The Color of Magic, the first of Sir Terry Pratchett's extensive comedic fantasy series Discworld, marked a humble beginning for what would become a massively successful endeavor. Set in the fictional realm of the Discworld, a flat circle carried through space on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown) called Great A'Tuin, this irreverent and absurdly funny novel turned quite a few literary heads with its publication despite its initial obscurity. Eventually, Pratchett's work on the Discworld series (his primary literary project) earned him a knighthood for his "services to literature" in 2009.
The book was received quite well at its publication in 1983, and the many subsequent volumes of the Discworld series quickly amassed a rather large following. The satire, humor, and comedy present in the series is balanced by the well-constructed fantasy setting, leading many to refer to this series as the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy of fantasy.
The Color of Magic has been adapted to many forms, including a computer game (1986), a graphic novel (1991), and a two-part television program (2008), the last of which included such big names as Sean Astin, David Jason, Christopher Lee, and Tim Curry. Though Pratchett has since passed away, his legacy and the world of the Discworld live on.
