The Watch Series is a collection of fantasy books written by Sir Terry Pratchett. The series is set in the fictional world of Discworld - a flat, disc-shaped planet resting on the backs of four giant elephants, which in turn stand on the back of an enormous space-faring turtle called Great A'Tuin. The books in the series mainly focus on the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, a group of misfit, yet dedicated, police officers who are tasked with maintaining law and order in the bustling and eccentric city of Ankh-Morpork. Led by the grizzled and no-nonsense Commander Samuel Vimes, the Watch members go through various adventures, tackling crime, corruption, and supernatural threats. One of the main themes of the series is the exploration of social and political issues through a humorous and satirical lens. Pratchett's skillful writing combines fantasy elements with witty observations on topics such as racism, class inequality, and the nature of power.
There is something about witch books that has always captivated my attention. I’m not saying that I wish I could make a potion or two but, I would really love to make a potion or two that was not just what my kids are eating for dinner. Which witch book is your favorite?
Perhaps what makes him most fascinating is his unpredictability he has his own peculiar sense of honour and, whatever the situation, he somehow always finds a way to subvert the expectations of everyone around him, forging his own path through events of the book. The book begins with the people of the town descending onto the manor with a wrecking ball to destroy it and the distillery and leave the witches homeless.
Pratchett's skillful writing combines fantasy elements with witty observations on topics such as racism, class inequality, and the nature of power. These books offer a unique blend of entertainment and thought-provoking commentary, making them beloved by fans around the world. The characters in the Watch Series are vivid and well-developed, each with their quirks and flaws.
Susan Dennard’s The Witchlands series books in order
Everything you need to know about Susan Dennard’s bestselling fantasy series The Witchlands, plus our complete guide to the books in order.
04/06/2021 8 minute to readThe Witchlands is Susan Dennard’s incredibly popular fantasy series set on a magical but unstable continent where war is looming. Here, we cover everything you need to know about the series so far including your guide to The Witchlands books in order, and interview author Susan Dennard about the series and her writing process.
Looking for more of the best fantasy books? Discover our edit of the best fantasy books of 2021.
The Witchlands books in order
Truthwitch
by Susan Dennard
Book one
Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.
Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she’s a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden – lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult’s true powers are hidden even from herself.
Windwitch
by Susan Dennard
Book Two
While searching for Safi, Iseult is cornered by the Bloodwitch Aeduan. She proposes a deal: she’ll return what was stolen from him if he locates the Truthwitch. Yet unknown to Iseult, there’s a bounty on her head – and Aeduan intends to claim it. Meanwhile, Safi and the Marstoki Empress survive a shipwreck, then find themselves among brigands. And their captors plan to unleash war upon the Witchlands . . .
Bloodwitch
by Susan Dennard
Book Three
With war sweeping the witchlands and tainted magic destrying friends and enemies, loyalties will be tested as never before in the third book in Susan Dennard's series. Aeduan and Iseult race for safety, desperately trying to evade the Raider King, while assists an empress uncover a rebellion. Will the two friends ever be reunited? And will their powers bring peace to the witchlands?
Witchshadow
by Susan Dennard
Book Four
War has come to the Witchlands . . . and nothing will be the same again.
Iseult has found her heartsister Safi at last, but their reunion is brief. For Iseult to stay alive, she must flee Cartorra while Safi remains. And though Iseult has plans to save her friend, they will require her to summon magic more dangerous than anything she has ever faced before.
Meanwhile, the Bloodwitch Aeduan is beset by forces he cannot understand. And Vivia – rightful queen of Nubrevna – finds herself without a crown or home.
As villains from legend reawaken across the Witchlands, only the mythical Cahr Awen can stop the gathering war. Iseult could embrace this power and heal the land, but first she must choose on which side of the shadows her destiny will lie.
What are The Witchlands books about?
The Witchlands is a four-book (so far), New York Times best-selling fantasy series centred around Truthwitch Safiya and her partner in crime Iseult, a Threadwitch. It's set amidst a crumbling truce between three nations and a slew of much more immediate vendettas, and it's uproariously good fun.
