as my favorite because so many of them rely on each other. Honestly, would Thud have made much sense without reading any of the other Watch books? Especially without The Fifth Elephant, what with all the talk of Dwarfs and Trolls.

Anyway, my favorite books are Small Gods, Theif of Time and Night Watch. Favorite character... Difficult to choose again... Either Vimes or Angua, but Detritus is pretty close beneath them. Least favorite book is Mort (no competition) and least favorite character is Rincewind. There's something about him that's just a little bit annoying.

Hello again,

No offence taken von uberwald, everyone has their own favorites for their own reasons. I have to say though that one of my most loved scenes is in Mort. The scene where Death is working as a short order cook at Harga's Hose of Ribs always makes me smile. The imagery of Death discovering what happiness is while whirling around the kitchen frying eggs and chips and feeding stray cats is glorious.

"Happiness,' he said, and puzzled at the sound of his own voice

See, with a topic like this it sort of sounds like everyone dislikes their least favorite books. I know that some people must actually not enjoy reading their least favorites, I don't. I liked Mort when I read it. I just didn't like it as much as some others.

It's hard because the books tend to be done in such a way that you may like the characters or vice versa. Personally, I like all the books and define my 'least favorite' ones as ones I am usually dis-inclined to read for a while compared to others I could read again a couple of days after finishing.

I'm in possession of, and have read the entire main Discworld series up until Thud!. No spin offs like Nac Mac Feegles or Maurice or whatever, I'm still deciding whether I should.
However, I agree with most of you it's very hard to decide which one of them is better, or best. Just last week I reread TCOM, and noticed how Discworld had developed from comical fantasy to fantastic Literature (notice the uppercase L). I still like both.
My favorites therefore have to be closely linked to my hobbies: movies, (New Orleans-)music, computers. Moving Pictures, Witches Abroad, Soul Music, and anything with The Anthill. And Thud! obviously.
PTerry should write Discworld novels on kites and/or (preferrably) the Linux community!

I'll begin with a Hi, its my first post here and I must say what a charming collection of people you all seem to be. Such a refreshing change from other forums I belong to.

Anyway without getting too smarmy it all began for me with Guards Guards. Since then I've read the whole Discworld series many times over but I've come to regard the watchmen books as my favourites. If I had to pick just one book it'd be Guards Guards every time. Favourite character would have to be the Librarian, who can always inject a bit of humour into any situation and is a fellow biker "Ook Ook"!

I also like the way the wizards have developed into this group of grumpy old men with teenage tendencies, living a perpetual student lifestyle. Takes me back to my college days and guarantees to leave me giggling like a school girl on the train to work.

My least favourite book would have to be Equal Rites. I remember it being very different from the other books of that early period and it just didn't work for me. The later witches books were better but I think Granny Weatherwax's character hadn't quite found its feet in ER. Saying that I think its the only discworld book that I've read only once, so perhaps Im being unfair and should give it another go.

As for films, unless its done well I'd prefer they didn't bother. I cant imagine a film version without narration, so much of the humour comes from here that any film would be lacking without it. But narration is a tricky thing to get right in a live action film.

Although its not discworld, I've always thought Good Omens would be a better translation to film or TV mini series.

If anyone has seen the Empire Falls tv miniseries (on HBO in the states, so I don't know if many people will have), that had a pretty good way of going about narration. I could picture something like that.

I personally feel these are some of his better works. So the answer, I feel, is that if you enjoy Pratchett's other stuff, you definitely should.

Whether to go for the ones definitely set on earth, like "Johnny And The Bomb", "Only You Can Save Mankind" etc, I don't know. I've liked them, but only to the extent that I like many books - they haven't been amongst the greater gems of his collection, for me.

Heh - thank you, and welcome!

We achieve this niceness by deleting and banning anyone who disagrees with us! Mwahahahaha!

