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  • Whenever I want to introduce someone to Discworld, I give them Pyramids. It's as close as you can get to a stand-alone in the middle of the set, and is also a pretty good one (and much better than the first two were). If they like it, they then go read all of them.

  • To Autumnraina: In the video at about 16 seconds in, Hank shows us the Discworld novels he has on his shelf. Good Omens is on the shelf...just so ya know.

  • Thank you Hank, I'll definitely buy the book and read it. If nothing else, it sounds extremely interesting n_n

  • You should read the Wee Free Men. My favourite series of TP books hands down : )

  • Pretty good book, remind me of "Small Gods" (my favorite Discworld novel after "Mort").

  • where's the forge of god review??????????

  • CRIVENS!

  • x.youtube.com/watch?v=6NbM0faH­ptk

  • There was a musical version of this at the national theatre in London last Christmas and it was so great; I didn't realise it was adapted from a Terry Pratchett novel. I'm gonna try and real the book now...

  • i love Terry Pratchett!!!

  • Well sir, I am Proud to give 73 stars to Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers. I believe that 73 is greater than 72. Tell me if I a mistaken.

  • Terry wants to kill himself :(

  • @cLouisey o.e..?

  • Hank should try reading some of the later City Watch novels if he prefers Terry Pratchett's more sincere and philosophical books. Books like Thud and Night Watch are much darker and more thoughtful than his normal discword stuff.

  • I love Terry Pratchett!

  • Terry= God!

  • I agree. I read this and really loved all the things it put into my brain.

  • read Good Omens that he did with Neil Gaiman...its amazing and awesome , a hilarious parody on the Omen movies...

  • Pig milk. That's all I'm saying. I cringed.

  • Has anyone played the DiscWorld video game?

  • I just bought this book like 2 weeks ago! even more excited to read it. What's your favorite Discworld book?

  • This was adapted into a play at the national theatre, (london) and im sad to say, it was awful.

  • So I just looked up Discworld to see what you were talking about and I realized that Scott Westerfeld's book Behemoth, which I am current reading, made a subtle reference to it. Unless the whole world-on-turtles-and-elephants thing wasn't Pratchett's concept.

  • @Veeolinxalto awh wow

    i love discworld, it's so fun, i think in an interveiw Pratchett said something along the lines of the whole Turtle-elephant-world thing was just there- it wasnt a key feature of the novels and people seemed to get distracted by it.

    :)

    i like it.

  • Is Nation a single story, or does it have any sequels? It sounds fantastic but I'm not getting into another series just yet, I just finished 3 series and I need a break xD

  • My brother gave me a Terry Pratchett book 4 years ago, I was a little too young but I loved it anyway, I don't read as much anymore, sadly, but Terry Pratchett's books are the only books I can't put down before I've finished reading it :)

  • Just another shout out among many to read GOOD OMENS. Also, Terry Pratchett is very amazing. I just got a discworld shirt for Chirstmas! I haven't read Nation yet, but after your review, I think I have to now. xD

  • @13wyvern7 I got a Discworld shirt for Christmas too, from my father, featuring the Grim Squeaker and the words: I GOT RATTED AT THE DISCWORLD BEER FESTIVAL! Now, I'm not a big fan of beer, but I loved the sentiment!

    Such a shame that dementia is robbing Terry Pratchett's mind of its awesome creativity :'(

  • @FamilySimFemale Agreed! Poor Sir Terry Pratchett (that knightship was very deserved).

    I love the Death of Rats. My shirt has the Disk on top of four elelephants on top of a turtle. ^^

  • I love terry pratchett and I definitely love nation. I get what you mean about it being deeper than his adult fiction too. I think a lot of the discworld books have little snippets of sexual innuendo and more comedy than nation. But I love them all sooooooo much. I can't believe he's written his last discworld novel. :'(

  • @Jeroosha I cried when I heard it was his last! Dementia is a horrible disease, it always seems to affect the most creative people at their most creative peak :'(

  • @FamilySimFemale I know it's so sad when it happens to someone who clearly uses their creativity so well :(

  • @Jeroosha Which are you referring to as his last Discworld novel? I know that 'Snuff' is supposed to be coming out later this year, and I haven't heard any news about him officially ceasing work on the Discworld novels...that would be pretty sad :|

  • @LucidDivinity I'm not sure exactly which one is his last but he's said that he's definately written his last one. :'( sad times.

