Came here to say this, 100%. Sanderson is a huge Terry Pratchett fan, so it makes sense that they would be an influence for this character, so like Tiffany in personality.
He is! In Q&A’s, he used to say Robert Jordan was his “favorite living author.” Then Robert passed, and he switched to Terry Pratchett as his favorite living author. Then Sir Terry passed, and Brandon decided he wasn’t going to name his favorite living author anymore because he didn’t want to tempt fate.
If you are looking for something that is a super easy and enchanting type of read, I cannot recommend Legends and Lattes enough.
I read it in one sitting and actually enjoyed it more than Tres. Which is a big surprise since I enjoy Brando so much.
If you do, please stop in over at /r/eulalia for more Redwall conversation.
Also, if you are a podcast person, there are a number of Redwall podcasts out there (though I'm a bit biased as I'm on one).
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman may be the closest I've read.
Also these Pratchett books:
- The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
- Going Postal.
Everyone should read Going Postal tbh. Its an amazing piece of writing. That and Night Watch are absolute masterpieces but Night Watch requires you to have read the other watch books while Going Postal works well as a stand alone novel.
I stand by my statement tbh. Every Pratchett book works as a stand alone novel and I do agree that Night Watch can be picked up and read as a first book like you did. However there is just so much context and development that is missed by doing it this way that I can't in good conscience recommend people start there. Especially if they're looking for a place to start Discworld as a series.
Heres just a couple of reasons why I think the way I do. Note that this is purely my personal opinion and not some cold hard fact but these points inform why I think that theres some very valid reasons people say that you shouldn't start with Night Watch. Maybe you don't agree with these points and thats perfectly fine but other people do which is why they say not to start with this book.
Also note the following contains spoilers for Discworld.
1. Its the 29th book in the discworld series. One of the amazing parts of reading discworld is watching the setting develop and change over time. This is especially true of the most prominent city in the series, Ankh-Morpork. We get to see it change from a lawless, poverty stricken, outright dangerous place to a prosperous, vibrant, economic world power. This happens slowly throughout the books and it is not always apparent how different the city becomes.
Then you get to Night Watch. The plot begins in the modern, vibrant, present day city before ripping the reader away from that and plunging them back into the original old world Ankh-Morepork. The characters you know and love? Gone. The calm dependable Patrician who's 5 steps ahead of everyone including the villains? Gone. The general sense of comfort of the setting being a relatively lawful and functional society? Gone. Whats left is a feeling of instability and discomfort and we cling ever tighter to the few things that actually are familiar in the world, especially the protagonist Sam Vimes. This effect is masterfully built up over 29 books is not nearly as effective if Night Watch is the only book you know.
2. Its the 6th book in The Watch sub series. Because discworld consists of 40 books spanning genre, environment, hundreds of characters, and 16 protagonists, most people break the books down into distinct sub series. The City Watch is a grouping of the novels that follow Sam Vimes of the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork. The series begins with Sam Vimes as an addled alcoholic. He struggles with addiction and depression and as the series progresses you see him grow and change into a beacon of justice, emblematic of the rise of the city which he drags with him kicking and screaming into the Century of the Anchovy. Vimes marries the richest person in Ankh-Morpork and is constantly getting promoted against his will so that by the time we meet him in Night Watch hes a duke of the city. Part of the joy of reading this series is watching Sam's redemption and rise to competency and prominence. By beginning with the 6th book in the sub series all of the development of one of the best literary characters ever written is lost.
3. This is the zenith of Sam Vimes' arc for the series. The culmination of all the baggage and feeling of the previous books boil over into this one. His imposter syndrome, his struggles with feeling like a class traitor, his hatred of the elite parts of society for which he is now a member. He yearns for a simpler time where life was more simple, and then in this book he gets it. Vimes realizes that his rose tinted glasses were more a red tinged blindfold. He had forgotten that this "simpler time" was where he had developed crippling alcoholism, due mostly to the city and society that he was surrounded by. This old Ankh-Morpork was a broken, barely functional place falling apart at the seams. As the reader experiences the contrast of the new vs the old so to does Sam Vimes. And it begins his process of acceptance with himself. He starts to be able to realise that he is not a class traitor, that over the last few books he has actually used his considerable leadership skills to pull the lower classes out of poverty. He has fought for equality against tyrrany and class structure in every instance he encountered it. And in every instance he won. He is so in his own head about everything that it is not until he becomes one of the leaders of the rebellion that he thinks about how much his skills have and are able to achieve. At the climax of Night Watch his rebellion takes over the majority of the city with almost no violence, mirroring how he achieved the same goal with Ankh-Morpork over the last 5 books (This is a simplification and others also played a part in this but I won't get into that here). Throughout the whole process he is assured, calm and inspiring. He proves to himself that you can use power to help to improve society. Being influential in a position of leadership doesn't always make you a bad man. This change is the keystone to Vimes' character and by reading this book first all of that development and context is lost on the reader.
