Guards! Guards!: The Play by Stephen Briggs

Guards! Guards!: The Play Reviews

• 
  Stella Riley

  I've read virtually all of Terry Pratchett's books but Guards! Guards!, Men At Arms and The Fifth Elephant [all related to each other] remain firm favourites. Sam Vimes is your typical grumpy copper, Nobby Nobbs and Sergeant Colon always raise a laugh - and who can forget Carrot and his 'protectives'?
  Pratchett's imagination is quite incredible. Don't know how he does it but wish I did.
• 
  Philip

  I don't read science fiction or fantasy. Some might say that Pratchett is a fantasy writer. I say that he is a humorous satirist. This is the book that started my love of his writing, with at least a giggle on nearly every page, and "the sentence" that made me want to read anything he writes... ever... for as long as he can, in the face of his early onset Alzheimer's. And this is True Satire, not mere parody, but human foibles on parade, entertaining screeds, and one book with a marvelous meditation on morality.
• 
  A.D. Starrling

  What can I say except that the Night Watch is one of his best creations in the Discworld realm. Vimes is a hoot (a drunken one), Nobby makes you a) want to check your wallet to see if it's still there and b) itchy, that scene with Colon and the arrow with the one in a million chance says it all about the man, and then there's Carrot. I don't think I've ever seen a more appropriate name to fit a character.
• 
  Kerr Cuhulain

  I am a major Discworld fan. The Ankh Morpork City Watch series is one of my favorite series, being a retired cop. Great characters.
• 
  Kelly Furniss

  The characterisation was brilliant and the humour as ever perfectly on point.
  The dramatisation of this was so well cast and it really brought the book alive.
  I can see why Guards, Guards is many Pratchett fans favourite.
• 
  Bonnie Dale Keck

  40 of so books, different collections, some audio, it's pratchett, read and heard some as well, all. Dates wrong.
• 
  Elizabeth Povarova-Simpson

  Hilarious! Love the metaphors.
• 
  Simon Fletcher

  I somehow feel a bit bad giving this ** as it's a well adapted play its just that the original Pratchett story itself is so meh and bearly even witty.
• 
  Shehab Seif

  I loved my daily life in Ankh Morpork. Not that I loved the corruption and crime but I related to this in real life and I
• 
  Simon Mcleish

  Review originally published on my blog
  here, in March 1998.
  
  This is the seventh of Pratchett's incredibly popular Discworld novels. It is quite remarkable how the standards of the series have been kept up; in my opinion, the first novel, The Colour of Magic, is the weakest. This is in contrast to the usual deterioration of science fiction and fantasy series as the series lengthens, especially for series like the Discworld which are more groups of linked works set in a common world rather than a planned sequence.
  
  The plot is a simple one concerning an attempt to sieze power in the city of Ankh-Morpork by summoning a dragon to terrorise the population, then arranging for a hero to kill it and be crowned king, with the plotter as power behind the throne. The plan is foiled by the generally despised city guard, described as being not so much 'rank and file' as merely 'rank'. The plot is not particularly important, acting as a springboard to Pratchett's imagination.
  
  As usual, the book is full of great jokes and references to popular culture (I like the guards' motto: fabricati diem, punc). Altogether, a fun, worthwhile read. This is probably not news to anyone; I read recently that Terry Pratchett makes up over 50% of the science fiction and fantasy sales of a leading UK retail chain, WH Smith.
• 
  Ingrid Spera

  In true Terry Pratchett form, this play adaptation was silly and playful and had me laughing and rolling my eyes. A quick easy read, but one that has me desperate to see it actually played out on a stage. Well done!
• 
  Fincho

  Excellent
  
  I saw this in Brighton in 1999 and don't remember being that impressed with it. However this script is much funnier than I remember (there seems to be much more of TP's humour left) and I enjoyed reading it. Briggs' notes were very interesting as well.
• 
  Jools

  Brilliant - I love Constable Angua, she's fab! Constable Carrot is such a well written character I could almost invite him round for tea.
• 
  Diane

  loved
• 
  Hannes

  Loved it, like all his books. Fascinatingly hilarious!
• 
  Kevin Mcintyre

  Pratchett turns out another in his matrix series. I love his mix of fantasy, social commentary, and political satire!
• 
  Nikita

  My first book of Discworld cicle.One of my favorite book.
• 
  Tim Beaton

  Great read.
• 
  Kate Nikolaeva

  This book is the first i red in diskworld, so i felt in love with Pratchett!!!
  Excuse me for my english:)) it's my foreign language:)
• 
  Jeanette

  My favourite discworld series
• 
  Alison

  I am biased as I like all of Terry Pratchett's books and am currently working through them one by one, but this one is a great comment on social convention in a complex society.
• 
  Iliyana

  The first book of Terry Pratchett I've read. Well, as far as he is my favourite autor, I might say that I love this book.
• 
  Judy Baker

  
  Terry Pratchett is one of my favorite authors. Absurd, satirical, lunatic silliness abound. A lovely, twisted look at the world.
• 
  C. P.

  Impeccable imagination, unique storytelling ability, and a master of writing.