The second Discworld novel continues right on from the first, in fact they are essentially one long story. The main characters, the failed wizard Rincewind, who is acting as a tour guide to TwoFlower and his magical Luggage, had fallen off the edge of Discworld at the end of “The Colour of Magic,” and are saved by the Octavo, a powerful book of eight spells because of the those spells has lodged itself in Rincewind’s brain. The Octavo changes reality to return them to the center of Discworld, where they continue to get into all kinds of trouble. Now even more groups are after the two, because they want the spell, or the Luggage (which can, at times be full of gold). Meanwhile, Discworld itself is in danger from a star that is approaching it, threatening cataclysmic destruction.
While amusing at times, this book felt like something of a retread of the first one, and I did not enjoy it as much. Perhaps Pratchett rushed to capitalize on the success of the first one, I don’t know, but later Discworld books I’ve read have more and better ideas. Mildly recommended.
Have this in a Rincewind omnibus that included The Colour of Magic, so I did read both as just one big novel. As such, they worked fine. Sir Terry was just bringing us to the Discworld at this point, so much of what we’ve come to love about that realm had yet to be developed or even introduced. The Archchancellor of Unseen University and the Patrician were a long way from full realization in the characters of Ridcully and Vetinari, Sam Vimes would not come along for a while yet, and the antics of the blatant parody that was Cohan the Barbarian got rather tiresome at times, though he would be better served later on in the series. MVP: the Luggage, which holds not only TwoFlower’s clothes and toiletries and such and sometimes gold, but also does not put up with being messed with. Not one bit.