| Title | : | Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0061020648 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780061020643 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 376 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1989 |
| Awards | : | Premi Ictineu Millor novel·la traduïda (ex aequo) (2021), Margaret A. Edwards Award (2011) |
Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch, #1) Reviews
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I've been re-reading some of the older Pratchett novels. Partly because I simply enjoy them. Partly because they help keep me sane in an increasingly infuriating world. And partly because they are comfortable to me. The literary equivalent of a security blanket.
But I'll be honest, I'm also reading them so I can postpone reading the final Pratchett novel that came out a little while ago. It will be hard for me to read that, knowing that afterwards, there will be no more new Pratchett to read. Ever.
This is the book that introduces Vimes, perhaps my favorite Discworld character. And that's saying something, given the number of books in the series, and the number of truly delightful characters.
That said, on re-reading this, I was surprised to see where Vimes got his start. The Vimes in this first book is a good character, but it's not the character I grew to love. It's pretty obvious that Pratchett was planning on him being a Discworld version of the down-on-his-luck gumshoe detective. Hard-drinking and bitter. More stubborn than clever.
Don't get me wrong. Vimes is a good character in this book, but he's not particularly noteworthy. Carrot and the Patrician shine more.
As a writer, it's interesting for me to see how Pratchett started here, with a functional but not stellar character, who he then changed (rather abruptly) into one of my favorites in the whole series. It's nice for me to see that Pratchett didn't have it all planned out ahead of time, and that he was, in fact, just making it all up as he went along. -
What I love most about Pratchett's books is that under a thin layer of funny footnotes-peppered pun-heavy parody lies the core of deep seriousness rooted in the quite sobering understanding of the shallow pettiness of human mundanity fueled by jealousy, bile, spite, and closemindedness.
"There was a thoughtful pause in the conversation as the assembled Brethren mentally divided the universe into the deserving and the undeserving, and put themselves on the appropriate side."
In the end, the only thing that makes it possible to wake up in the morning is just a slight deviation from this depressing state of affairs that leads to the understanding and a bit of dignity and doing what's right - even when that's not quite expected. Because someone has to uphold what's right. Because someone needs to swim against the current.He shrugged. "They're just people," he said. "They're just doing what people do. Sir."
This is one of my favorite Discworld books and one of the best starting points for the Discworld newbies. It is the first book in the subcycle focusing on the City Watch of Ankh Morpork (the Pearl of Cities¹ on the Disc); the book that really takes a look into the inner workings of this crowded, dirty and despicable and yet lovably tenacious urban metropolis:
¹ "Ankh-Morpork! Pearl of cities! This is not a completely accurate description, of course — it was not round and shiny — but even its worst enemies would agree that if you had to liken Ankh-Morpork to anything, then it might as well be a piece of rubbish covered with the diseased secretions of a dying mollusc."
In Pratchett's tradition of deconstructing the tropes this one has its kings and tyrants and secret societies and dragons and maidens and heroes and heirs with birthmarks and magical swords, as well as million-to-one chances - except that things tend to not work out as planned. And all of it is woven into a neat tight plot that carries us through the dry humor and slapstick and sad seriousness to the unexpected depth as you allow the cogs and wheels of your brain turn contemplating Pratchett's intentions.
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I am a Sam Vimes girl through and through. And this book is our introduction to our cynical (anti)hero, uncompromising, grumpy and terrifyingly sober/knurd ('knurd' as in complete and utter opposite to drunk, beyond simple sobriety) Ankh-Morpork copper with the unsettling tendency to ask uncomfortable questions when others would much rather he didn't.
"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."
This is the beginning of the Vimes we all know and love, the evolution from the down-in-the-gutter pessimistic drunk "brung low by a woman"¹ (the city itself, that is) to the equally pessimistic servant not of the King or the Patrician but the law, a thorn in the side of so many not-so-uncorrupt but quite respectably upstanding Ankh citizens.¹ "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..."
Reduced to almost-nothingness by the corruption in the city, spending his time in the gutter (literally), laughed at by everyone except his two colleagues - the thick but amiable Fred Colon and a disgrace to human race a.k.a. Nobby Nobbs - Vimes gets a bit of a wake-up call when the Watch gets its newest recruit: Lance Constable Carrot Ironfoundersson, a not-too-bright but earnest 6 foot 6 inches dwarf¹ (he's adopted, okay?) armed with a Book of Laws and Ordinances of Ankh-Morpork and a decidedly non-magical sword.¹People who are rather more than six feet tall and nearly as broad across the shoulders often have uneventful journeys. People jump out at them from behind rocks then say things like, "Oh. Sorry. I thought you were someone else."
And when the city is facing danger, Vimes bit by bit begins to think about it as HIS city. After all, 'Things like that shouldn't be allowed to happen. Not in *my* city.'
And once Vimes sets his single-minded nature to accomplish something (occasionally aided by the Librarian¹, who is a peanut-loving orangutan, and the imposing figure of Lady Sybil Ramkin, who breeds swamp dragons in her spare time) there is little that can stop him.¹ "The three rules of the Librarians of Time and Space are: 1) Silence; 2) Books must be returned no later than the date last shown; and 3) Do not interfere with the nature of causality."
The threat to Ankh-Morpork is real and quite substantial (), but ultimately it's brought along and fueled by the simple human greed, shallow-mindedness and jealousy, little pathetic mundanity of human existence that Pratchett so nonchalantly and non-preachily lets showcase itself. He, it seems, has an excellent ability of seeing the less-than-pleasant things that make people tick - and still manages to make these sad realizations both side-splittingly and laugh-through-tears funny. And I adore that."Down there - he said - are people who will follow any dragon, worship any god, ignore any inequity. All out of a kind of humdrum, everyday badness. Not the really high, creative loathsomeness of the great sinners, but a sort of mass-produced darkness of the soul. Sin, you might say, without a trace of originality. They accept evil not because they say yes, but because they don't say no."
