They aren’t quite human but they’re close – and they’re lots of fun!

1. Dwarfs – Grumpy. Bearded. Mine a lot. Drink a lot. Sing a lot. Short (but don’t tell the Campaign for Equal Heights I said that). Dwarves have come a long way (baby) in the evolution of the Discworld through the books. Pratchett has really created a fully realised dwarf world and culture (and it’s quite an amazing achievement). Traditionally miners, dwarves have moved to the city of Ankh-Morpork in huge numbers and this has created real cultural shifts and tensions within the dwarf community. And this leads me to…
2. Trolls – rocks in a vaguely human shape. Living and breathing and thinking, trolls originally seemed like the rugby league players of the Discworld, but, as with dwarves, Pratchett has through the books created a troll history and culture, and fully-rounded troll characters. Traditionally don’t get along at all with dwarves.
3. The Nac Mac Feegle – also known as Pictsies. Tiny humanoids who can out-drink and out-fight anyone. Sound a bit like an Irvine Welsh character (“Oh wailey wailey!”). Live in warrior clans with one queen or Kelda. Don’t like writing, but do like stealing.
4. Golems – golems were a really interesting addition to the Discworld because of their real world equivalent and the idea of a servant/slave race that attains emancipation through buying themselves from a capitalist society. In our world golems are a Jewish legend/history, and are very similar to Discworld golems – made of clay, baked and given life through holy words put in its head. These words (on the Discworld the chem) not only animate the golem but also give it its purpose or job. Because they are owned golems are considered machines but in Feet Of Clay the golem Dorfl is freed by placing the receipt of his purchase in his head in place of his chem. From then on freed golems have worked for money in order to purchase and free other golems.
5. Nobby Nobbs – Cecil Wormsborough St John Nobbs carries a signed letter from Lord Vetinari attesting to his humanness. Hmmmm….

In no particular order:

1. Uberwald – has a more than passing resemblance to a  movie/TV/book created place called Transylvania. The Dark or Unholy Empire. Home to towns such as Bonk, Bad Blintz, Bugs, Escrow and Porkscratchenz. Also home to vampires, werewolves, trolls and deep-down dwarves. So far has given us Moist von Lipwig, Angua von Uberwald and many, many Igors.
2. Ankh-Morpork – Ankh-Morpork! Ankh-Morpork! So good they named it Ankh-Morpork! The largest city on the Discworld. On the majestic banks of the mighty (well, mighty polluted) river Ankh. Governed along the “one man, one vote” system (the man being the Patrician, Lord Vetinari). Also has an extensive system of guilds, temples and, of course, the City Watch (commanded by Sam Vimes). Home to the Unseen University (where wizards “study” or mostly eat). May possibly put one in mind of London, but has become something of a character all of its own.
3. Lancre – a tiny piece of kingdom perched amongst the peaks and valleys of the Ramtop Mountains. For its size seems to be somewhat overrun with witches! Ruled by King Verence II and Queen Magrat Garlick. If visiting Lancre make sure you explore the town of Bad Ass, visit The Long Man (whilst restraining your giggles) and don’t forget The Place Where the Sun Does Not Shine (it’s near Slice).
4. The Unseen University Library – THE Library. Extremely dangerous collection of books that’s so large it distorts time and space (like all good book collections should). Plugged directly into L-Space – the space-time continuum that contains all books ever written anywhere. Its endless shelves are overseen by the Librarian (ook). Basically, our kind of place.
5. XXXX – also known as Fourecks and Terror Incognita. A land of hot sands, no rain and animals and plants who are determined to kill you. Bears a suspicious resemblance to our neighbour across the ditch (I’m talking about you, Australia!). Existence was just a rumour until The Last Continent. Known towns include Bugarup and Dijabringabeeralong. Inhabitants are fond of meat pies.

Right so I’ve given you my five favourite Terry Pratchett  books and my five favourite Terry Pratchett characters, and those were recurring characters who appear in more than one book.

I thought I would add to the merriment by choosing my five favourite characters who only appear in one book. And so here they are:

1. Didactylos – an Ephebian philosopher who specialises in what we might call “common sense philosophy”, i.e. “It’s a funny old world”, “What’s it all really about, when you get down to it?” and “Things just happen, what the hell.” (And technically I realise the name Didactylos appears in more than one book, but he’s really only a full character in Small Gods.)
2. Mightily Oats (full name: The Quite Reverend Mightily-Praiseworthy-Are-Ye-Who-Exalteth-Om Oats) – a priest from Omnia who faces down the vampires in Carpe Jugulum. And these are no damn sparkling in the sunlight, teenage angsty character metaphors for female ambivalence towards their own sexual identity vampires¹ either, oh no! Oats’ split personality meant that along with Agnes Nitt he was immune to the vampires mind control and helped to throw them out of Lancre and back in to Uberwald (where they belong).
3. Imp y Celyn – the Llamedosian lead singer of The Band With Rocks In, and basically the inventor of Music with Rocks In (appears in Soul Music). Stage name: Buddy. In Welsh (similar to Llamedosian by all accounts) Imp y Celyn means “bud of the holly” (geddit, geddit?). Constantly gets asked if he’s elvish (geddit, geddit?).
4. Rosemary Palm – the most successful of Ankh-Morpork’s Ladies of Negotiable Affection, and President of the Seamstresses’ Guild. In Night Watch (yes I’m cheating again as she’s mentioned in several other books, but again is only a complete character in this title) she is involved in the Glorious Revolution of Treacle Mine Road. Because of that she’s had some sort of relationship with the Patrician, Havelock Vetinari, who subsequently created the Guild of Seamstresses. Mrs Palm now runs the most successful house of “entertainment” along with her girls.
5. Queen of the Elves – nasty, beautiful and reliant on the King of the Elves (who she hates). Appears in Lords & Ladies but has garnered a mention in other titles. Enjoys hurting people. Possibly related to cats (if you’ve ever seen your cat pull legs off insects then interestedly watch them trying to crawl away, whilst giving them a push every so often, you’ll know what I mean).

P.S. I think I might go for an all-Terry, all the time, week-long extravaganza, so watch out for more lists and feel free to chime in with your selections!

¹ Yes, Twilight, I’m looking at you.