Where to Start With Terry Pratchett's Discworld Novels

Discworld: An Introduction

As the name suggests, Discworld is a flat planet. But it is a flat planet carefully balanced on the backs of four elephants who in turn stand on the back of a giant cosmic turtle called A'Tuin, slowly swimming through the vast reaches of space. Most of the stories take place in or around the bustling land of Ankh-Morpork, the biggest and most colorful city on Discworld, populated with wizards, witches, dwarfs, dragons, trolls and more. 

As far as fantasy novels go, the Discworld novels have a bit of everything, borrowing and mixing with other genres, even as they subvert popular fantasy tropes and meditate on real-world issues in a humorous and thought-provoking way. 

The Witches

If you like cozy stories and the idea of magic as a practical means to an end, you’ll love the witches of Discworld. The Wyrd Sisters subseries are easily the most entertaining and memorable of the Discworld novels, at least for me. Unlike the wizards, the witches of Discworld tend to be more down to earth, sensible, and wise—using magic and common sense to solve problems as they arise. 

The key books in this series include:

1. Equal Rites (1987)
2. The Wyrd Sisters (1988)
3. Witches Abroad (1991)
4. Lords and Ladies (1992)
5. Maskerade (1995)
6. Carpe Jugulum (1998)

These books mostly revolve around the three witches of the Lancre coven—Granny Weatherwax (the crone), Nanny Ogg (the mother) and Magrat Garlick (the maiden). The third entry, Witches Abroad is a personal favorite that borrows elements from popular fairytales only to subvert them in clever and inventive ways. 

Death

If you’re more intrigued by the idea of the Grim Reaper going about his job, you’ll enjoy the Death strand of novels. The key titles in this series include:

1. Mort (1987)
2. Reaper Man (1991)
3. Soul Music (1994)
4. Hogfather (1996)
5. Thief of Time (2001)

These books, beginning with Mort, are heavily focused on Death’s character development and his ever-evolving fascination with humanity and their customs. 

The City Watch

If you’re a fan of crime novels and police procedurals, you might be curious about the inner working of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch—the elite police force tasked with solving crimes. 

The books in this sub-series include:

1. Guards! Guards! (1989)
2. Men at Arms (1993)
3. Feet of Clay (1996)
4. Jingo (1997)
5. The Fifth Elephant (1999)
6. Night Watch (2002)
7. Thud! (2005)
8. Snuff (2011)

Most of these books feature Samuel Vines (the Watch Commander) as the chief protagonist while bringing the colorful chaos of Ankh-Morpork into life.

Standalones

If you’re still having second thoughts about diving headfirst into Discworld, you can dip your toes into Pratchett’s gloriously wonderful imagination by checking out his standalone works such as:

• Pyramids (1989)
• Small Gods (1992)

In fact, if you’re planning to gift a Discworld novel to a new reader, Small Gods would be a good choice. It’s a smart and funny novel narrating the story of the god Om and his prophet, that satirizes religion and religious institutions.  

Moist von Lipwig

If you want to read about the adventures of a reformed con-man who is given a second chance that he may or may not deserve, try the Moist von Lipwig books. This neat trilogy includes:

1. Going Postal (2004)
2. Making Money (2007)
3. Raising Steam (2013)

The Industrial Revolution

If you’re more interested in Pratchett’s cultural commentaries, you can try “the Industrial Revolution” arc (though this is not recommended for newcomers). Some of these novels actually overlap with other sub-series. 

This small set includes:

1. Moving Pictures (1990)
2. Monstrous Regiment (2003)
3. Unseen Academicals (2009)
4. The Truth (2000)

Discworld for Children/YA Readers

For younger readers, there’s a brilliantly funny standalone novel called The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (2001), which is a Pied Piper retelling. 

And if you’re yearning for more witchcraft (aka headology), you can try the Tiffany Aching series that continues some of the storylines begun in the Witches books but focuses on Tiffany, a young girl who must balance her witchy training with the other struggles of womanhood.  

The Tiffany Aching books include:

1. The Wee Free Men (2003)
2. A Hat Full of Sky (2004) 
3. Wintersmith (2006) 
4. I Shall Wear Midnight (2010) 
5. The Shepherd's Crown (2015)

…Or Just Start at the Beginning With the Wizards

The first two books in the series are part of the wizard Rincewind’s arc. You can either start there and continue to read the books in their chronological order of publication, tracing Pratchett’s tremendous growth as a writer, or you can simply focus on the Wizards series featuring the wizards of the Unseen University. 

These books often poke fun at academia and bureaucracy while approaching magic in a “scientific” light. The books encompassing Rincewind’s adventures include:

1. The Color of Magic (1983)
2. The Light Fantastic (1986)
3. Sourcery (1988)
4. Eric (1990)
5. Interesting Times (1994)
6. The Last Continent (1998)
7. The Last Hero (2001)

Conclusion: Take Your Pick

While there’s no harm in reading the books in their official order of publication, I’d suggest you begin with either one of the “Witches” books (starring the indomitable Granny Weatherwax) or the “Death” books (which aren’t grim by any standards). Of course, there are other protagonists who are equally interesting, such as Tiffany Aching and Moist von Lipzwig, as well as some standalone novels like Small Gods if you’re not ready for a full-time commitment just yet.

Again, there’s no wrong or right way to read the Discworld books, so pick whichever series catches your interest the most, start with the first book in that set, and remember to have fun!