Pratchett Writes Fantastic Light Novel
The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
I blame my friend Tipu for what will doubtless become an ever-dwindling supply of discretionary funds and free time in my household. After several voracious readers urged Terry Pratchett's work upon me, I stumbled through Small Gods, one of the more celebrated of Pratchett's DiscWorld novels. Unimpressed with the experience, I was safe from feeling compelled to buy a prolific young author's output.To the detriment of my checking account, however, Tipu and several others extol Pratchett's work. I remarked once that I thought their comments were wittier than the novels, but vowed to take a fresh look at Pratchett. Eschewing Small Gods this time, I opted instead for The Light Fantastic, the second DiscWorld novel. My rationale remained the same as it does with most fantasy series. By the second or third novel, authors know which way they want the series to proceed and have established a rhythm that is more indicative of the remainder of the series than the first story. That is my theory, anyway, and I am sticking to it.
DiscWorld - Sublime Vacation Spot
DiscWorld is the creation of then thirty four year old Terry Pratchett who began writing professionally while a teenager. Working for a small English publisher, Pratchett wrote several novels in his off hours. The Colour of Magic, Pratchett's first Discworld was published by his company in 1984 and succeeded to the point the company could no longer support their growing star.Colin Smythe, Pratchett's boss at the time and confidant now, summarized the feelings on his web site, "It had become obvious to Terry and myself that if he was to maximise his potential, then he had to move to a major publishing house, as my company was incapable of coping with bestsellers, and that this should be done while we were friends."
Since then, Pratchett has written more than 25 novels set on Discworld, a magic land populated by punsters, thinly disguised politicians and bureaucrats and composites whose attitudes have been framed by modern culture. Magic works on the Discworld, which has stereotypical late Middle Ages science, but modern city planning and governance.
After dozens of novels, computer games and recognition as Britain's best selling living novelist during the 1990s, Pratchett's Discworld is an enriching place for readers to visit for lighthearted relaxation. The Light Fantastic is where many of the future ideas began crystallizing and features the introduction of several recurring characters.
The Plot In Exactly One Hundred Words
Something is wrong on the Disc, and the world's wizards believe that now is finally the time to say all eight spells contained in The Octavo, a grimoire they believe contains reality-altering spells. The only problem is that Rincewind, a wizard regarded as a failure by most of his peer group, has already read one of the spells and it remains in his memory, not The Octavo. Thus embarks a chase story in which DiscWorld's establishment tries to capture Rincewind and his companion Twofer so they can say the spells before the huge glowing star in the sky destroys them.What Works Well
This novel is equal parts Hitchhikers Guide and Blazing Saddles. The puns are not the in-your-face blunt trauma written by Spider Robinson or Piers Anthony, but more subtle. British humor runs through the entire plot, leaving a reader to expect to hear John Cleese's voice at any moment. Pratchett is at his best when he very neatly categorizes the universe's rules and then has his characters demolish those very rules.The Discworld universe is itself an enjoyable place, filled with standard fantasy elements, but owing much of its value system to the modern world. Pratchett is thus able to write about trolls and Cohen the Barbarian in the same chapter. Written by someone with more modest talents, the effect might whipsaw readers into confusion when the motifs collide. Instead, Pratchett delicately balances the anachronisms with the skill of a juggler first incorporating knives into his act. The sections are clearly delineated in The Light Fantastic, and I suspect that one of the issues that caused me to dismiss Small Gods several years ago was a bolder, less cautious melding of those styles.
Several characters are hysterically funny and could become some of my favorite fantasy characters. They include the aforementioned Rincewind and Cohen, as well as the various trolls. Unfortunately, though, character development leads us to:
What Doesn't Work As Well
Bethan, whom Rincewind, Cohen and Twofer save from a fate as a human sacrifice, is one-dimensional and boring. Her virginity allows Pratchett to imbue her character with royal haughtiness that soon grows wearying. Twofer, Rincewind's companion and comic foil, is a character whose potential Pratchett squanders through endless repetition of a naive and charmed tourist gag. I really wanted to like Twofer, but found myself wishing at times that he wasn't quite so charmed.The handling of the physical manifestation of Death is done as well as any light fantasy author writes that character, but one simply finds it difficult to find the chuckles in Twofer teaching Thanatos and his cronies the game of bridge. The entire scene conjures images of Jim Kirk's awful Fizzbin scene from the original Star Trek series as well as Bill and Ted's encounters with the creature in their second awful movie.
The Bottom Line, Dog Earred Pages and All
The funny, good writing far outweighs the bad and droll writing in this novel. The Discworld universe seems less a bad examination of metaphysics and more a place where Douglas Adams devotees can get their kicks now that he has passed away.Benny Hill, Monty Python and other British humor fans will adore this book. Fantasy readers who enjoy Asprin, Robinson and Anthony should also enjoy the story, but may find they must push to complete the story. The journey is certainly worth the trip so forge onward.
And as for Tipu, well, perhaps he would be willing to split the cost of my Amazon bill. I would ordinarily borrow these stories from my local library, but I suspect I will want to read them many more times over the years.
