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Terry Pratchett
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Guards! Guards!: A Novel of Discworld (Discworld, 8) Mass Market Paperback – April 30, 2013

by Terry Pratchett (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 15,803 ratings

Welcome to Guards! Guards!, the eighth book in Terry Pratchett’s legendary Discworld series.

Long believed extinct, a superb specimen of draco nobilis ("noble dragon" for those who don't understand italics) has appeared in Discworld's greatest city. Not only does this unwelcome visitor have a nasty habit of charbroiling everything in its path, in rather short order it is crowned King (it is a noble dragon, after all...). How did it get there? How is the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night involved? Can the Ankh-Morpork City Watch restore order – and the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork to power?

Magic, mayhem, and a marauding dragon...who could ask for anything more?

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  1. Part of series
    Discworld
  2. Print length
    416 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Harper
  5. Publication date
    April 30, 2013
  6. Dimensions
    4.19 x 0.94 x 7.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0062225758
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0062225757
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  1. The reason that cliches become cliches is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication.
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  2. If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn’t as cynical as real life.
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  3. “Never build a dungeon you wouldn’t be happy to spend the night in yourself,” said the Patrician, laying out the food on the cloth. “The world would be a happier place if more people remembered that.”
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  4. They accept evil not because they say yes, but because they don’t say no.
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  5. “I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people,” said the man. “You’re wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.”
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brilliant, and on everybody's reading list." — SFreviews.net

"At once brilliant and ludicrous, borrowing heavily from traditional mythology and fantasy writings, and then turns them on their heads, spins them around, flips them inside out and mirrors them onto the page. Nothing is the same when you step inside the world of Discworld, and you love Pratchett for it." — Fantasy Book Review (UK)

"There's no wrong place to start reading Pratchett. . . . The film-noir-with-dragons novel Guards! Guards!, the series starting point for sharp, dutiful City Watch head Commander Vimes, is [a] solid entryway." — NPR

"As traumatic as it is to only choose one Pratchett, this first entry in his Guards sub-series encompasses everything that is brilliant about his writing: terrific characterisation and plotting, a completely believable world, and new details that come up with each re-reading. Thirty years after it was published, the story of dwarves, dragons and good police work remains fresh, sharp, and incredibly funny." — Telegraph (UK)

From the Back Cover

Long believed extinct, a superb specimenof draco nobilis ("noble dragon") has appeared in Discworld's greatest city. Not only does this unwelcome visitor have a nasty habit of charbroiling everything in its path, in rather short order it is crowned King.

Meanwhile, back at Unseen University, an ancient and long-forgotten volume—The Summoning Dragons—is missing from the Library's shelves. To the rescue come Captain Vimes, Constable Carrot, and the rest of the Night Watch who, along with other brave citizens, risk everything, including a good roasting, to dethrone the flying monarchand restore order to Ankh-Morpork(before it's burned to a crisp).

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper; Reprint edition (April 30, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062225758
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062225757
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.94 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 15,803 ratings

About the author

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Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett

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Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was fifteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe. Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, in 1983. In 1987 he turned to writing full time, and has not looked back since. To date there are a total of 36 books in the Discworld series, of which four (so far) are written for children. The first of these children's books, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the Carnegie Medal. A non-Discworld book, Good Omens, his 1990 collaboration with Neil Gaiman, has been a longtime bestseller, and was reissued in hardcover by William Morrow in early 2006 (it is also available as a mass market paperback (Harper Torch, 2006) and trade paperback (Harper Paperbacks, 2006). Terry's latest book, Nation, a non-Discworld standalone YA novel was published in October of 2008 and was an instant New York Times and London Times bestseller. Regarded as one of the most significant contemporary English-language satirists, Pratchett has won numerous literary awards, was named an Officer of the British Empire “for services to literature” in 1998, and has received four honorary doctorates from the Universities of Warwick, Portsmouth, Bath, and Bristol. His acclaimed novels have sold more than 55 million copies (give or take a few million) and have been translated into 36 languages. Terry Pratchett lived in England with his family, and spent too much time at his word processor. Some of Terry's accolades include: The Carnegie Medal, Locus Awards, the Mythopoetic Award, ALA Notable Books for Children, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Book Sense 76 Pick, Prometheus Award and the British Fantasy Award.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
15,803 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this Discworld novel to be one of the best stories in the series, with laugh-out-loud moments from the very beginning. The book features an amazing cast of rogues and introduces new groups and characters, while deconstructing fantasy tropes and offering unique plots. They appreciate the author's skillful writing, with one customer describing it as a true literary genius, and find it thought-provoking, with one review noting its clever subtextual commentary on humanity. The book's beauty receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting its well-fleshed-out world.

