Terrence David John Pratchett is one Britain’s best-known authors, and is certainly one of the most prolific. With his usual rate of two novels a year, he has built up a catalogue of over forty novels. Most of these are part of his infamous Discworld series, which accounts for 29 adult novels, 3 young adult novels, 3 Science of Discworld novels, 1 fable, 4 maps, a cookbook and various short stories.

The first story he wrote was called The Hades Business. It was published in a school magazine when he was thirteen, and he sold it to a commercial magazine when he was fifteen. He worked in journalism for some time and eventually he got a job as the press officer for four nuclear power stations. He wrote several novels during those years and eventually quit so that he could write full-time in 1987.

Non-Affiliated Novels

These are novels that aren’t part of any series or trilogy. His first three novels were non-affiliated, but since then he has only written two.

The Carpet People (1971) (1992)

The Carpet People was written when Pratchett was only 17, but it wasn’t published until later when he happened to mention it while interviewing a local publisher. It tells the tale of little people who live in a carpet during a time of great crisis. An ancient force, known as Fray, is wreaking havoc on the carpet, and so a group of villagers whose town was destroyed by Fray set out on a journey to Ware, the capital of the carpet.

It was published once and, due to lack of demand, wasn’t reprinted. When the Discworld novels started to become popular back in the early 90s it was decided that it should be re-released, so Pratchett re-wrote it and it was released in 1992. The original publication was illustrated by Pratchett himself, and its rarity means that it can sell for upwards of £500

Main Characters: Snibril, Glurk, Pismire, Bane, Brocando.

The Dark Side of the Sun (1976)

The Dark Side of the Sun is a science fiction novel set thousands of years in the future where humans have landed on various planets and have evolved into slightly different species from one another. In this time, prediction has become precise mathematics, and it has been predicted that Dom Salabos will find the fabled home planet of an ancient race called the Jokers. Not wanting to, he runs away, but the whole galaxy sets out to track him down.

Main Characters: Dom Sabalos, Isaac, Hrsh-Hgn.

Strata (1981)

Centuries in the future, the human race is colonising various worlds using terra-forming devices left over from an ancient race. Intrigued by rumours of a disc-shaped world, Kim Arad, one of the leading terra-formers, sets out on a journey to find this mystical world, along with two aliens.

The story is a parody on Ringworld by Larry Niven, and this novel is largely seen as the exploration of the idea of the Discworld.

Main Characters: Kin Arad, Jago Jalo, Marco, Silver.

The Unadulterated Cat (1989)

With cartoons by Gray Jolliffe, The Unadulterated Cat is not so much a novel as a thesis for The Campaign for Real Cats. Filled with stories about the idealised real cat, the book sets about to show the world what real cats are made of.

Good Omens (1990)

Co-written with Neil Gaiman, Good Omens is the tale of the apocalypse. Due to a mix-up at a convent's maternity ward, satanic nuns accidentally give Satan’s son, Adam, to the wrong parents, and so a demon and an angel have to team up and track him down so that the apocalypse can occur on schedule.

There is work going on in America to make this novel into a film, but it's stuck in the early stages.

Main Characters: Adam, Pepper, Wensleydale, Brian, Aziraphale, Crowley, Newton Pulsifer, Shadwell, Anathema Device.

One More* *With Footnotes (2005)

This is a collection of short stories, Discworld and non-Discworld alike, by Terry Pratchett, as well as articles about him. The editors went to much trouble in trying to get all of his short stories in the book, but a few of them were left out due to copyright issues with others books and magazines. The book includes short stories such as The Hades Business, Theatre of Cruelty and Troll Bridge¹.

The Bromeliad Trilogy

The Bromeliad trilogy are three children’s novels based around a group of nomes² who constantly try to live normal lives out of sight of humans. Dreamworks animation³ are currently working on a film version of the novels.

Truckers (1989)

The first novel in the nomes trilogy follows the lives of a small group of wild nomes, led by a nome called Masklin, who are forced to find a new place to live when life by a motor-way becomes tough. They are surprised when they find a nome civilisation living inside a department store which they consider to be the whole universe. But when Masklin, with the help of a 'magical' box called Thing, finds out that the store is to be demolished, he has to mastermind a plan that involves stealing a truck and bringing the nomes into the outside world.

Cosgrove Hall made a stop-motion series of Truckers for Thames TV in 1992. There were plans to do the same with Diggers and Wings, but it wasn’t to be as Thames lost its broadcasting licence.

Main Characters: Masklin, Grimma, Granny Morkie, Dorcas, Angalo, Gurder, Thing.

