Equal Rites

A Discworld Book

254 pages

English language

Published Oct. 4, 1988 by New American Library.

ISBN:
978-0-451-15704-1
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OCLC Number:
18465170

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4 stars (6 reviews)

At birth, Eskarina becomes a female wizard by mistake. Granny Weatherwax, the town witch, takes on the responsibility of furthering Esk's wizard training and adventures begin.

68 editions

reviewed Equal rites by Terry Pratchett (The Discworld series)

A fine book about ecology

4 stars

I think it’s on the opposite side of the spectrum from Clarke’s “Piranesi” — and I like Pratchett’s viewpoint more: Clarke’s magic is desired and unreachable for those who seek it, so it’s a character of its own; Pratchett’s Esk postulates that not using magic when it’s there in your hands can be more important than using it, and that’s goes further than just admitting of its agency, it adds a very important nuance: whose agency is more of the liability to the living.

More literally Pratchett’s ecology is delivered in passages about Borrowing and things’ names and minds (Granny’s goats, and rocks of the University), but magic is the ultimate example of goals and means being one thing.

Subjects

  • Fantasy fiction

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