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227 customers mention "Readability"219 positive8 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as one of the greatest works of fiction ever written and among the best stories in the series.

"...Well-written, lovable characters in a simultaneously epic and hilarious setting make for a fantastic story, and I can't wait to pick up Men At Arms..." Read more

"...Who may have been a man once. They are all brilliant, lovable, and while slightly cowardly, ready to stand behind their Captain...." Read more

"I loved the writing style! The storyline was fantastic- this was a great entry into Discworld. I look forward to reading more." Read more

"A fun contribution to the Disc world. Sarcastic, witty, and an entertaining play on common tropes...." Read more

167 customers mention "Humor"160 positive7 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, particularly its tongue-in-cheek wit and laugh-out-loud moments from the very beginning.

"...Well-written, lovable characters in a simultaneously epic and hilarious setting make for a fantastic story, and I can't wait to pick up Men At Arms..." Read more

"...I don’t think words like clever, witty, cynical, hilarious, dark, wise, and gut-busting-funny really do justice to his writing, but it’s kind of all..." Read more

"I loved the writing style! The storyline was fantastic- this was a great entry into Discworld. I look forward to reading more." Read more

"...Sarcastic, witty, and an entertaining play on common tropes. I would recommend for anyone looking for light fantasy humour with a cynical twinge." Read more

56 customers mention "Character development"56 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the character development in the book, particularly noting the introduction of new groups and developments, with one customer highlighting the amazing cast of rogues.

"...Well-written, lovable characters in a simultaneously epic and hilarious setting make for a fantastic story, and I can't wait to pick up Men At Arms..." Read more

"...A good look at the side characters of stories we know and love." Read more

"Good story with great characters. I really enjoyed the humor here, some serious lol moments. The audiobook performance is great too." Read more

"This was a good read. I loved Captain Vimes, Lady Ramkins and the dragons. Anyone who enjoys a good story will enjoy this book." Read more

53 customers mention "Fantasy content"47 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the fantasy content of the book, praising its unique plot and deconstruction of fantasy tropes.

"...Every sentence is a pun, a joke, a clever satire, a poke at everything under the sky, marriage, religion, stupidity, politics, love, cowardice, you..." Read more

"I mean it's got dragons! What more could you want? I love Sir Terry's work. He was such an amazing man, well ahead of his time." Read more

"...Pratchet's take on dragons is unique and has great payoff in the story. The world building is topnotch...." Read more

"...This book is one of the best, introducing the Night Watch, Dragons, and the functioning corruption of Ankh Morpok...." Read more

38 customers mention "Thought provoking"38 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, describing it as insightful and clever, with many appreciating the numerous references throughout the text.

"...of those combined and you get this amazing writing that is both funny, clever, and underneath it all incredibly dark and somewhat sobering...." Read more

"...I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. We get a a great introduction the members of the Night Watch...." Read more

"...Absolutely hilarious! Just So. Dang. Funny. And insightful. Also, did I mention, well written? And engaging?..." Read more

"What an amazingly clever, quaint, and enchanting book. Book...." Read more

28 customers mention "Author"28 positive0 negative

Customers praise the author's work, describing it as a skilfully written masterpiece and one of the best books by Terry Pratchett.

"...What more could you want? I love Sir Terry's work. He was such an amazing man, well ahead of his time." Read more

"One of the very best Terry Pratchett books. Highly recommended. If you are lucky enough to read Pratchett for the first time, I envy you...." Read more

"...as humorous fantasy, and a delight of the English language, by a master craftsman." Read more

"Terry Pratchett is one of the best authors of the century. Absolutely no one writing today uses words like he does...." Read more

18 customers mention "Wit"18 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's wit, finding it light-hearted and poignant, with one customer noting how it makes surprisingly pointed comments on society.

