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The Nomes (The Bromeliad Trilogy) Reading Order.

Expert Guideby Terry Pratchett
3 Entries
Ongoing
Quick Answer

Start The Nomes (The Bromeliad Trilogy) by Terry Pratchett with "Truckers", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

A children's trilogy about a community of small, resourceful nomes who live beneath the floorboards of a department store.

Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "Truckers"

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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Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for The Nomes (The Bromeliad 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 Nomes (The Bromeliad 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 "Truckers" 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 Nomes (The Bromeliad 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 "Truckers"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 →

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Publication Reading Order3 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

Truckers

Pub: 2001

Under the floorboards of the Store is a world of four-inch-tall nomes that humans never see. It is commonly known among these nomes that Arnold Bros. created the Store for them to live in, and he declared: "Everything Under One Roof." Therefore there can be no such thing as Outside. It just makes sense. That is, until the day a group of nomes arrives on a truck, claiming to be from Outside, talking about Day and Night and Snow and other crazy legends. And they soon uncover devastating news: The Store is about to be demolished. It's up to Masklin, one of the Outside nomes, to devise a daring escape plan that will forever change the nomes' vision of the world...

2

Diggers

Pub: 1999★ 5

Plot details hidden until you finish "Truckers".

A Bright New Dawn is just around the corner for thousands of tiny nomes when they move into the ruined buildings of an abandoned quarry. Or is it? Soon strange things start to happen. Like the tops of puddles growing hard and cold, and the water coming down from the sky in frozen bits. Then humans appear and they really mess everything up. The quarry is to be re-opened, and the nomes must fight to defend their new home. But how long will they be able to keep the humans at bay - even with the help of the monster Jekub? Diggers is the second title in a hugely inventive and hilarious fantasy trilogy about the nomes, a race of little people in a world of humans.

3

Wings

Pub: 2012★ 5

Plot details hidden until you finish "Diggers".

Somewhere out there, the ship is waiting to take them home . . . Here's what Masklin has to do: Find Grandson Richard Arnold (a human!). Get from England to Florida (possibly steal jet plane for this purpose, as that can't be harder than stealing the truck). Find a way to the "launch" of a "communications satellite" (whatever those are). Then get the Thing into the sky so that it can call the Ship to take the nomes back to where they came from. It's an impossible plan. But he doesn't know that, so he tries to do it anyway. Because everyone back at the quarry is depending on him -- and because the future of nomekind may be at stake...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the The Nomes (The Bromeliad 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 Nomes (The Bromeliad Trilogy)?

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

Can I read The Nomes (The Bromeliad 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 Nomes (The Bromeliad 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.