Diggers (1990)

Set several months after the events in Truckers, Diggers follows the tale of the nomes as they try to make a new life for themselves in an abandoned quarry. Unfortunately, the quarry isn’t as abandoned as they thought, and it is to be reopened. To make matters worse, Masklin has disappeared in this, the hour of their greatest peril . . .

Main Characters: Masklin, Grimma, Granny Morkie, Nisodemus, Dorcas, Angalo, Gurder, Thing.

Wings (1990)

The final novel of the nomes trilogy is the tale of Masklin’s journey to Florida where the Thing has told him he must go for the betterment of all nome-kind. It’s there that the shocking history of the nomes is discovered.

Main Characters: Masklin, Gurder, Angalo, Thing.

The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy

The Johnny Maxwell trilogy follows the life of 12-year-old Johnny Maxwell and his group of friends on one of their insane adventures.

Only You Can Save Mankind (1992)

Only You Can Save Mankind sees Johnny Maxwell seemingly make contact with an alien race called the ScreeWee. To make it even more odd, they’re actually from a computer game, and thousands of humans playing the game are unknowingly wiping them from existence. Their only hope is that Johnny, in his dreams, can escort the ScreeWee fleet past the games border.

Main Characters: Johnny Maxwell, Wobbler, Yo-less, Bigmac, Kirsty.

Johnny and the Dead (1993)

Several months on from the events with the ScreeWee, Johnny’s life becomes complicated again when he starts seeing dead people in a graveyard. To make matters worse, the local council plans to get rid of the graveyard and sell it off to a construction company. So Johnny and the dead team up in an effort to stop the demolition of the graveyard.

The novel was adapted into a 4-part childrens series by ITV in 1995.

Main Characters: Johnny Maxwell, Wobbler, Yo-less, Bigmac.

Johnny and the Bomb (1996)

A year later, and Johnny and his friends accidentally travel back in time to May 21, 1941; the day the Germans bombed Blackbury. To make matters worse, Johnny’s friend, Wobbler, has accidentally changed history and caused the death of his grandfather in the bombings. Now Johnny must decide whether to change history again to save the lives of those who should have died in the attack.

This is the last non-Discworld novel Terry Pratchett wrote.

Main Characters: Johnny Maxwell, Wobbler, Yo-less, Bigmac, Kirsty.

The Discworld Novels

The Discworld is a flat round world supported on the back of four giant elephants, Berilla, Tubul, Great T'Phon and Jerakeen, who in turn are standing on the back of a giant turtle called Great A’Tuin⁴. This world is the setting for a multiplex of bizarre characters, places and creatures that only a mind like Pratchett’s could create.

The Discworld novels are not based around any one set of characters, but rather several sets of characters. There are four main groups; Rincewind novels, Death novels, Witches novels and City Watch novels, as well as about half a dozen novels which are based on characters who only appear once. Early Discworld novels were Rincewind-centric⁵, but Terry Pratchett now finds Rincewind to be hard to write for since he’s basically a 2-dimensional coward. His place in the series has been usurped by the City Watch who have been appearing more and more in the later novels.

Several locations keep on appearing in the novels, the main one being Ankh-Morpork. Every road leads to Ankh-Morpork, or so the saying goes. Culturally it is the most powerful city on the planet, although militarily it’s one of the weakest. It’s near the point where the River Ankh⁶ meets the sea. It’s ruled by a Patrician selected by the wealthy elite. The premier college of wizardry, Unseen University, is based there and the city is the basis for most of the novels in the series.

Another important location is Lancre. Lancre is a small hilly, forested kingdom near the Ramtops, a huge mountain range. The Witch novels are normally based there. Another area that appears quite a bit isn’t actually on the Discworld, but in another ethereal plain entirely; Death's Domain. Black is the dominant colour here, and the only building is Death's deceptively small cottage.

The Colour of Magic (1983)

The book that launched a thousand ships . . . not quite, but it is the start of the Discworld series that has becomes synonymous with Pratchett. This is quite odd since it is usually considered his weakest novel.

One thing that makes this novel different from the rest is that there’s no centralised plot running throughout. Instead it is four stories about the misadventures of a wizard called Rincewind, a tourist⁷ called Twoflower, and his Luggage that walks around on hundreds of little legs. Their adventures across the Discworld end however when they fall off the edge of the planet.

Main Characters:⁸ Rincewind*, Twoflower*, Luggage*, Hrun the Barbarian*, assorted Gods* (Blind Io, Fate, Offler and The Lady), and first cameo appearance of Death*.

