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lara16's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
danarama's review
3.0
I read this way back in like 1990 or 1991 probably but had absolutely zero recollection of anything that happened. Even rereading it I never had a moment of "Oh yeah that happened!" I guess it must not have left much of an impression on me at the time because I never ended up reading any of the other Discworld books.
But this time I enjoyed it! Entertaining and there were some good laughs. My favourite character is far-and-away the Luggage, with Rincewind as a pretty close second.
People say Pratchett was the Douglas Adams of fantasy but that's not quite right I guess. Pratchett is sending up fantasy tropes but Adams to my mind always went more for absurd humour and satirizing modern society. The weakest parts of Colour of Magic were definitely were where it was acting like a straight up sword-and-sorcery novel. (I'm thinking the section where they're captured by the dragon riders)
But this time I enjoyed it! Entertaining and there were some good laughs. My favourite character is far-and-away the Luggage, with Rincewind as a pretty close second.
People say Pratchett was the Douglas Adams of fantasy but that's not quite right I guess. Pratchett is sending up fantasy tropes but Adams to my mind always went more for absurd humour and satirizing modern society. The weakest parts of Colour of Magic were definitely were where it was acting like a straight up sword-and-sorcery novel. (I'm thinking the section where they're captured by the dragon riders)
owlphabetical's review
3.0
It's not the strongest Discworld, by any means, but it's got the basics down :)
lordofthemoon's review
3.0
Despite Julie Andrews' opinion, sometimes the very beginning isn't the best place to start, with Exhibit A being the Discworld. Despite it being the first novel about a flat world carried through space on the back of four giant elephants standing on the shell of a turtle, I wouldn't exactly call The Colour of Magic the first Discworld novel. So much of the tropes, language and humour that I associate with the Discworld are missing from this book that it would be better to call it a prototype, at most.
That's not to say that it's a bad book, but at this point in his career, Terry Pratchett is still a journeyman and the book feels like that. It's been many years since I had last read it, and I must admit that I enjoyed it more this time round than previously. That's because The Colour of Magic is very much a pastiche of classic fantasy, and I hadn't actually read much classic fantasy at that point. I hadn't read [a: Fritz leiber|23001|Fritz Leiber|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1423163995p2/23001.jpg]'s Lankhmar stories, [a: Robert E. Howard|66700|Robert E. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1210954603p2/66700.jpg]'s Conan stories, [a: H. P. Lovecraft|9494|H.P. Lovecraft|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1299165714p2/9494.jpg]'s horror or even [a: Anne McCaffrey|26|Anne McCaffrey|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1323715139p2/26.jpg]'s Pern books, all of which are lovingly represented and gently pastiched here. Now that I have read all those authors and more I can appreciate what Pratchett was doing much more than I could when I read this as a callow youth.
In some ways, it's impressive how much of the Disc is already formed in this early novel, with Ankh-Morpork (complete with [a, if not the] Patrician), the countries of the Circle Sea, Rincewind and the counterweight continent all present, ready to be fleshed out more fully in later books. But the book does very much lack the laugh out loud humour that characterised Pratchett's golden age for me, and the writing is yet to gain the confidence and sparkle that would make Pratchett one of the most admired writers in Britain and beyond.
So an interesting book for its place as the book that started it all, but I still wouldn't recommend it as a starting point for Discworld newbies.
That's not to say that it's a bad book, but at this point in his career, Terry Pratchett is still a journeyman and the book feels like that. It's been many years since I had last read it, and I must admit that I enjoyed it more this time round than previously. That's because The Colour of Magic is very much a pastiche of classic fantasy, and I hadn't actually read much classic fantasy at that point. I hadn't read [a: Fritz leiber|23001|Fritz Leiber|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1423163995p2/23001.jpg]'s Lankhmar stories, [a: Robert E. Howard|66700|Robert E. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1210954603p2/66700.jpg]'s Conan stories, [a: H. P. Lovecraft|9494|H.P. Lovecraft|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1299165714p2/9494.jpg]'s horror or even [a: Anne McCaffrey|26|Anne McCaffrey|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1323715139p2/26.jpg]'s Pern books, all of which are lovingly represented and gently pastiched here. Now that I have read all those authors and more I can appreciate what Pratchett was doing much more than I could when I read this as a callow youth.
