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Terry Pratchett

Stephen Briggs

Night Watch (Discworld) Mass Market Paperback – September 30, 2003

by Terry Pratchett (Author)

4.8 5,091 ratings

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One moment, Sir Sam Vimes is in his old patrolman form, chasing a sweet-talking psychopath across the rooftops of Ankh-Morpork. The next, he's lying naked in the street, having been sent back thirty years courtesy of a group of time-manipulating monks who won't leave well enough alone. This Discworld is a darker place that Vimes remembers too well, three decades before his title, fortune, beloved wife, and impending first child. Worse still, the murderer he's pursuing has been transported back also. Worst of all, it's the eve of a fabled street rebellion that needlessly destroyed more than a few good (and not so good) men. Sam Vimes knows his duty, and by changing history he might just save some worthwhile necks—though it could cost him his own personal future. Plus there's a chance to steer a novice watchman straight and teach him a valuable thing or three about policing, an impressionable young copper named Sam Vimes.

Print length

432 pages
Language

English
Publisher

HarperTorch
Publication date

September 30, 2003
Dimensions

4.19 x 1.08 x 6.75 inches
ISBN-10

0060013125
ISBN-13

978-0060013127
Lexile measure

720L
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Masterful and brilliant.” (Fantasy & Science Fiction)

About the Author

Terry Pratchett is one of the world's most popular authors. His acclaimed novels are bestsellers in the United States and the United Kingdom, and have sold more than 85 million copies worldwide. In January 2009, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Pratchett a Knight Bachelor in recognition of his services to literature. Sir Terry lives in England.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperTorch; Reprint edition (September 30, 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060013125
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060013127
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 720L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 1.08 x 6.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,740,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #32,326 in Epic Fantasy (Books)

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4.8 5,091 ratings

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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.
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Stephen Briggs
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Stephen Briggs wrote, for many years, with his friend Terry Pratchett. Stephen and he created the maps of Terry's Discworld, and of its principle city, Ankh-Morpork. Stephen has also written 20 dramatisations of Terry's works, which have been published and performed in more than 20 countries. He also recorded many unabridged audio versions of Terry's books, in the UK and in the US. www.stephenbriggs.com
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Sabine Pigalle
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Liam Phelan

Outstanding

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 16, 2023

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Definitely my favourite of all Terry Pratchett's books. His reading of human nature, be they human troll or dwarf, is second to none.

Helpful

Back to the Future

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 7, 2009

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In the 28 other Discworld books a lot of sci-fi/fantasy staples have already been lampooned: heroic quests, magic swords, wizards, witches, vampires, werewolves, elves, and so forth. The one staple not yet really tackled has been time travel. "Night Watch" takes care of this glaring error in relatively entertaining style.

As his wife is involved in a long labor to give birth to their first child, Commader Sam Vimes of the City Watch is involved in cornering a cop-killing madman named Carcer. In hot pursuit of Carcer, Vimes climbs up onto the roof of the library for Unseen University (the school for wizards) during a thunderstorm. When a bolt of lightning strikes the library, Vimes and Carcer are transported back in time 30 years.

And of course it is a pivotal moment in the history of the metropolis of Ankh-Morpork. The brutal Lord Winder has been heavily taxing people and rounding up any who dissent. Revolt is fermenting, all it needs is a spark.

Vimes takes on the identity of his mentor in the City Watch, John Keel, after the real Keel is killed by Carcer, who joins a secret police force known as the Unmentionables. Vimes has enough time to teach his younger self a few lessons about policing before that spark hits and the entire city erupts in violence. Now Vimes has to somehow keep the peace, keep himself (both of himselves) alive, and bring Carcer to justice. A tall order to be sure.

This book is an interesting addition to the series because it provides a little more background on some of the Ankh-Morpork characters like Vimes, Lord Vetinari, Nobby Nobbs, and even Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler the crooked merchant. I was disappointed there was really nothing included about the wizards, especially the Librarian--who was turned into an orangutan in a magical accident; I kept waiting to see if there'd be an appearance by him in human form.

My biggest complaint though is the story drags a little. Part of that is the nature of time travel stories like this. We already know there's going to be a riot because technically it's already happened. And we know in that riot there's going to be a final showdown between Vimes and Carcer, just like you knew Marty McFly would have to have it out with Biff Tannen in "Back to the Future." It's inevitable, so let's just cut to the chase.

Still, like most of these books, there's a good message underneath the action. In particular is the concept that the reason they're called "revolutions" is that they typically go in a circular fashion. Or in other words the new regime is rarely better than the old one. The main point of reference in the book is the French Revolution, only in this case no one loses their heads--literally at least.

That is all.

5 people found this helpful

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CyberDyneSystems

A different Tone for the Disk, and one of the best in series.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 11, 2009

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"Night Watch"

This book stands out as an interesting change to the up till then series of DiskWorld novels.

It focuses on one of the Diskworld's regular characters..
"Samuel Vimes", the Chief of the "Watch" in the capital city of Ankh Morpork.

In past novels, the references to how great a "copper" Sam Vimes is tends to be more past tense. The current Vimes, is a well to do Lord, a manager and the top of the food chain in the City's police force. He drives a desk most of the time. (between the adventures we get to read about of course)

We know he was the best cop in Ankhs history, we saw him take the bedraggled Night Watch and transform it into the respectable force it is today, but we never saw first hand the part about him being this amazing flat foot.