Another prominent figure in this book, in addition to Vimes and Carrot, is, of course, Lord Havelock Vetinari, the enigmatic Patrician, the tyrant who is not quite, well, tyrannical; the man with his finger on the pulse of the city, the man who would not build a dungeon out of which he could not escape; the man resembling a predatory flamingo, who makes Ankh Morpork work and in cynicism can greatly rival Vimes himself. This is the beginning of the fascinating and not always so voluntary cooperation between Vimes and the one in power, and it's lovely to read about.“You had to hand it to the Patrician, he admitted grudgingly. If you didn't, he sent men to come and take it away.”
And, of course, some place of prominence is given to the Librarian (the aforementioned orangutan) who (no pun intended) will go bananas if you dare to call him the m-word (). The Librarian who knows how to navigate the L-space, that parallel dimension that exists between every library in the world created because of terrifying power of books."Books bend space and time. One reason the owners of those aforesaid little rambling, poky secondhand bookshops always seem slightly unearthly is that many of them really are, having strayed into this world after taking a wrong turning in their own bookshops in worlds where it is considered commendable business practice to wear carpet slippers all the time and open your shop only when you feel like it."
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"There are many horrible sights in the multiverse. Somehow, though, to a soul attuned to the subtle rhythms of a library, there are few worse sights than a hole where a book ought to be."
I highly recommend this book to anyone as a perfect starting point on their Discworld journey. It is a perfect introduction to the world of intelligent humor peppered with allusions to almost everything you can think of and smart conclusions that make you think and even ask the uncomfortable questions of yourself and the society. It is a lovely way to spend several hours curled up in a chair on a rainy day, mesmerized by Pratchett's wit and wisdom. The audiobook version of it is wonderful, immersing you in the atmosphere of the story incredibly well. For all of it, I give it 5 stars - and, without much further ado embark on the rest on my Ankh Morpork City Watch reread.
"They may be called the Palace Guard, the City Guard, or the Patrol. Whatever the name, their purpose in any work of heroic fantasy is identical: it is, round about Chapter Three (or ten minutes into the film) to rush into the room, attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered. No one ever asks them if they want to.
This book is dedicated to those fine men."
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2020 reread (audio):
Still wonderful, and gets even better with every revisit. The audio is rather good, although I do prefer Stephen Briggs as a narrator. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of Pratchett’s storytelling and sense of humor. He understood people so well that it’s almost unsettling. Rest In Peace, Sir Terry. I miss you.
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My ever-expanding collection of Pratchett’s Discworld reviews:
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Guards! Guards!
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Men at Arms
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Thud!
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Lords and Ladies
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The Wee Free Men
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Hogfather
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Monstrous Regiment -
This is my favorite Discworld book.
I submit that the best way to rate a Discworld book is with a smile meter. As you read, imagine that there is a meter whose arrow jumps when you smile, moves further right when you chuckle and spikes into the red eleven when you laugh out loud.
Pratchett’s 1989 Discworld novel (his 8th in the series and 1st of the City Watch sub-series) made me smile all the way through the book, chuckle frequently and laugh out loud two or three times.
Set in Ankh-Morpork (inspired by Fritz Leiber’s Lankhmar?) the City Watch is composed of those night watchmen who call out at midnight that “All’s well” and who would not want to catch anyone or run after someone too fast to avoid ruining the evening with an arrest. That is until six foot six dwarf foundling Carrot joins the force as a lance constable.
This novel also features dragons, described as only Sir Terry could. Long thought extinct, the draco nobilis was just somewhere else until a group of hooded and cowled miscreants steal a book from the Library (and YES! the left turn Clyde Orangutan Librarian is featured – perhaps my second favorite Discworld character) and summon one back to Ankh-Morpork. Things do not go as planned and the rest is Pratchett magic.
As my esteemed reviewer colleague Nataliya noted in her
excellent review, the best part of Pratchett’s writing is that he depicts realistic human failings in a comic setting that softens the blow of the all too real criticism in a playful way. The Discworld is a lot of fun but it is also a comedic examination of humanity and civilization and it takes a master of Pratchett’s genius talent to pull it off successfully.
A MUST read for Discword fans and would actually be a great introduction to the series for any reader.
** 2019 - I've read them all and this still my favorite.
*** 2021 reread - Pratchett makes me smile. I've usually got two or three books going anyway and I think I'm just always going to be reading a Discworld, they're so much fun and a good source of literary healing on a bad day.
Vimes is introduced here, with even some foreshadowing about the kind of hero he will be throughout the series, but also so is Lady Sybil Ramkin. Pratchett's description of her as a -ahem - full figured woman with enough self assurance to float a warship was a joy to read.
We also spend time with Nobby (who is something of a peacock after-hours) Sergeant Colon and Carrot - who maybe should be the heir apparent to the kingdom of Ankh-Morpork, but is at home in the Watch.
I also loved the way Sir Terry wrote the part of the dragon, as an evil telepathic tyrant.
Still my favorite.
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„Hey officer, may you please not help me! Stay away, don´t investigate, please, we´ll do traditional, good old fashioned lynch justice with far fewer victims and collateral damages. Not necessary to call reinforcement. No, stop, my insurance doesn´t cover police incompetence reinduced destruction.“
There are certain stereotypes surrounding police, military, and manly militia, all to take with a grain of rice, but in many aspects true, especially if a lack of government funding, missing selection procedures, and escalating crime lead to a mixture or cynic, weird, up to just evil racist law enforcement agencies.
Here comes the City Watch series, circling around Captain Vimes, a patchwork rug of crime, thriller, and hard boiled detective protagonist characteristics, who goes through one of the longest character transformations, similar to Tiffany Aching. I am, at the moment, not really a friend of thrillers and the crime genre, but readers strongly invested in such literature might find much more innuendos and connotations.
