Thud!: Discworld #30

If you are starting with Pratchett, you should not start with this one, as the references to previous novels will be difficult to understand. It has its fair share of wisdom and phrases you will wish you had come up with yourself.

As usual, this book is wry and witty and fulfilling. If you haven't read Pratchett, I wouldn't read this one first. I'd go back and read some of his earlier discworld books to learn the universe. But as usual, this was a complete delight.

I have read all of Terry Pratchett's books over the years. I have enjoyed almost all of them. Thud is a great book that gives the reader additional insight into old friends/favorite characters, and introduces a couple new ones. It was fun to read and follow the clues to figure out who done it. Vimes has always been one of my favorite people; it was good to see him again. I gave it 4 stars because I was disappointed in his commercial plugging of the Thud game that has been out for a while.

I have every Discworld novel that features Sam Vimes and this is yet another great addition to my library. I found myself laughing out loud and reading hilarious bits to people around me (I'm sure the nice woman on the train will eventually forget the crazy person reading out loud next to her). It is definitely a must read.

I discover Prachett and Discworld about 6 years ago and have read all his books. My first read was Guards, Guards! and it was the Watch that got me hooked. I was happy to see another Watch book coming up and bought it immediately. This is not a bad book it just it not one of his best. I have hoped for some time for a book featuring the female werewolf Watch member and she gets some attention in this book. However it just doesn't seem to work here. They even team her up with a new character, a female who is the first vampire on the Watch. Even this premise which sounds like a homerun, doesn't work. Except, that is. for one "ladies nite out" passage with officer Littlebottom which is up to par for the author. This is the first Prachett book I can honestly say drags to a climax. Also Vimes just seems so middle aged, tired and boring. Let him retire if he has become this dull. I'll keep buying Discworld books as soon as they come out but this one disappointed.

I'm a huge fan of Mr. Pratchett's extensive body of work, with two shelves of my personal library devoted to just his work. Through most of the first 29 Discworld novels, he somehow managed to stay fresh... but every so often would stumble.

That said, unfortunately Thud! is another such stumble. While usually I'm almost literally rolling on the floor laughing, Thud! barely had me crack a smile. I've noticed that recently, Pratchett has been trying to put some life lesson in his novels: the 5th elephant (another Sam Vimes mystery novel) pointed out that my grandfather's axe may have had its blade changed as the old one got dulled, and the haft may have been changed to meet the styles of the time, it is still my grandfather's axe. Thud! instead points out THAT IS NOT MY COW!

I'm writing this off to editorial pressure to produce a book that capitalizes on the bestseller Going Postal. I'm not going to begrudge people trying to make a living, but hope the funds go to providing Pratchett with food & shelter while he writes a novel with more of his trademark spark!

I discover Prachett and Discworld about 6 years ago and have read all his books. My first read was Guards, Guards! and it was the Watch that got me hooked. I was happy to see another Watch book coming up and bought it immediately. This is not a bad book it just it not one of his best. I have hoped for some time for a book featuring the female werewolf Watch member and she gets some attention in this book. However it just doesn't seem to work here. They even team her up with a new character, a female who is the first vampire on the Watch. Even this premise which sounds like a homerun, doesn't work. Except, that is. for one "ladies nite out" passage with officer Littlebottom which is up to par for the author. This is the first Prachett book I can honestly say drags to a climax. Also Vimes just seems so middle aged, tired and boring. Let him retire if he has become this dull. I'll keep buying Discworld books as soon as they come out but this one disappointed.

I'm a huge fan of Mr. Pratchett's extensive body of work, with two shelves of my personal library devoted to just his work. Through most of the first 29 Discworld novels, he somehow managed to stay fresh... but every so often would stumble.

That said, unfortunately Thud! is another such stumble. While usually I'm almost literally rolling on the floor laughing, Thud! barely had me crack a smile. I've noticed that recently, Pratchett has been trying to put some life lesson in his novels: the 5th elephant (another Sam Vimes mystery novel) pointed out that my grandfather's axe may have had its blade changed as the old one got dulled, and the haft may have been changed to meet the styles of the time, it is still my grandfather's axe. Thud! instead points out THAT IS NOT MY COW!

I'm writing this off to editorial pressure to produce a book that capitalizes on the bestseller Going Postal. I'm not going to begrudge people trying to make a living, but hope the funds go to providing Pratchett with food & shelter while he writes a novel with more of his trademark spark!

This is a gold-plated five-star book. Terry Pratchett writes superbly and his stories keep you gripped until you reach the end, then you start again from the beginning to catch what you miseed when speeding through the first time.

Unfortunately the publishers, in their desperate hunt for Glod, have not bothered either to edit or to proofread this book. Whatever font size you choose with your Kindle, there is a spelling mistake every two pages or so. After a while this becomes indescribably irritating.

There is absolutely no excuse for this breathtaking contempt for the paying customer. I am utterly shocked.

Disgusting.

Whenever long bloody feud between dwarfs and trolls heats up the cry, “Koom Valley”, springs up just before both sides decide to fight the next one but now it looks like it’s in Ankh-Morpork but not on Sam Vimes watch. Thud! is the 34th installment of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series and seventh in the “Watch” subseries focusing Sam Vimes that pursuing culprits across the Ankh-Morpork and beyond to bring them to justice, no matter the species.

A dwarf demagogue is killed and a troll is the only witness, all of this as the anniversary of the Battle of Koom Valley is approaching with tensions in Ankh-Morpork between dwarfs and trolls reaching a boiling point. After Sam Vimes learns that the murder was supposed to be hidden from him, he leaps to action to solve the murder as well as not sending both species into war. Unfortunately Vimes has to contend with a new vampire member of the Watch, an auditor, and always making it home by 6 to read to Young Sam. And then the case begins to involve mystical elements, really annoying Vimes especially as they travel to Koom Valley in pursuit of justice.

