Equal Rites

, #3

Mass Market Paperback, 213 pages

English language

Published Feb. 29, 2000 by HarperTorch.

ISBN:
978-0-06-102069-8
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5 stars (2 reviews)

EQUAL RITES is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the third novel in the Discworld series and the first in which the main character is not Rincewind. The title is wordplay on the phrase "Equal Rights".

The novel introduces the character of Granny Weatherwax, who reappears in several later Discworld novels. The protagonist Eskarina Smith does not return until I SHALL WEAR MIDNIGHT, which was published 23 years later.

Pratchett based the character Esk on his daughter Rhianna Pratchett.

30 editions

Fantastic - Sir Terry really finding his style. Finally we meet Granny Weatherwax!

5 stars

Fantastic. Loved this one.

I think it's the third one in the Discworld series, chronologically, but it's the first one where I feel Sir Terry's true style became apparent.

In this novel, we meet for the first time Granny Weatherwax - probably my favourite Discworld character. Yes, there are many fantastic characters, but Granny Weatherwax always occupies a soft spot for me.

We learn about Borrowing, and how Granny can't Borrow bees; we encounter Headology - how people will believe certain things and words can prod them in the right direction.

The story itself is great - about a young girl, supposed to have been the eighth son of an eighth son - and therefore a wizard - she was in fact born a girl. So she inherits wizard magic in her genes, yet her genes do not match her physical appearance nor the way society treats her as a …

Quite sweet.

4 stars

I always adore stories of this nature, particularly because I love to see the kinds of journeys that take place among the characters and how that develops them.

While I know Esk was meant to be the primary main character, Granny Weatherwax really takes on a whole chunk of the story. She's someone with whom I very much find myself identifying, and it's because of the constant "Well, it's got to happen one way or the other, so we may as well do it" personality she exudes. She's very stubborn but incredibly caring for the people around her, even if it seems otherwise.

Also, she has a thing for old fabric.

Subjects

  • Fiction
  • Fiction - Fantasy
  • Fantasy
  • Fantasy - Series
  • Fiction / Fantasy / General
  • Fantasy - General