So I’ve never read any of the Discworld novels, and I think I’ll be reading some of them now. I have access to a number of them on Overdrive and the libraries around me have quite a few of them as well.
Last night at Thanksgiving dinner, my in-laws were talking about Flat Earthers and talking about scientific belief and how one of the reasons why it takes hold is that here we were, a group of reasonably intelligent people not really knowing the science behind some of the questions under attack by those anti-intellectual movements. I think I know a little more than the group in some areas, from reading various books, but none of us knew a lot on the topic for sure. But the question came up, what’s on the edge. Luckily, I did have the answer: the circumfence.
So this novel, while at times a little too loosly cobbled together for me, begins the series off with the brilliant premise — what if a tourist showed up in your fantasy world?
But it’s not a A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court situation or anything. He doesn’t show up with brilliant technology from the future (well, except they are pretty amazed by the wheels and zipper on his luggage). Instead, he’s just a vehicle for some very funny humor, and a perfect way to teach the reader about the world that will be the sight of 40 more novels, and a perfect way to provide lots and lots of exposition.
(Photo: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Magic-Novel-Discworld-ebook/dp/B000W9399S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IN12N4XV1W1Q&keywords=terry+pratchett&qid=1575044468&sprefix=terry+pr%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1)