Terry Pratchett

[ChickeyMonkey]

I ususally recommend TP's standalone books to get started with. Small Gods is brilliant, or Pyramids. They are two of my favourites.

Thanks! I'll write it down and see if my libraries have it.

[dawbs]

I'm not big on fantasy, but I've started reading Glen Cook books, which are fantasy and mystery together, so I'd call it fantasy-lite. I think I tried to read Terry Pratchett, but couldn't. Any suggestions for someone trying it again? I also tried Carl Hiaasen, but his writing was too forceful in trying to be funny.

I do like series, but I must read them in order from first to last, so if you have any suggestions, can you please at least mention the first in the series? Thanks. :)

You might actaully like Robert Rankin's books. He's offbeat, funny, Brit, and...odd. Defies explanation, sorry, so I can't tellyou much about it

I'd recommend not starting w/ his most famous series (the Brentford Trillogy, which, FTR, has like 20 books in it), try "the hollow chocolate bunnies of the Apocalypse" --it's a standalone (there is a sequel, "the toymenator"). It's a fantsy-esque murder mystery set like it's an old film noir in a world where the lead detective is the teddy bear of a now deceased nursery rhyme character.

(See, defies trying to write a 2 line synopsis.)

[Conuly]

I'm not big on fantasy, but I've started reading Glen Cook books, which are fantasy and mystery together, so I'd call it fantasy-lite. I think I tried to read Terry Pratchett, but couldn't. Any suggestions for someone trying it again? I also tried Carl Hiaasen, but his writing was too forceful in trying to be funny.

I do like series, but I must read them in order from first to last, so if you have any suggestions, can you please at least mention the first in the series? Thanks. :)

The first ones are kinda... meh. He took a while to hit his stride.

There are a few arcs in it that focus around groups of characters (the Unseen University, the Witches, the Watch) that you should read in order, though.

There's a suggested reading order (sorta... in true Pterry fashion it's a little confusing!) [link=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache]here.[/link] It's not fully up to date, though. It's missing I Shall Wear Midnight (a Tiffany Aching book, follows after Wintersmith), Making Money (follows after Going Postal), and Unseen Academicals (more or less a standalone).

[ChickeyMonkey]

You might actaully like Robert Rankin's books. He's offbeat, funny, Brit, and...odd. Defies explanation, sorry, so I can't tellyou much about it

I'd recommend not starting w/ his most famous series (the Brentford Trillogy, which, FTR, has like 20 books in it), try "the hollow chocolate bunnies of the Apocalypse" --it's a standalone (there is a sequel, "the toymenator"). It's a fantsy-esque murder mystery set like it's an old film noir in a world where the lead detective is the teddy bear of a now deceased nursery rhyme character.

(See, defies trying to write a 2 line synopsis.)

See, that sounds really interesting and like something I might like, if it's written well. I'll have to look that one up!

Did he call it "The Brentford Trilogy" on purpose, even though it has like 20 books in the series?

Why do you not recommend starting with his most famous series? Is it too much fantasy?

Books like "The Hobbit" & TLoTR are not my cup of tea. I need humor, like the Janet Evanovich series. I like that she writes how people talk (when she's writing the dialogue, I mean).

[ChickeyMonkey]

The first ones are kinda... meh. He took a while to hit his stride.

There are a few arcs in it that focus around groups of characters (the Unseen University, the Witches, the Watch) that you should read in order, though.

There's a suggested reading order (sorta... in true Pterry fashion it's a little confusing!) [link=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache]here.[/link] It's not fully up to date, though. It's missing I Shall Wear Midnight (a Tiffany Aching book, follows after Wintersmith), Making Money (follows after Going Postal), and Unseen Academicals (more or less a standalone).

Thanks, Conuly. I hope I don't get confused by that flowchart! :) I tend to go by when the book was published if I don't have the list available, and the list on the inside pages of the book aren't always in order of when they were written.

[terranova]

Personally I think William DeWorde and Moist Von Lipwig (sp?) are two of his best characters and they don't come in until reasonably late in the piece.

[dawbs]

I don't think the brentford Trillogy was supposed to be quite as long...whlie it's fun, I found 'hollow chocolate' to be funnier -- and for the brentford books, I have them a bit out of order (which drives me batty) and most of them assume you have some familariaty w/ the series...I till haven't read the first ones :oops:

See, that sounds really interesting and like something I might like, if it's written well. I'll have to look that one up!

Did he call it "The Brentford Trilogy" on purpose, even though it has like 20 books in the series?

Why do you not recommend starting with his most famous series? Is it too much fantasy?

Books like "The Hobbit" & TLoTR are not my cup of tea. I need humor, like the Janet Evanovich series. I like that she writes how people talk (when she's writing the dialogue, I mean).