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The Light Fantastic
(Discworld #2)
by
'What shall we do?' said Twoflower.
'Panic?' said Rincewind hopefully. He always held that panic was the best means of survival.
As it moves towards a seemingly inevitable collision with a malevolent red star, the Discworld could do with a hero. What it doesn’t need is a singularly inept and cowardly wizard, still recovering from the trauma of falling off the edge of the ...more
'Panic?' said Rincewind hopefully. He always held that panic was the best means of survival.
As it moves towards a seemingly inevitable collision with a malevolent red star, the Discworld could do with a hero. What it doesn’t need is a singularly inept and cowardly wizard, still recovering from the trauma of falling off the edge of the ...more
Kindle Edition, 293 pages
Published
November 24th 2009
by Transworld Digital
(first published June 2nd 1986)
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Community Reviews
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Start your review of The Light Fantastic (Discworld, #2)

Reading Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series makes me smile. Because of his writing I invented the "Smile-O-meter" which measures smiles per book. Pratchett always scores high.
Three years after Terry Pratchett published The Color of Magic, the first Discworld book, he published the second, The Light Fantastic, having decided convincingly that this was a worthwhile project.
Though the action in The Light Fantastic takes over immediately following the events in the first book, Rincewind has ...more
Three years after Terry Pratchett published The Color of Magic, the first Discworld book, he published the second, The Light Fantastic, having decided convincingly that this was a worthwhile project.
Though the action in The Light Fantastic takes over immediately following the events in the first book, Rincewind has ...more

Review to follow tomorrow, but tell me why have I waited so long to re-read the Discworld books.
And the honest answer is, well for a while I didn't have a copy of any Discworld novel, due to the fact that (as I think I've mentioned before (oh no am I getting so old I'm repeating myself ?) ) I lost so so so many books in one of my house moves, Discworld novels amongst them. And then somehow I forgot just how good the books were.
So The Light Fantastic picks up where The Colour of Magic left off ...more
And the honest answer is, well for a while I didn't have a copy of any Discworld novel, due to the fact that (as I think I've mentioned before (oh no am I getting so old I'm repeating myself ?) ) I lost so so so many books in one of my house moves, Discworld novels amongst them. And then somehow I forgot just how good the books were.
So The Light Fantastic picks up where The Colour of Magic left off ...more

Mar 26, 2013
Bradley
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2017-shelf,
fantasy
Re-read with buddies!
I'm still very much enjoying these early Pratchett books, especially in mind that I'll be seeing a *lot* more of these folks in the near future. And even if I'll mainly be focused on folks I haven't seen yet, anyway, I'm still enjoying what may as well be an overview primer of the whole Discworld universe.
That being said, I think Rincewind is given a bad rap in the series. I love the hell out of him. He's the ultimate bumbling idiot under the geas of a penultimate Eighth ...more
I'm still very much enjoying these early Pratchett books, especially in mind that I'll be seeing a *lot* more of these folks in the near future. And even if I'll mainly be focused on folks I haven't seen yet, anyway, I'm still enjoying what may as well be an overview primer of the whole Discworld universe.
That being said, I think Rincewind is given a bad rap in the series. I love the hell out of him. He's the ultimate bumbling idiot under the geas of a penultimate Eighth ...more

I adore Terry Pratchett. I don't know how to elaborate on that so I'll just share some of my favorite moments in Light Fantastic.
Snarky social commentary:
Snarky social commentary:
She is there, down below the mines and sea ooze and fake fossil bones put there by a Creator with nothing better to do than upset archaeologists and give them silly ideas.
Not for the first time she reflected that there were many drawbacks to being a swordswoman, not the least of which was that men didn't take you seriously until you'd...more

Put two of my favourite Discworld characters,the Luggage and Death, into the same book and I am obviously going to be happy! This was a reread of this book which I read the first time many years ago. Pratchett obviously improved his writing as the series progressed and his books became more sophisticated, but these early works are still a delight. I love the humour, the characters, the story and the sheer imagination of the man.
The world is poorer without him but thank goodness he left us so ...more
The world is poorer without him but thank goodness he left us so ...more

"Inside every sane person, there's a madman struggling to get out. That's what I've always thought. No one goes mad quicker than a totally sane person."
The second installment in the Discworld series is a bigger, funnier delight. One heck of a Laugh Out Loud read.
Something I consider very special in Sir Terry Pratchett's works is that many authors can pull off a joke every once in a while in their stories but Mr Pratchett managed to keep the whole thing comical, while at the time satirical. Not ...more
The second installment in the Discworld series is a bigger, funnier delight. One heck of a Laugh Out Loud read.
Something I consider very special in Sir Terry Pratchett's works is that many authors can pull off a joke every once in a while in their stories but Mr Pratchett managed to keep the whole thing comical, while at the time satirical. Not ...more

"You still love Terry Pratchett, after all these years?"
"Always."
- Gandalf, Return of the Jedi.
Jokes aside, my teen years were marked by edginess, heavy metal, nihilism and Terry Pratchett. I think the latter was never a phase; he is an author that will always be in my heart and in my head, providing bellyache-inducing laughs whenever Death has an identity crisis (which is always) or when Nanny Ogg is trying to explain to her seemingly infinite children who their real fathers are(and lying ...more
"Always."
- Gandalf, Return of the Jedi.
Jokes aside, my teen years were marked by edginess, heavy metal, nihilism and Terry Pratchett. I think the latter was never a phase; he is an author that will always be in my heart and in my head, providing bellyache-inducing laughs whenever Death has an identity crisis (which is always) or when Nanny Ogg is trying to explain to her seemingly infinite children who their real fathers are(and lying ...more

3.5 stars (yes, I actually liked the first one a bit better)
"The important thing about having lots of things to remember is that you've got to go somewhere afterward where you can remember them, you see? You've got to stop. You haven't really been anywhere until you've got back home."
Thus, this second book in the Discworld series is about the continued adventure of Twoflower, the very first tourist, and Rincewind, the failed wiz(z)ard with only one spell in his head.
We get to know more about ...more
"The important thing about having lots of things to remember is that you've got to go somewhere afterward where you can remember them, you see? You've got to stop. You haven't really been anywhere until you've got back home."
Thus, this second book in the Discworld series is about the continued adventure of Twoflower, the very first tourist, and Rincewind, the failed wiz(z)ard with only one spell in his head.
We get to know more about ...more

I'm pretty sure people have told me about Pratchett and his Diskworld series before, usually working in the phrase "He's the Douglas Adams of fantasy" into the description. But the problem was that I always felt that I had had enough of Adams after the third Hithiker's Guide to the Galaxy book, and whenever I scanned Pratchett's section in the bookstore I was immediately put off by not knowing where to start reading among the approximately five hundred thousand Diskworld books. I'm glad I
...more

This book was every bit as fun as the last- maybe more so. Since this is number two in series order, I am getting a feel for where the author was at the point in time it was written. The character development seems more vivid. Rincewind, the Luggage, the Druid sacrifice girl, and the over the hill barbarian fighter are characters that will live with me long after this series is done.
This story has more of a quest feel to it than the last one did. It definitely builds to a strong climax. In order ...more
This story has more of a quest feel to it than the last one did. It definitely builds to a strong climax. In order ...more

Executive Summary: I enjoyed this one a lot more than The Color of Magic, and it made me glad I read that book first rather than starting with one of the later in the series.
Full Review
A moment of silence for the passing of a great man.
It's a shame it took the passing of Terry Pratchett for me to give this series a second chance. I've had numerous people tell me how much I'd like it. It was recommended again to me when I said I was in a funk and wanted something light and fun just a few days ...more
Full Review
A moment of silence for the passing of a great man.
It's a shame it took the passing of Terry Pratchett for me to give this series a second chance. I've had numerous people tell me how much I'd like it. It was recommended again to me when I said I was in a funk and wanted something light and fun just a few days ...more

The story picks up where the first one left off, with Rincewind, Twoflower and the Luggage in dire peril. They're mysteriously saved and plonked down in the middle of a magical forest. Meanwhile an ominous red star has appeared in the sky of the disk and it appears to be growing each night. The Wizards of Unseen University want to read the Octavo to save the Disc, but Rincewind still has one of the Eight spells stuck in his head, so the hunt for the wizard is on.
I have no idea how many times ...more
I have no idea how many times ...more

Laurel and Hardy. Riggs and Murtaugh. Oscar and Felix. And continuing the grand tradition, the Discworld's own Rincewind and Twoflower. This time the story centers around the Octavo and the 8th spell lodged in Rincewind's head as Discworld plunges towards a fiery red star that may spell doom for the entire planet. Lovecraftian influences are prominent in the early and late goings, although most of the book is a lighthearted slapstick parody of the fantasy genre. The story often appears
...more