Lord Vetinari is such an eclectic, badass, clinical antihero protagonist that it´s difficult to point the finger on if he´s evil, good, or just so extremely opportunistic and finetuning his plans to perfection that he can go with the citizens mental flow and preventively manipulate and indoctrinate. He is using his fine senses, and perfect surveillance state methods, to see trends and uses whatever good or evil methods to stay in power, a truly great Machiavellian sociopath leader.
What can be a hotter hobby than dragon breeding and thereby showing the crudeness and indirect woof woof elitism and pure breed racism that once was decent enough for humans too. Like so many harmless hobbies, the most flow intensive ones can escalate quickly and lead to absorbing most of free social and private life and time. Just take me, I´m doing nothing than reading and going out in nature in my free time for over 1 and a half decades now and it´s perfectly fine and totally normal, hehe.
But back to the dragons, these creatures have very different characteristics, depending on use in YA, dark, classic, comedy, setting and are hardly something to make fun of or with. But, what else, Pratchett surrounds them with eccentric characters and implements them as a long time running gag. And I want to have one too.
To reintegrate monarchy in a more or less functional system, some conservatives have the ridiculous plan Pratchett uses the scenery to show the ridiculousness of despotic government systems, especially the not only representative and powerless marionette kings, queens, and fairies, but the brutal enforcement behind them through the shadow government and hierarchies, making many monarchies the worst places to live.
Completely not understandable and facepalmy, people have the tribal roots that make them susceptible for admiration of any kind of stupid representative, be it a democratic voted, a self declared, inherited, or couped one. This having something to see and listen to is so much easier than thinking for themselves, that they prefer it and ignore or don´t even know about all the consequences of what is really going on while a smiling or shouting or hate trolling president, chancellor, or God emperor tells them what to do. The metaphor Pratchett uses to show what can happen in such cases should be internalized.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together. -
Reading Terry Pratchett’s “Guards! Guards!” was a joy for me. I don’t know why it took me so long to read a Discworld book, I’m a bit ashamed. I am a sucker for English humor, always have been. The good news is that I now have 40 more Discworld books to read. Honest reveal - I think I resisted because people said he was better than Douglas Adams and that rubbed me the wrong way. My view after reading one book, they are clearly in the same class, and while I still like Adams better that might be because I’m a bigger Science Fiction fan than Fantasy. In any case, it doesn’t matter, both are hilarious and talented. They both have layered humor and sneak in some wonderful insights on life.
Pratchett dedicated this book to Palace/City Guards/Patrols, noting that no one ever asks them if they want to rush into a room, one at a time to attack the hero. It’s this trope that the story is build upon. It’s the eighth book in the Discworld series and was published in 1989. Pratchett deftly takes on all sorts of humor; sarcasm, burlesque, hyperbolic, juvenile, dark, etc., etc. He pokes at the Fantasy genre, breaks writing walls, and displays crafty, crafty wit. Like Adams, it’s largely non-stop through the entire story, but somehow the story still moves along with great pace. There are quotable quotes on nearly every page. But I didn’t just enjoy the humor, I enjoyed the fun story, and I enjoyed Pratchett’s musing on evil, government, and life, in general. The only thing Pratchett keeps sacred is books and libraries, all else is fair game for biting sarcasm!
I think you at least need to be a passing fantasy reader to appreciate his books, and you must be tolerant of some occasional silliness, but if you pass those two simple hurdles, I can’t imagine not enjoying this book. A fun and entertaining romp through a twisted fantasy world that will make you laugh, but stealthily remind you of the underdog’s plight against the ridiculous rules of the, well, ruling class. Ahem. -
At the time of writing, Terry Pratchett passed away about a week ago. Beside making me sad, the news also triggered a sudden urge to read a Discworld book which needed to be satisfied immediately. I haven't read any Terry Pratchett books for years. I have always liked them but there are just so many books in the world and you know how it is, one thing led to another and somehow they didn't lead back to Sir Terry. In the meantime, I have been reading many inferior “flavor of the month” books like The Martian. I have been doing myself a disservice really.
Guards! Guards! is one of the most popular Discworld books and I have not read it, this makes it the ideal candidate for a reentry into this unique and wonderful series. Anyway it is nice to be back in Ankh-Morpork, the most chaotic city in fantasy fiction. At the most basic level Guards! Guards! is Pratchett’s take on the police procedural, but his imagination is too immense to constrain the book to just a single genre parody so there is much more to this book than just the City Watch, Ankh-Morpork’s feeble excuse for a police force. The Watch mean are happily doing a crappy job, which basically involve ringing bells at certain times of the night to announce that all is well in the city. It takes the arrival of an extremely honest and straight-laced human orphan raised by dwarves to remind the Watchmen what they are supposed to be; and a huge dragon summoned from another dimension burning up the citizens and half the city to spur them into action.
Art by SharksDen
One reason I only read Terry Pratchett occasionally is that I personally prefer books where humour is a minor element of the story rather than placed at the front and centre. After reading Guards! Guards! I have to admit this is my misconception of what Pratchett was doing with the Discworld series (after the first few straightforward fantasy parody books). The humour takes centre stage but underneath – not even far underneath – Pratchett was using Discworld as a mirror to explore, lampoon and critique our world with its many ills and injustice. Certainly Guards! Guards! explores the theme of the policemen’s duty and honor against personal safety and interest, what makes a good cop and a bad cop so to speak. He also skewers the masses’ tendency to blindly accept whoever has the biggest gun (or fire breathing talent). These and other serious issues are explored without ever missing a humorous beat. The book is a laugh fest from beginning to end, I don’t think there is a single page that did not make me at least chuckle.
I actually laughed out loud several times, my favorite joke involves the phrase “Bjorn Stronginthearm is my uncle” which highlights the bizarreness of the British phrase “Bob’s your uncle”. Also the patrician’s questioning of dragons’ penchant for sleeping on a huge pile of gold instead of a comfy mattress is brilliant. Don’t worry I have not spoiled the book for you, I am barely scratching the surface of the many ingenious satires, jokes and witticisms to be found in this book.
