The Light Fantastic (Discworld)

Cheap copy, with footnotes turned into parentheses in-text - - DON'T BUY! was obviously the cheapest print to order they could manage. Book was a weird size too. Ended up giving it away b/c it wasn't worth keeping

Picking up right where The Color of Magic left off, this book continues the picaresque adventures of Rincewind and Twoflower. With the ever-present threat of an approaching red star putting Discworld in danger, this book feels a bit more cohesive than the first volume. It also feels a bit funnier, with humor coming from more than parodies of fantasy tropes. Also unlike the first volume, this book wraps up the story without ending on a cliffhanger, although it does set things up for future stories. I had read in various places that these two books were not the ideal place to start reading the Discworld series, which is unfortunate, because they are the place where that series starts. I'm glad I ignored that advice, because I really enjoyed these volumes, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

I've read most of the Discworld books many, many times over the years but I've not actually written reviews for most of them so I figured it really was about time I started yet another reread and this time actually sing their praises to the world!

If you've read The Colour of Magic you'll know it ended on quite a cliffhanger as we saw our two intrepid heroes, Rincewind and Twoflower, literally fall off the edge of the world. Luckily for them Rincewind happens to be carrying a very important spell around inside of him, and the Octavo (the magical book that the spell came from) can't let that spell disappear so it has to bend reality to rescue them. So Rincewind and Twoflower are now back on the Disc but they're in the middle of nowhere and they're going to have to try and figure out the way back to Ankh-Morpork, when Twoflower has finished sightseeing that is.

As I'm sure anyone who is familiar with the series will imagine lots of hilarious hijinks ensue as Rincewind and Twoflower, followed closely by the Luggage, meet up with the rather ancient and very toothless barbarian Cohen and proceed to accidentally rescue a virgin sacrifice. Meanwhile the lives of everyone on the Disc are in peril if the eight spells from the Octavo can't be reunited and spoken on a very specific date so every wizard from the Unseen University is taking part in a giant man hunt trying to find Rincewind before it's too late. Throw in a visit to Death's house and the Great A'Tuin's determination to fly the entire world into a giant red star and you're in for a bumpy ride.

Although most of the books in this series work as standalones I really think the first two books (The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic) should be read as a pair because the events from both books are so closely entwined. Rincewind and Twoflower have always been favourites of mine, I love the banter between them and like the way Twoflower's over enthusiastic love for everything balances out against Rincewind's fear of the unknown. The Luggage always steals the show though which is quite impressive since it's a wooden box that doesn't speak a word. It does have a lot of legs and very sharp teeth though so it can pull of menacing rather well whenever Twoflower is in danger. Although the series just gets better and better these earlier books will always be amongst my favourites just because they introduced me to this weird and wonderful world created by Terry Pratchett. I have never come across a series quite like this one and I seriously doubt I ever will.

So this is the first Pratchett book I've finished.

There's always been a good reason for previous failures (including such dramatic interruptions as illegal foreclosures and a panicked sale of both books and shelves). I am, given this, obviously no expert on the vaunted and much-missed Terry.

As a former Discworld virgin, I have this to say:
- The deeply clever humor is unrelenting. This is wonderful, but like good cake, can be overwhelming after a while.
- I really had no idea how well-thought-out Discworld (and its cultures, religions, science, magic, etc.) was, and I can say with joy that it's marvelous.
- A couple of times, the work jumped the fourth wall and shook my suspension of disbelief; that is, personal opinions of the author sneaked in when they had nothing to do with the story, marring the otherwise smooth surface of this world-building. I won't tell you where. If you miss them, you'll enjoy it more.
- Will I be reading more? Definitely - but with another, saltier book alongside. That ceaseless, ubiquitous tongue-in-cheek style is delicious, but after a while, one's brain has difficulty digesting yet more jokes about ancient druid computers.

Conclusion: totally worth your time. Not a danger to my favorite authors, but definitely a savory read.

I have read all of Terry Pratchetts Diskworld books plus most of his others and they vary considerably this was a re-read of Light Fantastic I had read it so many years ago that I had mostly forgotten the story so it was almost the same as a first time read.
like any author his books are subject to the varying personal tastes of the reader.
All I can say is that I really enjoyed it and found it very funny.
Although it is not essential to read Diskworld books in order many of his earlier works do explain the origins of characters and devices that he often builds on and develops in his later works.
Humour is a very personal thing some of his books that have great reviews here I haven't liked much or found them not as funny as others.
My advice is start with the Colour of Magic and read them in the order written generally, they improve each time, also persevere with some if you feel they are not as good as others as you will nearly always learn more about the Diskworld and many of its strange characters from each one the more you understand the more you will appreciate this series.

There is something to be said for coming back to Pratchett's universe after having read other authors that really makes you appreciate his works. This was my first time reading this book though I had seen the movie and I really enjoyed it. I love that Pratchett's Discworld novels can be taken simply at surface level as an excellent story. A somewhat unskilled wizard, a clueless tourist, an aging hero, and a sacrificial virgin face the end of the world, can they save it in time? You can read the story just to find out what happens and if they succeed and I thoroughly believe that you can enjoy the story for that alone. The story is full action and hardly lets up from beginning to end which is more than enough to keep casual readers invested in the story.

For those who want to go beyond that, as usual there are far deeper themes and social commentary under the surface of this story. I don't want to spoil the story too much by giving anything away but there's something to be said for reluctant heroes doing what needs to be done and for learning the true importance of home even in the face of great adventures. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that like humorous tales, adventure stories, or being challenged to look below the surface.

On the rare occasion when I watch a movie based on a book, I am not typically likely to hold the movie up to the book for comparison. They are separate works, and I judge them separately.

Such is not always the case.

With The Color of Magic, the movie version of The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic, which I found one day on a library shelf shortly after finishing The Light Fantastic, I was unable to distinguish the two in my mind. The two novels are squished into one movie, starring, among others, Sean Astin, Tim Curry, and Christopher Lee (as the voice of Death), and watching the movie was, to be completely frank, a huge mistake.

The second novel in the Discworld series is as good, if not substantially better, than The Color of Magic. Picking up exactly where that book left off, the reader finds Rincewind flailing off of the edge of the world as Twoflower, the first tourist in Discworld's history, coasts in a metal vehicle aimed at determining the gender of the Great A'Tuin. But the spell stuck in Rincewind's head will not die, and the world moves to save them.

Like he's hitting his stride after warming up with The Color of Magic, Terry Pratchett is on his game, witty, incisive, sarcastic, and, always, entertaining.

And the movie totally butchers that. As funny as Pratchett is, his talent with language just doesn't translate to film, and while Christopher Lee provides a great voice for Mort, the casting fails to measure up to the depth of my imagination strung along on Pratchett's vocabulary and clever story.

No surprise here: The Light Fantastic IS fantastic, and it'll be the last time I look for a good replication of his magic in film. Pratchett's power is in language, not in film.

Title: The Light Fantastic

Year: 1986

Returning Characters: Rincewind, failed wizard and coward; Twoflower, still the Discworld's first (and only) tourist; and Death.

New Characters: The Librarian, a fan-favorite character who has a defining moment in this book; Cohen the Barbarian, the Disc's oldest barbarian hero; and Swires the gnome, who (arguably) will return later as a member of the City Watch.

Also referenced for the first time in the series is The Dungeon Dimensions, the realm from which (most) bad things come. This Lovecraftian realm will be a frequent source of tension in the books. Also, though he won't return in later books, Archancellor Weatherwax will be mentioned in Lords and Ladies, and the school he oversees, Unseen University, school of wizardry and frequent setting for the novels, makes its first true appearance in this book.

Review and Summary: This books hangs together slightly better than the first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, and picks up immediately where that novel dropped off. (Literally - when we left Rincewind and Twoflower, they were on their way over the edge of the world.) This story adds a driving narrative, dispensing with much of the episodic nature of the first book.

Along the way, the two meet up with Cohen the Barbarian, meet trolls, fight wizards, threaten book-burners, and possibly save the Discworld from annihilation.

Since the story is much more of a narrative, more of the humor comes from the story, and not just from the setup. Therefore, this book is a bit funnier than Color of Magic, but also sticks with you a bit more.

I wouldn't start with this book if you haven't read any Discworld books yet, but if you're reading through the series as a completist, you should enjoy this one.

A whole lot of fun. It's nice to see the biggest, bravest Barbarian (you bet I capitalized it!) still doing his thing. Just a little slower..

This is actually my second Discworld book and I have to say they are absolutely hilarious! I was turned on to Mister Pratchett because I received a review on my book referencing him. I thought "Terry who?" and looked him up. I have no idea how I missed his writings for the past 40 something years (I wasn't reading as a toddler so I hope you don't hold those first few years against me) but I'm glad I've found them now. I'm on my third Discworld story in as many months.

Full review at: [...]

What's happening:

Rincewind and Twoflower are back after their journey over the edge of the Discworld in The color of Magic. They are saved and no one knows how but it is expected that the spell that has lodged itself into Rincewind's mind is not going to allow itself to die, and therefore will not allow Rincewind, through all of his travels with the tourist, Twoflower, to die. Once again they are on a journey to save the world, is there anything else Rincewind can do? He again wants to cower under his covers instead of facing the horrors of the Discworld but he, Twoflower and the Luggage are the only things that can stop the world from ending. This time for good!

My thoughts:

Being a Terry Pratchett fanatic I try to do these reviews without bias. But it's difficult. As you read his books you see little things that just make you LAUGH OUT LOUD, quite literally. A few times I have even, or dreadfully my husband has caught me, snorting at the deeds these three go through to save the world.

Funniest of all, Rincewind puts himself in these predicaments as he's trying to run away. And in the second Discworld novel what's even better than the first is we get to meet more of the Discworld characters and get a real feel for those that we met already. Absolutely fantastic job as usual. Easy to read, funny as hell. My one and only criticism, I wish there were more Rincewind novels. But then again, I say that about every character!

After having read the first book (and not really enjoying it) I decided to keep plodding through as there had to be a reason so many people like Pratchett. While I was still less than impressed with this book, I did enjoy it more than I did the first. As much as I hate to suggest it, if you haven't read the Colour of Magic before this book, you should to get the background on the characters.

When we last left them Rincewind (the failed wizard) and Twoflower (tourist to the area) had been escaping danger, falling a lot, and fighting off evil creatures; finally they are dropping off the end of the world when the book ends. One should note, Discworld is precisely that, a disc that is sitting on the backs of four elephants which in turn are standing on a giant turtle. So it is possible to fall off the edge.

So now they are suddenly restored to an upright position on the disc and safe. They don't know where they are, and the trees are talking, there's gnomes, and an edible house in which to shelter is right there for the eating. Rincewind is having trouble with the spell locked in his head, and that same spell has become interesting to the rest of the wizards in the world when a big star is headed straight for them. So now Rincewind has to help protect Twoflower from crazy star people, rogue bandits, trolls, and other dangers. All the while, he's in trouble himself.

The characters in this were a little better devloped than in the others. Rincewind is lets face it, a kind of boring character depite the fact that he's the main character in these books. Twoflower is little better and somewhat annoying at times. The luggage, of course, being an animate object that doesn't talk is as interesting as it can get (at least it eats people). It was the minor characters that really stood out in this novel. Cohen the Barbarian, was well, awesome. Despite being old and barely able to talk, he was the man. The trolls and gnomes also had a lot of pizazz as well.

Pratchett's writing is very jumpy. He has a million things to say and tries to express them all in one not very long book. He has a ton of books and I think that he could have just made more to include all the things he wanted to put out there. He uses a lot of humour, and while most of its cheesy, he did have a few moments that made me chuckle.

I'll keep reading the series, and hopefully like with this one, they'll keep getting better.

The Light Fantastic
Copyright 1986
241 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2010

Returning to Discworld in "The Light Fantastic", Terry Pratchett drops the reader right into the action as well as Rincewind and Twoflower, though rather unceremoniously into an enchanted forest. The inept wizard and tourist head back to Ankh-Morpork in a roundabout fashion including a quick stop to talk with DEATH, while being chased by competent wizards, mercenaries, and religious fanatics sparked by the big red star the world turtle is heading towards.

