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Equal Rites

Equal Rites

Auteur Celia Imrie (stem) , Terry Pratchett
Eerste Uitgave1987
Uitgave2003
UitgeverijISIS Audio Books
Vormaudiobook
TaalEngels
Duur7 uur 42 minuten
Gelezen2010-06-14
Score8/10

Inhoud

Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent, bestselling novels have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody next to the likes of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

In Equal Rites, a dying wizard tries to pass on his powers to an eighth son of an eighth son, who is just at that moment being born. The fact that the son is actually a daughter is discovered just a little too late.

Bespreking

Introducing the best witch of them all

On the Discworld legend goes that the eighth son of an eighth son is destined to become a wizard. That is why, a few moments before he has an appointment with Death, the wizard Drum Billet is on his way to the village of Bad Ass. Indeed, the wife of Gordo Smith is about to give birth to their eight heir. Drum Billet has to hurry, because he hasn't got that much time to give his staff to the newborn baby. But he is about to make a big mistake. And it's up to Granny Weatherwax to get it fixed.

Although the story of Equal Rites is not that special, the book is a milestone in the Discworld saga because it introduces one of its most beloved characters: Granny Weatherwax. The funniest parts of the book are also related to her: for example her memorable out-of-body experience and her experiments with getting control of a flying broomstick. You cannot but fall in love with that character. Ah, and she will become so much more interesting when joined with Nanny Ogg, but for that you will have to until the sixth Discworld novel Wyrd Sisters.

The equality theme is rather conspicuously interwoven in the novel, but Terry Pratchett never reaches that level of shrewdness we are so accustomed to. Actually this topic never gets deeper than the wizards proclaiming that "women are not allowed in the Unseen University". In my opinion this is certainly a missed opportunity.

Nevertheless Equal Rites is a good read and certainly a must read for every fan of the Discworld.