What is Discworld?
It's a series of comic fantasy books by Terry Pratchett, who has said that
writing is the most fun you can have with your clothes on
if you write the way he does, maybe so! But for the 99.9999% of us who don't write that way, reading him is almost as good!
Discworld is a world, shaped like a disc (duh) that rides on the back of four elephants, who stand on the shell of A'Tuin, the great sky turtle.
It's a publishing phenomenon, with about 50 million books in print
and it's terrific.
More below the fold
UPDATE:
I forgot my usual bits:
cfk has bookflurries on Weds. nights
sarahnity has Books by Kossacks, on Sundays
If you like to trade books, try bookmooch
Several commenters noted that Pratchett has Alzheimer's. He has given generously to research, and there is a site helping that along: match it for Pratchett
The novels in chronological order, with brief descriptions and recommendations (the rating system isn't really a system; Terry Pratchett says "You can't map a sense of humor", and it's hard to rate one, too):
The Color of Magic - the book that started it all. Features Twoflower, the discworld's first tourist, and the luggage (see below), and his guide Rincewind (see below)
The Light Fantastic - Discworld is headed for certain doom in its collision with the red star. It's up to Rincewind (see below) to save the world
Equal Rites - By mistake, a woman is about to become a wizard.
Mort - Mort is about to die, then Death (see below) offers him a job.
Sourcery - The eighth son of an eighth son is a wizard; and the eighth son of a wizard is a sourceror. This may be my least favorite of the series
Wyrd Sisters - I don't remember this one very well, it features the coven of witches: Esme (granny) Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magret Garrlick (see below for all three)
Pyramids - Reading the blurb in the wiki, I don't think I've read this one! Wow! I gotta go do that!
Guards! Guards! - All the dragons have been locked away. But there's a key. And someone's opening the door....
Eric - Eric, the discworld's only demonology hacker, starts making wishes. Somehow, he gets Rincewind and the Luggage (see below for both). I do not recall this novel very well.
Moving Pictures - The movies are coming! Spoofs the whole industry. I liked it, but it would probably appeal more to more avid movie goers than I.
Reaper Man - Death is missing – presumed ... er ... gone. Which leads to the kind of chaos to always expect when an important public service is withdrawn.
Witches Abroad - The coven of witches (see below) travels to Genua (see below) to stop a servant girl from marrying a prince. But you can't fight a happy ending.
Small Gods - Brutha just wants to tend his melon patch. But then a god appears to him. A small god, desperate for believers, so he doesn't disappear altogether. A god in the shape of a turtle. Marvelous. One of my favorites, and, I think, the first of the series that shows that Pratchett is more than a good and very funny writer, but that he has profound things to say. Spoofs religion and belief and the inquisition and mysticism.
Lords and Ladies - I really don't recall this one, but it concerns magical doings in the kingdom of Lancre (see below), see the wiki
Men at Arms - Corporal Carrot Ironfoundperson (see below) has been promoted. Now, he's got to deal with some mysterious deaths that have something to do with a new weapon called a 'gonne', and a pack of wild dogs is on the loose (led by Big Fido, a mad poodle); at the same time, Edeward d'Eath discovers that Carrot may be the descendant of the last king. Luckily, Carrot has the other watchmen to help him
Soul Music - Death (see below) has taken a holiday, and his granddaughter
Susan has to take over. At the same time, Imp the Bard has shown up in Ankh Morpork (see below) with dreams of making it as a musician, but the musicians guild isn't happy with him.
Interesting Times - people from the Counterweight Continent (see below) have sent for a great wizard. Instead, they get Rincewind (see below). Cohen the Barbarian shows up, too.
Maskerade - The opera house ghost has started killing people. One of the witches (Agnes Nitt, see below) is scheduled to debut, and the other witches (Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax, see below) are concerned.... and when witches are concerned, stuff happens.
Feet of Clay - There's been a murder in Ankh Morpork (see below), and the Assasins don't seem to have done it. Sam Vimes (see below) has to solve it. Clues point to one of the golems. But clues can mislead.
Hogfather - It's Hogswatchnight, the eve of the most joyous holiday of the year, and the Hogfather is missing. It's up to Susan, Death's (see below) granddaughter, to sort out the problem, while taking care of her young charges (she's a nanny. Very good.
Jingo - A small island has arisen, in between Ankh Morpork (see below) and Klatch (see below). Both places claim the island as their own. It's been a while since I read this one, and I don't remember it that well.
The Last Continent - One of the wizards is missing from Unseen University. So, a bunch of wizards is off to find him. This leads them to the last continent, fourecks (see below), which is still under construction. Spoofs university life, professors, sex, and Australia.
Carpe Jugulum - A war is on in Lancre (see below). It's the witches against the vampire. Go for the throat!
The Fifth Elephant - Sam Vimes (see below) has been called to Uberwald (see below), now he has to solve an assassination, escape from werewolves, and figure out where the fifth elephant went
The Truth - The free press is coming to Ankh Morpork, and it's hungry. Spoofs the media, newspapers, photographers (in this one, the photographer is a vampire who crumbles to dust with each flash). One of the best.
