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Reading Orders

There is no single right way into the Discworld — the books were written to be picked up in almost any order, and Pratchett rather liked it that way. But after 41 books, "where do I start?" is the most-asked question of all, and two routes work best.

If you want the short answer: pick a strand — a set of characters — and read just their books, in order. Each thread stands on its own and gets stronger as it goes. The Witches and the City Watch are the two most reliable places to begin. Or, if you'd rather see the whole Disc grow up in real time, take them in the order they were written.

By Strand

Eight threads run through the series. Each banner is a doorway — start at number one and follow the numbers. (✓ = counted, and every one of them is)

Rincewind — running away, professionally

The cowardly wizard who has never knowingly finished a fight. Fast, silly, and the most Pratchett-finding-his-feet of the strands. Start: The Colour of Magic.

  1. The Colour of Magic
  2. The Light Fantastic
  3. Sourcery
  4. Eric
  5. Interesting Times
  6. The Last Continent
  7. The Last Hero

The Witches — headology beats magic

Granny Weatherwax and the Lancre coven. A brilliant entry point: sharp, warm, and it hits its stride almost at once. Start: Wyrd Sisters (or Equal Rites for the true beginning).

  1. Equal Rites
  2. Wyrd Sisters
  3. Witches Abroad
  4. Lords and Ladies
  5. Maskerade
  6. Carpe Jugulum

Death — HE SPEAKS LIKE THIS

The Disc's anthropomorphic personification of mortality, who is fonder of humanity than he ought to be. Often the most moving of the lot. Start: Mort.

  1. Mort
  2. Reaper Man
  3. Soul Music
  4. Hogfather
  5. Thief of Time

The City Watch — Vimes versus everything

The other great starting point. A ragtag night-watch grows into the beating heart of Ankh-Morpork; the strand many readers love most. Start: Guards! Guards!.

  1. Guards! Guards!
  2. Men at Arms
  3. Feet of Clay
  4. Jingo
  5. The Fifth Elephant
  6. Night Watch
  7. Thud!
  8. Snuff

Tiffany Aching — a young witch on the Chalk

Nominally for younger readers, and quietly among the best of them. A complete arc from small girl to full witch. Start: The Wee Free Men.

  1. The Wee Free Men
  2. A Hat Full of Sky
  3. Wintersmith
  4. I Shall Wear Midnight
  5. The Shepherd's Crown

Moist von Lipwig — the reformed con-man

A charming swindler press-ganged into running the city's institutions. The Disc drags itself into an industrial age. Start: Going Postal.

  1. Going Postal
  2. Making Money
  3. Raising Steam

The Wizards — Unseen University

The faculty turn up throughout the Rincewind books, but this is their own thread — magic as academia, mostly avoiding actual work. Start: Moving Pictures.

  1. Moving Pictures
  2. Reaper Man
  3. Soul Music
  4. Unseen Academicals

Standalones — no homework required

Books that belong to no strand and can be read cold — several are among the very best. Try: Small Gods.

  1. Pyramids
  2. Small Gods
  3. The Amazing Maurice
  4. The Truth
  5. Monstrous Regiment

Or ignore all of that and read them in the order they were written — the way the first readers did, watching the Disc grow up.

Publication Order

All forty-one, as they appeared — 1983 to 2015. (✓ = counted)