The Discworld series is widely acclaimed by critics and readers alike. It's been compared to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, among other things. And you know, it's terribly clever. The idea of the Discworld itself, a plate of a world spinning on the back of a turtle and supported by elephants, is delightfully preposterous and is only enhanced by the collection of bizarre characters that inhabit it. I would have gobbled up this series with relish...about ten years ago. Now, while I found it to be a very light and fun read, I do not feel inspired to search out any of the other books. ( )

I must admit I was disappointed. I expected more.I played the PC Discworld games years ago and they were great. Based on this one book I'm not sure I see why the series is so popular. The book was funny in parts, but it just jumped around so much you got frustrated. I might read the next one and see if it is better. ( )

Pre09:

Yes, it is kind of a fantasy Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Characters: I really just didn't care for many of them here. Rice doo-wah was wishy washy.
Plot: The short stories kind of strung together, but it was more about the humor than the doing.
Style: This is why you read this books. It indeed is funny. And there really is no reason for a map in any fantasy book. 'Here be Dragons' is more than enough. ( )

This is the first book of the discworld series, introducing us to such favorites as Rincewind, Luggage, the Patrician, the Wizards, Thieves, Assassins and Merchants Guilds and of course Death himself. Terry Pratchett started a series here which was full of witty social commentary presented in a brilliantly funny fantasy world. Fans of Douglas Adams, Robert Aspirin and of laughing in general will love these books. ( )

Okay, first of all I would like to say that I love ALL Terry Pratchett's books, so I am only going to highlight certain ones. I enjoy English humor for one and the way that his hapless universe somehow gets by. To begin The Color of Magic we meet the failed wizard (or "Wizzard") Rincewind, and the Discworld's first ever tourist, Twoflower in the city of Ankh-Morpork. Rincewind learns that being a tour guide is more dangerous than staying in Ankh-Morpork under the Patrician's "benevolent" gaze. Feeding the tourists strange appetite for what Rincewind considers everyday things while keeping him from destroying the whole of the Disc maybe more than Rincewind bargained for. ( )