The Light Fantastic (1986)

This novel is the only direct sequel in the Discworld series. Taking off from where The Colour of Magic left off, the universe rewrites itself so that Rincewind, Twoflower and the Luggage reappear on the Discworld for no reason. Unfortunately the Discworld isn’t that safe anymore as Great A’Tuin is ‘swimming’ towards a red giant for no understandable reason. The only hope is that the eight great spells be read aloud. There’s only one problem; one of the spells is in Rincewind’s head, and nobody is quite sure where he is.

Main Characters: Rincewind, Twoflower, Luggage, Wizards of Unseen University (UU), Librarian*, Death, Ysabell*, War*, Famine* and Pestilence*, Cohen the Barbarian*.

Equal Rites (1987)

This novel sees the introduction of Granny Weatherwax and is seen as the first of the Witches novels. The novel tells the story of a girl called Eskarina who is accidentally given wizardly powers by a dying wizard. But wizards must be men, so she’s not allowed into Unseen University. So Granny Weatherwax and Eskarina decide to go to Ankh-Morpork in order to speak with the wizards personally.

Main Characters: Eskarina, Simon, Granny Weatherwax*, Wizards (of UU), Mrs Whitlow*.

Mort (1987)

While Death appears in all the Discworld novels, this is the first time he appears as a main character, so this is the first Death novel. The story revolves around a teenager called Mort who is hired to become Death's apprentice. Unfortunately, Mort isn’t as good at the job as his master and he gets emotionally attached to a Princess who is meant to die, and thus he saves her life. This leads to a breakdown in the fabric of reality as the universe tries to repair itself. To make things worse, Death runs away and leaves Mort to become the new Death.

This is widely considered to be Terry Pratchett’s best novel. There were talks to make it into a film, but American film companies backed away feeling that it might be too morbid.

Main Characters: Death, Mort*, Ysabell, Albert*, Binky*, Rincewind (briefly), Princess Keli, Cutwell.

Sourcery (1988)

A sourcerer, a very powerful form of wizard and a source of magic, is born on the Discworld for the first time in millennia. Led by his staff that holds the character of his father, he sets out to conquer the Discworld and to rule it with the iron fist of magic. All magical lore breaks down and wizards across the Disc begin to fight one another in a war that could destroy the Discworld. The only hope is that a hero will stand up to the sourcerer . . . unfortunately the only one available is Rincewind, and he has run off to the foreign land of Klatch.

Main Characters: Rincewind, Luggage, Librarian, Wizards, Coin, Conina, Nijel the Destroyer, Four Horsemen of the Apocralypse*, Lord Vetinari the Patrician*⁹.

Wyrd Sisters (1988)

The first ‘proper’ witches novel; Wyrd Sisters is a parody on the famous play, Macbeth. Granny Weatherwax returns, along with fellow witches Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. The good¹⁰ King Verence of Lancre is murdered by his nephew, Duke Felmet, and now Felmet is the new ruler of Lancre. He quickly goes insane and starts ordering the killing of innocent people. The only hope is that King Verence’s son, who was spirited out of the country by the witches, will one day return to save the kingdom.

Wyrd Sisters was converted into a cartoon series in 1997.

Main Characters: Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg*, Magrat Garlick*, Greebo* (Nanny Ogg's cat), the Fool*, Hwel*, Shawn Ogg*, Jason Ogg*, Tomjon.

Pyramids (1989)

King Pteppicymon XXVIII, Teppic for short, has just inherited the once great kingdom of Djelibeybi from his late father. Now small, powerless and bankrupt, the kingdom is under threat on both sides by the nations of Tsort and Ephebe who want Djelibeybi out of the way so that they can go to war with each other. Being schooled in Ankh-Morpork’s Assassins Guild didn’t prepare Teppic for this, and he certainly wasn’t ready when the giant pyramid being built for his father throws the kingdom into its own universe.

Main Characters: Chidder, King Pteppicymon XXVIII (Teppic), Dios, 'You Bastard' the camel, Ptraci, Ptaclusp.

Guards! Guards! (1989)

The first of the city watch novels, Guards! Guards! tells the story of Captain Sam Vimes, Sergeant Colon, Corporal ‘Nobby’ Nobbs and Lance-Constable Carrot, the four men of Ankh-Morpork’s night watch. They don’t have much to do because criminal activity in Ankh-Morpork tends to be dealt with by the cities various guilds. But when a dragon appears in the city, and a plot to overthrow Patrician Lord Vetinari is discovered, these four misfits of society are the only thing willing to stand up and do what's right.

