How to Read Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Series FOR THE FIRST TIME

Note: This post is most useful if you have never read the Terry Pratchett books before and want a map for rereading them. There is another post for people who want to reread the series available 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. This is one order that might help make order out of chaos. (I’m also not doing a lot of commentary because I don’t want to give spoilers).

Discworld First Time Order:

Okay, so if you’ve never read the Discworld books before then DO NOT READ THE FIRST THREE BOOKS. The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, and Equal Rites are all fun fantasy novels, but the universe isn’t fully baked and it will make it harder to get into the later novels. If you really want you can 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! 

The City Watch Part 1 (aka ‘Monarchy: the Vimes and Carrot show with comedy effects provided by Nobby Nobs’):

• Guards! Guards! (1989)
• Men at Arms (1992)
• Feet of Clay (1996)
• Jingo (1997)
• The Fifth Elephant (1999) 

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. 

The Death (Not Susan) Books:

• Mort (1987)
• Reaper Man (1991) 

The Rincewind/Early Wizard Books:

• Sourcery (1988)
•  Eric (1990)
• Moving Pictures (1990)
•  Interesting Times (1994)
• The Last Continent (1998) 

The Witches (Not Tiffany Aching) Books:

• Wyrd Sisters (1988)
• Witches Abroad (1991)
• Lords and Ladies (1992)
• Maskerade (1995)
• Carpe Jugulum (1998) 

The Death/Susan Books:      

• Soul Music (1994)
•  Hogather (1996)

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.

• Thief of Time (2001) 

Time out for Some Random Books (Truly Random Edition):

• The Truth (2000)
• Monstrous Regiment (2003)
• Unseen Academicals (2009) 

The Moist Von Lipwig Books:

• Going Postal (2004)

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. 

• Making Money (2007)

The City Watch Part 2 (aka Carrot is still cool but VIMES IS AWESOME):

• Night Watch (2002)
• Thud! (2005)
• Snuff (2011)
• Raising Steam (2013) 

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)

Congratulations, you made it to the end (if you want to go back and read the first three books now you can, but it's super not necessary). What do you think? Are you in tears yet?

Discworld Machete Reread Order

 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! 

• Sourcery (1988)

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 (1987)

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.”

• Reaper Man (1991)

Introduction of the auditors!

The Witches (Not Tiffany Aching) Books:

• Equal Rites (1987)

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.

• Wyrd Sisters (1988)

This is the first real Witches book. It's awesome and tells you everything you need to know about Macbeth.

•  Witches Abroad (1991)

AKA Fairytales are scary.

• Lords and Ladies (1992)

Ridcully and Granny sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G

• Maskerade (1995)
• Carpe Jugulum (1998)

The Death/Susan Books:

• Soul Music (1994)

Congratulations, you finally made it to Soul Music and SUSAN! Death’s out, she’s in, and she’s awesome.

• Hogather (1996)

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!

• Thief of Time (2001)

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’):

•  Guards! Guards! (1989)

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):

• The Truth (2000)

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:

• Going Postal (2004)

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.

• Making Money (2007)

The City Watch Part 2 (aka Carrot is still cool but VIMES IS AWESOME):

• Night Watch (2002)

AKA Vimes has a baby.

• Thud! (2005)

AKA Vimes reads a storybook.

• Snuff (2011)

AKA Kids are weird and like poop.

• Raising Steam (2013)

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?