Captain Vimes (no idea who the artist is, sorry)
The characterization of the protagonists and antagonists is also very strong. Captain Vimes is silly and funny yet flawed, sympathetic, honorable and extremely likable. I am not surprised he one of Pratchett’s most beloved characters. The formidable Patrician Vetinari is another extremely vivid and lively creation, in a TV adaptation of another Discworld book he is perfectly portrayed by Charles Dance so you can imagine the dry wit and suavity of the man. His method of escaping from captivity in a dungeon is pure evil genius.
Guards! Guards! is effortlessly a five-star book and if I may leave you with a quote from this book that works perfectly even out of context:
“The reason that clichés become clichés is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication.”
The irony is that there is not one cliché in this book, unless you count the ones that Pratchett turned on their heads.
R.I.P. Sir Terry, you were the best.
Credit
celticwren
Note:
Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Might Be The Highest Form of Literature on the Planet - by Brandon Sanderson -
Terry Pratchett's first in the City Watch series proves to be a delightfully fun, silly, and entertaining reread for me. We are in the corrupt city of Ankh Morpork as we are introduced to the cynical cop Captain Sam Vines, whose unit is not doing the greatest of jobs, he is often to be found in a drunken stupor, that is until the newest recruit, an adopted over 6 foot dwarf, Lance Constable Carrot, turns out to be rather refreshingly keen on the idea of justice. This is a thought provoking and insightful satirical parody, with intelligent and clever perspectives on governments, injustice and humanity, delivered with oodles of hilarity, where there be dragons and threats to Ankh Morpork. The characterisations are stellar, drawing the reader in with ease into the fantastical world building. Just wonderful! Many thanks to the publisher.
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"Se oyó un sonido resbaladizo tras él, y un par de tejas se estrellaron contra los adoquines de la calle.
Se dio la vuelta. Allí, en el tejado, estaba el dragón.
—¡Hay un dragón en el tejado! —se atragantó—. ¡Nobby, hay un dragón en el tejado! ¿Qué hago, Nobby? ¡Hay un dragón en el tejado! ¡Me está mirando, Nobby!
—Para empezar, podrías subirte los pantalones —sugirió el cabo desde detrás del muro más cercano"
La ciudad de Ankh-Morpork está gobernada por un Patricio, Lord Vetinari, que ha legalizado los asesinatos, los robos, la mendicidad y la prostitución para tenerlos controlados. El Gremio de Asesinos y el de Ladrones reciben una cuota de asesinatos y robos 'razonables', y el sistema funciona con normalidad. Excepto para la Guardia Nocturna, que se ha visto reducida a tres hombres: el capitán Sam Vimes, el sargento Colon y el cabo Nobby Nobbs. La institución está degradada y envilecida.
Por otra parte, en las montañas, el rey de una mina de enanos decide enviar a su hijo adoptivo Zanahoria a ingresar en la Guardia para que se haga un hombre. Zanahoria mide dos metros, es simple, fuerte, y cree que todos somos capaces de llevarnos bien. Además, se ha estudiado las leyes de la ciudad. Zanahoria será capaz de revitalizar la Guardia, que deberá descubrir quién anda detrás de la misteriosa aparición de un dragón.
Terry Pratchett es sinónimo de sonreír es dar por sentado que pasando las páginas de esta saga sentiras muchas cosas, en estado puro. Pratchett adopta hábilmente todo tipo de humor, sarcasmo, ya sea burlesco, hiperbólico, juvenil, oscuro, crítico. Toca de manera especial el género fantástico, se rie de el y con el pues amaba la fantasía, rompe todas las paredes de la escritura y sobretodo nos muestra un ingenio astuto, especial y único. Pues Terry Pratchett es único e irrepetible. No habrá otro. Respeto y admiración.
¡Terry Pratchett, único y eterno!
Pero no solo disfrute del humor, disfruté de la divertida historia y disfruté de las reflexiones de Pratchett sobre el mal, el gobierno y la vida en general. Lo único que Pratchett mantiene como sagrado son los libros y las bibliotecas, todo lo demás es un juego limpio para morder el sarcasmo, reírte y reflexionar.
Dudo muchísimo que palabras como inteligente, ingenioso, cínico, hilarante, oscuro, desgarrador a la par que divertido realmente hagan justicia a su escritura, es una combinación maestra de todas esas palabras y obtienes esa escritura increíble que es a la vez divertida, inteligente, y debajo, todo es increíblemente oscuro y algo aleccionador.
Pero, de qué otra manera le señala a la gente todo lo que está mal con la humanidad. Nadie quiere escuchar qué le pasa a la humanidad sin que se le quiten las ganas. Así que lo hace de la única forma que conseguirá que la gente le escuche, lo disfraza de broma. Para que la gente pueda reír, suspirar y decir "Eres jodidamente bueno zorro. Bravo, bravo" y seguir con su día habiendo reflexionado. Pero con una sonrisa.
Si coges una ciudad y la pones patas arriba, pones a los criminales a cargo, y la gente "respetable" en la parte inferior, tendrás algo que se parece vagamente a Ankh Morpork. Cúbrelo con basura, alcohol y alguna cosilla nada higiénica y estarás mucho más cerca. Como cualquier fantasía, este libro tiene sus héroes, sus tiranos, sus aspirantes a reyes tratando de vencer a los tiranos, sociedades secretas, libros mágicos y, por supuesto, por último, pero nunca menos importante, dragones. Todo a su vez con ese humor hacia esos aspectos.
Vamos a una de sus calles para encontrar a nuestro antihéroe Samuel Vimes, Capitán de la Guardia Nocturna, un borracho deprimido abatido por una mujer. La mujer en este caso es la propia Ankh Morpork, su verdadero amor, su ciudad. Nuestro otro héroe es Zanahoria, un Enano mú grande que puede no ser un Enano, en absoluto, para la genética, en posesión de la espada menos mágica que existe. Y el resto de la guardia, gente toda a la que deberíais conocer ya de ya.. 🤔.. ¿Que hacéis aquí aún?..