Here are a few 'must-knows', whether you're poised to join the steadily growing legion of fans or you’re already planning your shrine to #Baeduan after reading the third book, Bloodwitch.
The magic works (sometimes in mysterious ways)
The Witchlands has magic woven into the very fabric of society so that it really feels like the world couldn't run without it. Sure, some witches (a non-gendered term here) are more powerful than others, and there are a few surprises up a couple of voluminous sleeves, but it’s refreshing to see magic that is also put to work.
Magic falls into elemental buckets that author Susan Dennard claims was inspired by the Avatar: The LastAirbender series; Aether, Void (generally believed to be only a legend), Wind, Fire, Earth and Water. Only in the rarest cases can a witch claim total mastery of their element, but usually they specialise in a certain part of it.
Ships for example will have the usual contingent of sailors, but they might also have a Tidewitch to help navigate, and Voicewitches (drawing on Aether magic), commonly found in towns, act as long-range messengers for hire. These limits lead to an interplay of witches and magic that makes for some fascinating relationships and power dynamics.
Friendships, pirate ships
At the heart of the series, and especially the opening novel Truthwitch, is the friendship between Safiya and Iseult. Sure, most novels have some kind of friendship, but the way the strengths and weaknesses of these two protagonists intertwine from page one, and set events in motion, colours the entire book in gripping fashion.
Another defining relationship is the one between Safiya and Pirate-prince Merik. Rest assured, it’ll keep you guessing – Dennard commented on romances in novels on Twitter recently, saying she tends to lose interest once a romantic ship has sailed, or is too well defined.
At times, Truthwitch resembles a buddy/road-trip movie through a hostile but beautiful landscape, the journey undertaken by people that both love and hate each other. Sounds weirdly realistic actually.
Powerfully feminist
The women of The Witchlands are seriously good influences, but that doesn’t mean they’re always ‘nice’. Truthwitch opens with our two protagonists literally performing daylight robbery, after an implied bender in a gambling den.
Safiya ends up in a pretty ball-gown at some point – and she makes the most of it – but it’s clear she’s more comfortable in the city streets with Iseult at her back and a sword in her hand. For Iseult’s part, she rebelled against her ordained path as the traditional ‘village healer’ archetype, while still feeling a sense of nostalgia for it.
What really makes Safiya and Iseult so refreshing is that, whatever happens, they’re intent on taking control of their own destinies. The Witchlands doesn’t preach about how to be female, or feminine, but it sure as hell shows two very human examples of how to figure it out for yourself.
#Baeduan
Given you technically meet him within a few pages I don’t think this is too much of a spoiler (but you’ve been lightly warned.)
Every good set of heroines needs an equally vibrant antagonist for contrast, and The Witchlands series delivers in the form of Aeduan. A rare bloodwitch and mercenary, Aeduan can track blood-scent across great distances, manipulate his own life-energy for great feats of physical endurance or healing and generally shoot you a terrifying look with his red eyes.
And of course, fans now refer to him as #Baeduan. With good reason – the guy is pragmatic yet relatable, sinister yet inadvertently charming. Perhaps what makes him most fascinating is his unpredictability: he has his own peculiar sense of honour and, whatever the situation, he somehow always finds a way to subvert the expectations of everyone around him, forging his own path through events of the book.
An Interview with Susan Dennard
Here, Danny Wadeson interviews The Witchlands series author Susan Dennard, on everything from ecological world-building to writing advice. Read the highlights below.
On ecological world-building
I spend a lot of time choosing what trees are around, and, no one's gonna notice, but gosh darn it this forest of alders is accurate! One time I tweeted at Bioware – I was playing Dragon Age Inquisition, and there's one area in the mountains with six dragons living right next to each other. I was like, guys, this isn't how apex predators operate. They have to have ranges!
On interrogating your own writing process
Getting the words on the page is my least favourite part. I love story, I love the planning and the brainstorming and I love revising. But oh man, getting words on the page takes me a long time. And I know that now, but I used to fight it and believe I had to write fast, and write three thousand words every day, but what I'd end up doing is writing terrible words and then have to delete them all later.
