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Title: Night Watch |
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Review of Night Watch
One moment, Sir Sam Vimes is in his old patrolman form, chasing a sweet-talking psychopath across the rooftops of Ankh-Morpork. The next, he's lying naked in the street, having been sent back thirty years courtesy of a group of time-manipulating monks who won't leave well enough alone. This Discworld is a darker place that Vimes remembers too well, three decades before his title, fortune, beloved wife, and impending first child. Worse still, the murderer he's pursuing has been transported back also. Worst of all, it's the eve of a fabled street rebellion that needlessly destroyed more than a few good (and not so good) men. Sam Vimes knows his duty, and by changing history he might just save some worthwhile necksâthough it could cost him his own personal future. Plus there's a chance to steer a novice watchman straight and teach him a valuable thing or three about policing, an impressionable young copper named Sam Vimes.
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Comments for Night Watch
- Posted on 2008-05-14
Very Good
I really enjoy Terry Pratchett's series about DiscWorld. This is one of the better books in the series. However, you need to have read some of the series in order to get all the little things about the different characters. The only bad thing about this book is that I don't really like the whole time travel concept of it. I liked seeing the characters when Sam Vimes is just starting out and is young and impressionable, but I didn't like having to go back in time and pretend to be someone else to do it. I love how Mr. Pratchett takes what's going on in our world today and gets his characters to make fun of and make statements about it. I really loved his social commentary about rebellions and political changes, not to mention how when a new man comes into an organization and slowly takes it over. I just find his series revealing about how others may see us and how we do what we do. How funny it really sounds to others. I would highly recommend this book to others who have read the series. If you haven't started the series then you definitely need to get on it.
Score: 4
- Posted on 2008-05-06
Favorite Watch Book
This is my favorite book in the City Watch book and quite possibly my favorite book in the entire Discworld series. It gives you a little more background on some of the main characters(Vimes, Colon, Nobby, and even Vetinari)and makes for a thrilling read. Read it! I command you!
Score: 5
- Posted on 2008-02-19
Self-Taught Copper
Having enjoyed Going Postal, my first Terry Pratchett, I jumped on "Night Watch" with a Christmas gift certificate and started reading it right away. Somewhat inexplicably, the book took me nearly a month to finish. Pratchett parodies modern societal infrastructure in his books (communications in "Going Postal"; law enforcement in "Night Watch"). Perhaps I'm just not clued in enough to police work to get all the jokes.
The story blends elements of "The Time Machine" (as protagonist Sam Vimes is accidentally thrown about 30 years into then past), Les Misérables (Signet Classics) (a citizens' revolt involving heavy use of barricades makes up much of the action) and The Streets of San Francisco - Season 1, Vol. 2, but with a time-twist as the veteran Vimes (the Karl Malden character) trains a young Vimes (the Michael Douglas character) thirty years in the past. I expect that there's a British TV version of this old cop/young cop story (without the time-shifting, of course).
But it doesn't work out as wackily as it sounds. Slowing down the fun, Pratchett devotes many pages to the drudgery of night policing (the "night watch" of the title) and to the inner workings of a precinct house. Sectioning the book into more chapters might have also helped the story flow better. I will say that the ending came together well, if a little on the sentimental side.
Though I didn't enjoy "Night Watch" (3 stars) as much as "Going Postal" (4 stars), I still plan to read more Pratchett. I'm told that some of the earliest books in the Discworld series have more of the jocularity that charmed me in "Postal".
Score: 3
- Posted on 2008-01-21
My Favorite Pratchett Book
Being a prison guard (no, not like the ones in this book, a REAL one) I find great comfort in Sam Vimes. Moralistic humor, nice twisty view of the world, yet always trying to do right - even to himself. This book has gotten me through hard times when I needed to be reminded to be true to myself, to do what I know is right, to look to the greater picture. I adore Terry Pratchett's view and agree wholeheartedly with it. Acceptance that people are who they are, but we need to be who we need to be also. I believe all his books are quite readable, enjoyable. I am currently in the process of reading the entire discworld series in chronological order and am impressed to watch not only the characters grow, but the author also. Thank you sooooo much Mr. Pratchett! Not only are your books entertaining, but provide the view more of us need to see the world through.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-01-17
Fabulous Discworld novel - just don't let it be your first
I tried to read this novel as my first Discworld novel many moons ago. I couldn't get into it. Having now read all of its precursors the book is FABULOUS. It will stand up as probably one of my favorite all time Discworld books (and let's face it they are my favorite books period). I love Vimes and the City Watch so that helps. This is, in addition to the standard humor, a really touching story. (yes, I used that description about a Discworld novel. really.) The lead up to the end is not quite satisfactory, but I've realized that when humor is the primary purpose the plot will, unfortunately, have to serve the humor rather than itself... and anyone complaining about holes in a story about a world revolving on the back of a turtle (not forgetting about the elephants as well) probably needs to take a harder look at their expectations.
Score: 5