I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.

A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.

Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!

Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.

Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.

I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"

I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.

As with all of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, Sourcery is a fun read. Even so, it is the least of the seven Discworld novels I have read so far (the first six, and Going Postal). There is much humor and wordplay, but Sourcery has two fairly serious problems. Cohen the Barbarian's daughter, Conina, and a zany hero-wannibe, Nigel, are great, supplying much fun. They are supplemented by Rincewind, the inept wizard of earlier books. But oddly, Pratchett never really introduces us to a crucial character, the sorcerer Coin. This ten year old boy, the eighth son of an eighth son of an eighth son, is the first sorcerer in millennia on Discworld. His father has gone off the deep end, and manages upon his death to escape and reside (in spirit, anyway) in Coin's staff. Throughout the whole book, I kept waiting for a series of hilarious interactions between Coin and his father, and between the two and the wizards, but none of this happened. Pratchett simply never has us spend any time getting to know Coin. Quite disappointing. Also surprisingly, Pratchett allows this story to drive him into corners that he had a hard time getting out of: Sourcery has way too many easy plot escapes by use of magic. For those that love Pratchett, this is still a worthy read. But if you're not interested in reading all 34 Discworld novels, move on to the Wyrd Sisters, a much better book.

While Sourcery succeeds at being a genuinely funny story with some interesting plot developments, I feel it is weaker tham most of Pratchett's efforts. Part of this is due to it's use of Rincewind as a main character. The world's most incompetent wizard is also the one Pratchett character who goes through little if any character development. Whatever book about Rincewind you pick up, you can count on him to be completely self-centered and cowardly. The best you can say is that his running skills steadily improve.

Pratchett's thesis here is that there is something out there far more powerful than wizardry. Something that tapped right into the world's magical forces and could change reality. This something is called sourcery and you have to be an eighth son of an eighth som to even qualify. Which is why Ankh-Morpork's wizards are forbidden to marry. The last time there were sourcerers they set about trying to kill each other and very nearly turned discworld into a radioactive Frisbee. Wizards try to kill each other too, but on a much more incompetent scale.

Unfortunately, Ipslore the Red cheated, got married, and was promptly thrown out of the Unseen University. Not a fan of birth control he promptly had eight sons (his daughters were uncounted). Coin was the last, and Ipslore, angry about the death of his wife decided to make the young boy into his means of revenge. When the wizards met to elect a new Chancellor, they found a surprise candidate - a 10 year old boy with a knack for turning people into greasy smudges.

Coin turns magic upside down, gives the wizards almost inexhaustible power, and starts coming very close to starting Wizard Wars II. The unlikely team to come to the rescue is Rincewind, Conina (the barbarian daughter of Cohen - capable of wiping out entire police forces while being a hair stylist), and Nijel - who learned everything there is to know about successful barbarianism from a comic book. And don't forget the Chancellor's what, which is so appalled by the mess that it sets out on its own.

As you can see, there's quite a bit of potential for a good story here, and much of it is realized. But Pratchett sets in to repeating his jokes just a bit too early, and some funny things become less funny too soon. This book is hardly a failure, it just suffers from too much type casting (if you can call barbarian women who just want to settle down and style hair 'types'). I prefer Rincewind tales like The Last Continent, which has less Rincewind and a stronger plot. Still, you will want to read Sourcery, and you'll probably like it despite this review.

Sourcery has re-entered the Discworld after a fairly quiet millenia without it. The eighth son of an eighth son of an eighth son has been born, bringing with him an excess of magic. With this magic, the faintly ridiculous wizards of the Disc World become slightly more ridiculous but much more dangerous. Rincewind the incompetent wizard is at... well, not his best, but certainly his most Rincewindish and we meet Conina, daughter of Cohen the Barbarian. The eternal wisdom of the Librarian of the Unseen University (the wizard's university), summed up as "Ook" also gets some much deserved attention.

This installment of the Discworld series is a showcase for Rincewind, but otherwise does not sparkle the way other Discworld books do. I enjoyed it once, but do not reach for it to re-read it the way I do others in the series.

When the last sourceror has returned to Ankh-Morpork to become the head of the unversity, true magic and power is revealed. During this, Rincewind has run away (as usual) and goes to Klatch with Cohen the Barbarians daughter Conina. They also meet a very funny character called Nijel. A story full of magic, power, destiny and sourcery.
This book was entertaining but JUST a bit boring in some parts. But the thing that really made me angry was that I couldn't find out what this book is making fun of. Klatch sounded like Africa, but Mr. Pratchett clearly said that it wasn't loosly based on it at all. Then I heard that this book was a spoof of the Arabien Knights but there was only a few elements that was the Aabien Knights.
I would suggest this book if you like the Rincewind character, but if you like a book that makes you laugh of sattire copy then read The Truth, Moving Pictures, Eric, Soul Music.