The Discworld is a Fantasy / Comic Fantasy series by Terry Pratchett, made up of 45 books published between 1983 and 2015. It begins with The Colour of Magic (1983), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is The Shepherd's Crown (2015), spanning 32 years of storytelling.
Discworld series: frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Discworld series?
Start with The Colour of Magic (1983), the first book in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.
How many books are in the Discworld series?
There are 45 books in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, published between 1983 and 2015.
What is the first book in the Discworld series?
The first book in the Discworld series is The Colour of Magic, published in 1983 by Terry Pratchett.
What is the latest book in the Discworld series?
The most recent book in the Discworld series is The Shepherd's Crown (2015) by Terry Pratchett.
About the Discworld series
Terry Pratchett's Discworld is one of the most beloved comic-fantasy series ever written: forty-one novels set on a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants standing atop a giant turtle swimming through space. What begins as affectionate parody of sword-and-sorcery tropes grows, book by book, into sharp, humane satire of everything from organised religion and the postal service to journalism, policing and war.
The genius of Discworld is that it is not one long story but several interlocking sub-series — the Watch, the Witches, Death, the Wizards, and Tiffany Aching — each with its own cast and flavour. You can pick a thread that appeals and follow it without reading all forty-one in order. The standalone-friendly structure is why Discworld remains the easiest huge series to start.
Newcomers are usually steered away from the earliest books ("The Colour of Magic" and "The Light Fantastic") and toward stronger entry points like "Guards! Guards!", "Mort" or "Wyrd Sisters". Wherever you begin, expect footnotes, wordplay, and a surprising amount of heart beneath the jokes.