The magic of Discworld is better understood as well as the society of wizardry. But the most outstanding part is the humor that Pratchett spreads throughout the book from the subtle to the outrageous. Given that the book was first printed almost 30, the humor still holds up as Pratchett twists tropes and situations that any fantasy reader knows. By the end of the book you just want to see what Pratchett will do next in Discworld.

After reading both The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic, I've decided to review both of them and do a bit of a comparison of the two. The two books are essentially one story but written far enough apart to show a definite difference in Mr. Pratchett's writing style. This makes for a unique experience when reading them back to back.

Pratchett's writing style was instantly addicting for me. I don't think I've found myself laughing out loud on so many occasions while reading a book since reading Christopher Moore. It's very easily readable -except in perhaps certain occasions when he goes on about dimensions or about how Discworld magic works, but I think that's meant to be confusing- and his humor is not of the cringe inducing variety such as I found in the Xanth novels. Pratchett may use puns every now and then but nothing as forced as a cottage made of cheese that's called cottage cheese; that's just stupid. His humor seems to stem from very clever dialogue and sharply wielded sarcasm, which is my kind of humor.

This leads me to my previous statement about the two books feeling like they each have a different writing style. The humor in The Colour of Magic seemed a little more subtle, tending to lean toward sarcasm. One of my favorite exchanges from the book is this:

"It's a device for making pictures quickly," said Twoflower. "Quite a new invention. I'm rather proud of it but, look, I don't think these gentlemen would - well, I mean they might be - sort of apprehensive? Could you explain it to them? I'll reimburse them for their time, of course."
"He's got a box with a demon in it that draws pictures," said Rincewind shortly. "Do what the madman says and he will give you gold."

Much of the book's humor came from this type of dialogue and Rincewind's interactions with Twoflower and pretty much everything else in Discworld, as if he knows the world he lives in is ridiculous and is the only one who resents the fact.

In The Light Fantastic, the humor seemed to be slightly more straightforward and used a lot more slapstick and puns. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary I thought it was interesting seeing the author propel the same characters using two varying methods. I brought this up to a friend of mine who is a long time Pratchett fan and they tell me that in his later books, he blends the two styles of humor down to perfection. Enjoying these books as much as I have already, I can't wait to read on.

One thing both books had in common was the story itself, and by that I mean the irreverence of the story. Each one had some semblance of a plot, but overall the books just followed Rincewind and Twoflower as they bumbled from one adventure to the next. I thought this was very well done and considering that the novels by no means follow a traditional beginning, middle and end format, I couldn't put them down. The Light Fantastic really has more of the "story," which is that Great A'Tuin -the turtle on which four elephants rest on which Discworld itself rests- is flying toward a star and everyone is under the impression that the world is going to end in a horribly burning fashion. The Colour of Magic is more about tourism.

So I enjoyed these books very much. From what I hear, they are far from Pratchett's best work, but I believe I will stubbornly read the Discworld books in publication order and watch the author's talent grow. Here's to 28 (or more) books of Discworld...

At the Unseen University, the wizards are disturbed by the sudden appearance of a blood-red star in the sky, which is getting slowly bigger. With the people 'concerned', the wizards mount an investigation and learn that all eight of the Great Spells must be united to save the Disc from a flaming death. Unfortunately, one of the spells is lodged in the head of the spectacularly inept wizard Rincewind, who was last seen plummeting to his doom...

The Light Fantastic picks up after the end of The Colour of Magic and is the only direct continuation of a storyline in the entire Discworld series, resolving the cliffhanger from the ending of the first book. The resolution to that cliffhanger is slightly disappointing, to be honest, but given that Pratchett's goal here was to get the story moving again as fast possible, it's not too much of an issue. After that it's pretty much business as usual from the first book, with Rincewind and Twoflower's travelling around the Disc as they meet various eccentric people, almost die, have various misadventures and almost die. You know the drill.

The storyline is a bit more focused this time. Whilst the first book was divided into four smaller chunks, The Light Fantastic is one big story (starting Pratchett's habit of refusing to use chapters) which flows quite well. As with the first book, Pratchett's targets here remain common fantasy tropes, with perhaps a bit more of a focus on taking the mickey out of fairy tales. Again, it lacks the subtlety of the later books and the humour is fairly broad, but again it's fairly entertaining. Pratchett also starts laying the foundation of the Discworld mythology here, with the first appearances of Cohen the Barbarian, the Librarian, Ysabel and the Four Horsemen of the Apocralypse. Events build to one of the most memorable conclusions in the series' history, a widescreen epic of a finale which I suspect Pratchett created just in case the success of the first book was a fluke and the series was not going to continue. Obviously it was a big success, and the rest is history.

The Light Fantastic (***) is a satisfying sequel to The Colour of Magic and remains fast-paced, funny and entertaining. It's still fairly obvious in places, however, and lacks much of the depth the later books bring to the world. The novel is available now in the UK and USA. It was adapted by Sky One along with The Colour of Magic last year, and the TV movie is available now on DVD (UK, USA) and Blu-ray (UK).

And now we come to the second volume in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series in which we discover the fate of Rincewind the unmagician, Twoflowers the accidental tourist, the ever peripatetic luggage, life, DEATH, and everything. The last we saw of Rincewind was of him dwindling over the edge of the world, incompetently as usual. And the beginning of The Light Fantastic reassures us that Rincewind is the only wizard capable of completely fumbling his death scene. Instead of spread out through the universe, the wizard finds himself in a forest arguing with Twoflower over whether or not a gnome is really a pixie... Sit back and relax, the strange part is yet to come.

A red star lights the skies and A'tuin the giant tortoise is heading towards it. No one is sure why, but as strange events accumulate faster than goose droppings, one thing is clear -- a great disaster is on the books for the inhabitants of Discworld. Wizards and demons everywhere know it is time to say the Eight Spells, and no one can because a certain wizard accidentally filled his head with number eight. Everyone is after Rincewind except Rincewind, who is trying to get as far from himself as he can. This time the only things between the world's worst wizard and a quick, unpleasant end are an overly optimistic tourist, a suitcase that does laundry, and Cohen the Barbarian. Oh yes, and the obligatory pretty lady with an arcane knowledge of false teeth.

Pratchett has what I would call a fertile, but haphazard mind. With the end result that almost anything can happen, and it will happen out of order if given a change. This makes the story both fascinating and delightfully helter skelter. Satire here, a bit of lampooning there, and just when you think the coast is clear, a truly terrible pun. Single-handedly, Pratchett revised the genre of humorous science fiction with an almost Joycean attitude towards language and culture. Occasionally there is an impenetrable in-joke, but the laughs fly so thick that no one minds a missed one liner. After all, they will lurk in the book forever, waiting for an unsuspecting rereader.

This was one of those works that I found difficult to put down once I read the first couple pages. The Light Fantastic is the second offering in Pratchett's Discworld Series and if anything, it is even better than the first. I first read this one as a stand alone, before I read any of the other books in this series, and found it held up well. I would suggest the first book in the series be read first, but it is certainly not necessary.

I am not going into the plot of this one at any depth as there are quite a number of very good reviews here that have done an outstand job of that already. Briefly though, this follows the adventures of a very inept wizard, Rincewind, the first fully evolved tourist on Disc World, Twoflower, and Luggage. Rincewind is a failed wizard, a coward and an actually rather likeable scoundrel. Twoflowers is the prototype tourist which can be found anywhere in our own world at any tourist destination and Luggage is Twoflower's, well...luggage; a loyal trunk that follows its owner everywhere, through think an thin. This book is an account of their adventures while saving Disc World, a world held up by a giant turtle with giant elephants standing on her back, from complete destruction by crashing into a wondering star.

The story line, as with all of Pratchett's work, is only the tip of the iceberg as far as reading pleasure goes. There were very few pages to this work that did not bring on a slight giggle, belly laugh or, at the very least, a smile. This author has humans pegged perfectly and through his humor, is able to make quite profound observations of the general overall human condition. The author has the ability to tell a rousing story while poking a bit of fun at just about everything. In this novel we meet Cohen the Barbarian, a wonderful take off on the original Conan, and a number of other very recognizable characters inhabiting our culture. I suppose the primary thrust of this work is to make light of the Conan type genre of literature, from The Hobbit to Conan to any number of other works of this order.

Read these books closely. The word play is a major part of the enchantment of this author's work and can easily be missed if you go too fast. It, the word play, is an absolute delight! Wit and satire are this authors greatest strengths and when you mix those with his imagination and story telling abilities, you have a wonderful entertaining and educational read.

I very much enjoyed Pratchett's humor, story telling ability and quirky outlook on life. I suppose these novels are not for everyone, but I certainly enjoyed this one. Like another reviewer here, Luggage was my favorite character, followed closely by Cohen.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Having introduced the Discworld to Roundworld readers with "The Colour of Magic", Terry Pratchett enhances our knowledge of it through this volume. New characters, previously unexplored regions of the Disc and deep questions about The Great A'Tuin almost garner answers. Rincewind, the failed wizard, is still acting as a guide to Discworld's first tourist, Twoflower. It's not always clear however, who's doing the leading and who the following. Twoflower, who is thrilled by everything and refuses to feel threatened by anything, absorbs all the novelty introduced to the reader. Through it all, Pratchett's delightful wit and innovative abilities keeps the reader's full attention. Only your laughter will interrupt the flow of narrative.

There's magic to this book, and no little magic in the story. Rincewind, having been catapulted over the Rim marking the edge of the Disc, inexplicably finds himself lodged in a pine tree. The entire universe has been rearranged to let him survive. Why should one timid outcast be so favoured? Twoflower, in a side gesture of cosmological justice, isn't far off. Rejoined, the pair struggle to find a way home to Ankh-Morpork. A sense of urgency over that return has appeared in the sky - and the Disc is likely to be destroyed soon.

Rincewind's role in changing the universe and coping with a "new star" that's appeared soon become apparent. As a student wizard, one of The Eight Great Spells entered his mind. Those spells are the glue holding the cosmos together. To survive, the Spell must keep Rincewind alive - not out of danger, but a survivor of many dire threats. Even Twoflower has noticed Rincewind's special role in life. The tourist has actually counted the number of Rincewind's near-death experiences. Those threats keep the wizard in a state of tense expectation. Rightly so, since there are yet more to come. Including the end of the world.

In their attempt to return, Rincewind and Twoflower encounter some fascinating characters. Perhaps the most engaging is the aging hero, Cohen the Barbarian, the Disc's Greatest Warrior. He, too, is a survivor, having long ago shed the notion of a "fair" fight. Fast with sword and knife, he knows the value of treasure, the delight in rescuing virgins, and the comforts of "soft lavatory paper". Trolls are encountered - those night creatures who live backward in time and who "suffer from philosophy". Yet, the Discworld isn't lodged in some parallel of the Roundworld's Middle Ages. There are computers and hardware consultants serving them. The Ring of Stones on the Vortex Plains "has gone down again" - a phrase every computer user will recognise. Who but Terry Pratchett could so successfully broker a liaison between such disparate concepts? And adapt from a hotly contested work about the meaning of the Stonehenge monoliths? **

There are other elements Pratchett considers in this tale. Death, who can be seen by wizards, joins the party to observe people's reaction to the new star. Death's perplexity is manifest at encountering humans who fear him, yet will subject themselves to a "death of the mind" almost without hesitation or reflection. Pratchett will keep you pondering many paths as you wend your way through this book. It's a delight to read Pratchett at any time, but taking up this book again after a long hiatus proved even more enlightening. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

** Note: for young folks who find this meaningless today, Gerald Hawkins published "Stonehenge Decoded" in 1965, explaining that chalk- and charcoal-filled pits at Stonehenge provided a "computer" to forecast eclipses.