Actually, I lie - though I think we might have banned a casino spammer once. We've just been really lucky that Pratchett fans just tend to be nice, mature people

Part of the art of filmmaking is turning as much as possible of the narration into a kind of "visual narration". But I admit that this wouldn't get the full zing. I thought the gimmick in the HichHikers' films of havingthe Guide speak worked well, but then, it was originally written for radio anyway, so they had a kindof template to work with.

Yeah, I've been expecting that for a while - though perhaps, with dual authorship, the licencing gets complicated or something, so people haven't wanted to touch it. But yes, very visual book. I wonder how much of that was Gaiman's doing - his work is always very visual, and his stuff translates well to the screen (well, I liked the Neverwhere series, even if nobody else did!)

Speaking of which, I don't have a TV, but I think I saw a trailer over christmas for some kind of new Discworld series being shown on the BBC? Or was it an alcohol-and-feasting induced dream?

Welcome to the forum Crispy! Glad to know you've had a good experience round these parts

Just to add to others' impressions of various books, I started out with Mort. I liked it so much I went and got Colour of magic then burned through the rest of the series in short order. It's a bit frustrating, now, to have to wait months for a new release now

Least favourite (relatively speaking of course!) would be some of the early ones; Light Fantastic was OK and Sourcery hasn't really demanded a re-read yet but then TP says that the early stuff was really a piss-take on existing fantasy at the time (and Harry potter?!? )

Favourite is currently Thud! but amongst the Panlexicon is Monstrous Regiment, Postal, Truth and Night Watch. The Tiffany books were superb as were the other "childrens' books" . I just recently re-read "Regiment". Having spent some time in the US Army I'm amazed at how accurate and true to life the detail is right down to the execrable food, the contempt Sgt Jackrum has for Corporal Strappi and all officers, etc.

Unlike some, I really got into the Witches books. The scene of the battle of wills between Granny W and DEATH in Reaper Man was one of those bits of literature that connects at a very fundamental, visceral level (with me, at least. Same with the scene with Vimes getting to his house by 6PM and the confrontation with the Dwarf Taliban in the cave at the end of Thud). Granny W is someone who's funny in a crabbily non-chalant way right up to the point where she speaks and you suddenly feel the unmeasurable cold of eternity and the weight of a neutron star core on you. I would like to see more of her.

Anyway, enough from me for now....

Dunno. Do these dreams incorporate the internet?
http://www.johnnyandthebomb.net/

That would be Johnny and the Bomb, coming soon to the BBC. I haven't read any of this series of books but will try to catch the TV show. Zoe Wannamaker (spelling?) is staring in it apparently.

I got Pyramids, Reaper Man, Witches Abroad and Monstrous Regiment for christmas and my birthday (26th of dec ). I've finished reading the first three and Pyramids has entered my top 5 favorites, Reaper Man has made the top ten, and although Witches Abroad doesn't make my top ten, the Lancre Witches have gone up in my book.

I loved the twisting of fairy tales. Distorting our world into the Discworld is something Terry Pratchett has always done extremely well. This is even more evident in Pyramids, which I love as I have an Ancient Egypt fixation. The part where the late Teppicymon (sp?) is freeing all the previous rulers, and their bloody annoyed is classic!

As for Reaper Man, I love the development of Death as a personality, with him developing feelings and attachments to people, and showing compassion to the little girl (Iforgot her name) and Miss Flitworth is very well done. And the showdown with the New Death is very tense. I couldn't stop reading till I finished the book.

I shall return with my verdict on Monstrous Regiment when I have finished reading it. (Not started yet, JUST finished Withces Abroad.)

Does anyone else find that they start reading one of his books, find they plod (probably a bad word choice but I hope you get my drift!) along at a steady pace and then suddenly THUD! evrything is coming to the climax all of a sudden and you CAN'T stop reading yet?

for some reasom Going Postal is stuck in my head

Hard to pin down... my faves change quite occasionally. Im really into Thief of Time and Nightwatch at the moment.

I love the way they both deal with the same outlying story yet tell such different tales... and the devolpment of Vimes's character was great, totally in his element in the old ways of the watch. Plus Lu-Tze has been one of my favourite character additions to the discworld series for some time.

