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The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy Reading Order.

Expert Guideby Terry Pratchett
4 Entries
Ongoing
Quick Answer

Start The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy by Terry Pratchett with "Only You Can Save Mankind", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

A children's series about a young boy, Johnny Maxwell, dealing with time travel, history, and the supernatural.

Reader's Guide

This series spans 4 main titles released between 2009 and 2010. For the best experience, we recommend following the Publication Order below to preserve key plot reveals.

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Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "Only You Can Save Mankind"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

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Community Consensus

Low Debate

"The relevant comments discuss personal enjoyment of the individual books (*Only You Can Save Mankind*, *Johnny and the Dead*, and *Johnny and the Bomb* / *The Trousers of Time*), noting they are generally overlooked but decent. However, the comments do not provide any explicit recommendation or consensus regarding the chronological reading order of these three books."

Key Reddit Advice

No specific reading order is recommended by the provided comments.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "Only You Can Save Mankind" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Start with "Only You Can Save Mankind"Explore all by Terry Pratchett

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended. Compare →

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for fans. Compare →

Publication Reading Order4 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
Best Start Here
1

Only You Can Save Mankind

Pub: 2009★ 3.44

Twelve-year-old Johnny endures tensions between his parents, watches television coverage of the Gulf War, and plays a computer game called Only You Can Save Mankind, in which he is increasingly drawn into the reality of the alien ScreeWee.

2

Johnny And The Dead

Pub: 2007

Plot details hidden until you finish "Only You Can Save Mankind".

After twelve-year-old Johnny Maxwell suddenly starts seeing and talking to ghosts, he and his friends become involved in a battle to save the local cemetery.

3

Johnny And The Bomb

Pub: 2008★ 3

Plot details hidden until you finish "Johnny And The Dead".

Thirteen-year-old Johnny Maxwell acquires the neighborhood homeless woman's shopping cart when she is injured and discovers that its contents have the ability to send him back in time from 1996 to 1941 England.

4

Johnny Maxwell Trilogy

Pub: 2010

Plot details hidden until you finish "Johnny And The Bomb".

From a computer game in which the aliens want Johnny to negotiate a peace treaty for them, to the inhabitants of a cemetery who are just discovering how much fun being alive can be, to the time of the Blitz, join Johnny Maxwell and his friends in these three terrific tales from the master of comic fantasy. ONLY YOU CAN SAVE MANKIND - Shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Award JHNNY AND THE DEAD - Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal;A Writers' Guild Award Winner; Also televised by LWT for ITV JOHNNY AND THE BOMB - Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal; Shortlisted for the Children's Book Award; Smarties Prize Silver Medal Winner

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "Only You Can Save Mankind" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Terry Pratchett intended.

Can I read The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.