Summary

It can be a challenge break into Terry Pratchett ’s sprawlingDiscworlduniverse , but there are ways through it that make more good sense than others . There are 41 novels in Terry Pratchett ’s comic phantasy book serial , along with various standalones and guides , and it is a world well deserving exploring . Among some of thebest phantasy booksin the English linguistic process , Discworldwas Pratchett ’s life ’s work , put out between 1983 and 2015 over 32 years . Pratchett ’s commitment to world - edifice was commendable , do many novel in the same universe despite not all following the same news report .

Pratchett was a hero in more ways than one , chronicle his battle with Alzheimer ’s in docudrama for the BBC and donate significant center to Alzheimer ’s Research UK before passing away in 2015 at 66 . Pratchett leave alone his literary realm as his legacy , with Steven Ross graphic novel , Discworldcomputer and board games , andTerry Pratchett TV adaptationsall include . Before diving intoDiscworld , it pays to prove what order the book were written inand how they are sieve thematically , to determine where good to begin .

C.S. Lewis put lots of clip and care into each episode of the Narnia series , but not every book in the universe is equally compelling or strong .

Book-Cover-Imagery-from-The-Chronicles-of-Narnia–

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Books In Publication Order

There Are 41 Discworld Novels

The humorous phantasy serial publication start with 1983’sThe Colour of Magicand end with 2015’sThe Shepherd ’s Crown , which was published posthumously . The serial publication often parodied or satirized other workwithin the phantasy or sci - fi genres , and was set in a flat world balanced on the back of four elephants , which were standing on a elephantine turtle . There wasDiscworldromantasy , law adjective novels , and witch and vampire books , among others , exhibit the across-the-board kitchen range of issue cover in the series .

A stickler for Terry Pratchett may want to read theDiscworldbooks in publication order .

Discworldwas episodic , with each novel working dead well in and of itself . Despite this , the novels are generally group thematically , although there is a lot of intersection . While the novels can be read thematically , a stickler for Terry Pratchett may need to read theDiscworldbooks in publication order . Readers will be rewarded with a vast orbit of characters and position . Wizards , gnomes , lycanthrope , and trolls were just some of the superhuman races that populate Pratchett ’s Discworld .

Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton holding Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton in the 1923 season 2 finale

How To Read Discworld In Chronological Order

The Books Were Published Chronologically

Terry Pratchett’sDiscworldnovelswere write and put out in chronological purchase order . There is a rough continuity to the series , with some Holy Writ making more reference to previous al-Qur’an than others . As such , there is enrichment to be gleaned from reading the ledger in chronological purchase order . The books resist on their own just as well as constituent of the whole , so each Good Book could be viewed as a sequel to the one before it , but does n’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 storyline , options , part , 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 trifle in for most of his career , so this diverseness of cloth makes a lot of sense . Novels in the same subseries were n’t put out in chronological order of magnitude , one after the other . aggroup and reading the record this way helps tackleDiscworldin more bite - sizing glob and helps in the event of preferring specific topics within Pratchett ’s fantasy comedy world .

Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch looking to the right of the screen with a tree behind him in Bosch: Legacy

Every Subseries In Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Universe (& The Standalones)

There Are Six Discworld Subseries

Rincewind

Rincewind is the star protagonist of this subseries , which initiatedDiscworldin 1983 withThe Colour of Magic . This bollocks up champion acted as a tourist guide for Twofold in Ankh - Morpork , the biggest city in Discworld , but he could n’t stop them both from getting into all variety of trouble . The wizarding wonder of this subseries spanned heroes and magic , laying a square foundation for the varied novel to come .

Rincewind Book

Release Date

Book Cover Imagery from Terry Pratchetts Discworld Books

The Colour of Magic

1983

The Light Fantastic

Collage of Discworld book covers

1986

Sourcery

1988

An illustration of The Watch

Eric

1990

Interesting Times

Terry Pratchett Men At Arms Discworld

Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore.

