Sorcery by Terry Pratchett

Sorcery 

By Terry Pratchett

     Some people end up on all the adventures... it's to bad for Rincewinds that once again he's pulled into adventure. On diskworld there is an eighth color, great wizards are the eighth son of an eighth son... eight is a special number when you are dealing with magic. Wizards and women also don't mix. The why is nether really covered it;s just not done. So when a wild and diferent Wizard becomes astranged from the Unseen University builds a family has seven (wizard) sons then has an eighth things get complicated. 

     When Sorcery is let louse on the world dangerous things happen. Rincewind takes it upon himself to run away.  Trying to get as far away as possible only to find he cares and is the only one left to do anything about it. The world may survive (since this is book 5 out of 38 thats a safe guess) even if Rincewind gets stuck in the Dungeon Dimension at of it all. 

     Theres not much to really say about this book... the only question I had is where are the witches will all these wizard towers and magic being brought up from nowhere... I KNOW its not a story about them... but Diskworld is generally very good about covering all the options about people who might be able to have an effect on the situation and this was the first time I really questioned things... 

Book Review, Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

Wyrd Sisters

by Terry Pratchett

     Witchcraft is not what you think it is. You don't need candles and flashy symbols drawn in blood, or dancing naked under a full moon (sometime though Margrat would like things it if the other witches would be a little more Occult like... though I don't think even she would want to see Granny Weatherwax dancing naked...).  Witches are mostly solitary people, but even solitary people like to be a little social once in a while... other wise how would the others know you don't need them. 

     Most of the magic that is done by Witches on the disk is every day things, things that just take a little bit more knowledge and a lot of headology. They may be a bit closer to the vale between life and death. Which helps when theres a ghost around who needs a little justice and they do happen to fly around on broomstick (which aside from being a little cold is just a practical way to travel when your the only one in the ramtops who really does travel). 

       The witches are enjoyable characters because they are as I said, very down to earth and honest old ladies. Very Real, Wizards are the ones who mess around with Magic on the disk. Nanny and Granny are two cute and intelligent old ladies who care for the country folk that live in there aria. Sometimes this requires a little magical help... sometimes things work out anyways.

Book Review, The Prodigal Mage by Karen Miller

The Prodigal Mage

by Karen Miller

     Hero's save the world. Its what they do. Then they get to live happly ever after right? Yet saveing the world changes it, and humans whether they are Olken or Doranen have trouble excepting that change. In the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker pair of books Asher saved the world from the evil of Morg and freed the Olken from the control of the Doranen gaining them the right to use the magic that they always had but were forbidden from using. The Prodigal Mage continues this story in the world that has been changed by his actions. 

     Asher's magic is different than a normal Olken's simpler earth based power, and because of the things he was forced to do with it he dislikes it greatly. His son is also in position of the same or maybe even greater amounts of power. Yet must grow up with a hero for a father, and hiding this power since it would frighten the world. But when the world starts to die and his father can't save it this time he steps up to the task. 

     Story's don't often cover the after part of things. How a hero may do his job but the great changes he tried to create... just make some things more difficult. Like what happens when a hero has children... And what happens if things go bad again and the hero's too old and worn out from saving the world 10 years earlier before anyone knew about it... This story though it takes the point of view of multiple different characters at different times is mostly about Rafel, Ashers son. The way he grew up and his taking on of the responsibility to help the world when his Father can't.  

     This book really does require you to have read the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker book's (in order The Innocent Mage is first, The Awakened Mage is second making this book three) first. I read them some time ago (1998 I think...) and it took me a few chapters to really remember the world and the way it worked. Especially because there are a lot of changes the world has faced since those books. This book also doesn't give you much of a reminder at all as to what happened (though in general I don't mind this it really didn't cover the past books at all). It jumps from character to character a little too much, and it took a bit to start realizing what family I was following.  But the two families you read about are important in there own way. 

     Rafel steps up to his place in the world. Becoming more comfortable with his magic, learning why it was so important to his father no to show his power to the world and that some things are worth taking a risk for. The story is continued in The Reluctant Mage. 

Book Review, (Faust) Eric by Terry Pratchett

(Faust) Eric 

by  Terry Pratchett

     There is a world that is carried through space on the back of four great Elephants who stand on the back of a giant turtle who is swimming through space with an unknown destination. This world is shaped as a disk, a round circle peppered with mountains across its center (know as the hub), and great waterfalls that crash over the edge and shower the elephants below.
     Rincewind is a Wizard, he even has a hat that says so. He also has a way of getting stuck in the middle of things he'd much rather have nothing to do with. Through miss-adventure he ended up stuck in the Dungeon Dimensions (see my review of Sorcery).
     Eric is a demonologist, he may be only 13 and may be less demonoligist more lucky. After studying his grand father's books he opens a door to the Dungeon Dimensions and summons a Demon... well... Rincewind (though the Luggage is thought of by many as a Demon...).  Eric demands that his demon grant him three wishes and even though Rincewind tells him its not possible it seems to work. Well... as well as any wish granted by a demon would work that is....
     The disworld books are written in a different formant, there aren't any chapters, which other than not giving me a place to stop reading when I need to sleep doesn't really change much. I also like how even though this is one story that is part of a 38 book serous (and even though it directly takes place after another book) it doesn't matter one bit when you read it in relation to the other books. This can be said of every one of the disk world books. Each story you read developed the world more and more in my head, but none of them go in to extensive details about things that happened before (boring you if you have read it). It really doesn't matter to your understanding of the current story.
     Rincwind is very bothered by the laws of Nature that the world he lives on doesn't follow. He sometimes wishes that the world was a nice sphere shape with a center of liquid rock.... but the world just doesn't work like that.