I'm actually hoping we get some more on the balancing monks, I'm certain theres a great story somewhere in that... the possibilty of the disc turning over... water draining faster over the rim, that kind of thing.

I dont really have a least favourite, I enjoy reading them all to be fair. Although if I had to pick, I'd lean towards Carpe Jugulum perhaps. I'm not a big fan of Agnes Nitt, although there are lots of bits I like in that book.

A friend of mine claims Small Gods as his least fave, says it feels too much of a chore to read. Im inclined to agree but again, still like it.

Choosing a favorite Discworld book is hard, but I think Going Postal is mine. I love the character of Moist, and the whole thing, really. Other close favorites are Small Gods and Night Watch.

A least favorite is even harder. I like all the books, but I think my least favorite would be Equal Rites or Soul Music. Granny's character seems wrong in ER (because it was written first, of course, but the first witches book I read was Witches Abroad) and Soul Music, for whatever reason just doesn't appeal to me as much as the other books. In general, I don't like the witches books as much as the others, although I loved Carpe Jugulum. I'd really like to see Oats again.

My favorite character is ethier Moist, or Vimes, or Ridcully or Vetinari, it's hard to choose. Oddly enough, my least favorite is easy, and it's Carrot. I haven't got a clue why I dislike Carrot. It's got nothing to do with the way he's written, he just annoys me.

Had to be Jingo...........

hmmmmmmm well give me couple more months to think, but I strongly suspect Thud will userp it's top billing.

Can I interest anyone in a sausage?

CMOT Dibbler (Merchant Advernturer)

Is everyone absolutely sure I can't interest them in a sausage?

What? Do you mean you're actually selling sausages?!? Mr Dibbler, your standards are slipping!

mind you, I suppose you do have to call them sausages...

What no BUN?

And maybe some some really great -ing mustard?

Favourite book - tough choice - Terry seems to get better and better - the characters more developed, their interactions more complex. Favourite Hmm have to be Guards series, Either THUD or Feet of Clay. Can't pin it down more than that.

Least favourite - Jingo, I know weird yeah love the Guards series but least favourite IS a guards book. Still had some excellent moments but overall didn't Zing as much as the others. Some of the older books I appreciate the nostalga. I've been a huge fan of Terry for a long time now, and actually met him at a convention before I knew his work. (Swancon Western Australia 91/2)

hey guys it has to be said my favourite books are definately mort and reaper man, as my favourite diskworld character is Death. he is just so hilarious and the fact that he always gets it wrong just makes me crack up.

I also really like the Lancre witches books ( i know a lot of people disagree) they just seem to be extremly intelligent books with devious plot lines and characters.

My least favourite book would probably have to be Interesting times (i really like it, its just not one of my favourites).

what i am basically trying to say here Pratchett rocks!

Men at arms has to be my favourite book, and sam vimes my favourite character.

Hard to tell what favourite book would be...
Outside the "normal" series, I laughed my heart out with "Maurice and his educated rodents". This is for me still the bees knees...
I also enjoyed the "monsterous regiment", and my favourite characters must be
the "wee free men".
I do think there should be more squirrels in the books though...

you really like squirrels don't you duir?

I do. They are great with boiled jelly beans on toast...

My Favorite book? Night Watch. I know it's a little dark, but I love it. Least favorite? it's a hard one, but I will have to go with the color of magic. There you made me say it.

Hey everyone. Really enjoyed reading all of your posts.

I started with Reaper Man, borrowed from my sister. After that I found the first two in my school library, read them, and decided to read more so bought the rest of the back-catalogue up to present.

To start with me least favourites, I'd have to admit that it's COM and TLF. I know the Discworld has developed and evolved as it has gradually become exposed to Roundworld, and it

PTerry is quoted in SFX as saying about the Feegles: ""The Nac Mac Feegles are basically pixies who have seen Braveheart altogether too many times."

Superb, and so true!

Great interview about Wintersmith there too.