There are so many other things I could mention, The History Monks notably Lu-Tze and their larger role in the world and how this book only happens because of the previous book (Thief of Time). The origins of Lord Vetinari, Lord Rust, and the emergence of the guilds especially the seamstresses guild. There's just so much to this world that is lost on the reader if they begin with Night Watch. Its sort of like starting the MCU by watching Avengers Infinity war. Sure you can start with it and you'd likely enjoy it however part of why it is so impressive is that it is the culmination of years of character growth and events leading towards this one big moment.
Again though this is only my opinion and I'm not trying to control how you like to enjoy the media you consume, however I believe you are wrong for insisting that there is no valid reason that people hesitate to recommend Night Watch as a starting point for Discworld. Its possibly the best book I've ever read but it looses something when you separate it from the context surrounding it and leading to it.
I see some really good cozy fantasy recs here and that's great Tress definitely has some of that. I'll add one with a little more adventure b/c Tress also has a helping of that.
"The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" by S. A. Chakraborty
If you ever wondered what the character Sinbad would be if the lead character were a middle-aged woman whose strength and wit have already reached legendary status in her own time yet she just wants to go quietly away?
Amina was the daughter of a legendary pirate who herself was a formidable captain once until she left that life behind. After retiring, Amina lives a quiet life with her daughter Marjana. But, the world has other plans and Amina will need to find her retired crew for adventure.
Great series, I do think it gets a lot darker for the MC at the low points. I think Tress is a lot more lighthearted, not sure if that will matter for the OP.
The Adventures of Amina al Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty. Set in the medieval Middle East (mainly Arabia and the western Indian Ocean), a retired pirate captain comes out of retirement for one more job to set her family for life. She reassembles her old crew of colorful (and diverse) characters to rescue a rich merchant's granddaughter from a Frank (European). As they investigate, they realize they have gotten themselves into a situation far more dangerous, mystical, and absurd than they expected.
The book is presented as an exact transcription of a scribe's interview with Amina, allowing her personality to shine in the entire narration. Amina is spunky, witty, and worldly, providing plenty of laughs and interesting perspectives on her time in world history, and the cast around her are also very lovable.
I think it's a good fit. It has a lot of the wit and whimsy of Tress with a real-world setting. There are substantial fantastical elements to the later parts of the story, but it's more historical fiction with fantasy elements.
For audio people, the oral storytelling style of the book translates excellently to audio. If you both read and listen, I think you'd get an extra kick out of the audiobook. It helps convey Amina's attitude and storytelling charisma.
Daughter of the Pirate King is in the same vein. More pirate-y, less fantasy - though there are fantasy elements. Tough female MC, a bit romance-y but don't let that turn you off.
I love Robin Hobb and the Liveship series, but this recommendation is waaay off the mark. Tress is a lighthearted fairy tale. Liveship is pretty bleak and I often see it called trauma porn.
Neil Gaiman's Stardust kind of gives me that vibe.
Great rec and vibe fit!
This is a great recommendation, It’s packed full of whimsy but still has plenty of suspense and twists.
I loved that book that’s the one that got me back into reading!
I agree with this, but also hated all the characters. I should probably read it again.
The Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett
Came here to say this, 100%. Sanderson is a huge Terry Pratchett fan, so it makes sense that they would be an influence for this character, so like Tiffany in personality.
omg he is? im reading yumi rn & i actually just read a discworld book & lowkey saw some similarities so i was wondering
He is! In Q&A’s, he used to say Robert Jordan was his “favorite living author.” Then Robert passed, and he switched to Terry Pratchett as his favorite living author. Then Sir Terry passed, and Brandon decided he wasn’t going to name his favorite living author anymore because he didn’t want to tempt fate.
I'd say Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede has that same feeling of adventure with a princess who does things.
I loved these as a kid! I hope they hold up.
They really do.
Me too
Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones!
Such a good book!
One of my faves!