In some ways, it's impressive how much of the Disc is already formed in this early novel, with Ankh-Morpork (complete with [a, if not the] Patrician), the countries of the Circle Sea, Rincewind and the counterweight continent all present, ready to be fleshed out more fully in later books. But the book does very much lack the laugh out loud humour that characterised Pratchett's golden age for me, and the writing is yet to gain the confidence and sparkle that would make Pratchett one of the most admired writers in Britain and beyond.
So an interesting book for its place as the book that started it all, but I still wouldn't recommend it as a starting point for Discworld newbies.
kymisan's review
3.0
A good introduction to Discworld!
Enjoyed the characters in this one, loved the Luggage! Thought overall didn't enjoy it as much as I did Going Postal. Even though with that said it is still a solid introduction to the magic of Discworld.
Would recommend to all lovers of shows like Monty Python & Fawlty Towers.
Enjoyed the characters in this one, loved the Luggage! Thought overall didn't enjoy it as much as I did Going Postal. Even though with that said it is still a solid introduction to the magic of Discworld.
Would recommend to all lovers of shows like Monty Python & Fawlty Towers.
tannat's review
4.0
Although not my favourite Discworld, it's clever and well-realized. The setting was better established than I remembered, actually.
Terry Pratchett manages to turn many fantasy tropes on their heads with the first tourist on the Disc, Twoflower. Of course, in Ankh-Morpork parlance, tourist is equivalent to idiot-with-money.
Terry Pratchett manages to turn many fantasy tropes on their heads with the first tourist on the Disc, Twoflower. Of course, in Ankh-Morpork parlance, tourist is equivalent to idiot-with-money.
somuchreading's review
3.0
Είναι η δεύτερη φορά που διαβάζω το The Colour of Magic, το πρώτο [χρονικά] βιβλίο του Discworld. Και όχι τυχαία, αφού αποφάσισα να πιάσω τη σειρά του Pratchett από το ξεκίνημα της, διαβάζοντας ένα βιβλίο κάθε μήνα, μέχρι να συμπληρώσω και τα 41 μυθιστορήματά της.
Και μάλιστα αποφάσισα να γράφω για αυτά στο PopCode. Ελάτε να κάνουμε παρέα στον Discworld!
Ορίστε μια μικρή εισαγωγή για τη σειρά [και ταυτόχρονα index στο οποίο θα βρίσκετε όλα τα κείμενα] και ορίστε το κείμενο για το The Colour of Magic.
The Colour of Magic: ★★★
Και μάλιστα αποφάσισα να γράφω για αυτά στο PopCode. Ελάτε να κάνουμε παρέα στον Discworld!
Ορίστε μια μικρή εισαγωγή για τη σειρά [και ταυτόχρονα index στο οποίο θα βρίσκετε όλα τα κείμενα] και ορίστε το κείμενο για το The Colour of Magic.
The Colour of Magic: ★★★
leighwright's review
4.0
The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic
I'm reviewing these together as they are two parts of the same story, serving together as introduction to the wonderful story of Discworld. I read the first fifteen or so of these back when they were first being released before leaving the series behind. Since Terry Pratchett has now gone off somewhere with Death, it seemed an appropriate time to restart and gradually make my way through until the end.
I have seen some discussion that these first two books are not perhaps the best place to start reading Pratchett's delightful tales, and I think I must beg to differ. What better way to start than at the beginning? This is a funny, thoughtful, and quite brilliant introduction to a world that reflects our own in such a dazzlingly, touching, and thoughtful way, while simultaneously managing to be engaging, escapist, funny, and quite often hilarious.
By the time I've reached the end of the series these two first books likely won't be my favourite of the bunch, but as I'll take them all as pieces of a whole, re-reading these first two has reminded me what a superb series this is.
Recommended for everyone.
You can also read this review at my blog: https://leighwright.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/the-colour-of-magic-the-light-fantastic-by-terry-pratchett/
I'm reviewing these together as they are two parts of the same story, serving together as introduction to the wonderful story of Discworld. I read the first fifteen or so of these back when they were first being released before leaving the series behind. Since Terry Pratchett has now gone off somewhere with Death, it seemed an appropriate time to restart and gradually make my way through until the end.