My favourites are the Watch books anyday but i have not read fith elephant but part from that i have read all of the watch books.
My least favourites are the witchy ones and small gods.
My fave characters are Carrot then Angua then Nobby then Colon then Vimes then Detritus
My fave quote is from Men at Arms

"Cuddy: My soul will have to walk the world in torment
Death: IT DOES NOT HAVE TO
Cuddy: It can if it wants to"

my favourite would have to be Gone Postal. i have read it sooo many times, and i just love the characters, and the whole story.

my favourite character is, without doubt, Vetinari (sp?). he is just so perfect as the leader of the greatest -ing heap, i mean, 'city', ankh-morpork would be lost without him.

I was thinking of actually starting this forum but it seems someone has beaten me to it.
Hm, well, I think that Vimes and his croni...i mean watchmen are superb characters and make for great tales along with the partician (one of my all time fav charaters.
However Death is interesting and odd it appears that throughout time and cartoons the mixture of naivety and power (or stupidity/weakness with cruelty etc) is a winning combination- Stewie griffin, Mr. Burns, the professor etc)
I dislike the witches, in general one of my pet hates is people who are stupid but arrogant about it.
Small gods was good though along with the other one-off books like pyramids that actually have powerful satyre and intend to get it across. Jingo, the Truth, nightwatch, Thud, The monsterous reginent, theif of time (gotta LOVE those monks) going postal -I live in australia so the last continent struck well (surprisingly accurate)
However I went the extra step and read "Strata" What did everyone think of that (I think I'll open a forum for that one) OOO and CMOT rocks...in a lowlife vendor type of way.

i really like the characters from the ankh-morporl scenes,like Vimes and the wizards and carrot and especially CMOTD

am ubsy reading the rincewind trilogy,which consists of
sourcery
eric
interesting times
which is good cos i haven't read any of them before,and i find that rincewind is quite a cool character,he knows where he stands in the world,or crawls,as it may be

but he also Co-stars in Colour of Magic, Light Fantastic, stars in The Last Continent,

i like going postal and monster regiment and also like the nac mac feegles great books some books are better than others aint that always the way up and down.

i really enjoyed going postal as well.
guards!guards!
men at arms
the last continent was fun

I love the international dibbler clan. and it;s so true there's always a guy...

yet they probably use exactly the same terrible things in their pies,it's like a family recipe

look I saw "supersize me" I don;t care what dibblah, dibbler, dlang dlang or any of them put in their pies they still look good by comparison

that movie put me off mc d's for a long time

with great power comes great responsibility

spidermans' uncle

I never eat that crap. it's not food.

"With great power comes great responcibility
that's the catchphrase of old uncle ben
if you missed it don;t woirry they say the line
again and again and again"
Weird Al

but great power is fun

+++free pork: the great Jewish dilema+++
but I like Jews just in case there are any here...they contribute a lot to science, I respect that and I like their buisness model.

i like wierd al,he's made some good songs,how about the one where he rips off kurt cobain by drinking a glass of water in one of his songs and making gargling noises to the sound of cobain's humming

I thought Cobane was meant to be singing. oops. he so didn't kill himself.

Yeah or the e-bay song or the amish song or white and nerdy...the film clip rules.

and the 'eat it' song riping off michael jackson

In my opinion, and from what I've read here a lot of other peoples opinion, any book with Vimes in it is a good book. However if I had to choose from all the Watch books I'd probably choose "Night Watch" because I feel it really allowed Vimes to develop as a character not to mention give us some general background on the Watch.

In regards to "supersize me" it was a disgusting eyeopener as to what we put into our body, although to be fair to McDonalds, you're really not supposed to eat McDonalds in those quantities

Also, in regards to Wierd Al, yes it was funny the first few times, no it isn't any more.

i also really enjoyed nigth watch more than the others,it's the base of all watch stories.

i didn't eat mc donalds for 2 monthsafter i saw that movie,but now as long as you don't eat it too often i'm happy,there's better food out there anyway