Lleno de juegos de palabras, juegos de palabras y un cinismo humorístico tan aplaudible como impresionante. Gozada se queda corto.
Personajes exóticos, mágicos y únicos son los que crea Pratchett, se distinguen de todo lo leído y conocido. Son geniales. Lo importante que he aprendido de Terry Pratchett, para mí, es que lo serio no es precisamente lo opuesto a lo gracioso. Puedes reírte de algo, de uno mismo o de algunas cosas, pero a su vez todo esto te lo tomas en serio, con su respeto y reflexionando pero ¿Porqué no? Con una sonrisa, la vida es muy corta. Nos hace reír como reflexionar de tantos temas y lo impresionante es que lo hace de una manera que te hace sonreír. Vivir incluso lo malo, con una pequeña sonrisa y humor.
Para mí, esto convierte a Sir Terry Pratchett en uno de los autores más brillante que he leído. Único, genio y que logra transmitir tanto pero sobretodo felicidad. Mundodisco nos da muchas cosas y lo hace de muchas maneras.
Siguiente paso "Brujerías".. Oook 🦧 -
First of all, my site has the videos that go with this:
https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2015/...
But here's the lite version:
My Terry Pratchett Experience ™ is remarkably similar to my Month Python Experience.™ Fun and funny, but really best done in small doses. Say, 15 minute doses if I’m watching, longer if I’m reading.
It turns out, I haven’t read Guards!Guards! before, although I thought I had. Quite possibly, it is because I had not. Quite possibly, it’s because I had and forgot, but you’d think I’d remember the dragons. For future reference, it’s the one where the adopted dwarf Carrot goes to the big city of Ankh-Morpork and joins the Night Watch in hopes of Becoming a Man. Night Watch captain Sam Vines spends most of his days and nights in an alcoholic stupor, but the antics of Carrot in Enforcing Law and Order soon force Vines into involvement. Meanwhile, a secret society (the Elucidated Bethren of the Ebon Night) has decided to summon a dragon, intending on overthrowing the Patrician Lord Vetinari and replacing him with an old-fashioned monarchy. Some of the Brothers are quite sure they are being held down and need a monarchy to make things right:
“I get oppressed all the time,” said Brother Doorkeeper. “Mister Critchley, where I work, he oppresses me morning, noon and night, shouting at me and everything. And the woman in the vegetable shop, she oppresses me all the time.”
Like Monty Python, Pratchett specializes in absurdity, in mocking our perceptions, definitions and expectation. Clever and funny; a little bit of social commentary with an edge, both are particularly skilled in word games.
“‘But you’re my kind,’ said Carrot desperately. ‘In a manner of speaking, yes,’ said his father. ‘In another manner of speaking, which is a rather more precise and accurate manner of speaking, no.'”
Which puts me in mind of another famous sketch based on, you know, meaning and such:
“I wish to complain about this parrot I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique."
“What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s dead.”
“No, no; it’s resting.”
It is funny, but when it’s all clever wordplay–mocking villains in their thick dark cowls, and the general populace for being sheep, and Carrot for being So Earnest, and Lady Sybil for being such a hearty, large Englishwoman, and the only one who is really clever is the Patrician–well, it’s a bit hard to empathize. And honestly, rather tiring.
Then there’s the Librarian, an orangutan who runs the greatest library in the world. He’s trying to make Constable Carrot understand a serious crime has been committed:
“‘Ook.“
‘A book has been taken. A book has been taken? You summoned the Watch,’ Carrot drew himself up proudly, ‘because someone’s taken a book? You think that’s worse than murder?’
The librarian gave him the kind of look other people would reserve for people who said things like, ‘What’s so bad about genocide?’”
Which pretty much reminds me of the Albatross sketch. Both use the device of the straight man for maximum silliness:
The Albatross at Intermission:
At the end of the day, certainly fun. There’s certainly messages and social commentary that elevate it above simple romps, but it tends to be applied with heavy emphasis. Like Python, best enjoyed in short sketches.
Don’t worry, I’ll show myself out.
On the way to the Ministry of Silly Walks -
De los mejores libros que he leído este año.
-
Dragons and kings and cross-dressing night watch. What can go wrong?
Meet Terry Pratchett, who can turn anything, and I mean, anything, on its head. :)
On this re-read, what I remember to be a less funny book than the Watch novels that came after it suddenly becomes a rich and nostalgic ride including dwarf bread, or in this case, CAKE. Decent, law-abiding folk versus the deeply corrupt populace. And don't just ask Mr. Cut Me Own Throat. He's suspicious.
I love all the tropes and the way Pratchett deals with them. The whole novel is tongue-in-cheek and it's a slight bit more delightful (IMHO) than all the rest of the novels that came before it. Indeed, it's this one that sets the tone for all the rest.
And so the transformation of Ankh-Morpork commences. :)
Upping this by a star. -
5 outrageously funny stars ⭐️ and serious contender for my book of the month 🙄
Review to follow on the morrow !
So in my (re)view this is what you want in a Sir Terry novel, pathos, love, heroics, honesty, modesty, drunkenness, dragons (big and small), Ankh Morpork, wizards, The Librarian, CMOT Dibbler, The Shades, The Mended Drum and above all humour, lots of humour.
So this is the first book that deals with the City Watch. A (very) small bunch of misfits (initially 3), led by a man that's given up on life and then joined by a (wonderfully) literal 2 metre tall dwarf (who kept bumping his head in the dwarf mines).
When someone tries to oust the Patrician (Lord Vetinari) from his post as leader of Ankh Morpork, Vimes the leader of the Watch turns to the bottle in his top drawer for help. When this doesn't work after many years he foregoes a wee dram and actually starts investigating a case for the first time in years. With help from a bunch of swamp dragons, Lady Ramkin and the misfits in the "Watch" he tries to sort out who is responsible for the re-introduction of impossibly large dragons; who is behind the introduction of the "new King" and where has Lord Vetinari has gone.
