1016. The Color of Magic

I have wanted to read Terry Prachett's Discworld series for ages now...really... Anyway, with the greatest invention of the Internet age: BookMooch on my side, I was able to collect the first 10 books in the Discworld Series. And on a recent business trip, I was able to read the first book. Ah, the lack of an iPod! What fun!

Don't get me wrong, I am probably one of those few Americans who actually GET British humour. And, not only do I get it, but I enjoy it. In fact, for many years, many of my friends kept recommending this series to me, but not until BookMooch was I able to actually get the books on the cheap. Suffice it to say, I have been missing some prime entertainment.

But first a few words:

1. I won't be reviewing the whole series here. I will try to do due diligence and review each novel as I go along and as time permits.
2. There are some major differences between "American Humour" and "British Humour" which I can't begin to explain here. Some people say those differences are born from the fact that the British are so much more uptight than their cousins across the pond. I tend to not support this hypothesis. I am not sure for the reason for these differences. Since Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Not the Nine O' Clock News, Red Dwarf and other such British comedy hits, I have enjoyed British comedy immensely. There is a satirical spin to that world view that somehow aligns with mine... I wonder why?
3. Discworld has so many books, don't expect literary reviews from me. All I am going to give you, are a few plot elements, along with what I thought, and a comparative ranking to the other books. There should be no misunderstanding: I plan to own the whole series in Paperback Format.

So, let's begin. Rincewind is a third-rate wizard (maybe even worse). In fact, he never really finished his magical education. Twoflower is a tourist from Counter-weight Continent. He has a piece of luggage, a trunk really, that has legs and walks on its own. Rincewind is a college dropout and as such menial tasks as are appointed to him. When Twoflower arrives at Ankh-Morpork, such a commotion ensues because of the gold that he carries that Rincewind is appointed his guide in the strange new land. In a way then, this begins as both a buddy novel and a clash of cultures book. It soon however, becomes a travelogue, as Rincewind and Twoflower end-up on the run.

Along the way, Rincewind, Twoflower and the luggage encounter many adventures and are finally captured at the edge of the turtle...err, the edge of world -- but I won't explain that, you'll have to read about it.

One of my favorite episodes is their encounter with dragons and their riders. In many ways, the idea of what Twoflower experiences and WHY is the reason why, I love to read fantasy and wish it on all young children! It expands the mind. Without imagination, we're nothing.

A lovely book, and a great start to the series. 3 stars out of five.