Although the overall plot was well thought out, especially concerning Vimes there were problems. The various secondary arc, the humor, and quality of writing were noticeably not up to Pratchett’s earlier standards and ranged from bad to passable.

Although Thud! isn’t the best of Pratchett’s work nor the best in the Watch series, it is still a good read for any fan.

Terry Pratchett just gets better every time he returns to Discworld. Most authors stall out or repeat themselves after about six books, but not Pratchett. He just keeps rolling on, emitting sparks and funny noises, and creating new characters who will tweak your heartstrings and twang your funny-bone.

Actually, I'm the one who emits funny noises while reading his Discworld books.

In "Thud" the age-old enmity between trolls and dwarfs is about to go ballistic right in the middle of Commander-of-the-Watch Sam Vimes's home turf, that is to say the city of Ankh-Morpork. Starting a rumble in this city is a little like grabbing your fishing spear and jumping naked into a tank of hungry sharks. For sharks, substitute Sergeant Detritus, the troll, the Colon-Nobbs Brain Trust (in "Thud" these two constables spend most of their time investigating the Pink PussyCat Club, where the dancers' costumes consist of "two sequins and a bootlace"), Sergeant Angua, the werewolf, Corporal Ringfounder, the dwarf, Igor, the igor, Constable Dorfl, the golem, and Lance-Constable von Humpeding, the vampire (new to this series).

Sam Vimes must not only control the incipient inter-species riot and discover who murdered the rabble-rousing dwarf, Hamcrusher, he must also be home by six o'clock every evening to read "Where's My Cow?" to young Sam.

"Where's My Cow?" also serves as an eerily effective war cry when Commander Vimes is trapped underground beneath the dread Koom Valley, along with hordes of dead and alive dwarfs and mineralized trolls.

"Thud" is a game of troll versus dwarf. It is also "the noise a troll club makes when crushing in a dwarf skull, or when a dwarfish axe cleaves a trollish cranium."

Let's hope the Watch and its brilliant commander can prevent history from repeating itself in Koom Valley.

This addition to Discworld is one of Pratchett's best, even if it doesn't feature my favorite witches, and the Unseen University only gets a minor walk-on.

After the glowing review that I gave Night Watch, it's kind-of difficult to follow up with any of the Discworld books that focus on Vimes because it's basically what I've said before. As much as a love all of the characters that Pratchett has in his novels, Vimes is by far my favorite. I love his gritty attitude, his determination to live life the way he thinks it should be done, the passion that he does everything with, and his sense of humor. Secretly, I think he's Pratchett's favorite character and that's why he gets the best lines and the most interesting stories. Thud is no exception to this observation. It's another fascinating look at society without even realizing you're catching a glimpse into the real world.

On the surface, the book is about a battle between Dwarves and Trolls, and maybe about a stolen painting that might be important or might not. And you can read the story and simply enjoy the surface aspect of it. You can try to find out how both side of a battle managed to be ambushed at the same time, and who is really to blame for it, and what that means to the city watch. But if you want to, you can really grapple with some deeper issues. Why do we do the things that we do? Is it out of misplaced cultural expectations that we've been taught forever and might not even be true? Are the people that we thing are our enemies really our enemies or was there just a little misunderstanding and everything got blown out of proportion?

I think that is the crux of why I love the Vimes novels so much. On the basic, surface level Pratchett writes an amazing story that's moving, thoughtful, funny, and sometimes even sad. The reader rarely just passively reads through it without laughing or being drawn in despite themselves. I know that I thought I wouldn't enjoy the books but they pulled me in despite myself and continue to do so ever time that I read them. There is a wonderful story to each of these novels but for the reader that really wants to dig into these stories, Pratchett really has something to say. He's not just writing fluff that sells well. He is really looking at the world that he's living in, the world that we're all apart of, and drawing some conclusions about it. Sometimes those conclusions are good and sometimes they aren't but with this book like all the others, Pratchett draws back the curtain to give the reader a glimpse at something more if they want to see it.

[For context's sake, I have been reading the Discworld books in publication order. Thud! is #34.]

I have grown to love and care about the City Watch characters, so it was nice to visit them once again, and to have a few new additions to the mix. Pratchett did a good job of "hiding the ball" and keeping aspects of the conflict and resolution hidden tantalizingly out of view, but alluding to them enough that a keen reader could spot the clues and put things together before the characters did.

I loved the addition of Sally. It was obvious early on that she was not merely a new recruit, but I didn't figure out who she was really working for for a long time. Her interactions with Angua were great, and both of their interactions with Betty were fun.

Meeting more dwarfs was interesting, and learning more about the deep down dwarfs and many aspects of the dwarf culture and subcultures was fascinating, but I dig that kind of thing (haha, get it? dwarfs? dig?). There were a lot of things about dwarf culture that were not explored or explained, though, or were merely alluded to, and I wish that there was a bit more of that. I get the feeling that Pratchett has a lot of that mapped out in his head, but I don't know that we're going to ever be privy to it.

Also, never before has a Discworld book made me tear up. I don't think Pratchett has ever tried to make me cry, actually, but everything between Vimes and Young Sam really tore at me. There was a lot of real, raw emotion leaping off the page. It was great writing.

So again I find myself with another favorite to add to my (ever lengthening) list of favorite Discworld books. I would highly recommend it to anyone, with the caveat that the earlier City Watch-centric books be read first, for context and depth

Thud! is Terry Pratchett's 34th novel in the hugely popular Discworld series.

Across all the lands trolls and dwarfs have never gotten along. In Discworld, this is also the case. Many, many years ago there was the great Battle of Koom Valley, a battle so great that a rather crazy painter, Methodia Rascal, painted an almost-to-scale painting of the fight between the trolls and the dwarfs.

