The first two Discworld books satirized the classic quest novel. In the third humorous installment of the series, Terry Pratchett takes on traditional gender roles in fantasy. A dying wizard leaves his magical staff to a newborn baby--a baby who, as the eighth son of an eighth son, is fated to be a wizard. But the baby, Eskarina Smith, turns out to be a daughter instead, with a very unique magical destiny indeed. EQUAL RITES introduces a fan favorite character who appears in many of the later books, the iron-willed, irascible, (but secretly good-hearted) witch Granny Weatherwax.

Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent novels, consistent number one bestsellers in England, have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody along with Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

In Equal Rites, a dying wizard tries to pass on his powers to an eighth son of an eighth son, who is just at that moment being born. The fact that the son is actually a daughter is discovered just a little too late...

Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent novels, consistent number one bestsellers in England, have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody along with Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.

In Equal Rites, a dying wizard tries to pass on his powers to an eighth son of an eighth son, who is just at that moment being born. The fact that the son is actually a daughter is discovered just a little too late...