@Gargron Oh no please don't give up on Pratchett

but maybe start with Guards! Guards!, that's when the 'modern Ankh-Morpork' really started and it's a solid wassname, metaphor for the human condition, and if that's not bad enough, it's also a bloody huge fiery flying thing.

Or Pyramids, because it's filled with Ancient Egyptian AND confectionary name puns.

(The warring kingdoms of Hersheba and Djelibabi are awesome)