The Colour of Magic

by Terry Pratchett

Signet, 1985 [1983], ISBN 0-415-15707-2

A book review by Elisabeth Carey

Herein we have the adventures of Rincewind, Discworld's most inept wizard, and Twoflower, Discworld's first tourist. Rincewind has the dubious luck to hire on as Twoflower's native guide in Ankh-Morpork. They quickly find it necessary to leave town when it starts burning down, due to Twoflower (an insurance salesman from the Agatean Empire) having sold a fire insurance policy to the proprietor of the Broken Drum Tavern. They have many adventures, to Twoflower's delight and Rincewind's dismay, and these adventures are further complicated by their having become, unbeknownst to themselves, pawns in a game being played by Fate and the Lady, and assisted by Twoflower's sentient, and very determined, Luggage. Along the way, Pratchett has fun with a number things, including, most recognizable to me, at least, the Dragonriders of Pern. Don't even think about approaching this book in a serious mood; you might hurt yourself. Great fun., but perhaps not Pratchett's best.

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