The Light Fantastic is the second book in Terry Pratchett's brilliantly funny Discworld series, continuing the tale related in the first book The Colour of Magic. The last we knew, Rincewind and Discworld's first tourist Twoflower had fallen off the rim of the world, which is an especially dangerous happenstance on a world that is totally flat and carried on the backs of four elephants who in turn stand atop the great cosmic turtle Great A'Tuin. While Rincewind is Discworld's most incompetent wizard and all-around unlucky fellow, he manages to evade the clutches of Death (although he does bump into him fairly often) time and again (27 times by Twoflower's count at the midpoint of this novel). Why this is so is, we discover, is because Rincewind carries one of the eight most powerful spells from the magical Octavo. Reality keeps having to reshape itself in order to keep rescuing the wizard. Although Rincewind, the eternally optimistic Twoflower, and the magical Luggage of sapient pearwood are once again on the disc, they face a number of obstacles in getting home to Ankh-Morpork. They are fortunate enough to join forces with Disworld's greatest hero Cohen the Barbarian; Cohen is an old man now, but he doesn't let that stop him from rescuing maidens, stealing treasures, and doing other heroic things. At this particular time, the Discworld itself is in danger, threatened with an imminent collision with a giant red star heading its way. The wizards of Unseen University believe that all eight powerful spells from the Octavo must be read in order to save the Discworld, so the missing Rincewind must be found in order to release the necessary eighth spell locked inside his brain. A series of adventures and misadventures ensue for our motley crew of characters, including a stopover at a vacated witch's house made of candy, a wild ride on a broomstick, a collision with a druid-steered cloud, and a trip to the home of Death himself before Rincewind manages to return home. Whether he can actually make use of the eighth spell and somehow manage to avert the Discworld's total destruction by the onrushing red star is, as is typical for this inept failed wizard, questionable at best.
The Light Fantastic builds upon the story of The Colour of Magic and breathes more life into the unique Discworld of Terry Pratchett's imaginative construction. More areas of the world are revealed to the reader, and we for the first time get a decent look at what goes on in the school of wizardry. Not only do we meet Cohen the Barbarian, we are also introduced to the ape librarian of Unseen University, who will become a significant character in later novels. You should certainly read the previous novel before this one because the two are closely connected in terms of plot, characterization, etc. It will also help you to recognize just how much more vibrant and real Pratchett's Discworld seems by the end of The Light Fantastic. The comedy quotient of both novels is about equal, but the storyline seems much stronger and flows much more naturally in this one. Pratchett was honing his already sharp scythe of quick wit and nascent satire in these first two Discworld novels, building a compellingly unique little world and populating it with unforgettable characters. This is high-brow comedy of the highest order, and we readers are privileged to be able to say we were there from the start with Rincewind, Twoflower, and the Luggage.

For those of you that are not familiar with Discworld, let me give you a very brief introduction to this magnificent world, which has the shape of a disc, and stands on top of four elephants, which in turn are supported by a giant turtle named A'Thuin. Philosophers have asked themselves two questions throughout history: a) what is the turtle's sex? b) where is the turtle going? Pratchett assures us that we are very close to finding the answer to the second question.

Now, I have to tell you, if you have not read "The Color of Magic", you should get it and start your journey there. This second book stands on its own, but it is considerably more enjoyable if you have the prior book as background. Besides, "The Light Fantastic" picks up the action exactly where "The Color of Magic" ended. Rincewind, the most inept magician in Discworld, and Twoflower, the extravagant tourist, are in a spaceship in the space surrounding the Disc. But soon enough Rincewind is expelled from the ship and starts to roam through the cosmos.

Meanwhile, in the cellars of the Unseen University, the Octavo, a book left behind by the Creator of the Universe, is showing a disturbing behavior. The Octavo contained the eight most important spells (eight is a crucial number in Discworld) in the world until Rincewind had one of them accidentally transferred to into his head. Now, the eight spells are needed by Hogswatch night or Discworld will be destroyed. This places Rincewind in a very important role, but one that may be extremely dangerous too.

Pratchett's humor is sublime; the author presents cleverly crafted situations that show dazzling parallelisms with our world. One of the funniest comments I found in this book has to do with Christopher Columbus and the reason why ships look as if they are disappearing over the edge of the world. Another tool used by the author is choosing a known character and create a satire around it. In this case, we meet Cohen the Barbarian, who as you can imagine reminds us of Conan. Cohen is / was the greatest hero in Discworld, but now he is old and not even close to the prime of his life. You can certainly imagine how much fun Pratchett makes of this poor character. In some cases though, the satire is so complex that it is hard to notice all of the witty remarks.

Another big plus for this series are the characters. Besides Cohen the Barbarian and Rincewind, we are delighted with the presence of Death. This character shows up mostly unannounced of course, loves to party and tries to remain stress free. On the other hand, we have Twoflower, who clashes constantly with every other inhabitant of Discworld, is really weird, and shows striking similarities to the people in our own world! My recommendation for those of you that like unscripted spontaneous fun is that you should seriously consider picking up this series. On the other hand, those that like linear narrations and tidily created worlds, may want to pass this one up, since as Pratchett himself says "you can't map a sense of humor".

If, for example, we're talking about A'Tuin the Turtle then this book is a push in the *wrong* direction, as we find that poor A'Tuin is floating through a course through space that terminates at the end of a giant red star! Add to the fact that it takes A'Tuin about as long to complete a thought as it would take one of Tolkien's Ents to read "War and Peace" in their own language and you have a spell for disaster.

But, if we're talking about "The Light Fantastic" Terry Pratchett's second book about the [insert crazy Mad-Lib adjective] world of Discworld, then I'd say that he's definitely been pushed in the right direction this time around. With his first book (Color of Magic) I felt that the author was still getting the hang of things himself, a tourist in the world of his own creation. With this book the author came across as much more confident. Resulting in a much better storyline and far better wordplays and parodies and everything funny.

This book has many of the same characters as the last one: Rincewind, DEATH, Twoflower and the Luggage. And we get to meet a new one: Cohen the Barbarian (being a rather well-read Robert E. Howard Conan fan I thought Pratchett did a good job poking fun at pulp-fiction barbarians).

The story itself seems to have more direction and plot to it, despite the fact that there is no map of Discworld to really know where any of the said places are. But that's part of the fun of reading this book, since it often requires that you leave your mind open.

One other thing worth mentioning, is that there are no chapter breaks in this novel. Actually a really clever idea, because no sooner will you read one 2-page portion of the story then you see that the next portion is equally short. The end result is that this book becomes very un-putdownable really quick because you keep saying to yourself: "Well, I could stop here . . . but the next part is only half a page." And before you know it, like magic I guess you could say, you've finished it in one sitting!

Overall a good book, I was admittedly a bit disappointed with "Color of Magic" (expected too much, probably), but reading this book has renewed my faith in Pratchett, yes and A'Tuin the turtle too, that they're both on the right track to some unmapped Somewhere.

"The Light Fantastic" is the second book in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld Series. He has gone on to win the Carnegie Medal for "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" and was awarded the OBE in 1998.

"The Light Fantastic" follows on directly from "The Color of Magic", and focuses on the same two characters : Rincewind and Twoflower. Twoflower, from the Counterweight Continent, is the Discworld's first tourist and had employed Rincewind (a single-spell wizard, a native of Ankh-Morpork and a coward of some renown) as his guide. As "The Color of Magic" closed, both characters were close to Krull - Twoflower was boldly going where no tourist had gone before, while Rincewind was in a rather precarious position. (You could say "The Color of Magic" finished with a cliff-hanger). A standard wizard may have been able to save himself, but the only spell Rincewind knows came from the Octavo - the Creator's spell book, which had been carelessly left behind after the universe's completion. He doesn't know what it does, but it's so powerful that no other spell is brave enough to stay in his head. Fortunately, as the book begins, the spell realises that any harm to Rincewind may be fatal to itself - so, it contributes to Rincewind and Twoflower finding a way out of their current situations.

While "The Color of Magic" saw the two characters generally running away in random directions, there seems to be more of a point to their actions in this book. Rincewind has started suffering from homesickness and wants to return to Ankh-Morpork. His spell is also rather keen on this idea. This, Rincewind suspects, is connected to the strange new red star that has appeared in the sky - he fears it may also involve saving the world. The pair's journey back to Ankh-Morpork involves sacrificial virgins gingerbread cottages, trolls, druids and the Discworld's greatest hero - Cohen the Barbarian.

While I enjoyed this instalment more than the previous one, I'd still recommend reading "The Color of Magic" before "The Light Fantastic". This book continues the story began there, while the pair form a prelude to the seventeenth Discworld book, "Interesting Times". Pratchett's books are always very funny, while Rincewind and the Luggage are strong selling points. Definitely recommended !

The first book in the series suffered from "the first book syndrome" too much information, not enough plot and character development. In book two, Pratchett really starts to find his voice. Things start to really get set into motion as Discworld faces true jeopardy and only Rincewind? can save the day. The giant turtle that transports the disc through space is on a collision course with a star and Rincewind's mind possesses the spell to put things right, or the spell possesses him...Pratchett likes to keep you from thinking you have all the answers until the end. Now mix into this, smart trolls, a wizardly coup, and one of the greatest barbarian hero pastiches ever (Cohen the Barbarian!) and you'll find the series on a solid foundation for future additions. This is probably the only time I've enjoyed Rincewind as the lead character in the series; here Pratchett finds just the right blend of cowardice, humor, anger and pathos to make the Disc's most inept wizard worthy of center stage. The real highlight for me was Cohen, an aged barbarian hero, who through experience and guile is just as deadly as ever. This take on one of fantasy's most enduring figures is truly funny while remaining true to the epic spirit of this archetype. In this second book in the long running series, Pratchett really finds the tone and balance needed to make Discworld the success it has become.

"The Light Fantastic," the second book in the Discworld series, starts where the first book left off, almost to the second. Bumbling wizard college dropout Rincewind, along with his tourist companion Twoflower, get a reprieve from their fall through the void of space. In the meanwhile, Discworld is moving steadily towards collision with an ominous red star that threatens the existence of life, the universe, and everything. Only the eight great magic spells can save the world, and since one of those spells is lodged in Rincewind's mind, he reluctantly must play an important role in the race to save Discworld.
Even funnier than the first in the series, this book introduces Cohen the barbarian, a geriatric anti-Rambo hero who is far fiercer than he looks. The reader is treated to the Keystone Kops antics of the senior wizards as they try to track down Rincewind and save the universe. There is a hilarious scene where Twoflower teaches Death how to play bridge. The story is full of gnomes, dwarves, trolls, and talking trees, as well as a gingerbread cottage. The reader is enlightened on the power of persuasion and the danger of flowery metaphors, and even gets a peek into the mind of the great turtle A'Tuin to learn its current destination.
Slapstick, parody, biting satire, word play, and philosophy are all here to enjoy. The plot is neatly tied up at the end, so at this point you can move forward to another book in the wizardry series, or switch to one of the other Discworld tracks. But in either case, there is much more to explore in the wacky and magical world of Terry Pratchett.
Eileen Rieback

The Light Fantastic, Prachett's 2nd Discworld novel, picks up almost immediately where the first, The Color of Magic ended. Rincewind, the Discworld's most inept wizard finds himself saved from certain death, by being magically transported to a talking forest after falling off the edge of the Disc. It turns out that one of the eight great spells, the one trapped inside his head, has plans for him which luckily don't include his demise. Rincewind and Twoflower the tourist soon find themselves enraging some druids, meeting up with Cohen the "aged" barbarian (seriously, imagine Conan the Barbarian if he lived to the ripe old age of 87), and trying to save the Discworld from the clutches of a power hungry wizard and the mysterious red star which appears to be on a collision course with the Disc itself.

This is a great read, and an improvement over Pratchett's first Discworld novel, which is saying something. Pratchett's parody of barbarian heroes and sword-wielding wenches is especially hilarious. This is a great read, and one that I recommend for those who don't take their fantasy too seriously. Pratchett is especially fond of wordplay. I found myself sometimes reading lines a second or third time, just to relish the joke. This is definitely a read which rewards your full attention. It isn't especially necessary to read The Color of Magic first, but it will make things a bit easier to understand.

Terry Pratchett's second excursion in the Discworld is about a third of a star better than his first, but nowhere near the heights to which he will later ascend.

Rincewind. the incompetent wizard and eternal coward, and Twoflower, the hapless but optimistic tourist, are in in trouble again as A'Tuin the giant turtle that carries the Disc through space is headed straight for a star. Like a moth to a flame? In order to mate? Is A'Tuin male or female, and how will the impact the Disc should it be mating season? Read and find out.

On the downside, Terry Pratchett is still trying to find his stride on the Disc. The story feels choppy and somewhat forced.

On the other hand, this is the book that introduces Cohen the Barbarian, my personal hero. He's toothless, he's got arthritis, he's ninety, and he's unkillable. Actually, not so much unkillable, as he is very well practiced as not getting killed. A much better role model than the young muscle bound numbskulls that pass for heros, Cohen has honor, integrity, and an appreciation for soft toiletpaper. Anyone can be a barbarian at age twenty, it's the barbarian who is ninety that really impresses me. Never more so than on the eve of his own wedding when he is concerned about the wedding night and hopes that his eighteen year old bride will be strong enough to handle it.

