sarakingdom Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 What's this reading club all about, then? Lately we've had a lot of Discworld re-readers and new readers who weren't sure where to start, so we thought we'd start a book club. People struggle with where to start reading, because there are so many places you could start, and it's a fairly common opinion that the worst place to start is the actual first book. The books are all pretty self-contained, with a few exceptions that just work better if you know the characters, and there are so damned many, and everyone has a favorite and a totally different recommendation on where to start. So we thought we'd start the first three challenges with good starter books, introducing the major sub-series of the Discworld books: Challenge #55 (December) - Guards! Guards!, the most commonly recommended starting book, which introduces the hapless police force of Ankh-Morpork, Discworld's biggest city, one of the major sets of characters followed through the series. This is the book where people often feel the writing matured into something fully representative of the series that followed, and it introduces Sam Vimes, one of the major characters we follow through the books. Challenge #56 (January) - Wyrd Sisters, which introduces Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat; a trio of witches in the rural Ramptops mountains, who carry another major subseries of the books. Granny Weatherwax lives in a town called Bad Ass, and it might as well be named for her. Challenge #57 (February) - Mort, which is the first major book in a series focusing on the Grim Reaper and the consequences of his questionable parenting decisions. Death is the third major character in the series. Challenge #58+: We'll take a vote to we see who's here and what they'd like to read next. So if you're curious about Discworld and couldn't figure out where to start, this is (still) for you. Any of these challenges will be a great place to start. All three would be a great intro to the major characters and themes of the series. If you find the holidays rough or winter depressing, these are fairly light, humorous action books with a solid core of human decency. They're good winter reading. If you've been away from Pratchett books too long and are looking for a re-read, this is your chance. (And we'd welcome a couple of old hands pitching in to keep discussion rolling.) (Future people reading the book two years from now, please feel free to use this thread for discussion. Just beware of possible spoilers as the thread goes on.) Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Discworld Reading Club - Mort (Challenge #57) Death takes on an apprentice. It... does not go well. Also, Death is a precious cinnamon roll, too good and too pure for this world. This is actually the book Terry Pratchett apparently recommends as a starting point to the series, so this is a good place to come in. The book should be in most libraries in book and quite possibly audiobook and ebook form. The Discworld audiobooks are really good, especially the later ones, so you can't go wrong if you prefer to listen rather than read. 2 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Infinity.Creates Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Woop! 1 Quote they / them | half-orc paladin ( oath of the watcher ) -- lv 0 Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ~ Battle Log ~ Epic Quest Link to comment
CourtnieMarie Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 will be downloading it onto my kindle tonight! 1 Quote Instagram | pinterest read harder challenge | Battle Log | NROLFW Challenges: 13-1 | 13-2 | 13-3 | 13-3.5 | 14-1 | 14-2 | 15-1 | 15-2 | 15-3 | 15-4 | 15-5 | 16-1 | 16-2 | 16-3 | 16-4 | 16-5 | 16-6 | 16-7 | 16-8 | 17-1 | 17-2 | 17-3 | 17-4 | 17-5 | 17-6 | 17-7 | 17-8 | 17-9 | 17-10 | 18-1 | 18-2 | 18-3 | 18-4 | 18-5 | 18-6 | 18-7 | 18-8 | 18-9 | 18-10 | 19-1 | 19-2 | 19-3 | 19-4 | 19-5 | 19-6 | 19-7 | current Link to comment
ChirpyBird Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 On 2/12/2017 at 9:24 PM, sarakingdom said: Discworld Reading Club - Mort (Challenge #57) Death takes on an apprentice. It... does not go well. Also, Death is a precious cinnamon roll, too good and too pure for this world. This is actually the book Terry Pratchett apparently recommends as a starting point to the series, so this is a good place to come in. The book should be in most libraries in book and quite possibly audiobook and ebook form. The Discworld audiobooks are really good, especially the later ones, so you can't go wrong if you prefer to listen rather than read. So excited I found this thread. Perfect timing for me to get started on this series. Thank you for this! 1 Quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." My NF Character | Goodreads | Twitter | My Author Site HUMAN DRUID Level: 1 | STR 6 | DEX 3 | STA 3 | CON 5 | WIS 13 | CHA 5 Link to comment
