Portal:Discworld/Book of the day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- /1 - The Colour of Magic
- /2 - The Light Fantastic
- /3 - Equal Rites
- /4 - Mort
- /5 - Sourcery
- /6 - Wyrd Sisters
- /7 - Pyramids
- /8 - Guards! Guards!
- /9 - Eric
- /10 - Moving Pictures
- /11 - Reaper Man
- /12 - Witches Abroad
- /13 - Small Gods
- /14 - Lords and Ladies
- /15 - Men at Arms
- /16 - Soul Music
- /17 - Interesting Times
- /18 - Maskerade
- /19 - Feet of Clay
- /20 - Hogfather
- /21 - Jingo
- /22 - The Last Continent
- /23 - Carpe Jugulum
- /24 - The Fifth Elephant
- /25 - The Truth
- /26 - Thief of Time
- /27 - The Last Hero
- /28 - The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
- /29 - Night Watch
- /30 - The Wee Free Men
- /31 - Monstrous Regiment
- /32 - A Hat Full of Sky
- /33 - Going Postal
- /34 - Thud!
- /35 - Wintersmith
- /36 - Making Money
The following will be added when they are published:
- /37 - I Shall Wear Midnight
Preview
The Colour of Magic is the first Discworld novel, and was published in 1983. It is also one of only six Discworld novels to be divided into sections or chapters, the others being Pyramids, Going Postal, and the three books for young readers. Each chapter is in fact a separate short story featuring the same characters. The idea of The Colour of Magic - that all that happens is due to the gods' gambling - is somewhat similar to traditional role-playing games, in that the roll of the dice determines what happens to the characters.
The main character is the incompetent and cynical wizard Rincewind, who involuntarily finds himself as a guide to the naïve tourist, Twoflower. After they are forced to flee from the city of Ankh-Morpork, they meet two barbarians, Bravd and Weasel, parodies of Fritz Leiber's fantasy heroes Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Both characters also have a narrow escape from Bel-Shamharoth — a monster inspired by H. P. Lovecraft, who wrote many stories in a universe where unspeakable Evil lives, and where Ancient Gods (with unpronounceable names) play games with the lives of mortals.
| Preceded by None |
1st Rincewind Story Published in 1983 |
Succeeded by The Light Fantastic |
The Light Fantastic is the second Discworld novel, published in 1986. The title is a quote from a poem by John Milton and in the original context referred to dancing lightly with extravagance. The events of the novel are a direct continuation of those in the preceding Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic.
After the wizard Rincewind has fallen from the edge of the Discworld, his life is mysteriously saved as he lands back on it. Meanwhile, the wizards of Ankh-Morpork discover that the Discworld will soon be destroyed unless the eight spells of the Octavo are read: the most powerful spells in existence, one of which hides in Rincewind's head. Consequently, several orders of wizards try to find Rincewind and kill him, led by Trymon, a former classmate of Rincewind's, who wishes to obtain the power of the spells for himself.
| Preceded by The Colour of Magic |
2nd Rincewind Story Published in 1986 |
Succeeded by Sourcery |
Equal Rites is the third Discworld novel, first published in 1987. It is the first novel where the main character is not Rincewind, and introduces the character of Granny Weatherwax who reappears in several later Discworld novels.
The wizard Drum Billet knows that he will soon die and travels to a place where an eighth son of an eighth son is about to be born. Since such a boy is destined to become a wizard (on the Discworld, the number eight has many of the magical properties that are ascribed to seven in the real world), Billet wants to pass his staff on to him as his successor. However, the child born is actually a girl, Esk (full name Eskarina Smith). Since Billet notices his mistake too late, the staff is passed on to her.
| Preceded by None |
1st Witches Story Published in 1987 |
Succeeded by Wyrd Sisters |
Mort is fourth Discworld novel, and also the name of its main character. Published in 1987, it is the first to focus on the Death of the Discworld, who only appeared as a side character in the previous novels. As a teenager, Mort's personality and temperament made him rather unsuited to the family farming business, resulting in his father taking him to a local hiring fair. Mort is hired by Death as an aprentice. The pressure of the job (and a crush on a princess who is due to die) forces Mort to make a few mistakes, but like all good heroes, he grows some spine, gains some self control, challenges Death to a duel and waltzes away with the girl in the end, but not the correct girl by normal fantasy standards.
