Eric by: Terry Pratchett

FaustEric is the ninth Discworld novel and the shortest of Pratchett’s series, at least amongst the ‘adult’ novels.  It clocks in at less than 150 pages and was originally published in an illustrated edition.  Serving as a tribute to Goethe’s Faust and Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus, Homer’s The Illiad, and Dante’s Divine Comedy, Pratchett puts Rincewind in the role of Mephistopholes and the titular Eric in the role of Faustus.  Eric is a demonologist who is attempting to summon a demon, but gets Rincewind and the Luggage instead.  After some time poking fun at the 13-year old who thinks he knows what he wants and his vulgar mouthed parrot, Rincewind finds out that he can grant the wishes of the boy with the snap of his fingers.  This is because demons in Hell have plans to use Rincewind because allowing him to escape the Dungeon Dimensions from Sourcery because they want to revolt in Hell.  Apparently bureaucracy is the complete evil, something that is quite a bit cliché.  It doesn’t really matter because the demonic characters of the novel are the weak link, the strong link are the three mini-adventures in the form of the wishes which allow Rincewind and Eric to have good jokes at each other’s expense.

The first wish is ‘to be ruler of the world’ so Pratchett transports the pair to a parody of the Aztec empire with a parody of Ponce de Leon and his search for the Fountain of Youth.  Quezovercoatl is this version of the Feathered Serpent and all life’s misfortunes are blamed on the Ruler of the world.  You can see where this is going and we have some scenes of Rincewind and Eric on the top of a pyramid where they are to be sacrificed.  The Luggage is the one who gets the two incompetents out of their troubles and Rincewind snaps his fingers again, transporting them elsewhere.

The second wish is ‘to meet the most beautiful woman in all history’ where Pratchett parodies again the Trojan War with the city of Tsort.  They materialize in a wooden horse which is discovered by the soldiers of Tsort.  Also the Luggage eats four people which causes Pratchett to potentially make a reference to Doctor Who as it seems to be bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.  Eleanor of Tsort is apparently the most beautiful woman in all history, but the reality of the situation is that she has gone middle aged and had children since the war started, pissing off poor young Eric.  Rincewind and Eric also meet an Odysseus parody Lavaeolus which means Rinser of Winds, indicating that he is possibly one of Rincewind’s ancestors, who doesn’t like him for spoiling the war so to speak.

The final wish is ‘to live forever’, so Rincewind snaps his fingers and bang: they’re transported to the beginning of the universe outside of time.  God or ‘the creator’ is having trouble with finishing the Discworld and the universe begins with a paper clip.  Death is there and he’s just starting out, so he is content to wait until his function becomes necessary as he knows that it is coming.  Eric is at his limit because he doesn’t want to wait millions of years with only Rincewind to talk to because Rincewind is not good company.  Rincewind convinces Eric to reverse the summoning sending them to hell.  In hell they are let out after the two demons have a fight, one is deposed and trapped in the prison of his own making, and Rincewind and Eric escape.  FaustEric is a light read with many clichés, but it is at least enjoyable.  6/10.