"...I don’t think words like clever, witty, cynical, hilarious, dark, wise, and gut-busting-funny really do justice to his writing, but it’s kind of all..." Read more

"A. Subversive look at humanity and romance at its best and worst, disguised as humorous fantasy, and a delight of the English language, by a master..." Read more

"...various organs of society in Ankh-Morpork are funny as well as sly social commentary...." Read more

"...This book was hilarious, adventurous, and poignant. Do read it! 5 stars!" Read more

16 customers mention "Beauty"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's beauty, with one noting the beautiful foil work on the front cover, while another finds the world well-fleshed out.

"...The world building is topnotch. However, the lack of defined chapter breaks made the story harder to follow and enjoy...." Read more

"...It turns out that I like the world as a whole, and this is a huge strength of Pratchett...." Read more

"What an amazingly clever, quaint, and enchanting book. Book...." Read more

"...universe you probably wouldn't want to live in, but it's nice to look into...." Read more

Great hardcover edition, slight scuffing (built in bookmark!)
5 out of 5 stars
Great hardcover edition, slight scuffing (built in bookmark!)
A great hardcover version. There is slight scuffing and discoloration on the edges of the cover, but other than that it is in great condition. Nice fabric feeling cover with foil embossed dragon, pages were in good condition and had that new book smell. A surprise to me was that it included a ribbon bookmark attached
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Dylan
    5.0 out of 5 stars My introduction to Pratchett, now I want to read everything he's written
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2025
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    This book was my introduction to Terry Pratchett's work and I've fallen in love. Well-written, lovable characters in a simultaneously epic and hilarious setting make for a fantastic story, and I can't wait to pick up Men At Arms (the sequel) to read next. If you're a fan of fantasy novels with a good dose of comedy thrown in, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Marina
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, clever, and with a subtle dark edge
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I hope Death is taking good care of Sir Terry Pratchett, because when he comes to take me to the other side, I’d like to kiss Sir Terry on the mouth. Because I’m in love.

    I don’t think words like clever, witty, cynical, hilarious, dark, wise, and gut-busting-funny really do justice to his writing, but it’s kind of all of those combined and you get this amazing writing that is both funny, clever, and underneath it all incredibly dark and somewhat sobering. But how else do you point out to people all that is wrong with humanity? No one wants to hear what’s wrong with humanity unless they want to become a deeply depressed, chain smoking, alcoholics. So you do it the only way that will get people to listen: you disguise it as a joke. So that people can laugh, sigh, and say “that clever bastard” and go on with their day without thinking of drowning themselves in a bottle of gin.

    I’ve been holding off on starting Terry Pratchett’s works for years because the collection is so massive and apparently you don’t start with book 1. After hearing about his passing, however, I knew I just had to do it. Since there are several viable starting points, after some consideration and research, I decided to start with The City Watch collection, as it is lauded as one of the funniest and best books in the collection.

    The book is about the city of Ankh Morpork and it’s Watch. “The city wasa, wasa, wasa wossname. Thing. Woman. That’s what it was. Woman. Roaring, ancient, centuries old. Strung you along, let you fall in thingy, love, then kicked you inna, inna, thingy. Thingy, in your mouth. Tongue. Tonsils. Teeth. That’s what it, she, did. She wasa … thing, you know, lady dog. Puppy. Hen. Bitch. And then you hated her and, and just when you thought you’d got her, it, out of your whatever, then she opened her great booming rotten heart to you, caught you off bal, bal, bal, thing. Ance. Yeah. Thassit. Never knew where where you stood. Lay. Only one thing you were sure of, you couldn’t let her go. Because, because she was yours, all you had, even in her gutters…”

    If you take a city and turn it upside down, put criminals in charge, and the “respectable” folk at the bottom you’ll have something vaguely resembling Ankh Morpork. Cover it in trash, alcohol, and feces and you’ll be much closer.

    Like any true fantasy this book has it’s heroes, it’s tyrants, it’s would-be-kings trying to beat the tyrants, secret societies, magical books and artifacts, and of course, last, but never the least: dragons.