I have seen some discussion that these first two books are not perhaps the best place to start reading Pratchett's delightful tales, and I think I must beg to differ. What better way to start than at the beginning? This is a funny, thoughtful, and quite brilliant introduction to a world that reflects our own in such a dazzlingly, touching, and thoughtful way, while simultaneously managing to be engaging, escapist, funny, and quite often hilarious.
By the time I've reached the end of the series these two first books likely won't be my favourite of the bunch, but as I'll take them all as pieces of a whole, re-reading these first two has reminded me what a superb series this is.
Recommended for everyone.
You can also read this review at my blog: https://leighwright.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/the-colour-of-magic-the-light-fantastic-by-terry-pratchett/
pao986's review
4.0
4-
Ogni volta che consiglio a qualcuno di leggere i romanzi del Mondo Disco (e credetemi è una cosa che INEVITABILMENTE accade) suggerisco sempre di non leggerli in ordine di pubblicazione, ma di partire o dal ciclo delle Streghe o da quello delle Guardie per poi tornare alle origini e conoscere Scuotivento; la rilettura mi ha convinto nel dare questo consiglio.
Il colore della magia (unico romanzo del disco ad avere un sequel ufficiale*) è in effetti una parodia del romanzo fantasy: da Frietz Lieber con i suoi guerrieri (che dovrò leggere), ai dragonieri di Pern di Ann McCaffrey (idem come sopra), a riferimenti a Lovecraft (vedi parentesi precedenti), Michael Moorcock, Tolkien (and so on). Ci sono Dei, Eroi, Maghi, Draghi... e poi ci sono i due protagonisti: Scuotivento e Duefiori, il primo è un mago che è stato incapace di diplomarsi alla Unseen University (l'università della magia), il secondo è il primo Turista del Disco ed è accompagnato da un insolito e fedelissimo bagaglio. Il primo è - per autodefinizione - un codardo, il secondo è curioso e inspiegabilmente ottimista anche nella peggiore delle situazioni. Le avventure in cui si vedranno coinvolti nel loro 'giro del Disco' sono assolutamente improbabili e divertenti ( nonché frutto di una partita tra gli dei che vede come concorrenti principali il Fato e The Lady**) , ma con un'ironia che (a differenza di quanto accadrà con i successivi romanzi) è spesso usata in maniera fine a se stessa (oh non che questo sia un demerito, Pratchett è assolutamente brillante con i suoi giochi di parole e le sue trovate, ma nelle opere successive dimostra di saper fare molto di più).
*virtualmente tutti gli altri romanzi possono essere letti senza un particolare ordine, ma La luce fantastica va letta obbligatoriamente dopo il colore della magia.
** no, non c'entra nulla la webserie, The Lady è la divinità che non deve essere nominata, nota per non apparire mai quando la si invoca, quella dell' una possibiltà su un milione
Ogni volta che consiglio a qualcuno di leggere i romanzi del Mondo Disco (e credetemi è una cosa che INEVITABILMENTE accade) suggerisco sempre di non leggerli in ordine di pubblicazione, ma di partire o dal ciclo delle Streghe o da quello delle Guardie per poi tornare alle origini e conoscere Scuotivento; la rilettura mi ha convinto nel dare questo consiglio.
Il colore della magia (unico romanzo del disco ad avere un sequel ufficiale*) è in effetti una parodia del romanzo fantasy: da Frietz Lieber con i suoi guerrieri (che dovrò leggere), ai dragonieri di Pern di Ann McCaffrey (idem come sopra), a riferimenti a Lovecraft (vedi parentesi precedenti), Michael Moorcock, Tolkien (and so on). Ci sono Dei, Eroi, Maghi, Draghi... e poi ci sono i due protagonisti: Scuotivento e Duefiori, il primo è un mago che è stato incapace di diplomarsi alla Unseen University (l'università della magia), il secondo è il primo Turista del Disco ed è accompagnato da un insolito e fedelissimo bagaglio. Il primo è - per autodefinizione - un codardo, il secondo è curioso e inspiegabilmente ottimista anche nella peggiore delle situazioni. Le avventure in cui si vedranno coinvolti nel loro 'giro del Disco' sono assolutamente improbabili e divertenti
*virtualmente tutti gli altri romanzi possono essere letti senza un particolare ordine, ma La luce fantastica va letta obbligatoriamente dopo il colore della magia.