Main Characters: Elucidate Brethren of the Ebon Night, Capt. Vimes*, Lance-Constable Carrot*, Lord Vetinari, Sgt. Colon*, Cpl. 'Nobby' Nobbs*, Lady Sybil Ramkin*, Librarian, Draco nobilis, Errol the swamp dragon.

Faust Eric (1990)

In a plot not all that dissimilar to Faustian legends, 14-year-old Eric Thursley decides to conjure a demon to grant his three wishes. Unfortunately, by a million to one chance, he conjures up Rincewind, who has been trapped in the Dungeon Dimensions for years. Even more improbable is the fact that Rincewind can now do magic and is somehow able to grant Eric’s wishes. And thus they go on a magical adventure through space and time, meeting secluded tribesmen, witnessing the famous Tsortian wars, and even meeting the Creator of the universe.

Eric was originally released as a ‘Discworld Story’ in a large book with illustrations by Josh Kirby, but it was later released in paperback as an official Discworld novel. This is the reason that it is so much shorter than the other novels in the series.

Main Characters: Eric, Death, Wizards, Rincewind, Demon King Astfgl.

Moving Pictures (1990)

The silver screens magic begins to take hold over the Discworld as the alchemists find out how to display images using celluloid. Student wizard Victor Tugelbend and milkmaid Theda Withel run off to Holy Wood to join in the craze, and soon find themselves to be the biggest stars on the Disc. But something’s up. Dark forces under Holy Wood Hill have been reawakened, and Victor and Theda soon find themselves to be the only ones who can stop them.

Main Characters: CMOT Dibbler*, Wizards*¹¹ (Archchancellor Ridcully, Ponder Stibbons, Bursar, the Dean, Senior Wrangler, Lecturer in Recent Runes, Chair in Indefinate Studies), Guild of Alchemists, Thomas Silverfish, Victor Tugelbend, Theda Withel, Ginger, Gaspode* (the Wonder Dog), Detritus*.

Reaper Man (1991)

Death has been fired. A force known as the Auditors of Reality feel that he has been too lenient on the mortals of the Discworld, and so they make him one. While a replacement is found, nobody is able to die, and the life-force building up on the Disc causes odd things to happen. Meanwhile, Death takes a new job as an odd-job man on a farm. But his time grows short, and the new Death is coming to get him . . .

Main Characters: Auditors of Reality*, Death, Mrs. Flitworth, Wizards of the UU, Priests of Ankh-Morpork, Mrs. Cake, Ludmilla, Reg Shoe*, Lord Vetinari.

Witches Abroad (1991)

Magrat has been made a fairy godmother; she has the wand and everything. But now, along with Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, she must travel to the distant city of Genua in order to stop a witch who’s turning people's lives into stories. They must stop destiny and save the servant girl Emberella from marrying the prince. Sounds easy enough, but the devil is in the details.

Main Characters: Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Magrat Garlick, Greebo, Lilith, Mrs Pleasant, Mrs Gogol, Emberella, Casanunda*.

Small Gods (1992)

Omnia is a powerful nation ruled by the church of Omnism. Omnism is clearly wrong; it believes that the Great God Om is the only god, and that the world is actually a sphere. Anyone who thinks otherwise is dealt with by the Quisition. Brutha is but a novice in the church of Omnism, so when a tortoise starts talking to him and claims to be the Great God Om, Brutha thinks he’s going mad. But Brutha is about to learn that nearly everything he has been told is a lie and that he must confront the church.

Main Characters: Lu-Tze*, Nhumrod, Brutha, Great God Om, Vorbis, Didactylos, Simony.

Lords and Ladies (1992)

The witches return from their cross-Disc journey and plans are made for Magrat to marry King Verence II. As the kingdom prepares for the celebrations, there are others preparing for invasion. An army of Elves, not the peaceful type that everyone ‘knows’, but the cruel and vicious type, are preparing to break out of their prison of a universe and dominate the Disc once more. Only one woman can stop them: Granny Weatherwax.

The novel is a parody on William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Main Characters: King Verence, Magrat, Nanny Ogg, Greebo, Jason Ogg, Shawn Ogg, Granny Weatherwax, Archchancellor Ridcully, Ponder Stibbons, Bursar, Librarian, Diamanda Tockley, Agnes Nitt/Perdita X Dream*, Casanunda, Lancre Morris Men, Elves* (including the elf queen).

Men at Arms (1993)

The night watch are back on the job, but this time with reinforcements; Lance-constable Cuddy, a dwarf, Lance-constable Detritus, a troll, and Lance-constable Angua, a w . . . well, you know. They’re going to need all the help they can get, as a new powerful weapon is on the loose capable of putting a metal slug through someone’s head at a great distance, and it has Lord Vetinari in its sight . . .

