Note: This post is most useful if you have read the Terry
Pratchett books before and want a map for rereading them. There is another post
for first time readers trying to get into Terry Pratchett
here.
Terry Pratchett’s Discworld universe is a complicated series
of 41 books involving a host of characters from all walks of life. They are
fun, fascinating, and fabulous, but reading them in chronological order can be
exhausting because of the many interconnected story lines. If you’ve already
read some of the Discworld books and are looking for a way to go back through
the series, this is one method that might help make order out of chaos.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Discworld Machete Reread Order:
The Rincewind Books:
- The Colour of Magic (1983)
- The Light Fantastic (1986)
The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic
are the first two Discworld books. They are short funny fantasies that have
almost nothing to do with the later novels (okay, they are where the Librarian
turns into an Orangutang, so there’s some carry over… but not a lot). By the
end of these two novels lovable wizard Rincewind has gone through various
trials and come out stronger for it… a better stronger Rincewind? No, thank
you. If you want you can skip these two books entirely and just watch the
two-part television adaption Terry
Pratchett’s The Colour of Magic. It stars some guy I’ve never heard of as
Rincewind, but—more importantly—Sam Gangee is Twoflower!! Plus Tim Curry and
Jeremy Irons!
Love Sourcery, I think this is a great
introduction to the concept of other Wizards and Unseen University without
making them look like unrepetent morons (see Equal Rites).
- Eric (1990)
- Moving Pictures (1990)
NOT
A RINCEWIND BOOK! The early Discworld books (I know, in Machete order we
still haven’t gotten to Equal Rites… patience). This book doesn’t have Rincewind,
but it provides the context necessary for Interesting Times and (especially)
the Last Continent. It also introduces Ponder and Ridcully, so… you know…
awesome.
- Interesting Times (1994)
- The Last Continent (1998)
Don’t worry, gentle reader, Rincewind will
show up again in other novels! But, these are the essentials.
Some Random Books (Discworld Culture Edition):
- Pyramids (1989)
- Small Gods (1992)
These are both ‘Discworld Culture’ books
according to Wikipedia. I don’t know what they’re smoking, but I’m buying.
These two books don’t really have any recurring characters, but they’re
awesome. Read them. Especially the parts in Pyramids that introduce the guild
system in Ankh Morpark (and the assassins, never forget the assassins… they
won’t forget you).
The Death (Not Susan) Books:
Mort is the fourth Discworld novel
published, and it’s the point where you can say, “Everything after this is
totally cannon. The rules are set. This is shit that happened.”
Introduction of the auditors!
The Witches (Not Tiffany Aching) Books:
Okay, so Equal Rites was the third
Discworld published and it’s another one where the basis of the world isn’t
fully developed. It introduces the world and a not quite fully developed Unseen
University. Don’t pay a lot of attention to the specifics, just enjoy the
story.
This is the first real Witches book. It's awesome and tells you everything you need to know about Macbeth.
AKA Fairytales are scary.
Ridcully and Granny sitting in a tree!
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
- Maskerade (1995)
- Carpe Jugulum (1998)
The Death/Susan Books:
Congratulations, you finally made it to
Soul Music and SUSAN! Death’s out, she’s in, and she’s awesome.
Stop reading. Step away from the novels. Go
watch the television adaptation of the Hogfather (available on ITunes people)
starring Lady Mary Crawley as Susan. Do it now!
SUSAN IS AWESOME! HISTORY MONKS! AAAH!
The City Watch Part 1 (aka ‘Monarchy: the Vimes and Carrot
show with comedy effects provided by Nobby Nobs’):
Raise your hand if you’re in love with
Carrot. Seriously. Adorable. Also, Vimes… yeah, I love Vimes and his fucking
boots theory of economics.
- Men at Arms (1992)
- Feet of Clay (1996)
- Jingo (1997)
- The Fifth Elephant (1999)
Time out for Some Random Books (Truly Random Edition):
This is a cross between a City Watch Book
and a Moist Von Lipwig book but (tragically) isn’t as cool as either one.
- Monstrous Regiment (2003)
AKA Terry Pratchett does gender studies…
without managing to offend too many people.
- Unseen Academicals (2009)
More Wizards! And more WIZZARD!
The Moist Von Lipwig Books:
I’m in love with Carrot (who isn’t) but I
want to freaking marry Moist. While you’re having a moment (come on, be honest,
we’re all having a moment) why don’t you skip back over to ITunes for the television
adaptation starring Richard Coyle and Claire Foy (who also play opposite each
other in NBC’s Crossbones). It’s delicious.
The City Watch Part 2 (aka Carrot is still cool but VIMES IS
AWESOME):
AKA Vimes has a baby.
AKA Vimes reads a storybook.
AKA Kids are weird and like poop.
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME! With extra bonus
golems.
Some Random Books (Childrens Edition):
- The Last Hero (2001)
- The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
(2001)
The Tiffany Aching Books (AKA Terry Pratchett uses a series
of children’s novels to work through his thoughts on alzheimer’s. Just cry the
entire time):
- The Wee Free Men (2003)
- A Hat Full of Sky (2004)
- Wintersmith (2006)
- I Shall Wear Midnight (2010)
- The Shepherd’s Crown (2015)
The end. What do you think? Are you in tears yet? Does the
Machete Reread order make more sense than chronological order?
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