    We go to the gutter to find our anti-hero Sam Vimes, Captain of the Night Watch, a depressed alcoholic brought low by a woman. The woman in this case is Ankh Morpork herself, his true love, his city. Our other hero is Carrot, a six foot Dwarf who may not be a Dwarf after all do to human genetics, in possession of the most non-magical sword in existence. And of course, Srg. Colon and Srg. Nobbs. Oh, and the Librarian mon— beg pardon, Ape. Who may have been a man once. They are all brilliant, lovable, and while slightly cowardly, ready to stand behind their Captain.

    Then there is of course Lord Havelock Vetinari, who is the city’s ruler, a tyrant who you probably actually don’t mind having in charge, since he’s not very tyrannical, but a very effective ruler. He demands greats respect and you have to give it him, because if you didn’t he’d send men to come and take it away.

    It takes a threat to the city, to the livelihood of all it’s criminal citizens, to get the good Captain out of his drunken malaise and turn him into the cynical, brooding, anti-hero his city needs, but never knew it wanted. That threat, of course, is a dragon, for what other creature could disturb a city that is already run by organized crime.

    But a dragon is only a dragon after all, and it will do what a dragon will do. That is, hoard anything shinny, set things on fire, and demand a human snack to appease its hunger.

    Full of puns, wordplay, and humorous cynicism this book would give Monty Python a run for its money, all while showing just how petty some powerful people can be, and how heroic some pathetic people may turn out to be. It a one in a million chance, but it just might work.

    The question is: Are you feeling lucky, punk?
    69 people found this helpful
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  • McRae Naayers
    4.0 out of 5 stars Cute
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
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    I loved the writing style! The storyline was fantastic- this was a great entry into Discworld. I look forward to reading more.
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  • JoshuaLevinson
    5.0 out of 5 stars An adorable, funny, sarcastic novel
    Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2025
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    A fun contribution to the Disc world. Sarcastic, witty, and an entertaining play on common tropes. I would recommend for anyone looking for light fantasy humour with a cynical twinge.
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  • Dario Bigongiari
    5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece but not the best book to get into disc world
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2025
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    I tried reading it a while back and didn't get it at all and abandoned it, recently I read a couple other discworld books read it again and loved it
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  • Ksenia Anske
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best dragon book EVER
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Okay, so this is the best dragon book ever. For adults. Well, for those of us who think we are adults, who hope we are adults, but are really little kids in adult suits. I thought all the previous Discworld novels were funny. I was so wrong. This book left me in fits of giggles. At times I laughed so hard that I couldn't laugh anymore and just whimpered, and almost peed my pants once. Okay, twice. Okay, I don't remember how many times. Anyway. People told me that one of their favorites in the Discworld series is Guards! Guards! I get why. I mean, I haven't read the rest of them, but here Terry outdid himself. Every sentence is a pun, a joke, a clever satire, a poke at everything under the sky, marriage, religion, stupidity, politics, love, cowardice, you name it, he's got it all. Of course the dedication to the book alone will leave you struggling for breath. Haven't we all seen those movies with those unnamed men rushing at the hero, only to be butchered to smithereens? Yeah. You know what I'm talking about. Enter secret societies, ruthless rulers, or, rather, loathsome men willing to become ruthless rulers, kings, kings, dragons, heirs to the throne, did I mention dragons? Yes, dragons, swamp dragons, dwarfs, big ladies (I will leave it here, because in the big ladies lies the secret of this book). But I'm rambling. Mind you, my stomach still hurts from laughing, so I'm a little jerky writing this. As to the actual story, because every proper review should do this.