Main Characters: Cpl. Carrot, Cpt. Vimes, Cpl. Nobbs, Sgt. Colon, Lady Ramkin, Lord Rust*, LC Detritus, LC Cuddy, LC Angua*, Gaspode, Dr Cruces, Lord Vetinari, Dr Whiteface, Cpt. Quirk.

Soul Music (1994)

Death has run off again, and the only person who can do ‘the duty’ is his granddaughter Susan. But, like her father Mort, she’s not able for the job. To compound her difficulty, there’s a new phenomenon on the Disc. It’s called Music With Rocks In, and it’s rewriting the future.

Soul Music was converted into a cartoon series in 1998.

Main Characters: Susan Sto Helit*, Death , Mr Crete, Imp y Celyn (aka Buddy), Glod Glodsson, Lias Bluestone (aka Cliff), Albert, Wizards of UU, CMOT Dibbler, Hex*.

Interesting Times (1994)

The mysterious Agatean Empire is in turmoil. Twoflower’s book about his trips with Rincewind across the Discworld has led many in the empire to demand the end of their isolationist state and a better life-style for all. This all comes as the aging emperor approaches the end of his life and the feudal kings position themselves for power. The revolutionaries need a hero, they need the ‘Great Wizzard’ . . . who turns out to be Rincewind.

Main Characters: Rincewind, Wizards of UU, Twoflower, Cohen the Barbarian, Silver Horde, Lord Hong, Hex.

Maskerade (1995)

Now that Magrat is the queen of Lancre, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg need to find a new third witch to do all the degrading work for them. Young Agnes Nitt seems to be the perfect choice, but fearing that they might want her to become a witch, she has run away to Ankh-Morpork. She has changed her name to Perdita and has become an opera singer. Unfortunately, somebody has taken to wearing a white mask and murdering people in the Opera House. Will Agnes be able to stop him, or will she become the next victim?

The novel is a parody of The Phantom of the Opera.

Main Characters: Nanny Ogg, Granny Weatherwax, Agnes Nitt/Perdita X Dream, Christine, Mr Seldom Bucket, Mr Salzella, Dr Undershaft, The Opera Ghost, Greebo, Walter Plinge, Enrico Basasilica.

Feet of Clay (1996)

The city watch, under the command of Commander Vimes, are on the hunt of a brutal murderer who’s killing people, seemingly at random. To make life even worse for Vimes, somebody is poisoning the Patrician, and he doesn’t even know how. But most disturbing of all, a group of Ankh-Morpork’s elite want to overthrow Vetinari and enthrone Corporal Nobbs as king. Disturbing stuff indeed.

Main Characters: Golems*, Cdr. Vimes, Carrot, Angua, Nobbs, Colon, Cherry Littlebottom*, Detritus, Dragon King of Arms, Lord Vetinari, Dorfl, Mr Boggis, Mrs Palm, Dr Downey.

Hogfather (1996)

Unsuccessful in their attempt to get rid of Death, the Auditors have hatched a new plan to bring misery to the Disc's population. They hire an assassin to get rid of the Hogfather, the jolly red fellow who gives gifts to good children every Hogswatch Eve. Death can’t just let this happen, so he dons the red suit, attaches the pigs to the sleigh, and prepares for the longest night of his life. Meanwhile, his granddaughter, Susan, is on the track of the mysterious assassin.

Main Characters: Wizards of UU, Susan Sto-Helit, Dr Downey, Mister Teatime, Banjo, Medium Dave Lilywhite, Chickenwire, Death, Albert, The Hogfather.

Jingo (1997)

An island rises in the Circle Sea, exactly halfway between Ankh-Morpork and the empire of Klatch. As blind patriotism in both countries goes on the rise, it seems as though war is inevitable. For Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch life gets more complicated as he begins to uncover political conspiracies that could potentially change the face of the Disc forever.

Main Characters: Vimes, Carrot, Angua, Detritus, Reg Shoe, Lord Vetinari, Colon, Nobbs, Mr Goriff, 71-hour Ahmed, Leonard of Quirm*, Lord Rust, the D'Regs.

The Last Continent (1998)

Rincewind has picked a bad time to be accidentally transported to the mythical continent of FourEcks. The place has been a red desert since its creation, but only now is it beginning to run out of water. If something isn’t done soon then the entire population of the continent will die of thirst.

Main Characters: Librarian, Wizards of UU, Mrs. Whitlow, God of Evolution, Rincewind, Luggage.

