Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is one of those series I find myself dipping in and out of from time to time. Likely I’ll read an entry, enjoy it, put it down, and then jump back into the next installment a few months down the line. But it is because these bitesize reads are rather more like disconnected novels with a familiar thread running through them. I get the sense that you could resume your journey (after having finished books one and two, that was) at any of the 41 books and not be too hurt by it.
Equal Rites, unlike its two predecessors, shifts its focus from a bizarre tourist and a collection of wizards, to a young Esk, the eighth son of an eighth son… only the son in question has actually turned out to be a girl, and what do you know – we have a plot. A breath of fresh air since the two previous entries (The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic) seemed almost to meander through a limp storyline with a handful of colourful characters and interesting locales. They had their charm, of course, and I do still love them, but there was never any real drive to the story. No engines running beneath the bonnet. Equal Rites changes this formula, however, and we have more of a real attachment to the characters, who are far more interesting. The premise is a simple one and hangs on a single question: can a girl become a wizard?
Pratchett writes with such a good humour and a unique way of looking at things that, no matter the situation, you are always entertained. He has clearly evolved as a writer at this point and it breathes extroadinary life into his world and his wonderfully flawed characters. An orangutan as a librarian, a professional liar, a wizened old man besotted with the blunt and ancient witch; they are all fleeting characters, but who made a profound impression on me. They were just so darn intriguing to me that whenever Pratchett diverted from Esk’s main story to divulge in these characters, I could have happily kept going. Not that Esk’s story is a boring one, no, as she is a far stronger and complex character than Rincewind (of the the first two books) ever was.
If i was to pull apart one aspect of this novel for criticism, however, it would have to be the ending. Or a lack thereof as it is so unbelievably sudden. We are building to a confrontation between witches and wizards that comes in a very brief scene before Pratchett shifts focus onto a hitherto unseen enemy. The choice somewhat robs the story of that building excitement and, once this threat has been swiftly dealt with, the story is wrapped up in a hurry. I suppose the benefit of this is that you can run right out to the bookstore tomorrow to get the next one.
Verdict
Equal Rites is high fantasy without all the gobbledegook and politics. That is the very essence of these stories; geeky fantasy distilled into fun, bitesize chunks. The world and the characters Pratchett creates are so wonderfully peculiar that you can’t help but read on, hungry and captivated, and each one deserving of their own stories. A lacklustre ending is all that hindered my enjoyment but even that held its own charm. The lore may be a little too deep for those unititiated with these books, however, and I strongly advise picking up at least The Colour Of Magic first. Have fun with this one, I know I did.
8/10
I am constantly looking for ways to improve my own writing, so if I have missed something off this post (or indeed if there is something wrong with any of my posts) please let me know. Thanks for reading!
The Writer's Block 