1994

The Last Continent

1998

Pratchett Discworld Men At Arms

The Last Hero

2001

Witches

One of the important subset of Terry Pratchett’sDiscworld , this mini - serial covered the crone of Lancre . The Wyrd sister riffed off the witches inMacbeth , although conduct thaumaturgy far less seriously . These canny , shady witches used " headology " as a part of their practice , an intriguing case of psychological science . Granny Weatherwax was an iconic quality in this subseries and voiced many of Pratchett ’s thoughts on what it means to be an aging type in fantasy .

Witches Book

Equal Rites

1987

Wyrd Sisters

Witches afield

1991

nobleman and peeress

Maskerade

1992

Carpe Jugulum

1995

Death

The grim harvester did Father in this hilarious and insightful group of books explore the human condition . Featuring stone bands , Christmas , and the grim reaper farming , it is a self-colored entering to theDiscworldseries or a jem to arrive at a few Word of God in . This series exemplified the trouble of adaptingDiscworldwhen a producer was tell to " lose the demise angle " by US backers .

Death Book

Mort

Reaperman

Soul Music

Hogfather

1996

Thief of Time

City Watch

Perhaps the most popularDiscworldsubseries overall , the City Watch subset hold a novel that many Pratchett buff summon as their favoriteDiscworldnovel , Guards ! Guards ! . Set in Ankh - Morpork , this serial was a constabulary procedural , expose the various mischance of one Sam Vimes . These saving novels were go and sardonic , explore the inner working of the Watch — thecontroversialThe WatchTV adaptationwas generally based on these novels .

City Watch Book

Guards ! Guards !

1989

man at Arms

1993

Feet of Clay

Jingo

1997

The Fifth Element

1999

Night Watch

2002

Thud !

2005

Snuff

2011

Industrial Revolution

These novels are aggroup together as they all take after a dissimilar piece of technology as it was acquaint to Discworld . However , the novels within the subseries have different characters who have cameos throughout the entirety ofDiscworld . A challenging succession of novel to categorise , the Industrial Revolution miniseries feature a lot of overlap with other subseries . Conman Moist Van Lipwig is a memorable plus of these books , fix the Ankh - Morpork Post Office inGoing Postal .

Industrial Revolution Book

The Truth

2000

Monstrous Regiment

2003

Going Postal

2004

create Money

2007

Raising Steam

2013

Tiffany Aching

The only subseries targeted toward young adults inDiscworld , the Tiffany Aching book followed trainee witch Tiffany Aching . These Quran are heavily unite to the Witches novel and would be well scan after them . Terry Pratchett ’s daughter , Rihanna Pratchett , co - authored the tie-up - in bookTiffany Aching ’s Guide to Being a Witch , which is a not bad musical accompaniment for this magical story .

Tiffany Aching Book

The Wee Free Men

A lid Full of Sky

Wintersmith

2006

I Shall put on Midnight

2010

The Shepherd ’s Crown

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 altogether dissimilar plots and characters . Many assert bySmall Godsas the bestDiscworldnoveland the undecomposed gateway novel to the humanity . The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodentsis another standalone and a YA ledger that is hugely relevant to people of all age .

Standalone Book

Pyramids

Small god

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

The Best Order To Read The Discworld Books In

There Is No Right Order

Ultimately , there is no one right parliamentary procedure in which to register Terry Pratchett’sDiscworld . Since each Bible stands alone , it is really delightfully easy to dive intoDiscworld , and the gild of recital has minuscule consequence on the experience . But with a little counselling , a personal optimum can be accomplish . For representative , most people will find the Tiffany Aching series a far more rewarding read after consume the Witches Scripture first . And if the thought of take a serial of 41 books is off - putting , less committed readers can approachDiscworldvia subseries .

offense thriller devotee can go about City Watch for an unveiling to thislengthy fantasy seriesthat brooks no rival , whereas eminent phantasy nerds may do well to get take off with the Rincewind subseries . The Witches series has a distinctly feminist tone , so it is well worth contact for this if that sound like an edifying endeavor . Those take care for a short , short explosion ofDiscworldto appraise their taste for Pratchett ’s classifiable tone should belike jump withSmall Gods , or the third or fourth book in the series as a whole - the ones where Pratchett really produce into the swing ofDiscworld , accord to him .