| Preceded by None |
1st Death Story Published in 1987 |
Succeeded by Reaper Man |
Sourcery is the fifth Discworld novel, published in 1988. On the Discworld, sourcerers - wizards who are sources of magic – were the main cause of the great mage wars that left areas of the disc uninhabitable. Men born the eighth son of an eighth son are commonly Wizards. Since sourcerers are born the eighth son of an eighth son of eighth son, 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 Wizard, Nijel the destroyer and Conina the Hairdresser, daughter of Cohen the Barbarian - to thwart those plans.
| Preceded by Light Fantastic |
3rd Rincewind Story Published in 1988 |
Succeeded by |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Wyrd Sisters is the sixth Discworld novel and re-introduces Granny Weatherwax of Equal Rites. Essentially a parody or calque of Macbeth, Wyrd Sisters features three witches: Granny Weatherwax; Nanny Ogg, matriarch of a large tribe of Oggs, who owns the most evil cat in the world, (Greebo); and Magrat Garlick, the junior witch, who firmly believes in occult jewellery, even though none of it works.
| Preceded by Equal Rites |
2nd Witches Story Published in 1988 |
Succeeded by Witches Abroad |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Pyramids is the seventh Discworld novel, published in 1989. The main character of Pyramids is Pteppic (pronounced Teppic), prince of the tiny kingdom of Djelibeybi (a pun on Jelly baby, a confection popular in the United Kingdom). Young Teppic has been in training at the Assassins Guild in Ankh-Morpork for several years. The day after passing his final exam he realizes his father has died and he must return home. Being the first Djelibeybian king raised outside the kingdom leads to some interesting problems, particularly when a giant pyramid constructed in honor of Teppic's father twists the dimensions and brings to existence all of the kingdom's gods.
| Preceded by None |
1st Individual Story Published in 1989 |
Succeeded by Moving Pictures |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Guards! Guards! is the eighth Discworld novel, and the first about the City Watch. The first Discworld computer game borrowed heavily from Guards! Guards! in terms of plot. The story follows a plot by a secret brotherhood, the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night, to overthrow the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork and install a puppet king, under the control of the Supreme Grand Master (Vetinari's secretary, Lupine Wonse). Using a stolen magic book, they summon a dragon to strike fear into the people of Ankh-Morpork.
Once a suitable state of terror and panic has been created, the Supreme Grand Master proposes to put forth an "heir" to the throne, who will slay the dragon and rid the city of tyranny. It is the task of the Night Watch – Captain Vimes, Sergeant Colon, Corporal Nobbs, and new volunteer Carrot Ironfoundersson – to stop them, with some help from the Librarian of the Unseen University, an orangutan trying to get the stolen book back.
| Preceded by None |
1st City Watch Story Published in 1989 |
Succeeded by Men at Arms |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Eric is the ninth Discworld novel, and is a parody of the tale of Faust. It was originally published in 1990 as a "Discworld story", in a larger format than the other novels and illustrated by Josh Kirby. It was later reissued as a normal paperback without any illustrations, and in some cases, with the title given on the cover and title pages simply as Eric. (The page headers, however, continued to alternate between Faust and Eric.)
| Preceded by Sourcery |
4th Rincewind Story Published in 1990 |
Succeeded by Interesting Times |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Moving Pictures is the tenth Discworld novel, and takes place in Ankh-Morpork and a town called "Holy Wood". The book uses the name as a thin veil to parody the Hollywood world and its problems.
The alchemists of the Discworld have invented moving pictures. Many hopefuls are drawn by the siren call of Holy Wood, home of the fledgling "clicks" industry -- among them Victor Tugelbend ("Can't sing. Can't dance. Can handle a sword a little."), a dropout from Ankh-Morpork's Unseen University and Theda Withel, a girl "from a little town you never ever heard of", who become stars. Also drawn in is the Discworld's most infamous salesman, Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, who introduces commerce to the equation and becomes a successful producer. Meanwhile, it gradually becomes clear that the production of movies is having a deleterious effect on the structure of reality.
