Nah, that’s an apt description. At least in the first several books, the series is basically meant to be a parody of 70’s and 80’s pop fantasy novels. And throw in some Shakespeare for good measure.

I guess I have a soft spot for the series because I grew up on a mix of Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms stuff, and those books, in spite of being mediocre, trope-laden slop for angsty teenagers, always took themselves way too damned seriously. Pratchett’s parody is spot on. Then again, I also really liked Good Omens before starting Discworld so YMMV. Definitely save it for when you’re looking for something more light-hearted, and fair warning – the first book, The Colour of Magic, is a little bit of a slog compared to subsequent books.

Although they are all pretty silly, there are a few standalone Discworld books with more of a serious plot and typical fantasy characters. My favorite is probably “Small Gods”, which is based around the idea that Gods as real beings exist because of their believers, rather than the other way around (sort of like in American Gods_. It focuses on a random young acolyte of the local cult, who has accidentally become the last remaining true believer. Another good one is “The Monstrous Regiment”: a young girl escapes from a Dickensian boarding school, dresses up as a boy, and joins the army. Unfortunately, her assigned unit it full of mysteries and alarming characters who she needs to deal with before she can rescue her vanished brother.