Color of Magic – Blog 1

What I’m reading for in The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett is to get lost in the story. I enjoy fantasy novels that take me away from reality and I’ve already found myself doing that. What I’m finding strange is that now, as I get lost in the story, I am simultaneously aware of codes and the meaning behind the words. I don’t want to read like I normally would – which is to get completely lost in the text and become the ideal narrative audience. I don’t want to believe everything the narrator says without question. A lot of meaning to the story is lost this way.

The story is a based the strange concept that the world is a flat disc that is swum around the universe on the back of a giant turtle. There is a visitor, Twoflower, who is from the rumored Counterweight Continent which is very abundant in gold. The traveler has a magical trunk with legs that follows him wherever he goes; it carries the largest gold coins made from the purest gold. He cannot speak the language so he carries with him a black book that tells him what to say. He meets up with Rincewind, who isn’t very highly respected as a wizard. The wizard agrees to be Twoflower’s guide after a very generous gold offering. Twoflower wants to see all of the excitement that this land has to offer. He wants to meet renowned heroes and be in the middle of a bar fight. He left his meaningless job as a clerk, although his wages would make most in this land envious. He wants to live, not just make money.

Rincewind takes the four days advance pay that Twoflower gave him and ran off to start his own practice with the fortune he acquired for four days work as a guide; but instead he is brought in by guards to the Patrician. The Patrician orders Rincewind to be the best guide and make sure that Twoflower goes back to the Counterweight Continent with a good report of this land. If Rincewind is successful then his offenses will be pardoned.

Value Graph Color of Magic