Pratchett, Terry ; The Colour of Magic (Discworld #1), Informal Buddy Read, Start Date 7 November 2015

[Brianna]

I'm halfway through Part 1. I'm super confused, although amused at some parts

[Jen]

I know I said that LOL lines were too numerous to share, but I'm in Part 2 now and want to share the first such, from pages 88-89 of the edition I'm reading: "Twoflower was a tourist, the first ever seen on the Discworld. Tourist, Rincewind had decided, meant 'idiot.'" lol!!! :-)

Edit/Update: This is the edition I'm reading:

[Jen]

Brianna wrote: "I'm halfway through Part 1. I'm super confused, although amused at some parts"

I finally gave up on understanding everything partway through Part 1 (and fairly early, too, as I recall). I kept my sanity that way. ;-)

I've found that this story is highly amusing - hilarious even - even if you don't understand all of it. I'm really loving it. :-)

[Suzanne]

I wish my suitcase would walk on its own! Very handy.

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: "I wish my suitcase would walk on its own! Very handy."

Me too! I really love Twoflower's Luggage. I especially like how it (view spoiler)[snaps at unauthorized people trying to get into it (hide spoiler)]. :-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Absolutely! The Luggage is a very cool take on the usual animal/pet sidekick :)

[Jen]

Just finished Part 2 and am now noticing that it's after 3a here. So no more reading for me "today," as I now understand why I am getting a headache. But I love this book!

I don't understand the role the gods played in recent events ("recent events" meaning Part 2). (Their (view spoiler)[board game dictated the lives of Rincewind, et.al.? (hide spoiler)]) But still... I love this book! :-)

[Jen]

I'm more than halfway through Part 3 now, as I wasn't in a position to share the LOL quote I found on page 138, soon after the beginning of Part 3. Here are the lines:

Rincewind (view spoiler)[sighed. He had been dreading this.
"We've strayed into a zone with a high magical index," he said. "Don't ask me how. Once upon a time a really powerful magic field must have been generated here, and we're feeling the aftereffects."
"Precisely," said a passing bush. (hide spoiler)]

LOL!!!

[Jen]

I think I've read and reread this line at least five times now. And I've laughed all five times. lol!!! :-)

"Rincewind (view spoiler)[tried to force the memory out of his mind, but it was rather enjoying itself there, terrorizing the other occupants and kicking over the furniture." (hide spoiler)] :-)

(Quote is from page 190 of this edition, roughly 11 pages from the end of Part 3.)

[Suzanne]

Thanks for sharing those quotes Jen - they are both so funny! Its fun having a group reading this so that we can share the smiles!

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: "Thanks for sharing those quotes Jen - they are both so funny! Its fun having a group reading this so that we can share the smiles!"

I agree! I love sharing quotes that make me smile/laugh. And I especially love it when the quotes I share make others smile/laugh. :-)

[Jen]

Well...THAT was confusing. I think Rincewind (view spoiler)[and Twoflower were falling from a great height. Then they fell into an alternate universe? And then returned to falling, but now they're above the sea? (hide spoiler)] Anyway...That's it for Part 3. :-)

[Jen]

I think I might have just read my first LOL quote for Part 4:

"We (view spoiler)[know all about you, Rincewind the magician. You are a man of great cunning and artifice. You laugh in the face of Death. Your affected air of craven cowardice does not fool me."
It fooled Rincewind. (hide spoiler)]

lol! :-)

[Jen]

How can it end there?! Why isn't the next book ready to be checked out at my library? :'(

In any event, I loved this book. I think I'm going to have to start buying this series. ;-)

I'll be back to share my review once I've written it...later.

[Suzanne]

Good job finishing! Interesting - I thought they were all fairly self-contained. But it sure is an interesting world!

I have the ones I don't own on my wishlist on Amazon - they seem to go on sale occasionally, which is nice. I've heard the audio versions are really good too! But the library price is the very best :)

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: "Good job finishing! Interesting - I thought they were all fairly self-contained. But it sure is an interesting world!

I have the ones I don't own on my wishlist on Amazon - they seem to go on sale..."

Someone somewhere told me that almost all of the Discworld books ARE self-contained, but that the first two go together. So I hope to get a turn with The Light Fantastic (sequel to The Color of Magic) from my library soon.