    Let's see here. We start with a secret brotherhood doing something strange and mysterious… wait, no, before that we start with dragons dwelling in a mysterious place, and then a strange happening in the library, where, as you remember, an orangutan is a librarian. So, some plot is unfolding in the midst of the brotherhood, of course, as you might have guessed, to overthrow the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork and, well, everything that goes with it. But then, of course, everything goes wrong. Because there are still noble and honest men, like the men of the City Watch, especially the young recruit by the name of Carrot who was adopted by dwarfs but is actually twice their size and who has memorized the book of law of the city and is putting it to practice. You can imagine what that would cause in the city that is home to a Guild of Thieves, and Guild of Assassins, and stuff. Enter love. There is lots of awkward and hysterical love here, the details of which I can't disclose because I would spoil the book for you (it kept me guessing almost to the very end, which is rare, because I'm usually very shrewd.) There are also very important things like a tea kettle that gets eaten, and rats that understand English, and maidens chained to a rock, and lots of courage and pride and folk wisdom. That last one gave me stomach aches, one of those painful fits of laughter when you double down and lose all hope of ever standing upright. I think I need to cut writing this review, because you need to cut reading it and start reading Guards! Guards! as I can't possibly do it justice. Don't forget a pack of tissues. You'll need it.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Richie Hedges
    4.0 out of 5 stars humorous
    Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2025
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    First trip into disc world and struggled at the beginning. Once I was able to focus in on the story it was humorous and light. A good look at the side characters of stories we know and love.
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  • SusanO
    5.0 out of 5 stars Guards! Guards!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    While the books of the Disc World do not need to be read in chronological order, I did so the first time through the series. Now I just go back and read them randomly.
    Nice to find the one that introduces Carrot and Sybil and remember how things went with the dragons.
    Reading Terry Pratchett is fun. You may find yourself laughing out loud at times.
    The Disc World series is the only fantasy I read. I have never been disappointed in any of them and can highly recommend them all.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Hema s.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very humorous
    Reviewed in India on December 27, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Book was in amazing condition, good packing.
    Looking forward to read the book.
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    Hema s.
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Very humorous

    Reviewed in India on December 27, 2023
    Book was in amazing condition, good packing.
    Looking forward to read the book.
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  • Patrick Koch
    5.0 out of 5 stars No heroes, just guards.
    Reviewed in Germany on February 3, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A good starting point to Pratchett's Discworld novels. An all-time favourite, despite being an earlier work.
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  • Manuel Granados Vargas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
    Reviewed in Mexico on April 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is Pratchett at his peak.
    Vimes is pragmatically awesome, Colon and Carrot are so good it hurts. But my favorite is Nobby. He is endearing and the way he is talked about is rib cracking funny.
    We get the first glimpses of the CHARACTER that Vetinari is, almost as good as Death.
    A must read for any Pratchett fan and non fan.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant.
    Reviewed in Australia on April 18, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This is a sublime, well written, witty book. I have nothing else to say other than you should read it.
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  • Quincy McFannel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Re-read 16 years after the first time: EVEN BETTER!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is a re-read review. Originally published here: http://www.abaddonbooks.com/post/661

    THIS IS WHERE THE DRAGONS WENT.

    They lie…

    Not dead, not asleep. Not waiting, because waiting implies expectation. Possibly the word we’re looking for here is…

    …dormant.

    Insurrection is afoot in Ankh-Morpork. A secret society have formed under the watchful, and diabolically manipulative eye of The Supreme Grand Master and they’ve got their minds set on new leadership.* Everything’s in place, they’ve got a book on how to summon dragons, they’ve got their plethora of stolen magical items, and they’ve got a king.† Once their plan’s in motion they’ll be able to oust the Patrician (the City’s benign dictator) and take over.

    Meanwhile Ankh-Morpork’s broken and ineffective City Watch has grown by a quarter with the arrival of Carrot, a six foot six inch Dwarf whose world has been turned upside down at the revelation of his heritage (he’s not really a dwarf.)

    The new Corporal doesn’t quite understand the city ways of Thieves Guilds, The Shades, Dwarf Bars, or his superior officer being drunk most of the day; but under the watchful tutelage of the shabbiest Policemen of all time, he’ll go far. That along with an Orang-utan Librarian reporting the loss of a very important book (aren’t they all) and a spate of mysterious burnings, the Night Watch are going to have to work hard for it to be “12 O’clock and all’s well!”

    Can Captain Samuel Vimes pull himself out of a bottle to solve the Crime of the Century? Can Carrot stop arresting everyone he meets? Can Nobby pass an unlocked house without taking anything? Can Corporal Colon get up the stairs without having to pause for breath? And more importantly, can this ragtag group of coppers (plus one formidable high class Lady) save the city from a creature that shouldn’t really exist?

    MATT SAYS
    When Abaddon started putting together the re-read I very quickly asked to do Guards! Guards! It wasn’t my first Discworld book (I actually think it was my fourth) but it’s always been a special book to me – all because my Dad made a mistake.