| Preceded by Pyramids |
2nd Individual Story Published in 1990 |
Succeeded by Troll Bridge |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Reaper Man is the eleventh Discworld novel, published in 1991, and the second novel to focus on Death. The title is a reference to Alex Cox's cult movie Repo Man (which, ironically, is in turn is a reference to the old expression "reaper man"). The The Auditors feel that Death is developing more of a personality the Auditors feel is right. They send him off with his own golden hourglass and his scythe to live like everyone else. Now called "Bill Door", he tries to work as a helper on a farm.
| Preceded by Mort |
2nd Death Story Published in 1991 |
Succeeded by Soul Music |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Witches Abroad is the twelfth Discworld novel and one of the rarer books in the series in terms of availability. It features Granny Weatherwax (introduced in Equal Rites), and her two associate witches, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick (introduced in Wyrd Sisters). They visit Genua, on the other side of the continent, where they confront Granny's sister, Lily Weatherwax, who is manipulating people using the power of stories. The plot contains references to many fairy tales and fantasy novels, including Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and The Frog Prince. There are also brief references to Gollum, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
| Preceded by Wyrd Sisters |
3rd Witches Story Published in 1991 |
Succeeded by Lords and Ladies |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Small Gods is the thirteenth Discworld novel, and is about religion. It parodies several religions, including the Roman Catholic Church, but echoes some similar messages such as why killing is such a bad idea. A second major theme is how pointless blind faith can be.
| Preceded by none |
Stand-alone Published in 1992 |
Succeeded by none |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Lords and Ladies is the fourteenth Discworld novel. This book is a follow up to Witches Abroad. The witches Granny Weatherwax,Nanny Ogg and Magrat return home to the little river kingdom of Lancre, whereupon they discover that amateur practitioners of witchcraft have weakened the fabric of fantasy. Elves manage to break through, and they must be defeated.
The plot focuses on Magrat's wedding to King Verence II, and her misgivings about it. The climax takes place on the day before the wedding. The plot includes several elements of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, and quotes lines from various folk songs about elves.
| Preceded by Witches Abroad |
4th Witches Story Published in 1992 |
Succeeded by Maskerade |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Men at Arms is the fifteenth Discworld novel, and the second about the City Watch. The story follows the Watch's investigation of a series of murders committed using a mysterious weapon called the "gonne." Commander Samuel Vimes attempts to solve the case while dealing with distractions such as his upcoming marriage to Lady Sybil Ramkin and dealing with the Watch's new recruits: a dwarf, a troll, and a woman.
| Preceded by Guards! Guards! |
2nd City Watch Story Published in 1993 |
Succeeded by Theatre of Cruelty |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Soul Music is the sixteenth Discworld novel, published in 1994, and the third novel to focus on Death. The story of the book follows "The Band with Rocks In" through their short-lived but glamorous musical career. The band consists of the following members:
- Imp Y Celyn, a young lad from Llamedos who sings and plays the guitar. He looks rather "Elvish."
- Lias Bluestone, a troll who does percussion, which in typical troll fashion consists of banging rocks together. He later takes on a more rocky name, Cliff.
- Glod Glodsson, a dwarf that plays horn, and is not ashamed to admit he's in it for the money.
Meanwhile, Death is in one of his philosophical moods, and takes a holiday in search of a way to forget his more troubling memories, such as the recent demise of his adopted daughter Ysabell and her husband Mort. In the meantime, his granddaughter Susan discovers the truth about her heritage when she's forced to stand in for her missing grandfather. Complications ensue when she falls in love with Imp, and tries to save him from his "live fast, die young" destiny as the Discworld's first rock star.
| Preceded by Reaper Man |
3rd Death Story Published in 1994 |
Succeeded by Hogfather |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Interesting Times is the seventeenth novel in the Discworld series, and the fifth to feature Rincewind. The title of this book was inspired by the phrase "May you live in interesting times". The events of the novel are a "game" between the Discworld gods Fate and Luck with the Discworld as their game board. The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork is sent a letter from the Agatean Empire on the Counterweight Continent (by albatross mail) commanding him to "send us the Great Wizzard". The wizards of Unseen University, after some discussion, eventually realise the spelling of Wizzard can refer to only one man - Rincewind.
| Preceded by |
5th Rincewind Story Published in 1994 |
Succeeded by The Last Continent |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
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Portal:Discworld/Book of the day/19
Portal:Discworld/Book of the day/20
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The Last Continent is the twenty-second novel in the Discworld series, and the sixth to feature Rincewind. The title of this book was inspired by the phrase "May you live in interesting times". It parodies Australian people and culture, as well as the famous Crocodile Dundee and Mad Max movies and the popular Australian song Waltzing Matilda.
