Terry Pratchett turns his attention to the issue of discrimination against women in Equal Rites. The novel recounts the struggle of young Esk to be admitted to Unseen University as the first female student of wizardry. Pratchett echoes many of the familiar arguments against the exclusion of females and the smugness of the male hierarchy. His own maleness and his comic approach could cause some to wonder how seriously he takes the problem of sexism, but the message, while not original, is consistent throughout. Equal Rites is a particularly valuable document because fantasy has often been a reactionary genre in its treatment of female characters. Women in fantasy have tended to be depicted as scantilyclad trophies and playthings, which is unfortunate in view of the importance of fantasy literature in developing the minds of many young readers. Equal Rites will never be hailed as a landmark...