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Comment by teddyh | Hacker News Reader

“Equal Rites” is the first in the “witches” series, but is, IIUC, considered a very weak entry. The rest of the witches series don’t really acknowledge the events in it, and they start off the next book with a blank slate, not assuming that you have read the first one. If you really just want to read the witches series, I’d suggest that you instead start with the second book, “Wyrd Sisters”.

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His very last book has Esk in it.

I understand the view, I just don't agree. It has lots of nice subtle jokes in it and was the first to have a bit more depth to the story rather than being a slightly scattered and episodic parody of thr fantasy genre.

But then I like Dark Side and Strata a lot too.

Edit to add: incidentally there are a lot of minor throwaway jokes throughout the series that require you to have read the preceding books to get them. That in itself is IMO enough reason to aim to read them in publication order. But you do you, he was very prolific, I can see why someone coming in after the fact might choose not to tackle the whole lot from beginning to end.

What entry point would you recommend to a total newcomer to the series?

"Lords & Ladies", and then expand out in both/all directions.

Horrible elves, Granny at her best (and Nanny), Magrat the killer queen, Morris dancing, stupid wizzards and lots of other stuff - what's not to like?

Probably just because it's my fave. But you can read them and enjoy in any order.

That sounds like a lot of fun indeed! Thanks for the advice

The only reason I disagree is that L&L jumps in with some very well established characters that had been built up earlier. But I do love his (historically accurate by lore?) description of elves. He put a lot of research into re-establishing the myths and lore of his little corner of the world.

(Along those lines I would also recommend Susanna Clarke’s “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell” which builds its own parallel history set in the early 1800s Britain, with Fairies taking the same role as elves in discworld.

> But I do love his (historically accurate by lore?) description of elves.

Yeah, more or less. The “elves/fairies are nice, or at least _good_” thing is a fairly modern creation (owing a lot to Tolkien, really).

I think Susannah Clarke is the only living author I can think of who would inspire the same enthusiasm from me upon news of a new book from them. Alas, she is not quite as prolific as PTerry :)

Mustn't grumble though, it's not like Jonathan Strange was a pamphlet!

Wyrd Sisters (first Witches novel in which the characters have more or less settled down to what they’ll be for the rest of the series) or Guards, Guards (first Vimes novel, and first ‘normal’ Ankh Morpork novel; an Ankh Morpork shows up in earlier novels but that version is more or less entirely retconned away quite quickly.)

Both sound great, I’ll probably read both and decide which series to cover first. Thanks!

Small Gods. It is a self contained book which I think truly shows the humor and philosophy of Pratchett.

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