Terry Pratchett's first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was the start of what would become a phenomenally successful series of 41 books. Set on the fictional Discworld, a flat disc balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle. Pratchett often parodied or took inspiration from authors like Tolkien and Shakespeare, as well as folklore and fairy tales, often using them for satirical parallels with current cultural, political and scientific issues.