Blask fantastyczny
Author: Terry Pratchett
This direct sequel to “The Colour of Magic” continues the chaotic journey of Rincewind and Twoflower. It felt more cohesive than the first one, driving towards a specific climax involving the ominous Red Star. The humor remains sharp, continually poking fun at the “chosen one” tropes that dominate the genre. Cohen the Barbarian was a standout for me - an eighty-something hero who still pillages and kills, but complains about his back and the temperature of his soup. It’s funny watching a legend age, but guys lives his best life.
The stakes felt higher here, with the actual end of the world threatening, but Rincewind’s cowardly refusal to be a hero is what makes it work. He doesn’t want to save the world - he just wants lunch.
The story introduces Cohen the Barbarian, a legendary hero who is now a geriatric old man with no teeth, yet still capable of defeating young warriors - a hilarious deconstruction of the Conan archetype. The plot revolves around the Octavo, the sentient spellbook containing the spells of creation, which is finally opened, forcing Rincewind (who has one of the spells stuck in his head) to play a pivotal role. It all culminates in a grand cosmological shift where Great A’Tuin changes course to avoid the Red Star, proving that “The Turtle Moves” and that even the world-turtle has agency.
The book deals heavily with heroism and aging, primarily through Cohen, who represents the reality that “happily ever after” doesn’t stop you from getting old and irrelevant. It also touches on destiny versus free will, specifically regarding Rincewind’s role: is he a hero because he chooses to be, or because the universe and the Spell in his head forces him to be?