Sourcery

Terry Pratchett

There was an eighth son of an eighth son. He was, quite naturally, a wizard. And there it should have ended. However (for reasons we'd better not go into), he had seven sons. And then he had an eighth son... a wizard squared... a source of magic... a Sourcerer.

SOURCERY SEES THE RETURN OF RINCEWIND AND THE LUGGAGE AS THE DISCWORLD FACES ITS GREATEST - AND FUNNIEST - CHALLENGE YET.

Review by Chrissi (280201) Rating (7/10)

Review by Chrissi
Sourcery is about the wizards, and the Unseen University. Sourcery is not just about the use of magic already existing, it is the act of producing raw magic.

A matter of great concern to the wizards is the premise that Sourcery was only around at the beginning of time, when the Discworld was new, but the Discworld may not be strong enough any more to survive another onslaught of sourcery.

The name of the sourcerer is Coin, a small boy with a large and frightening staff, he arrives at the Unseen University and demands a magical duel with the Archchancellor, and he beats him, demanding that, as the most powerful wizard, he should be the new Archchancellor.

Meanwhile, Rincewind has been taken by a mysterious thief who has stolen the Archchancellor's hat, which would appear to have ordered its own abduction in order that it not fall into the hands of the sourcerer.

They travel to find a head suitable for the hat to control against the Sourcerer, and so travel mysterious lands with a flying carpet and meet the barbarian hero Nijel the Destroyer. (Who is learning how to become a hero from a book that he bought but he did promise his mum that he would wear his thermal vest).

This book illustrates how well wizards actually get on together, i.e. not very well at all, and how power corrupts those that want it too badly. Of course, Rincewind just wants to be left alone, adventures are not the kind of thing that he really wants to have. And that is why we love him so.
Chrissi (28th February 2001)