Over the past ten years, I’ve been reading Terry Pratchett’s 41 Discworld novels pretty much in order, and it’s been a delightful journey.
I’d read all of the novels before in no particular order and had reviewed several on my website.
And, after Pratchett’s death March 12, 2015, from early onset Alzheimer’s, I deeply felt the absence of new works from him.
Indeed, when his last Discworld novel The Shepherd’s Crown was published in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2015, I ordered it immediately for delivery at my Chicago home (rather than wait the five days for its U.S. release) and, in about two weeks, I’d read and reviewed it.
A rich experience
A few months later, I got the idea of re-reading all of the books but, this time, in their order of release.
It was a rich experience, giving me the chance to see Pratchett settle into writing about his fantasy Discworld and its many denizens and using his stories as an excuse for silly puns but, but more, as a way to comment on human nature in the present time and in all eras.
Reading the books out of order meant that I missed some references to earlier stories and was encountering Pratchett’s people in a snapshot way, in a moment in their history.
Watching characters evolve
Reading them in order meant that I got to watch as the characters showed us, got comfortable and began evolving.
(Interestingly, during this same decade, I was reading or re-reading all of Elmore Leonard’s 45 westerns and crime novels. I did some reading based on publication date and other reading at random.)
I would strongly advise any Pratchett fans to do what I did. In a real way, the 41 novels are one huge story, unfinished, alas, because of the author’s death.
But aren’t all our stories unfinished? Until they are, and, then, who knows? I guess, DEATH does.
Be that as it may, here are the 41 novels, listed in order, with links to my reviews.
1 The Colour of Magic 1983
2 The Light Fantastic 1986
3 Equal Rites 1987
4 Mort 1987
5 Sourcery 1988
6 Wyrd Sisters 1988
7 Pyramids 1989
8 Guards! Guards! 1989
9 Eric 1990
10 Moving Pictures 1990
11 Reaper Man 1991
12 Witches Abroad 1991
13 Small Gods 1992
14 Lords and Ladies 1992
15 Men at Arms 1993
16 Soul Music 1994
17 Interesting Times 1994
18 Maskerade 1995
19 Feet of Clay 1996
20 Hogfather 1996
21 Jingo 1997
22 The Last Continent 1998
23 Carpe Jugulum 1998
24 The Fifth Elephant 1999
25 The Truth 2000
26 Thief of Time 2001
27 The Last Hero 2001
28 The Amazing Maurice 2001
29 Night Watch 2002
30 The Wee Free Men 2003
31 Monstrous Regiment 2003
32 A Hat Full of Sky 2004
33 Going Postal 2004
34 Thud! 2005
35 Wintersmith 2006
36 Making Money 2007
37 Unseen Academicals 2009
38 I Shall Wear Midnight 2010
39 Snuff 2011
40 Raising Steam 2013
41 The Shepherd’s Crown 2015
Patrick T. Reardon
2.3.26
Written by : Patrick T. Reardon
For more than three decades Patrick T. Reardon was an urban affairs writer, a feature writer, a columnist, and an editor for the Chicago Tribune. In 2000 he was one of a team of 50 staff members who won a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. Now a freelance writer and poet, he has contributed chapters to several books and is the author of Faith Stripped to Its Essence. His website is https://patricktreardon.com/.