Equal Rites
by Terry Pratchett

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Book Summary Information

• ISBN13: 9780061020698
• Condition: New
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Book Reviews of Equal Rites

Book Review: Who let a woman in here?
Summary: 2 Stars

Drum Billet is a wizard who's dying. Before Death comes for him, though, he wants to pass on his wizard staff and power. This is done by finding the eighth son of an eighth son. Drum Billet thinks he's found the perfect one and hurriedly does the deed before he finally expires. One thing, though: he didn't wait long enough to make sure of the sex of the new-born baby.

Granny Weatherwax is determined to see that Esk (the baby in question) grows up to be a witch, rather than a wizard. Esk will never get into the wizards' university because women can't be wizards. It just isn't done. However, Esk starts manifesting power that's beyond being a witch and beyond Granny's ability to teach. Esk really wants to become a wizard and seems to be losing control of her power, so Granny decides to take her there and see what will happen.

What follows is an adventure that takes them to the city of Ankh-Morpork, to the university, with a side-trip to the Dungeon Dimensions to ensure that the monsters that live there don't come into our reality. And maybe, just maybe, some wizards will start to change their attitude to the "fairer sex." And sometimes, a staff is just a staff.

It really hurts to say this about a Terry Pratchett Discworld book, but I just didn't think it was very good. It is the third in the series, and I wasn't a big fan of the first two, so perhaps he just hadn't hit his stride yet (I think he hit it with Mort, personally). First of all, the book just isn't that funny. None of the situations are exceptionally humorous. Instead, most of the humour comes from Pratchett's narration. Even that, though, is not up to his later power. He makes some wry comments about gender issues, especially the prejudice against women in the workplace. However, they just lie there, doing nothing and taking up space.

The characters aren't that interesting. I was looking forward to the introduction of Granny Weatherwax (first read by me in Wyrd Sisters), but even that was a disappointment. She doesn't have the same feel in this one as she does when she's with her coven. You can see signs of it in her characterization (she's irascible and set in her ways), but she's not quite as tart as the Weatherwax I know. It's almost like she needs somebody to play off to be "right."

Esk suffers from being rather dull. Is it because Pratchett can't write an 8 year old character? I don't know. I do know that she's rather flat and I didn't care about her situation. I'm all for equal rights, but Esk's situation didn't push me any further along that path. She's just there on the page with nothing to really hook you into caring about her.

One thing I shouldn't really hold against this book, though I feel I should mention it, is the wizard characters. The main wizards (Archchancellor, Dean, etc) are different characters in this book than in subsequent books. Unfortunately, since I've read many books containing the "new" characters, I found the original characters extremely wanting. They weren't funny at all. What I can hold against them, however, is that they were boring. Archchancellor Cutangle is the most developed of them, and even he's not very well done. He's there more to represent the unmovable force of male domination, and to show what happens when it meets the irresistible force of female determination.

I can say a couple of positive things about this book, however. The beginning is probably the funniest part of the book, where the mix-up happens. This part has Death in it, which already brings it up to a certain level. Death is always ready to chime in with an interesting comment or two. Secondly, Pratchett's descriptions of things are on the ball as always. He has a wonderful narrative voice. While the witty asides in this one aren't as good as some others, he still is an interesting read when he gets on a roll. Unfortunately, when the characters come back onto the stage, the story grinds to a halt again.

I really hate to give a Pratchett book 2 stars. Hopefully, it will be the only one that I have to do that to. Save your money and buy Reaper Man instead. You'll be glad you did.

Summary of Equal Rites

Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent novels, consistent number one bestsellers in England, have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody along with 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...

Literature & Fiction Books

• Subjects > Literature & Fiction
• Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy