Rating: 
Summary: Just Passing Time
Review: One of Terry Pratchett's knacks (he has several) is the ability to take an essentially serious theme and mine it for countless funny bits, but never losing sight of the larger themes that lurk behind his wry tales. Sam Vimes, once a patrolman in Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch, now Duke of Ankh and Commander of the City Watch, thought his world was becoming reliably predictable. And in law enforcement, this is considered a 'good thing. Especially when one's wife is expecting, immanently. So Vimes was ill prepared when a bolt of lightning catapulted him and the psychotic he was trying to arrest, straight through the roof of the Unseen University and into the past.Vimes has a long history of coping. Now he took in stride the discovery that he had suddenly become the man responsible for showing himself how to be a good cop in the first place. He takes the place of Sergeant John Keel (conveniently killed by Carcer, the psychotic who started all this) and sets about trying to teach young Sam Vimes how to keep the peace. Distracted only by the fact than Ankh-Morpork was about to experience its own version of the French Revolution - The Glorious People's Republic of Treacle Mine Road. And if Sam (the elder) doesn't get it all to come out right, he has no hope of returning to his own present and his newborn son. This is a complicated tale. Even the basic plot - making sure that history happens as it should - is an enormous task. Nor has Pratchett chosen a narrow stage on which to enact the plot. You will find almost every key Ankh-Morpork character (and just a few others) running about the scenery acting 30 years younger. Except Death, of course. He's there, but he is never gets any younger. You will meet Reg before he becomes a zombie and 'Cut my own throat' Dibbler before any of his great failures. And even Lord Vetinarii before he... Well, that would be giving away too much of the plot. Pratchett makes this all weave together as if it really happened. Alternating between characters full of self-effacing humor and grim determination in equal parts. Revolutions, after all, are not funny business. 'Night Watch' is less of a lampoon than a social commentary with a twist. It comforts us little that all this is happening on a turtle far away. This world has no lack of characters even grimmer than the villains of this piece (security officers and greedy politicians). Pratchett provides a gentle reminder that the business of keeping the peace takes hardnosed determination. Perhaps because of the ambivalent mood of the book, it seems a bit more than many of its predecessors. This wasn't dashed off, and the characters are all filled in some detail. It asks questions, and doesn't always offer an answer. Pratchett is noted for bending people's minds, but less for making the reader think. I like the change. This is a book to be read slowly and relished.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!
Review: Night Watch, the newest discworld book, features the Night Watch when Vimes joined. It is not only funny, but interesting and really fun. It has more of a concentrated plot than some of the other books, and ties together the story of the City Watch, and also includes Lu Tze, Qu, Lord Vetinari as a student assasin, and other well loved characters. Anyone, even if they haven't read other Discworld or Pratchett books, will enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: "How do the little angels rise up, rise up?"
Review: Great book. Even if you've never read any of the Discworld books, you can't help but enjoy Night Watch. Terry Pratchett has a way of making us look at our world and ourselves through the eyes of wizards, trolls, gnomes and other characters from a disc-shaped world that flies through the cosmos on the back of four elephants and a giant turtle. Sam Vimes (Duke, Knight, and Commander of the Ankh Morpork City Watch) travels into the past to a darker, meaner Ankh Morpork on the edge of change. In this Ankh Morpork, revolution (or at least the threat of people throwing rocks) is in the air. The old regime (a paranoid madman) is on the way out and the new (a slightly less paranoid, not-quite-as-mad man) is on the way in. To make it back home Vimes just has to make sure nothing changes. And yet, he just can't let things happen the way they did the first time. This isn't one of Pratchett's funniest books. But I think it is one of his most meaningful. I can't say enough about this book. (not for lack of trying, though...)