The story opens years after the events of Interesting Times, in which Rincewind was magically transported to the forsaken continent of XXXX due to a miscalculation made by the Unseen University wizards. Rincewind has been surviving by falling in water holes, looking for grubs under rocks, and befriending indigenous peoples. Rincewind soon meets the magical kangaroo Scrappy, sent by the creator of FourEcks. Meanwhile, the senior wizards and Ponder Stibbons in Ankh Morpork's Unseen University are trying to find a cure for the Librarian's magical malady contracted from his work in the UU's magical library. The wizards soon find out that the books in the Library become hostile and attack when not in the librarian's care. The wizards cannot however cure the Librarian without knowing his name. The wizards then decide to find the continent of XXXX (so named because no one has any clue about what its real name is) where they had previously sent Rincewind by accident.
| Preceded by Interesting Times |
6th Rincewind Story Published in 1998 |
Succeeded by The Last Hero |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
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The Fifth Elephant is the twenty-fourth Discworld novel, published in 1999, and the sixth novel to focus on the Ankh-Morpork City Watch.The title is a reference to the Fifth Element. It introduces the Clacks, a long-distance semaphore system.
Samuel Vimes, Commander of the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork and Duke of Ankh, thought that things were bad enough when he was forced to go to Überwald — a largely wild territory—on a diplomatic mission. That was before he found himself entangled in a plot to spark the dwarf equivalent of a holy war, not to mention running naked in the frozen wastelands of Überwald with werewolves on his trail.
| Preceded by Jingo |
6th City Watch Story Published in 1999 |
Succeeded by Night Watch |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
The Truth is the twenty-fifth Discworld novel, 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 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 - not a flattering one. C.M.O.T. Dibbler also puts in an appearance.
| Preceded by Small Gods |
5th Individual Story Published in 2000 |
Succeeded by The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
The Truth is the twenty-fifth Discworld novel, 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 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 - not a flattering one. C.M.O.T. Dibbler also puts in an appearance.
| Preceded by Small Gods |
5th Individual Story Published in 2000 |
Succeeded by The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Thief of Time is the twenty-sixth Discworld novel, published in 2001. The Auditors convince a young clock maker, Jeremy Clockson (Possibly a pun on Jeremy Clarkson), in Ankh-Morpork to build a perfect glass clock. They do not reveal that this will imprison Time (the anthropomorphic personification) and thereby freeze time (the physical quantity) on the Discworld. By freezing time, the Auditors intend to eliminate the unpredictability that humans were causing through their everyday actions. Death discovers their plans, but is unable to act directly because of previous agreements with the Auditors. Death sends his granddaughter Susan to stop them.
Meanwhile, in a distant valley, a young apprentice of the History Monks, Lobsang Ludd, and his old teacher, Lu-Tze, called 'The Sweeper', hear that a glass clock is being built. Lu-Tze knows of such a clock's side-effects, since he was sent to prevent a previous clock from being built. He and Lobsang head for Ankh-Morpork to stop Jeremy from building it.
| Preceded by Hogfather |
5th Death Story Published in 2001 |
Succeeded by Death and What Comes Next |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
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Portal:Discworld/Book of the day/28
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The story is the first since Carpe Jugulum to feature the Nac Mac Feegle, or Pictsies, six inch tall blue-painted red-haired fairies, who, according to their own history, rebelled against the wicked rule of the (or possibly "a") Queen of the Fairies, and were therefore exiled from Fairyland. According to everyone else (including the Nac Mac Feegle themselves if they forget this story) they were kicked out for causing fights and being drunk at two in the afternoon. They speak what can only be described as some sort of variation on the Scots language, usually Glaswegian (examples include "Waily, waily, waily!", "Crivens!", and "They can tak' oour lives but they cannae tak' oour troousers!"), and have an innate fear of writing and lawyers - in the presence of whom their swords glow blue. They are warriors, hunters, and foragers; Nac Mac Feegle foraging consists of taking anything that isn't nailed down (if it is nailed down, they will take the nails as well), up to and including quite large cows if enough foragers can be gathered to do the lifting (given their strength, one for each hoof). If one were to see a sheep rise off the ground six inches and move backward rapidly, four Feegles are sure to be responsible. Among the warriors of each clan is a gonnagle, or war-poet, whose job is to create terrible poetry as a form of offensive weapon. A well-trained gonnagle can even make the enemy's ears explode and is equipped with "mousepipes" (bagpipes made from mouseskin, often with the ears still attached).