So, that's how Rincewind ended up with the Luggage! Right,.....
I have been wondering about this for years. Now I know.
There is no doubt that Terry Pratchett was a master at snarky humor and fantastic world building. No doubt at all. Yet, it takes me forever to get through some his books because his adventures often end up going off in tangents...and I'm not drawn into the Discworld universe enough to necessarily want to follow those side-stories that may or may not become relevant in a later ...more
I have been wondering about this for years. Now I know.
There is no doubt that Terry Pratchett was a master at snarky humor and fantastic world building. No doubt at all. Yet, it takes me forever to get through some his books because his adventures often end up going off in tangents...and I'm not drawn into the Discworld universe enough to necessarily want to follow those side-stories that may or may not become relevant in a later ...more

I liked this one even more than the first book of the series! I thought it was hilarious, and I found the storyline easier to follow.
There were a couple times where I was a bit confused, but I really enjoyed it and thought it was funny and exciting, with a thrilling ending.
There were a couple times where I was a bit confused, but I really enjoyed it and thought it was funny and exciting, with a thrilling ending.

This is not for me anymore. 15 years ago I read the first handful of Discworld books and liked them well enough. But even then this type of comedic writing wasn't really my cup of tea. Now it definitely isn't. Too little plot, too absurd. I laughed a few times, but the story did not engage me much.
My favourite scene was Death learning how how to play Bridge. The druids were fun. And the bits with the trolls. Cohen was a great character.
The idea behind the Discworld is a great one and I heard ...more
My favourite scene was Death learning how how to play Bridge. The druids were fun. And the bits with the trolls. Cohen was a great character.
The idea behind the Discworld is a great one and I heard ...more

1.5 to a very grudging 2 stars. Mostly slogged and skimmed my way through this second Discworld installment. Did not smile, chuckle or laugh at anything, found everyone tedious, with the exception of Twoflower and Luggage; I am inordinately fond of Luggage, who remains the standout for me(view spoiler) . I was not fond of any other characters or anything else in the story. Which was far, far,
...more

Video review
Featured in my Top 20 Books I Read in 2017
So good it's unfair - there's a joke every three words and it's still thrilling, and occasionally heartbreaking. Surprinsingly better than The Colour of Magic.
Featured in my Top 20 Books I Read in 2017
So good it's unfair - there's a joke every three words and it's still thrilling, and occasionally heartbreaking. Surprinsingly better than The Colour of Magic.




I enjoyed this more than the first book (eve though I do like that one), the pacing was better and the characters more "there" and comfortable in their own skins.
It seems/feels to me Mr. Pratchett hit his stride and had more fun writing this one (I could be wrong)... We get to see more of Rincewind's personality in here and he comes into his own some more.
Twoflower, gotta love him :)
Cohen and Bethan were fun to know, wish they would have had a bigger part though. Cohen was pretty spry for his ...more

Feb 02, 2015
Celise
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy-adult,
owned-read
The important thing about having lots of things to remember is that you've got to go somewhere afterwards where you can remember them, you see? You've got to stop. You haven't really been anywhere until you've got back home."
The Discworld is a Disc sitting on the backs of four elephants, standing on the shell of a giant turtle that is slowly swimming it's way through Space...
And as befits a world so ridiculous, it is filled with an array of equally ridiculous and loveable characters, ...more
The Discworld is a Disc sitting on the backs of four elephants, standing on the shell of a giant turtle that is slowly swimming it's way through Space...
And as befits a world so ridiculous, it is filled with an array of equally ridiculous and loveable characters, ...more

Dec 04, 2009
Mike (the Paladin)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy
If you read The Color of Magic, you most probably got this book as the the one preceding it (the aforementioned The Color of Magic) ended with Rincewind falling off the edge of the Discworld.... talk about a "cliff-hanger ending". In this one we'll go from there to what could be the end of the Discworld itself and possibly, well everything else. It all depends on Rincewind....scary thought that.
"Synopsisizers" (I believe I just made that word up, so bear with me, please) anyway, "the people who ...more
"Synopsisizers" (I believe I just made that word up, so bear with me, please) anyway, "the people who ...more

Feb 06, 2009
Manny
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
well-i-think-its-funny
Several of the other reviewers have singled out for special praise the Xena parody with the more appropriately dressed warrior princess. She was indeed very fine, but my personal favorite was the bit where the Stonehenge-type astronomical ritual unexpectedly develops a glitch. "Looks like software incompatibility!" says the know-it-all Neolithic geek. "The Spiral Chant doesn't work on concentric circles!"
And, while we're on rocks, I also loved the trolls, harking back to their glory days in ...more
And, while we're on rocks, I also loved the trolls, harking back to their glory days in ...more

Oct 27, 2014
Barry Pierce
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2014,
20th-century
This is reminded me of just how great Terry Pratchett is. His writing and humour is just fabulous and his characters are brilliant. However the plot of this novel is quite reminiscent of a wet tea towel. It doesn't hold a flame to The Colour of Magic and I'm quite glad that Pratchett gave up on the idea of doing sequels after this novel. It's overall very meh with a sprinkling of ugh.

