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Title: Sourcery |
Review of Sourcery
When last seen, the singularly inept wizard Rincewind had fallen off the edge of the world. Now magically, he's turned up again, and this time he's brought the Luggage.
But that's not all....
Once upon a time, there was an eighth son of an eighth son who was, of course, a wizard. As if that wasn't complicated enough, said wizard then had seven sons. And then he had an eighth son -- a wizard squared (that's all the math, really). Who of course, was a source of magic -- a sorcerer.
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Comments for Sourcery
- Posted on 2008-02-16
First class fun!
Terry Pratchett has created Discworld series that are so enticing you cannot put the book down! There are laughs every page where he is making fun of us too!
Score: 5
- Posted on 2008-02-11
Within Pratchett's Hilarious Cynicism Lo and Behold He's an Optomist
Although it was published separately, I finally got to read Sourcery
(the spelling made it a bit hard to find this book on the web) in the collected
volume from the Science Fiction Bookclub, Rincewind The Wizard. The
anthology also contains the first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic,
followed by The Light Fantastic and finishes with Eric. In
comparing Sourcery with the first two novels, it is clear that Pratchett
had at this point moved from just a clever joke to using it as a series for
pointed criticism. It turns out that wizards are forbidden to marry in the
Discworld since if they do there is a chance that their eighth son of an eighth
son might be a person of incredible magical power, a sorcerer. That is what
occurs here, but worst of all, the father of the boy sorcerer escapes Death's
scythe by endowing the boy's staff with his essence. He then begins to use the
boy, whose name is Coin, as a tool for his own revenge. And Death can't get at
the twisted spirit without killing the boy--and Death tries very hard to follow
the rules in Terry Pratchett's world. Magic wars begin and suddenly the
Discworld is being filled with wizard towers from which massively destructive
bolts of magic are being spewed. One can only think of nuclear silos in our own
world. I think though what really strikes me about this novel is that in here I
begin to see characters, who are a favorite of Pratchett, characters who--in
spite of themselves--are deep down good. This is one reason why I am so pleased
that my son Andy loves Terry Pratchett. Rincewind is a proud coward who is
constantly described as a being probably a descendent of some bit of rodent
since he is exceptionally good at scuttling away from danger. Yet when in this
novel it really comes to the push, there is a stubborn part of him that will not
allow evil to have the final laugh. I see similar qualities in Granny Weatherwax--who
sees herself as too close to being a wicked witch for comfort and Captain Vimes--who
is deeply concerned with his own violent qualities as a policeman. Yet all these
characters in the end stand up and stand straight for what is right. Thus,
Pratchett's vision while wonderfully cynical and funny is in the end actually
optimistic. Only an optimist of the highest type would cast Death himself as a
hero--see Hogfather for evidence."
Score: 4
- Posted on 2008-01-15
Pardon my Klatchian
"Sourcery" is the fifth novel in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series, was first published in 1988 and is the third to give a starring role to Rincewind, the cowardly one-spell wizard.
Wizardry is widely seen as the most appropriate profession for the eighth son of an eighth son - however, given that it's also a celibate profession, is isn't a job that is intended to run in the family. Unfortunately, accidents do occasionally happen and the eighth son of a wizard is known as a Soucerer - a wizard who is also a source of magic. They are hugely dangerous, and will increase the background levels of magic to such a degree that other wizards may just start building towers and launch another round of the Mage Wars...
Ipslore the Red is one of the exceptions : he fled the halls of the Unseen University, married and had a family. The inevitable eighth son, Coin, is only a baby when Death arrives for Ipslore and the ex-wizard decides to choose his son's destiny. The future he picks for Coin includes wearing the Archchancellor's Hat of the Unseen University and, in an attempt to cheat Death, Ipslore enters his staff when he leaves his body. His intention is to guide Coin to his destiny....
Coin is roughly ten years old when he makes it to the University, and isn't long in taking over. When he deals with two of the Wizards - including the incoming Archchancellor - in a swift and very final manner, the remaining members of staff are understandably reluctant to stand against him. However, two of the survivors - a rather devious pair called Spelter and Carding - smell an opportunity. In seeing themselves as Coin's most senior and trusted advisors, they don't realise that Ipslore already has that role to himself.