Carpe Jugulum (1998)

The witches have finally met their match. In the past they have dealt with mad Dukes, rogue witches, and even elves, but nothing has prepared them for the power of vampires. A family of vampires from Uberwald have taken over Lancre without anybody even saying a word. They plan to suck the blood of the humans in Lancre as though they were cattle giving milk. Not even Granny Weatherwax is prepared to stand up to these creatures of the night. Now Nanny Ogg must form a new coven to try and out the vampires.

Main Characters: King Verence, Magrat, Vampyre family, Igor*, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Agnes Nitt/Perdita X Dream, Quite Reverend Mightily Oats, Nac Mac Feegle*, Hodgesaargh* and a phoenix.

The Fifth Elephant (1999)

The Dwarves of Uberwald are choosing a new Low King, and the options are a traditionalist who hates Ankh-Morpork, or a reformist who merely dislikes it. Anhk-Morpork needs to send its best diplomat to Uberwald in order to secure trade with the new king, and so Lord Vetinari decides to send Commander Vimes. But he’s about to find out that his peaceful little holiday is about to become one of the most memorable weeks of his life . . .

Main Characters: Colon, Vimes, Carrot, Lord Vetinari, Nobby, Angua, Lady Margolotta, Lady Sybil, Cheery Littlebottom, Detritus, Baroness Serafine von Uberwald, Baron, Wolfgang, Gavin, Reg Shoe, Gaspode, Inigo Skimmer, Igor, Dee, the Low King.

The Truth (2000)

Due to a bizarre set of circumstances, William de Word has become the editor of ‘The Ankh-Morpork Times’, the first newspaper of the Discworld, and he couldn’t have picked a better time for it. Lord Vetinari has been found trying to abscond from the city with millions of dollars. Now the guilds to whom he gave so much power are about to oust him in favour of a new patrician. But as William investigates the story, he begins to find out that there’s more to it than meets the eye.

Main Characters: William de Worde*, CMOT Dibbler, Mr Pin, Mr Tulip, Gunilla Goodmountain, Lord Vetinari, Drumknott, Foul Ole Ron, Gaspode, Mr Slant, Sacharissa Cripslock, Otto Chriek* and cameos from members of the Night Watch and Wizards of UU.

Thief of Time (2001)

With their plot to get rid of the Hogfather a failure, the Auditors have developed a new plan; to stop time on the Discworld. Taking on the body of humans, several Auditors have commissioned a young clock-maker to build a clock that keeps perfect time, and once complete time itself will be trapped within it. Determined not to let this happen, the Monks of History dispatch their greatest warrior, Lu Tze, along with his apprentice, Lobsang Ludd, to stop the construction of the clock.

Main Characters: Susan Sto-Helit, Death, Lobsang Ludd, Lu-Tze, Jeremy Clockson, Igor, Lady LeJean, Dr Hopkins, Auditors.

Night Watch (2002)

After an accident at Unseen University, Commander Vimes, along with a dangerous murderer called Carcer, are sent almost 30 years into the past, back when Vimes was just a young Lance-constable in the Night Watch. To make things worse, Carcer has murdered Vimes' old mentor, Sergeant John Keel, so his future has been changed. Commander Vimes is forced take the place of John Keel and teach his old self some new tricks. But it’s not going to be easy. In a few days a group of peasants, fed up with the Patrician, Lord Winder, are going to revolt, and Vimes can’t do a thing to stop it.

Main Characters: Vimes, Carrot, Colon, Nobby, Lu-Tze, Lady Sybil, Carcer, Cpt Tilden, Ned Coates, Veternari, Snouty, Dai Dickens.

Monstrous Regiment (2003)

Polly Perks is a young barmaid at her family’s inn in Borogravia. Her brother joined the army several months before and she hasn’t heard from him since. She wants to join the army to try and find him, but the army only accepts men. So she cuts her hair, dons a pair of trousers, and starts to walk like a gorilla. But she soon finds herself more worried about her own survival than that of her brother.

Main Characters: Polly Perks, Cpl Strappi, Sgt Jackrun, Vimes, Tonker, Maladict, Carborundum, Shufti, Wazzer, Lofty, Ltn Blouse, Wlliam de Worde, Otto Chriek, the Duchess of Borogravia.

Going Postal (2004)

Con-man Moist von Lipwig is about to be put to death for crimes against the state. But after his public hanging, Lord Vetinari offers him a new life as the head of Ankh-Morpork’s defunct postal system. Now he must put his life of crime behind him . . . because otherwise he’ll be killed. Not that running the post office will be easy, especially when the owners of the semaphore towers seem determined to put him out of business.