CourtnieMarie Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 eep, haven't started it yet! it's up next after i finish the book i'm currently reading. 2 Quote Instagram | pinterest read harder challenge | Battle Log | NROLFW Challenges: 13-1 | 13-2 | 13-3 | 13-3.5 | 14-1 | 14-2 | 15-1 | 15-2 | 15-3 | 15-4 | 15-5 | 16-1 | 16-2 | 16-3 | 16-4 | 16-5 | 16-6 | 16-7 | 16-8 | 17-1 | 17-2 | 17-3 | 17-4 | 17-5 | 17-6 | 17-7 | 17-8 | 17-9 | 17-10 | 18-1 | 18-2 | 18-3 | 18-4 | 18-5 | 18-6 | 18-7 | 18-8 | 18-9 | 18-10 | 19-1 | 19-2 | 19-3 | 19-4 | 19-5 | 19-6 | 19-7 | current Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted February 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 On 2/18/2017 at 10:22 PM, ChirpyBird said: So excited I found this thread. Perfect timing for me to get started on this series. Thank you for this! Excellent, welcome! First time through, or second time? 8 hours ago, CourtnieMarie said: eep, haven't started it yet! it's up next after i finish the book i'm currently reading. I'm getting a late start, too. (I've read this one recently, so I'm less quick off the mark on this one. It's a lovely book, though.) I'm going to be listening to it this time around. 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted February 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 One of my favorite things about Death, by the way? Binky. Everything about Binky is perfection. 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
ChirpyBird Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 11 hours ago, sarakingdom said: Excellent, welcome! First time through, or second time? I'm getting a late start, too. (I've read this one recently, so I'm less quick off the mark on this one. It's a lovely book, though.) I'm going to be listening to it this time around. Haven't read any Pratchett other than The Color of Magic, which I remember loving, but then I think I picked up the next book and didn't finish it. Can't remember why, though. I was up late last night because I couldn't stop reading! 1 Quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." My NF Character | Goodreads | Twitter | My Author Site HUMAN DRUID Level: 1 | STR 6 | DEX 3 | STA 3 | CON 5 | WIS 13 | CHA 5 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted February 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 5 minutes ago, ChirpyBird said: I was up late last night because I couldn't stop reading! This is a common Pratchett problem. 2 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
ChirpyBird Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 11 hours ago, sarakingdom said: One of my favorite things about Death, by the way? Binky. Everything about Binky is perfection. Binky! I laughed so hard at that, when we learn the name of the horse. 1 Quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." My NF Character | Goodreads | Twitter | My Author Site HUMAN DRUID Level: 1 | STR 6 | DEX 3 | STA 3 | CON 5 | WIS 13 | CHA 5 Link to comment
ChirpyBird Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 37 minutes ago, sarakingdom said: This is a common Pratchett problem. Yeah, and right now I'm at work but all I want to do is read. I can see a Pratchett addiction starting...:P 1 Quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." My NF Character | Goodreads | Twitter | My Author Site HUMAN DRUID Level: 1 | STR 6 | DEX 3 | STA 3 | CON 5 | WIS 13 | CHA 5 Link to comment
Infinity.Creates Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 This reminds me, I need to find my book! (It's in a pile of Pratchett Books that I haven't bothered to organise yet. Along with another two shelves of books that are on my 'to-be read' list :P) 2 Quote they / them | half-orc paladin ( oath of the watcher ) -- lv 0 Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ~ Battle Log ~ Epic Quest Link to comment
