Reading order · 8 books · 1989 to 2011 · Set in Discworld
The City Watch Books in Order
The City Watch books follow Sam Vimes and the police of Ankh-Morpork, from a drunken, demoralised night watch to a modern police force. Many readers’ favourite strand.
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Series facts
- Books
- 8
- Published
- 1989 to 2011
- First book
- Guards! Guards!
- Latest
- Snuff (2011)
- Setting
- Set in Discworld
The reading order
Every The City Watch book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
8 books · Set in Discworld
- 1Guards! Guards!1989With Sam VimesA secret society summons a dragon to Ankh-Morpork, and only the drunken, demoralised Night Watch, led by Captain Sam Vimes, with a huge new recruit called Carrot, can stop it.Buy on Amazon
- 2Men at Arms1993With Sam VimesThe Watch recruits dwarves, trolls and a werewolf, as someone in Ankh-Morpork steals a dangerous new weapon.Buy on Amazon
- 3Feet of Clay1996With Sam VimesPeople are being murdered in Ankh-Morpork, the golems are behaving strangely, and someone is poisoning the Patrician.Buy on Amazon
- 4Jingo1997With Sam VimesAn island rises from the sea between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch, and both sides claim it as war approaches.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Fifth Elephant1999With Sam VimesSam Vimes is sent as ambassador to the land of Überwald for the coronation of the dwarf king, just as a sacred relic is stolen.Buy on Amazon
- 6Night Watch2002With Sam VimesSam Vimes is thrown back in time to the days of his youth, and must take the place of the man who taught him to be a copper, in the middle of a revolution.Buy on Amazon
- 7Thud!2005With Sam VimesA dwarf is murdered in Ankh-Morpork, on the eve of the anniversary of an ancient battle between dwarves and trolls, and Sam Vimes must keep the peace while getting home at six o’clock every day to read to his son.Buy on Amazon
- 8Snuff2011With Sam VimesSam Vimes, on holiday in the countryside, uncovers a terrible crime against the goblins.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with Guards! Guards!
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Sam Vimes | Lord Vetinari | Carrot Ironfoundersson | Fred Colon | Nobby Nobbs | Angua von Überwald | Cheery Littlebottom | The Librarian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Guards! Guards! | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 2 Men at Arms | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 3 Feet of Clay | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | |
| 4 Jingo | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 5 The Fifth Elephant | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | |
| 6 Night Watch | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | |||
| 7 Thud! | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 8 Snuff | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor |
Characters in the The City Watch books
10 characters from Terry Pratchett’s chart, with the number of The City Watch books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Sam VimesCaptain, later Commander, of the Watch | 8 | Guards! Guards! 1989 |
| Lord VetinariPatrician of Ankh-Morpork | 8 | Guards! Guards! 1989 |
| Carrot IronfounderssonHuman raised as a dwarf | 8 | Guards! Guards! 1989 |
| Fred ColonSergeant | 8 | Guards! Guards! 1989 |
| Nobby NobbsCorporal, possibly human | 8 | Guards! Guards! 1989 |
| Angua von ÜberwaldWatchwoman and werewolf | 6 | Men at Arms 1993 |
| Cheery LittlebottomDwarf forensics officer | 4 | Feet of Clay 1996 |
| The LibrarianWizard turned orang-utan | 2 | Guards! Guards! 1989 |
| DeathThe Grim Reaper, who speaks in capitals | 2 | Guards! Guards! 1989 |
| Lu-TzeHistory Monk | 1 | Night Watch 2002 |
Crossovers with Terry Pratchett’s other series
- Moist von Lipwig: Sam Vimes also appears in 1 of its books