The Discworld is a comedic fantasy world, in the shape of disc balanced on the backs of four giant space elephants that in turn stand on the back of the great space turtle A'Tuin. The novels (currently 36 volumes) frequently parody many other classic authors and also mythology, folklore and fairy tales. Often included are current cultural, technological and scientific issues, re-written discworld style.
The majority of the discworld novels are stand alone stories, with a number of common themes and characters. There are however a number of volumes that run together into story arcs, dealing with concurrent events and characters. The main characters running through these novels include:
Rincewind
The first main character in the Discworld series, Rincewind is a wizard wit no wizardly abilities at all, the original coward he is constantly thrust into adventures that he largely escapes through sheer luck. Rincewind is usually followed around by the luggage, a semi sentient very vicious, loyal chest that runs around on many small legs.Death
Death could be considered to be one of the main characters in the Discworld series as he appears in nearly every book at some point, although sometimes just as a short cameo. He appears as a seven foot tall black robed skeleton carrying an even larger scythe and only talks in CAPITAL LETTERS. He has appeared as the central character in a number of stories along with his butler, Albert, his granddaughter Susan and Binky his pale Horse. In addition to Death himself, there is also the Death of Rats, a smaller version of Death who is shaped as a rodent (including robe and scythe).The City Watch
There are a number of stories that feature the Ank-Morpork city watch as the main characters, including the transformation from a small gang into a fully equipped police force. The main characters in these stories are the commander "Sam Vines", "Nobby Nobbs, Seargeant Colon and Captain Carrot.The Wizards
The Wizards of the unseen university are a strong thread through many of the Discword novels, and include the Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully, Ponder Stibbons and the Librarian, who was changed into an Orangutan and has never looked back.Moist Von Lipwig
Moist is a professional criminal and con man who is forced into "going straight" and is put in charge of the Ank-Morpork post office. As he does such a good job, he is then put in charge of cleaning up the city's corrupt financial sector and goes on to organise the city's taxation system.reviews in the series
Snuff
by Terry Pratchett
Sam Vimes is forced to take a holiday in the country and discovers that things are not what they seem in the peaceful village. Once again Pratchett has written a classic with, humour, suspense and sheer wonder. I was hooked from page one and read the whole thing in two days stopping only to eat a...
The Truth
by Terry Pratchett
The 25th. Discworld Novel the cover proudly states. And that makes it a fitting moment to take a closer look at Pratchetts Discworld and ask if there's something to be proud of.
In my opinion (and I seem to be the only one writing this piece): Yes! I've read most of the Discworld ...
Thief of Time
by Terry Pratchett
Summertime is Pratchett and Discworld time. Reading while frying in the sun asks for a special kind of book, something that can hold your attention, even while your brain is reaching dangerous temperatures and even while members of the opposite sex, moves around you in small articles of clothing....
Carpe Jugulum
by Terry Pratchett
Translating the title take a bit better knowledge of Latin than I have (which is close to non). I can understand the Carpe part, but Jugulum? It turns out to mean something like "Go for the Throat" (that's Nanny Ogg's translation, not mine), which could be quite a hint towards the topic of this b...
Jingo
by Terry Pratchett
One of the newer books in the (never-ending) Discworld saga. I'm finding it extremely hard to say anything interesting about this book – not because it's bad, but it's a Discworld novel and …well that's it. It's no worse and no better than all the other Discworld novels. Pratchett is funny, as al...
Hogfather
by Terry Pratchett
The first Pratchett book that I've read in a long time. I kind of overdosed on Pratchett a few years ago and haven't read anything of his for a while.
As it often is with Pratchett's books, they are rather hard to describe or even retell – it's very easy to fail miserably to convey...