Overall it is only OK, but the genesis of Cohen and it's place in the saga of Discworld make it worth the effort.

Any reader who takes a trip to Discworld knows that they are in for one wacky ride. "The Light Fantastic", the second novel in the Discworld series, improves upon its predecessor but is still chock full of Terry Pratchett's trademark humor and satire. It is a light and fast read, full of laugh-out-loud moments and sheer silly ones that will leave you shaking your head.

"The Color of Magic" left readers wondering what was to become of Rincewind the inept wizard and his traveling companion, Twoflower, as they plunged over the edge of the world. "The Light Fantastic" picks up exactly where the reader left off, witness to Rincewind's 'escape' from certain death, due to the only spell he has lodged in his head. For as he soon learns, the spell that he 'stole' from the Octavo, the spell that ruined any capacity he had for wizardry is the same spell that has kept him alive all these years. And the spell's reason for keeping Rincewind alive is growing in the sky - a bright red star headed directly for the Discworld and sure to bring certain death. Of course, Rincewind is the only man who can prevent this from happening.

"The Light Fantastic" is a much more focused foray than "The Color of Magic". While it meanders through a wide variety of characters and subplots, the central story is much stronger and has better plotting. Readers are left wondering all the way to the end to discover if Rincewind truly can save the Discworld and prove himself as a wizard.

Terry Pratchett has become one of the most popular authors alive today and his popularity is richly deserved. But not even with his fertile mind could ever have envisaged the heights to which his Discworld series would rise. This book first published in 1986 is the second of the Discworld novels and to a degree it is amazing that these books have achieved such popularity.

First published twenty one years ago The Light Fantastic is the second book in Terry Pratchett's wonderful Discworld series and once again features the incorrigible and cowardly wizard Rincewind a graduate of the Unseen University of wizards in Ankh-Morpork. Rincewind has the unfortunate knack of getting most of his spells wrong and this tends to put him in ever deeper trouble than he was to start with.

Twoflower is the Discworld's `first tourist' along with his remarkable luggage, oh for such a piece of luggage in today's modern airports. A piece of luggage that can never get lost. Equipped with a number of legs and the homing instinct of a carrier pigeon, it will always find its owner, even when he owner doesn't want to be found.

In this sequel, the Discworld is rapidly moving towards what seems an inevitable collision with a strange red star, and there is only one person who can avert a major disaster. Unfortunately that person happens to be our ham-fisted university graduate, Rincewind the wizard

I really enjoyed this second book in the Discworld series. So far I've only read this one and Color of Magic. I enjoyed Light Fantastic the most. In the Color of Magic it took me a bit to get the concept of rimward, hubward, plus the locations of cities and bodies of waters. But once I got my bearings I was able to read on and enjoyed the book.

I thought that The Light Fantastic was absolutely hilarious at times. Twoflower's attempt at trying to teach DEATH, Pestilence, and Famine how to play bridge was hysterical. Also, Twoflower's attempt to translate the word "bridge" - "a thing that you put across a river" - into a language understandable to Rincewind, et al. ends up being translated into the terms "aqueduct, fishing line, weir dam." Well, I can't do it justice but in the context of the story, it was pretty funny.

When explaining why the Unseen University doesn't admit women disapproves the use of magic by women, Rincewind's explanation is, "Unseen University has never admitted women, muttering something about problems with the plumbing."

My favorite character in this book was Cohen the Barbarian - feared and admired everywhere in Discworld for his bravery and swordsmanship. Unfortunately, when we meet him he is 87 years old and speaks in a lisp because he no longer has any teeth. He has arthritis, his knees hurt and his back freezes up at inopportune times. He is still brave and will fight like a barbarian to save the lives of others and himself and especially his 16 year old bride to be (When Rincewind tries to tactfully explain to Cohen that there might be problems in the love making department since Cohan is so much older - Cohan's reply was that he hoped that the girl could keep up with him). What a hero. But his reputation is somewhat deflated when Rincewind notices that "the old man had a large white horse tethered to a withered tree in a snow-filled gully some way from the circles. It was sleek, glossy and the general effect of a superb battle charger was only very slightly spoiled by the hemorrhoid ring tied to the saddle." To me, this was the funniest thing I had heard or read in years (especially in context). I couldn't stop laughing long enough so that I could continue reading. I'd start a little and then burst out laughing. This went on for a couple pages.

Obviously, I really loved this book and I'm looking forward to reading Equal Rites and the rest of the series.

n this, the second Discworld book, it's obvious that Pratchett was still defining his universe and its population. The result still displays all of Pratchett's apparently boundless imagination, but isn't quite as fun or nuanced as his later works. The jokes are a little more obvious, the supporting cast not as rich...and yet, there's still a wonder and magic to even the weakest Pratchett works that kept this one moving right along. Beyond the story (a direct continuation of the events of The Color of Magic), it's neat to see Pratchett laying the foundation for so many works to come, with the apparent creation of the Librarian, the first reference to Mort, and so forth. Even characters like the Luggage presage Pratchett's penchant for unlikely but loyal heroes lacking communication, but still oddly deep (again, like the Librarian). Look: it's not in the upper tier of Discworld books, but even lesser Discworld is full of imagination, clever writing, and complex, rewarding plots, and The Light Fantastic is no exception. I wouldn't recommend it to someone trying to get into the set, but as a longtime fan, I found it fascinating not only on its own terms, but as an early brick in the building of Discworld.

Like "Godfather II" before it, "The Light Fantastic" is that rare sequel that improves upon the original. Not a difficult task here, as "The Colour of Magic" was, while being intensely imaginative, sprawling and largely unfocused. Here, Pratchett concocts a story with as much linear thrust as the strange red star that threatens to ram into the Discworld. Needless to say, the only person who can save the world is Rincewind, that scaredy-cat wizard who doesn't know any spells (well, he knows one spell... or at least he knows where to find that spell). He is cynical as ever, and funny too. Once again he is joined by the world's first tourist, Twoflower, who is an even more hyped-up innocent here than in "The Colour of Magic". I still love the relationship between these two great characters. Rincewind is in constant sarcasm mode, while Twoflower takes everything he hears at face value. There are some wonderfully comic misunderstandings between these two. Throw in Twoflower's ever-loyal Luggage, and we've got a threesome for the ages.
Once again Pratchett populates his world with ridiculous characters (Cohen the Barbarian, an 80-year old hero whose legend is in his own lifetime) and marvelous groan-worthy puns (What do you call an angry mob robbing a music store? Luters...) that make this an entertaining fantasy parody from page one. And on top of that, he throws in some neat meta-fiction too. When introducing Herrena the Henna-Haired Harridan, a warrior heroine, he implores whomever is to draw the cover of the book to resist the urge to dress her up in "something off the cover of the more advanced kind of lingerie catalogue for the specialized buyer". It just wouldn't be practical in her line of work. And the swarthy men she rides with? Well, they're going to die sooner or later, so let's not bother getting to know them. It's a wonderful moment of self-awareness.
Is it necessary to read "The Colour of Magic" before "The Light Fantastic"? I think so. If only to get a better idea of the characters, and their predispositions. And that's really what these stories are about: character. How can a pack of seemingly ordinary innocents save the world? Read on and find out...

The Light Fantastic is the second novel in the brilliant Discwold series and picks up where The Colour of Magic ended.
The Wizards from the Unseen University are trying to save the world. For this they need to recite all eight spells originally written in the Octavo, a book of magic which the creator of the universe left behind - with characteristic absent-mindedness - shortly after completing his major work. One problem though: the eight spell is still imprisoned in the mind of Rincewind, one of the most clumsy and incompetent wizards ever to walk on the Discworld. And if that isn't bad enough Rincewind is currently falling off the rim of the world, together with the first-ever tourist Twoflower and his carnivorous Luggage.
Where The Colour of Magic is really humorous but lacks a good story-line, this episode is more complete. The characters are as funny and are now involved in a plot that really keeps the reader hooked. It is as though the first book only intends to introduce the main characters and the story really takes off in the second one. This does not mean that I advice you to skip the first one, because then you would miss a reasonable amount of jokes.
Knowing that the best books of the series are yet to follow these two - "Guards! Guards!" to name only one of them - the Discwold is the perfect series to start reading if you want to be amused for a very long time.

Terry Pratchett's Light Fantastic is the second in his acclaimed Discworld series. However, I have not read the series in chronological fashion but in a rather haphazard manner which probably serves as some sort of model for chaos theory. There are disadvantages to such a chaotic approach. I have, for example, covered much of Commander Vimes' career in reverse order. On the other hand, reading the Discworld series in something like a reverse chronological order has its benefits. It is the literary equivalent of an archeological dig in which you start in the present and dig your way back to first causes. In many respects this is my Discworld version of Richard Dawkins' The Ancestor's Tale, as this represents my journey to the dawn of Discworld. Unlike the earth, there is evidence of intelligent design behind the evolution of Discworld. That design falls squarely in the deft comedic and thoughtful writing of Terry Pratchett.

Light Fantastic begins with a real cliffhanger. Actually, Light Fantastic begins where "The Colour of Magic" left off, with our two unlikely heroes, the rather cowardly, lapsed wizard Rincewind and the incredulous tourist Twoflower tumbling in space somewhere off the edge of Discworld. The story is rather simple. Discworld is on a collision course with a giant red star. Discworld can be saved but it requires a combination of eight spells, seven of which are safely ensconced in the Octavo, the book of spells left by Discworld's creator. As to the critical eighth spell, Rincewind appears to have accidentally absorbed the spell into his subconscious during a `visit' with the great book. In order for the world to be saved, Rincewind will have to come to the Octavo or the Octavo will have to come to Rincewind.

As with any Discworld book the joy is to be found not in the ending but in the journey. Twoflower and Rincewind are not what one would call perfectly matched yet they embark on a journey together (without really knowing it is a journey) and quickly develop a certain way of getting along with each other while appearing to be entirely dysfunctional. The two reminded me of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in one of their "Road" movies. We run into a toothless Cohen the Barbarian and a young lady who becomes his love in hilarious fashion. DEATH and his stepdaughter make an appearance and DEATH evidences his immortal, dry wit in a fashion worthy of the prince of darkness. The librarian of Unseen University also appears. Last but not least we have the wizards. One wizard, in particular stands out, the seemingly unassuming Trymon. But as unassuming as he seems his thirst for power is evident. He achieves power that seems very reminiscent of Stalin's rise in the early years of the USSR.

As the red star approaches Discworld is engulfed in panic. The nearer it gets the more bizarre the behavior of the people of Discworld, the wizards and assorted trolls and dwarves. The ending is very satisfying. In some small way the acts performed by Rincewind struck me as similar to those performed by the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. He had to look inside himself at the end of the book and I think it clear that Pratchett had him find (or try to find) more than just the eighth spell.

Light Fantastic was a fun read. Having read Discworld in something like a reverse order I think it fair to say that this early story has more humor than philosophy. The combination of the two is one of the enjoyable benefits of reading Discworld. My archeological dig into this strange and funny universe reveals that the "philosophy of Discworld" was subject to an evolutionary process. Unlike the evolution of our species on Earth, the evolution of Discworld has been nothing but positive.

Light Fantastic is a funny, thoughtful book that will be enjoyed by any Pratchett fan or anyone looking to spend a few hours lost in a wacky, wonderful parallel universe.

'The Light Fantastic' is a new offering (I stand corrected, a re-issue) of the 'Discworld' novels by Terry Prachett.

This is a fun, fantasy novel, featuring an unlikely hero by the name of Rincewind (who just happens to be a wizard, and a rather incompetent one at that). This book also 'stars' a character by the name of Twoflower (tourist and travelling companion to Rincewind) and the Luggage which is aptly named because 'it' is just that...luggage, but with a personified taste for adventure and also packing a bite (as well as many other surprises).

The writing is simple; the story totally unbelievable (yes, even unbelievable for fantasy). It abounds in off the cuff remarks and distinct sense of humor that could only be British. There were many laugh out loud moments in this short novel.

Conclusion. A short, fun read that makes for a wonderful diversion from some potentially more serious material that I/you may be reading.
A well deserved 5 Stars.

