Years ago I read a disc world book for the first time, the wee free men, I can’t remember much except I loved it… Now I’ve bought the colour of magic and planning to slowly read them all. Is there a certain order recommended? I was planning to go by chronological order but thought I’d ask :)

  • armcie@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    I’ve never seen a source on that suggestion to start with Sourcery. I’d certainly push people to a none-Rincewind story. Guards! Guards!, Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods.

    • Lauchs@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Totally fair. I always assumed the folks who wrote the Discworld Reading Guide were telling the truth but I too haven’t actually seen a source for that.

      I like the idea of Guards Guards (but I’m biased as the watch is my favourite “series”) but Small Gods might be the winner as a one off.

      • armcie@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, its one of the things that’s always slightly ticked me off about that guide.

        Excavating the history of the internet (mostly ye olde usenet groups) I couldn’t find much he had to say about Sourcery, but there was this interview where he said:

        By about book four, I discovered the joy of plot. (That was Mort.) I went back a bit with Sourcery [1988], because I knew the fans wanted more of Rincewind. I didn’t particularly enjoy writing Sourcery, but it stayed on the best-seller list for three months. And then I said, “Sod the fans, I’ll do what I like.”

        which doesn’t make me think he’d particularly recommend it.

        • Lauchs@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          Oh interesting! Now I’m super curious because I can’t imagine folks put all that effort into the guide and then just made up TP’s recommended starting point but it sounds like you’ve done a hefty bit of research. (I tried a cursory google search when you first asked but without luck…)