| Preceded by None |
1st Tiffany Aching Story Published in 2003 |
Succeeded by A Hat Full of Sky |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Monstrous 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 story is primarily based in Borogravia, a highly conservative country whose people live according to the increasingly psychotic decrees of its favored deity, Nuggan, who is believed dead. The list of "Abominations Unto Nuggan" include Borogravia's neighboring states, resulting in little Borogravia having a particularly bellicose nature. The uncertain whereabouts of Nuggan leads the inhabitants of Borogravia to deify their Duchess, to whom they pray instead. The protagonist of the tale is Polly Perks, who takes her name from the folk song Sweet Polly Oliver. Polly's brother Paul is missing in action after fighting in the Borogravian army, so she sets off to join the army in order to find him.
| Preceded by The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents |
7th Individual Story Published in 2003 |
Succeeded by A Collegiate Casting-Out of Devilish Devices |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
A Hat Full of Sky is the 32nd Discworld novel, and was written with younger readers in mind. 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.
| Preceded by The Wee Free Men |
2nd Tiffany Aching Story Published in 2003 |
Succeeded by Wintersmith |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Going Postal the 33rd Discworld novel, released in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2004. Unusually for a Discworld novel (other than the children's books and the Science of Discworlds) Going Postal is divided into chapters. These chapters begin with a synopsis of philosophical themes, in a similar manner to some Victorian novels and, notably, to Jules Verne stories. This experiment was not continued with the next novel, Thud!
| Preceded by None |
1st Moist von Lipwig story Published in 2004 |
Succeeded by Making Money |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Thud! is the 34th Discworld novel, released in the United States of America on September 13, 2005, and the United Kingdom on October 1, 2005.
"Koom Valley? That was where the trolls ambushed the dwarfs, or the dwarfs ambushed the trolls. It was far away. It was a long time ago. But if he doesn't solve the murder of just one dwarf, Commander Sam Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch is going to see it fought again, right outside his office. With his beloved Watch crumbling around him and war-drums sounding, he must unravel every clue, outwit every assassin and brave any darkness to find the solution. And darkness is following him. Oh...and at six o'clock every day, without fail, with no excuses, he must go home to read 'Where's My Cow?', with all the right farmyard noises, to his little boy. There are some things you have to do."
| Preceded by Night Watch |
8th City Watch Story Published in 2005 |
Succeeded by None |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Wintersmith is the 35th Discworld novel, written with younger readers in mind. It was published on the 21 September 2006.
Two years after the events of A Hat Full of Sky, Tiffany Aching, now 13 years old, is training with the witch Miss Treason. But when she takes Tiffany to witness the secret Dark Morris - the Morris dance (performed wearing black clothes and octiron bells) that welcomes in the winter, Tiffany finds herself drawn into the dance and joins in. She finds herself face to face with the Wintersmith - the winter himself - who mistakes her for the Lady Summer and falls in love with her.
| Preceded by A Hat Full of Sky |
3rd Tiffany Aching Story Published in 2006 |
Succeeded by I Shall Wear Midnight |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
Making Money is the 36th Discworld book, published in the UK on 20 September, 2007. It is the second novel featuring Moist von Lipwig, and involves the Ankh-Morpork mint and specifically the introduction of paper money to the city. Ankh-Morpork has hitherto not used banknotes. The continuing work of Adora Belle Dearheart (Lipwig's fiancée by this novel) with the Golem Trust is also a feature of the novel.
| Preceded by Making Money |
2nd Moist von Lipwig story Published in 2007 |
Succeeded by 'none' |
| Discworld reading order | Full article |