  • I must have read Nation like 20 times (which considering it's only been out a year is a lot...) I'm glad you enjoyed it, I definitely agree that it's somehow deeper than a lot of the adult fiction despite technically being for a younger age group. This book totally stayed with me

  • Terry Pratchett's books sound like John's.. which means I'll  love them!! :D thank you for doing a book review- I'm totally out of books to read :)

  • I would REALLY love it if you did book reviews more often. I'm always in need of a longer "need-to-read" list.

  • Yay I <3 Terry Pratchett and you Hank :)

    Also- there are several other non discworld novels- I most recommend Good Omens

    Thanks for doing this video!

  • Thank you Hank! Nation is now on my List of Books to Read Before I Snuff It.

  • GOOD. OMENS. SO. GOOD. Neil Gaiman + Terry Pratchett = Awesome. Read it. Please and thank you.

  • Youuuu have Corndog Lip Balm. This is amazing.

  • i watched this video while eating a trader joe's corndog.

  • I might just happen to have every Discworld novel. and Strata. And Good Omens. And The Science of the Discworld, as well as The science of the Discworld II: The Globe (Anyone whois interested in science, ranging from evolutionary theory to Quantum theory, should definitely get these., and the third one. There are Terry Pratchett stories every other chapter, with the science behind what has happened in each chapter etc. in between them). Oh, and Nation of course. I#m apretty hardcore TP fan ;-)

  • Im a die-hard T. P fan, and when I read this one I absaloutly fell in LOVE!!

    I then chased everyone I knew around with it trying to get them to read it too- to which they promptly refused because: A) It was long. B) It was a Terry prachett (??!) and C) I was being annoying.

    But today, 2 years later, both my sisters watched this video and they are now arguing about who will read it 1st.

    Thank you Hank. Thank you for not fogetting to be awesome. xx

  • I wish someone talented would write a song about Terry Pratchett and Discworld...

    DFTBA

  • Hank, I know you're a busy man with the Vlogbrothers channel and just LIFE, but for this channel could you do more book reviews? I loved this review, and you don't have to do reviews for every book you read, but that would be awesome!

  • I saw 'Greg' and and 'Forge' in the doobly-doo, and immediately thought Gred and Forge? :)

  • I'm still in shock you have 2 channels

  • I loved this book for all the reasons you said - it was simpler and deeper than his other stuff, and still very profound. The National Theatre in London did a play based on it, and we were lucky enough to see a screening of it at an indie cinema. It was one of the most moving things I have seen in a while. <3 Terry

  • you never read Diggers or Truckers?

  • If you like Nation and Terry's ability to challenge your preconceptions of life then you should definatly read The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. By far his best and deepest work.

    DFTBA 

  • I LOVE Terry Pratchett but need to get my hands on more!

  • Clean your glasses! AAAH!

  • Nation is amazing! My personal favourite Terry Pratchett book!

    I also really like nightwatch, feet of clay, mort and the light fantastic. He really is an amazing author

  • There is a really good book called "Looking for Alaska" by John Green, that I don't know if you've heard about it or already read it. Uh, he's also done two other books, plus a couple more with other authors and is working on a fourth. Oh and apparently he has a youtube channel as well with his brother.

    ....OK, I couldn't do that comment with a straight face!

  • I love you that much more now. He is by far my favorite author.

  • 0 dislikes ftw

  • Hmm, it sounds like something I should seriously check out! I for one don't like to assume too much so it's very possible that this book could be very entertaining and informative to me so double win! Thanks Hank! You're awesome as always! I love it when there two or more VlogBrother videos in one day!

