Eric

Rating:
Summary: Pratchett's version of Faust
Review: Eric is a little bit of a letdown, compared to the other Discworld novels. It's number nine in the series, and by far the shortest (155 pages). This is because the paperback version lacks the illustrations that the hardcover version has (that one is a graphic novel in the same vein as The Last Hero), which explains some of its shortcomings, since it now seems a bit stunted indeed.
 The story concerns the teenage demonologist Eric (the Discworld equivalent of a young computer hacker, complete with glasses and acne), who tries to conjure up a demon to grant him three wishes (those wishes having mostly to do with beautiful women and power over the world, Eric being a young teenage boy, after all). The powers in Hell see this as a great opportunity, but just as they are about to send one of their minions to appear before Eric, an "unusual conjunction of circumstances" occur, enabling Rincewind (and the Luggage) to escape from the Dungeon Dimensions (where Rincewind had ended up as his reward for having saved the Discworld in Sourcery) into Eric's room in Pseudopolis (Hell, by the way, is a distinct place from the Dungeon Dimensions). Eric is convinced that Rincewind is a demon, and wants him to grant the three wishes. And to Rincewind's extreme surprise, things start to happen when he snaps his fingers. But, of course, Eric's wishes do not quite turn out as he had hoped, as he's taken on an eventful journey (during which, among other things, life gets started on the Disc when Rincewind drops a sandwich) through time and space, making him wish (again) that he had never been born.
The main problem with Eric is that the story is too short. The promised ordeals for Eric (who, by the way, is a very annoying character) never really materialize, and the whole thing has a half-finished feel to it. There are too many grand possibilities (a meeting with the Creator, time travel, a visit to Hell, and so on) crammed into far too little space, and much more could have been done with all these ideas and concepts. Still, it's not at all a bad book, and well worth the little time it takes to read it.

Rating:
Summary: It was short- else I wouldn't have finished it.
Review: I acquired the first four Rincewind stories in one hardcover, but probably wouldn't have read this last one if it weren't so short- and the only thing I had with me in a long doctor's office wait. I had heard from numerous sources that Eric wasn't that impressive- but anything can be tolerated for a hundred or so pages.

This time... Eric, a ten-year-old demonologist magically summons Rincewind, but mistakes him for a wish-granting demon. Together they travel to a few odd scenarios (as always), including a Trojan War spoof. But if you were amused by Rincewind and his Luggage in previous books, (as I was) Eric and Sourcery offer little new as far as character development is concerned. Pratchett has simply taken their main traits, magnified and repeated them- too often. Rincewind is even more cowardly, and magically incompetent than ever, and the Luggage still gets annoyed, has a range of wooden expressions and follows its master wherever- freaking out each new group of characters they run into... the usual. Nothing new at all.

I cannot recommend Eric, but a fifth Rincewind book called "Interesting Times" is reportedly decent.

Rating:
Summary: Almost unrealistic...
Review: I mean that it would be almost plausible for me to have not read this book. It's short, and it was written in a hurry. It did have good parts, like all the Discworld books, and was important for the Rincewind line of adventures. But other than that...

Rating:
Summary: A Mephistophelian Mediocrity
Review: So-Rincewind likes running from danger... we know that. So now he's running through the Dungeon Dimensions. The fact that a teenage demonologist wannabe has him on a leash doesn't seem to slow him down all that much.

It's Pratchett who slows down his pace in this book. There's little new in character development, mainly because Rincewind has little character at this point to develop (and had little character to start with!). Some reviewers think that this is a negative point-I disagree. Still, overall the book is too short on development. There's a nice parody of the Trojan wars that sets up Rincewind for an encounter with his Counterweight Cousin later on-so at best, this is a book of continuation.

It appears that Prachett didn't have many concepts to develop, and that's a shame. Considering all the people who'll eventually end up in Hell, it would seem he'd have lots of material.

It still has Pratchett's humor-but this time it's a bit dry. OK read, and keep it in your collection. Otherwise, a bit of a yawner.

Heavens to... Murgatroyd!