“May you live in interesting times” is the worst thing one can wish on a citizen of Discworld–especially on the distinctly unmagical sorcerer Rincewind, who has had far too much perilous excitement in his life. But when a request for a “Great Wizzard” arrives in Ankh-Morpork via carrier albatross from the faraway Counterweight Continent, it's he who's sent as emissary. Chaos threatens to follow the impending demise of the Agatean Empire's current ruler.
And, for some incomprehensible reason, someone believes Rincewind will have a mythic role in the war and wholesale bloodletting that will surely ensue. (Carnage is pretty much a given, since Cohen the Barbarian and his extremely elderly Silver Horde are busily formulating their own plan for looting, pillaging, and, er, looking wistfully at girls.) However, Rincewind firmly believes there are too many heroes already in the world, yet only one Rincewind. And he owes it to the world to keep that one alive for as long as possible.
Discworld stories mostly stand alone as independent works set in the same fantasy universe. However, a number of the books can be grouped into grand story arcs dealing with a set number of characters and events – This title is part of the RINCEWIND and WIZARDS arcs, and was the 17th Discworld book to be published.
Author Biography
SIR TERRY PRATCHETT is one of the most popular authors writing today. He lives behind a keyboard in Wiltshire and says he ‘doesn't want to get a life, because it feels as though he's trying to lead three already’. He was appointed OBE in 1998. His first Discworld novel for children, “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents,” was awarded the 2001 Carnegie Medal.