  • OMG as you said that I looked at my desk at a book I was about to give up on it was nation Because of you I am reading it!!!

  • Nation in my pants. :D

    (read Good Omens)

  • but, hank, 73 is the perfect number! lol

  • You must absolutely read Good Omens (which Terry Pratchett wrote with Neil Gaiman), as has been suggested by several other commenters. It's a satiric novel about the coming of the apocalypse.

    It is my favorite book of all time. I'm on my third copy. The first was eaten by a dog and then stolen by a person who I lent it to. The second was just stolen by a person who I lent it to. It was good enough that I bought a third copy. This is amusing if you read the intro.

  • "first non-Discworld novel" implies that you have not read Good Omens... Which unfortunately means we can't be friends. At least until you read it.

  • FRENCH. THE. LLAMA. Hank Green likes Terry Pratchett. My life is now complete. Terry Pratchett + Vlogbrothers= awesomeness that cannot be comprehended.

    But how can you have never read Good Omens? Seriously Hank, DO IT. Please?

  • I LOVE HIS FOOTNOTES!

  • Really Hank? You haven't read Good Omens which was co-written by Neil Gaiman? One of my favourite books of all times.

  • The harder the sci fi the less lasers and space ships there seem to be... lol

  • 0:24 But...but...Good Omens? Don't you read Neil Gaiman, Hank? Meh...meh....please??

  • AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I love Terry Pratchett very much =)

  • Had to stop this video less than 30 seconds in. WaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitWAIT. Are you saying you've never read Good Omens by Terry Pratchett (and Neil Gaiman)?? Good heavens, Hank!  Check it out!

    OK, video may carry on now.

  • @autumnraina oh my gosh i love good omens! one of my favorites! hank definitely has to read it!

  • @autumnraina I have Good Omens but I haven't read it yet :(

  • @autumnraina I did the same thing. Thank you for beating me to it.

    Also worth reading Johnny and the Dead and Johnny and the Bomb. Also YA fiction.

  • I shall read it . . . eventually

  • Remember the Brotherhood 2.0 book club? That should return, but updated for four years in the future.

  • this book has been sitting on my book shelf for a while.... I should probably read it. I love Terry Pratchett...

  • i got this book for christmas!

  • why isn't this book translated into finnish!!! I had to check it right away and now I'm so disappointed...

  • @Zadyar0 I'm actcually surprised that it isn't. Terry Pratchett has a massive cult following all over the world. I am dissapointed for you. Let's hope they make a Finnish translation sometime soon =)

  • So, like your brother, you are a cry-er?

  • [pt2 above]... he balances dialog, narration and description perfectly). Also, although mostly a "serious" book I did laugh at loud several times, and smiled pretty often. He's pretty witty ;)

    I hope you enjoy it if you decide to check it out!

    Happy new year!

  • The book sounds great, Hank. My brother is a big Terry Pratchet fan, so he probably has it. When I finish the book I'm reading right now I'll definitely get started with this one!

    Btw, have you read anything by Neal Stephenson? I recently read Anathem and was *very* impressed. I love both its content (pretty thought-provoking; a mix of sci-fi and philosophy, although I'd say it focuses more on philosophy) and form (*so* well written; I really admire Stephenson's sense of rhythm; [pt2 below]

  • The maximum number should be 42. After all, it is the answer to the universe life and everything.

  • I have read every terry pratchett book numerous times and have no problem with the wonderful world he has created. The discworld books do wax and wain in quality but the last 10 have really good and include what I think is his best book (Thud!). It would be a mistake to just think he is another fantasy writer churning out book after book. There are some really great insights into the human condition even if they are actually told as the orc condition.

    Oh and Nation is a great standalone book.

  • Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is a wonderfully hilarious non-Discworld book.

  • i love all of terry pratchett's books except nation, it's completely out of his style, i'm seriously suspicious it wasn't even written by him

    it's an ok book but it just wasn't pratchett

  • Oooh, I read Nation! It was one of the first Terry Pratchett books I read, and I really want to read more, but if what you said about Diskworld is true..? Why is it so confusing? Any recommendations?

