Thief of TimeThief of Time
Score Modern
What it's about
On the Discworld, the Monks of History store time and move it to where it's needed. But a clockmaker is building the world's first truly accurate clock, which would stop time altogether. Lu-Tze, a sweeper monk, and his apprentice, Lobsang Ludd, have to stop it, while Death's granddaughter, Susan, does what she can, and the end of the world is scheduled.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the BBC's Big Read. It's one of Pratchett's most ingenious novels, mixing philosophy, martial arts parody and real warmth.
You'll love it if you liked
Soul Music
Hogfather
Small GodsGood to know
It works on its own, though readers of the Death books will know Susan. It's one of the later, deeper Discworld novels.
By the numbers
- Readers89 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller45 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #12 of the 35 humor books we rank
- #84 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #340 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #671 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Funny, Adventurous, Uplifting
More by Terry Pratchett
Night Watch
Men at Arms
Guards! Guards!
The TruthIf you like this, read next
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Good Omens
Scythe
Skyward
The Sword of KaigenExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Thief of Time worth reading?
Yes. It's on the BBC's Big Read. It ranks #671 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Thief of Time about?
On the Discworld, the Monks of History store time and move it to where it's needed. But a clockmaker is building the world's first truly accurate clock, which would stop time altogether. Lu-Tze, a sweeper monk, and his apprentice, Lobsang Ludd, have to stop it, while Death's granddaughter, Susan, does what she can, and the end of the world is scheduled.
How long does it take to read Thief of Time?
About 11 hours (432 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Thief of Time?
If you liked it, try Soul Music by Terry Pratchett, Hogfather by Terry Pratchett or Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.