The I.L. dragon has been produced by "The Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night" (which was very Python-esque) when the "Thuribles of Destiny" had been chastised. Needless to say there are complications ha ha.
I could go on and on, but it is outrageously funny, fantastically written and just a brilliant novel, so read it yourself and I hope you enjoy as much as I did. -
Noble dragons!
Q:
Noble dragons don't have friends. The nearest they can get to the idea is an enemy who is still alive. (c) -
The first book where Captain Vimes and I met back in 2011, though I did not know then that I would take him as my literary husband later on.
I think it was around
Feet of Clay, I realised he was the ONE Literary Character for me - well "Here's looking at you kid!".
Though I always imagine him like the Divine Alan (RIP).
-
Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch #1), Terry Pratchett
Guards! Guards! is the eighth Discworld novel - and after this, dragons will never be the same again!
The story follows a plot by a secret brotherhood, the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night, to overthrow the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork and install a puppet king, under the control of the Supreme Grand Master. Using a stolen magic book, they summon a dragon to strike fear into the people of Ankh-Morpork.
Once a suitable state of terror and panic has been created, the Supreme Grand Master proposes to put forth an "heir" to the throne, who will slay the dragon and rid the city of tyranny. It is the task of the Night Watch – Captain Vimes, Sergeant Colon, Corporal Nobbs, and new volunteer Carrot Ironfoundersson – to stop them, with some help from the Librarian of the Unseen University, an orangutan trying to get the stolen book back.
The Watch is generally regarded as a bunch of incompetents who walk around ringing their bells without accomplishing anything, which is largely accurate. Carrot's arrival changes this; Whereas the existing officers are either cynical, incompetent, mildly crooked or all three, Carrot is honest, straightforward and idealistic.
Additionally, he is 6'6" tall and enormously strong. Having memorized the Laws and Ordinances of the Cities of Ankh and Morpork, on his first day he tries to arrest the head of the Thieves' Guild for theft (the Thieves' Guild is permitted a quota of legally licensed thieving, a concept that the book of ancient Laws does not take into account).
Brought up as a dwarf – dwarves are a literal, dutiful people – Carrot has an absolute dedication and conscientiousness that unnerve his colleagues who view them as bordering on the suicidal in the face of the reality of Ankh-Morpork life. Carrot's policing style is reminiscent of traditional idealized portrayals of British police, but astoundingly, it actually seems to work.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز بیست و چهارم ماه فوریه 2020میلادی
عنوان: جهان صفحه (دنیای تخت) کتاب هشتم؛ پاسداران، پاسداران؛ نویسنده: تری پرتچت (پرچت یا پراتچت)؛
از این سری، تاکنون بیش از چهل و یک رمان، به چاپ رسیده، که در زمینهٔ خیالپردازی و طنز و هزل هستند، و تقریباً هر چیزی زیر این خورشید را، به سخره گرفته اند؛ «دیسکورلد»، صفحهٔ تختی است که روی شانهٔ چهار فیل غولپیکر قرار گرفته، فیلهایی که خود بر روی پشت «آتوئین کبیر»، لاکپشت عظیم الجثه ای قرار گرفته اند، که در دنیای بیکران، شناکنان به سوی مقصد نامعلومی حرکت میکند؛ رمانهایش تقریباً هر چه شخصیت خیالپردازی، و علمی-تخیلی است را، شامل میشود
این داستان واقعی خود دیده بان شب، و تاریخچه نگهبان شب «آنخ-مورپورک» است؛ هیچ جادوگری وجود نخواهد داشت، اما راهبان وجود خواهند داشت؛ هیچ خون آشامی وجود نخواهد داشت، اما قاتلانی وجود خواهد داشت و کشته خواهد شد و برادری آزادی - برابری وجود خواهد داشت، و وقتی این تثلیث پدیدار شد، انتظار دردسر و مهمتر از همه خون را داشته باشید؛ و خنده دار و غم انگیز خواهد بود؛ به هر حال، این یک داستان کاملاً واقعی است که به سادگی باید جایی اتفاق میافتاد؛ بله، و با اینحال «رامبراند» وجود نخواهد داشت، اما یک «تری پراتچت» واقعی وجود خواهد داشت!!!؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 07/12/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی -
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC
Never was there a story that rocked so hard than that of Ankh-Morpork and her city guard.
This book reads like if Men in Tights and The Princess Bride had a baby in a death metal concert where everyone wore clown suits because the lead rocker said so. It's wild absurdism at its best. But perhaps what shocked me was how well-written it was.
I assumed the book would be tongue-in-cheek, satirical and self-aware. It is. It's taking Tolkien's intricate craft, turning it on its head and giving you a dragon that can propel itself with a rocket butt. But what made me realise this is a book I will love forever is the introduction to the Elucidated Brethren. The scene where the Supreme Grand Master accidentally tries to gain access to the Illuminated and Ancient Brethren of Ee, I almost fell out my seat laughing.
The story carries on in the same comedic vein. Tapping into such surgical moments of levity it feels like the MCU should take classes from Sir Terry. But first, what this book is about.
The city of Ankh-Morpork has turned into a perennial bacchanalia where chaos is the order of the day. Instead of having law and order rule civilisation, there is instead a guild of thieves and beggars and harlots wherein they can steal to a point and pay taxes from their spoils. The Patrician, current ruler of Ankh Morpork, sees this as the best way to maintain a kind of peace.
However, someone doesn't agree. The Supreme Grand Master has stolen a very important book from the library, from whence he plans to summon a dragon and use its power to get remake Ankh Morpork in his image. Or at least as far as his imagination would let him.
You spend most of the book trying to figure out who the Supreme Grand Master is and wonder what will happen to the Watch. They're made of Vimes-the captain, Nobby, Colon and Carrot-a human raised by country dwarves who has no inclination for idioms and sarcasm. They each endear their way into your heart in a way that's as subtle as it is sneaky.
