An Introduction To The Discworld by Terry Pratchett
Book Review - Discworld By Terry Pratchett
Since this is a website about books, I have thus far assumed all readers understand the concept of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. However, for those who (for some unfathomable reason) are unfamiliar with one of the greatest literary creations of all time, here’s an introduction.
The Discworld is a slightly convex disc-shaped world that sits on top of four huge elephants, which stand on the back of a Giant Star Turtle called The Great A’Tuin. In this world, which is quite similar to ours at very first appearance, things are entirely as they should be – which is a source of constant strife for everybody. The way things work out in the Discworld is best described as a kind of narrative destiny; things exist in accordance with pre-ordained stories, hence much of life is spent following or seeking to avoid your ‘written’ fate. The power of these stories should never be underestimated either; so strong is the power of believe in the Discworld that, if a legend is retold enough times, it actually becomes true!
What this means for the reader is that every novel based in the Discworld is subject to infinite possibilities, with each tale unwinding through a series of hilarious events as the characters attempt to evade or further their narrative destinies.
