Reading Sir Terry Pratchett

I love Sir Terry Pratchett's work.  The man is brilliant, insightful, and possesses a marvelous sense of humor.  On the right side here on my blog, four of the icons below my profile are from his work:  the Discworld (which travels through space supported by four elephants standing on the back of a giant turtle),  Death playing guitar (from Soul Music), the Librarian, and the Watch (from Guards! Guards!).

To celebrate becoming a Knight, Sir Terry made himself a sword that includes thunderbolt iron (pieces of meteorite).  Collected the ore, smelted it on his property, made the sword!

Image from HERE

Starting in on the many books in the Discworld series can be daunting.  Here's my contribution to the many reading order lists.  As a fan it's probably a requirement!


Within the Discworld books, there are series focusing on specific characters.  The characters grow and change based on what has happened to them (one of the many things I love about this man's writing).  That's why reading them in order (within a group) is important.

It's not necessary to finish one group before starting another.  And of course there are wizards in the watch books, etc.

The Watch - The police force of Discworld's largest city
Guards! Guards! (a favorite of mine; my first Pratchett!)
Men at Arms
Feet of Clay
Jingo (a favorite of mine)
The Fifth Elephant
Night Watch (a favorite of mine) (read Thief of Time first)
Thud!
Snuff

Death - The only character to appear in every Discworld book.  He's the main character in this group.
Reaper Man (a favorite of mine)
Mort (Death gets an apprentice)
Soul Music (where the icon image of Death playing guitar comes from)
Hogfather (a favorite of mine) (I know several people who read this as their first Pratchett book and they didn't have any trouble with it.  It's been made into a movie, a good movie.)
Thief of Time (a favorite of mine)

The Witches - The first three books here could be read in any order, but read all three before Lords and Ladies.  I love all the Witches books!
Equal Rites (girls can be wizards, too!)
Wyrd Sisters (Macbeth, Pratchett style)
Witches Abroad (Cinderella with Pratchettian twists)
Lords and Ladies (Elves!)
Maskerade (Phantom of the Opera happens in Discworld)
Carpe Jugulum (vampires)

The Wizards - The first three here are very early Discworld.  Sir Terry didn't have his voice down yet, and the writing isn't quite as good as others.  You can start this group with Interesting Times without missing much.  Well, there's the explanation of the magical accident that turned the Librarian into an orangutan.  You could go back and get that later ... or you could watch the movie "The Colour of Magic."
The Colour of Magic
The Light Fantastic
Sourcery
Interesting Times (as in the Chinese curse)
The Last Continent (a favorite of mine)
The Last Hero (a favorite of mine)
Unseen Academicals

Moist von Lipwig - a marvelous con man.  (Reading The Truth, a stand alone, before starting this group will give you background for several of the characters, but isn't a requirement for enjoying the stories.) 
Going Postal (there's a movie for this one)
Making Money

Stand Alones - You can read these in any order
Pyramids (ancient Egypt meets Discworld)
Moving Pictures (a favorite of mine)
Small Gods (another favorite)
The Truth (printing press technology arrives)
Monstrous Regiment (The only one I read only once.  Somehow it just didn't work as a Discworld story for me.  Maybe I should try again...)

Young Adult
The Wee Free Men (a favorite of mine; how can you not love Rob Anybody?)
A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith
I Shall Wear Midnight
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents (not Discworld; marvelous anyway)

Terry Pratchett has a small role in each of the three movies made from Discworld stories:  Hogfather, Going Postal, and The Colour of Magic.  There are animated versions of Equal Rites and Wyrd Sisters.  All are well done.

Most fans have their favorite characters.  It's easy for me to start a list, but I have trouble stopping!  Sort of like Nanny spelling banana.  At the top of my list would be (in alphabetical order; all are at the top) Ahmed, Angua, Death, Detritus, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Nobby, Ponder, Susan, Vetinari, Sam Vimes, Sybil Vimes.  I'll stop there.  *grin*

So, are any of my readers also Pratchett readers?  Let me know!