Equal Rites

A Discworld Book

240 pages

English language

Published Sept. 4, 1988 by Roc.

ISBN:
978-0-451-15704-1
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
18465170

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (201 reviews)

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it’s not half so bad as a lot of ignorance. The last thing the wizard Drum Billet did, before Death laid a bony hand on his shoulder, was to pass on his staff of power to the eighth son of an eighth son. Unfortunately for his colleagues in the chauvinistic (not to say misogynistic) world of magic, he failed to check that the baby in question was a son. Everybody knows that there's no such thing as a female wizard. But now it's gone and happened, there's nothing much anyone can do about it. Let the battle of the sexes begin . . .

33 editions

The first "real" Discworld novel

4 stars

This is the first book in the Discworld series that really gives you a sense of what the series will become, because as well as being a hilarious adventure set in a bizarre fantasy world, it tackles real issues in our own world - namely, equal rights for women, and the arbitrary nature of gender roles. Consequently, it feels much more focused and satisfying than the previous two books. Good stuff.

This is the first book in the "witches" sub-series, and introduces the character Granny Weatherwax. Unfortunately I don't think we ever meet Esk again.

Review of 'Equal rites' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

What a fun book! This is my very first Terry Pratchett. After the stories of the Discworld have been on my to-read list for way too long I was finally convinced to try one and Equal Rites is definitely a very good start into the series.
It was fun, honest, critical and everything what you want. So much magic and quirkiness, but not in a bad way—I enjoyed this book very much and definitely cannot wait to be drawn even deeper into the Discworld!

Review of 'Equal Rites' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This perfectly ridicules the arbitrariness of gender stereotypes. Everybody knows that only men can be wizards, everybody knows it’s part of the lore, but nobody actually knows where it is written or why it should be the case. And Esk just ignoring both her role as a wizard and a witch and rescuing Simon and herself by not using magic is about the best possible ending.

Review of 'Equal Rites' on 'Storygraph'

4 stars

EQUAL RITES is the origin story of Discworld’s first female wizard, and her journey to grudging acceptance in magical society.

The narrative style is wry and witty, the unnamed narrator assuming that the reader is from our world and not Discworld, which provides space for funny comparisons, metaphors, and other observations. The narrator knows more than the characters in an absolute sense, but consistently uses that knowledge to provide humor and context. 

Most of the characters start out with some sexist assumptions about how things ought to work, and the point of the story is them realizing the shape of those assumptions and questioning their validity in the face of a child whose existence refutes them absolutely. The cadence of the physical journey and the mental transformation blends together into a well-paced story. I liked it and I’m looking forward to later developments in this slice of Discworld.

I must …

Review of 'Equal Rites' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Being the eight sone of an eight son makes you a wizard...even if you’re a girl. The only problem is, as it turns out. Girls can’t be wizards. It’s just not natural. And we’ve never done it like this. I mean, think about it.

The book introduces Granny to the Discworld universe, and while it has still some inconsistencies, it’s apparent that Pratchett is slowly finding his style here.

Review of 'Equal Rites' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Terry Pratchett has so much fun with his world, characters, and narrative itself that it's hard not to love this series. This one felt a little tamer than the first two in the series but Pratchett loves his characters so much that you can't help but feel the same for them. Really, after all the heavy and series literature I've been reading dipping into Discworld for a bit is a great reminder of the sheer pleasure literature (writing it; reading it) affords. I recommend this series to anyone.

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