Ray Nicholson

P.S.
Thanks to D. Blankenship (a good the store friend) whose review tweaked me to this most interesting and entertaining book.

The second book of Pratchett's I have read and he is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. His characters are fun and so funny. The quest-like narrative is focused without any unnecessary diversions, but never lacking in the adventure. I'm really enjoying the series and I am, once again, beating myself up for starting them so late.

I listened to the audio version and Nigel Planer did a great job, again. He does a great job embodying the characters and giving them more personality. His comedic timing is great and the pacing was fantastic.

Another great quest in the Discworld series.

"The Light Fantastic"---actually a continuation of the saga begun in "The Color of Magic"---improves upon the original, abandoning the wandering storylines of the first book and hitting the stride that is to become familiar to fans of Pratchett's later work. And while this book, in terms of its focus and writing, in many ways stands apart from its predecessor, as another reviewer has stated, it is impossible to read the one without the other, the setup for "The Light Fantastic" being established in the first book, and picking up where that work left off.
Mike Stone has done an admirable job of encapsulating the action below, so I will not trod where others have gone before, except to add that we here discover the natural history of trolls, how new solar systems are born, and observe while Twoflowers instructs Death, Pestilence, Famine and War in the finer points of "a thing you put across a river," where time allows for the play of "Another Fondle," also known as a "Rubber." In addition, a perverse---and dangerously intriguing---variation of a pogrom is carried out, and we learn all about neck romance.
As with Pratchett's best work, the author once again here shows why he remains one of the most original voices in fantasy fiction. If you don't enjoy this book you'd best look over your shoulder: a black-robed figure is likely waiting to lighten you of your misery.

The Light Fantastic, the second of the Discworld books, is a decent read but nothing more. Somewhat less amusing than the first in the series, The Light Fantastic still manages to entertain and keep the pages turning. While not as funny as the first, it's still worth the read. If nothing else, it's an entertaining way to pass the time.

Back are the same cast of characters we got to know in the first book, plus an extra, as we are introduced to Cohen the Barbarian. Rincewind, Twoflower, and the Luggage all keep the story moving with the usual mix of hijinks and so forth. But it doesn't pack as much punch as the first in the series. Given that Pratchett is still going after 30+ Discworld books, you're bound to have a few highs and lows along the way. While not necessarily a low, it's certainly not a high either. Middle of the road is a good label.

Either way, it's more entertaining than a lot of other stuff out there. Overall, it's a good book that doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first but keeps you entertained and makes you smile more often than not. I will certainly pick up the 3rd book, Equal Rites.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld does for Fantasy what Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy did for science fiction--firmly sets a story within a genre, stereotypes intact, then goes to town. This is the second book in the series, and while you could supposedly stop reading after one (in which case the literal cliffhanger ending becomes just another genre-joke), you really shouldn't read this one unless you've read The Colour Of Magic first. We pick up Rincewind and Twoflower where we last left them--falling off the side of the Disc. However, it seems that fate has other plans in store for them, because that single spell lodged in Rincewind's head has just become very important to those trying to avoid the end of the Discworld.....

I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.

A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.

Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!

Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.

Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.

I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"

I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.

The Color of Magic had such a lousy ending. I'm so glad Pratchett decided to fix it in the begining of his second book, because he took us all on an adventure that's hard to forget.

As Rincewind, the failed wizard, and Twoflower, the tourist, fall off the edge of the Disc, something alters reality, bringing the two bumbling heroes to a rather rough stop on a mountain in the middle of nowhere. As the two desperately attempt to figure out where they are and why, they find themselves hunted by wizards determined not to see Rincewind survive his journey back to the city of Ankh Morpork.

Unlike the first Discworld Novel, this one actually has a strong, single, coherant plot which builds and builds all the way up to the increadible conclusion while keeping your diaphram muscles busy heaving with laughter, or just causing giggles of glee. This book also shows off Pratchett's fantastic descriptive abilities as he weaves a world of magic, mystery, and pure beauty. If you enjoy the work of Douglas Adams, or just like fantasy and/or humor in general, than you'll love this second book in the Discworld series.

I read this book before I read The Color of Magic, which actually came before this one and serves as an introduction to some of the main characters in this book. However, that doesn't take anything away from The Light Fantastic.
Pratchett's made his Discworld books in a way that they're somehow related either by sharing the same protagonists or by happening in the same locations.
The Light Fantastic deals with the adventures of Rincewind the Wizard and Twoflower the tourist, who are being chased by the high counsil of wizards (from the Unseen University) so that the eight original spells can be said and the world can be saved. However, one of the spells is lodged in Rincewind's brain -- it got there itself, and has been trying to get said against Rincewind's wishes ever since.
Throughout the book, Rincewind and Twoflower cross their path with a large array of weird and utterly funny characters, that either help them escape or try to harm or catch them. You'll laugh your heart out with the comments of Cohen the Barbarian, or with DEATH (WHO ALWAYS SPEAKS IN UPPER CASE)...and of course, with the luggage, who still follows them everywhere they go.
I found The Light Fantastic to be a better story that The Color of Magic, but nonetheless recommend that you read both of them back-to-back.
Pratchett is the real thing...the Discworld books rock!

I bought this book along with "Color of Magic," and I read the two in order. I didn't like CoM, and so I nearly avoided "The Light Fantastic."
I'm glad I did read it, because this book is much funnier and better written. The characters are more endearing and there is a solid story in the center of the book, as opposed to just a collection of ideas that are weakly strung together (Much like "Eric"). This book also has one of the better endings for a Discworld novel that I've read.
But I deduct one star because it really is a sequel to CoM and not a separate book. In order to fully enjoy the story, you have to read both books, and the first one isn't so good. If you don't read CoM, you would probably still enjoy "Light," but it isn't really clear.
And in comparison to some of Pratchett's other work, this would seem like a sophomoric effort. I still think it's good, even if it does have a derivative plot. My advice to newbies is to read "Mort" first, and then use your opinions of that to decide whether you'll read this and/or "Color of Magic."

What great fun this book was to read! After reading the first Discworld book in the series, I knew I had to read more. I was not disappointed.

Many of the same insane characters are back, and many new interesting yet ludicrous characters are introduced. What is so entertaining about the characters is their interaction with one another- Pratchett writes in a way that shows the humor in outlandish relationships. The ultimate example of an extraordinary relationship is Rincewind the cowardly wizard and Twoflower the overeager tourist. I found the funniest parts of the book were often centered around these two characters interaction with one another. Not to wax philosophical in a review for a silly sci-fi book, but I believe life also finds meaning in relationships. Even as independent Americans, we value our relationships and they provide meaning and existence for us. OK, enough of that.

The book is easy to read, and very entertaining- I will continue to read Pratchett and the discworld books as I find time.

This second novel in the Discworld saga is a continuation of the story begun in the first book, The Colour of Magic. Actually, it begins about five minutes after the end of that book, with Rincewind, the incapable wizard falling through space after having tumbled over the edge of the world. But the spell lodged in his head saves him (as well as Twoflower the tourist) in order to save itself, and Rinceworld is launched unwillingly in an effort to save the world. Great A'Tuin, the celestial turtle on the back of which the Discworld glides slowly through the universe, is headed toward a distant, very red star which will probably bring all Disc life to an end. But it has its reasons. As always, Pratchett introduces a number of new and quite delightful characters, especially Cohen the Barbarian, the greatest hero in history -- as evidenced by his very advanced age. With all that, though, I just couldn't get as caught up in this one as in MORT or SMALL GODS. But even a B-minus novel from Pratchett is better than the best many humorists ever produce!

This sequel, to the first novel in the discworld series named "The Color of Magic," triumphantly builds on it's predecessor to create a more coherent, fun, and spastic book than the first. The reason for this is Pratchett makes it easy to build relationships with the characters. Both of these books are fairly short, but by the end of the first one, the characters have begun to be fleshed out that Pratchett can focus more on just humor and no characterization; one-liners and situations became more funny

Concerning just this book, following the bouncing ball of the multiple plot lines and how they bounce right into the same basket at the end is probably the most enjoyable experience. Not to mention, Pratchett's book are a mish-mash of satire, fantasy, and commentary. There is plenty for anyone to enjoy here, from the shallow puns and situational humor to the more deep philosophical commentary and intricate story-telling.

The Light Fantastic is both the second Discworld novel and the second novel in the Rince-cycle [those novels dealing with the misadventures of the "Wizzard" Rincewind].

The book finishes the story begun in the first novel, The Colour of Magic, although several characters introduced in these books will reappear in later novels; namely: Rincewind, Twoflower, Cohen the Barbarian, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork Lord Havelock Vetinari, the Luggage, and - of course - the Librarian.

In short, the Disc is saved, Twoflower returns home, and we are left wondering what will come next for our friends.

After reading many, many series of books, I should know to temper my expectations until at least the second book. This would have served me well for discworld. While book one was enjoyable, it aimed primarily to set up the world and its characters. With this second volume, we see the next layer of storytelling and humor shine through.
For one, a story can actually materialize now instead of just Rincewind and Twoflower wandering around. Also, new races of characters are added in the traditional way, but in a decidedly non-Tolkein attitude. The trolls in this book in particular are very funny and very witty in their descriptions. Pratchett is starting to take the accepted boundaries of fantasy and twist them to meet his satirical needs, and it is brilliant.
The only reason for a four star review and not five is that I simply must leave room for improvement. There are something like two dozen books now, so I assume there is a smattering of fives in there somewhere.

If you were smart enough to read Colour of Magic (A riot) then you will be looking for more Rincewind, Luggage, and laughs. Light Fantastic is here to the Rescue answering all questions and concluding the story that started it all.
Once again Terry has collected an off-the-wall collection of humorous encounters for our heroes. Rincewind and friends must once again save the world. One of the world's eight most powerful spells is hiding in his head, and the wrong people want it. So he must call upon all his finely tuned abilities... of running away! Twoflower and the Luggage are there to help along with Diskworld's greatest warrior... who is now a ridiculously old man.
-Many people consider this one to be better than CoM... They are both awesome. End of story. However, they are both too short and should have come in one normal sized book.
-F.Y.I- The next book is Sourcery. Equal Rights was written next, but has no Rincewind and is generally not considered one of Pratchett's better works.

Please accept my title in the Pickwickian sense: I love Pratchett and consider him to be the replacement in my life for the loss of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and Douglas Adams. Why aren't Americans ever that funny?
Please forgive me, however, for being just a little heretical. I liked the characters of Rincewind and Twoflowers, was intrigued by The Luggage (I want one!), and loved Cohen the Barbarian. I DID miss the richness of the characters in the later Ankh-Morpork Pratchetts: characters such as Corporal Carrot, DEATH (I'm really not shouting), Angua, Susan Sto Helit, Commander Vimes, and The Patrician. Rincewind and Twoflower were both -- dare I say it? -- schmoes at the beginning of the book and and at the end.
I think that Pratchett has a real affinity for Ankh-Morpork, and the farther he strays from it, the less vital his stories appear. (I except SMALL GODS, which is a real tour de force.) So, bring on the Pratchetts, and let's have more of the Night Watch and Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, more trolls and golems, and lots more of that beauty spot on (or, actually, near) the Circle Sea -- Ankh-Morpork.

The second Discword novel is also a direct sequel to The Color of Magic . While I enjoyed the first novel, I wasn't too impressed with it. The Light Fantastic is a much better book and actually has a plot. When we last saw Rincewind and Twoflower, they had fallen off the edge of the Disc (and were being followed quickly by the luggage made of sapient pearwood). This is where The Light Fantastic picks up. Once again, we have the misadventures of Rincewind and Twoflower as they decide to return back to Ankh- Morpork (did I spell that correctly?). They meet up with Cohen the Barbarian (currently, my favorite character), an aging hero with a bad back and no teeth. And, oh yeah, the world is in danger from a comet (as far as they know) about to crash into the Disc and the only spell that can save the Disc is lodged in Rincewind's head. After reading this book, I am much more interested in reading more Discworld novels.

