Terry Pratchett, man with a hat, is one of my best fantasy authors (above Tolkien, Discworld is funny). He has written a very successful Discworld book series, about which we shall talk here.
Discworld is (as its name tells us) a flat world, that is carried through space at the back of four elephants, that are standing on the only turtle ever to feature on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. The sex of elephants is still unknown.
Till now I have read about four books of the Discworld series, and a long time ago his books for children (Wings, Diggers…), yet still favourite to me is The Color of Magic, first of the Discworld series (Hrun, the smartest barbarian, he doesn’t move his lips while thinking :D). So tell here what you think of Discworld, which books are your favourite, least favourite (although I know there is no such thing as that) and overall score of the whole series.
Topic Summary: Discworld fan discusses Death and Witches sub-series, noting tonal shifts in later books like Night Watch, and asks about Tiffany Aching.
Topic Overview (Wikipedia):
Discworld is a collection of fantasy comedy novels, graphic novels, short stories, and associated works conceived and primarily written by the English author Terry Pratchett. They are united by their being set on the Discworld, a flat planet balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle. The novel series consists of forty-one books, the first being The Colour of Magic, published in 1983, and the last The Shepherd’s Crown, published posthumously in 2015. Pratchett also wrote eleven short stories related to the Discworld. The novels often satirise classic fantasy and science fiction, mythology, and folklore, and also include commentary on contemporary cultural, political and scientific issues.
— Read more on Wikipedia
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title: Discworld sub-series overview
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graph TD
A[Discworld] --> B[City Watch]
A --> C[Death]
A --> D[Witches]
A --> E[Rincewind]
A --> F[Industrial Revolution]
A --> G[Tiffany Aching]
B --> H[Sam Vines]
C --> I[Mort]
D --> J[Granny Weatherwax]
E --> K[The Color of Magic]
F --> L[Moving Pictures]
G --> M[The Wee Free Men]
Great topic! I’ve read most of the Discworld series, and I have to say, Pratchett’s genius is in how he blends humor with sharp social commentary.
My favorite is probably “Small Gods” – it’s a brilliant satire on religion and belief. The Color of Magic is fun, but the series really finds its stride later on.
What do you think of the City Watch sub-series? Sam Vimes is one of the best characters ever written.
I’ve been through the series multiple times, and what always gets me is how Pratchett uses the absurd setting to explore real human flaws. The Death books are my personal favorites—‘Mort’ and ‘Reaper Man’ hit that perfect balance of wit and melancholy. Has anyone else noticed how the later books shift tone, like ‘Night Watch’ being almost a straight drama? Also, the Witches sub-series deserves more love; Granny Weatherwax is a force of nature. What’s your take on the Tiffany Aching books? They’re technically YA but hold up brilliantly.
