Least favourite Discworld book

[Tonyblack]

Re: Wow

My least favourite DW novel? Equal Rites. Surprising given it features my favourite character - but she was a very different Esme back then

Monstrous Regiment was hard to like as well, I think it was an abomination to Nuggan . . . .

Love all the rest passionately - especially Maskerade, Carpe Jugulum, Jingo, Night Watch, Interesting Times, Thief of Time . . gagh I may as well just list the back catalogue!

It's a fair comment about Granny, but this was Granny how she first appeared. She's changed over the series so this was a prototype. It is a little hard to take after reading the later books.

 

[CJDobs]

Actually as I write I'm reasoning this out and in some ways I think this is a fundamental part of Terry's appeal? The plot is almost always 'better' and certainly stronger than the hero figure?

No, not in any books containing the Watch or witches, at any rate. And i still don't like MP :twisted:


And I'm not that fond of Gaspode, style o'fing

Just sqirrelling though these threads Dotsie and I'm with you totally on the character vs plot thing. Terry Pratchetts ultimate appeal to me is his characters - I sometimes find the plot gets in the way and have on many occasions adopted speed read tactics to plough through pages of plot to get back to the character dialogue!

Still, You should reconsider on Gaspode, wossname, anydog type fing with you know, Licky End , its worth a moment of anyones time. Sort of. Er Woof?

 

[Jan Van Quirm]

Still, You should reconsider on Gaspode, wossname, anydog type fing with you know, Licky End , its worth a moment of anyones time. Sort of. Er Woof?

Dotsie's a lost cause on Gaspode I'm afraid CJ - she's a Rabbit Lady

N'yah - what's up Dots?!

 

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

Um, Dotsie? What's MP?

Edit: Doh, is it Moving Pictures?

 

[Jan Van Quirm]

yep - Moving Pictures

 

[CrysaniaMajere]

I liked so much MakingMoney. Not as much as GoingPostal, that's true, But I love the Moist-Vetinari couple, and I hope to read much more Moist.. Is it true there's a raisingTaxes in program?
Well. my least favourite books are Small Gods, piramids and Soul music, but I haven't read Strata, Eric or The last hero, because I couldn't find them.

 

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

Strata is not really a good book. Period. It is not a discworld book really. It is more like a bad science fiction book with Discworld as the setting. It is like a PRE-Discworld book and I would not waste the money on it. Just my opinion, but I ADORE most all science fiction and fantasy stories, but that one just really deserves to be recycled... *Gasp, did I just say that about a BOOK?* goes and has a lie-down...

Edit: The others are quite good actually, just my little opinion. :twisted:

 

[CrysaniaMajere]

Just one book among so many... don't be too much hard on yourself..
I forgot ColourOfMagic.. i don't like it much now, but i loved it the first time, years ago. Ten pages and I was committed to the Discworld forever, so it's kind of sad but i tried to reread it last month and i just...didn't like it.
I'm almost hating myself for even thinking bad about CoM..

However, I still have some Discworld books I haven't read, I'll think about Strata when I won't have anything else to read.

 

[Dotsie]

I forgot ColourOfMagic.. i don't like it much now, but i loved it the first time, years ago. Ten pages and I was committed to the Discworld forever, so it's kind of sad but i tried to reread it last month and i just...didn't like it.
I'm almost hating myself for even thinking bad about CoM..

I'm exactly the same. It's a shame I can't read it again, because I know there were some great one-liners that made me laugh out loud. Ah well

 

[Jan Van Quirm]

I do still like both Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic because it's just interesting to see the development of Discworld and a fair few of the large cast of 'regulars' like Death, Rincewind and Cohen. They're not the greatest books he's written, but then how could they be as there wasn't enough of Discworld worked out yet. I'm glad that the wizards changed - eventually, though it took a while and so they didn't really gel (aside from Rincewind and Albert) until Ridcully made it to Archancellor status, but, by the same token, I'm sorry that the idea of high magic books like the Octavo and the Necrotelicomnicon having a sentience of their own and the creatures of the Dungeon Dimensions all fell by the wayside (although the latter did make fairly regular appearances in most of the single figure stages of the series).