After reading "The Color of Magic", I couldn't wait to get my hands on "The Light Fantastic". It picks up where COM left off. Rincewind the failed wizard and the tourist Twoflower continue their journey of the Disc. They also meet Cohen the Barbarian, one of my favorite characters. Meanwhile, Ymper Trymon, a wizard from Unseen University, is trying to find them. A huge star is about to hit the Disc, and all of the Eight Gray Spells need to be said. Rincewind has one of the Spells lodged in his head. If you are new to Discworld, this book is good, but read COM first. It will help you understand LF better. The ending is spectacular and the book is seasoned with fresh humor that can only be compared to a mix of "Monty Python" and Tolkien.
I am currently working on "Equal Rites", the third in the series.

The plot continues unbroken from the first book, but Pratchett's style has settled down dramatically into more-or-less its current form. This one is not episodic but a single story; it moves well, it is fairly funny, and the main plot line involves the Discworld's arrival at a giant, menacing red star, the spell stuck in Rincewind's head, the gender of A'Tuin, the great turtle, and the reading of the Octavo, the most powerful magic book. We visit Death; we meet Cohen the Barbarian. At this point I'm fed up hearing about the Luggage; Pratchett's insistence on trying to make an animated trunk funny and menacing just bores me. The story concludes in a satisfying way, and we find out why pretty much the whole gang of wizards from Unseen University, introduced in the first book, is replaced by a new gang of wizards in the later books. While this one is decent, it is a continuation of the wretched first book, so I'd only read it if you're feeling up to taking on the whole Rincewind sequence, in order.

Terry Pratchett is a phenomenal writer! I'll tell you that any of his books, especially the Disc World series are well worth picking up! In my youth I loved the Lord of the Rings books by J.R.R. Tolkien (and yes, I'm talking pre-movie adolescence, thank you). I read any fantasy/adventure novels I could get my hands on. Eventually I ran out of books worth reading.... In my late teens I even resorted to Harry Potter, which I thought was amusing (but with a very low reading level) until I stumbled upon Terry Pratchett. Oh what a day! It was as if I had been waiting for his writing since the first time I picked up a book! The worlds he has created within the Disc world series are so interesting and entertaining. On each page he has spelled out endless wit, comedy, and enchantment. The characters hook you from the start and in each book you learn more about them and how they intertwine with one another. The imagery Pratchett depicts with his stories is absolutely amazing! And one of the things that I think is the best about this series is you don't necessarily have to read them in a particular order. There are a few here or there within the series that do fit better together read in a certain order but besides those you can just go with the next one that strikes your fancy. Every time I finish one I CANNOT wait for the next! Soon I'll be done with the series and this is sad... But reading them all was well worth it! See for yourself!

Even better than the Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic takes the reader from the edge of the world to the unimaginable Wyrmberg, from a gingerbreadhouse to the deepest cellars of the Unseen University. A red star is threatening to destroy our beloved Discworld, and who can save it but Twoflower, Rincewind (last seen dropping off the end of the world), an old barbaric geezer, a luggage with more legs than one can count and one of the 8 great spells plus a wonderful array of silly, funny, innovative and original characters.
Still as intriguing as The Colour of Magic, this book is even funnier, but still (luckily) not as ravishingly mad as The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, to which many draw unfair and impossible paralells. This story is very different and holds more suspence wrapped in good fun than any other book I've ever read. Will Rincewind and co. stop the malevolent red star from destroying the Disc? An ingenious ending awaits you, so what are you waiting for! This book is so cheap, you can't afford to miss it.<

I was unhappy with the book the first book in the series "The Color of Magic" for lacking a coherent plot. But "The Light Fantastic" does and it makes a world of difference. Discworld is further developed, new characters are introduced, and the story is engaging.
I enjoyed the book, but I found the main characters a bit flat. Twoflower is a fearless tourist, and Rincewind is a cowardly wizard who cant use magic. Together they are more or less blown by the winds of fate from adventure to adventure. But the adventures are entertaining and humorous. Only near the end does Rincewind take his fate into his own hands, and we see him driven by internal forces instead of external chance. And that I like.
If the books continue to improve at this rate, I might have to consider myself a Discworld fan.

Giving this book 5 stars because it’s Terry Pratchett so it will be excellent. I can’t review it though because when I bought it the store didn’t apply the coupon they had sent me so I emailed them about it and long story short they refunded all the money and took the book back and demanded on more than one occasion I buy it again. Forget it done with Kindle. Poor customer service.

Picks up where 'Colour of Magic' left off. Rincewind and Twoflower is thrown from one problem to another with a quick solution always close at hand to help them.
Actually, you should only read 'Colour of Magic' and 'Light Fantastic' if you are a completist. Otherwise, I recommend readers new to the Discworld to start with the 3rd book featuring the Witches or better yet the 4th book featuring DEATH.
'Light Fantastic' isnt bad. In fact I think its slightly better than the first book. But like I said you wont miss anything much if you dont read them and jump straight to 'Equal Rites' or 'Mort'.
Rincewind, despite starring in a few other Discworld novels, has never quite reached the popularity of other Discworld regulars like the City Watch, Granny Weatherwax or DEATH. I dont know why but I think Rincewind just doesnt have that much pizzazz as a character.
Still, not a bad read.

Rincewind, Twoflower, and the Luggage continue their adventure from the first novel. This time, the fate of Discworld hangs in the balance! Along the way, they meet trolls, Cohen the Barbarian, a cursed shopkeeper, and many other characters sure to make you laugh. The first novel in the series caught my interest, but the second one has really got me thinking. I think I feel invested enough in Discworld to read several more… If not all 38!

Discworld, in particular. That's what Twoflowers is doing - visiting - and he lives there. But maybe not for long. He's not going anywhere but his world is, and it doesn't look like a very nice place to go.

Pratchett brings us another outrageous fantasy, with satirical jabs at the sword-and-sandal crowd, management consultants (who, by comparison, make ultimate evil look pretty good), tourists oblivious to the countries they visit, and just about anything or anyone who take themselves too seriously. And that includes the laws of physics.

If you're too busy to take a vacation anywhere else, spend a little while on Discworld. Not much is certain there, except that you'll have a great time.

//wiredweird

This book picks up directly where volume 1 - "The Colour of Magic" - ended. So you have to read that book first, or you'll miss most of the fun here.
Now, other than volume 1 which consisted of several stories building up on each other, this is one continuous novel. I'm sorry to say that it somehow seems as if Mr. Pratchett had taken too large a bite. The first half of the book is just as fun as volume 1. Then, however, it gets a little long-drawn and somewhat dull. The ending is, again, magnificent - quite worthy of Terry Pratchett.
This is a definite must-read for Diskworld fans. If you enjoyed the first book as much as I did, you won't find any peace until you have read the follow-up as well. If you just liked the first book, don't bother reading this one.

While this is only the second book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, it was an improvement over the first. The characters of Rincewind, Twoflower, and the Luggage are some of the funniest fantasy creations I have ever read. Cohen the ancient toothless barbarian is also one of my favorite characters. The Light Fantastic is a frequently hilarious rip through the lands of the Disc. The pace never lets up with Rincewind and friends being thrown from one outrageous situation into the next without a moments rest. I highly recommend this one to any fans of Aspirin's MYTH series or Anthony's Xanth Series. This series seems to have a lot more depth and thought than either one of those do, at least what I've read so far.

This is the 2nd book in Pratchett's Discworld. Alternatively, it's also the 2nd in the Rincewind subseries ("The Color of Magic," "The Light Fantastic," "Sourcery," "Eric," "Interesting Times," and "The Last Continent"). It picks up immediately after the "cliff-hanger" of "The Color of Magic," but is a far better book (it's a coherent whole instead of several short bits strung together). It's extremely interesting to read this book after having read the entire series (several times), since you notice all the little embryonic ideas Pratchett has for development in later books. Also, you can see how his concept of the Discworld changes over time. I rate this book at 4 stars out of 5.

"The Light Fantastic" is the second book in Terry Pratchett's popular Discworld Series. In this book we continue on Rincewind and Twoflower's journey around the Disc. Rincewind is the only person who can save the Disc from total destruction, which wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that he's the world's worst wizard ever since he can only keep one spell in his head. Every wizard from the Unseen University is trying to capture Rincewind, or at least Rincewind's spell, but Rincewind just doesn't know it. Accompanied by Cohen the Barbarian and an ex-Druid virgin sacrifice, and of course, the Luggage, Rincewind and Twoflower make their way back to Ankh-Morpork.

Rincewind the wizard and Twoflower the tourist are back and are falling over the edge. Next minute, they are back on the Dicworld. The great spell inside Rincewind is changing his fate so he servives. But all is not well, a comet of gigantic perportations is flying toward the Discworld. The wizards of the Unseen University realize that to stop the comet, they will need all of the great octave spells. But when they find that they only have seven they are going to have to find the failed wizard Rincewind and get the eighth spell back before it is to late. An adventure full of magic, old heroes, despised soup, evil villains, trolls, trees that shouldn't be talking and the eating luggage.
I liked this book a lot more then the Colour of Magic. The plot was bigger, the story was more exciting, in was funnier and Rincewind proves himself to be an even greater hero and not just some failed wizard. Now, once again, the title does not fit in with the story. It should have been called The Octavo because that is what the story is based on.
I gave the book four stars because it was brilliant, well written, and hilariouse. I gave it one star less because of it's wrong name. I recomend this book for Teens and Adults, and children who are very mature.

I have to date only read three or four of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. I read the first, _The Colour of Magic_, some years ago and was not particularly impressed. People assured me that it was one of the weakest, and I read a couple of novels that seem generally better liked: _Mort_ and _Equal Rites_. Both were amusing enough, but not so fabulous as Pratchett's fans seemed to think. They did pass the time reasonably well. Now I have tried _The Light Fantastic_.

The story concerns a threat to the Discworld from a red star that seems on a collision course with the Disc. A prophecy suggests that all of the eight great spells in the book called the Octavo must be spoken to avert this danger. The chief wizards of Unseen University gather to try to say all the spells. But one of the spells has been stolen, by the incompetent wizard Rincewind (as related in _The Colour of Magic_). So the wizards must try to find Rincewind, who as it happens has fallen off the Disc, along with the tourist Twoflower and his sapient doglike Luggage. Fortunately, Rincewind and company are saved, by what is generally called a deus ex machina. The rest of the book follows the machinations of the wizards, particularly the slimy young Trymon, as they try to track down Rincewind, while Rincewind, with the help of the Luggage, the aged hero Cohen the Barbarian, and other agents such as the spell hidden in his mind, tries to stay alive and to do what seems best -- not that he has any idea what that might be.

It's all rather discursive -- the plot doesn't really make much sense but isn't meant to. It's -- well -- amusing. The jokes are really pretty clever, mostly fun commentary on social trends, but also just japes and the occasional ridiculous puns (such as when the people riot at the approach of the star, and shops are broken into, the people stealing from a musical instrument shop are called "luters".) Fun stuff, well worth reading, but I must admit I remain a bit bemused at the extreme popularity these books have attained.

Octavo is the name Unseen University gives a book with eight of the most powerful spells in the universe. Seven these days, Rincewind the wizard has one of them stuck in his head...

Discworld #2 is "The Light Fantastic", first written in 1986. Goes pretty well straight after "The Colour of Magic" I think, as it has a lot of the same characters and plot points. Was listening to the Isis audiobook for this one (with Nigel Planer). Terry Pratchett's a bit wordy for me. Can see why he does it though. From what I've read, he's pretty passionate about the idea of storytelling, and the wordier it is, the more time spent with the storyteller. Guess so...

I'm being a bit generous with my rating: if Pratchett were to write this one now, I'd probably score it lower. However, for a second try, he did pretty good.

I'm reading the series out of order, so the start (which requires knowledge of "The Colour of Magic", which I haven't read) was a bit jarring. Easy enough to get over that, though.

The story was okay, and had a fair amount of chuckles and laugh-out-loud moments (horse d'oveures, anyone?) Pratchett will do worse in the future of the series, but by and large will do much better, too. Like the title of my review says, this hints at the talent that will come.

This book lives up to all the noise regarding the Discworld series. Its humorous. Really funny - I'm not kidding. Its a great read because of its humor and because of its zany, quirky material - it isn't predictable. Rincewind and The Tourist (& Luggage) are back again and getting themselves involved in lots of trouble.

The best worst thing about the series (so far) is that it makes you want to make jokes and reference the silliness in the stories... which makes you seem insane to all your friends who have, unfortunately, not read the books! Needless to say, this one was memorable and enjoyable. Well worth the cover price.

