I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Eric
by
Sir Terry Pratchett
It is part of the , series and is a fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by Harper on February 5, 2002 and has 224 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Wee Free Men, The Color of Magic, A Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery, Equal Rites, Mort, The Shepherd's Crown, Wyrd Sisters, Pyramids, Guards! Guards!, Moving Pictures, Small Gods, A Blink of the Screen, Reaper Man
Fourth in the Rincewind fantasy sub-series and ninth in the Discworld overall series. This one finally resolves events from Sourcery, 3.
If you’re interested, there is a chronological listing of the Discworld books on my website.
My Take
Okay, so it’s a cliché about summoning Death (and demons), but Pratchett still makes me laugh and want to text it to everyone I know. If only to cheer them up and for me to have company in rolling on the floor, laughing. Death is too funny in dealing with these hidebound wizards who haven’t had to think on their toes for ians, er, I mean aeons.
The story is an excellent example, lol, of being careful what you wish for. Yes, it’s much better in getting this point across than Sourcery was.
You know, I never really thought about Quezovercoatl and his requirements as a god. The demon king makes some excellent points about why sacrifice, endless war, total destruction, etc., are not helping the demon cause. Who’d’a thunk? Then there’s that whole wheel thing. Why is it that they “never worked properly however often you laid them flat and pushed them…”? Oh, lol, I do love the “plain-chant whinge”. Who knew priests could be so real! Then again, it doesn’t take long before the Tezuman wise up. If only it would work that way with Isis, those nasty terrorists.
Pratchett also makes an excellent point about what all those years would have actually done to our world’s Helen of Troy. Hmm, Homer certainly did gloss over that one, lol.
Ah, now if only warfare today could be as civilized as warfare amongst the Klatchians. Wonder if anyone ever thought of making a mockumentary? It’d be right up Monty Python’s alley.
And Rincewind is finally getting the hang of how to deal with young Eric.
“‘You didn’t have to go and kick me!’
‘You’re quite right. It was an entirely voluntary act on my part.'”
Oh no! Seems that young Eric has the wrong end of the stick here, ROFLMAO!
“‘You, lad,’ he said. ‘Want to be a soldier when you grow up?’
‘No, sir.’
The man brightened a bit.
‘That’s the stuff,’ he said.
‘I want to be a eunuch, sir,’ Eric added.”
I do adore Lavaeolus’ viewpoint about battle! If only more generals embraced it!
See, see. Writers need to pay attention to this point that Rincewind makes. People don’t want to read about everyday life or unfair looking people.
Huh. That bit about the Creator certainly explains why God never seems to be around when we need him. And if you are going to time travel be sure to take an egg-and-cress sandwich along. Littering acceptable.
Who knew Hell could be worse? Gardeners will gnash their teeth, and others will want to puncture their ear drums. Luckily for the demons and the damned, there is hope for going back to the old ways, back to merely torturing souls.
Never thought about this one, either, and Rincewind makes another good point. There’s boredom and then there’s BOREdom.
Don’t forget to keep an aunt handy.
The Story
It’s an invisible runner passing throughout the world, screaming “ohgodsohgodsohgods” and other similar words that can’t be printed. As it passes through bits of the world, those bits change into snow globes, yellow elephants, you know.
It’s a young demonologist who “rescues” Rincewind, and that’s only the start of it since he demands three wishes of Rincewind the “Demon”.
The Characters
Rincewind is an inept wizard trapped in the Dungeon Dimensions. Lucky for him, Luggage is still loyal despite those nasty words in Sourcery.
Eric Thursley is a pimply faced young wart who lives at Midden Lane in Pseudopolis and is determined to rule the world forever with a luscious babe at his side. Oh, he’s also a demonologist. He’s got this parrot too.
Unseen University is…
…the premier university for learners of magic. Its Librarian had once been a wizard but much preferred being an orang-utan. The new Archchancellor is Ezrolith Churn, who really doesn’t want the job.
Death is lurking about.
The city of Ankh-Morpork is…
…the most crowded city on the Disc and finally pacified. A city invaded numerous times by invaders who find that “they didn’t own their own horses any more, and within a couple of months they were just another…”
The three wishes
The Tezuman are very similar to the Mayans. Very similar. Only, Quezovercoatl isn’t quite the same. Ponce da Quirm is the last of the expedition’s prisoners. He’s been searching for the Fountain of Youth. Too bad no one told him what to do before drinking from it.
The Tsortean Wars bear a strong resemblance to the Trojan Wars, and I did enjoy getting a first hand introduction to Lavaeolus (translates as Rinser of Winds and Eric believes he’s an ancestor of Rincewind’s), Discworld’s version of Odysseus. Private Archeios is reduced to babysitter, but not for long. Turns out Luggage can hold at least four men as Corporal Disuse and his squad found out. Elenor is their Helen of Troy. She was “kidnapped” from her own people, the Ephebians. King Mausoleum wasn’t a bad sort. Cassie is one of the Tsortean children.
The Creator at least is more interested in building worlds. He’s got a backlog.
Pandemonium is…
…Demon City. Hell to us. Now, you must know that demons are traditionalists, so when King Astfgl ascends the throne, no one is happy about the changes he insists upon. Duke Vassenego, one of the oldest demons, has been waiting for years for young Eric to call him. Urglefloggah, Spawn of the Pit and Loathly Guardian of the Dread Portal, is essentially the doorman. And he keeps forgetting his lines. Azaremoth, the Stench of Dog Breath, is annoyed by the lack of proper torture to Sisyphus. Vizzimuth is forced to read to him. Duke Drazometh the Putrid and Earl Beezlemoth are part of the plot.
The Dungeon Dimensions are terrifying wastelands that exist outside the Disc and everywhere else. There are Things that live there, horrible Things that want to break through into the warmth where they’ll end up destroying the world.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a mint green background with a narrow black border on the left side with hourglasses representing the time travel. The author’s name and title are in a blue-purple to complement the purple in the parrot’s wings and tail. A snarky bird, he’s perched above a wire basket — I don’t even want to think why.
The title is the cause of this trip through time and dimensions, young Eric, the annoying little demonologist whom we can only hope has learned his lesson.