In modern day Ankh-Morpork, where there is always something happening, the trolls and dwarfs are set to go to battle again, at the anniversary of the Battle of Koom Valley. What starts with the theft of the painting by Methodia Rascal, leads to a journey for not just the dwarfs and the trolls, but also for Commander Vimes and his Watch.

As usual, Terry Pratchett has delivered a wonderful, humourous and exciting novel. Along with delving into the very much controversial issue of racism, here being portrayed between the trolls and the dwarfs, Pratchett also pokes fun at fundamentalism, between the deep down dwarfs -who consider themselves true dwarfs- and the surface dwarfs.

Every Discworld fan has their favourite characters. I've always been fond of the wizards and the witches, who couldn't love the ever-failing Rincewind, and the nerves of steel with Granny Weatherwax? While many of my friends have adored all the Watch novels, I've enjoyed them immensely, but not loved any of the characters. Thud! changed this for me. Starting with Guards! Guards! Commander Sam Vines' character has slowly been evolving, and Pratchett has really opened him up in Thud! As we watch Commander Vines take battle amongst the trolls and dwarfs to try and bring about peace, he also shows his softer side as every night he must be home at 6pm sharp to read Where is my cow? to his son, young Sam.

All in all, Thud! was a wonderful trip down the Discworld, and I'm looking forward to more from Terry Pratchett and the quirky Disc.

Terry Pratchett's right up there with Neil Gaiman in the fantasy worship department. His is another name that I heard most often when starting all of my fantasy research so it was only natural that I picked up one of his books. At random. I knew of Discworld and I knew he'd written a bunch of books for that particular series. Thankfully it's not an ordered series, not really. I have no idea where Thud! falls in the Discworld order but I know it's not at the beginning nor the end and I didn't have any problems understanding what was going on. I'm almost positive, from what I've heard, that that was Pratchett's intent with this series. If you read them in order, then yes, they'd make a little more sense and you'd get a few more jokes but if you read them all mashed up, you wouldn't get lost in the mire. Those are my kind of series!

The only notion I had going into reading his book was that he's [Pratchett's] funny. He's certainly not the snort your soda type of funny but it's a dry, British wit that if you don't get the satire, you're just not going to get it. I got it and thought some of his lines were absolutely hilarious. Tawneee's nose going blort when she blew it tickled me in just the right way (but not that way, if you catch my drift, pervert).
It's a sardonic, bored-with-life-but-never-coming-up-short-with-things-to-mock type of funny that really makes you appreciate the humor. Anyone can slip on a banana peel or miss-sit on a toilet seat and have it be funny but the poignant words and the near intricacy of Pratchett's funny bone is remarkable. This is the type of humor that takes true talent. It's all in the order of the words, how he chose them, what he chose and then just how they spring up on you, as if from out of nowhere. There's little to no build-up and the hilarity is often told in something of an aside, an off-handed comment that's there and gone before you know it. Poosticks, for example. Poosticks!

On the fantasy side, it's pretty high fantasy but without all of the floofy, tweedle dee, prance around in a tutu throwing glitter with pixe farts type of high that tends to come with such a sub genre (to be obnoxiously stereotypical). It's a work that's very grounded in a world that isn't our own but could be, surrounded by magical creatures of all kinds that had acclimated to society as if it were part of their normal evolutionary track. It could have rightly been a parallel world that could have existed in place of our own and we really wouldn't have noticed save for a few trolls (I could roll with that, but I'll leave it for now).

Perhaps it's the satire itself that makes it seem so real. The discord between the trolls and the dwarfs could easily mimic any kind of racial or political divide that exists now. Or perhaps it's the parody, Pratchett taking the stereotypes of a token butler and putting them all into Willikins gives him an astounding air of Ben Stein calm mixed with Jason Statham ass-kicking. Be it the satire, the parody or the drive for Vimes to be a good dad to his son regardless of the obstacles in his way, or all of these elements and then some combined into one, it all probably plays a part into this fantastical reality of Pratchett's.

I don't know if I'll read this one again for a while, though, because I feel this kind of humor in book form is good the first time through and each subsequent time it's read its impact lessens if read too consecutively. The voice is amazing, I love the way it's written but I'll probably only put one more read into it before putting it down and not coming back to it for a while. A book like this needs its time to sink in order to really appreciate everything it has to offer before getting picked up again. It needs its space but deserves to be read more than once throughout its lifetime.

I feel the book's title needs an explanation. Thud is a game sort of like chess combined with Risk or Stratego that's played by trolls and dwarfs on the Discworld. The object of the game is to reenact the legendary battle of Koom Valley, in which dwarfs and trolls fought each other over a thouand years earlier. There's been bad blood (or whatever trolls have) between the two races ever since.

And thud is also the sound made when a troll club whacks a dwarf over the head. That dwarf is a rabble-rouser in the metropolis of Ankh-Morpork who has been rallying dwarfs to fight trolls on the eve of Koom Valley Day. The murder takes place deep underground in a dwarf mine, which complicates things for Sam Vimes and the City Watch, as the dwarfs are not keen on outsiders wandering around their mine.

The murder is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, though. Even as the whole city seems ready to explode, a strange dwarf sign begins cropping up all over the place. As well, a priceless painting of the battle of Koom Valley has disappeared from the city museum. Somehow Vimes has to put all these pieces together to find out who murdered the dwarf--and why. Oh, and he has to do it all by six o'clock when he must read Where's My Cow? to his infant son--with all the appropriate noises.

This installment of the series I take it was supposed to be like The Da Vinci Code (or a lesser extent the National Treasure movies) in that there's a murder that leads to the unraveling of an important historical mystery. While I think overall Pratchett is a much better writer, Brown's story probably moved along a little better; Thud seems to plod along until an ending that generally makes it worthwhile. It probably needed a couple of good chase scenes thrown in there to get things moving.

On problem I had in particular was I really became bored with the Angua werewolf character. This is the fifth book that features her in a significant role, but all she ever seems to do is whine about being a werewolf--that and smell stuff and threaten to rip people's throats out. By now it's like, "I GET IT! Being a werewolf sucks! Let's move past it, shall we?" But that's the problem is that none of the secondary characters are really allowed to grow much. The relationship between Angua and Captain Carrot hasn't really moved forward since the beginning. You'd think after what's probably ten years or more they'd be getting serious, or something.

Vimes is the only character who seems to be given any development. Since appearing in "Guards! Guards!" (volume 8) he's gone from a lonely drunk to a civic leader with a wife and son. That kind of growth is what allows you to like the character more, not to mention it keeps him from stagnating like the others. It's too bad some of the others (like Angua or Carrot) aren't really given this same opportunity to develop.

Anyway, it was still an entertaining book, with a good message about racial tolerance and all that. And as I said earlier, it picks up in the end to make up for some of its deficiencies in the thrill department. It really could use a better title, though if you look at all 36 series titles, none of them really seem especially clever. I suppose it's what's on the inside that counts--isn't that what they always say?

That is all.

Thud by Terry Pratchett
Harper Collins, 2005
373 pages
Fantasy; Discworld
4/5 stars

Summary: Sam Vimes is the Commander of the Watch is seeing increasing tensions in the city of Ankh-Morpork between the trolls and the dwarves before the pending anniversary of the Koom Valley battle. A lot of other stuff happens in typical Discworld fashion.

Thoughts: It took me FOREVER to read this; I've had it since it came out; one of my friends told me it was her favorite three years ago but still I didn't read it until I started my personal read my own books challenge.

I wish that I had read more of the Discworld novels before I started this one as there were references to many previous books. Of course that just provides more encouragement for me to go back to all of them, sooner rather than later.

I liked Sam Vimes: He's a devoted family man, fiercely protective of his city, and has a sensible attitude toward bacon (as in more is better). Then there were the trolls and the dwarves.
I definitely need to read some of the other Watch novels especially if any feature Sam's courtship of his wife Sybil or the birth of their son. It looks like I should read Guards! Guards and Men at Arms; I will try to do so later this year. I also want to read more about Lord Vetinari-does he have any books devoted to him? But DEATH is still my favorite character and he makes a brief appearance here.

Overall: This should not be your introduction to Pratchett's writing or Discworld but if you've read some of the others, it's a fine addition to the oeuvre.

Cover: It's not my favorite; the club is representing the trolls and apparently Thud is also a game so...meh.

"Thud" is thirty-fourth novel in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series, was first published in 2005 and is the seventh to focus on Sam Vimes and Ankh-Morpork's City Watch.

Sam is the Commander of the City Guard, and - having married Lady Ramkin - a member of the nobility. He's also recently become a father and has made reading "Where's My Cow" to his son every evening at six o'clock his top priority. Despite being a devoted father, however, he mightn't necessarily be considered a typical hero : he doesn't like Assassins (they keep trying to kill him), Kings (it's an old family traditions : even in chess, he supports the pawns) and the Undead (particularly vampires).

For the most part, Ankh-Morpork's ethnic groupings are already well-represented in the Watch. Sam's most capable officer is Captain Carrot - who was born human, although raised as a dwarf. Carrot is an incredibly innocent and very honest character and is widely believed to be Ankh-Morpork's rightful King. (Sam has - to date - refrained from beheading him). Carrot's girlfriend, Angua, is also a member of the City Guard - though, being a werewolf, she also shares Sam's misgivings about vampires. Sergeant Detritus, a troll who deals roughly with troll drug-dealers, seems a natural - not to mention likable - cop, though Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs (a confirmed slacker and probably human) are the most experienced officers. Cheery Littlebottom is an ex-alchemist dwarf, who more or less founded the forensics department. (Cheery left the Guild of Alchemists after, accidentally, blowing up the Guild Council). However, for the first time, "Thud" sees a vampire apply to join the Watch. The vampire in question, Sally von Humpeding, is fortunately a Black Ribboner - meaning she abstains from drinking blood. However, her presence naturally makes a few people uncomfortable - most notably Sam and Angua.

The Battle of Koom Valley was fought many years ago between trolls and dwarves and is quite possibly unique - in that both sides were ambushed by the other. Although there is always a certain amount of tension between the two species throughout the year, things tend to become a little worse as the battle's anniversary comes around. Things have been even worse recently, though with the arrival of several Grags the previous month. A Grag is a deep-downer and a master of dwarfish lore - naturally, they are very influential in Ankhh-Morpork's dwarfish community. One of them - Grag Hamcrusher - has naturally been stirring up a great deal of trouble. Naturally, when Hamcrusher is murdered, Sam feels it's the City Watch's responsibility to investigate. The dwarves, who are quite happy to blame a troll, don't agree.

As is things weren't difficult enough, "The Battle of Koom Valley" by Methodia Rascal is also stolen from the Royal Art Museum. The (incredibly detailed) painting itself is priceless, despite the fact that Rascal was somewhat insane. (He believed he was being relentlessly pursued by a chicken). There are also rumours of a mysterious Mr Shine amongst the trolls - a diamond geezer, if the graffiti is to be believed. Worst of all, the Patrician has unleashed a government inspector - Mr A.E. Pessimal - on the Watch.

Another cracking book from Pratchett - as usual there's plenty of humour and with a great storyline `underneath' it all. Excellent stuff, highly recommended !