What can do you say when a book is a good, easy read but is not really sensible. Sometimes there are deft jabs at our paradigms, other times the story meanders into mythic themes that change mid leap as it were in the book. Sometimes humorous and other times a bad prat fall, but that is the problem with the humor itself and this book universe mix itself. I would NOT recommend for teens and younger, too much adult based humor that they will miss or misinterpret. Take a swing what the hey! Thanks, Harry!

The Light Fantastic picks up exactly where the previous book (The Color of Magic) left off. Unsurprisingly, the same sort of whimsical style and dry, witty humor are prevalent in this story. However, I found it much more enjoyable than the first, primarily because there seemed to be at least SOME kind of threat to overcome.

Unfortunately, I still found it difficult to really get immersed in the world and the characters. Even though I appreciated the humor and the general storyline, I still found it "easy to set down." However, given that I liked this better than the first, I will continue reading a few more Discworld books, in hopes that the humor remains and the issues that I have thus far are resolved later in the series.

I read this book after reading book 1 of the discworld series. It wasn't as quirky as the first book but it was still good. I honestly don't know how to even review this book. Magic, sexism, machoism; and it all gets whipped around. It was a good book but it wasn't good enough to get me excited for book 3 of the discworld series.

THE LIGHT FANTASTIC is better in all ways that the other very early Discworld Books 1 (THE COLOR OF MAGIC) and 3 (EQUAL RITES)... it keeps up the humorous pace throughout the book, without any lengthy dull moments, and is quite a bit bigger as well. It compares well with later books from the series that I've read. I give it 4.5 stars - rounded up to 5.

This book has the usual assortment of likeable Discworld-type characters - with "The Luggage" stealing the show.

If someone was just starting out with the Discworld Series, I think this would be a really good place to start.

The Light Fantastic is the sequel to Pratchett's first Discworld book (The Color of Magic), and I definitely think it's better. The plot is (unlike in The Color of Magic) concentrated on one thing, and the thing is a bright red star that's approaching the disc. The two main characters are Rincewind and Twoflower, the two fellas that fell off the Disc in the previous book, and Twoflower's luggage, a box with weird temper. They experience many things that can only happen on the Disc, and some regular things, like meeting the Disc's greatest hero, the 70 year-old, Cohen the Barbarian, but the main idea of the book is them saving the Discworld from the red star.
Rincewind, an UU (Unseen University) dropout, has one of the 8 great spells the Creator left. The only problem with the spell is, it seems to have a mind of its own, and it tries to talk to him. And whenever Rincewind is in trouble, or a near-death situation (believe me, there's lots of them) the spell tries to say itself. He spends most of his time to save Twoflower from himself and the other part of the time running from people who want to get their hands on the eighth spell.
Twoflower is the Disc's first, and probably last tourist. He used to be an insurance (in-sewer-ants) agent back in his continent. He has quite a lot of money with him, and he keeps them in a box called the luggage. The one thing Rincewind hates about him the most is the fact that Twoflower believes that he can buy anything from anybody, even Death's living room clock.
Another thing pretty much everybody asks is "Should I read The Color of Magic first?" Well, I myself read The Light Fantastic first and still understood everything and got all the jokes. Pratchett does a great job explaining what happened in CoM. But no matter whether you read it first or even last, you're gonna have a great time reading THE LIGHT FANTASTIC, by Terry Pratchett.

The first book was interesting but many people didn't respect it for obvious reasons. It's just so different from the later books, so you really have to be a the right mood to enjoy it. The Light Fantastic is where Practchett adopts his normal writing style, and Rincewind continues to do what he does best.
Death also imporoves. In the first book, he was evil, and wanted Rincewind to die and hated him for not doing so. In this book, he's not the sentimentalist that he''l become in Mort, but he's no longer dispicable. He actually starts to show his kind side in this book.
The other characters continue to do well. Rincewind is a big favorite, because he's also coming up with interesting comments and his cowardice is so extreme, it's hard not to like the guy. Twoflower is meant to contradict Rincewind's cowardlyness, and does so well. The Luggage is as homicidal as ever. Cohen the Barbarian comes in here, and he's instantly likeable. The Librarian is also introduced in this book, one of my favorite characters.
I can't explain much about the plot without ruining the ending to The Color of Magic, so let's just say it's entertaining, and builds up to a fine climax. Discworld is still not as modern as it will be, but I like it anyway. It's fun to see all the fantasies parodied. I enjoy when Discworld is seen as a fantasy parody world, which doesn't happen too often in the series.
Overall, this is an excellently entertaining book, and that's that.

I am a long time fantasy fan, but a relative newcomer to Pratchett. I read "The Color of Magic" last year and enjoyed it quite a bit. I read "The Light Fantastic" last week and I liked it even better. The idea is still the same: a wild adventure story with lots of diversions. The difference is that Pratchett's writing is more consistently funny this time around. The jokes are sharper are more witty, and there are more of them. Pratchett serves up some well deserved swipes at fantasy conventions, and accomplishes more memorable wordplay. Highly recommended.

I already knew that the Discworld books were light fantasy dished out with comedy and satire and I'll say that the first book in the series (The Color of Magic) is at least tolerable. This second book, which I only read because the first book ends on a cliffhanger, is just plain stupid, as the comedy dumbs itself down to the lowest level possible, becoming absurd and childish. The characters, who were at least somewhat interesting in the first book, become nothing more than empty stage props, whose purpose seems to be only to have someone to populate the insipid misadventures that drag on and on, where every character is some sort of bumbling idiot or tired worn out archetype. The whole experience for me was like having to be forced to sit with a group of people who laugh among themselves at their fart jokes and dumb puns, who seem to perversely have quite a lot of fun doing so, but where my view is that this gets really, really tiresome after about five minutes of unoriginality. The Discworld series goes on to do this for 40 more books!

Finally, in regard to this book, like that room of people I describe? I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I scrambled past all the chairs, but the moronic drivel just continued, as I heard someone laugh behind me, "I supposhe we'd better make shome shoop! A HA HA HA!!"

The Light Fantastic is a continuation of Pratchett's The Color of Magic (definitly read TCOM first) -- they could almost be put into one novel. I love TCOM, but I think The Light Fantastic was ever funnier and sharper. A few parts towards the beginning do drag a bit and some of the peripheral characters (Cohen, Bethan, the trolls) aren't developed enough, but Rincewind, Twoflower and of course the Luggage are in top form. Pratchett is a master of a wide range of humor from sly satire to puns so bad they're hilarious (a man stealing musical instruments -- must be a luter). If you haven't discovered him yet, give Pratchett a try!

The Light Fantastic is fantasy lover's comical paradise. It is about an inept wizard, Rincewind, who is forced to save Discworld, the world, with the one thing he has never been able to do: magic. One main element is its comical and often different description. Terry Pratchett constantly uses a twist o say something simple in a complex way. Anti-fairytale references and beliefs are a prominent element in this book. The most recurring element is ll the randomness. The problem with this is it slows you down in the first half of the book. The Light Fantastic is full of fantasy, comedy and plainly a few messed up ideas and is definitely and interesting adult read.

The Light Fantastic is a great book to read and definitely VERY funny. It will help you get to know one of the main characters, Rincewind, of the Discworld series much better. Also, if you love Twoflower and his lighthearted and optimistic lifestyle, you will definitely love this book. Oh, and not to mention the ever-loyal Luggage makes some witty appearances too! If you've never read any Terry Pratchett books, this might be a start, it's the second book in the Discworld series. If you're a Terry Pratchett fan, you will definitely enjoy this book.

I must admit, I read Equal Rites first, and it was so, so , literal, almost serious, that I had plain given up on the Discworld books! But when this caught my eye..... Here is featured Rincewind, the inept wizard, who, because he stole a look at the most powerful magic book of the multiverse, has a spell stuck in his head that does not only have unbeleivable power, but is also sentient! The only problem is, that not only does he not dare to say this Spell, (Though at every opertunity it tries to take him over so it can get said) it is so poverful that no other ordinary spell dares to stay in his mind for an instant! For involentaraly memorizing a Spell from the Octavo (The book that held the Spell) Rincewind was expelled from the wizard's university, (Unseen University) but now he is a guide to the naive insurance salesman Twoflower and his amazind sapient-pearwood Luggage, which follows it's ower on hundreds of tiny little legs. But now, in the skies of the Disc, a new star has appeared, that looks like a red rabid eye, and the Eight Spells are needed to be said to stop the Disc from crashing into it, but the Octavo has only seven Spells left, and everyone is chasing Rincewind to try to get that Spell! (Which they have a lot of troble with, because to get the spell most try to kill him, and Rincewind's main and prize talent is the ability to run away from any kind of danger that threatens him.) Meanwhile, at the University, a sinister young Wizard, name of Tymon, is seeking to become commander-in-cheif of all wizards, and rule the Disc! After Rincewind (after strange adventures which include talking with trolls, crashing into a flying rock, and having his sprit suffer an out-of body experiance, where for a breif time he lands in the house of Death to claim his simalarily out-of-body experiencing friend, Twoflower, and also for a breif time winds up in the Octavo) gets back to Ankh-Morpork (home of the university) this most inept of wizards must stop the Dungen Dimensions from eptying into our multiverse (whose inhabitants would not only kill people, but innore them, give them the order of the whip, the thubscrews, and who are far worse then evil), deal with an insane wizard, and stop the Red Star from crashing into the Disc!

Having read the first book Colour of Magic, this book was a continuation of the same constant action and adventure. However, there was a bit less uniqueness to this book than the first and a few more corny jokes, which is why I give it 4 stars. You won't be disappointed reading this one as well, and there is an important twist at the end if you've read the first in the series.

I've read the first two books now and will keep reading Discworld, as it has a unique style to it and never gets boring!

"The Colour of Magic" was an incredible burst of imagination that made for a rollicking, fun read. "The Light Fantastic" is a worthy successor. Pratchett hones the entertainment from the interplay between cynical Rincewind and naive but advanced Twoflower, his travelling partner.
We follow the heroes getting into and out of all sorts of messes and enjoy the sheer briliance of Pratchett's wit and wordplay (better if not as good as Oscar Wilde) along the way. If you haven't read "Colour of Magic", get it, and then get this book too. You'll likely go the whole series -- hours of enjoyment.

This was the first "Diskworld" novel I read and re-read and re-read again. The book starts with the syrup like flow of light accross a truely fantastic landscape; a flat world that sits uppon the backs of four enormas elephants whom in turn stand on the shell of the impossibley large space swimming sea turtle The Great A'Tuin.
Enter the hero, or rather antihero, Rincewind the Inept, a "wizzard" who has never performed even the slightest feat of magic, and his naive companion Twoflower, the Diskworld's first (and, hopefully, last!) tourist. They are forever followed by the Luggage, a traveling trunk with a bad attitude (and possably one of the greatest literary characters ever imanged). These three companions take us on a wild romp through the lands of the multiverse's only turtle bound world.
You have to read it to believe it. Take a trip down The Light Fantastic and see for yourself. . .

'The Light Fantastic' is the second in the 'Discworld' series. It is a direct sequel to 'The Colour of Magic'. 'The Light Fantastic is a definitely an improvement over the previous book , in that it is a complete story, rather than a series of interrelated stories as the first one was. We follow the adventures of Rincewind and Twoflower and meet Cohen the Barbarian, the Discworld's greatest hero. Pratchett's humour and wit result in a fun story that is compulsively readable.

Terry Prachet

The LIGHT FANTASTIC

The book the Light Fantastic by Terry Prachet is about the wizzard Rincewind and his tourist friend named Twoflower. While Twoflower is visiting Disc World he buys a chest called the luggage with little legs. When Rincewind was giving his friend the tour of the place, they found a house made of candy and the house was owned by a witch that has been gone for many years, then they get attacked by Druids that want the luggage because it is magical. This old man named Cohen the Barbarian travled to rescue and help them with the other problems encounter that all have to do with the luggage.

The character Rincewind is disc worlds most incomplete wizzard. He is one of my favorites because he likes potatoes like me and he is a coward which is pretty funny. He looks like Shaggy form Scooby Doo and his clothes are all tattered and worn down. His friend Towflower is so cool because he is a dimwitted tourist that looks like a really tacky tourist that thinks that Cohen the Barbarian is still the greatest warrior that lives, but he is wrong. He bought the luggage at a store because it looked loyal to him. Now would you expect that an old man with only one eye, a sword also and a cane would save two people? Well guess not. Ok so Disc World's Coen the barbarian is an old man that can still hold a sword and that always talks with a n"h" in a word that does not need one, like the word someone, he says it like " shomeone."