So I've learned to lean into my style and what works for me. And to figure out what that is. I'll spend many months planning, refilling the well - once I do begin drafting, I go through phases, brainstorming, then the actual outline on whiteboard and index cards, I’ll figure out scene details and then write.
And what I’ve found is that I write between 10-15 thousand words and then I peter out. What I mean by that is, getting into this feeling of it being like pulling teeth - so then I'll go back and put on my inspirational music, walk the dogs, spend a few days thinking and figure out why I'm stuck.
Then I'll be able to work through the problem and get back to drafting and probably get another 10-15 thousand words done. I think people try and fit themselves into a mould, but if you're eight books in – and it's still not working for you . . .
Her newsletter – where she shares her writing advice and tips with her followers
The newsletter means a lot to me. I've been doing it for over four years now, and before that I’ve given writing advice online for free for ten years. For the first two, no one read it, but I stubbornly put it out there until people did. I think I'm a good teacher! And it's ultimately paid off – my first series didn't do well at all, and when the series was wrapping up I was in a tough position. The issue was, I had this huge online following through people consuming my writing advice. I didn't want to lose the name and following [I’d built up].
Eventually we found a wonderful publisher – Tor Teen in the US and Tor UK – who took a chance, despite my terrible sales record. And the amazing thing is that because I'd been talking about my writing, filtering it through Truthwitch, the readers of my advice became invested in that book, seeing it from inception to print, and so they showed up and they bought it, propelled me to the NYT best-seller list and saved my career, and also launched it. So I love my newsletter and newsletter followers!
#Baeduan
Commander Vimes, with his gruff demeanor and dry wit, serves as the moral compass of the series, while other members of the Watch - such as the dwarf Carrot, the werewolf Angua, the undead policeman Reg Shoe, and the dwarf-turned-troll Sergeant Detritus - add their own distinctive personalities to the mix. Throughout the series, readers witness the growth and development of these characters as they navigate the challenges of their profession and their personal lives. Pratchett's expert characterization and sharp dialogue bring these characters to life, adding depth and richness to the stories. The Watch Series not only entertains with its humor and adventure but also encourages its readers to reflect on the complexities of society and the nature of humanity. It reminds us that even in a world filled with magic and fantastical creatures, the struggles and triumphs of ordinary people are what truly matter. Overall, the Watch Series by Terry Pratchett is a delightful and thought-provoking collection of books that combines fantasy, satire, and social commentary. Its memorable characters and engaging storytelling make it a must-read for fans of the genre and anyone looking for a unique and enjoyable reading experience..
Reviews for "The Watch Series: A Masterclass in World-Building"
1. Jessica - 2 stars
I found the Witch Series books to be quite disappointing. The plot was predictable and lacked depth. The characters felt one-dimensional and their relationships were not developed enough to make me care about them. The writing style was also lackluster, with repetitive phrases and a lack of descriptive language. Overall, I was not impressed with this series and would not recommend it to others.
2. Michael - 1 star
I really struggled to get through the Witch Series books. The pacing was incredibly slow, with very little action or excitement happening throughout the story. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Additionally, the world-building was sparse and underdeveloped, leaving me with more questions than answers. I found myself losing interest and ultimately felt unsatisfied with the series as a whole.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
The Witch Series books had a lot of potential, but it fell flat for me. The writing style was lackluster and failed to engage me as a reader. The plot seemed disjointed and rushed, with random events happening without much explanation. I also found the main character to be unrelatable and lacking depth. While the concept of the series was intriguing, the execution left much to be desired. Unfortunately, this was not a series that I enjoyed or would recommend to others.
4. David - 1 star
I cannot understand the hype around the Witch Series books. The story felt cliché and unoriginal, with predictable twists and turns. The characters were uninspiring and lacked any real growth throughout the series. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic, making it hard to connect with the story. Overall, I found the series to be a disappointment and a waste of time. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and well-written fantasy series.