The first and the best!

A review of "The Colour Of Magic", (first of the Discworld series), by Terry Pratchett

This is truly an inspired piece of writing. Right from the first page where we are introduced to A'Tuin the Great, to the last page where Rincewind the failed wizard is for the umpteenth time facing certain death, I was enthralled and entertained and left begging for more.

Consider the brilliance of the conception of Discworld itself: A world that is flat, where if you get to close to the edge you fall off, where the sun and moon orbit the world, where Gods are real, have character and flaws and are constantly competing with each other. A world that is full of Dwarves, Trolls, Wizards, Heroes, Witches, Tyrannical Despots, Thieves, Assassins and Monsters of all descriptions. A world that is supported on the back of Berilia, Tubul, T'Phon and Jerakeen, four enormous elephants that in turn stand on the back of A'Tuin the Great, the cosmic turtle, who swims forever through the vastness of space.

Yes, these are things that Terry Pratchett has taken from all manner of ancient and modern writings, with a hefty dose of Dungeons & Dragons thrown in, but the genius of the conception is that he has taken everything that is patently untrue and used it to mirror the truth. It is this bizarre juxtaposition that provides the rich vein of thematic material and humour that Pratchett has been mining so successfully for more than 20 years and more than 25 novels.

I have read most of the Discworld series and in my opinion "The Colour Of Magic" is the best, (or equal best). Although the series is consistently entertaining and each book offers something new, yet they do get a bit samey after a while, like a pair of comfortable old slippers: you know what they will feel like when you put them on. But that is not true with the first of the series. It is new, it is fresh, the inspiration is red hot all the way through.

All the characters are new: Rincewind, (Pratchett's favourite anti-hero), the failed wizard, who cheats death again and again, who plays the hero against his will, not by courage and skill but by great, bizarre, strokes of fate. Twoflower, the medieval insurance clerk who becomes the world's first tourist, who enjoys all the danger and adventure with the fearless, good-humoured aplomb of someone who is only watching. And, of course, The Luggage! Sapient Pearwood! Loyal, ferocious, fast, strong, bloody minded and indestructible, who will also keep your clothes freshly laundered and neatly pressed. Now there's some rich and unique characters!

Terry Pratchett's innate philosophy of life comes through clearly in this volume, just as it does in all the other books in the series. All his characters are flawed, most of them deeply. Few of his heroes actually want to be heroes, those are do are invariably dumb as dishwater and are soon killed or made to look foolish. Rulers, whether of countries or organisations are generally paranoid, selfish and cruel. Happiness is only found by those without ambition who are blessed by fate. And, of course, books are special and must be preserved!

Pratchett is one of the most successful writers in the last 50 years. Every bookshop in the world has a rack of his works, and they are greatly loved. If you read a few you will quickly see why. The combination of magical adventure, clever humour and humanist wisdom put together by a master craftsman is a winner.

Yet every successful series has to start somewhere, and this is the first... and the best!

5/5

Warren Mars - April 7, 2007