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In the sequel to The Colour of Magic, Twoflower and Rincewind continue their tourist trip around the world, with a few additional obstacles thrown their way. With the Discworld apparently heading for self destruction, the Wizards of Unseen University are set on getting Rincewind back to Ankh-Morpork. Dead or alive. Preferably dead, for convenience's sake.

Rincewind on the other hand, seems to be getting steadily better at escaping the Grim Reaper, not to mention more and more reluctant to join the fight for the Discworld's survival.



This was certainly better than book 1, with less wordy descriptions, lots more funny one liners and a hefty dose of self deprecating remarks.

[...]poets and bards were banned on pain of - well, pain - from going on about babbling brooks and rosy-fingered dawn and could only say, for example, that a face had launched a thousand ships if they were able to produce certified dockyard accounts.

And of course, my personal favorite, the very interesting functioning concepts governing wandering magic shops. As per usual, someone somewhere messed something up and... voilà.



That said, the whole angry mob rising up to torch the... well anything and anyone not willing to join them, just didn't hold my interest. Now don't get me wrong, I hate all the sheep mentality, and the atrocities they manage to commit hold nothing but utmost disgust for me (not to mention a hefty dose of fear). Its depiction however, was just too dull, and predictable, and also much too long.

Score: 3/5 stars

Writing has improved compared to book 1, but it's still trying to cram way too much world building into a 200-page booklet. So far, I still recommend watching the TV mini-series instead of slogging through the book.

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Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent