Feet of Clay: A Discworld Novel [Library Binding]

Terry Pratchett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2008

In Ankh-Morpork, the greatest of Discworld's cities, Commander Vimes is determined to stop an unlicensed murderer, and his investigation leads to a vampire dragon, a vegetarian werewolf, and other strange discoveries.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett continues the fantasy adventures on Discworld--where anything goes. Anything but murder, that is. Commander Vimes of the Watch must investigate a puzzling series of deaths, with help from various trolls and dwarfs. Pratchett's humor and excellent writing skills draw the reader effortlessly into his zany world. Feet of Clay is 19th in the series. --Blaise Selby --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly

A flat platter of a planet spinning atop the backs of four giant elephants perched on the shell of an immense turtle: it's no surprise that life on Discworld is far from mundane. Pratchett's 17th Discworld novel picks up where his last, Men at Arms, left off, following Ankh-Morpork City Watch Commander Samuel Vimes and his fellow cops as they strive to maintain a semblance of order in a city as infamous for its intrigues as for its ethnic diversity. An elderly priest is killed, then the harmless old curator of the Dwarf Bread Museum is found beaten to death with one of his own exhibits. Investigation reveals a link to the city's golems?silent, tireless workers built of clay and brought to life with magic. There's a rash of golem suicides, and Vimes uncovers a plot that could topple the government. Pratchett's latest is full of sly puns and the lively, outrageous characters his readers expect. Those new to Discworld?which first appeared in Pratchett's The Colour of Magic, 1983?will have no trouble keeping up with the action. This is fantasy served with a twist of Monty Python, parody that works by never taking itself too seriously. Author tour; U.K. and translation rights: Ralph Vicinanza.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 357 pages
• Publisher: Paw Prints 2008-05-09 (May 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435274636
• ISBN-13: 978-1435274631
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (104 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,165,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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 lives in England with his family, and spends 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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ceramic atheist, March 2, 2006

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E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Feet of Clay (Mass Market Paperback)

It is interesting to see how golems evolve from Pratchett's Discworld novel, "Feet of Clay" (1996), where they are speechless slaves of clay, to "Going Postal" (2004) where a well-educated but humorless golem serves as body guard and lecturer-in-morals to the new Post Master. This is where it all begins...

Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, of Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch pays a visit to the Dragon King of Arms at the urging of his new wife, who thinks Sam needs his own coat-of-arms now that he's been knighted. Unfortunately, one of Sam's ancestors was a regicide so his descendent is denied an armorial bearing by the College of Heralds. He does learn that one of his watchmen is actually the Earl of Ankh: the inimitable Corporal Nobbs, who is forced to carry around a piece of paper signed by Ankh-Morpork's Patrician certifying that he's really human.

Well, this is a bit of a come-down for Sir Sam, but he's got more important matters on his mind, including the murders of two harmless old men. One of them was beaten to death by a loaf of Dwarf bread. His body was discovered by Captain Carrot and Corporal Angua, the only werewolf in the Night Watch, when they visited the Dwarf Bread Museum on their day off.

The only link between the two corpses is a trace of white clay at both murder scenes.

Subplots zigzag every which-way through "Feet of Clay." Corporal 'Earl of Ankh' Nobbs is being courted by a group of well, nobs who haven't given up on the notion that Ankh-Morpork should be ruled by a king. Captain Carrot, hereditary king of Ankh-Morpork who wisely refused the crown in "Men at Arms," is busy tracking murderers and emancipating golems. Sargeant Colon is about to retire if he lives through a trip through the sewers with Wee Mad Arthur. Corporal Angua helps a new dwarf recruit come to terms with her yen to wear lipstick.

Death, who has at least a walk-on role in all the Discworld fantasies is still working on his sense of humor: "I AM DEATH, NOT TAXES. I TURN UP ONLY ONCE."

If this sounds confusing, it isn't. It's brilliant. All of the story lines tie together according to character. I don't know how Pratchett digs through the sewers and stockyards of Ankh-Morpork, and rubs together a monarchist plot with a bit of animated clay to create such a gem.

I think he must use magic.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A copper's question, January 28, 2001

By 

Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Feet of Clay (Mass Market Paperback)

If pressed to choose a favourite Pratchett, it would likely be this book. Nearly every element is here, delivered with Pratchett's finest prose and wit. This a bit of a wonder, as it's a murder mystery, a genre I rarely delve into. Still, it's a Pratchett and goes from being worth a look to something to be cherished, its chief character a man to be admired.