  • @hollyispossiblyaleaf the discworld ones are the best by far usually if there's something you don't understand you can keep reading and it will be explained

  • @hollyispossiblyaleaf If you want to have a clearer understanding of the discworld universe i suggest you check out some of his first books (The colour of magic, the light fantastic, mort etc.)

  • I am a HUGE Terry Pratchett fan. Yet I've never read any of his adult fiction novels. I have read every single young adult fiction novel he's written but his adult discworld novels are just to daunting to try to tackle.

  • I wish school left me some time to read books I actually want to read instead of "classics" we have to read for english... still have two unread Terry Pratchett discworld novels on my shelf *sigh*

  • you only just read nation :|

    still Terry Pratchett <3

  • I love Terry Pratchett too :D Haven't read Nation, though, but I will some time!

    When I recommend Pratchett books to my friends I usually go with Good Omens, the book he wrote with Neil Gaiman, it's not hard to get into either, and... it's awesome :D (also, my math teacher likes it. Proof right there)

  • I second you, Hank! Nation is a great book. =)

  • Anyone know where you can find Lirael? I read the first book, Sabriel (pure genius) and I'm looking everywhere for the sequel. 

  • Have you read Truckers, Diggers and Wings yet? They're pretty awesome too, I recommend them to you :)

  • I would love it if you and John did more book reviews in video form!

  • *adds to reading list*

  • Thanks for the review! Pratchett is great. But why 72? o_0

  • talking so slow!!!!!!!!!!!

    

  • Yay, double vlogbrothers video day FTW!

  • I totally agree about his YA vs. his Adult books. They're both amazing, but the YA is a little bit better.

    I've read most of the Discworld books. It's sad that it intimidates people, I think he's build one of the best and most relatable fantasy worlds. I haven't read Nation yet, though. Never got around to it. I'll have to sometime.

  • I got sooo confused in Discworld :) But I have Nation (on the to-read list!), and you need to read Good Omens.

    And on a sidenote you should also read the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. Not only is every book great, but all the books tie together and wrap around beautifully.

  • @anmlsrcute I just finished the Mistborn Trilogy! I loved them. I also just picked up another Sanderson book, Flantris, and I am really excited to start it!

  • SUCH A GREAT BOOK!!!!!!

  • -adds to reading list-

  • Hank, your mic is showing.

  • Have you ever read Good Omens? It's by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, and absolutely fantastic. I have never laughed as hard as I do when I am reading this book. My copy is basiclly torn to shreds by now- due to all my rereading, and lending.

  • @bowiebookgirl Have you ever read the Neil Gaiman book named "American Gods"? It's adult-themed, though, due to inappropriate-for-children things, but it's a very good book.

  • @kafre67151 I loved American Gods. I love pretty much anything Gaiman writes, really.

  • I absolutely adore Terry Pratchett, and I feel it's monumentally heartbreaking that he's suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

  • I spy a microphone in the shot.

  • MORE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS!

  • A lot of times when I am watching John's videos.. I sit and think but I don't know what the hell is going on. I'm glad some people feel like that at times as well, even though theirs is over a very complicated series of book. I guess I relate more to Hank in the science of things.

  • P.S. I actually had no idea there was a chronological order to the Discworld series.

  • I think that Discworld is pretty easy to get in to, you just have to start with one of the books that's enjoyable even if you're not entirely sure about what's going on in the world, like Monstrous Regiment (the first I read) or Equal Rites.

  • Good call. I think one of the reasons Nation feels so different to other Terry Prattchett novels is that it's the first one he released after he was diagnosed with Alzhiemer's disease. The themes of death and memory and what an identity is and how to build a person or a nation or thoughts from nothing are so prevelant in this book. You really get a sense of a man with his world whipped out from under his feet, it's fascinating to see what this man does next.

