Entertainment • Book Series

Discworld

Discworld is a fantasy comedy book series by Terry Pratchett, set in a fictional flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants standing on a giant turtle.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Discworld is a fantasy comedy book series by Terry Pratchett, set in a fictional flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants standing on a giant turtle. The series includes novels, short stories, graphic novels, and related companion works, and is known for satirizing fantasy tropes and real-world issues. It began with The Colour of Magic in 1983 and continued through 2015.

Overview

Discworld is Terry Pratchett’s long-running comic fantasy series. It uses a fantastical setting to parody and satirize fantasy literature, mythology, folklore, and contemporary society. The series was conceived and primarily written by Pratchett.

Setting

The stories take place on Discworld, a fictional world shaped like a disc and supported by four elephants standing on a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The setting is home to a range of humans and fantasy races, including dwarfs, trolls, dragons, and elves.

Publication history

The series began in 1983 with The Colour of Magic and continued for decades, with 41 novels listed in Terry Pratchett’s official materials. The books were published as interconnected but readable individual stories. More than 80 million Discworld books have been sold in 37 languages.

Discworld expanded beyond the core novels to include short stories, graphic novels, companion books, and reference works. The Ultimate Discworld Companion and The Discworld Companion are among the best-known guidebooks to the setting.

Key facts

The series was conceived and primarily written by Terry Pratchett.
Its setting is a flat planet carried by four elephants on the back of a giant turtle named Great A'Tuin.
The series began with The Colour of Magic in 1983.
More than 80 million Discworld books have been sold in 37 languages.
The Discworld novels were published as a continuous series and can also be read chronologically.

🍁

Canadian context

Discworld has an audience in Canada through broad English-language publication and international popularity, but it is not specifically associated with a Canadian origin or setting.[1]

Frequently asked questions

What is Discworld?

Discworld is a comic fantasy book series by Terry Pratchett set in a fictional world of the same name.

Who created Discworld?

Discworld was conceived and primarily written by the English author Terry Pratchett.

What is Discworld’s setting?

It is set on a flat world balanced on four elephants, which stand on the back of a giant turtle called Great A'Tuin.

When did Discworld begin?

The series began with The Colour of Magic in 1983.

How many Discworld books are there?

Official Terry Pratchett materials state that 41 Discworld novels were published over 32 years.

Is Discworld only a novel series?

No. It also includes short stories, graphic novels, and companion/reference books.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld
Supports: Series description, creator, setting, language sales figure, and broad publication details.
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction — https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/discworld_series
Supports: Series genre, first publication, satirical approach, and setting description.
Sir Terry Pratchett: Home — https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/
Supports: Official count of 41 Discworld novels published over 32 years.
Discworld Emporium — https://www.discworldemporium.com/product/the-ultimate-discworld-companion/
Supports: Companion encyclopedia description and scope.
Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q253295
Supports: Canonical identification as a fictional setting in the Discworld franchise and creator attribution.