What's your opinion on the Discworld series of Terry Pratchett?

I have friends who love Terry Pratchett, but I’ve never been able to get that excited about his writing. I’m not sure why, I usually love wry, sarcastic humor.

The Discworld series is marvellous and I love them, not equally as there are a couple I never really took to.
The characters are so well developed and clever and I’d be Nanny Ogg in a trice!
Terry Pratchett is my favourite author and I am so amazed at the depth of knowledge and how the stories are well known parodies of other stories and events.
I find that I can re-read them over and over and still find brilliance every time.

It is GREAT! Love it.

This wikipedia entry will give you the list of the 39 books in the series.

Pratchett is also one of the few authors who can make me laugh out loud. The situations he puts his characters in can be hilarious.

In my opinion, the series starts as humor and fantasy, but his later works are definitely satire on par with Jonathan Swift. He is that brilliant. Going Postal and Making Money are certainly pointed ridicule at our modern institutions. Those are just 2 examples.

I recommend Pratchett’s work to all who ask.

They are great.

Also look out Good Omens. Thats fantastically funny.

@Lightlyseared I love that book, and wish it were out as an audio book too; for travelling purposes.
Since I read Good Omens after the Discworld series, I then went mad for Neil Gaiman who co-wrote Good Omens with Terry Pratchett.

@SomeoneElse It is out as an audio book

I own the entire series, a couple of the graphic novel versions, had the encyclopedia (but lost it) and played both adventure games. My favorite book of them all was “Small Gods” and my favorite character is Sam Vimes, although Rincewind will always have a place in my heart from playing the games where he was voiced by Eric Idle (my favorite of the Monty Python group). I also have “Good Omens” since Gaiman is my favorite writer, with Pratchett being a very close second.

I think it’s pretty obvious that I think they are worth the effort to hunt for.

@Lightlyseared Is it? Where can I get it? I have found no trace of it in my usual haunts so will have to search again. Thank you!

@SomeoneElse you could try audible for a direct download (I linked to it in the previous answer) or amazon (who have it from a number of sellers in their market place thingy)

I have enjoyed everything I’ve ever read from Terry Pratchett… And Discworld has been a favourite series of mine for over a decade now. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pratchett's_Hogfather , a delightful cinematic of the book by the same name.

How can you not think this dialogue perfect?

From “Mort”:

They opened the ledger.
They look at it for a long time.
Then Mort said, “What do all those symbols mean?”
“Sodomy non sapiens,” said Albert under his breath.
“What does that mean?”
“Means I’m buggered if I know.”

Oops. edit: They looked at it for a long time.

@Lightlyseared Thank you again! I will, I hope, soon be wallowing in the wonderful words!