#AmReading – The Colour of Magic

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchet (1983) – Welcome to Discworld, a planet that is, in fact, flat, round and balanced on the backs of a four elephants who ride through the cosmos on the back of the giant turtle known as Great A’Tuin. In the first novel to explore this delightfully weird world we meet the incompetent wizard Rincewind, a sentient piece of luggage, and the immortal city and dumpster fire known as Ankh-Morpork. What happens next could only happen on Discworld.

If you’ve heard your friends raving about Terry Pratchett or someplace called Discworld, this is the book they should press into your hand. With more than thirty sequels in print, you are about to embark on a journey like few others. A sophisticated satirical thrashing of most classic fantasy tropes.

The real problem in writing this review is how to describe Terry Pratchettt to someone who many know nothing about the author? My bet is you either “get” Pratchett or you don’t. A critical favorite and best selling author, the kind of writer other writers gush about. To my eyes, hysterically funny, and one can be clever at the same time. Let me put it this way, if you ask for authors to read, I’ll ask if you’ve read any Pratchett. If not, it’ll be a “You need to read Pratchett.”

Here we meet Rincewind, who is tasked with caring for the first tourist to ever show up in the city-state of Ankh-Morpork. A very wealthy tourist, who will need all the protection from pretty much everyone. Including Rincewind, who may be the least ‘ept wizard in the history of fantasy novels. All the usual fantasy suspects will show up, though few of them will behave the way the reader expects. Then there is The Luggage, a sentient suitcase with legs. Lots of legs. And teeth.

Yeah, there’s no way to make this make any sense if you don’t already understand Terry Pratchett. Find “The Colour of Magic” and pretend I’m handing it to you with the words,

“You need to read this.”

Trust me.

Rating – ***** Highest Recommendation