[Book Review] The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett, 1983) ★★★★★

book cover The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett 1983

The Colour of Magic is a fantastical adventure full of whimsical wit.

The Colour of Magic is a fantasy adventure comedy book series known as The Discworld series written by the highly creative and imaginative Terry Pratchett. He takes us with his fantastical characters on different journeys, parodying literature, fantasy tropes, sometimes with social commentary but always with a lighthearted voice. He has left us with 41 Discworld books to explore his magical world where anything can and does happen and his wonderful characters who you soon will love.

The Colour of Magic is a fun adventurous introduction to this world and seen through the eyes of the first tourist ever who set foot on these magical lands and the worst wizard ever. Enjoy this fantastical tale full of cowardly bravery and innocent naive knowledge.

Plot

On board of a recently moored ship in Ankh-Morpork is Twoflower the first tourist who comes to visit these strange lands. With him he has taken the Luggage, a heavy magical chest made out of magical pearwood, that has a lot of feet. When he bumps into Rincewind, the worst wizard ever seen in the Unseen University, he pays him to be his guide. Unknown to Twoflower, Rincewind is known for getting into a lot of trouble, but surviving is his middle name. So the ~~two~~ three set out on an adventure that will Twoflower show the real Discworld, without any tourist traps. Maybe other traps, however, probably deadly, certainly dangerous.

Why you should read it

The book is divided into four different stories. For different adventures that take the two friends to different parts of the Discworld. And more importantly, into four different dangers.

First they go explore Ankh-Morpork the smelliest city on the Discworld, and not a safe place either. But Twoflower knows how to escape danger, sets half of the city on fire, accidentally and the three of them run as fast as they can. Which the Luggage wins easily with his many feet.

Then they end up at the temple of Bel-Shamharoth where they meet Hrun the Barbarian. They nearly escape a demon and we find out that they are mere pawns on a very real board game played by the gods at Dunmanifestin.

Of course a tourist has to be kidnapped to experience it all. Liessa the Dragonrider of the Wyrmberg, an upside down mountain, takes him to her lair. But Twoflower accidentally imagines a dragon, flies way on it to rescue Rincewind in time, who already got himself into trouble.

The last story takes them to the edge of the world, quite literally. For the Discworld is a flat disc that rests upon four elephants who stand on the shell of a turtle called Great A’Tuin who swims across the stars to a place unknown. There, at the edge at Krull, scientists are planning to go off the edge to establish the gender of Great A’Tuin. Cause, what if she was a girl and met a boy? What would happen to the world, imagine that. Well it’s not going to end well for Twoflower and Rincewind who soon find themselves in the most dangerous predicament.

The stories and adventures themselves are a delight to read. They are original, entertaining, hilarious at times, witty, whimsical and fun and it even has some Lovecraftian monsters. But the style is magical fantastic as well. With an indirect style, the humor is spot on every time. Full with witty remarks, great puns, in a social context to parody our way of life and even the structure of the sentences and how a scene plays out is excellently done.

The characters are anything but cliches. They are very fleshed out and are remarkably well-crafted. They don’t merely are pawns for the plot, although they are for the gods, but the characters and the plot are organically intertwined in a way that both are important elements to the story. They decide where to go next, albeit not necessarily by choice.

The book is full of comedy and adventure and a lot is going on, without ever becoming chaotic. It’s a very pleasant read and because they get themselves from one trouble into another it never gets boring either and you just want to keep reading. It’s also a great read when you need some cheering up.

My favorite part

Rincewind is my absolute favorite character of the Discworld, next to Granny of course, whom we will meet in another story. He is so absurd and the luckiest man alive, with a special reason, which you have to find out for yourself. It makes him all the more tragic, funny and grumpy all at the same time. The Luggage is a great concoction as well. Although he doesn’t speak you sure don’t want to mess with him or her, who knows.

The book is full with all sorts of great imaginative ideas that bewilder and will make you laugh out loud. It’s a joy to read. It’s smart, fun and written with a heart.

A favorite quote

‘”So you might like to have this.” Twoflower held out a picture, “What is it?” asked Rincewind. “Oh just the picture you took in the temple.” Rincewind looked in horror. There, bordered by a few glimpses of tentacle, was a huge, whorled, calloused, potion-stained and unfocused thumb. “That’s the story of my life,” he said wearily.’