Solar Flare: Science Fiction News

The Light Fantastic is Terry Pratchett’s second Discworld novel. Once again the story revolves around the tourist Twoflower and failed wizard and reluctant guide Rincewind. However, unlike the first volume, The Light Fantastic presents us with a single cohesive story and takes the time to build on the very simplistic characters which we were presented with in The Color of Magic.

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I found myself generally much more satisfied with this book than I was with the first. I still didn’t find it particularly hilarious, more mildly amusing. One thing I did like however was that Pratchett turned the Luggage into a character into its own right.

Again, as with the first book, there’s a considerable amount of inventiveness throughout the story and the story is definitely at its strongest when Pratchett goes off on a whimsical tangent. Less impressive are the more obvious broadsides at fantasy cliches like the character of Cohen the Barbarian.

The ending of the book had a definite feeling of closure to it, as though Pratchett felt he had said what he wanted to say with these particular characters. Clearly though the nature of Discworld does allow for plenty more stories with other characters, and Pratchett was only too happy to write them.

This was definitely a more enjoyable read for me than the previous book, and I’m inclined to try at least one more, but I’m really not sure I care enough about Rincewind to want to read more about him.

Perhaps I should try one of the other series of Discworld books which Pratchett has written?