# Terry Pratchett: Final Discworld Novel



## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

Looks like Sir Terry finished one more Discworld book before leaving us.

"Readers will be returning to the fantasy universe of Discworld one more time for The Shepherd's Crown, which stars headstrong young witch Tiffany Aching."

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/terry-pratchett-final-discworld-novel-to-be-about-teenage-witch-tiffany-aching-10117204.html?cmpid=facebook-post


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

Remember that interview a few years back when he said his daughter Rhianna will take over the Discworld? I wonder...


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## Mandy (Dec 27, 2009)

Someone recommended _Guards! Guards!_ as a good starting point for a beginner, so I just bought it since it's on sale for $1.99 today. Should I read the books in order from that book, or just get the books that are most popular? Does it really matter if the books are read out of order? Any other highly recommended Discworld books so I can put them on eReaderIQ?


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Mandy said:


> Someone recommended _Guards! Guards!_ as a good starting point for a beginner, so I just bought it since it's on sale for $1.99 today. Should I read the books in order from that book, or just get the books that are most popular? Does it really matter if the books are read out of order? Any other highly recommended Discworld books so I can put them on eReaderIQ?


Within a given story arc, it's best to read them in publication order, as you then see the characters and themes grow, but you can jump around between arcs or read any of the stand-alones without any real issues, I think.


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## alawston (Jun 3, 2012)

Personally, I think Equal Rites is the best jumping-on point. The third book in the series, it marks the point at which Pratchett stopped writing fantasy parodies and started writing actual novels. And it introduces a couple of the characters who may or may not pop up in the final book, due later this year.

Much has been written in recent years about Sam Vimes, who does (by Pratchett's own admission) seem to reflect many of the author's opinions and qualities. But for me, Granny Weatherwax remains his ultimate creation.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Granny Weatherwax and Death are by far my two favorite characters of his. I think my first Discworld novel was _Witches Abroad_ which is actually the third book in the Witches arc but still a great stand alone book. _Equal Rites_ is a great place to start as it introduces one to the Witches, the Unseen University and Ankh-Morporhk all at once, but then _Guards! Guards!_ as the first City Watch book isn't a bad place to start, either.

There are no bad places to start really.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I didn't care for the first two books as much as the later ones. For some reason Rincewind just annoys me...
_Equal Rites_ was the first book I purchased on my very first Kindle in 2008 - mostly because the witches are my favorite story arc. But _Guards! Guards!_ is the first one the I read all the way through.
I can tell new Pratchett readers one thing to watch out for - he tends to not have chapters. He starts at the beginning and keeps going until the story reaches the end. It is VERY hard for me to put down a Pratchett once I pick it up.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I'm with you, Andra, I find Rincewind annoying.  I just never said it out loud for fear of being accused of blasphemy.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I'm definitely a Sam Vimes fan, though I do love Granny and Nanny a lot. I think by _Snuff_, however, either Sam had reached the practical end of his story arc, or Pratchett had reached the end of is inspiration, as that book felt too much like a re-hash of other books. But for me, Sam and the City Watch gang in _Night Watch_ and _Jingo_ resulted in the most important and moving books in the series for me.


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## DK Mok (Jan 3, 2015)

The stories with Sam Vimes are some of the most powerful for me, but I really enjoyed seeing the characters and the world change over the entire series. One of the reasons I love the Discworld books so much is because they were a journey: I could see the stories evolving, along with Pratchett's own style and focus, from the very satirical early books to the more complex and deeply moving ones later on.

Mandy, if you have time, I think it's worth starting from the beginning with _The Colour of Magic_. If you really don't like Rincewind or the very light-hearted style of the early books, then you can jump forward to _Guards! Guards!_ and go from there.

Either way, I envy the journey you're about to embark upon.


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## Kathelm (Sep 27, 2010)

> Mandy, if you have time, I think it's worth starting from the beginning with The Colour of Magic. If you really don't like Rincewind or the very light-hearted style of the early books, then you can jump forward to Guards! Guards! and go from there.


I would argue that "Guards! Guards!" is a better starting point. I re-read "The Color of Magic" right after I heard the bad news a few weeks ago, and it really isn't that good of a representation of Discworld. It was too busy being a parody of the popular fantasy of the time and hadn't really formed its own identity yet. So much of the worldbuilding was either contrary to what became so iconic later (the Patrician was fat and the wizards weren't!), or ideas that were later dropped. Pratchett never went back to Wyrmsburg or Krull, for example.

"Guards! Guards!" on the other hand came after Pratchett had solidified his vision of Discworld, and it's a far better example of what the series entails.


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

Pratchett himself wrote not to start at _The Colour of Magic_. He didn't give a specific place to start, but he did say not to start there.


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## I&#039;m a Little Teapot (Apr 10, 2014)

Mandy said:


> Someone recommended _Guards! Guards!_ as a good starting point for a beginner, so I just bought it since it's on sale for $1.99 today. Should I read the books in order from that book, or just get the books that are most popular? Does it really matter if the books are read out of order? Any other highly recommended Discworld books so I can put them on eReaderIQ?


Guards! Guards! is a great place to start. The Witch books (I'd say start with Wyrd Sisters) are my favorite, along with Going Postal. Here's a great infographic to help you out:

http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/the-discworld-reading-order-guide-20.jpg


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

http://www.geeksofdoom.com/GoD/img/2014/04/Discworld-2.21.jpg is a better one, updated to include newer books. Don't see one this new on lspace.


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## I&#039;m a Little Teapot (Apr 10, 2014)

Oooh, thanks, Tuttle!


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

From my Discworld newsletter:

The release date for _The Shepherd's Crown_ - The Last Terry Pratchett Discworld novel - has officially been announced. _The Shepherd's Crown_ will be published on 10th September 2015. The novel was completed in the Summer of 2014. It is now available for pre-order and a collector's edition will also become available in September.

http://discworldmonthly.co.uk/ISBN/0857534815

Here is the link for the US Amazon store (no cover photo up yet):
http://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Crown-Tiffany-Aching-ebook/dp/B00W2EBY8O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1430309240&sr=1-1&keywords=the+shepherd%27s+crown


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## I&#039;m a Little Teapot (Apr 10, 2014)

Geoffrey said:


> I'm with you, Andra, I find Rincewind annoying. I just never said it out loud for fear of being accused of blasphemy.


I don't care for him, either. The wizard books aren't my favorites. But I adore the witches, Vimes, and Carrot.


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## Sam Kates (Aug 28, 2012)

I'm in the minority on this thread, but I love Rincewind. It's his impulse to run away at the first sign of trouble that makes him (for me) such a brilliant anti-hero.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Sam Kates said:


> I'm in the minority on this thread, but I love Rincewind. It's his impulse to run away at the first sign of trouble that makes him (for me) such a brilliant anti-hero.


I like Rincewind, though more in his later stories than in the first two books, but Sam Vimes is my favorite main character, with the dynamic duo of Granny and Nanny a fairly close second.


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## A.G. Richards (Sep 28, 2014)

Andra said:


> From my Discworld newsletter:
> 
> The release date for _The Shepherd's Crown_ - The Last Terry Pratchett Discworld novel - has officially been announced. _The Shepherd's Crown_ will be published on 10th September 2015. The novel was completed in the Summer of 2014. It is now available for pre-order and a collector's edition will also become available in September.
> 
> ...


I can't wait!


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