Night Watch

Rating:
Summary: Still better than a lot of books out there!
Review: Let me say that I love Terry Pratchett, and for over 10 years I've eagerly awaited each new book. I've read some of his early discworld books so many times I've lost count.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to to really like this book, it was very disappointing. Another reviewer got it in one when they said, "just not funny". Yes, all of his books are social satire, but this was verging on just 'social'. Even the jokes that were attempted seemed forced and unoriginal, like I had read them in his other books before. I even read it again (because I always read ever new Pratchett books several times right away since there is normally so much I miss the first time through), but it never 'caught' me, I never laughed, and I just set the book aside.

I have been disappointed in the last two Pratchett books, and while I'll be certain to pick up his next book as well, I really hope to see some new, refreshing material in the future.

Rating:
Summary: beautiful.
Review: Without a doubt, Terry Pratchett just keeps getting better. I can no longer simply describe his books as "fantasy, but funny"...because they're just so much more. The last few, especially the last few about the watch, have grown increasingly more meaningful. 'Night Watch' more than continues that trend. The inherent contemplations about the nature of time that were introduced with the History Monks in 'Thief of Time' are added to the depth that has become ever more present in the watch books. At the same time, 'Night Watch' provides some truly wonderful background on Vimes, Vetinari, and the rest of the original gang, while being far more than a simple prequel.

I disagree with any who felt this book was not as funny as others; there were parts that made me laugh for minutes on end. Many of those parts involved humor anyone would understand, while others were so amusing simply because they involved characters that we're used to seeing decades later. What's even more important to me, however, is not that this book made me laugh -- Terry Pratchett has never written a book that has not accomplished that. This, however, is the first book he's written that has ever made me cry.

One of the things I most admire about Terry Pratchett's writing is that he draws so much from history and from our own world, yet does so in ways that you never notice until you have learned the history elsewhere; I discover a new reference every time I read or reread a book. 'Night Watch' contains some truly striking commentary on war and revolution, as well as on a myriad of other topics. Do not begin the series with this book, as much of its value derives from the framework provided by previous books. With that said, I recommend this book to all and offer my applause and thanks to Mr.Pratchett -- he deserves them.

Rating:
Summary: Fatal flaw
Review: There was one really fatal flaw in Night Watch. It just wasn't funny. Instead of the usual hilarious humor, we had Terry Pratchett pontificating on revolution, repression and who cares? This may be an occupational hazard for best-selling authors: deciding that they have a mandate to Share their Views.

There was one good joke at the start of the book, where Vimes get depressed because the Guild of Assassins is no longer trying to kill himl, but that first joke was the last. I was used to laughing out loud at Discworld, but this time I barely smiled. Calling the secret police "The Unmentionables" could have set off a satire on The Untouchables, but no such luck. Just one more missed opportunity.

Rating:
Summary: The best Pratchett I've read yet!
Review: The conundrum here is-
1) Yes it IS the best Pratchett yet that I've read (though I haven't read them all)
2) If you've never read Pratchett before, don't start here.

Sam Vimes is my favourite character...any guy who can run naked in the snow with nasty things after him has my admiration...Jingo is a good book to read to get know this most excellent of Pratchett's characters! Night Watch focuses on Vimes quite a bit and readers might miss Carrot and other more recent characters. It was really interesting to see Vimes young and Vetinari makes his usual cool-as-ice appearance. I wish HE had a book all to himself!

Rating:
Summary: Not as funny, but just as good
Review: It is currently a quarter till 3AM, and I'm putting off bed for just a little longer just so I can share what I feel about this awesome book. Skimming over a few reviews, I have noticed that there have been a few complaints that this book isn't as funny as the others. This is true.

However, this doesn't mean it's a bad book. Far from it. While it has comedy (I, personally, love Detritus' jody at the beginning of the book), this is a much more serious book about a new father trying to get back home to his wife and newborn baby, while practically impossible odds face him.

What's also interesting about this book is that we learn the origins of a few older characters (Nobby, Colon, and Reg Shoe for example) and why they are what they are today.

My only complaint is that, while it has improved slightly, the book covers are still hideous. I don't see why we can't receive the Brit covers. But that's hardly worth demoting a star from the rating.

I'm a slow reader, and I finished this book in an approx. total of 9-12 hours. It is an adventurous page-turner that'll keep your heart pumping and give you a laugh when needed.

Rating:
Summary: The 'man of the polis' is back...
Review: Excellent work; tough to put down long enough to sleep; actually rates about a 4.7. I suspect TP was a murder mystery writer in another life. He opens Night Watch well, with a question and a few clues . Throught the rest of the book he proceeds to allow you to uncover the answer.
The technique works for me, although, as in most of his recent books, TP gives in to the temptation to substitute irony for comedy. STILL:
Vimes is his usual fuming, funny self, out to keep the peace and everyone's body parts where they belong. I particularly enjoyed Detritus' marching song (true to the troll) in the beginning, though I missed the 'whiz-BANG' of Lady Ramkin's dragons, and Carrot's silly, noble 'dudley doright' attitude.