I enjoy Pratchett, and I especially enjoy his stories that delve into different lifestyles and cultures within Discworld. Well ... I suppose they all do that, but THUD has an extra helping of it, with social interactions between Vampire/Werewolf, Troll/Dwarf, Liberal/Conservative, Lower Class/Upper Class, and of course Vimes/Vimes filling the pages. Vimes is one of my favorite Discworld characters because of his inner conflicts and steady discipline, and those qualities played an important role in this plot. He's always fighting the bad guys, but at the same time he's also always fighting himself -- potentially the biggest bad guy of them all.

The story itself was a successful blend of adventure and fun on the surface, with deeper issues about society (and how people can or can't get along within it) bubbling along in the undercurrent.

Pratchett's trademark wit and humor are abundant, and the descriptions of Vime's readings of "Where's My Cow?" are delightful - so much so that I might even pick up Where's My Cow? to see if it's everything that young Sam seems to think it is.

It's not surprising that I'm giving THUD five stars: I like the discworld novels in general, after all. But this is an exceptionally good choice: the characters and the way they interact are even more richly depicted than normal, and the story takes us into some new scenery as well: a few lesser visited corners o Ankh-Morpork (strip clubs, deep cellars, museums) to the wasteland of Koom Valley, which in my mind seems like a post-apocalyptic YellowStone.

[Edit: As I am a huge fan of--and therefore inspired by--Terry Pratchett, I feel I'm justified in pointing out my new book Cluck: Murder Most Fowl. Many of my fellow Pratchett fans have been early readers and have enjoyed it. Apologies for the shameless self-promotion, -edk]
[Edit: As I am a huge fan of--and therefore inspired by--Terry Pratchett, I feel I'm justified in pointing out my new book Cluck: Murder Most Fowl. Many of my fellow Pratchett fans have been early readers and have enjoyed it. Apologies for the shameless self-promotion, -edk]

A dwarf is found dead from a blow to the head given with a weapon favoured by trolls. The problem is the body was found in a location no troll could possibly have reached unnoticed. To Commander Vimes, it smells of a cover up.

He investigates, but is hampered by being forced to take on his staff a Black Ribonner, i.e. a vampire who's taken the pledge and forsworn human blood (or dwarf blood for that matter, and let's not even think of troll blood). He's also got an auditor nosing around the place to make sure everything is done properly.

While Discworld novels are always hilarious comedies, Pratchett also uses them to make discrete social commentary. In "Thud!" he explores the consequences of racial intolerance. No one is comfortable around vampires even if they've given up their favourite drink; trolls and dwarfs hate each other and periodically go to war; werewolves are a social embarrassment.

Oh, and Pratchett makes the point that some things are more important than anything else. There are some duties which must be performed no matter what because to miss them even once, for even an excellent excuse, would lead one to miss those duties again perhaps for a lesser excuse. So get out of my way, thinks Commander Vimes, it's nearly six o'clock and there's something I've GOT TO DO!

Vincent Poirier, Tokyo

First: If you have never read a Terry Pratchett book before, don't start with this one. It's not that you won't enjoy it, but you'll enjoy it even more if you start with the first book in the Watch series, appropriately entitled "Guards! Guards!".

If you have already met Vimes, Carrot, and the rest of the Watch, read on.

It's Terry Pratchett's satirical genius that each one of his books manages to be about many things at once. "Thud" is no exception; while most of the action revolves around an ancient and misunderstood battle between the Trolls and Dwarves, there are plenty of sub-plots to go around, including the introduction of a Vampire(ss) into the Watch, the role of accountants in running a police force, the willingness of ethnic minorities to assimilate into the dominant culture, and as always a murder to be solved.

But for me all of that is background to simply watching Vimes be Vimes. Despite the farcical setting of Ankh-Morpork, Pratchett has managed to create one of the most grizzled characters in all of fiction, a man who reminds geeky readers like me of Old Bruce Wayne from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, or perhaps more appropriately of Eliot Ness. He is relentlessly common despite having risen to a Dukedom and riches. He refuses to let the law be corrupted by the shifting winds of politics. And most of all, he holds himself accountable for justice. In an earlier book, the monarch of the city remarks "It would be a terrible thing, would it not, if people thought they could take the law into their own hands..." to which he replies "Oh, no fear of that, sir. I'm holding on tightly to it."

Now in this book Vimes has a son, and his ideas of what it means to be a proper parent are tied up in the same determination he brings to his work as the Watch Commander. Seeing the father and the police officer interact was for me, the real treat of reading this book.

Also the puns. At least one on every page. And the dialog; the witty, sparkling, spot-on to character dialog. As well as the prose and everything else. Terry Pratchett is a remarkable writer, just read this and everything else he's written!

By which anyone who has had the pleasure of reading other Pratchett novels would know that it's a great piece of entertainment, with weight and joy in equal measure. The story line is at once deep and accessible. The Financial Times noted Pratchett was one of the best satirists writing today, and I certainly enjoy him as I do Twain. The difference seems to be that Pratchett seeks the joyful and playful elements that Twain sometimes toyed with, or, more appropriately, floated by, but didn't seem to seek out in the same way. Nearly every character begs a relationship that warrants a book of their own. Indeed, several are the key players in other novels. In addition to the characters, however, cities, historical (using the word with the wry tone of Pratchett) events, and games of strategy also recur in wonderfully poignant ways. I've given this book to a few crusty retired policemen and all of them have responded to the spirit of Sam Vines in spite of early protestations that they would never "get into" a fantasy book. In many ways, its hard to find a more realistic rendering of the world than Pratchett creates by freeing us from rigor of actual people and physical settings. Enjoy.