Sam Vimes, who we first encountered in a sodden gutter, soddin' drunk, has risen to a knight's rank and is now Commander of the City Watch. He maintains a careful balance between being the Patrician's favourite and his nemesis. Vetanari knows he cannot truly control Vimes, yet for all Sam's resistance to the Patrician's deviousness, knows too that he cannot dispense with The Stoneface Policeman. Especially this time when its Vetanari himself who is the victim of a murder plot. An unsuccessful one, as it happens.

Sam's entered the realm of matrimony, a step which elevates him almost more than the

promotions the Patrician has granted. Lady Sybil, however, remains at the periphery of Sam's focus. He's still a copper and one of the biggest cases of all confronts him in this book. First, foremost and throughout this book, Sam Vimes is tasked with guarding his own back. Vimes is "a jumped-up copper to the nobs, and a nob to the rest", which gorges the ranks of his enemies. His thwarting of an Assassin is pure Pratchett; pure Vimes, for that matter. One can't help but wonder why Vetanari doesn't assign Vimes some bodyguards. Instead he gets a sedan chair - which he "drives" himself.

There are murders in this book, unusual in Pratchett. Two deaths arouse the City's ire against new Pratchett figures, the golems. Golems reach far into the depths of European history - mindless, man-like creatures from the soil who can be put to any task. Created only to obey, they are the perfect slave - rebellion isn't in their make-up. Except for their size, they are nearly defenseless. The perfect suspect, ultimately vulnerable, who can be destroyed without qualms of conscience. The situation is so clear-cut that Sam knows they can't be guilty. But who is?

In his quest for justice, Sam is supported both in the plot and in the characters of his Watch team. In this book, Angua reaches new levels of prominence, which brings Carrot forth in new ways, as well. Describing their situation as a "relationship" gives the term a whole new meaning. The Watch now has a forensic expert in the figure of a dwarf - Cheery Littlebottom. It's not possible to dwell further here on this unique Watch specialist. You must read this book to become acquainted with one of Pratchett's most engaging characters. Read further to discover one of his most devious creations.

As with most of Pratchett's recent books, there's a sub-theme running beneath all the hilarity and convoluted thinking. In this case, the issue is "freedom". This word has been bandied about by so many writers in so many circumstances, it's hard to believe that Pratchett could bring anything fresh to the discussion. As always, Pratchett is able to surprise and excel. His discussion freedom's worth and what it takes to be achieved adds lustre to an already superb story. Pratchett's ability to bring philosophical issues into what is still described as "humorous fantasy" is a unique talent. We must keep buying and touting this finest of purveyors of wisdom and values.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Seriously Prod Buttock Book, December 19, 2001

By 

James D. DeWitt "Alaska Fan" (Fairbanks, AK United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Feet of Clay (Mass Market Paperback)

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is a mirror of our world, but it's a funhouse mirror, with our world reflected back in a distorted way. The distortions are both amusing - sometimes hysterically funny - and thought-provoking. Sometimes the reflection is barely recognizable, and sometimes it is so close to ours that it cuts like a knife. His logic is rigorous, but skewed, and the twists reveal a great deal about the assumptions we make every day.

This is a quintessential police procedural novel, as reflected by Pratchett's mirror, combined with a Frankenstein theme. Instead of detectives and police, we have the Night Watch. Commander Sam Vimes is a classic recovering drunk and Sergeant Colon is fat and lazy - recognizable as stock characters; but another cop is a female werewolf with pre-lunar tension, the captain is a six foot, six inch human who thinks he is a dwarf, a third is a troll and the forensics expert is an out of the closet dwarf trying to get in touch with her feminine side.

Someone has killed two old men, and someone is trying to poison the Patrician, the closest thing the city of Ankh-Morpork has to a ruler. The suspects appear to be golems, the artificial men of Hebrew mythology, but golems can't kill. Golems are the perfect slave, only able to do the things they are told, the "words in their head." And how is it that Corporal Nobby Nobbs, a constable who carries a certificate establishing he is probably human, can be the long-lost Earl of Ankh and the heir apparent to the throne?

All these plot threads and more come together in the finest Pratchett tradition, in one of his best and most satisfying conclusions. Women have their biggest roles yet in a Night Watch novel, and the complex relationship between the Patrician and Sam Vimes continues to evolve. It's only later, when you think about what happened to the golems, that you recognize the reflection of our world and the important messages Pratchett is conveying.

The humor and satire are present in abundance. The scene in which three thieves try to hold up the Night Watch's favorite bar and, worse still, try to use Constable Angua as a hostage, is simply delightful. Pratchett's skills with dialog and characterization are in fine form. But it's the messages that occur to you afterwards that make the novel truly memorable, and make this book, in Captain Carrot's phrase, "seriously prod buttock."

Great fun; highly recommended.