ChirpyBird Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 On 2/12/2017 at 9:24 PM, sarakingdom said: Discworld Reading Club - Mort (Challenge #57) Death takes on an apprentice. It... does not go well. Also, Death is a precious cinnamon roll, too good and too pure for this world. This is actually the book Terry Pratchett apparently recommends as a starting point to the series, so this is a good place to come in. The book should be in most libraries in book and quite possibly audiobook and ebook form. The Discworld audiobooks are really good, especially the later ones, so you can't go wrong if you prefer to listen rather than read. Just finished it! Absolutely loved this book! So excited for the next one. Quick question: when you say this is a challenge, do we get any points for completion? Quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." My NF Character | Goodreads | Twitter | My Author Site HUMAN DRUID Level: 1 | STR 6 | DEX 3 | STA 3 | CON 5 | WIS 13 | CHA 5 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 On 2/22/2017 at 9:18 AM, ChirpyBird said: Yeah, and right now I'm at work but all I want to do is read. I can see a Pratchett addiction starting...:P That's generally how it starts, yes. If you want to hit another this challenge, we've just done Guards Guards and Wyrd Sisters, and those threads are open for discussion. They're also good starter books for Discworld. On 2/23/2017 at 2:20 PM, IAmInfinite said: This reminds me, I need to find my book! (It's in a pile of Pratchett Books that I haven't bothered to organise yet. Along with another two shelves of books that are on my 'to-be read' list :P) You do need to find it. It's an excellent book. I'm still at him taking Mort out for curry, but that is the best scene. 4 minutes ago, ChirpyBird said: Quick question: when you say this is a challenge, do we get any points for completion? The timeframe is the challenge schedule. But if you make one of your challenge goals "read Pratchett books", no one's going to judge. Your points are entirely up to you, no one assigns them. 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Raincloak Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 "Mort" is one of my favorites. For those who snoozed past Charles Dickens in English class, Ysabelle is partly a riff on Estella of "Great Expectations" (the 'I shall call you Boy' sequence). Interestingly in one of the early Disc books featuring Rincewind (Light Fantastic, mybe?) she was slender, gorgeous and creepy. That was back when Death hadn't been properly characterized, either. In Mort she's evolved to curvy and practical with a fiercely hidden romantic streak. I liked her and wish she appeared in a few other books, but she's already got a lot in common with Lady Ramkin, Agnes, and Glenda. And with her daughter, who appears in several later books.... 2 Quote Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. Hylian Assassin 5'5", 143 lbs. Half-marathon: 3:02It is pitch dark. You are likely to be eaten by a grue. Link to comment
ChirpyBird Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 On 2/26/2017 at 11:00 AM, sarakingdom said: That's generally how it starts, yes. If you want to hit another this challenge, we've just done Guards Guards and Wyrd Sisters, and those threads are open for discussion. They're also good starter books for Discworld. With only a day left in February, I won't have time to complete it, plus I have another book to read for a different book club, and one on meditation and one on yoga. Whew! So I think I'll wait to see what the next Pratchett challenge is for March and grab that one instead! Quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." My NF Character | Goodreads | Twitter | My Author Site HUMAN DRUID Level: 1 | STR 6 | DEX 3 | STA 3 | CON 5 | WIS 13 | CHA 5 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted March 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 On 2/27/2017 at 5:01 PM, ChirpyBird said: With only a day left in February, I won't have time to complete it Two more weeks to the challenge, though. 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
ChirpyBird Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Just now, sarakingdom said: Two more weeks to the challenge, though. Oh! Good point haha! Well, which is better in your opinion, Guards! Guards! or The Wyrd Sisters? And do you know what the next one will be in March? Quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." My NF Character | Goodreads | Twitter | My Author Site HUMAN DRUID Level: 1 | STR 6 | DEX 3 | STA 3 | CON 5 | WIS 13 | CHA 5 Link to comment
Kita Posted June 1, 2017 Report Share Posted June 1, 2017 Glad I found this post as I am currently rereading the entire series... putting off reading his last one, after which I may burst into tears because there won't be any more. I've just finished The Wee Free Men, one of my all time favourites, which follows Night Watch which was another. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment
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