The Light Fantastic is strange but yet very good. It has wacky characters and crazy evil people. I would recommend this book for all sci-fi and fantasy lovers. I would give this book a 5out of 5 stars. get lost in Terry Prachet's book ( the second in the series.) The Light Fantastic.

What a great series to follow when one needs to laugh out loud while reading. I only read a book from the Discworld series once in awhile because I don’t want the magic and joy to become common place.

A delightfully mad romp around a crazy world as one cowardly would be wizard tries to hold on to his sanity. Delve deeper into this strange world floating through space on the back of a turtle. Life on the disc is never an easy one especially when you're a failed wizard with one of the eight most powerful spells trapped in your head. With Discworld's first tourist tagging along and every faction on the disc track them down things are only beginning to get complicated. Truly a great adventure full of Pratchett's sharp wit and brilliant satire. A++

You definitely have to read the Color of Magic before this book, in my opinion, and as I said in the color of magic, I wouldn't read either as your first Discworld Novels. Not much to say that I, or other reviewers, haven't said. This book continues pretty much immediately after the Color of Magic with Rincewind and Twoflower. The whole issue of the octavon (or however you spell it)--the one spell Rincewind knows and which scares all the other spells out of his head--is resolved.

The only real problems I had with this book was that I think his point was a bit fuzzy, the storyline not his sharpest, and the end anti-climatic and drawn out. But again, I started to like Rincewind better after these two books and understand more about the Luggage. I still recommend it, but with the caveats that it's not as good as his later stuff.

Just started reading the Discworld series and I'm hooked. The first one was better, but I definitely enjoyed "The Light Fantastic." I drop the book laughing every time the Luggage makes an appearance, and I'm sure all of you will have the same reaction. Don't deprive yourself any longer, jump in on this series.

The Light Fantastic is a sequel to the Color of Magic, the first Discworld book. We have Rincewind, Twoflower, and the Luggage, of course, and new addition to the team: Cohen the Barbarian! (They always need a barbarian or think of the trouble they'd get into.) This book covers the spell that Rincewind has gotten into his head but never used in the Color of Magic and left us quite disappointed as to what it would do. Well, here it is! This is my third favorite Discworld book and I think any Discworld fan should read it.

I give this book 5 stars because it is very well written, kept my interest all the way through, and because several parts of it made me actually laugh out loud. The author always surprised me - especially when he broke through "the fourth wall" in one chapter and made it work.

I think that this book was a disaster. Maybe I am getting a little jaded in my old age, but I expect a little bit of cunning on the authors part when I read a genre book and this one has none to offer. My main beef with Pratchett is his tendency to show his cards early on and then spend endless amounts of time laying them out. By this, I mean that in just about every work of Pratchett that I have read, he tells you the entire plot within the first couple of paragraphs and then the rest of the novel is in a way very expected. `Equal Rites', the 3rd (I think) in this series was exactly like this also. When Pratchett is on, his books take unexpected turns and the reader is left wondering what will happen next. Sadly, everything in Light Fantastic can be seen coming from a mile away.

I think that Pratchett wrote this entire book as a show case for his wit. Because of the success his first book, `Color of Magic' attained in the humor department, I think that Pratchett got a little confused and started to think that this was all that is important regarding a novel. Later in this series you will start to see the humor for the most part dry up and interesting story lines interceding. But here you will see none of that.

The original book (The color of magic) was nice, but the laughs were too far appart. Now Pratchett pulls everything together in "The light Fantastic". The locations where Rincewind and Twoflower pass are much more interesting, much funnier. The characters they meet are way more quirky. I would go really far to say that the #1 reason you should read the first one, is that you'll understand this sequel.

In a review, the reader tries to create a sense of the book; the task is to boil down the essence of the work and to summarize and give opinion about the quality of the object in a very subjective manner. I am making a project of finding that essence in the most constrained manner possible. Here, I present you with a haiku review. I hope you like the review and take under consideration a purchase of the work.

Distrust magical
shops; they are never there
when you need them most

I implore you to leave our boring world behind and enter the loony mind of Terry Pratchett. Come pay a visit to Discworld, where logic and reality are on permanent lunch break. This novel, the second in the Discworld series, continues the adventures of Rincewind and Twoflower (both of whom were introduced in the very first Discworld novel "The Color of Magic"). Follow Rincewind, a notoriously incapable wizard with an amazing knack for survival, and Twoflower, Discworld's first tourist, as they stumble into averting an apocolypse. And there's even a faithful piece of luggage made from magical wood (appropriately named "The Luggage") that follows and protects Twoflower along the way. Get this book! Terry Pratchett's satirical humor and literary one-liners will keep anyone laughing. And when you finish laughing you'll find yourself craving another Discworld book. Maybe you should buy two just to be safe...

While some of the low-rating reviewers complain about the "obvious" humor, I am certainly not one of them. I wholly appreciate the imaginative mind that could come up with such a fun series of improbable events and characters.

If you're going to read Discworld books (which you SHOULD!!!!!!), start from the beginning with Colour of Magic, then read the rest - then you'll see the evolution of the series.
Having said that, this is still a damn good book. Reading it after the rest of the Discworlds would be a definate anticlimax, but it's still very very very good :)
Read it, but read it after COM and before the rest of the series.

I didn't want to start the Discworld series but I am totally hooked. Pratchett can spin a tale and now I have snagged as many of the series as I can. I have to wait for reprints of three of them due at the end of this year and even though I have them on order I keep checking used book stores to no avail. This series is a winner, beware if you get one you will get them ALL.

This book is OK, althought it isn't even a half as good as the later Discworld books. So why isn't this book as good?
That's becouse there's nothing more than simple jokes here. In the later books, Prathcett puts in more thoughts about life and such, and it isn't just funny laughing all the time. But don't get me wrong. This still is worth to read!

The second DiscWorld novel picks up right where "The Color of Magic" left off, continuing the adventures of Rincewind, a wizard-school dropout, and the inexhaustibly optimistic astral tourist, Twoflower. Their continued pitfalls and escapes flesh out Terry Pratchett's amusing world while poking fun at the conventions of fantasy novels. We meet satirical characters such as Cohen the Barbarian and a female warrior, the Henna-Haired Harridan. This entry is fast-paced and unceasingly funny, although there is a barrage of jokes in the first third of the novel that slow down the pace. (Jokes, even clever jokes, have a way interrupting the flow of a story.) The tone does not allow for a great of suspense, but the story is thoroughly enjoyable and Pratchett's narrative voice does not fail to entertain.

This is the book to have if you like Terry Pratchett's humor.I loved this book because it has such an interesting story with all sorts of twists and turns with Twoflower trying to teach Death, War, Famine and Pesitlence how to play Bridge. If you like magic and broomsticks with handlebars, this is the book to have.

While not as funny as the first Discworld book, this follow-up is still pretty funny, and some of the Cohen the barbarian bits and other things like that definitely get a laugh.

Pratchett is continuing his Douglas Adams style fantasy rift, and it is pretty enjoyable, overall.

This book, being the second in the series, is, as always, expected to be better and more story-type since the author got the paticulars out in the first. The Light Fantastic does all this and more, keeping you guessing until you've finished the final page.
TLF picks up right were we left Rincewind in the last book (well, not quite in the same place...) and takes us into very dark times on Discworld...
Can one, inept wizard keep the misguided "star people" from over running Discworld and save it from inevitable destruction...

Enjoyed the movies so bought the first two books as I thought I would like to start reading the series. Found the movie more enjoyable then the read. Definitely different then other books I have read. While I liked it, not sure I will read his entire series but you never know.

Pratchett is brilliantly funny. I've only read these first two, but I plan on reading the whole series. I liked each one for different reasons - I thought the first one was an excellent introduction, and this second volume was more pure humor. The ending was sad in a way, and I hope we haven't seen the last of you-know-who. Read it!

Be forewarned. You are about to develop a habit. If you read one Terry Pratchett novel, you'll have to read them all. Pratchett is a brilliant humorist and satirist whose work actually defies classification. Get them all. You'll read them over and over again.

His writing style reminds me a lot of Douglas Adams, but perhaps a bit less confusingly worded. Either that or I have just become accustomed to this sort of style. I got the sense that he was poking fun at some social standards that many would consider sacred, but he did so without an ounce of malice or contempt. Very lighthearted and fun to read. I love Terry Pratchett.

You can never go wrong, will never be disappointed, and I guarantee you'll laugh out loud when you read any book by Terry Pratchett. I scoured the internet to purchase all his books in hardback, now I've hooked my 20 year old on his books and I have to keep what's left of my collector's items hidden.

First book I read, "Witches Abroad". Favorite, "Monstrous Regiment."

You can turn a horrible day around with his satire on our world and culture. Better than Douglas Adams, which is a compliment because I love everything by Douglas Adams. I often answer questions with, "42."

Charlene Clancy

What can I say? This series is older than I am but I love it. Again Rincewind the wiz(z)ard and Twoflower (the discworlds first ever tourist) embark on an adventure (well,actually they fall off the Disc) involving the highly dangerous Octavo( said to be left behind by the slightly forgetful Creator) and the mysterious red star that is coming closer and closer to the Discworld. I can't tell you anymore without spoiling it for you but if you have a sense of humour and a taste for fantasy this is the book for you.

The first of the diskworld series. It tell you about a world that should not exist but still does. If you like humor and a good book read this you'll get hooked and want to get more. Untill your like a junkie waiting for the next one to come out.

This is yet another funny, literate entry in his discworld series. they are highly reccomended. I laughed out loud several times! Possibly not the best in the series, but certainly worth a read. Rincewind is great!

And, yes, this is a fantasy novel, this is about dragons and wizards. Also, yes, this is lighthearted comedy. Witty puns in every line and everybody chasing everyone.
But it's much more than that.
Since most in this novel is our own Earth's opposite, it tells us much about Pratchett's view of what we are all about (or where we are not). Something to ponder in every line.
As for the reader, Nigel Planer.... Just imagine having to listen to Neil from "The Young Ones" read you a whole book from front to back.....

...without the two steps back. The adventures of Rincewind continue in a more dynamic writing in a generally better book. But, of course, as it's really the second part to The Color of Magic, the book won't make sense if you haven't read CoM.

I loved this book as much as I did The color of magic. Since these two, I started reading everything I can get from the author and never got disapointed.
Like the first one, it finds a way to write fantasy which can be read in various levels according to your age and familiarity with the genre. Somehow it is at the same time serious, self-mocking and critical of our society.
Great book

This is my third attempt at the Discworld series and now I understand what the fuss is about. While some of the humour is clear, the best is hidden and once you see the humour in the background it becomes far more enjoyable.

The entire discworld series is great, with some lesser books. The Light fantastic is one of them. Terry Prachett seemed to have to many good Ideas and tried to cram them into a small book, so the book seems to jump around alot. Other than that the book is decent. My favorite character is the luggage

The light fantastic is the second book in the Discworld series. It follows Twoflower and Rincewind after The Colour of Magic. The plot follows a red Star bigger than A'Tuin's head.Heading for the disc.
It is the funniest book I've ever read.Great for people who are getting into the disc world series.

I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett as is my husband. This was one of the books on his wishlist and I can say he read it through quickly. I recommend this and any of Pratchett's books for people who enjoy fantasy mixed with humor.

The first book was funny and engaging, with witty interplay between the two main characters. This second book becomes annoying fast - the author is hell bent on packing the story with oddball references to the detriment of the plot. It's forced and meandering, leaving you disinterested by the half point. I deleted it at the 50% mark.

The Light Fantastic is both the second Discworld novel and the second novel in the Rince-cycle [those novels dealing with the misadventures of the "Wizzard" Rincewind].

The book finishes the story begun in the first novel, The Colour of Magic, although several characters introduced in these books will reappear in later novels; namely: Rincewind, Twoflower, Cohen the Barbarian, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork Lord Havelock Vetinari, the Luggage, and - of course - the Librarian.

In short, the Disc is saved, Twoflower returns home, and we are left wondering what will come next for our friends.