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Eric (novel)
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Eric, stylized as Faust Eric, is the ninth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. It
was originally published in 1990[1] as a "Discworld story", in a larger format than
the other novels and illustrated by Josh Kirby. It was later reissued as a normal
paperback without any illustrations, and in some cases, with the title given on the
cover and title pages simply as Eric. (The page headers, however, continued to
alternate between Faust and Eric.)
Eric
Eric-cover.jpg
First edition
Author
Terry Pratchett
Illustrator
Josh Kirby
Language
English
Series
Discworld
9th novel – 4th Rincewind story
Subject
Faust, Dante's Inferno, Homer's Iliad, Trojan War
Characters:
Rincewind, The Luggage, Eric Thursley
Locations:
Hell, Tezumen Empire, Tsort
Genre
Fantasy
Publisher
Victor Gollancz / Corgi
Publication date
1990
ISBN
0-575-04636-8 ISBN 0-575-05191-4 (non-illustrated)
Preceded by
Guards! Guards!
Followed by
Moving Pictures
Plot summaryEdit
The story is a parody of the tale of Faust, and follows the events of Sourcery in
which the Wizard Rincewind was trapped in the Dungeon Dimensions. The Discworld
version of Hell or Pandemonium exists simply because some people believe that it
exists for them. In other Discworld stories, such as Small Gods, the afterlife is
different or non-existent according to personal belief.
After magical disturbances occur throughout Ankh-Morpork, the wizards of Unseen
University perform the Rite of AshkEnte to ask Death what is behind them; before
being asked the question, Death informs them that it is Rincewind. Rincewind wakes
in a strange place, having been summoned to a house in Pseudopolis by the thirteen-
year-old demonologist, Eric Thursley, who wants the mastery of all kingdoms, to
meet the most beautiful woman who ever existed, to live forever, and to be given a
chest of gold "to be getting on with". He is disappointed when Rincewind tells him
he is unable to deliver any of these things, and embarrassed when Rincewind sees
through his disguise. Rincewind is disheartened to learn that the spells to confine
the demon summoned are working on him; Eric's parrot tells him that because he was
summoned as a demon, he is subject to the same terms.
The arrival of Rincewind's Luggage causes Eric to suspect deceit on Rincewind's
part. Eric's demands are renewed; he makes three wishes of Rincewind. Rincewind
insists he cannot grant wishes with the snap of his fingers, and discovers to his
horror that snapping his fingers really does work.
To be Ruler of the World. After briefly floating above the Discworld, Eric and
Rincewind find themselves in the rain forests of Klatch, in the Tezumen empire, a
parody of the Aztec Empire. The local people come forward to pay tribute to Eric
and declare him Ruler of the World. During this tribute, Rincewind and the parrot
explore the temple of Quezovercoatl (a parody of Quetzalcoatl), where they find a
prisoner, Ponce da Quirm (a parody of Juan Ponce de León), who is to be sacrificed.
Da Quirm tells Rincewind about the terrible fate the Tezumen have planned for the
Ruler of the World, on whom they blame all of life's misfortunes. Shortly,
Rincewind, Eric and da Quirm find themselves tied up at the top of a pyramid,
waiting to be sacrificed, when Quezovercoatl makes his appearance. (A junior demon,
Quezovercoatl had supplanted the previous Tezumen deity, a stick.) Unfortunately
for him, the Luggage also makes an appearance, trampling the six-inch-tall
Quezovercoatl in the process. The Tezumen are pleased to see Quezovercoatl
destroyed, release the prisoners, and enshrine the Luggage in the place of their
god. At the end of the book, the Tezumen are revealed to have abandoned worshipping
the Luggage as well (since it never returned) and turned atheist, "which still
allowed them to kill anyone they wanted, but they didn't have to get up so early to
do it".
To Meet the Most Beautiful Woman in All History. Rincewind snaps his fingers
again, and they find themselves in a large wooden horse (a parody of the Trojan
Horse). Exiting, they are surrounded by Tsortean soldiers, who take them for an
Ephebian invasion force. Rincewind manages to talk their way out from the guards
and out of the city, only to fall into the hands of the invading army. Rincewind
and Eric are taken to Lavaeolus, the man who built the horse—having sent it in as a
decoy so that he and his men could sneak in around the back while their enemies
waited around the horse for them to come out—who tells them off in ironic fashion,
for 'spoiling the war'. They re-enter Tsort through a secret passage, and find
Elenor (a parody of Helen of Troy). Both Eric and Lavaeolus are disappointed to
find that it has been a long siege, and Elenor is now a plump mother of several
children, with the beginnings of a moustache, and that serious artistic licence had
been taken in her description. The Ephebians escape the city while Tsort burns, and
Lavaeolus and his army set out for home, with Lavaeolus complaining about voyages
by sea (further reference to the Iliad and subsequent Odyssey ). Eric notes that
"Lavaeolus" in Ephebian translates to "Rinser of Winds", hinting that perhaps
Lavaeolus is an ancestor of Rincewind.
To Live Forever. Rincewind snaps his fingers, bringing Eric and him outside
time, just before the beginning of existence. Rincewind meets the Creator, who is
just forming the Discworld and is having trouble finishing some of the animals. Out
of hunger, Rincewind asks the Creator for an egg and cress sandwich, though Eric
agonises over this as said sandwich may be considered a holy relic. Rincewind and
Eric are left on the newly formed world, with the realisation that "to live
forever" means to live for all time, from start to finish. To escape, Rincewind has
Eric reverse his summoning, taking them both to hell. At the end of the book, the
Creator was said to have developed a seven-pointed snowflake.
They discover hell steeped in bureaucracy, the Demon King Astfgl having decided
that boredom might be the ultimate form of torture. Rincewind uses his university
experience to confuse the demons, so he and Eric can try to escape. While crossing
through the recently reformed levels of hell (satirical forms of Dante's Inferno)
they encounter da Quirm and the parrot, as well as Lavaeolus, who tells them where
the exit is.
The source of Rincewind's demonic powers is revealed to be Lord Vassenego, a Demon
Lord leading a secret revolt against Astfgl. Using Rincewind to keep Astfgl
occupied while gathering support amongst the demons, Vassenego confronts his king
just as Astfgl finally catches up to Rincewind and Eric. Vassenego announces the
council of demons has made Astfgl "Supreme Life President of Hell", and that he is
to plan out the course of action for demons. With Astfgl lost in the bureaucratic
prison of his own making, Vassenego takes over as king and lets Rincewind and Eric
escape, so that stories about hell can be told. As they escape from hell, Rincewind
and Eric notice that the path they are fleeing along has good intentions written on
each cobble.
CharactersEdit
Eric Thursley, a 13-year-old demonologist who wanted to summon a demon, but
ends up inadvertently rescuing Rincewind fom an eternity in the Dungeon Dimensions.
Rincewind
The Luggage
Reception
In other media
References
External links
Last edited 3 months ago by 2A00:23C4:A41E:D301:7C16:386:E516:E06D
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