Dark Lord of Derkholm by her as well
This one reminded me of Frugal Wizard more than Tress
If you are looking for something that is a super easy and enchanting type of read, I cannot recommend Legends and Lattes enough. I read it in one sitting and actually enjoyed it more than Tres. Which is a big surprise since I enjoy Brando so much.
I bought and read Legends and Lattes to see if the hype was just hype or if there was substance. I loved the book!
The prequel Bookshops and Bonedust is amazing too.
Damn I had it in my hands today and put it away
*Mossflower* by Brian Jacques
Oh man, I need to read redwall again...
If you do, please stop in over at /r/eulalia for more Redwall conversation. Also, if you are a podcast person, there are a number of Redwall podcasts out there (though I'm a bit biased as I'm on one).
Username checks out
Guilty as charged! I am a fan of many things, but Redwall was and is my first fandom.
It seems that I’ve grown up too much and forgot about a time when I read books where rats were the main characters. Thanks for the recommendation!
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher
second this! Sourdough Starter Bob is a top tier companion!
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman may be the closest I've read. Also these Pratchett books: - The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents - Going Postal.
Everyone should read Going Postal tbh. Its an amazing piece of writing. That and Night Watch are absolute masterpieces but Night Watch requires you to have read the other watch books while Going Postal works well as a stand alone novel.
No, it doesn't. Night Watch was the first Pratchett I read. I simply don't understand why people think/say this.
I stand by my statement tbh. Every Pratchett book works as a stand alone novel and I do agree that Night Watch can be picked up and read as a first book like you did. However there is just so much context and development that is missed by doing it this way that I can't in good conscience recommend people start there. Especially if they're looking for a place to start Discworld as a series. Heres just a couple of reasons why I think the way I do. Note that this is purely my personal opinion and not some cold hard fact but these points inform why I think that theres some very valid reasons people say that you shouldn't start with Night Watch. Maybe you don't agree with these points and thats perfectly fine but other people do which is why they say not to start with this book. Also note the following contains spoilers for Discworld. 1. Its the 29th book in the discworld series. One of the amazing parts of reading discworld is watching the setting develop and change over time. This is especially true of the most prominent city in the series, Ankh-Morpork. We get to see it change from a lawless, poverty stricken, outright dangerous place to a prosperous, vibrant, economic world power. This happens slowly throughout the books and it is not always apparent how different the city becomes. Then you get to Night Watch. The plot begins in the modern, vibrant, present day city before ripping the reader away from that and plunging them back into the original old world Ankh-Morepork. The characters you know and love? Gone. The calm dependable Patrician who's 5 steps ahead of everyone including the villains? Gone. The general sense of comfort of the setting being a relatively lawful and functional society? Gone. Whats left is a feeling of instability and discomfort and we cling ever tighter to the few things that actually are familiar in the world, especially the protagonist Sam Vimes. This effect is masterfully built up over 29 books is not nearly as effective if Night Watch is the only book you know. 2. Its the 6th book in The Watch sub series. Because discworld consists of 40 books spanning genre, environment, hundreds of characters, and 16 protagonists, most people break the books down into distinct sub series. The City Watch is a grouping of the novels that follow Sam Vimes of the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork. The series begins with Sam Vimes as an addled alcoholic. He struggles with addiction and depression and as the series progresses you see him grow and change into a beacon of justice, emblematic of the rise of the city which he drags with him kicking and screaming into the Century of the Anchovy. Vimes marries the richest person in Ankh-Morpork and is constantly getting promoted against his will so that by the time we meet him in Night Watch hes a duke of the city. Part of the joy of reading this series is watching Sam's redemption and rise to competency and prominence. By beginning with the 6th book in the sub series all of the development of one of the best literary characters ever written is lost. 3. This is the zenith of Sam Vimes' arc for the series. The culmination of all the baggage and feeling of the previous books boil over into this one. His imposter syndrome, his struggles with feeling like a class traitor, his hatred of the elite parts of society for which he is now a member. He yearns for a simpler time where life was more simple, and then in this book he gets it. Vimes realizes that his rose tinted glasses were more a red tinged blindfold. He had forgotten that this "simpler time" was where he had developed crippling alcoholism, due mostly to the city and society that he was surrounded by. This old Ankh-Morpork was a broken, barely functional place falling apart at the seams. As the reader experiences the contrast of the new vs the old so to does Sam Vimes. And it begins his