Discworld

[heygirlie]

How do I get into the Discworld novels? Anyone? I mean, I've got the first book, Color of Magic, and it's kinda funny, but... I mostly don't get it. I always get a good 40 pages or so in, but it's like the story has yet to start, the characters aren't that deep, and I'm missing all the in-jokes about fantasy lit and tabletop dice games

Comments

You should not have started me talking about Discworld...

[emeraldsword]

Try a later one. The first three are all Rincewind and they are funnier if you appreciate the fantasy tradition. After that, he branches out a bit. You could try 'Wyrd Sisters' or 'Witches Abroad' if you know more about Macbeth or Dracula (the witches are fabulous!) and they have the advantage of being still very early books. I also recommend 'Masquerade' if you are familiar with the plot of 'Phantom of the Opera' (any knowledge of opera is also useful there).

Basically, although each book stands alone, they follow three main sets of characters - the Guards (start with 'Guards, Guards', then I think the next one is 'Men at Arms'), the Witches (Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad...another couple I've forgotten, Masquerade), Death (Reaper Man, Mort, Soul Music - that one is lovely, there is Susan Death and a Welsh bard whose name is Imp Y Celyn, or 'Bud of the Holly' and his band play Music With Rocks In) and the Wizards (which is what you are starting with Rincewind, and he gets about five books, but then fades out in favour of more of the

Re: You should not have started me talking about Discworld...

[heygirlie]

lol at your title! I can see that now! But thanks for the info, now that I have lots of summer vaycay time hopefully I will be reading a lot and squeeing right back atcha. :)

Re: You should not have started me talking about Discworld...

[emeraldsword]

heee, I hope so! I forget how much I love Discworld until other people start talking about it. If you read any, please post about it!