Rating:
Summary: Pratchett At His Finest
Review: Terry Pratchett reinvents Sam Vimes, his finest creation, in this stunning work. Gone, to a large degree, are the puns and comic events, and in their place is a gripping and occasionally melancholy tale of Ankh-Morpork's past. Vimes is forced to relive the days of his youth as the man who trained him, and sees those diffuclt times through new eyes. Along the way, we meet many characters in their youth, learn a lot about the city, and get very much inside Vimes' head. The result is a work of near-brilliance, an examination of the human condition, the cities we build, the evil and the good in our world, and the role one man can play. Vimes has evolved over the years from a rough-hewn satire of a beat cop to one of the most intriguing and human of heroes. Here, without Vetinari or Carrot or Lady Sybil to play off of, he dominates the story as he never has before, and a rich tapestry becomes that much richer. If you've never read a Discworld book, best to start with the earlier ones. But if you've been to the Disc before, you must come back again and read this thriliing, gripping, sad, funny, heartrending, heartwarming and amazing novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book poorly read.
Review: While Night Watch is one of the best of the Terry Pratchett novels, this reading of the book is completely disappointing. Although I have read the book with enjoyment many times I can barely tolerate the audio version. The reader's voices and manners are deep and serious with a downturn to their phrasing which is in total contrast to the tone of the book. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to the timing of the changes between readers, attempts at british accents are weak and erratic, and the brilliantly written unique characters have no distinction as read. This is especially disappointing because of the excellence of Terry Pratchett novels read by Nigel Planer. I regret purchasing this item.
Rating:
Summary: This gripping novel is a must for fans and newcomers alike
Review: Attempting to assign a genre to Terry Pratchett is like trying to identify the parentage of a rescue league dog. As you get to know the beast, there are so many fascinating possibilities and ancestors evident that finally you just throw up your hands and say, "Who cares?" If you enjoy it and want to keep it around for company, why not just let it be called whatever it answers to. I am not a fantasy reader, nor am I a sci-fi fan. There are exceptions of course, but neither genre label will draw me inexorably down a bookstore aisle. A voracious reader friend who rarely leads me astray first introduced me to Terry Pratchett a few years ago. Now, just let me spy a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel I haven't read (a rare commodity these days since I first started collecting these deliciously droll satires) and it's mine. Snatched up, bought, wrapped and out the door. For the uninitiated, Pratchett has discovered a planet, perhaps in our solar system, perhaps not, called Discworld. It is a strange, flat planet inhabited by humans --- more or less. It's also inhabited by trolls, dwarves, witches and wizards, the occasional imp, (useful creatures for picture taking and reminding its owners of important appointments) werewolves, vampires, zombies, gargoyles, a talking dog and, ultimately, the Man in Black, the Grim Reaper, the Keeper of Personal Hour Glasses --- DEATH. The humans are under the impression that they rule Discworld, which amuses the other beings to no end. It also amuses the millions of fans who devour each book as it hits the shelves. NIGHT WATCH adds an element never before encountered in a Pratchett book --- time travel. Commander Samuel Vimes of the capitol city's City Watch, is in hot pursuit of an arch criminal threatening Vimes' home and wife, who is in labor with his first-born child. As they grapple for control of a deadly crossbow in a thunderstorm on the roof of the Unseen University, home of Discworld's Wizards and source of poorly controlled magic at times, a lightning bolt catapults them 30 years back in time. There, Sam finds himself in the body of a legendary hero, Sergeant of the Night Watch John Keel. An alarming discovery, for Vimes knows full well that Sgt. Keel lies in a hero's grave, the result of brave action in the bloody 25th of May Rebellion. The date is the dawn of that fateful day and Sam realizes, once he assesses his situation, that he has not only unwillingly become a part of his own history but, when he looks around the watch room, he sees Young Lance Corporal Sam Vimes, a raw recruit of a few weeks. He will have the opportunity to mentor him and what a disappointing prospect Young Sam seems to be. "He wondered if it was at all possible to give this idiot some lessons in basic politics. That was always the dream, wasn't it? 