Difference between revisions of "The Color of Magic"
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[[Image:Color of Magic - UK - Hard Cover.jpg|thumb|256x256px|The first edition hard cover.]] | [[Image:Color of Magic - UK - Hard Cover.jpg|thumb|256x256px|The first edition hard cover.]] | ||
− | '''''The Color of Magic''''', spelled '''''The Colour of Magic''''' in the UK, is a comedic novel by [[Terry Pratchett]] and the first book in the [[Discworld]] series, published in 1983. | + | '''''The Color of Magic''''', spelled '''''The Colour of Magic''''' in the UK, is a comedic fantasy novel by [[Terry Pratchett]] and the first book in the [[Discworld]] series, published in 1983. |
− | I first picked this book up because my girlfriend at the time bought it. She was a huge fan of [[Good Omens]] and wanted to read more books by Pratchett. I didn't have a chance to read much of it, and, finding the first couple pages dull, didn't read any further. Later, a co-worker of mine who was a huge Pratchett fan and had read every one of the Discworld books continued to rave about him. Later still, I decided to give the book another chance and read it. It was funny, but not great. | + | I first picked this book up because my girlfriend at the time bought it. She was a huge fan of ''[[Good Omens]]'' and wanted to read more books by Pratchett. I didn't have a chance to read much of it, and, finding the first couple pages dull, didn't read any further. Later, a co-worker of mine who was a huge Pratchett fan and had read every one of the Discworld books continued to rave about him. Later still, I decided to give the book another chance and read it. It was funny, but not great. |
==Status== | ==Status== | ||
Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
==Review== | ==Review== | ||
+ | {{Spoilers}} | ||
+ | |||
===Good=== | ===Good=== | ||
− | * Overall, the book is | + | * Overall, the book is funny. There are a lot of small jokes, ironic jokes, plays on tropes, etc. I chortled many times. Pratchett makes some hilarious descriptions. |
* Basing the world on real-life myths is a staple of fiction, but using the most ridiculous myths, like that the earth is supported by four giant elephants riding a huge turtle, was genius! | * Basing the world on real-life myths is a staple of fiction, but using the most ridiculous myths, like that the earth is supported by four giant elephants riding a huge turtle, was genius! | ||
* The way Pratchett bases magic on scientific principles is pretty cool. | * The way Pratchett bases magic on scientific principles is pretty cool. | ||
− | * The description of the Temple of Bel-Shamharoth, talking about all objects based around nine minus one and the square root of 64 was funny. | + | * The description of the Temple of Bel-Shamharoth, talking about all objects based around nine minus one and the square root of 64 was funny because it so clearly jabs at the stupid taboos of religions. |
* Death is a hilarious character. | * Death is a hilarious character. | ||
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Color of Magic - UK - Paperback.jpg|The UK paperback is a less-cluttered version of the original art. I still don't care for the art, but I like the layout more. | Color of Magic - UK - Paperback.jpg|The UK paperback is a less-cluttered version of the original art. I still don't care for the art, but I like the layout more. | ||
Color of Magic - UK - Hard Cover - Special Edition.jpg|The UK special edition. Quite boring, really. | Color of Magic - UK - Hard Cover - Special Edition.jpg|The UK special edition. Quite boring, really. | ||
− | Color of Magic - USA - Hard Cover.jpg|I think this is the US hard cover. | + | Color of Magic - USA - Hard Cover.jpg|I think this is the US hard cover. The psychedelic art nicely depicts the turtle, elephants, and flat Discworld, with what appears to be, an octarine lens flare. |
Color of Magic - USA - Paperback.jpg|The North American paperback cover is graphically pleasant, but an awful representation of the book. The modern suitcase does not fit at all. | Color of Magic - USA - Paperback.jpg|The North American paperback cover is graphically pleasant, but an awful representation of the book. The modern suitcase does not fit at all. | ||
− | Color of Magic - USA - Mass 2.jpg|An earlier US mass market cover. It depicts the imaginary dragon escape scene. Nice color usage, but the dragon looks goofy. | + | Color of Magic - USA - Mass 2.jpg|An earlier US mass market cover. It depicts the imaginary dragon escape scene. Nice color usage, but the dragon looks goofy and the characters look too silly. |
Color of Magic - USA - Mass.jpg|The US mass market cover is just as bad, although, I like the Discworld stickers on the suitcase. | Color of Magic - USA - Mass.jpg|The US mass market cover is just as bad, although, I like the Discworld stickers on the suitcase. | ||
− | Color of Magic - Unknown.jpg|Unknown region, appears to be US, but uses UK spelling. This is my favorite cover. It plays on Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, but uses a turtle and four elephants. | + | Color of Magic - Unknown.jpg|Unknown region, appears to be US, but uses UK spelling. This is my favorite cover. It plays on [[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s [[Vitruvian Man]], but uses a turtle and four elephants. |
Color of Magic - Unknown 2.jpg|Unknown region. The characters and luggage are fitting. And although the woodblock art is quite skilled, I don't like the style for a book cover. | Color of Magic - Unknown 2.jpg|Unknown region. The characters and luggage are fitting. And although the woodblock art is quite skilled, I don't like the style for a book cover. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
− | + | {{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Colour_of_Magic}} | |
+ | {{Link|GoodReads|https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34497.The_Color_of_Magic}} | ||
[[Category: Books|Colour of Magic, The]] | [[Category: Books|Colour of Magic, The]] | ||
[[Category: Fiction|Colour of Magic, The]] | [[Category: Fiction|Colour of Magic, The]] | ||
− | [[Category: Comedy|Colour of Magic, The]] | + | [[Category: Media Theme - Fantasy|Colour of Magic, The]] |
+ | [[Category: Media Theme - Comedy|Colour of Magic, The]] | ||
[[Category: Books I've Read|Colour of Magic, The]] | [[Category: Books I've Read|Colour of Magic, The]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Overrated|Colour of Magic, The]] |
Revision as of 13:57, 11 November 2019
The Color of Magic, spelled The Colour of Magic in the UK, is a comedic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett and the first book in the Discworld series, published in 1983.
I first picked this book up because my girlfriend at the time bought it. She was a huge fan of Good Omens and wanted to read more books by Pratchett. I didn't have a chance to read much of it, and, finding the first couple pages dull, didn't read any further. Later, a co-worker of mine who was a huge Pratchett fan and had read every one of the Discworld books continued to rave about him. Later still, I decided to give the book another chance and read it. It was funny, but not great.
Status
I do not own this book, but have listened to an audio book recording.
Review
— This section contains spoilers! —
Good
- Overall, the book is funny. There are a lot of small jokes, ironic jokes, plays on tropes, etc. I chortled many times. Pratchett makes some hilarious descriptions.
- Basing the world on real-life myths is a staple of fiction, but using the most ridiculous myths, like that the earth is supported by four giant elephants riding a huge turtle, was genius!
- The way Pratchett bases magic on scientific principles is pretty cool.
- The description of the Temple of Bel-Shamharoth, talking about all objects based around nine minus one and the square root of 64 was funny because it so clearly jabs at the stupid taboos of religions.
- Death is a hilarious character.
Bad
- I don't care much for childish silly humor, and there was a fair amount of it with Twoflower and his trunk.
- The book becomes rather hard to follow in the later portion when the characters are jumping between dimensions and the time line gets jumbled up.
- If sapient pearwood is nearly extinct, entirely magic proof, and extremely valuable, how does a middle-class wizard like Twoflower have a trunk made out of it?
- I didn't care much for the ending which leaves a lot of loose ends.
Ugly
- Nothing
Cover Art
Unknown region, appears to be US, but uses UK spelling. This is my favorite cover. It plays on Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, but uses a turtle and four elephants.