Just assume you have to write a story where you have to, say, interweave three classic works with evolution and bureaucracy. Where would you start? The best start is buying a ticket to the Discworld of course. Because its all been done before. Terry Pratchett linked Faust, Dantes Inferno and Homers Illiad together in Eric. And funny thing is, he summarizes these three classic words in less than 200 words, too! Eric is about Eric. A kid demonologist who is as incapable in demonology as Rincewind is in wizardry. And now were mentioning him
When Eric tries to summon a demon, he ends up summoning the inept wizard who ended up in the Dungeon Dimension a couple of Discworlds ago (Sourcery to be precise). And together they plod along through time and space to spoil the fun of the three masterpieces for everyone who hasnt read them. Though, as Pratchett likes to do, theres a bunch of subtle details hinting to the classic works as well which only people who did read them will discover. This Discworld is again very easy to read. Maybe a bit too easy for people a bit too serious about the satirized works. But then, I dont think Mr. Pratchett wrote it for people taking themselves too seriously. As a matter of fact, Im pretty damn sure he wrote it for people very much not taking themselves a bit too seriously
So, the only point of critique that remains is that its too damn short.