Can I read....

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Raz

Lance-Corporal
Sep 9, 2010
189
2,275
Deganwy, North Wales
#1
Unseen Academicals and The Fifth Elephant?

So far I have read the DW novels in order up to Pyramids (i.e. Pyramids is next on my list to read) and I would like to do them in order, but I have those two sat on my shelp looking longingly at me. Is there anything I wouldn't understand in either of those two books by having skipped a whole lot of books?
 

Tonyblack

Super Moderator
City Watch
Jul 25, 2008
30,866
3,650
Cardiff, Wales
#2
You can probably read all the books in any order and get at least some sense out of them. UA is pretty much a stand-alone book, in that we get to meet a whole host of new characters, so that would certainly not be a problem. FE is a little different in that it is part of the Watch series and there is some development of the Watch and the characters throughout the series.

But go ahead anyhow - if you miss something, you'll pick it up later when you read the in-between books and you'll almost certainly want to read all of the books again and again - and maybe even again. ;)
 

The Mad Collector

Sergeant-at-Arms
Sep 1, 2010
9,918
2,850
61
Ironbridge UK
www.bearsonthesquare.com
#3
OK, I would skip Pyramids and read Guards Guards next then tackle The Fifth Elephant. You do at least need a basic grounding in The Watch before making the leap as The Watch books more than any others do cross reference each other.

Tony is right about UA you should be fine reading that anyway, there will be quite a few characters that don't make as much sense as they should do but there are so many new characters that shouldn't matter.
 
Jan 1, 2010
1,114
2,600
#7
I'd agree that reading them in order is ideal but in an emergency - for example not being able to get your hands on the next one for more than 24 hours - I'd read whichever you've got.

Also if you end up reading them out of order now you've got the perfect excuse to go back and re-read them all in order later :laugh:
 

deldaisy

Sergeant-at-Arms
Oct 1, 2010
6,955
2,850
Brisbane, Australia
#9
mspanners said:
Whilst the books are readable in any order I would recommend that you read them in the order they are published for a give line of books I.E. Read the Watch books in order and the Wizard books in order and so on....

http://www.inewscatcher.com/timages/ab2 ... adf106.jpg

UA is the latest in the Wizards line (Rincwind.... although He has a small part in the book)
:eek: Rincewind "has a small part in the book"????? :eek: Sounds painful...
 
Apr 29, 2009
11,929
2,525
London
#11
deldaisy said:
mspanners said:
Whilst the books are readable in any order I would recommend that you read them in the order they are published for a give line of books I.E. Read the Watch books in order and the Wizard books in order and so on....

http://www.inewscatcher.com/timages/ab2 ... adf106.jpg

UA is the latest in the Wizards line (Rincwind.... although He has a small part in the book)
:eek: Rincewind "has a small part in the book"????? :eek: Sounds painful...
You and me have the same kind of thinking, girl!!
 

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