Returning to Discworld with the 30th book of this line, Terry Pratchett weaves another story touched with his brand of humor although in a smaller portion this time around. As more Discworld books come out, they tend to get longer and the humor begins to become sparsely spread out through the book. Pratchett's books have a rotating cast of characters and they don't have to be read in order with a few exceptions. The books regarding the Watch & Commander Sam Vimes are usually pretty good books with the continual adding of the 'odd-man-out' new recruit into the Watch and the troubles he/she has overcoming his/her differences to fit into Ankh-Morpork's police force.

Koom Valley: the ambush battle between dwarfs and trolls has been on people's minds of late. They are ancient enemies but no one really knows why anymore and when Grag Hamcrusher is murdered far beneath Ankh-Morpork, Commander Vimes is adamant about solving the crime and preventing another Koom Valley battle taking place in his city streets. Then there's the Summoning Dark that's been released so who's going to take care of that? Commander must get to the bottom (or top) of this mess and still make it home by 6:00 to read to his son. Really this book is about politics, forgotten history, and racism/ethnic cleansing. Pratchett borrows from real life history and turns it into fiction to show just what we as real people tend to forget about unless it directly affects us and then we don't have all the facts straight.

Overall, Thud is a good book, just not recommended as your first Discworld book as there are references to past stories regarding the Watch. This one just didn't work as strongly for me as some of the others. Unfortunately, "Thud!" wasn't as enjoyable for me as most other Discworld books are. Maybe it's because Pratchett is writing too many Watch books lately. I generally dislike the books with the Wyrd Sisters as the central characters but always like the Watch books. What's really missing of late is a good Rincewind story.

Terry Pratchett just gets better every time he returns to Discworld. Most authors stall out or repeat themselves after about six books, but not Pratchett. He just keeps rolling on, emitting sparks and funny noises, and creating new characters who will tweak your heartstrings and twang your funny-bone.

Actually, I'm the one who emits funny noises while reading his Discworld books.

In "Thud" the age-old enmity between trolls and dwarfs is about to go ballistic right in the middle of Commander-of-the-Watch Sam Vimes's home turf, that is to say the city of Ankh-Morpork. Starting a rumble in this city is a little like grabbing your fishing spear and jumping naked into a tank of hungry sharks. For sharks, substitute Sergeant Detritus, the troll, the Colon-Nobbs Brain Trust (in "Thud" these two constables spend most of their time investigating the Pink PussyCat Club, where the dancers' costumes consist of "two sequins and a bootlace"), Sergeant Angua, the werewolf, Corporal Ringfounder, the dwarf, Igor, the igor, Constable Dorfl, the golem, and Lance-Constable von Humpeding, the vampire (new to this series).

Sam Vimes must not only control the incipient inter-species riot and discover who murdered the rabble-rousing dwarf, Hamcrusher, he must also be home by six o'clock every evening to read "Where's My Cow?" to young Sam.

"Where's My Cow?" also serves as an eerily effective war cry when Commander Vimes is trapped underground beneath the dread Koom Valley, along with hordes of dead and alive dwarfs and mineralized trolls.

"Thud" is a game of troll versus dwarf. It is also "the noise a troll club makes when crushing in a dwarf skull, or when a dwarfish axe cleaves a trollish cranium."

Let's hope the Watch and its brilliant commander can prevent history from repeating itself in Koom Valley.

This addition to Discworld is one of Pratchett's best, even if it doesn't feature my favorite witches, and the Unseen University only gets a minor walk-on. Keep on writing, Terry!

While I run the risk of sounding like a completely rabid fan of the Discworld series, I do think that it's near impossible for Pratchett to put out a Discworld novel that isn't entertaining in one aspect or another. (Please don't prove me wrong, Terry!)

This particular novel follows Vimes & the Watch as things start heating up around the city. Kooms Valley Day, the day that the trolls & dwarves supposedly had a big war (nobody survived, so nobody knows for sure all of what happened) is rapidly approaching & tensions are high. If that wasn't bad enough, a well respected dwarf has been found dead & trolls are supposedly to blame for it. Vimes has to figure out what exactly happened & why, as well as make it home every day by 6 pm so he can read "Where's My Cow" to his son.

I have to admit, it did take me a while to initially get started in this novel because, to be quite frank- a LOT happens in this book. To be honest, there's enough stuff in here for two stories- one about the troll/dwarf affair & the one about Angua & Sally. Pratchett does put it together & the story is nice, but I felt like the tensions between Angua & Sally could've been a little more fleshed out. It didn't ruin the book or anything, but I just felt like it was a bit underserved in this book.

Still, the book was pretty good & I enjoyed reading it. It's not going to be my favorite Discworld novel ever, but it is one that I think would be well served if the BBC were to make a movie of it.

What can I say? I can't stay away from Discworld...

Troll vs. Dwarf, that age old feud brought to life again... Commander Vimes got quite the adrenaline rush in this tale, constantly in fear for his life as well as the life of his wife and son, young Sam.

Vimes has changed drastically since his first appearance in Pratchett's novels. Now that he has a son, he is very determined to make it home to read to young Sam. It is sweet watching Old Sam's transformation throughout the series. He protects his family better than he protects himself.

In this book, the reader gets to see a bit of the history as to where the animosity between the dwarves and the trolls comes from. The thought and creativity that Pratchett put into the story is amazing. He really knows how to spin a tale that gets the reader excited. Once again, another Pratchett novel that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. His novels are appropriate for all ages, even though the youngins might not get all the puns and wit...

And on that note...
WHERE'S MY COW?!?!

Courtney Conant
Author of The Blood Moon of Winter (Land of Makayra (Volume 1))

Terry Pratchett is a true gem of fantasy and the best comic writer I am aware of working in any field. My favorites in his loose series tend to be the City Watch books, because I think Pratchett uses them to present his humanistic views on religion, racism, parenthood, and civilization in the Century of the Fruitbat. "Thud!" is the latest in the City Watch series. I suspect that the understory here is the explosion of British racism, because Pratchett has laced his book with dwarves and trolls in an escalating storm of racist violence. Memories of an ancient battle fuel the fires, but perhaps someone is playing fast and loose with history to keep things hot.