We've met him many times before over the course of the DiskWorld series, but this time things are different. The tone and atmosphere are somber from page one.

In "Night Watch", we open with an anniversary of an undisclosed to us tragedy that befell the Watch in it's past, many officers were lost, and a quiet ceremony of the surviving officers "who were there on the line" attend,...

This is not the typical Disk World Mood. We can sense the building tension long before the true meaning of this event is revealed.

Next scene, Vimes is chasing a real bad guy across the roofs of Ankh, and end up on the roof of the Library of the Unseen University,. (where the Wizards hang out) and a calamitous storm combined with the leaking magic from the wizardly books transport him back in time 30 years...

Vimes is forced to relive the whole shebang,. but not as himself,.. no he's already there 30 years younger.
Now he fills the role of the man that mentored him, who was slain by the perp that went back in time with him, so he ends up mentoring himself, teaching himself to be the best cop in history.

O-kay so it's silly fantasy fiction most of the time on Disk World, but this one is really different.
Humor is still there, but the tone is very reverential,. I could not help but be convinced that the author has a true close relationship that inspires his reverence of the Police Force.
And just getting to see Vimes in action,. as the "legend" was a great.

Despite the familiar character names, we have the Diskworlds biggest departure in this Book, and the first time we truly see Vimes at his best.

I can recommend this book to any one,. not just fan of the Disk.

One person found this helpful

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David Coutts

Freedom! Resonably Priced Love! And a Hard-Boiled Egg!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 6, 2017

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This was one of the last, "classic" Pratchett Discworld novels, before his illness began to effect his work. Vimes is my favourite character, a born Copper who would arrest the Gods themselves if he could. It's fascinating to read the City Watch novels in order, and follow Vimes' slow transformation from cynical drunk commanding a useless and forgetton Night Watch to one of the richest and most powerful men in the city.

Vimes is some ways resembles Granny Weatherwax; both secretly fear the darkness within themselves, and gain much of their power through denying it. Vimes calls this side of himself, "the Beast". While it can be useful in combat, granting Vimes a kind of Berserker fury, he worries that he might give into it completely. To avoid this, Vimes has created a kind of internal Watchman to keep the Beast on a leash.

In this novel, Vimes and a serial killer named Carcer are sent back in time due to a magical accident. They arrive around thirty years in the past, when Vimes was a raw recruit, and Ankh-Morpork was on the brink of revolution. Vimes must protect his younger self, capture Carcer and return to the present. And do it all without changing the past too much.

We meet younger versions of the regular cast, so to speak; Nobby, Colon, Reg Shoe, Mrs Palm, CMOT Dibbler and even Vetinari and Downey. The History Monks, aka The Men in Saffron, aka No Such Monastery also play a prominant role.

Noticably less overtly humorous than many Discworld novels, with a bitter-sweet edge to the writing. A book I've read many times and still take pleasure from.

27 people found this helpful

Mark J. Kettlewell

An amazing work of pathos and humor

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 23, 2018

Verified Purchase

Unlike many Discworld novels, this stands out as one where serious issues are discussed, and there is an undertone of sadness and loss. Even one very talented copper cannot simply change the world, though he can make small changes that shape the world for a better future. Thrown back in time by a perfect magical storm chasing a villain across Rooftops ends in His grace Sam Vimes, duke of Ankh and commander of the city watch being taken back 30 years to a time when he meets his younger greener self when the city of Ankh Morpork is on the brink of revolution due to the excesses of the mad and paranoid Lord Winder. It is complicated by the arrival of the arch villain Carcer who attempts to change history and ensure that young Sam Vimes never survives. Posing as a murdered policeman from Pseudopolis John Keel, Vimes endeavors to keep history moving in the right direction, and cannot return to his own time until history is kept right.

There is much sadness and pathos and a total sense of isolation pervading this novel. I happen to think it is one of the best Discworld novels out there and I recommend it most highly.

12 people found this helpful

Joan C.

A classic!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

One of those books that can be re read and still find something new in the text. Fulfills lots of those ideas we have of going back in time to tell our younger selves what (not) to do. Caustic observations on revolution and leaders. Although you know that things will resolve themselves, like Sam you're not quite sure how. Funny and profound all at the same time.

5 people found this helpful

Alex

Kindle version not great

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 6, 2023

Verified Purchase

I'm a huge Pratchett fan and love his books, however the Kindle version isn't great for one reason. Pratchett likes to add little footnotes to his stories, usually pretty funny and relevant at the part you are reading. However the Kindle formatting puts all footnotes at the end of the book, rather than at the bottom of each page, making them totally useless as part of the story and this is really frustrating! It's not just in this book either, but every Discworld book I've read so far on Kindle, and it's extremely annoying. Please can someone fix this?

One person found this helpful

Martinus

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 16, 2020

Verified Purchase

I have been a fan of Terry Pratchett since his works were first published many years ago and have remained a fan ever since, All of his books are very good but those of the Discworld series are possibly his finest. I own the whole Discworld series of books in hardback so it seemed only logical to buy them in Kindle as well in order to have a portable Terry Pratchett collection.

4 people found this helpful

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Night Watch (Discworld) Mass Market Paperback – September 30, 2003

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