And I agree that the library "price" is the very best. I just wish they bought enough so that there would always be a copy for me to check out. ;-)

[Suzanne]

It sounds like I'd better plan on reading book 2 soon! I'm certainly enjoying this one, although I still have quite a way to go. I'm thinking about all of the times I've been a tourist and all of my naive wanting to see everything. I suspect I'm more like Twoflower than I'd like to admit.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

I've also heard that the first two books 'go together', but the rest can be read on their own :)

Jen, you are such a fast reader! I'm only at abut 35% and the baby isn't sleeping today so I'm focusing on my audiobooks instead. I hope to comment soon :)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Having already read some of 'The Watch' books in this series, I *loved* this from Part 2:
"The Watch were always careful not to intervene too soon in any brawl where the odds were not heavily stacked in their favour. The job carried a pension, and attracted a cautious, thoughful kind of man"

lol. just what you want from law enforcement ;)

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: " I'm thinking about all of the times I've been a tourist and all of my naive wanting to see everything. I suspect I'm more like Twoflower than I'd like to admit. "

lol! I am always astonished when I think back over the time I spent in Russia when I was 20/21, and the things I did/got away with that I would NEVER do now that I'm over 30, lol! :-)

(And I'm actually now over 40, but I've had the thought that "I'd never do that nowadays!" for years, lol.)

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "Jen, you are such a fast reader! I'm only at abut 35% and the baby isn't sleeping today so I'm focusing on my audiobooks instead. I hope to comment soon :) "

Oh, lol. You think so? I don't feel like a fast reader. Used to be, I could have knocked out this book inside one day (as in, start and finish it within six or so hours on, say, the 7th). Nowadays, it most commonly takes me a full 24 hours or more to read one 300 page book. Of course, Goodreads and my puppy weren't in my life back when I could read a book a day. So maybe I still do read fast? lol

In any event... Thanks! And I hope you get some time to read this book soon. It's really fun. :-)

[Brianna]

@Jen I took your advice and tried not to understand every single thing and I also went back and read the foreword (which a friend recommended I do) and oh my goodness it helped! Reading the foreword really helps as the author mentions that he really doesn't know how to explain some of the things himself lol.

[Emily]

Just can back to check how you all are liking it :)

I think the Luggage is one of my favorite things in the entire Discworld series!
And Twoflower! I absolutely love the part where (view spoiler)[he's trying to describe insurance! (hide spoiler)]

It is a different kind of fantasy where not everything always makes perfect sense (although from what I remember, the first books are worse in this aspect than later ones). I second Jen's advice to just enjoy the ride.
But my understanding was that (view spoiler)[the gods are playing a game in which Rincewind and Twoflower are two of the "pieces" (belonging to Lady Luck if I remember correctly) and the board is just the world. They come up against obstacles/characters that are the other gods' "pieces". The gods also occasionally manipulate events, so like when Rincewind and Twoflower are falling and get transported to somewhere else, I think that was Lady Luck moving them on the "board" both to save them and for her own ends in the "game". (hide spoiler)]
Hope that explanation makes a little sense and helps more than it hurts ;) It's definitely not straightforward- you have to think a little sideways to understand Pratchett. He had the most unique mind and way of thinking, which is one of the reasons I love immersing myself in the world he created!

[Suzanne]

Thanks for the insight Emily!

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: "But my understanding was that (view spoiler)..."

I understood it that way, too. I figured it out in Part 2, after that (view spoiler)[tentacled horror attacked Rincewind, Twoflower, and Hrun in the Temple of Bel-Shamharoth. That was clearly the game piece that The Lady was surprised to see that Fate still had. (hide spoiler)] :-)

[Jen]

Brianna wrote: "@Jen I took your advice and tried not to understand every single thing and I also went back and read the foreword (which a friend recommended I do) and oh my goodness it helped! Reading the forewor..."

I'm glad that what I said was helpful! :-)

I too loved the Foreword. (I read it first thing. I always do, unless they're super long and by people other than the author, as with some classic works. Then I just skim them, lol) I'm one of those readers who reads, or at least looks carefully at, every single page in a book. ;-)

[Suzanne]

“Sometimes I think a man could wander across the disc all his life and not see everything there is to see,' said Twoflower. 'And now it seems there are lots of other worlds as well. When I think I might die without seeing a hundredth of all there is to see it makes me feel,' he paused, then added, 'well, humble, I suppose. And very angry, of course.”

My thoughts exactly. It was really a fun book, especially when I just let go and didn't try to understand everything that was going on. Its always nice to have a happy book that makes me laugh AND makes me think.

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: "“Sometimes I think a man could wander across the disc all his life and not see everything there is to see,' said Twoflower. 'And now it seems there are lots of other worlds as well. When I think I ..."

I loved that quote, too, for the same reason. I feel sad, though, and not angry when I think about all the things there are to see in the world, and how I won't have the time or money to see them all.