Coin's arrival isn't universally welcomed - the rats and the gargoyles are amongst the first to flee, while the books in the University's library are distinctly unsettled. Rincewind, now acting as the University's honourary assistant librarian, is the first member of staff to realise there's something strange happening and nips off to the pub in a panic with the Librarian (an orang-utan), and his Luggage. (Luggage is a large brass-bound box, made from sapient pearwood - the same material wizard's staff is traditionally made from. It can move around by itself, has rather a vicious temper and - like Dr Who's Tardis - appears to be much bigger on the inside than on the outside). While Rincewind has been lucky enough to avoid Coin at the University, he's unfortunate enough to be apprehended by Conina at the Mended Drum. Conina, a very successful thief, is the daughter of Cohen the Barbarian and has pilfered the Archchancellor's Hat from the University. In this case, however, she stole the hat at its own request. (It is a magic hat after all...and it has realised that Coin's arrival will signal the Apocralypse). Under the Hat's instructions, Rincewind and Conina travel to Klatch, where the Hat believes there is a mind devious enough to wear it...and stand against the Sourcerer.
As usual from Pratchett, this is an easily read, rather silly and very enjoyable book.
Score: 4 - Posted on 2007-12-28
Fifth in the Discworld Series
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 1982 is the start of the Discworld novels and to a degree it is amazing that these books have achieved such popularity.
You would think that a fantasy world full of trolls, zombies, witches, vampires would be an alien concept to most readers. Werewolves and dwarves in the Ank Morpork city watch. Wizards running a university. All this to come in future episodes. Surely this style of writing would have a limited readership? but no the books are loved by anybody and everybody and are read by people who would not normally allow fantasy fiction anywhere near their book shelves. This is the Discworld of Terry Pratchett.
Pratchett's wit and imagination are second to none. Who else would have or could have thought of the Discworld, a world of mystery and magic sitting on the back of four elephants, who in turn are standing on the back of the great turtle A'tuin the whole lot journeying through an eternal void. Are you with the plot so far?
In this book, first published in 1988 the Discworld has been brought to the edge of disaster. The birth of a sourcerer has created magic so powerful that the Discworld is teetering on the edge of a cataclysmic war. All that stands in the way is our old friend Rincewind, who would dearly love to save the world, or at the very least the part of it that he is currently residing in at any particular moment, if you see what I mean . . .
Pratchett's books are pure escapism and a laugh a minute guaranteed.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2007-12-05
Wine and Song. Forget the Women.
Concerning the delights of wine, women, and song, wizards can drink and croon with the worst of us (thank the gods karaoke hasn't been invented on Discworld), but the middle pleasure is strictly forbidden. This book deals with the consequences of two wizards mixing it up with the fairer sex.
The first wizard, Ipslore the Red fathers the eighth son of an eighth son, who is a wizard squared, i.e. a sourcerer. The Lore strictly forbids wizards to breed, for fear of sourcery, because the last time it appeared on Discworld, the Apocraplypse (Pratchett's spelling) was narrowly averted. When Ipslore's sourcerous (Pratchett's spelling) son crashes through the gates of the Unseen University, even the gargoyles have sense enough to flee, although not the majority of the wizards.
The second wizard, Rincewind the Inept falls in love (as does his Luggage) with the daughter of a temple dancer for some mad god. She enters the narrative while breaking into the Unseen University and stealing the Archmage's hat. Rincewind meets Conina while drinking himself under the table at Ankh-Morpork's coolest tavern, the Mended Drum. He soon discovers, after the requisite bloody bar fight, that his new companion also happens to be the daughter of Cohen the Barbarian. Her secret dream is to become a hairdresser, but she has to work hard at controlling her reflexes when she has a sharp object, e.g. scissors, comb, or a broken bottle in her hand.
The Discworld novels starring the cowardly wizard, Rincewind were never my favorites, but "Sourcery" also features the Librarian (who happens to be an orangutan), and a whole horde of inept wizards who suddenly turn ept when the Sourcerer appears in their midst.
One of my favorite scenes occurs when a newly empowered wizard turns Ankh-Morpork's Patrician into a small yellow lizard.
Naturally the wizards immediately go to war with each other to determine who is the most powerful. Only Rincewind, Conina, and Nijel the Destroyer, son of Harebut the Provision Merchant can save Discworld from their sourcerous folly.
With a little help from the Librarian.
Score: 5
