SOUNDTRACK: hiatus
[READ: Summer 2021] The Light Fantastic
After finishing the cliffhanger ending Colour of Magic, I quickly started book two.
Unlike the previous book, this one feels like a full novel–one story about the coming end of the Discworld.
Rincewind and Twoflower (with the luggage) have just fallen of off of the Disc. The one wonderfully convenient thing about writing about wizards and magic and such is that you can have pretty much anything happen.
We learned early in book one that Rincewind had read a spell from the Octavo–the most powerful book of magic (so powerful that it was locked up and it had been assumed that no one would ever open it)–nice job Rincewind. The spell then became lodged in Rincewind’s mind. It has tried on occasion to get out (bit thankfully it never has). It has also prevented Rincewind from learning any other spells–but that’s his problem.
Since the Octavo is stupidly powerful it is able to prevent the death of the vehicle that is currently housing one of its spells. And, poof, reality is adjusted so that Rincwewind winds up in the Forest of Skund, eventually settling down in a gingerbread house.
On the other side of the Disc, a huge red light appears in the sky. Soon enough, everyone can see it and they realize that it is getting closer. The Wizards of Unseen University summon Death and he warns them that the Disc will be destroyed unless all eight spells of the Octavo are read.
The wizards realize that Rincewind has the eight spells and so they set out to capture him. This does not go well. Rincewind and Twoflower escape on a witch’s broom.
The Universiry’s Archchancellor is killed and this allows a younger wizard, Trymon, to usurp the power. He imagines that he can use all eight spells to advance his own wishes.
Pratchett has always had fun with anachronism. In this story, he has a group of druids assembling a “computer” which allows Pratchett to makes lots of mid 80s techie jokes. Of course the giant computers are made of silicon, but they need a new piece because the system is all fouled up–it predicted sunrise three minute early.
But plotwise this is all important because in order for the druids to perform what hey hope to perform, they need to sacrifice a virgin. The virgin is Bethan and she is mighty peeved when our heroes rescue her–all she knows how to do is be a sacrifice.
Bethan is saved with the help of Cohen the Barbarian, an octogenarian with no teeth (he is sick of soup). Bethan winds up falling for him and now she has a new purpose in life.
During the battle, Twoflower is poisoned, but because Rincewind is a wizard he can follow the trail of Twoflower’s essence into Death’s Domain.
Death’s Domain is a fun place. We meet his adopted (surly) daughter Ysabel. We learn that Twoflower has been using his time in Death’s Domain to teach Death and his three friends–War, Famine and Pestilence–how to play bridge. The eternal beings really don’t get it.
We also meet some of the first trolls o the series. Trolls are basically just rock formations, but if they go to sleep, they turn into mountains.
And of course, the Luggage has threatened and, in fact, eaten several people along the way
Two flower also helps out Cohen by introducing him to “Din-chewersh” for his mouth. Cohen has set off to get a new set of teeth made for him.
But in the meantime, our heroes noticed that a lot of people are acting very strangely. The masses are convinced that the red star is approaching because of magic and they are out to destroy all magical beings.
Pratchett also has a lot of fun with the idea of a store that you run into on vacation or down a dark alley. It’s there one day and has the most amazing things in it. The next time you look for it it, the store no longer exists. These exist because the owner usually upsets a The existence of these shops is explained as being a curse by a sorcerer upon the shopkeeper for not having something in stock.
This book introduces is to the Dungeon Dimensions, a place where the Eldritch creatures reside. They would love to cross into our worlds and destroy everyone, but they are not powerful enough to do so. Whenever a powerful wizard starts using too much magic it means the membrane between the two realities. So when the Archchancellor’s replacement attempts to put the remaining seven spells form the Octavio into his head, the spells overwhelm him and he pretty handily opens a door to the dungeon dimesons.
The explanation for the red star is remarkably sweet and as happens in the Disc, there are multiple happy endings. Including for Cohen and Bethan.
Although the one sad thing (for us) is that Twoflower is going to return home–his wanderlust has been satisfied. He even gives Rincewind the Luggage (as a gift or curse, it’s unclear). Rincewind decides, since his mind is now free, to re-enter the University and become a wizard for real.
Although he doesn’t show up in many future books, he is in the background of a few scenes later on.
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