'I wish I knew then what I know now'? But when you got older, you found out that You Now wasn't You Then. You Then was a twerp. You Then was what you had to be to start out on the rocky road of becoming You Now, and one of the rocky patches on that road was being a twerp. A much better dream, one that'd ensure sounder sleep, was not to know now what you didn't know then." NIGHT WATCH delves deeper into the philosophy of war and leadership than most of the Discworld books. It also offers more action than any others in the collection. For the initiated, you will discover how Reg Shoe becomes a zombie, you will meet Lord Vetineri as a young and promising student of the Assassin's Guild and discover how Knobby Knobs becomes a faithful follower of Commander Vimes in later years. Series books should stand alone so that new readers can follow the story. NIGHT WATCH no doubt succeeds in this. Perhaps because it is almost, but not quite, a prequel to the rest of Discworld's adventures, readers new to Pratchett will haunt booksellers for previous editions. --- Reviewed by Roz Shea
Rating:
Summary: An excellent Pratchett
Review: Sam Vimes, one of the recurring characters in Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" series, has been doing well. The humbly-born, pragmatic, streetwise, but basically honourable cop has risen to become Watch commander in Ankh-Morpork, chief of police in one of the wealthiest and most powerful cities of the Discworld. He has married late, and it is a love match, but the fact that his wife is an aristocrat and the wealthiest woman in the city has done his career no harm. He has come to the notice of the city's ruler Lord Vetinari (the Machiavellian politician's Machiavellian politician), who uses him for diplomatic missions where his talents will be more useful than those of the usual run of diplomats. This happened most memorably in "The Fifth Elephant", one of the best books of the series. But now something has gone horribly wrong. A psychopathic cop-killer has been cornered in the wizards' university and Vimes is about to make the collar when an accidental discharge of magical energy throws them both thirty years into the past. In the less well-run city of those days he must act as mentor to his younger self, a rookie Watchman, he must try to foil, and then lead, a revolution, and he must try to get home, while keeping both his selves safe from the cop-killer who has quickly found a natural place in the secret police. The "Discworld" novels can vary in quality, but overall seem to be getting even better as the series progresses. Entertaining and thought-provoking, "Night Watch" is definitely in the top rank.
Rating:
Summary: Best SF/F Book of 2002
Review: While chasing a psychopathic mass killer, Night Watch commander Sam Vimes, and the killer, are plunged into the past of Sam's youth. Once there, they can't help change history. The killer murders the man who taught young Vimes what he knows about policing. Unless he can apprehend the killer and return to the present, Vimes risks the destruction of the city he loves. But even if he succeeds, he knows that his actions in the past will change everything--including his marriage and his prospective child. Author Terry Pratchett has carved out a reputation as a writer who both makes you laugh--and think. The Discworld fantasy series is uniformly excellent, but NIGHT WATCH rates near the top of even this fine series. Vimes is a fully realized character. It is interesting to watch him relate to his younger self, and to the men who will someday be his leader and most faithful followers. Philosophical questions about fate vs. choice, and the nature of evil are disguised in witty dialogue and introspection. Pratchett's Discworld world is silly and funny--with its unseen University, the seemingly omniscient Vetinari, the mostly incompetent police force that nevertheless manages to keep order in a disorderly city, and its treckle mines--but it grows on you and Pratchett moves beyond absurd to deliver some real insights. All right, this review was a bit of a rave--I'll admit it. I picked up NIGHT WATCH expecting a laugh and put it down with a deeper appreciation of Pratchett as an author and of the world I live in--no reader can ask for more.
Rating: 
Summary: To quote a previous Pratchett, "sort of like iron".
Review: If you are new to TP, the quoted remark refers to what some people slightly slower on the uptake might regard as a definition of "irony". I include it because that's where Terry went with Night Watch. NW is the most serious TP book yet, and yet it's still funny all the way through. It's just that the humour is more than ever firmly rooted in the City Watch style of humour (irony, cynical asides, sarcasm) and less in the wizardly style (bickering, puns, one-liners etc. - although there is a great exchange between Ridcully and Stibbons early in the book) It's like Terry decided to slow the jokes down and spread them out. It could almost be a kind of deliberate differentiation - most of the quick-fire humour is in the present-day, while the past is a more cynical time, which I suppose is appropriate for a city on the brink of a revolution. Of course, one constant throughout is Sam Vimes's eternal exasperation, which is always good for a laugh. Should you buy it? Yep. But if you've read the earlier Watch novels first, you'll have more laughs in this one as you spot all the series regular's younger versions...