Rating:
Summary: Wow!!! Another hit!
Review: It's rare that an author can keep writing one series, churning them out at speed, and still keep the novels fresh! Pratchett's secret seems to be that he doesn't spit out novels about the same characters over and over: he has essentially split the Discworld into many almost completely separated series, connected only by cameo appearances of some favorite characters.

Night Watch focuses, not surprisingly, on Captain Vimes the Night Watch. This particular story reads much more like a science fiction novel than many of his works, with a pretty common sci-fi theme, but made fresh by Pratchett's perspective.

The reuse of such a common theme was why I only rated this a 4, not a 5. However, this book is a great read, totally worth the money, and the time!!!

Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful and funny
Review: It's hard to know where to recommend that newcomers start with Discworld. On the one hand, this is the best Pratchett yet (and that's saying something). On the other hand, although it stands alone it's better appreciated if you've read some of its predecessors. Perhaps the ideal compromise is to read Night Watch, read everything else chronologically, then read Night Watch again. It will certainly repay the time.

Its unfortunately true that many humorous authors never again rise to the level of their first breakthrough, and spend the rest of their careers fending off remarks like "it's good, but it's no 'How To Be An Alien'". Not so with Pratchett. Over the span of the Discworld series he has constantly grown as a humorist and, even more, as an author. From the moment I read the first few pages of the first book in the series it was clear to me that something special was going on here, and Pratchett has avoided ever becoming stale even as his skills have grown.

Pratchett is at his worst when leaning too heavily on parodies of other forms and relying on stock characters ("Moving Pictures", "Soul Music"), although it should be acknowledged that his worst is still pretty good. He is at his best when he lets his universe largely stand on its own merits, even when populated with figures familiar from earlier stories, as he does here and did before in "The Truth", for example.

For those familiar with Pratchett, this is a no-brainer: buy this book and read it immediately. For those new to Discworld, by all means start here as the book stands on its own two feet. Then go back to the beginning and discover Discworld from the very beginning while at the same time tracking Pratchett's growth from "good" to "great", all the while knowing that the treat of Pratchett at the top of his game is awaiting you when you work your way back to re-reading Night Watch.

Rating:
Summary: Times of Vimes
Review: In Night Watch, Terry Pratchett has a second (and more successful) go at time. It's predecessor, Thief of Time, starred Lao Tzu and his monks (who keep the threads of time running smoothly on their spindles most of the time)trying to thwart a plot to stop time.

Night Watch is a more conventional time-travel story. Watch Commander Vimes, one of Pratchett's continuing characters, is cast back to the Ankh-Morpork of his youth by a lightning bolt just as he is arresting the most-wanted criminal in the city, a stone-cold killer named Carcer. Carcer shares Vimes' fate, escapes and sets about to create a future more to his own liking -- one that does not include Commander Vimes. The time in which they find themselves is a pivotal moment in Ankh-Morpork's history and in Vimes' own development as a police officer.

Pratchett finesses the paradox of having the youthful Constable Vimes encounter his more mature self by having Commander Vimes assume the identity of John Keel, a sergeant of the watch he remembers from his youth. As Lao Tzu labors to bring Commander Vimes back to his proper place in time, Vimes struggles to keep Carcer from killing either of his selves and turning Ankh-Morpork to the dark side. Along the way, we encounter the future ruler of Ankh-Morpork, Lord Vetinari, in his youthful form as an apprentice in the Assassin's Guild.

Much of the action in Night Watch takes place in Treacle Road, which is perhaps unintentionally appropriate. There is a vein of sticky sentimentality running through this story that makes this reader's teeth ache. It needed more of the wry humor with which Pratchett seasons his best books -- like The Word. Night Watch is, nevertheless, an entertaining fast-paced adventure that will please Pratchett's legions of devoted fans.

Rating:
Summary: Almost read it in one sitting . . .
Review: And then nearly didn't get up for work the next day!!

I eagerly look forward to every Terry Pratchett book I can get my hands on. The man has made such a wonderful contribution to the literary world that, as an American, I am thunderstruck by how few people seem to know his work over here. With the relatively recent stateside success of the Harry Potter books and Lord of the Rings relaunch (well I'm sure the films helped, too *grin*), I think Terry Pratchett is primed to continue to become more well-known here.

Onto the book . . . Loved it. Sam Vimes is a wonderful character. He has made great strides since his first appearance in "Guards! Guards!". Good story for fans, maybe not as friendly to new readers as "The Truth". I must confess that I wish Carrot would get to shine some more. I sometimes wonder if Terry hasn't been sure how to advance the character (I'd hoped for more from "The Fifth Elephant" in regards to Carrot's character development). But these are all fanboy geek wants. I'm not going to replay the story of "Night Watch". That's been done enough here. However, if you're a fan of the series, especially the "Guards" books, definately pick it up. If you haven't read a "Discworld" Novel before, then I suggest you try these first, "Guards! Guards!", "Men at Arms", "Feet of Clay", "Jingo", then "The Fifth Elephant", before picking up "Night Watch". My thinking is, if you try the first one and aren't hooked, then you're better of with another series and possibly another writer. My belief is that you will be hooked, then just follow the list I gave in order to read the "Guards" books in order.