As with all the City Watch books, Commander Vimes is the heart of this story. He faces a ridiculous excess of clues, a vampire recruit who drives his werewolf detective mad, a mysterious troll leader named Mr. Shine, and a coven of insane religious dwarves, while struggling to meet his vow to make it home every night in time to read "Where's My Cow" to Young Sam at six o'clock sharp. "Where's My Cow" figures largely in one of the wildest battles in fantasy, and frames the great and vulnerable love Sam has for his son. A moving passage in the book describes his discovery that he has become hostage to fortune by having a child: "And then, one day, his son had turned and looked directly at Vimes, with eyes that for his father outshone the lamps of the world, and fear had poured into Sam Vimes' life in a terrible wave. All this good fortune, all this fierce joy ... it was wrong. Surely the universe could not allow this amount of happiness in one man, not without presenting a bill." The bill is presented, but Vimes is not a hostage fortune will find easy to take.

Vimes is one of my favorite characters in fantasy: a decent, tough man with a wry sense of humor and a love of the hard streets. He is kin to some of Phillip K. Dick's hard-beaten men, and perhaps most closely to Jonathan Carroll's police chief in "The Wooden Sea." These are men who persevere and remain honest and decent by their own lights, without falling to religious certainty or self-righteousness. They sigh and go to work, becoming some kind of giants in the process.

I have emphasized the serious aspects of this book, but it is also extremely funny. My favorite new character must be the Mark Five Gooseberry Disorganizer. There are always strange joys and sudden laughs in a Pratchett book, and this is one of his best.

A lot of people have written about the Dwarfs and the Trolls here and how they are the focus of this book. With all respect, I disagree. The tale of Koom Valley is well told, but ultimately it is just background, literally flat until nearly the end of the book, where it becomes a testing ground and very, very three dimensional indeed. But I don't think it's the whole point.

This book would have been met with "um..." twenty years ago, outright scorn thirty years ago, and would likely have not been printed before that. Sam Vimes is not Bogart, nor Brando, nor any part of the Rat Pack, and thank God. He is Sam Vimes. He is straight as an arrow, tough as nails, likes bacon and loves his son. And that's the point. He is ALLOWED to love his son - deeply, openly and humanly. He is the picture of the fathers I see all around me. They go to work, they swear a bit, they get the job done...and they go to the school plays, and kiss the heads goodnight, and read "Where's My Cow", and they don't lose an ounce of their maleness in any of it. My husband *is* Sam Vimes. His brother, my brothers, our friends, in the grocery store and on the playground, all the way up and all the way down, I see Vimes, imperfect, human, and powerfully real.

Would *all* Fathers think of a Cow instead of revenge, achingly stumbling through an angry dark? Hell, no!!! But many would, and more importantly, many more would today than yesterday, and more will tomorrow. Somehow, someway, we are learning that, "you are THIS, because the Old Stories SAY you are!" is fiction. In "Thud", Dwarves and Trolls learn the obvious side of that lesson, and Sam already knew the other.

Drop by drop, we change the world.

Mr. Pratchett has played with this before ("Monstrous Regiment"), but Thud is a work of art. Art is annoyingly impossible to define, even if it *does* have a few urns and plinths, but my preferred definition is that art is a mirror that clearly reflects the world, not the artist. Pratchett's ability to not only See changes in our culture but to subtly show them to us, with humor and wry wordplay, always as if he were really talking about something else, earns this book a place on my Literature shelf between Nabokov and Proust.

(But I'll give my husband a break on the "portrait" thing. ;)

History tends to repeat itself, even on the Discworld. And the anniversary of Koom Valley is approaching-the ancient battle between Trolls and Dwarves that has been repeated and remembered ever since, creating enmity between the two races. Tensions are high, especially in the city of Ankh-Morpork, where both races live in increasing numbers. As if this wasn't enough for the Commander of the City Watch to deal with, he's got a dwarf murder to solve, a new recruit who is also a vampire and a city Inspector to deal with-and, in true Pratchett fashion, nothing is quite what it seems on the surface.

The Discworld has always included dwarves and trolls as part of its inhabitants, yet in some of the earlier Discworld books, one would hardly recognize those races as they appear in the most recent city watch books. The City Watch books, particularly, MEN AT ARMS, FEET OF CLAY and THE FIFTH ELEPHANT have led readers away from the simple stereotypes Pratchett set down in the earliest books. These Discworld stories have added depth, understanding and complexity to these two races. THUD! takes that exploration and understanding even further by looking at the history of Koom Valley with new eyes, and a new Discworld novel. Of course, Pratchett never just tells a story, as any veteran readers will know. Pratchett is as much a writer of satire, an observer of the human condition around him. And the stories he writes have many echoes in the world around us. THUD! creates echoes many readers will recognize: ancient enmities, racial intolerance, old battles revisited, and the desire of a father to spend time with his son.

I haven't met a Discworld book that I don't like. Pratchett is one of the rare authors I've come across who is consistently a good read. I can't give this book less than 5 stars. That being said, this book was not Pratchett's absolute best. There was some sense that the opening chapters were a bit less streamlined, too much going on. But my biggest issue was with the character of Sally, the vampire. Pratchett spends less time on her than he usually does on setting up a new character. The kind of care he spent introducing previous Watch characters, such as Angua and Cheery just isn't as evident here. While the vampire girl is a part of the plot, her own story doesn't become realized here, and the conflict between Angua and Sally seems to be only touched on, rather than really explored. This is also not the best book for a new reader to cut their Discworld teeth on. Many of the established characters are only given a cameo appearance before we move on to the real story.

