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Writer's pictureDamsel

Review: Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett


Genre: Fantasy

Series: Discworld #15, City Watch #2

Page Count: 341

Publication Year: 1993

Publisher: Gollancz

Special Notes: I finished it in December.


Summary: What do you do when a killer is on the loose in Anhk-Morpork? You tell Sam Vimes not to investigate.



Omniscient narration. That’s where Pratchett’s success comes from. The fact that you can go into anyone’s head at any time allows for the humor to shine on every available spot of story and yet it never gets old.

The story begins with Carrot and the rest of the Watch recruiting new members to up the racial demographic. There’s Cuddy the dwarf, Detritus the troll and Angua the woman. (I won’t go into the fact that hiring someone just because of their race is a way to ensure people actually qualified for the job are thrown aside.) The strife between the dwarf and troll is soon put aside when an explosion occurs at the Assassin’s Guild. Something’s gone missing and it’s leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. Meanwhile, the dwarves and trolls of Anhk are at it again, Fools are tossing custard pies and Vimes is about to get married.

The major downside of this book is it doesn’t have nearly enough Vimes. We find out he’s retiring, marrying Sybil (who, as I predicted, has been cast as a skinny black woman in the upcoming tv show), and struggling with the reality that his nights as a copper are ending and his days as a gentleman are about to begin. I’m glad his alcoholism isn’t treated with the normal depressing angle. I know he’s in future books but he’s my favorite character and I’m always up for tagging along with him. That being said…

Carrot has upped his game. His honesty and straightforward approach to things is at such odds with everything else. He’s diplomatic without the politics, personable, steady, thoughtful, and everyone, including me, likes him.

It’s strange that Nobby and Colon are now the veterans of the Watch. They have their own brand of skills but let’s be real, they’re not bright. Although, even they think the Fools Guild members are stupid. So there are dumber people in Anhk. Despite their never-ending membership to dimwittedness, they’re always fun to be around.

Cuddy and Detritus are the ultimate buddy cop duo. In Discworld, trolls and dwarves have a very long history fraught with dissension and death. Seeing these two navigate that past is adorable.

I expected to not like Angua. And while I don’t really like her yet, she hasn’t given me reason to dislike her. And with my less than enthused past regarding fictional women, that’s not bad. She also likes Carrot, which is a nice change from falling for a “bad boy.”

You know how normally in multiple POV books you like one perspective and secretly wish you didn’t have to read the other ones? That doesn’t happen here. It’s an impressive feat that Pratchett can juggle all these characters without making me overtly prefer one person. The only duo I didn’t care for is Angua and Gaspode, and only because I don’t like dogs.

Similar to the previous book, the villain isn’t the focal point. The Watch doesn’t have any obvious contact with them until the mystery is solved and they’re on the chase. And I’m fine with not having the villain be front and center. I read these books for the protagonists and how they collaborate to get stuff done. And of course the one-of-a-kind humor.

The great thing about Pratchett’s humor is it doesn’t feel as if he’s trying to be funny by including running gags or heavy-handed jokes. He writes in such a naturally humorous tone. The description of the organ is doubly ridiculously hilarious with its matter-of-fact appraisal. He also made an alternate da Vinci without making it seem like he’s trying too hard. I’m not sure if it’s the type of humor anyone can enjoy. Some of it’s sly or could be considered offensive if you’re that type of person. I don’t think I’ve come across another author as consistently funny as Pratchett.

These books are a treasure. They occupy such a small corner of the fantasy genre but leave a big ol’ happy mark behind. I recommend trying some of his work.


Check out my rating here.

My review for Guards! Guards!

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