The title of this book is a bit misleading. It's not really about the science behind Pratchett's famous, flat world, carried on the back of a giant turtle. Rather, it's how the science that made our universe, so different from that in this fictional realm, baffles the smartest men on Discworld, the magicians. It's about two places at complete odds with each other, one vastly more advanced must come to terms with the chaos of the other (we're the "other.")
Why is our universe so baffling to the learned men of Unseen University? Well, in our universe, planets are round, Discworld is flat. Our universe is governed by rules (aka science), Discworld runs on magic. Change in our universe is propelled by scientific processes like evolution, but on Discworld, narrativium drives the story. To make things even more confusing for our Discworld natives, they encounter our universe at its very start, observing the first blob that forms the basis for our reality. Things move slowly, even with slight interference from Unseen University's best and brightest, leading to the generally accepted opinion that our world isn't a success and should just be done away with immediately.
Chapters swap between the observations of the Discworld professors and Earth-bound science lessons related to the creation of our universe and the development of our planet. Essentially, The Science of Discworld, is a science book with a science fiction wrapper. Discworld chapters infuse the science with humor and philosophical questions to ponder, like what would happen if an Unseen Univ. professor stuck his finger into our universe as it was forming, while the scientific chapters educate you.
Both silly and informative, this is a very unique approach to quite a few basic science lessons. While I had hoped the book would be more about the origins and development of Discworld itself, I didn't mind that I learned a little something about my own planet. Denser than a typical Discworld book, more like a lighter science textbook, it was still a good read that gave me a few things to think about.
A few other books in the Discworld series to check out include:
I love that in Discworld anything goes. Pratchett has created so many stories in this world because it has infinite possibilities. It's the only series I can think of that lets you read it out of order and even skip books without missing out on anything. I tend to gravitate toward the books featuring witchcraft or, in the case of Equal Rites, wizardry.
Magic in an unequal profession in Discworld - men are wizards, women are witches, and magicians are somewhere at the bottom of the barrel - for those possessed with magical acumen. Things get complicated when a dying wizard accidentally passes his magic down to a baby girl instead of a baby boy. Granny Weatherwax, an accomplished witch, attempts to train the young girl in the magic more associated with her gender, but quickly realizes Esk (the girl) has wizarding magic whether she likes it or not. So, they have to figure out how to debunk the stereotypes, which of course is extremely complicated, in order for Esk to learn how to properly use her magic before she hurts someone. This mission of creating equality in the wizarding world drives the rest of the action in the book and leads to some intense action and near-death experiences (and a lot of rain.)
Overall this book was entertaining and aligned with what I enjoy most about Pratchett but it definitely wasn't my favorite. I found certain spots hard to follow; some plot points felt very abrupt and I never really connected to any of the characters. Granny Weatherwax wasn't even that entertaining this time and she's a character I've liked a lot in the past. I would definitely recommend the Discworld series to anyone looking for something a little off kilter and comic, but maybe not this specific book.
Here are reviews I've written in the past for other Discworld books:
Witches Abroad
Wyrd Sisters
This is the third Discworld book I've read, and yes I'm reading them completely out of order. I lean toward the books about a trip of witches - Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick and they don't appear frequently. They're all so odd, so intelligent, so connected to the outcome of the story in their kingdom of Lancre; I absolutely love them even as Practchett works to make them as crochetty and/or whiny as possible.
Midsummer's Night is approaching and Magrat is to marry the King of Lancre if she can ever figure out exactly how to be a "proper" queen. Before the wedding can take place, the lords and ladies invade and the lives of every person in Lancre are put at risk. Who knew that elves were so evil their very name couldn't be said (so they were referred to as the lords and ladies)? Who knew that at midsummer the barriers between worlds weaken enough for people to pass through if they try hard enough? Between a witch battle, the return of an old love, and imminent death, Granny Weatherwax attempts the impossible to save Lancre. Equally effective, but with a completely different strategy, Nanny Ogg resists the distraction of her own love affair to help save the day. And, timid, clueless Magrat finds the courage (with a little help from an old helmet) to become a warrior. It's a busy wedding weekend full of as much humor as chaos.
Pratchett's wit and style leave nothing to be desired when visiting Discworld. Every character he writes is quirky and interesting and never bored (or boring). It's always a good idea to take a little trip to Discworld and make as many return visits as possible.
This book is definitely Pratchett's homage to William Shakespeare. Even while our three witches toil and trouble around their cauldron, Pratchett has filled this story with allusions to Shakespearean plays. He even goes so far to have a traveling theater troupe complete with in-house playwright. A theater is being constructed toward the end of the story that reminds me of the Globe and direct quotes from Shakespeare weave their way into the narrative. I mean, "the play's the thing" here just as it was in Hamlet. I love that among the actual plot of the book this whole second layer exists full of literary allusion to keep watch for.
But the actual plot...it's your typical medieval story with a murdered King (now a ghost), meddling witches, roving performers, and an heir hidden in order to keep him alive. The difference though is the humor. This typical story is infused with so much humor the plot really is immaterial. The cast of characters is pretty traditional - there's even a court jester - but the stars of the show are our three witches: Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat. These complex ladies claim to never meddle in state affairs yet deftly manipulate time, space, and the strings of destiny for the entire kingdom of Lancre in order to bring the 'rightful' king to the throne. Expanding any further on the plot or the colorful cast of characters would almost give too much away, so I think I'll leave it at that.
I always laugh out loud when I read Pratchett. His wit and subtle humor and amazing control of the English language is a joy to read. And the extra perk of the Discworld books is that you don't have to read them in order to enjoy them - you can pick up whichever one you like whenever the mood strikes you. It's very nice to have such a stress-free series to read.
