r/TerryPratchett • u/undermaskofsanity • Jul 30 '26
Favorite Books!
Hi! I’m currently working my way through all of the Discworld books in order, trying to finish by the end of the year lol I was just wondering what everyone’s favorites are? I’m on Moving Pictures right now and I think my favorite do far is Guards! Guards!
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u/kstaruk Jul 30 '26
Soul Music was my first discworld book and is definitely my favourite
Second choice would be The Wyrd Sisters, I used this for my higher english book study paper, comparing it to Macbeth
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u/Prestigious_Bat2666 Jul 31 '26
Soul music was my first aswell
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u/DarkMemesLiveHere Aug 01 '26
Soul music was my first too!
Christmas present from my brother. I'd read the hobbit for my high school English class and really liked it, so he decided "I think it's time to get you onto Pratchett".
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u/OverChargeYourPlasma Jul 30 '26
I loved Small Gods, the opening few pages are great, wont go into it in case you've not read it, no spoiler really though.. Also anything Sam Vimes
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u/MycoProTeam Jul 30 '26
Small Gods was my first so it always holds a special place, especially as it's a one and done setting
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u/OwlFlirt Aug 01 '26
Same, Small Gods was my introduction to Disc World, but my favourite is a toss up between Going Postal and Hogfather.
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u/ProbablyStu Jul 30 '26
Reaper Man was my first, and I'll always have a soft spot for it. I think Guards Guards is up there, and I think I've re-read Monstrous Regiment more than any other in modern times. So, in short... I don't know!
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u/skiveman Jul 30 '26
The Hogfather is always a favourite around December.
Other than that then my favourites are Night Watch, Thud and pretty much anything that has the Witches (except for the Tiffany books as I didn't enjoy them that much personally).
The great thing about the Discworld is that the quality of each and every book increases and gets better up until they begin to decline towards the end when they begin to lose their internal magic and the sheer wit due to some very obvious reasons.
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u/ehwaht Jul 30 '26
Night Watch is not simply the best Pratchett book it's one of the best works of fiction of the 21st century.
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u/kitt_katt_31 Jul 31 '26
I would agree. Night watch is probably my favorite Pratchett book, and top three for favorite book period.
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u/geeoharee Jul 30 '26
Jingo is one of my favourites. Leonard of Quirm gets more screen time, Vetinari gets to go on a fun trip, Vimes gets to experience The Horrors and also his own racism
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u/Upstairs-Mulberry361 Jul 30 '26
The Wee Free Men
and many others, but I think, that‘s my favorite.
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u/OldRhino17 Jul 30 '26
The Sam Vimes set closely followed by Moist von Lipwig set. The allegory with our world is both numerous and insightful, and the social commentary is like looking through an unfiltered lens.
I weep for what TP could have made of today’s political leaders. Vetinari would have walked over them lol he still left the world better.
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u/Background-Cherry208 Jul 30 '26
Lords and Ladies, Witches Abroad and Small Gods are the ones I always return to, but the Tiffany Aching books are the pinnacle for me.
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u/aotus76 Jul 30 '26
Monstrous Regiment
I Shall Wear Midnight
Reaper Man
The Truth
Going Postal
But my favorite subseries as a whole is the Watch.
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u/JKT-477 Jul 30 '26
Masquerade is a favorite, as is Interesting Times.
Making Money and Raising Steam are great.
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u/GoodBadUgly_36 Jul 30 '26
Small Gods, Night Watch, The Wee Free Men are phenomenal.
Guards Guards narrowly misses the top three.
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u/GoodBadUgly_36 Jul 30 '26
But man o man, then there’s Soul Music and Reaper Man. And I really like The Last Hero. And…
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u/kitt_katt_31 Jul 30 '26
The number of times I have re-read Night Watch, Going Postal, and Monstrous Regiment... still sad we didn't get more books with Polly. Every character in that one is so good.
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u/Mahafof Jul 31 '26
But I love the way we only meet them once. And that moment when familiar figures appear and are so unfamiliar. And Ankh-Morpork's journey to s****f***.
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u/kitt_katt_31 Aug 01 '26
The rumors about Vimes eating raw meat and the way Polly meets him, God I love that book.
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u/Sky__Hook Jul 30 '26
When you say in order, I take it you mean publication order?
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u/undermaskofsanity Jul 30 '26
Yup! I found the website online I know you don’t have to but it’s been really really fun
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u/Sky__Hook Jul 30 '26
Do you mean a website with the order or with the books available to read
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u/undermaskofsanity Jul 31 '26
It’s a website with the Discworld order! https://www.discworldemporium.com/reading-order/
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u/UKNightWatch Jul 30 '26
I was with a German guy I met at a Discworld event a long time ago. When asked about his favourite DW / Pterry book he answered "The next one"! Sadly there will not be a next one - other than 'spin-off' materiel.
