Summary
It can be a challenge breaking into Terry Pratchett’s sprawlingDiscworlduniverse, but there are ways through it that make more sense than others.There are 41 novels in Terry Pratchett’s comic fantasy book series, along with various standalones and guides, and it is a world well worth exploring. Among some of thebest fantasy booksin the English language,Discworldwas Pratchett’s life’s work, published between 1983 and 2015 over 32 years. Pratchett’s commitment to world-building was laudable, setting many novels in the same universe despite not all following the same story.
Pratchett was a hero in more ways than one, chronicling his struggle with Alzheimer’s in documentaries for the BBC and donating significant sums to Alzheimer’s Research UK before passing away in 2015 at 66. Pratchett left his literary realm as his legacy, with Steven Ross graphic novels,Discworldcomputer and board games, andTerry Pratchett TV adaptationsall included.Before diving intoDiscworld, it pays to examine what order the books were written inand how they are sorted thematically, to determine where best to begin.
Every Chronicles Of Narnia Book, Ranked
C.S. Lewis put lots of time and care into each installment of the Narnia series, but not every book in the universe is equally compelling or strong.
Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Books In Publication Order
There Are 41 Discworld Novels
The humorous fantasy series began with 1983’sThe Colour of Magicand ended with 2015’sThe Shepherd’s Crown, which was published posthumously.The series often parodied or satirized other workwithin the fantasy or sci-fi genres, and was set in a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants, which were standing on a giant turtle. There wasDiscworldromantasy, police procedural novels, and witch and vampire books, among others, demonstrating the wide range of topics covered in the series.
A stickler for Terry Pratchett may want to read theDiscworldbooks in publication order.
Discworldwas episodic, with each novel working perfectly well in and of itself. Despite this,the novels are generally grouped thematically, although there is a lot of overlap. While the novels can be read thematically, a stickler for Terry Pratchett may want to read theDiscworldbooks in publication order. Readers will be rewarded with a huge scope of characters and locations. Wizards, gnomes, werewolves, and trolls were just some of the superhuman races that populated Pratchett’s Discworld.
The Books Were Published Chronologically
Terry Pratchett’sDiscworldnovelswere written and published in chronological order. There is a rough continuity to the series, with some books making more reference to previous books than others. As such,there is enrichment to be gleaned from reading the books in chronological order. The books stand on their own just as well as parts of the whole, so each book could be viewed as a sequel to the one before it, but doesn’t have to be. There are no prequels. To read the books in chronological order, just read them in order of their publication date.
Terry Pratchett was the best-selling author in the UK in the 1990s.
Some novels withinDiscworldshare similar storylines, settings, characters, and genres, which are said to fall into their own subseries.There are multiple subseries inDiscworldwhich all vary significantly. Discworld was the literary sandpit that Terry Pratchett played in for most of his career, so this diversity of material makes a lot of sense. Novels in the same subseries weren’t published in chronological order, one after the other. Grouping and reading the books this way helps tackleDiscworldin more bite-size chunks and helps in the event of preferring specific topics within Pratchett’s fantasy comedy world.
There Are Six Discworld Subseries
Rincewind
Rincewind is the wizard protagonist of this subseries, which initiatedDiscworldin 1983 withThe Colour of Magic.This bumbling wizard acted as a tourist guide for Twofold in Ankh-Morpork, the biggest city in Discworld, but he couldn’t stop them both from getting into all kinds of trouble.The wizarding wonder of this subseries spanned heroes and magic, laying a solid foundation for the varied novels to come.
1983
1986
1988
1990
1994
1998
2001
Witches
One of the important subsets of Terry Pratchett’sDiscworld,this mini-series covered the witches of Lancre. The Wyrd sisters riffed off the witches inMacbeth, although taking magic far less seriously. These clever, funny witches used “headology” as a part of their practice, an intriguing type of psychology. Granny Weatherwax was an iconic character in this subseries and voiced many of Pratchett’s thoughts on what it means to be an aging character in fantasy.
1987
1991
Lords and ladies
1992
1995
Death
The grim reaper did fatherhood in this hilarious and insightful group of books exploring the human condition. Featuring rock bands, Christmas, and the grim reaper farming, it is a solid entry to theDiscworldseries or a jem to arrive at a few books in.This series exemplified the difficulty of adaptingDiscworldwhen a producer was told to “lose the death angle” by US backers.
1996
City Watch
Perhaps the most popularDiscworldsubseries overall, the City Watch subset contains a novel that many Pratchett fans cite as their favoriteDiscworldnovel,Guards! Guards!. Set in Ankh-Morpork, this series was a police procedural, displaying the various misadventures of one Sam Vimes.These redemptive novels were moving and sardonic, exploring the inner workings of the Watch—thecontroversialThe WatchTV adaptationwas loosely based on these novels.
1989
1993
1997
1999
2002
2005
2011
Industrial Revolution
These novels are grouped together as they all followed a different piece of technology as it was introduced to Discworld. However, the novels within the subseries have different characters who have cameos throughout the entirety ofDiscworld.A challenging sequence of novels to categorize,the Industrial Revolution miniseries featured a lot of overlap with other subseries. Conman Moist Van Lipwig is a memorable asset of these books, restoring the Ankh-Morpork Post Office inGoing Postal.
2000
2003
2004
2007
2013
Tiffany Aching
The only subseries targeted toward young adults inDiscworld, the Tiffany Aching books followed trainee witch Tiffany Aching. These books are heavily linked to the Witches novels and would be better read after them. Terry Pratchett’s daughter, Rihanna Pratchett, co-authored the tie-in bookTiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch,which is a great accompaniment for this magical story.
2006
2010
2015
Standalones
PyramidsandSmall Godsare two books largely considered standalones in theDiscworlduniverse, although some consider them to be their own subseries of sorts. They are both based on ancient civilizations but also have completely different plots and characters.Many swear bySmall Godsas the bestDiscworldnoveland the best gateway novel to the world.The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodentsis another standalone and a YA book that is hugely relevant to people of all ages.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
There Is No Right Order
Ultimately, there is no one right order in which to read Terry Pratchett’sDiscworld. Since each book stands alone, it is actually delightfully easy to dive intoDiscworld,and the order of reading has little consequence on the experience. But with a little guidance,a personal optimum can be achieved. For instance, most people will find the Tiffany Aching series a far more rewarding read after consuming the Witches books first. And if the thought of reading a series of 41 books is off-putting, less committed readers can approachDiscworldvia subseries.
Crime thriller fans can approach City Watch for an introduction to thislengthy fantasy seriesthat brooks no rival, whereas high fantasy nerds may do well to get started with the Rincewind subseries. The Witches series has a distinctly feminist tone, so it is well worth reaching for this if that sounds like an enlightening endeavor.Those looking for a short, short burst ofDiscworldto measure their taste for Pratchett’s distinctive tone should probably start withSmall Gods, or the third or fourth book in the series as a whole - the ones where Pratchett really got into the swing ofDiscworld, according to him.
