Terry Pratchett - The Last Continent: A Novel of Discworld

As an avid Discworld fan, I have never reviewed a Discworld book. This is mainly because I didn't feel that I could give a fair review. Last night I finished "The Last Continent" and although it was entertaining, I have to say that it was not one of the better installments in the series.

This is the, let's see... there was "The Color of Magic", "The Light Fantastic", "Sorcery", "Eric", and "Interesting Times"... so that makes this the sixth book in the Rincewind Series. Not exactly the best place to pick up on the story, especially since so little of the previous five books is explained in this one. Had I not read them, I would be completely baffled by the concept of The Luggage, which was previously one of my favorite of Pratchett's inventions. It has very little page time in this book and is completely unexplained.

For those that have not read the Discworld series before, Rincewind was the first anti-hero from the first of the Discworld Novels. I say anti-hero not because he is a bad guy, but because it is hard to call a man who runs away from everything a hero... even though he does accidentally save the day on many occasions. In the end of "Interesting Times" The Wizards from the Unseen University botch and attempt to teleport Rincewind back to the University and accidentally teleport him to the unknown continent of XXX or Eksekseks. This continent is strangely like our Australia complete with Kangaroos, Wombats, and Mad Max style characters. Rincewind spends the majority of the book running away from amusing characters, searching for food and water, and trying to find his way back to Anhk-Morpork.

The secondary group in this book (Pratchett is known for having several stories going on at the same time) consists of the Wizards of the Unseen Univeristy. Ridcully, the Dean, The Bursar, the Senior Wrangler, and many others go hunting for Rincewind in the hopes that he knows the original name of the Librarian. Apparently knowing the Librarian's name is one of the only ways the Wizards can think of to cure the strange affliction that he has come down with... he is sick and every time he sneezes he changes shape. So the Wizards, incompetent as usual, managed to find their way to the lost continent only the get there several thousand years too early. Their presence manages to change the future... where Rincewind currently resides, and it is up to him to set things right.

This book is full of hysterical lines and improbable discussions, specifically where the Wizards are involved. This is the first of the Discworld books where I have noticed sex being mentioned. Not that it ever takes place, but it is mentioned as they try to explain procreation to a slightly dense god of evolution. "The Last Continent" had all of the makings of a great Pratchett book, and it WAS a funny read. The problem is that:

1- You have to already know Discworld to completely understand what is going on... particularly the Rincewind series.
2- There is not enough of the Luggage
3- The switching back and forth between the Wizards and Rincewind happens so often and so quickly that many times your head will boggle.
4- The Wizards have become far more entertaining than Rincewind... which is a shame, Rincewind just wasn't as well thought out or cared for in this book.

On the whole, this is a good book, it's just not one of the best, and certainly isn't where I would start if I had never read a Discworld book before. Though I would give most of his books 4-5 stars, I would have to give this one 3-4... though I will go with 4 since even though it is not one of his best... it is still better than most of the books out there.

Recommend this product? Yes