Book Review #1 — Eric by Terry Pratchett
Cover Image courtesy of
HarperCollins
Eric, by Terry Pratchett, is an interesting entry into the Discworld series because the title character is more of a catalyst than he is the protagonist of this story. The protagonist is the ever bumbling wizard Rincewind, who is never really sure where he is, why, or what he’s supposed to do about it. Which is admirable in the sense that his adventures are fueled by pure panic, and yet laced with a manner of knowing there’s nothing he can do except run and hope for the best. He’s not the wise Hermit in a deck of Tarot cards, he’s the Fool, always tempting DEATH who wracks his skull because Rincewind is in his periphery, and always okay because of his tenacious and menacing protector, a rabid piece of luggage with legs.
If you’ve never read a book out of the Discworld series, and that summary above leaves you puzzled, well…welcome to Terry Pratchett’s crazy imagination.Eric is a young teen who has decided to practice a little bit of demonology to get the things he wants: beautiful women, a kingly status and everlasting life. He says a few magic words after cobbling together a devil’s trap, and voila! Rincewind appears scratching his head. Because he’s not a demon, last time he checked. He does have a half assed ability to travel through time, though, and that will have to do. But with every wish comes consequences, and the folly of human nature throughout the ages is the general consequence that Rincewind and Eric have to run from every time.
The Discworld mirrors our own history in that it has an Aztec like society, and a Ulysses type hero, so be prepared to recognize some nods to ancient world history with new names. All in all, this is a light, fast read with maybe a moral about being careful what you wish for. Mostly, though, it’s just fun.
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