Where to start reading Terry Pratchett?

[Acorn]

I'm gift shopping for my 14 year old.  I read some Terry Pratchett at his age but don't really remember which ones. 

[Miss Tick]

The Wee Free Men and the four follow-ons would be a great place to start.

After that there is this map on the wiki page, if some kind of order is important. 

Edited December 14, 2019 by SusanC
Checklists and flow charts give me the illusion of control

[Lori D.]

Well, there are charts (here is one) that show you which books connect up into "threads" of various characters of Pratchett's Discworld series.

But he also has the gentle Bromeliad trilogy (Diggers, Truckers, Wings) which is a short, fast read, and the first 4 of the 5 books in the Tiffany Aching series (Wee Free Men) -- book 5 apparently has a different tone, as it was finished by someone else after Pratchett's death. Both of these can be a good entry -- both of these are completely separate from Discworld, but both have Pratchett's unique sense of humor and incredibly inventive creativity.

Otherwise, if wanting to go with Discworld, some are definitely better than others. You might try Hogfather (#22) -- which has a Christmas theme and includes the character of Death, and reads well as a stand-alone. Or the combo of Color of Magic (#1 of all the Discworld books) + Interesting Times (#19 -- both follow the inept wizard Rincewind, and Interesting Times echoes a lot from Color of Magic, plus is one of the better-written books). Or, 2 of the books that follow the character of Death: Mort (#4, first of the books with the character of Death) + Thief of Time (#29, which is one of the better ones, with a creative premise, well-written, plus humorous).

Edited December 15, 2019 by Lori D.

[Ausmumof3]

This is one series where I wouldn’t start at the beginning.  The early books don’t have the same wittiness.  I reckon one of the witch stories like wee free men.  My first was unseen academicals and it hooked me.  I also like the Sam Vimes ones.

[Terabith]

Honestly, it's Christmas.  I'd start with Hogfather and then do the Death books.  I like to read him by character.  So I'll read all the Guard books or magician books, etc.