The Cover: Pratchett commented that one thing which had tickled him about Josh Kirby's artwork for the Equal Rites cover was that it subliminally reflected the Freudian overtones of the book (references to "hot dreams", the angst of adolescence, things that might be called "magic" envy). The line "Only dumb redheads in Fifties' sitcoms are wacky." is a reference to Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy fame. The character of Esk is supposedly based on Rhianna, Pratchett's daughter. Pratchett's characters are very stereotypical of the various types of witches found at wiccan festivals. This conflict closely mirrors the age old feud between occult practitioners in Roundworld as well as the rivalry in earlier times between the wise old women of the village and the medical men (and in modern times between herbalists/naturopaths and doctors).
Together they develop a new kind of magic, based on the notion that the greatest power is the ability not to use all the others.Ī central theme of this book (also found in many of the other Discworld witch novels) is the contrast between, on one side the (female) witches or wiccans, who are in touch with nature, herbs and headology, and on the other side the (male) wizards who are very ceremonial and use elaborate, mathematics-like tools and rituals. They both manage to transport themselves back into the Discworld. His magic, however, is so powerful that it causes a hole to be opened into the Dungeon Dimensions.Įskarina and Simon discover the weakness of the creatures from the Dungeon Dimensions - if you can use magic, but don't, they become scared and weakened. Simon is a natural talent who invents a whole new way of looking at the universe that reduces it to component numbers. While there, Esk witnesses the progress of an apprentice wizard named Simon, whom she had met earlier, on her way to Ankh-Morpork. Esk is unsuccessful in her first, direct, attempt to gain entry to the University, but Granny Weatherwax finds another way in as a servant.
As Esk grows up, it becomes apparent that she has uncontrollable powers, and the local witch Granny Weatherwax decides to travel with her to the Unseen University in Ankh-Morpork to help her gain the knowledge required to properly manage her powers.īut a female wizard is something completely unheard of on the Discworld. Since Billet notices his mistake too late, the staff passes on to her. However, the newborn child is actually a girl, Esk (full name Eskarina Smith). This signifies that the child is destined to become a wizard (on the Discworld, the number eight has many of the magical properties that are ascribed to seven in the real world), Billet wants to pass his wizard's staff on to his successor. The wizard Drum Billet knows that he will soon die and travels to a place where an eighth son of an eighth son is about to be born.
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