The Last Continent

Terry Pratchett

11/28/2003

EcksEcksEcksEcks is the continent on Discworld shrouded in mystery. By odd chance, the wizard Rincewind finds himself there talking to a...kangaroo. Something must be wrong, because the kangaroo wants him to save the continent both in the present and in the past. Excuse me?

The Librarian at the Unseen University in Ankh-Morpork is ill. Because of this he keeps morphing from the ape he is into a variety of shapes, usually with red fur. While trying to help him, the Dean, the Archchanceller, the Bursar, the Senior Wrangler, the Chair of Indefinite Studies, and the young wizard, Ponder Stibbons, go looking for someone or something that can be useful. In the rooms of the Chair of Cruel and Unusual Geography, they discover a window that opens onto a tropical beach. Reasoning the Librarian would benefit from the sun (and wanting a vacation themselves) they climbed through the window. They propped it behind them so they could return. But this is Ankh-Morpork, and the wizards' intents often don't work out in actuality. By a twist, the prop is removed and they are stuck.

These wizards not only traveled to a beach. They traveled to an island in the dawn of the past on Discworld when lands are still being formed. The kangaroo knows they have unknowingly tampered with the magic needed to form EcksEcksEcksEcks. Rincewind is the wizard to correct the situation. Convince Rincewind of that, though.

Terry Pratchett has once again given the reader a tongue-in-cheek amusing novel. This one targets Australia...no wait, there's a disclaimer. "This is not a book about Australia. No, it's about somewhere entirely different which just happens to be, here and there, a bit . . .australian." Discworld fans will enjoy this book. If you haven't been introduced to Discworld, don't start with this novel. It assumes you know about the environment and surroundings that have been explained in the earlier books. But don't miss them, they're fun.

The Discworld books can be found at your library or at .

The Discworld Series:

The Colour of Magic
The Light Fantastic
Equal Rites
Mort
Sourcery
Wyrd Sisters
Pyramids
Guards! Guards!
The Truth
The Last Hero
Eric
Moving Pictures
Reaper Man
Witches Abroad
Small Gods
Lords and Ladies
Men at Arms
Soul Music
Feet of Clay
Interesting Times
Maskerade
Hogfather
Jingi
The Last Continent
Carpe Jugulum
The Fifth Elephant
The Truth
The Thief of Time
The Last Hero
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Night Watch
Wee Free Men
Monstrous Regiment
A Hat Full of Sky
Going Postal
Making Money