With respect (hehe) I'd like to recommend against 'Reaper Man' as an opener. I KNOW Death is just lovely, but I think he takes a bit of getting used to. You have to know what he's like already to 'get' 'Reaperman', I think. I don't think it'd be a good introduction to Discworld to begin with a Death-centred book.
'Guards, Guards!' is pretty good, I guess.
But my vote for a good first one is 'Moving Pictures' - you don't need to know any characters and yet it effectively introduces:
Ankh-Morpork, the idea of Guilds, the idea of Wizards, the University, the Dungeon Dimensions (and Klatch and the mountains rate a mention) which gives a really nice overview of the World, I think;
And "also starring" roles for: Gaspode, CMOT and Detritus; the Dean, Ridcully, the Bursar, the Librarian, Ponder, the RRLecturer, Windle; and Death (and even the Patrician, Nobby and Colon rate an appearance).
i.e. all ongoing sideline characters who aren't generally central, but are usually hanging around somewhere, so you get a good feel for the Disworld peoplescape.
Plus, it's a good one in being clearly relatable back to real!world stuff (i.e. the movie thing), so it's easy to get into, humour-wise.
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JL disagrees about Reaper Man - sorry ,deird1...
Date: 2009-06-24 09:46 am (UTC)I KNOW Death is just lovely, but I think he takes a bit of getting used to. You have to know what he's like already to 'get' 'Reaperman', I think. I don't think it'd be a good introduction to Discworld to begin with a Death-centred book.
'Guards, Guards!' is pretty good, I guess.
But my vote for a good first one is 'Moving Pictures' - you don't need to know any characters and yet it effectively introduces:
Ankh-Morpork, the idea of Guilds, the idea of Wizards, the University, the Dungeon Dimensions (and Klatch and the mountains rate a mention) which gives a really nice overview of the World, I think;
And "also starring" roles for:
Gaspode, CMOT and Detritus;
the Dean, Ridcully, the Bursar, the Librarian, Ponder, the RRLecturer, Windle;
and Death (and even the Patrician, Nobby and Colon rate an appearance).
i.e. all ongoing sideline characters who aren't generally central, but are usually hanging around somewhere, so you get a good feel for the Disworld peoplescape.
Plus, it's a good one in being clearly relatable back to real!world stuff (i.e. the movie thing), so it's easy to get into, humour-wise.