Library Classics: 'Eric' – Terry Pratchett (Gollancz)


'Eric' was the first Terry Pratchett book that I ever read (when I was young enough to have absolutely no idea why the word 'Faust' had been crossed out on the cover) and therefore my favourite. Yep, it even beats 'Guards, Guards!', although that's a very close run race, so you probably need to know that this isn't so much a review as it is a post about a book that I love. I first read 'Eric' in its massive hardback form where the gorgeous Josh Kirby artwork found it's way off the covers and into the book itself, a wonderful mix of Pratchett's words and Kirby's art. That is the Discworld as far as I'm concerned :o) That book ended up going back to the library but I had my own copy not long after and that led to me reading (and laughing) my way through a large chunk of the Discworld books. So, what better book to read when I've got an ongoing 'readers block' thing happening? I know I've likened reading the 'Discworld' books to revisiting old friends. Well, 'Eric' is a really old 'Discworld Friend' and it was long past time that we hung out for a bit.

Eric calls up a demon to grant him three wishes - but what he gets is the Discworld's most incompetent wizard...Eric is the Discworld's only demonology hacker. The trouble is, he's not very good at it. All he wants is the usual three wishes: to be immortal, rule the world and have the most beautiful woman fall madly in love with him. The usual stuff.

But what he gets is Rincewind, the Disc's most incompetent wizard, and Rincewind's Luggage (the world's most dangerous travel accessory) into the bargain.
Eric will have his three wishes but where they take him will leave Eric wishing once more - this time, quite fervently, that he'd never been born.

Imagine a kid who was working his way through as much fantasy as he could but hadn't found out that fantasy could be funny as well. Now imagine that kid reading 'Eric', for the first time, and finding that out. That was me, I could not stop laughing.

And it's still me. I know I've said before how sometimes, the jokes lose a little of their sparkle over time but not here, not in 'Eric'. I'm still laughing as I've grown up with this book and it's showing me new stuff even now. Back then, I absolutely identified with Eric Thursley and the lengths he would go to for female company, so long as he didn't actually have to talk to a lady. Because that's him isn't it, a walking sack of hormones with no outlet whatsoever other than giggling at words that sound a little like naughty words. We can all identify with that a little... What? Just me? Okay :o)

These days though? I've worked with more than a few bosses like Astfgl (and keep an eye on a couple via LinkedIn, just to make sure we never cross paths again) and I've drifted through enough of my life, looking for the easy option, to have a little affinity with Lavaleolus. And I even know why 'Faust' is crossed off on the cover :o) I still haven't read the play but can see how Pratchett has taken said play and got us to see it through his glasses. There's still a lesson to be learnt but there's more than enough irreverence here to make you feel that you're not being force fed that lesson.

There's something in 'Eric' for everyone then but I'm mostly here for the laughs and it's good to know that there are still plenty to be had in this book. And I've just realised, I still really want a 'Luggage' to call my own. Yeah, I know... A chap can dream though :o)

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