  • An internet friend told me to read Discworld but I, being extrememly silly, didn't start form the begining. I started from book three or something...Anyway, I think I'll read them whenever the first one comes into the library. *nods* He sounds like an epic writer.

  • @madison1150 I don't think you need to start from the beginning or even to read any of them chronologically. The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic are my least favourite discworld novels, Pratchett's just finding his feet in them, covering way too huge topics, he's all over the place. The later ones are much sharper and funnier. I'd reccommend reading the series within the main series in order. There are the books about the witches, or the watch, or Rincewind, or Death. Go for them.

    xxxx

  • hey - thanks Hank! Keep suggesting books, I'm always looking for another book to read!

  • Does that copy of Nation have a mylar cover?

  • Nation in my pants...

  • He did do Good Omens which has nothing to do with Discworld with Neil Gaiman, but that wasn't very good.

  • 2nd comment:

    In a lot of vlogbrothers videos, a crop of Inuyasha volumes always seems to catch my eye, and its rather suprising to me that you like that series. Inuyasha continues to be one of my favorite mangas/animes (Did you know the last volume is coming out soon?) but I was rather curious how you came across Inuyasha. From what I can tell, I thought you would be more into manga series such as Berserk and Deathnote (Both of which I highly reccomend). Each to their own, but I am curious. :)

  • Hank should do a podcast. Or go on NPR or something.

  • This sounds fascinating! I'll have to check it out!

  • I haven't read alot of pure science fiction (Though I love Ender's Game) nor do I read pure fantasy novels, though I do read alot. Nation seems interesting enough to add to my neverending "To Read List", so yay! You got another person reading Nation. Well, not until I check it out from my library, but still.

  • Aww, Hank cries at weddings! <3 Luv you, dude.

  • Like this if you see the lip balm in the background!

  • yay! hank book reviews! happy happy joy joy...

  • You should read Johnny and the Bomb.

  • so thats why i couldnt get into "Going Postal"....

  • You once said the hunger games were amazing, so I bought the trilogy. I chose the first book for my English literature project and it keep me awake until 4 am last night. So today my dad took it away from me when I went to bed... ^^ I like the same kind of books you seem to like, so I consider buying this one.

    Love from Germany

    Lena

  • Biblio.com > Amazon.com. JUST SAYIN' <3

  • 72 is also the year the Colosseum began construction and the name of God numerically.

  • Ive never liked diskworld, i just cant get into it, i'll def have to look into some nondiskworld stuff.

  • hank green book reviews. I think a new level of awesome has been discovered. I request, and I'm sure many people agree, more.

  • I love it that the "There should be a Hank Seal of Approval" comment has currently exactly 72 thumbs up.

    I had to take a screen cap of it. But now I'm going to add a 73rd thumb up.

  • You don't care about my book genre preference! 0_o

  • Dude, your mic's showing.

    I would like to read Terry Pratchett now! I like funny books with humor that you want to use again and again on your friends and that have a plot that makes you care about future of the characters. DFTBA.

  • SUCH WONDERFUL LIGHTING

  • I've only read one Terry Pratchett book (I'm not counting Good Omens here), and I would say that the easiest way to get into the Discworld novels is to read them according to character or plot line, not necessarily by publish date.

    I had wanted to get into the Discworld series for the longest time, but I never knew where to start until one of my friends told me that little trick.

  • @maculata Yeah, that's a great trick! You can find the books listed according to the character story lines at Pratchett and Discworld Wikia, in fact they have a page titled "reading order". Just google it, it's a great site, although be careful about spoilers. Personally, I would also recommend Wyrd Sisters or Reaper Man as the first book to try. Or Wee Free Men, especially for younger people. Small Gods is a great one to start with too, it's rather independent and very witty.

  • (continued) Ah!! It makes my brain hurt :P I don't want to be a serial killer!

    On an unrelated note, I would really love to read that book, but I'm currently reading Les Miserables and The Fellowship of the Ring. I have a bad habit of picking up a book, start to read it, then find another one and never finish the first one. How do I break this habit? Have you ever had this problem? Sigh, there's just so much great literature out there! Anyway, love your videos, and I can't wait for the scifi!

