But I'm open now since finishing that last not so good book. In honor of my gal pals and of you and that little nugget of yours, I will pick up a Terry Pratchett book and start that one next. What do you recommend me picking up first?
Had to Google Palmer...ugh. I was never a fan of the Dresden Dolls. She's like a not quite as talented or attractive version of Emilie Autumn! I would have preferred that he went with her if he was going to go the Gothic Kewpie Doll Musician route....
Re: Pratchett - that's a tough call to make. Here's my rundown on the man:
He has a VERY large stable of books set in the
Discworld to choose from - the first books start out pretty flat - the characters are staple characters you could find anywhere in the fantasy genre - which was sort of what he was going for then. The satire is pretty heavy-handed and the jokes are pretty obvious. As the series progressed, so did his ability to make his characters multi-dimensional and more "real" - as well as his ability to satirize modern society through the medium of his fantasy world. So I can't really recommend that you start at the beginning - because the beginning is kind of lame. But you lose something in the translation if you DON'T start at the beginning.
It's complicated, no?
In general, I've found the novels that involve Rincewind are my least favorite. The novels involving the witches/Tiffany Aching, or the city watch, are my favorites. If you're going to read the series in chunks based on the characters, instead of chronologically from start to finish - then do be sure to start with the first book of each particular group.
Witches:
Equal Rites (this one was one of the early ones, so isn't super - but you have to start here unfortunately as it introduces the characters)
Wyrd Sisters (a parody of Hamlet)
Witches Abroad
Lords and Ladies
Maskerade (a parody of Phantom of the Opera)
Carpe Jugulum (a parody of every Vampire movie/book)
Witches/Tiffany Aching:
The Wee Free Men
A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith
I Shall Wear Midnight
City Watch:
Guards, Guards!
Men at Arms
Feet of Clay
Jingo
The Fifth Elephant
Night Watch
Monstrous Regiment
Thud!
Moist Von Lipwig/Lord Vetinari: (Two of the most interesting characters in the series, arguably...but if you're going to read these, read them after the City Watch books - because the City Watch books deal a lot with Lord Vetinari also).
Going Postal
Making Money
Alternatively - you can follow the plan suggested by the good folks at L-Space, who are at least as insane as I am about Pratchett.
The one that I've re-read the most is Monstrous Regiment. Couldn't tell you why, exactly - but it's definitely my favorite.
