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Loading... Men at Arms (1993)by Terry Pratchett
![]() BBC Big Read (110) Books Read in 2020 (62) » 17 more Best Satire (69) Books Read in 2016 (2,110) Books Read in 2015 (1,264) 1990s (74) Books Read in 2013 (511) Books Read in 2021 (2,988) 20th Century Literature (673) Books Read in 2018 (2,737) Books Read in 2006 (75) Alphabetical Books (103) No current Talk conversations about this book. Discworld 15 While it's not one of the Disc's brighter lights, Men at Arms is a perfectly decent Discworld novel. It's less funny than most of Pratchett's prior output, but it compensates by having a more interesting and well-rounded set of characters. Grounding the story in one location - the city of Ankh-Morpork - and in a story of crime and back-street intrigue gives the novel some discipline where many Discworld novels roam and wander (and consequently so does my attention). Pratchett is a peculiar storyteller: his stories seem to grow like fungi rather than be planted and nurtured and harvested, and while this often results in mis-shapen and only intermittently satisfying reads, there's always just enough to keep the reader primed for the next one. In Men at Arms it was the strong ending. Every time I tell myself I might make this my last Discworld novel, and every time I find myself making a note of the next book in the series. On to number 16 now. Interesting plot with many new, interesting characters. This book also added development for some of the characters introduced in "Guards! Guards!," which I also enjoyed. I enjoyed this book more than "Guards! Guards!" Another funny book about this strange other world and fantasy characters who guard the city. It's been awhile so I've forgotten the details but it's a good read. After the awesomeness that was Guards! Guards! I'm a bit frustrated with this one. I loved everything that had to do with Vimes's character development, but the way Angua was handled and generally written left a bad taste in my mouth. After reading the witches' series I wasn't expecting this a generic female character from Pratchett. Loved every scene with the Patrician. I think he's slowly becoming one of my favorites.
Though dotted with good and bad jokes Men at Arms isn't as purely funny as some of the series' earlier installments. Racial prejudice and gun control elicit some uncomfortably close-to-the-bone satire, while the search for the killer and his weapon is almost too gripping. By all means, give Pratchett a try, though you might want to start with, say, The Color of Magic or Guards! Guards! These books can sometimes be hard to find, even in paperback, but they repay any effort expended. I keep my copies on the shelf next to P.G. Wodehouse and Donald Westlake. Is contained inHas the adaptationIs abridged in
"Be a man in the City Watch! The City Watch needs men!" But what it's got includes Corporal Carrot (technically a dwarf), Lace-constable Cuddy (really a dwarf), Lance-constable Detritus (a troll), Lance-constable Angua (a woman...most of the time) and Corporal Nobbs (disqualified from the human race for shoving). And they need all the help they can get. Because they've only got twenty-four hours to clean up the town and this is Ankh-Morpork we're talking about... No library descriptions found. |
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![]() GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914 — Literature English {except North American} English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:![]()
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