[Emily]

Jen wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "“Sometimes I think a man could wander across the disc all his life and not see everything there is to see,' said Twoflower. 'And now it seems there are lots of other worlds as well...."

I definitley feel that way about all there is to see in the world, but also about all the books there are to read and all the amazing ones I will never have the time to discover and read!

[Jen]

I decided this book was a five-star read for me, after all the gushing I did in my review. lol ;-)

Emily, I agree with you. Sooo many books, too little time. :'(

lol!

[Suzanne]

Great review Jen! I love that you included so much of the fun stuff in the book.

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: "Great review Jen! I love that you included so much of the fun stuff in the book."

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)

[Emily]

Glad you guys enjoyed it! And in my opinion, the series just gets better from there!

You're right Jen, that cover doesn't really make sense. I certainly imagine the luggage as like a big pirates' chest with a curved lid.

[[deleted user]]

These covers show the luggage:



That other cover is nothing like the luggage. Boo to the designers. I think Josh Kirby's covers are the best.

[Jen]

Pigletto wrote: "These covers show the luggage:



That other cover is nothing like the luggage. Boo to the designers. I think Josh Kir..."

This one is exactly how I imagined the Luggage!



Thanks, Pigletto! :-)

[Jen]

Emily wrote: "Glad you guys enjoyed it! And in my opinion, the series just gets better from there!

You're right Jen, that cover doesn't really make sense. I certainly imagine the luggage as like a big pirates' ..."

I have book two, The Light Fantastic, on hold at my library. Now that I've finally read a Discworld book, I'm super eager to read more! :-)

[Suzanne]

Oh I agree - that looks a lot more like the correct luggage. I kept kind of seeing the Harry Potter "monster" book as a suitcase in my mind.

[Jen]

Suzanne wrote: "Oh I agree - that looks a lot more like the correct luggage. I kept kind of seeing the Harry Potter "monster" book as a suitcase in my mind."

Interesting imagery! :-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Pigletto wrote: "These covers show the luggage:



That other cover is nothing like the luggage. Boo to the designers. I think Josh Kir..."

oh thanks for posting! I didn't quite have the chest like lid in my mind

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

I just finished part 5

Greicha: "I resolved to remain alive in an unofficial capacity, which of course annoys them immensly"
lol

I forgot to mention earlier that I really enjoyed the introduction of Death and the CAPITALS. Great technique there for the books

I'm hoping to finish this one today so I can start our BOM

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Thread set up for book 2 for anyone that wants to read it ; for when you are ready

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "I just finished part 5

Greicha: "I resolved to remain alive in an unofficial capacity, which of course annoys them immensly"
lol

I forgot to mention earlier that I really enjoyed the introduction..."

Part 5?! I only had four parts in the edition I read! Which edition are you reading, Karen?

[Jen]

Moderators of NBRC wrote: "Thread set up for book 2 for anyone that wants to read it ; for when you are ready

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."

Thank you! I'm glad to see that we have a thread to continue the series. I'll be sure to visit it once I have the book. :-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Jen wrote: "Part 5?! I only had four parts in the edition I read! Which edition are you reading, Karen? ..."

Its a kindle version. It actually has 7 parts in total!

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "Jen wrote: "Part 5?! I only had four parts in the edition I read! Which edition are you reading, Karen? ..."

Its a kindle version. It actually has 7 parts in total!"

Wow. I didn't even have a character named Greicha in the edition I read, I don't think.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

oh sorry, actually 8 parts!
He was the dead wizard they met ; his daughter Liessa poisoned him

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Finished!

Final thoughts:
Having already read a few Discworld novels, I decided it was time to go back to the beginning.
I really enjoyed the introduction to the world and characters like Death and descriptions of The Watch which all play larger parts in later books.
The book is also incredibly funny ; it is at times a little confusing, but you're just best to go with the flow and know that eventually it will all come together :)

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "oh sorry, actually 8 parts!
He was the dead wizard they met ; his daughter Liessa poisoned him"

Oh! I remember him now. And I found that quote you shared. It's in Part 3 of the edition that I read, on page 175. :-)

Sounds like your edition may have halved the four parts, if that quote was in Part 5 for you. So hopefully you didn't get any bonus scenes that I missed! :-)

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "I really enjoyed the introduction to the world and characters like Death and descriptions of The Watch which all play larger parts in later books...."

I'm definitely going to have to buy this book, because my memory of the Watch scenes is very sketchy. I anticipate a great need for reading this book again and again! :-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Ah, probably the same book just sectioned differently. I find it happens between regions which can be annoying for BOMs when I'm doing chapter breakdowns!!

And The Watch references were very minor at the start. I particularly noticed them because I really like those books :)