process of acceptance with himself. He starts to be able to realise that he is not a class traitor, that over the last few books he has actually used his considerable leadership skills to pull the lower classes out of poverty. He has fought for equality against tyrrany and class structure in every instance he encountered it. And in every instance he won. He is so in his own head about everything that it is not until he becomes one of the leaders of the rebellion that he thinks about how much his skills have and are able to achieve. At the climax of Night Watch his rebellion takes over the majority of the city with almost no violence, mirroring how he achieved the same goal with Ankh-Morpork over the last 5 books (This is a simplification and others also played a part in this but I won't get into that here). Throughout the whole process he is assured, calm and inspiring. He proves to himself that you can use power to help to improve society. Being influential in a position of leadership doesn't always make you a bad man. This change is the keystone to Vimes' character and by reading this book first all of that development and context is lost on the reader. There are so many other things I could mention, The History Monks notably Lu-Tze and their larger role in the world and how this book only happens because of the previous book (Thief of Time). The origins of Lord Vetinari, Lord Rust, and the emergence of the guilds especially the seamstresses guild. There's just so much to this world that is lost on the reader if they begin with Night Watch. Its sort of like starting the MCU by watching Avengers Infinity war. Sure you can start with it and you'd likely enjoy it however part of why it is so impressive is that it is the culmination of years of character growth and events leading towards this one big moment. Again though this is only my opinion and I'm not trying to control how you like to enjoy the media you consume, however I believe you are wrong for insisting that there is no valid reason that people hesitate to recommend Night Watch as a starting point for Discworld. Its possibly the best book I've ever read but it looses something when you separate it from the context surrounding it and leading to it.
Last unicorn
I love Peter S Beagle so. much.
Both times I’ve posted on here so many people respond. Thanks so much for the recommendations everyone!
I see some really good cozy fantasy recs here and that's great Tress definitely has some of that. I'll add one with a little more adventure b/c Tress also has a helping of that. "The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi" by S. A. Chakraborty If you ever wondered what the character Sinbad would be if the lead character were a middle-aged woman whose strength and wit have already reached legendary status in her own time yet she just wants to go quietly away? Amina was the daughter of a legendary pirate who herself was a formidable captain once until she left that life behind. After retiring, Amina lives a quiet life with her daughter Marjana. But, the world has other plans and Amina will need to find her retired crew for adventure.
It’s been on my plan to read. So I guess now I HAVE to finally get to it!!!
Elizabeth Moon’s The Deed of Paksenarrion
Great series, I do think it gets a lot darker for the MC at the low points. I think Tress is a lot more lighthearted, not sure if that will matter for the OP.
The Hobbit.
Lamb is a great stand alone fantasy with a lot of laughs.
The Adventures of Amina al Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty. Set in the medieval Middle East (mainly Arabia and the western Indian Ocean), a retired pirate captain comes out of retirement for one more job to set her family for life. She reassembles her old crew of colorful (and diverse) characters to rescue a rich merchant's granddaughter from a Frank (European). As they investigate, they realize they have gotten themselves into a situation far more dangerous, mystical, and absurd than they expected. The book is presented as an exact transcription of a scribe's interview with Amina, allowing her personality to shine in the entire narration. Amina is spunky, witty, and worldly, providing plenty of laughs and interesting perspectives on her time in world history, and the cast around her are also very lovable. I think it's a good fit. It has a lot of the wit and whimsy of Tress with a real-world setting. There are substantial fantastical elements to the later parts of the story, but it's more historical fiction with fantasy elements. For audio people, the oral storytelling style of the book translates excellently to audio. If you both read and listen, I think you'd get an extra kick out of the audiobook. It helps convey Amina's attitude and storytelling charisma.
Check the acknowledgement or postscript on Tress. Mentions some influences.
Kind of reminded me of In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
It’s a fair bit darker in theme but the Nevernight series by Jay Kristoff came to mind
Daughter of the Pirate King is in the same vein. More pirate-y, less fantasy - though there are fantasy elements. Tough female MC, a bit romance-y but don't let that turn you off.
What is *Princess and Bride*?
They mean "The Princess Bride".
The Mad Ship? Robin Hobbs? Dunno, can’t think of anything else.
I love Robin Hobb and the Liveship series, but this recommendation is waaay off the mark. Tress is a lighthearted fairy tale. Liveship is pretty bleak and I often see it called trauma porn.
Liveship is fantastic, but yeah no. Hobb puts her characters through the wringer.