10 Terry Pratchett Novels That Deserve A Screen Adaptation
The fantasy genre is certainly becoming far more popular thanks to the development of shows set in the worlds of Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings as well as the success of young adult fiction such as Shadow And Bone. Of course, the link here is that they are all based upon much-loved book series. In spite of this, one of the most beloved writers in the world is sorely lacking in adaptations.
Terry Pratchett has not only created the memorable Discworld universe, but has also told a number of iconic stories in other genres. Recently his shared work with Neil Gaiman, Good Omens, received a brilliant TV show adaptation, although his novel The Watch was almost unrecognizable on screen. Throughout Pratchett's career, there's undoubtedly a number of hits that deserve some kind of screen treatment.
10 Honorable Mention: Night Watch (2002)
As mentioned, there's already been a TV adaptation titled The Watch, which is loosely inspired by the guards in Discworld. However, Night Watch is a far more intriguing tale, combining Terry Pratchett's fantastic world-building and penchant for humor.
The book follows the life of Sir Samuel Vimes and connects to the other narratives of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. However, Vimes' life is flipped upside down when he is transported into the past, much to his confusion after chasing down a notorious criminal. Thematically it's one of Pratchett's most compelling reads.
9 The Wee Free Men (2003)
The Discworld universe appealed to all readers. Terry Pratchett was very aware of the young minds he could also inspire and created a series for children to enjoy. The first of that run was The Wee Free Men, with four other books following after the initial's release.
The novel is based around a young girl called Tiffany Aching who comes across a number of small Scottish men who wear kilts and have blue skin. Aching goes on an adventure with these wee warriors, involving witches and plenty of comedic escapades.
8 Mort (1987)
Terry Pratchett enjoys revisiting characters throughout his work and starting miniseries involving these side players. One of the most intriguing sets of novels was based around Death, the god whose point of view was of course entirely unique. Mort was the first of this series.
Interestingly, the rights to a movie adaption of the novel actually sat with Walt Disney Animation for some time, before it was canceled thanks to rights issues, and the team moved on to The Princess And The Frog. This novel, following the character of Mort, is a very different take on the exploration of death as a concept.
7 The Light Fantastic (1986)
The Color of Magic is quite a crucial piece of Discworld's history considering its place as the first book in the Pratchett universe. However, his earliest work, while still incredible, is of course not quite as fantastical as his later novels. The Light Fantastic was his second book, though.
Much like The Color of Magic, narratively, The Light Fantastic might not be quite as well developed as further titles, yet it brings with it a tone of what Discworld was going to be. In many ways, it's the perfect setup for the wider universe and might actually be the best way to start a big screen-shared multiverse.
6 Sourcery (1988)
Wizards and magic are completely commonplace in Discworld, but Sourcerers are slightly more complex as beings. They are actually sources of magic themselves and are therefore supremely more powerful than the average mystical wielder of spells and curses.
As the fifth book in the Discworld narrative, Pratchett has started to find his groove. While it is based around these Sourcerers, the book also brings in the wider universe, featuring both Death and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. It also portrays a conflict of ideals within the heart of the Unseen University.
5 Thief Of Time (2001)
Time is a complicated concept, but one that Pratchett has absolutely no problem in tearing apart and analyzing from every angle. For Thief of Time, he takes this one step further, with the narrative based around a clock so perfect that it would stop time completely.
With the balance of the universe at stake, Death sends his granddaughter down to try and stop what's happening. It's a fun concept and one that puts a unique spin on the traditional uses of time within the fantasy landscape. It's also an easy concept to convey in a big-screen adaptation.
4 Only You Can Save Mankind (1992)
Terry Pratchett was incredibly famous for his Discworld series within the fantasy genre, but not all of his work was set within this world. He also had a number of novels aimed at all different audiences, including the Johnny Maxwell kids series.
Only You Can Save Mankind is the first of this series and is actually set, surprisingly, in the real world. Featuring pirates, aliens, and a young boy with an imaginative mind being sucked into a video game, it plays upon a lot of genre tropes while twisting them in new directions.
3 Father Christmas’s Fake Beard (2017)
For those looking for a little bit more of a festive tale, look no further than Father Christmas's Fake Beard. The big production companies are always searching for the next Christmas hit to capture the imagination of audiences and Pratchett's writing can do just that.
Aimed mainly at kids, this is a series of shorter stories, once again not set within Discworld. They have traditionally festive elements, with each one comically changed to create a bizarre situation. It's a surprise that no streaming service has picked it up as a holiday animated miniseries.
2 Dodger (2012)
The Artful Dodger is a supremely famous character from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. The novel Dodger is Pratchett's own attempt to explore this character further, who really stands out within the original work. The book is therefore set during the Victorian era.
It's certainly a fantastical take on the character, with his narrative ending with Dodger meeting the Queen and becoming a spy for his country. Throughout, Dodger is portrayed with the same charm and cheeky wit as Dickens originally wrote the character.
1 Dragons at Crumbling Castle: And Other Tales (2014)
This is a collection of never-before-seen stories written by Terry Pratchett, once again aimed at kids and not set within Discworld. Each one is a standalone piece, perfect for an animated miniseries, which explores all sorts of classic adventures told in a fresh way.
From knights and castles to dragons and beasts, there's a little something for everyone here. Some of Pratchett's classic imagery and character archetypes such as tortoises and wizards are also present in this work, giving it his usual recognizable tone.