    If we shoot back to 1999 (ten years after the book was first published) I asked my Dad to get me Guards! Guards! as I’d just devoured Mort in two days. Instead of the novel, he came home with the stage adaptation by Stephen Briggs. What happened next made my final year of fifth form the only non-Sixth Form school year I enjoyed.

    Together with a group of some of the most amazing creative cohorts possible, we petitioned the school to let us put on our own production (up until this point the school only allowed student-led productions in the Sixth form, there was an Avant Guards Guards joke made at the time: no one laughed then either.) We came up against some resistance (and to be fair if you’re a teacher in charge of fifth form productions and a group of precocious little buggers have taken your show as their own, you’d be irked) but after months of hard work and Terry’s blessing, we put it on.

    It was the most fun I had at school. I didn’t lead the group (an exceedingly talented young man called Andrew spearheaded all the hard work and directed) but I loved seeing my idea coming to life, and other people being as enthused as I was about the play. I cherry picked C.M.O.T. Dibbler (WITH ONIONS!) for myself and I still have a TY beanie dragon in my office.

    After this the Watch books became my go-to Pratchetts. Jingo had come out a couple of years before and the Fifth Elephant was round the corner. I already knew I loved his books, but the mix of satire, engaging plots and an eclectic mix of characters made my heart sing.

    So, to the re-read. I went into this with a mix of trepidation and buoying nostalgia. On one hand I’d not read this for 16 years, could it possibly be as amazing as I remembered? When you’re 15 pretty much everything you read that’s smarter than you are (most things) is amazing, but what if it wasn’t? On the other, this story is a defining part of my adolescence. I’m a father now, I have a house and grown up things; wouldn’t it be nice to step back?

    In the end of course, I had nothing to be afraid of. I’ve been told The Colour of Magic has dated somewhat but by Discworld book seven Pratchett was fully in his stride. The parody is more subtle (or as subtle as he gets) and every aspect of the book symbiotically works to produce an engaging and hilarious read.

    Looking back I know I missed a lot of the nuance of his work. The main example being that I hadn’t clocked that Poor Old Gaskin’s death had been the thing that had driven Vimes into his alcoholic malaise. Because Vimes grows so much along the novels, it’s hard to remember the way he was as Guards! Guards! opens.

    It’s also nice to see the introduction of people and places that are so important later on. It had the feeling of re-watching a TV series with someone who’s never seen it, I kept wanting to turn around and tell myself the importance of Detritus, Sybil and Pseudopolis Yard.

    Even knowing what comes next, the book is a super hook for the run of Watch tales. It’s a redemption story, which manages to parody your regular fantasy tropes like dragons and palace guards, but also the good old fashioned police story.

    Getting back into Discworld made me wonder how much of my love for it is how it influenced who am I now (I started reading these at 14), or is it speaking to my core as a person. Two pages in a footnote got me:

    The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read.

    As my wife can attest, I spend a massive amount of time in bookshops being caught in these black holes. He describes just before this an ‘old-fashioned second-hand bookshop, one of those that look as though they were designed by M. Escher on a bad day” which essentially is my watermark if a town is any good. Funnily enough I left my kids with my parents yesterday to browse in one in Barmouth.

    I’m sure it’s a fair mix of who I am anyway and how Terry’s writing was, that made me a devotee. I was lucky enough to meet him twice (he referred to the teacher who was resisting our show as “a horse’s arse.”‡)

    As much as I’ve enjoyed the re-read, and writing this, it was by no means easy. Look, I’m not saying I’ve felt a loss anywhere near to his friends or family, but I do have a Pratchett shaped hole in my life. Every year I had a book to look forward to like meeting a friend you only see once a year. Now I have but one to come. I’m lucky as I haven’t read every Discworld yet, but I know a day will come when I’ve read everything new to me.

    When you’re a 15 year old overweight bullied dreamer, having books that speak to you and make you smile are your lifeblood. I would escape to the Discworld when it all became too much, and I wish I’d had a chance to put that into words for the man himself while he was still with us. We are all supremely lucky to have enjoyed his work, and I intend now to watch my kids enjoy it.

    ----

    *And the disposal of a brother-in-law’s fancy new carriage, and a hated Green Grocer’s.

    †At the very least they have someone who’ll do.

    ‡For the record the teacher in question was brilliant in the end. He helped us massively with the production, and he was a lovely teacher.
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