Night Watch

Rating:
Summary: Pratchett transcends
Review: No need to write much -- this is far and away the very best of Pratchett's discworld novels. This pulls away from the series novel onus -- oddly enough, though, it is the one book in this series that requires that you have read one or more of the others to fully enjoy.

It is witty, melancholy, rompous, gently cynical, open-hearted and loving toward its characters -- even the bad guys.


Rating:
Summary: The Best Pratchett Yet
Review: Night Watch was by far my favorite work by Terry Pratchett to date, and I have read many. Vimes going back in time 30 years and reliving a key moment in the current Watch of Ankh-Morpork's history could have been another sad attempt at a back-story type book with time travel elements. Pratchett turns the entire premise into a gorgeous roller coaster of Morporkian history mixed with a closer look at some key players. Wonder how Reg Shoe became a Zombie? Why did Nobby join the watch? Did Vetinari really go to Assassin school? All of these questions and more are answered masterfully along with a slight parody of fascist governments and a nod to John "Duke" Wayne. This book has to be one of the best Pratchett has ever written, and I can't recommend it enough.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book!
Review: This was the 2nd of Pratchett's books that I have read, and I liked it even better than Monstrous Regiment. Commander Vimes is thrown 30 years back in time, and is now the mentor of his young self, though he takes the name of another copper. He and his cast of watchmen, or coppers, manage a rebellion similar to the French Revolution, though just in the city of Ankh-Morpork. His type of management skills are sorely needed by the inept, bumbling powers that be. Pratchett's spoofs are wonderfully done! A must read for Pratchett fans.

Rating:
Summary: My first Pratchett book.
Review: This is the first Pratchett book I read. He has a great writing style that at times is hilarious and others deeply touching. There are two great "so you would like to..." lists out there that give the exact chronology of the series. The Night watch section of the Disk World Series is the only one I've started but I can honestly say I would rank this up there with Robert Aspirin's "Myth-" series and is almost as funny as Adams' Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy.

Rating:
Summary: missing Nigel Planer
Review: The story here is a nice addition to the Discworld series, and Vimes is a great character, though I felt Carcer was underdeveloped and a bit one-dimensional -- would have been interesting to get more background on him. My three stars are for the readers on the Book-on-tape. They all do a good job, but I desperately miss Nigel Planer as reader and hope he will be back for future Discworld titles. Hearing Vimes and company in someone else's voice(s) just seems *wrong*, Planer is such a talented reader and has such a tremendous range, I just couldn't get used to hearing anyone else. Please, PLEASE bring him back!

Rating:
Summary: WWVD?
Review: As some astute readers have figured out by now, the title of this review is What Would Vimes Do? That is, What Would he Do if he was thrust immediately thirty years into the past, on the cusp of a great tragedy that he already survived once? This book deals with exactly that scenario. As previous reviewers have said, this book is far more serious than Pratchett's usual fare. However, that does not mean it is not funny. It is lacking much of the lowbrow, slapstick humor that acts as a "lowest common denominator" of humor in other Pratchett books, but his characteristic intelligent, satirical wit is alive and well, and uproariously funny. The book deals mainly with powerful themes: responsibility being the preeminent one. Responsibility to a community, to a society, to one's self. Prathcett goes deep here; the book left me thinking. The chracters are not developed as much as in other books, but since there are very few new ones (and the biggest new character is extremely, spookily well developed) this is no great loss to old readers of Pratchett works. To new fans, I would recommend Mort, Guards! Guards!, or Pyramids as a first read; progress to this one later.