Scenes unfold like a film but there are times I caught myself reacting to something, then there's a change, and when we cut back we're experiencing the fallout of the event. I'd have liked to read the event itself inasmuch as Sir Terry trusts me to use my imagination and make inferences. There are times when cutting away to the result of the matter is hilarious but sometimes I would like to be indulged.
There's nothing I don't love about this book except perhaps the fact that it ended. But with Jurassic patience, I am sure I can find and read through all Discworld books. I wonder what I should read next outside of the City Watch series. -
“A good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read.”
I always enjoyed Terry Pratchett's books - I have ever since I was about 13. But when this book came up, well - I gained even more respect for Mr Pratchett, accompanied by a bellyful of giggles and such a strong love for motley crew that is The Watch
Featuring Sam Vimes, the grumpiest man in all Discworld:
“It wasn't by eliminating the impossible that you got at the truth, however improbable; it was by the much harder process of eliminating the possibilities. You worked away, patiently asking questions and looking hard at things. You walked and talked, and in your heart you just hoped like hell that some bugger's nerve'd crack and he'd give himself up.”
And also featuring my absolute favourite Discworld romance between Carrot, the tall, red-headed and air-headed man raised by dwarves and Angua, the really grumpy werewolf.
Other than the The Witches and Death I truly think that The Watch series is the best in Pratchett's lot. If you want to learn to love one of the funniest authors of our time, pick up this book. You won't regret it.
Courtesy of Jen's mini reviewsSince I haven't had time to read much and reviewing old books I loved. -
This eighth Discworld novel was a delight!
I hadn't known the Night Watch until now and couldn't imagine loving any character as much as Granny Weatherwax but there we are. Sam Vimes as well as his ragtag band of misfits (Sgt. Colon, Nobby Nobbs, & Carrot Ironfounderson) are hilarious when stumbling through Ankh-Morpork that is currently beset by a gigantic fire-spitting dragon.
Dragons, even on the Disc, are supposed to be extinct. Well, the reader is informed that they simply went to a different place. However, some magic from a very weird secret society (weirder than usual) brought one back onto the Disc in order for it to carry out a stereotypical true-heir-arrives-just-in-the-knick-of-time con - which, of course, goes all wrong ending with . *lol*
The Night Watch once was the pride of the city - with "was" being the important bit in that sentence. So when Carrot, who was raised by dwarves and actually considers himself to be one, volunteers for duty, everyone is confused. Especially since he is a good fighter, honourable and knows all the (forgotten) rules and laws - and will enforce them. Totally unheard of in hundreds of years and doesn't go well with the different guilds in the city either. It doesn't help that dwarves (and therefore Carrot) are very literal creatures that don't know sarcasm or puns or figures of speech. *lol*
I LOVED all the twists on stories about the-one-true-King, the comments about libraries and librarians as well as Pratchett's depiction of dragons. I mean, look at this adorable "runt of the litter":
There's a lot of action after the secret society idiots finally lose control over their "weapon", some cute entanglements with Lady Ramkin, heroism (Discworld-style), warped logic, L-space, people accepting tyranny without a fight (in fact, they are embracing it), and a lot of burst-out-loud moments (like when Carrot tries to guess what the Librarian is saying)!
Once again, there were numerous quotes I had to highlight in this book and as soon as I have the paperback (I read the audio version), I shall add even more.
Sharp societal observations, dark humour, adorable creatures, ... just bloody brilliant! -
Before Guards! Guards!, Discworld novels are pretty good. This book is the FIRST GREAT Discworld novel in the series.
The foundations of successful formula of Watch sub-series are already on this novel. But the most important winning recipe is the Ankh-Morpork city itself.
Ankh-Morpork changes from just a generic city in a medieval fantasy story on
The Colour of Magic into a much much more living city on this novel. There are ordinary people in Ankh-Morpork now: street urchins, bartenders, low-life criminals, common palace guards, traders, workers, to name a few. These people are not just mentioned, but they have dialogues and readers could glimpse at their desires/needs.
I think the living city of Ankh-Morpork is the main attractions of Discworld. The city is not only used in Watch sub-series, but also in other Discworld stories too. And this novel is the first appearance of a living Ankh-Morpork. -
Discworld is never seize to amuse! This time we got hilarious parody on "good cop, who's tired of this lawless city" and "a hero who kills dragon and saves everyone" with intriguing plot twists and funny characters.
-
Welp, lo he amado. Definitivamente lo he amado mucho más que Mort. Ahora toca esperar a enero para llorar lágrimas de sangre con la serie de la Guardia.
P. D: Vetinari es el mejor tirano que se haya escrito jamás -
So glad I snuck this in at the end of January. I am absolutely loving Discworld so far and both this and Mort were excellent. Guards! Guards! was yet another hilarious entry to this wacky and ridiculous world known as Discworld. Ankh Morpork was a great setting for this story and so many memorable characters were introduced in this one. From Captain Vimes, to Carrot, to the Librarian or Nobbs and Colon or even The Elucidated Brethren.
These books are seriously the perfect pallet cleanser and are so full of humor, characterization, silliness and even some heart-felt moments when Terry Pratchett wants there to be. I honestly never expected to laugh so much reading a book but this series has changed my mind. If you've read this one then you know the context but the line "Throw the book at him, Carrot." had me CRYING I laughed so much at it. Excellent books so far and I'm looking forward to more Discworld this year! -
Excellent - funny, imaginative, and yet full of poignant moments such as when baby dragons explode.
Welcome Sam Vimes.
The more Terry Pratchett books I read, the more I realise how good this book is.
It's almost as good as Truckers. -
Terry Pratchett continues to deliver brilliance and humour. I've been reading these books quite slowly not from lack of enjoyment but because I am trying to make them last. I love that whether I devour them in one sitting, or pace myself to just a few pages a day, it remains an intensely enjoyable reading experience.