Thief of Time - The monks of history are in charge of time. But time is in trouble, because someone is about to build a really accurate clock. So Lu Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd, have to stop him.
The Last Hero - Cohen the Barbarian (see below) has to gather some of his old hero friends to go and meet the gods and return something before he dies. But that might mean the end of the universe.
Night Watch - Sam Vimes (see below) gets sent back in time to the eve of a street rebellion. Now, the older and wiser Vimes can do some things he couldn't do then, but that might change his own future, or eliminate it.
Monstrous Regiment - War has come to Discworld, and it centers on the fundamentalist nation of Borogravia. Polly Perks' brother has enlisted, and she is determined to look for him. So she cuts off her hair and enlists. Absolutely outstanding. One of Pratchett's best. Spoofs war, fundamentalism and sex roles, while celebrating the power of love and faith.
Going Postal - Moist von Lipwig (see below) is a confidence man who has been caught. He's 'rescued' by Lord Vetinari (see below), and made Postmaster of Ankh Morpork (see below). Outstanding. Spoofs government service, hacker culture, greed, technology
Thud - Long ago, the trolls (see below) fought the dwarfs (see below) in Koom Valley. Now, trouble is brewing again, and it's up to Sam Vimes (see below) to fix it, and still get home in time to read "Where's my Cow?" to Sam Jr. Outstanding.
Making Money - The return of Moist von Lipwig; this time, he's put in charge of the mint. Very good, but the enemy is not strong enough, which leads to a lack of tension.
The young adult novels (I have not read these):
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
The Wee Free Men
A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith
Books about Discworld:
The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld - A collection of quotations
The Art of Discworld (with Paul Kirby)
The Discworld Companion
Places:
Ankh Morpork - Ah, Ankh Morpork! City of 1000 surprises! To quote Terry: "There's a saying that all roads lead to Ankh Morpork. That's wrong. All roads lead away from Ankh Morpork". The city lies along the river Ankh - a river so polluted that you can't drown, but you could suffocate
Borogravia - A small, poor country, they are ruled (in theory) by the Duchess (she may be dead) and they worship Nuggan, whose holy book is constantly being emended by adding more abominations.
Fourecks - A small continent, where there is very little water, no rain, but plenty of beer. It's surrounded by a constant storm, and it's two main cities are Bugarup and Didjabringabeeralong. No worries.
Klatch
Lancre
Uberwald
People (and similar) (alphabetical order, by last name if applicable):
Angua - A beautiful and intelligent woman most of the time .... but every once a month, she's a wolf. A member of the city watch of Ankh Morpork
Cohen the barbarian - He's a very old hero.
Death - He's thin. Skeletal, in fact. He always carries a scythe, and he SPEAKS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Still, since everyone eventually gets to know him, it's good that he's been told to be more of a people person.
Cut me own throat Dibbler - Usually some sort of food (very broadly defined) when he's between business ventures (also very broadly defined). He's not actually a thief..... but, watch your fingers if you shake hands with him
Magrat Garlick - A sort of new age witch. Also, queen of Lancre.
Carrot Ironfounderson - a 6'6" tall dwarf (he was adopted). He's very strong, supremely likable, and very simple ... but not stupid.
Leonard of Quirm - A genius and the discworld's greatest inventor. Writes backwards. Draws ingenious things, but can't come up with good names for them
The Librarian - That's the librarian at Unseen University, college of wizardry. He got changes into an orangutan, and liked it. Don't call him a monkey, ever.
The Luggage - Made of sapient pearwood, it is intelligent, mobile, ferociously loyal to its owner, and just plain ferocious to everyone else
Moist von Lipwig - con man, petty criminal, post master, and master of the mint.
Agnes Nitt - There's a saying that inside every fat person there's a thin person. For Agnes Nitt, that's literally true - the person is Perdita. Agnes is a witch who can sing anything - she can even sing duets with herself
Nanny Ogg
Rincewind - discworld's most incompetent wizard. Very good at running away.
Sam Vimes - a copper, through and through. Knows every inch of Ankh Morpork.
Lord Havelock Vetinari - the patrician of Ankh Morpork. Brilliant and ruthless, he knows what you're thinking, sometimes before you do. He's a firm believer in 'one man, one vote'. He is the man, so he has the vote.
Granny Weatherwax
Species: On Discworld, there's no racism, there's specism!
Trolls - are basically animate piles of rock. They can think ... but slowly. They hate dwarfs
Dwarfs - are the best miners on discworld. They love gold and hate trolls
Vampires - They live mostly in Uberwald, but have lately been taking the pledge (not one drop!) and moving to Ankh Morpork
Werewolves - Person most of the time, wolf of the time. The most prominent werewolf in the novels is Angua
Golems - are made of clay, but animated by a piece of paper in their heads. Incredibly patient and persistent.
Reading strategies
You could start at the beginning and go from there. This lets you see Pratchett grow as a writer ... but the first novels are not the best
You could follow a series:
The Rincewind series
The Witches series
The Death series
The Watch series (that's my favorite)
but not all the books fit into series
or you could browse around
Websites
website The HarperCollins Terry Pratchett site
wiki The discworld/Terry Pratchett wiki.
wikipedia article