It’s interesting to note that this is the first novel in the main Discworld series to use chapters.¹²

Main Characters: Moist von Lipwig, Lord Vetinari, Mr Pump, Mr Groat, Stanley, The Smoking Gnu, Adora Belle Dearheart, Mr Reacher Gilt, Sacharissa Cripslock, Miss Maccalariats, Anghammerad, Mr Gryle, the Grand Trunk and its workers.

Thud! (2005)

Centuries ago in the Mountains of Uberwald, an army of Dwarves and Trolls ambushed one another at the famous battle of Koom Valley. Since then, Dwarves and Trolls have been blood enemies, except in the city of Ankh-Morpork where the two ethnic minorities have lived in relative peace. Until now. A Dwarf has been murdered, and the two races are now on a course for war. The only man who can stop it is Commander Vimes. He must solve the crime before the battle of Koom Valley repeats itself in Ankh-Morpork.

Main Characters: Vimes, Carrot, Angua, Cheery, Nobby Nobbs, Fred Colon, Sally, AE Pessimal, Detruitus, Lady Sybil, baby Sam, Brick, Vetinari.

The Stories of Discworld

These novels are Discworld novels that are aimed towards young adults. They’re not technically a part of the Discworld series, but they can be considered as such.

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents (2001)

A civilization of rats, and a cat called Maurice, living in the magical dump at Unseen University have developed intelligence and the ability to talk. Upon meeting these rats, Maurice gets an idea and convinces them to travel from town to town as a plague of rats. Then he’ll get a kid with a pipe and . . . well, you know the rest. The plan works perfectly, until they arrive in the town of Bad Blintz. There’s something unusual going on here, and they can’t leave until they’ve sorted it out.

Main Characters: Maurice, Keith, Peaches, Dangerous Beans, Hamnpork, Darktan, Malicia, Nourishing, Sardines, two Rat-catchers, Spider.

This novel won the 2001 Carnegie Medal.

The Wee Free Men (2003)

Tiffany Aching is a young girl who lives a quiet life on a farm. So when monsters start appearing in the river, she’s certain something odd is going on. When the queen of the Elves kidnaps her little brother, she’s determined to get him back (not that she likes him, but he’s HER brother). It’ll involve a daring expedition into fairyland, but she’s not alone. The Nac Mac Feegle, a group of rude, drunk pictsies (note spelling) are going to help her.

Main Characters: Miss Tick*, Tiffany Aching*, Wentworth, Nac Mac Feegle, Granny Aching, Queen of Fairies, cameos from Grany Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.

A Hat Full of Sky (2004)

Impressed by Tiffany’s handling of her trip into Fairyland, Granny Weatherwax arranges for her to be trained as a witch. So she leaves her home and is sent to the house of Miss Level. Tiffany isn’t much good at being a witch, but she is good at leaving her own body and ‘wandering’. Unfortunately, there’s something out there that’s just waiting for her to leave her body again, so that it can take control of it . . .

Main Characters: Tiffany Aching, Miss Tick, Nac Mac Feegles, Miss Level, a Hiver, Petulia Gristle, Annagramma Hawkins, Granny Weatherwax.

The Science of Discworld Series

Despite what it sounds like, The Science of Discworld series is not a series of novels that try and explain how things work on the Discworld. Co-written by Mathematician Ian Stewart and Biologist Jack Cohen, the books are an attempt to explain real-world science by mixing it with a Discworld story. Every odd chapter tells the tale of the wizards, and every even chapter explains the science of the events in the previous chapter.

The Science of Discworld (1999)

The wizards at Unseen University have accidentally created another universe in the High Energy Magic building, so they decide to do what all intelligent people would; mess around with it. They plan to make a world, a Roundworld, and maybe even create life on it . . .

This all serves as a backdrop for an exploration of the history of the universe, Earth, and the various life-forms that may have come before us.

Main Characters: Rincewind, the Luggage, the wizards of UU.

The Science of Discworld II: The Globe (2002)

Elves have somehow made their way onto Roundworld, and they’re messing around with the history of humanity. If the wizards don’t intervene at a critical moment in human history then humanity will be doomed to extinction. They must ensure the birth of William Shakespeare, and make certain that he writes The Play.

This all sets the scene for the exploration of humanity, our art, beliefs, and our understanding of science.

Main Characters: Rincewind, the Luggage, the wizards of UU, Elf queen and the elves, William Shakespeare.