There were many highlights in this one: the dragons, the Librarian (of course🦧), the attempts at law enforcement, and my two favourite characters: the excellent Lady Ramkin and Carrot, whose letters home were a particular delight.📝 -
This ear-read will decide my fate vis-à-vis Pratchettites.
***
Okay. I've listened to Tony Robinson read the best third of the book, laughed about eleven times and chortled more. I just don't get it, y'all. It's amusing, there are some *brilliant* puns and double entendres, and...well...nothing impels me to listen to or read more. It's clearly me, not Pratchett, but as y'all love it so much I won't say any tarnishing things. -
4,25 stars - English hardcover - I have dyslexia - Thanks Brenda for the read - Note in notebook about this book : new series by the hand of this author. And about dragons ! Like to read the next one. 😀😀😀
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¡Guardias! ¡Guardias!
Primer libro que leo de Pratchett sobre su universo Mundodisco, me ha gustado. Mucho humor, mucha ironía, mucho mensaje crítico, diálogos absurdos, personajes buenísimos, un grupo de conspiradores y dragones.
Lleno de situaciones surrealistas a lo Monty Python, esta novela está dedicada a la Guardia Nocturna de Ank-Morkpork, una ciudad que ha conseguido que el crimen esté organizado a cambio de que la guardia no se entrometa en los asuntos del gremio de ladrones. Estos, tienen una cuota de crímenes acordado, así los ladrones y la guardia trabajan menos.
—¿La Guardia? ¿La Guardia? Mi querido muchacho, la Guardia no es más que un puñado de incompetentes dirigidos por un borracho. He tardado años en conseguir que fuera así. La Guardia es la menor de nuestras preocupaciones.
La guardia sigue un estricto régimen alimentario.
—Le he traído algo nutritivo. Sin saber muy bien por qué, Vimes imaginó que sería sopa. Pero no, se trataba de un plato lleno hasta los topes de beicon, patatas y huevos fritos. Casi pudo oír los gritos de espanto de sus arterias al contemplarlo.
Para mantener una condición física envidiable
El sargento Colon, con un esfuerzo sobrehumano, consiguió que el pecho le sobresaliera más que el estómago.
Mientras tanto, una conspiración se está gestando…
El Gran Maestro Supremo sonrió para los adentros de su capucha. Este asunto místico era una maravilla. Les cuentas una mentira, y cuando ya no la necesitas más les cuentas otra, y les dices que están progresando en el camino de la sabiduría. Entonces, en vez de reírse, te siguen todavía más, con la esperanza de encontrar la verdad al final de todas las mentiras. Y así, poco a poco, aceptan lo inaceptable. Sorprendente.
En fin, una novela para pasar un rato divertido, diálogos hilarantes, situaciones graciosas sacadas de la mente de Terry Pratchett. -
(4.5 stars, really.)
Perfectly structured, from beginning to end. Mean without being nasty, funny without being stupid. Insightful without being preachy. Terry Pratchett has a gift for lovingly pointing out the stupidities of the human condition.
This particular one is quite delightful. It's got dragons, a man named Carrot, and a group of three men who make up the city law enforcement, inept and lovable guardians of the backwards and corrupted joyful logic of the city called Ankh-Morpork.
Let me leave you with this passage from the beginning of the novel: '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 . . .'
Also, this: 'It's a metaphor of human bloody existence, a dragon. And if that wasn't bad enough, it's also a bloody great hot flying thing.'
And this: 'People were stupid, sometimes. They thought the Library was a dangerous place because of all the magical books, which was true enough, but what made it really one of the most dangerous places there could ever be was the simple fact that it was a library.' -
If you want dragons, morally ambiguous heroes, magic gone wrong, cities in need of rescue, and royal politics, Terry Pratchett happily delivers in Guards! Guards! I haven’t laughed those loud snorty laughs this much...well, since I last read this book. When humor hits your (and I mean this in the personal sense) sweet spot, you’ve struck gold. The time before was when I had finally discovered the joys of stand-up comedy, a one-hour special on Netflix that everyone else in my family abhorred. In my little social circle, I guess it was just made for me, and I am absolutely content with that knowledge. So I wouldn’t recommend Guards! Guards! to everyone, but once it trawls through a sheaf of potential readers, this book will cozy up to its niche and soon-to-be enamored audience.
There’s a hearty cast of characters in the city of Ankh-Morpork: Captain Vimes of the City Watch; bushy-eyed new volunteer Carrot; surprisingly handy Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs; Lady Ramkin; an orangutan Librarian; and a secret brotherhood plotting to launch a coup d'état against the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. It’s a tad overwhelming at first, but eventually the multiple plotlines merge into this wondrously funny concoction. In rapid time, I came to appreciate the dramatic and clever idiosyncrasies of Ankh-Morpork.
Pratchett has a kind of gleeful narration that is utterly satisfied with telling everything as he sees it with a whip-smart flourish. He somehow can impart a perspective that is simultaneously ridiculous and genius until it feels wholly like the latter. Sometimes the narration can get a little excessive, but if you’re going to introduce Carrot as “a young man heading for the city with all the openness, sincerity and innocence of purpose of an iceberg drifting into a major shipping lane,” I’m going to have plenty of fun reading it. Or how Pratchett gets on an unstoppable roll of word play with his fantasy…
...it was part of what you had to know before you were allowed into L-space. He’d seen pictures in ancient books. Time could bifurcate, like a pair of trousers. You could end up in the wrong leg, living a life that was actually happening in the other leg, talking to people who weren’t in your leg, walking into walls that weren’t there anymore. Life could be horrible in the wrong trouser of Time.
*There’s a footnote here, and when you find even the footnotes funny, you know it’s a good sign.
Besides, it was against Library rules.* The assembled Librarians of Time and Space would certainly have something to say about it if he started to tinker with causality.
This plot in the wrong authorial hands could feel like a bad combination of fantasy tropes, but Pratchett does anything but in this fresh take on dragons and magic. If you love old-school fantasy with a splash of distinctive humor, then what are you waiting for?