Unseen University but not as you know it.
With my awful and dreaded exercise regime continuing so too does my revisit to the early works of the Discworld thanks to the readings of Nigel Planer.
Rincewind, last seen falling off of the disc has been saved from certain death once more thanks to spoilers that won't be mentioned and now must save the disc from a fiery death and evil wizards.
The problem with going back to these early novels is that things arenlt as you remember them. It's like an ...more
With my awful and dreaded exercise regime continuing so too does my revisit to the early works of the Discworld thanks to the readings of Nigel Planer.
Rincewind, last seen falling off of the disc has been saved from certain death once more thanks to spoilers that won't be mentioned and now must save the disc from a fiery death and evil wizards.
The problem with going back to these early novels is that things arenlt as you remember them. It's like an ...more

I didn't really care for The Colour of Magic. So I wasn't sure what to expect from The Light Fantastic, but I figured either it would be more of the same, or slightly better. And thankfully, it was slightly better. There was a plot! (Of sorts.) And a single storyline! (Mostly.) And humor! (I lol'ed once.)
All are things that Colour didn't have - at least not in my opinion. But I can't say that I loved Light. I'm thinking that it might just be me, though. I like humor, and I even like bizarre ...more
All are things that Colour didn't have - at least not in my opinion. But I can't say that I loved Light. I'm thinking that it might just be me, though. I like humor, and I even like bizarre ...more

Feb 25, 2018
Anuradha
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who like satire. a lot.
I didn't think it could get better than the first one, but oh, it got monumentally better so. Pro tip: you're going to have to read the second one right after the first, because it really won't make sense otherwise. Full RTC.

Terry Prarchett is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Not only are the stories rich, funny, and enjoyable, but the format of the storytelling itself adds a whole separate dimension to the books. Pratchett clearly has an incredible understanding of, and love affair with, the English language, and that makes me not want to put these books down.
From spending two pages arguing with the reader about why the female barbarian does not wear impractical sexy barbarian clothes, to subtle word ...more
From spending two pages arguing with the reader about why the female barbarian does not wear impractical sexy barbarian clothes, to subtle word ...more

I loved the Discworld books as a young fella, and returning to them now has been an absolute delight.
The Light Fantastic begins with Rincewind the failed wizard, Twoflower the tourist, and Luggage the luggage falling off the disc. As Rincewind has a very powerful spell in his head, the universe reconfigures itself so that he doesn't die.
Now, if you have no idea what the Disc is, it's a world where many of Terry Pratchett's adventure's take part on. It happens to be disc-shaped, resting on the ...more
The Light Fantastic begins with Rincewind the failed wizard, Twoflower the tourist, and Luggage the luggage falling off the disc. As Rincewind has a very powerful spell in his head, the universe reconfigures itself so that he doesn't die.
Now, if you have no idea what the Disc is, it's a world where many of Terry Pratchett's adventure's take part on. It happens to be disc-shaped, resting on the ...more

Although I liked the first book very much, there was no real plot to it. I enjoyed the first book but I didn't know where it was going.
Now, we finally know why what happened with one spell and Rincewind happened. Also we see real character development for Rincewind. Very cool!
The new character, Cohen, is amazing and funny. I enjoyed reading his bits.
I am trapped by Prattchet. Getting the third book now!
Now, we finally know why what happened with one spell and Rincewind happened. Also we see real character development for Rincewind. Very cool!
The new character, Cohen, is amazing and funny. I enjoyed reading his bits.
I am trapped by Prattchet. Getting the third book now!
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Around the Year i...: The Light Fantastic, by Terry Pratchett | 1 | 13 | Oct 22, 2017 09:28PM | |
Nothing But Readi...: Pratchett, Terry ; The Light Fantastic (Discworld #2), Informal Buddy Read, Start Date TBC 2015 | 19 | 165 | Dec 30, 2015 02:08PM | |
Discworld Publica...: The Light Fantastic: End of Book Discussion | 5 | 25 | Nov 25, 2015 08:09PM |
Born Terence David John Pratchett, Sir Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was thirteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe.
Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, ...more
Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, ...more
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Discworld
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“Inside every sane person there's a madman struggling to get out," said the shopkeeper. "That's what I've always thought. No one goes mad quicker than a totally sane person.”
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