Also how some characters change too, most effectively and satisfactorily being Granny W and also Rincewind (I'm reading Science of the Discworld 2 - The Globe atm and he's actually coming across as pretty brave for him and lot more 'expert' in his position in the UA faculty , aside from worrying about fiddling his coal allowance...). So whilst they're no longer at the top of my list of favourites I still like to read them both and appreciate the early roots of the current level of excellence in the later books of which Going Postal and Monstrous Regiment would not make it into my 'most favourite' list and are in fact nearer the bottom of that than CoM and LF. But then there aren't any really terrible books written by Terry - I'm quite happy to read 'em all at least twice - and enjoy yelling at Pooh about them after I've done so :twisted:

 

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yelling at Pooh, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! :twisted:

 

[CrysaniaMajere]

there aren't any really terrible books written by Terry - I'm quite happy to read 'em all at least twice - and enjoy yelling at Pooh about them after I've done so :twisted:

TP writing terrible books? I've come to think he couldn't even if he wanted to...
But at the top there's written "LEAST FAVOURITE" TP books. I named some of the books that I like the less, but I wouldn't dream of calling them 'terrible'!! I love them all. COM and LF were so fun, in Equal Rites there's Granny in AM, in Soul Music there's a dwarf named Glod finally, after all the Glod there must be in the DW (because someone couldn't spell gold and create a lot of Glod, if i remember), in Pyramids we are inside the assassin's guild...
It's just that I liked much Guards Guards, Thud, Going Postal, Witches Abroad, etc etc. I love all TP's books, but if we make a list, some must be at the bottom. Unfortunately.

 

[Jan Van Quirm]

That's exactly it Crysania

For most people (and everyone on here most likely), none of Terry's books are bad in any way, but some rise to the top of the pile as being more enjoyable for everyone - but the top favourites are different for everyone of course. Mine are Small Gods, Witches Abroad, Nightwatch, Lords and Ladies and Moving Pictures amongst others.

It's just what appeals to you most even if you like certain 'sets' of book like I adore the Witches as you can tell but I don't like Carpe Jugulam so much and that's pretty near the bottom of my least favourite list of books along with Going Postal and Monstrous Regiment - but I don't dislike them as stories, just they don't quite tick all the boxes for me. CoM and LF I'd put higher up the list more out of affection than actual 'quality' because I discovered Terry with them and fell in love with Discworld so it's not all a rational decision even just gratitude in a way, for drawing me into a great fantasy world!

 

[CrysaniaMajere]

CoM and LF I'd put higher up the list more out of affection than actual 'quality' because I discovered Terry with them and fell in love with Discworld so it's not all a rational decision even just gratitude in a way, for drawing me into a great fantasy world!

My feeling exactly.

 

[AM]

I haven´t read them all. I think I have only read about half of them, I still got all the Watch-books to read for example. But so far I must say that it is Sourcery that makes it to the bottom of the list. Together with the other Rincewind books.

I liked Monstrous Regiment very much, it got even better when I re-read it so I can´t understand why you are so "un-friendly" towards poor Polly.

 

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

NONONONONO, I adore All of Terry's books except Strata. I adore Polly, in fact I am Polly at heart. :love Polly's character essence: AND the book.

 

[chris.ph]

I haven´t read them all. I think I have only read about half of them, I still got all the Watch-books to read for example. But so far I must say that it is Sourcery that makes it to the bottom of the list. Together with the other Rincewind books.

I liked Monstrous Regiment very much, it got even better when I re-read it so I can´t understand why you are so "un-friendly" towards poor Polly.

somebody else said on this site that somebody like you is very lucky as youve got more of terrys books to read than us as weve got to wait for the next one to come out, you can just buy the next one that takes your fancy

 

[Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit]

I haven´t read them all. I think I have only read about half of them, I still got all the Watch-books to read for example. But so far I must say that it is Sourcery that makes it to the bottom of the list. Together with the other Rincewind books.

I liked Monstrous Regiment very much, it got even better when I re-read it so I can´t understand why you are so "un-friendly" towards poor Polly.

somebody else said on this site that somebody like you is very lucky as youve got more of terrys books to read than us as weve got to wait for the next one to come out, you can just buy the next one that takes your fancy

:Looks around her tiny log cabin:* Yes, I am a Bibliophile... hangs head with Proud Shame, smirking. I am jealous because I am/have re-read every Pratchett book for the last 4 years...

*Log cabins are ONLY romantic if someone else maintains them and pays the heat bill.

 

[AM]

I know :twisted:

I´m going on a autumn holiday next week and then I´m going to read Unseen Academicals for the first time! I have deliberately waited to read it so I can read all at once. Can´t wait

 

[Grave Maurice]

So far, and I don't mean I'm going to dislike any others, not that I disliked this one but liked it less than the others - Moving Pictures.