The Science of Discworld III: Darwin’s Watch (2005)

History on Roundworld has been changed again, and humanity will once again become extinct unless the wizards can do something about it. It seems that someone has changed history so that Charles Darwin doesn’t write ‘The Origin of Species’, the only questions are who, and why?

This sets the backdrop for an exploration of evolution and how Darwin figured it out.

Main Characters: Rincewind, the Luggage, the wizards of UU, Auditors, God of Evolution, Charles Darwin.

Other Discworld Stuff

Some things in the Discworld franchise just don’t fit in with the rest. This is them.

The Discworld Maps

Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook (1999)

In Maskerade it was revealed that Nanny Ogg wrote a risqué cookbook called ‘The Joye of Snacks’, well this is meant to be the follow up, but with all the naughty bits cut out. The recipes are real, although some of them have been altered from the Discworld comparisons to make them edible. The book also contains a section explaining etiquette with the various peoples on the Discworld.

The book was co-written by Stephen Briggs, Tina Hannan and Paul Kidby.

The Last Hero (2001)

Officially, this is ‘A Discworld Fable’ but since this is (so far) the only one, it may as well go here. It’s rather like a short Discworld novel, but on nearly every page there are illustrations by Paul Kidby.

The story goes that one time hero, and old friend of Rincewind, Cohen the Barbarian is on his way to the centre of the Disc in order to blow up the gods. But what he doesn’t know is that if he succeeds then the magic on the Discworld will burn up too and the Discworld itself will cease to exist. So a group of intrepid adventurers, and Rincewind, go on an amazing journey to try and stop Cohen.

Main characters: Cohen the Barbarian and the Silver Hoard, Evil Harry Dread, Lord Vetinari, the wizards of UU, Rincewind, the Luggage, Librarian, Capt Carrot, Vimes, Leonard of Quirm.

The New Discworld Companion (2003)

Essentially an encyclopaedia of all things Discworldian, this book is co-written with Stephen Briggs and is an updated version of the original Discworld Companion.

The Pratchett Portfolio (1996)/The Art of Discworld (2004)

These two books are paintings of major Discworld characters by Paul Kidby along with explanations of how the characters came about.

Where’s My Cow? (2005)

This is a book that is mentioned in Thud! and was published to accompany it. In Thud!, Vimes is forced to read this book to his son, but this version of the book is supposed to be an edited version made by Vimes himself describing the various characters around Ankh-Morpork.

Calendars and Diaries

Mini calender blocks were produced by the Ink Group for 2001, illustrated by Josh Kirby

Illustrated wall calendars were also produced by Gollancz for 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, with a 2006 calendar planned, featuring illustrations by various artists Josh Kirby, Paul Kidby and Graham Higgins.

Diaries, again featuring illustration by various artists Josh Kirby, Paul Kidby and Graham Higgins each year had a different theme/reflection an Ankh-Morpork guild or group: Unseen University (1998); City Watch (1999); Assassins' Guild (2000); Fools' Guild (2001); Thieves' Guild (2002); (Reformed) Vampyre's (2003). The 2005 diary was replaced with the Ankh-Morpork Almanack. The next diary will be The Ankh-Morpork Post Office Handbook for 2007.

Audio

Most of the books have an abridged audio version, published by Corgi. These are narrated by Tony Robinson¹³.

All the Discworld books, as well as some others, have an unabridged audio version published by Isis. Nigel Planer narrates the majority, however Celia Imrie narrated some of the earlier witch novels and Stephen Briggs narrated some of the later books. The Johnny Maxwell trilogy unabridged versions are published by Chivers Children's Audio Books and narrated by Richard Mitchley.

The Plays

Stephen Briggs has converted almost half of Terry Pratchett's novels into play-scripts which are available to buy at most big book-stores. These plays are normally performed by amateur dramatic societies, although all performances have to have the permission of Stephen Briggs before they can be performed.

Thud the Board Game

Thud¹⁴ is a board game based on a similar game that’s mentioned in the Discworld novels. The game is somewhat like chess, although in actuality it’s completely different. You have the choice of playing either the dwarfs or trolls and the object of the game is to completely destroy the opposing army¹⁵.

The Discworld Computer Games

Overview

Terry Pratchett was the best-selling British author until the Harry Potter phenomenon put JK Rowling in that position. His novels have been transferred to many media, including plays, radio, TV series, and even short-films by independent film companies.

There are several more Discworld novels on the horizon, including two more Tiffany Aching novels. After having minor heart-surgery in 2004 he proclaimed that he would cut back to only writing one book a year, but there aren’t any signs of that happening yet.