Book Review: Night Watch – A Discworld Novel
Night Watch: A Discworld Novel by Terry Pratchett
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was the most serious and dare I say “intense” Discworld book I’ve read so far. This is not to say that it lacks Pratchett’s signature humor and heart – but mingled in with all that is a goodly amount of drama. Definitely one of my favorites.
Non-spoilery overview: Sam Vimes, while chasing down a serial murderer in Ankh-Morpork, finds himself thrown back in time (along with his quarry) to an era where the city and the city watch were much more ragged, brutal, and corrupt. In the process, we get to learn a lot about the true character of Sam Vimes and what made him into the copper we all know and love, as well as getting a glimpse into the rather dark history of Ankh-Morpork.
This is not the Discworld novel to start with if you’re a noob to Discworld, certainly, but it is a must read-for any established fan.
—-
NOTE: I’ve read and reviewed a few other books on Goodreads since my last LJ post, but I won’t put them up here in full. Instead, I invite you to check them out on Goodreads: View all my reviews.
One Response to “Book Review: Night Watch – A Discworld Novel”
Leave a Reply
Slideshow: CED Flickr Group
I’m not so sure that a Discworld newcomer wouldn’t enjoy this; certainly the story benefits from prior knowledge of past events, but it’s a good read regardless.
Perhaps more importantly, it has a lot to say about what makes a truly good cop. I was taking criminal justice classes at the time I read it, and a lot of real-world police officers could do worse than to follow Sam Vimes’s example. really. I actually went through and highlighted it in places.