The Best Terry Pratchett Books
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Vote for the Terry Pratchett novels you just couldn't put down. If you haven't read a book, don't downvote it.
- Photo: Metaweb / CC-BYNight Watch is the 29th novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, published in 2002. The protagonist of the novel is Sir Samuel Vimes, commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. A five-part radio adaptation of the novel was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Night Watch placed second in the annual Locus Poll for best fantasy novel.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseMen at Arms is the 15th Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett first published in 1993. It is the second novel about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch on the Discworld. Lance-constable Angua von Ãœberwald, later in the series promoted to the rank of Sergeant, is introduced in this book. Lance-constable Detritus is introduced as a new member of the watch as well, though he had already appeared in other Discworld novels, most notably in Moving Pictures. Also notable is the only appearance of Lance-constable Cuddy.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseGuards! Guards! is the eighth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, first published in 1989. It is the first novel about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. The first Discworld computer game borrowed heavily from Guards! Guards! in terms of plot.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / Fair useGoing Postal is Terry Pratchett's 33rd Discworld novel, released in the United Kingdom on 25 September 2004. Unlike most of Pratchett's Discworld novels, Going Postal is divided into chapters, a feature previously seen only in Pratchett's children's books and the Science of Discworld series. These chapters begin with a synopsis of philosophical themes, in a similar manner to some Victorian novels and, notably, to Jules Verne stories. The title refers to both the contents of the novel, as well as to the term 'going postal'. The book was on the shortlist for both the Nebula and Locus Awards for Best Novel. It would also have been shortlisted for the Hugo Award for Best Novel, except that Pratchett withdrew it, as he felt stress over the award would mar his enjoyment of the Worldcon. This was the first time Pratchett had been shortlisted for either award.
- Photo: user uploaded imageSmall Gods is the thirteenth of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, published in 1992. It tells the origin of the god Om, and his relations with his prophet, the reformer Brutha. In the process, it satirises religious institutions, people, and practices, and the role of religion in political life.
- Photo: flickr / CC0Feet of Clay is the nineteenth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, published in 1996. The story follows the members of the City Watch, as they attempt to solve murders apparently committed by a golem, as well as the unusual poisoning of the Patrician, Lord Vetinari. The title is a figure of speech from Hebrew scripture and the script used in the book to represent Morporkian being written by a golem resembles the Hebrew alphabet, a reference to golems' origins in Jewish folklore.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseThe Truth is the twenty-fifth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, published in 2000. The book features the coming of movable type to Ankh-Morpork, and the founding of the Discworld's first newspaper by William de Worde, as he invents investigative journalism with the help of his reporter Sacharissa Cripslock. The two investigate the charges of embezzlement and attempted murder against Havelock Vetinari, and help vindicate him. The Ankh-Morpork City Watch characters also appear in this novel, but have limited roles and are seen mainly from de Worde's perspective. C.M.O.T. Dibbler also puts in an appearance.
- Photo: flickr / CC08Mort is a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the fourth Discworld novel and the first to focus on the character Death, who only appeared as a side character in the previous novels. The title is the name of its main character and also a play on words: in French, mort means "death", so the French language edition is titled Mortimer. In the BBC's 2003 Big Read contest, viewers voted on the "Nation's Best-loved Book"; Mort was among the Top 100 and chosen as the most popular of Pratchett's novels.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseReaper Man is a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. Published in 1991, it is the 11th Discworld novel and the second to focus on Death. The title is a reference to Alex Cox's cult movie Repo Man.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseLords and Ladies is the fourteenth Discworld book by Terry Pratchett. It was originally published in 1992. Much of the storyline spoofs elements of Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream.
- Photo: flickr / CC0Wyrd Sisters is Terry Pratchett's sixth Discworld novel, published in 1988, and re-introduces Granny Weatherwax of Equal Rites.
- Photo: user uploaded image12Thud! is Terry Pratchett's 34th Discworld novel, released in the United States of America on September 13, 2005, the United Kingdom on 1 October 2005. Thud! was released in the U.S. three weeks before it was released in Pratchett's native UK, to coincide with a United States signing tour. It was nominated for the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2006. In 2010 Thud! won the Discworld Cup finals.
- Photo: flickr / CC0Carpe Jugulum is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett, the twenty-third in the Discworld series. It was first published in 1998. In Carpe Jugulum, Terry Pratchett pastiches the traditions of vampire literature, playing with the mythic archetypes and featuring a tongue-in-cheek reversal of 'vampyre' subculture with young vampires who wear bright clothes, drink wine, and stay up until noon.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseThe Fifth Elephant is the 24th Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. It introduces the clacks, a long-distance semaphore system. The novel was nominated for the Locus Award in 2000.
- Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC-BYThe Wee Free Men is a 2003 comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett, which takes place in his Discworld setting. It is labelled a "Story of Discworld" to indicate its status as children's or young adult fiction, unlike most of the books in the Discworld series. A sequel, A Hat Full of Sky, appeared in 2004; a third book called Wintersmith appeared in 2006; and the fourth, I Shall Wear Midnight, was released in September 2010. While Terry Pratchett's first Discworld book for children, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents had swearing translated to rat language, in this book it is in the dialect of the Nac Mac Feegle which is taken from Scots and Scottish Gaelic. An illustrated edition of the novel, with pictures by Stephen Player, appeared in print on October 2, 2008.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation License16Jingo is the 21st novel by Terry Pratchett, one of his Discworld series. It was published in 1997. The rising of a previously submerged island and the subconstituent sovereignty dispute were inspired by the real-life island of Ferdinandea.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseThief of Time is the 26th Discworld novel written by Terry Pratchett, a 2002 Locus Award nominee. It was the last Discworld novel with a cover by Josh Kirby.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseWitches Abroad is the twelfth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, originally published in 1991.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseMonstrous Regiment is the 31st novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. It takes its name from the anti-Catholic 16th century tract by John Knox, the full title of which is The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women. The cover illustration of the British edition, by Paul Kidby, is a parody of Joe Rosenthal's photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. Monstrous Regiment was nominated for a Locus Award in 2004.
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Making Money is a novel by Terry Pratchett. Postmaster General Moist von Lipwig has done almost too good of a job managing the Ankh-Morport Post Office, leading him to accept a promotion that just may risk his life.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB)I Shall Wear Midnight is an Andre Norton Award-winning comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett set on the Discworld. It is the fourth novel within the Discworld series to be based on the character of Tiffany Aching. It was published on 2 September 2010 in the United Kingdom, and on 28 September in the United States. It centres on Tiffany Aching, who is now fifteen years old and getting on with the hard work of being a witch. The title is taken from a quotation in A Hat Full of Sky: "When I'm old I shall wear midnight, she'd decided. But for now she'd had enough of darkness." In an interview at the Guardian Book Club, Pratchett remarked that the book is an urban fantasy.
- Photo: user uploaded imageHogfather is the 20th Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, and a 1997 British Fantasy Award nominee. The Hogfather is also a character in the book, representing something akin to Father Christmas. He grants children's wishes on Hogswatchnight and brings them presents. He also features in other Discworld novels.
- Photo: Metaweb / CC-BYMaskerade is the eighteenth novel in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. The witches Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg visit the Ankh-Morpork Opera House to find Agnes Nitt, a girl from Lancre, and get caught up in a story similar to The Phantom of the Opera.
- Photo: user uploaded imageGood Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch is a World Fantasy Award-nominated novel written in collaboration between the English authors Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The book is a comedy about the birth of the son of Satan, the coming of the End Times, and the attempts of the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley to avert them, having become accustomed to their comfortable situations in the human world. A subplot features the growing up of the Antichrist, Adam, and his gang, and the gathering of the Four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse. In 2003, the novel was listed at number 68 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.
- Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation LicenseEqual Rites is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the third novel in the Discworld series and the first in which the main character is not Rincewind. The title is wordplay on the phrase "Equal Rights". The novel introduces the character of Granny Weatherwax, who reappears in several later Discworld novels. The protagonist Eskarina Smith does not return until I Shall Wear Midnight, which was published 23 years later.
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Pyramids is a novel by Terry Pratchett. Following the death of his father, Teppic becomes overwhelmed by his new responsibilities as a pharaoh.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB)27Snuff is the 39th novel in the Discworld series, written by Terry Pratchett. It was published on 11 October 2011 in the United States, and 13 October 2011 in the United Kingdom. The book is the third fastest selling novel in the United Kingdom since records began, having sold over 55,000 copies in the first 3 days. The book is the 8th City Watch story and is based largely around Commander Sir Sam Vimes. Pratchett emphasized that the word snuff has "at least two meanings".
- Photo: Metaweb (FB)A Hat Full of Sky is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett set on the Discworld, written with younger readers in mind. It is labelled a "Story of Discworld" to indicate its status as children's or young adult fiction, unlike most of the books in the Discworld series. First published in 2004, it is set two years after The Wee Free Men, and features an 11-year-old Tiffany Aching. The book is also a sequel to the Discworld short story "The Sea and Little Fishes", which introduced the Witch Trials and Mrs Earwig. It is followed by Wintersmith.
- Photo: flickr / CC0Moving Pictures is the name of the tenth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, published in 1990. The book takes place in Discworld's most famous city, Ankh-Morpork and a hill called "Holy Wood". It is the first Discworld novel to feature Mustrum Ridcully, Archchancellor of Unseen University, as a character.
- Photo: Metaweb / CC-BY30Sourcery is the fifth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, published in 1988. On the Discworld, sourcerers – wizards who are sources of magic, and thus immensely more powerful than normal wizards – were the main cause of the great mage wars that left areas of the disc uninhabitable. As 8 is a powerful magical number on Discworld, Men born the eighth son are commonly wizards. Since sourcerers are born the eighth son of an eighth son, they magic squared and so wizards are not allowed to marry or have children. The first few pages of the novel deal with a sourcerer's father who cheats death by making a prophecy that Death must honour; the alternative is to risk destroying the Discworld. The rest of the novel deals with the sourcerer's plan to have wizards rule the Discworld, and the efforts of a small group – including Rincewind the Wizzard, Nijel the Destroyer and Conina the Hairdresser, daughter of Cohen the Barbarian – to thwart those plans. There are many references to geasa in the text, which are idiosyncratic curses, vows or obligations placed upon a person.
