Good, but weak compared to his later works

books:


	• The Color of Magic: A Discworld Novel (Discworld) Terry Pratchett Harper Paperbacks, 2005 - 240 pages average customer review:based on 217 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Saved a Road trip - Part 1

I have long been reading the Discworld series, and have been reading them in publication order, with this being the first book in the Discworld series, I read it quite some time ago. I purchased the audiobook for one specific reason - an 8 hour car trip with a 5 and 9 year old. Fully aware that the four of us in the car could not listen to the same music, and knowing that the portable DVD player could not be seen by both children at once, I decided to give our first audio books a shot. We listened to the first book "The Color of Magic" on the way to FL, and the second book - The Light Fantastic" on the way home. These books saved the trip!

This book is an absolute trip to read, I had never listened to an audio book before so I wasn't sure what we were in for. It turned out to be exactly what we needed. Terry Pratchett has created a brilliant fantasy world of satire and humor. To discuss the plot would be pointless, because the plot is so simple and spartan. The Discworld had it's first tourist, a man named Twoflower. Twoflower meets up with Rincewind, a failed wizard who is terrified of everything. Twoflower secures Rincewind's services as a tourguide and the two of them spend almost the entire book getting into trouble and running away from it. Twoflower never seems to be aware of the trouble he is in, and snaps picture after picture of the critters and people who are attempting to kill him.

The first couple chapters of the book (being the first CD) are perplexing and Pratchett doesn't really get into his rhythm until the crew is out of Anhk-Morpork. Once they are out of town the rollicking good time begins.

This book is perfectly fine for the little ones, there is no profanity and the tiny bit of sexuality is so deeply hidden in satire that the little ones won't pick up on it. Nigel Planer does a fantastic job of reading this story, unfortunately though, the footnotes (which are plentiful in this book) don't come across quite right and can throw you a bit if you haven't figured out the slight change in tone between the actual story and the footnotes. I would have been happier had I gotten a copy of this audiobook without the footnotes.

My two boys, aged 5 and 10 at the time, howled with laughter the entire trip through TN and GA and finally into FL. True they didn't get a lot of the humor, but they were able to understand enough that they have favorite characters and laughed until they couldn't breathe at certain parts.

FYI this book ends on a cliffhanger so bad that you HAVE to get "The Light Fantastic" to hear the rest of the story. These two books are basically part 1 and 2 of the same tale. And to parents who don't want to spend a fortune on these books, Audible.com has both of them available for download at a much cheaper rate.

These two audiobooks saved a long roadtrip... I have already purchased several others for future road trips, although the kids are so obsessed they want to listen to them NOW. I highly recommend them.

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Good, but weak compared to his later works

It is difficult to make a judgement of how a Pratchett novel compares to the entire library of of his work. It's like declaring a Zappa album "his best" or "worst." I have read a good percentage of Pratchett's work, however, and do consider CoM to be the weakest. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy Pratchett's singular humor, but the depth and complexity of his later plots just isn't there. Actually, that's an understatement, the plot itself just isn't there.

As a collection of four short stories, it's pleasant enough. The characters do not have the endearing qualities of many of Pratchett's later characters, but he does begin to solidify his mythos of modern archetypes which he utilizes with such genius.

In the overall realm of books, CoM probably deserves 4 stars, but my rating is colored by knowing that Pratchett is capable of much more magic. If you intend to read his entire catalogue start with this one. If you are merely "Pratchett-curious", start with "Thud!" or "Small Gods" or "Hogfather" or even the non-discworld "Good Omens".

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The start of a glorious addiction!

I'm just finishing Pratchett's entire series of Discworld novels, enjoying each as much as those that came before. "The Color of Magic" is where the story begins. Pratchett has a wonderful combination of wit, satisfying characters and plot-building skills that never fail to entrance.

These are not really fantasy, not really science fiction, but almost a genre unto themselves, combining shrewd political and social observations with unfailing entertainment value in a fascinating imaginative world.

Ideal reading on a long flight, or as a solace for the sleepless.

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Really Just Brilliant

This is the first book I've ever reviewed. It was funny yet insightful in all the right places. In fact, I've gone on to buy all the rest of the Discworld books as well. Enjoy!

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent, bestselling novels have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody next to the likes of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

The Color of MagicM is Terry Pratchett's maiden voyage through the now-legendary land of Discworld. This is where it all begins -- with the tourist Twoflower and his wizard guide, Rincewind.

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