I gave this book to my mother when I was already a fan...
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...And she liked it very much!
I think this is a good starting point for anyone new to the series. Its plot makes you think of a Studio Ghibli film (in a good way, mind you) but Pratchett's humour sparkles as brightly as ever.
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Third in the Discworld Series
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Terry Pratchett has become one of the most popular authors alive today and his popularity is richly deserved. But not even with his fertile mind could he ever have envisaged the heights to which his Discworld series would rise. This book first published in 1987 is the third of the Discworld novels and the author is really getting into his stride in the series that broke all records and continues to do so with new books being regularly published.
Pratchett's wit and imagination are second to none. Who else would have or could have thought of the Discworld, a world of mystery and magic sitting on the back of four elephants, who in turn are standing on the back of the great turtle A'tuin the whole lot journeying through an eternal void. Are you with the plot so far?
Wizard's have the uncanny knack of being able to predict their own death, or so thinks Drum Billet. Having seen his own demise rapidly approaching he sets out to pass his power and his staff on to his predicted successor, who as tradition would have it, has to be the eighth son of an eighth son. The only problem with this is that the eighth son just happens to be a daughter and whoever heard of a woman becoming a wizard. But it's too late Drum Billet has gone to wherever dead wizards go and Eskarina has inherited a wizard's staff and is even now under the doubtful tutelage of Granny Weatherwax, who reckons this being a wizard is as easy as falling off a broomstick for a witch of her calibre . . .
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"Whoever heard of a female wizard?"
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By now most of you know about Discworld, right? It is a fantastic place, which resembles our world but that presents us with some notable differences. As its name suggests, Discworld is shaped like a pizza, and it rests on top of four elephants, who in turn stand on top of a giant turtle, the Great A'Tuin. And as everyone knows, there is a small sun that orbits around this world, which is only reasonable. I guess that by know you get the idea. These characteristics are just a snippet of the elements Pratchett uses for his satire, and quite a few clever elements they are.
This story starts when Mr. Billet, an old wizard, shows up at the house of a blacksmith in a small and forgotten village. He is there looking for the eighth son of an eighth son, who is supposed to be given birth momentarily by the blacksmith's wife. Mr. Billet will pass on his powers and die soon thereafter. Maybe he should have done his homework more carefully, because after the ritual, they all notice that the new wizard is a baby girl. Thus, the first female wizard was created.
Eskarina lives a normal life until she is eight, but at that time things begin to change as she discovers her magic. At first, Granny, her nanny, tries to steer her towards witch magic, but soon enough the old witch realizes she cannot prevent Esk from fulfilling her destiny. Therefore, Esk starts her journey to the Unseen University and her fight against gender stereotypes and discrimination.
Even though this is not one of Pratchett's best efforts, and it slows down a bit in a few sections, there are a lot of things the author does proficiently. As always, there is one main subject for the satire, in this case gender discrimination, and the author makes us laugh out loud with some of the situations he creates. Pratchett also succeeds in inserting other topics in his satire, like the description of the Zoon, a tribe formed of people that are honest and that have to select those that can lie a little better to be tribal liars, or as other tribes call them, diplomats and public relations officers. Another ability of this author is finishing phrases that seem normal in odd ways, to make us laugh unexpectedly, like "Time passed, which, basically, is its job".
There are many other great aspects to this book, and even a Pratchett that is not completely at the top of his game, delivers a book that is worth your time and money. Even the title is clever, using the homonym for "Equal Rights". On top of this, there is an appearance of one of my favorite characters in the series, Death, and we also get to learn a couple of secrets behind magic in Discworld. I am already looking forward to grabbing the next Discworld book, lay back in the deck of a cruise and relax. I won't be able to relax totally though, since I will have to be checking that the cruise does not reach the end of the world and fall over.
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first discwolrd i read all the way..loved it
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Well many many moons ago i tried to read a discWorld novel but couldnt get into it..it was the 80s and i was a young mum..now ive finally got time to read the trilogy i bought myself for christmas and this is the first book in it..
I am hooked..totally enchanted and found the humour delighful. i was one of many who thought id have to read the series from book number one,i am happy to report it isnt so!
granny weatherwax is someone id love to have look out for me..i was mesmerised. I found myself laughing out loud which wasnt easy following a nasty tooth extraction..hence me reading instead of going online etc.I had become a non ficton only reader since the eighties..but this book has reawakened the reader in me and filled my niche of humour and fantasy.
I whole heartedly recommend this book.i hated falling asleep or doing anything where i couldnt read further!
A fantastic way to start. death and the witches are my favourite characters.
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The let down of Equal Rites
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After reading The Light Fantastic I thought that Equal Rites would carry on in the same vain and funny manner but I was totally dissappointed with this book.
The characters didn't seem to have much depth to them and didn't quite make the book anymore interesting.
Yes it was an OK read but doesn't really stand out after the first two Discworld novels but please don't let this book put you off reading the other books in the Discworld series because they get better after this terrible offering.
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