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating character study of a good man
Review: Night Watch, the 27th (and brand new!) Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, is a wonderful character study of Samuel Vimes, the head of the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork. In this one, Pratchett turns kind of serious, though there are some amusing bits. Unlike Small Gods, it appears to work in this one. Maybe I just wasn't ready for it before. Or maybe Vimes is such an interesting character that I was willing to forgive. Whichever way it is, Night Watch is yet another masterpiece from Pratchett. Carcer is one of Pratchett's best villains, I believe, because he's "normal." Yes, he's insane, but he could very well live in the world we live in, unlike some of Pratchett's other bad guys. Not to say that they weren't good as well, but Carcer adds that extra bit of chill. He's a survivor, able to adapt to many different situations. It takes some time for Vimes to adapt himself to what he has to do once he discovers what has happened. Even when the Monks of History (the main source of any humour in this book) tell him what he must do, he is still reluctant. Carcer, on the other hand, jumps in with both feet, ingratiating himself with the higher-ups, and starts establishing himself. Once he realizes what the situation is with Vimes (and the younger Vimes) it gets even chillier. He's very effective, and the reader is often left wondering just how Vimes can beat him. This book, however, is Sam Vimes' book. I've always found Vimes to be a fascinating character, throughout all of the City Watch books, and this book just builds on those. Every City Watch book is really about the development of Vimes, and Night Watch takes it to the next level, with an in depth character study, where you get under his skin and find out what makes him tick. When he's taken out of his element and dumped back in time, he has nothing to go on but his copper instincts. Times may change, politics may change, but coppers are coppers, and they just have to do what is right. Catch the bad guys, keep the peace. He sees himself as an extraordinarily simple man, and in a way, he is. But he's very dedicated to what he does, very strongly determined to do what's right, no matter what the consequences. When rebellion is flourishing all over the city, and the Unmentionables (the current government's secret police) is fomenting even more, Vimes is determined to make sure it doesn't reach the area of the Watch house. He uses some very unorthodox methods to make sure this happens, which doesn't put him on the good side of the Unmentionables (especially a new member, who has seemingly appeared out of nowhere). Vimes continues to show his intelligence, as well as his moralistic thinking. He's put through the ringer in this one, and a very interesting character throughout the previous books becomes a fascinating one instead. The relationship between him (as John Keel) and the young Sam is a joy to watch. The young Sam is very impressionable. He wants to do the right thing, but he doesn't really know what that is. He took part in the round-ups of curfew-breakers (and delivering them to the Unmentionables) only because he didn't know any different. When Vimes arrives and sees what Sam is in danger of becoming, memories flood over him, and he becomes determined to ensure that Sam becomes what Vimes is. He also tries desperately to keep him out of danger, because he has to keep history going along the path it did before. The relationship is wonderful, and really aids in fleshing out the character of Vimes that we all know and love. The plot is very interesting as well. Rebellion against the current Patrician of Ankh-Morpork is hitting the city all over the place. It is touching to watch the tragic inevitability of what happens, knowing that as much as Vimes tries, he really has to ensure that history repeats itself. The Lilac rebellion must occur in some fashion, and some good people, who he is getting to know again, are going to die. Carcer is going to do his best to make Vimes' life miserable, and if that involves changing history, too bad. Pratchett ties everything together nicely into a tight plot with no holes that I could see. The story contains some interesting time travel theories, wonderful writing by Pratchett, and interesting characters. Fans of the series will be glad to see that not only are the Watch back (though they are only there in the present-day sequences), but also the Wizards play a small role. The Monks of History are around, trying to make sure that History is not damaged too badly by what is going on. Also, we get some history on Nobby Nobs, Sergeant Colon, Reg Shoe, Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler and we find out a very interesting aspect of the current Patrician, Vetinari. I've noticed that in recent books, Pratchett picks and chooses characters from his series to throw together into a book, and I think it really works. But make no mistake. This book is about Samuel Vimes. He carries the book on his shoulders, and he does it very well. I wasn't sure if Pratchett could do much more with Vimes other than just another "adventure of the City Watch," but Pratchett proved me wrong. In spades. This is a wonderful book. While it's certainly readable as a first Discworld book, it loses a lot of its impact that way, so I would not recommend starting here. Get some background, then come back to this one. It's a keeper.
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