  • The whole thing about how you think that the character's beliefs are silly, but then realize that your own are, and his are paractical, kind of made me think of good and bad.

    It's really confusing as to what is good/bad, because everyone has a different standard. I tend to think of myself as a good person, I help other people and I'm nice, etc. But, what if there's some supreme standard for good/bad, and I'm like the equivilent of a serial killer, and serial killers are the best example ofgood

  • Hello - Two questions/comments:

    1. Have you ever done a Top 10ish sci-fi books/authors vlog? I just started getting into sci-fi and it's kind of tough knowing where to start.

    2. I was watching an old video of yours (April. 23 2010) on this channel about objective truth and and I remembered this article I read in the New Yorker about the "decline effect" of the scientific method. It's called "The Truth Wears Off" by Jonah Lehrer. You may like it. You may not. It's impossible to say.

  • The rule is: If it's by Terry Pratchett, read it.

  • I've never read any Terry Pratchett, but I intend to at some point. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Case point: I drove to the library today intending to turn in some books and check to see if a request came in. It hadn't, but I walked out with three books anyway.

    I'll keep this book in mind, though. For when I run out of the ones in the stack next to my bed. :) Right now I'm reading Love Is The Higher Law by David Levithan.

  • I LOVE YOU HANK GREEN!!!!!!!! >_<

  • oh, thank you for reviewing nation! i love, love, love that book. and now i know what i'm (re)reading next. :]

  • I haven't read it, but I watched this video anyway. I might read Nation, though. After my current book, and the one that I'm planning to read after that.

  • Bear's Blood Music actually changed my life.

  • @ 1:35 I was waiting for him to say amazing amazingness

  • I read that book this summer.

  • One of my favourite books is The Science of Discworld. 

  • I've read The Wee Free Men Trilogy from Terry Pratchett. Is that "DiscWorld" ?

  • @TheMatias383 I'm pretty sure it is because all of the discworld novel include a physical form of Death, and I remember him being in that series.

  • @TheMatias383 yup, definitely discworld. there's a few 'adult' discworld books that star the witches (granny weatherwax, nanny ogg, etc) from the wee free men trilogy, and they're really good. you could try masquerade or lords and ladies, they're both great :D

  • @TheMatias383 Yeah, it's Discworld, but it's definitely easier to understand than many other Discworld novels because it's so independent. It just has a few subtle references to other Discworld books. If you like the witches, you might like the books about Granny Weatherwax&co. Try Equal Rites (about a young girl, Esk, the first female Wizard in the world, taught by Granny) or Wyrd Sisters (kind of an affectionate parody of various Shakespeare's plays) first.

  • @TheMatias383 Oh yeah, almost forgot: there's a new book out in the Wee Free Men/Tiffany series! "I Shall Wear Midnight".

  • You are talking so slow. It's so strange.

  • oh i love terry pratchett. i saw that book in the bookstore and was a little bit, well, unsure if it would be a good idea, that he writes a young adult book. but your review sounds kinda cool. i'm really considering to buy that book or at least borrow it from one of the tons of libraries we have in my city.

  • i see your mic!

  • I bet one imaginary dollar that he has read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

  • You should do a tour of your bookshelf

  • @volcaniccolony im sure that would take at least 100 4 min parts

  • Does anyone else feel a return of the Nerdfighteria Book Club coming on?

  • You should read Strata. Terry Pratchett wrote it before he started writing about Discworld, and it's an amazing book!

  • Is that Good Omens I see?! Awesome. :D

  • I never really liked the diskword novels.. but maybe I should try this one

  • The Wee Free Men series by Pratchett is not disc world, or at least has no mention of it if it is set in the disc world, neither are The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, Carpet People, Truckers and others in that series and the Johnny series. They're all good =]

  • Have you read "Blood Music" by Greg bear? It is very good.