![]() The characters were amusing but not filled out enough to really care about, the plot is all over the place and not particularly clever, but the very present narrator is quickly engaging and fun to read. What surprised me most of all was how poorly written this book was and how much I didn't care just goes to show the power of a likeable voice. Terry Prachett doesn't go for the laugh out loud hysterical jokes (in this, the first book of the Discworld series, anyway) but his voice is entertaining and his ideas are funny in a gentle way. I worried it would be juvenile or zany in a way that might embarrass more than entertain me. I wasn't sure what to make of this series before I read it. The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic is not amazing writing but the potential and the promise of what this series will become is clear, and if you can take the books for what they are, I'm sure you'll have a good time. But do so with an open mind and knowledge that the style, pacing, plot and the skill of the author will quickly evolve as the series continues, don't judge the entire series based on these two books. If you're thinking about taking on the Discworld series, I think you should read these, if not for anything else than for the joy of experiencing the Discworld's birth. Simply put, the books are a lot smarter than they appear to be. Terry Pratchett doesn't explain things to you, you either have a grasp on the underlying theme he's making fun of, or you don't that knowledge, in turn, determines if you understand the jokes or not. The books can appear simple at first glance, but the language and story have more layers than you might think. Terry Pratchett plays with words, themes, irony, sarcasm, parody, and satire. Their journey takes them across the Discworld, along the way they meet heroes, dragons, elderly barbarians with arthritis, druids, virgin sacrifice not that keen to be rescued and many more. "Rincewind could scream for mercy in nineteen languages, and just scream in another forty-four." (Terry Pratchett) Tourist, Rincewind had decided, meant 'idiot." (The Color of Magic)" "Twoflower was a tourist, the first ever seen on the Discworld. The problem is that Twoflower the tourist loves adventures and has a knack for getting himself into trouble. The story that unfolds in the first book and continues in the second, centers around the adventures these two come across as they travel the Discworld it's a buddy road trip comedy of sorts. ![]() Twoflower the tourist eventually meet Rincewind the Wizard. The story begins in the city of Ankh-Morpork just as it's inhabitants are about to experience something new and unfamiliar, a tourist. That's not to say there isn't a plot in these two books, there is. To quote Terry himself: "I suppose around the fifth or sixth Discworld book, I discovered the joy of plot." It's there developing in front of your eyes, but the pacing is uneven and the plot somewhat unfocused. What is apparent is that when these books were written Terry Pratchett hadn't quite found his unique language yet. The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic are not bad books, they have some great lines, and the characters are enjoyable if a bit rough around the edges. Is it still worth reading? Yes, absolutely! These two books are the work of a novice author long before he knew he'd become a national icon and his hobby turn into a book series spanning thirty years and forty-one novels. Is it expertly crafted, the work of an accomplished author? No. Is it as funny as they say, will you gasp for breath while laughing uncontrollably? No. Is it remarkable, incredible, the best thing you will ever read? No. Is this an epic beginning to this iconic series so loved and cherished that it's considered a national treasure in Britain? No. There's an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet.įirst, let's get the elephant in the room out of the way. On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. I've decided to review the first two books, "The Color of Magic" and "The Light Fantastic" together since they both follow the same characters and storyline.
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