fantasy book reviews Terry Pratchett The Color of MagicThe Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsThe Color of Magic, published in 1983, is the first book in Sir Terry Pratchett’s enormously popular DISCWORLD series. The Disworld is a flat world which rides on the back of four elephants which ride on the back of a giant turtle named Great A’Tuin. The DISCWORLD novels are humorous, satirical and spoofy, often making fun of their own genre and various real-world cultural and political issues and institutions. Before HARRY POTTER, Terry Pratchett was the UK’s top selling author.

The Color of Magic introduces Rincewind who is technically a wizard because one dangerous spell attached itself to his brain when Rincewind opened a forbidden book. Rincewind doesn’t know what the spell does or how to cast it, and he doesn’t remember any of the other things he was supposed to learn at the Unseen University but, nonetheless, he’s a wizard. He’s also a coward — a really lucky coward because, though he’s unaware of it, Lady Luck is his patron.

One day Twoflower, a rich insurance salesman from a far-off land, comes to Ankh-Morpork to vacation and asks Rincewind to show him around because Rincewind is the only person who can speak his language. Twoflower is curious, fearless, and completely ignorant of the dangers in Ankh-Morpork. Rincewind tries to safely show him the sights, but the two of them end up needing to escape from one disaster after another. During their adventures we meet a barbarian hero who loves to pose for pictures, fratricidal dragonlords with unpronounceable names (K!sdra and Lio!rt), dryads, a troll from another world, a tentacled monster who lives in a temple in which everything is octagonal but you may not say the word “eight,” a terrorist on an airplane, a drowning frog, and a group of scientifically-minded wizards who want to push somebody off the edge of the world.

The Color of Magic is non-stop quirky adventure with lots of laughs. Pratchett’s British humor is silly, clever and witty and it’s fun to see him salute, and sometimes mock, well-known fantasy works, characters, or clichés. I think I recognized Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Conan the Barbarian, and Red Sonja. In this first DISCWORD novel, transitions between scenes are a bit rough and sometimes the humor tries too hard, but Terry Pratchett’s genius is clearly visible. The DISCWORD books are fun stand-alone reads that make a great break from heavier works.DISCWORLD by Terry Pratchett

I listened to the 1995 audio production by ISIS Audio Books. This is not the clearest of productions — there is a noticeable background hum (you can hear it on the sample at Amazon or Audible). However, Nigel Planer’s narration was so brilliant that I will be listening to the rest of the DISCWORD audiobooks that he narrates. I loved his interpretation of all of Pratchett’s characters. You should hear him pronounce K!sdra and Lio!rt.

Discworld — (1983-2015) Discworld is a satirical fantasy world created by Terry Pratchett to poke fun at 1980s fantasy novels. Since then, they’ve evolved so that they now make fun of everything. Mr. Pratchett explains Discworld: “The world rides through space on the back of a turtle. This is one of the great ancient world myths, found wherever men and turtles are gathered together; the four elephants were an indo-European sophistication. The idea has been lying in the lumber room of legend for centuries. All I had to do was grab it and run away before the alarms went off… There are no maps. You can’t map a sense of humor. Anyway, what is a fantasy map but a space beyond which There Be Dragons? On the Discworld we know There Be Dragons Everywhere. They might not all have scales and forked tongues, but they Be Here all right, grinning and jostling and trying to sell you souvenirs.” The Discworld novels are presented here in publication order. To read more about the Discworld “arcs” and reading order, see this Wikipedia article.

Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric Terry Pratchett Discworld: 1. The Color of Magic 2. The Light Fantastic 3. Equal Rites 4. Mort 5. Sourcery 6. Wyrd Sisters 7. Pyramids 8. Guards Guards! 9. Eric book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Moving Pictures Reaper Man book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Witches Abroad book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Small Gods fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Men at Arms book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Soul Music fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Maskerade book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Feet of Clay book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Hog Father Jingo book review Terry Pratchett Discworld The Last Continent book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Carpe Jugulum book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Carpe Jugulum, The Fifth Elephant book review Terry Pratchett Discworld The Truth book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Thief of Time book review Terry Pratchett Discworld The Last Hero fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Thud! book review Terry Pratchett Discworld Making Money Terry Pratchett Unseen Academicals Discworld Terry Pratchett Unseen Academicals Discworld, Snuff fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews

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  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.

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