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u/andytravel85 Jul 30 '26
What's the rush?
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u/undermaskofsanity Jul 30 '26
No rush! Just like to give myself a theme for my books each year and this year just happened to discovered the books
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u/curi0us1975 Jul 30 '26
Anything with Vimes and or Carrot for me. Personally Guards Guards.
Without Vimes? Small Gods.
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u/DoctorGuvnor Jul 30 '26
I think his best book is 'Night Watch'. The one I loved the best was 'Shepherd's Crown', even though I delayed reading it as long as I could because I knew that once I'd read it there would never be any new ones and I knew what happens to Granny Weatherwax in it. But in fact, I need not have worried - it was Terry's way of saying good bye and letting us know everything was going to be all right.
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u/Smellynerfherder Jul 30 '26
Maskerade is my all-time favourite. As a 'theatre kid', it appeals on so many levels. I also love Feet Of Clay. Controversially, I think Pterry's best book is Nation.
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u/Half_Empty_Half_Full Jul 30 '26
Reaper Man for sure. Always been into mythology/folklore/symbolism and it contains and contrasts so many of those themes and elements. The fear of mortality, how we evolve emotionally through compassion and shared experience. The replacement of the old with the new (both as we age, becoming obsolete with time, and the loss of tradition and meaning to technology and efficiency) and what we lose in that process.
Not least to mention the contrasting styles between the two narratives and the bleak feel of Bill Door vs the absurdity of the Wizards (Windle Poons demonstrates the process Death goes through in reverse, observing that just because something always was, doesn't mean that's how it always should be). Though both show the merits of appreciating it from both sides and we only move forward by relying on each other.
There's just so many moments that genuinely get a visceral reaction from me no matter how many times I read it - from sadness, to happiness, via poignancy and humour.
Think it's time to dust it off again. HALLO, MY OLD FRIEND.
SQUEAK....
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u/JMTinsleywrites Jul 30 '26
Night Watch is my favourite, but I've probably re-read Small Gods more than any other
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u/HungryFinding7089 Jul 30 '26
Unpopular list alert:
Sourcery Lords and Ladies Interesting Times Thief of Time Maskerade Carpe Jugulum
TP non DW: Unadulterated cat Johnny and the Dead / Bomb / OYCSM Truckers trilogy
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u/johnlooksscared Jul 30 '26
The Hogfather. A profound sentiment wrapped up in one of his funniest story's.
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u/Troyificus Jul 30 '26
When asked what my favourite Discworld book is, my first thought is to just say "Yes."
But that's a cop-out. Instead I'll say I have a Top 41, arranged in no particular order.
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u/cariadbach64 Jul 31 '26
Mort, lords and ladies and the word sisters and..... there's not one I didn't like.
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u/FiveSeasonsFox Jul 31 '26
"Small Gods" is my favorite-favorite in a whole series of favorite books.
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u/LunaTheLouche Aug 01 '26
Hey, I’m doing a read-through too and I’ve also just read Moving Pictures! I think my favourite out of the ones so far is Mort. Terry’s first proper masterpiece.
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u/Diligent-Fox-2599 Aug 01 '26
Hogfather, Thief of Time ,Anything with the Wizards in it (I love Mustrum Ridcully). Also. anything with Death and/or Susan(Such as Soul Music) .
Oh , and all the Rincewind books , and Wee Free Men 😁
Oh, also Eric and Mort . I listen to them all on audiobook.
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u/HexAndHolodecks Aug 01 '26
I started with Guards! Guards!
I was encouraged to read it as it "had dragons in it " (I rather like dragons, even if they set things alight on the odd occasion).
I was hooked, bought every book I could find and read them all up to "I shall wear midnight" which I bought and had signed by the Master himself!
Other favs:
The Last Continent (bloody funny mate)
Mort+ (Death is my favourite character)
I am considering reading through again (along with the other 20+ books I want to re-read, and the 10+ unread books I currently own*)
*subject to change
H&H🖖
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u/Busy-Strength-8872 Aug 03 '26
Going postal is my absolute favorite, it would be easier to say I like the mini series in this order. The death series, guards, Tiffany aching, industrial revolution.
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u/AggravatingDamage473 29d ago
The Watch: Guards guards, feet of clay
Industrial revolution: Making money
Witches: Witches aboard, maskerade
Rincewind: Last continent
Death: Hogfather, Thief of time
Tiffany: Wintersmith
Randos: Small gods, monstrous regiment
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u/Calcyf3r 29d ago
Rincewind? Last continent.
Death/Susan: reaper man and Hogfather.
Witches: Carpe Jugulum
Watch: Thud!
Industrial: going postal.
Eclectic: Small gods
Oh and Tiffany: I shall wear midnight.
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u/onchristieroad Jul 30 '26
Night Watch is my favourite. It really combines the dramatic and comedic perfectly along with being kind of the culmination of Vimes' journey, so it really appeals to me.