That said, the "real story" is very good indeed. The payoff is worth it. And like any Discworld novel, I can't really go into the inner workings of the story itself without revealing too much. You're just going to have to read it for yourselves. If you're new to Terry Pratchett, or the Discworld series, I suggest you backtrack before reading this one and begin with GUARDS! GUARDS! the first book that features the city Watch. While these books are not a full-fledged series and can be read independently of one another, it's still helpful to have a sense of how the characters and settings were built up in earlier stories. If you are a devoted Pratchett fan, you already know the Discworld series, but you might want to check out WHERE'S MY COW? the picture book that Commander Vimes reads to his son in THUD!. I've ordered my own copy and can't wait for it to arrive. The only other downside of THUD! I know of is that it ended, and now I'm stuck waiting for Pratchett to hurry up and write something else.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad

Assorted thoughts upon finishing Discworld #30:

TYPOS. Crikey, Harper Collins, Word puts all those little red and green lines under the mistakes so that you can FIX THEM.

This is the first Discworld book where there has been any sort of real focus on trolls and troll culture. As Detritus's biggest fangirl, I was much with the glee. I loved the "Two Brothers" and "Diamond" passages on the first few pages--they're the kinds of things that keep Discworld from turning into something like Xanth.

I can't wait to read WHERE'S MY COW? I want to know what comes after the Hippopotomus.

Sybil is awesome. Not that she hasn't always been awesome. She's just especially awesome here.

I am beginning to get the impression that the Vimes-Ramkin family butler, Willikins, is on of Pratchett's new favorites. He is one of the major peripheral characters in this book, building on the role he's taken in JINGO and NIGHT WATCH.

Yes, Vimes does hire a vampire. A vampire named Sally. I didn't really like Sally; shes like one of those characters that appears during the middle of your favorite TV shows and steals the spotlight. Like Seven-Of-Nine. Quite a lot like Seven, actually.

Vimes's new Dis-Organizer is a Gooseberry(tm) with an iHUM feature that lets him play 1,000 of his favorite songs. Pratchett kills me.

Was glad to see Death here. His absence over the last few books has been worrying.

Last thought: a big part of this story involves the mystery of a secret hidden in a painting, all revolving around a book called The Koom Valley Codex. There are codes and mysteries and shadowy orders dedicated to keeping the secret from seeing daylight. This is all so, so much more gripping than THE DAVINCI CODE.

Thud! (2005) is the thirty-second Fantasy novel in the Discworld Series, following Going Postal. This work is the sequel to Night Watch in the Ankh-Morpork City Watch subseries. A Dwarf has been killed and the killer is presumed to be a Troll. The Dwarves are keeping this information to themselves. No others need be informed, especially not the City Watch.

In this novel, Sam Vines, Duke and Commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, is running short of sleep. All the Watch is working overtime, especially Sam Vimes. Koom Valley Day is coming and the usual animosity between the Dwarves and the Trolls is being spurred by the fiery speeches of Grag Hamcrusher, a Deep-down Dwarf.

Koom Valley was the site of a famous battle between the Dwarves and the Trolls about a thousand years ago and has been the incentive for subsequent battles ever since. Previously such battles have not directly effected Ankh-Morpork, but now tension is building within the city.

The City Watch is being overworked, responding to individual fights and small battles, and the Day itself has yet to come. The tension is also taking a toll on Watch personnel, for Dwarf and Troll constables are facing accusations of taking the enemy side in the upcoming fracas. Only a few have resigned from the force so far, but the trend is becoming worrisome.

Now the word is spreading about a Troll killing a Dwarf and not just any Dwarf, but Hamcrusher himself. Captain Carrot brings the news to Sam Vines and the Watch Commander immediately sets out to discover the truth. He takes an escort of four constables to pay a visit on Hamcrusher, whether alive or dead.

He eventually talks his way into the building, faces the leader of these Dwarves, and gets him to admit that Hamcrusher is dead. Sam insists on the Watch investigating the murder, for the only law in Ankh-Morpork is city law. Ardent takes him to meet the grags deep down in the tunnels and they agree to let Captain Carrot be the smelter (to refine the truth from the falsehoods).

Captain Carrot takes Sargeant Angua and Lance Constable Sally -- the new vampire constable -- with him to view the murder scene. They find some evidence of a Troll at the site, but the Watch investigators suspect that these items have been planted. But when they find a skull -- such as are being worn by macho Trolls -- and Angua smells a faint Troll scent, the accompanying Dwarves suddenly become anxious and very excited; the Troll Alert is quickly passed to every Dwarf in the tunnels. Maybe they hadn't really expected to find signs of a Troll at the murder scene?

This story has the usual cast of characters, from Havelock Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, to Nobby Nobbs, certified human Corporal of the Watch, but it also includes some new Watch members. Salacia Deloresista Aminta Trigestatra Zwldana Malifee . . . von Humpeding -- "call me Sally" -- is a vampire who has come to Ankh-Morpork to enlist in the Watch; Sam Vimes reluctantly accepts her, although he really doesn't want a vampire in the Watch. Vetinari, however, has his own agenda and Sam is out of excuses. Sally turns out to be a good Watch officer, but she also engages in some suspicious activities.

On the other hand, A. E. Pessimal is a government inspector who just wants to check out the paperwork and write his report, but he keeps sending Sam questions about the Watch practices and methods. Sam finally volunteers him as a Special Constable for riot duty and takes him out to the barricades to introduce him to his fellow Specials. When a Troll attacks Sam, Pessimal attaches himself to the Troll's leg with both hands and feet and tries to bite the Troll (not recommended since Trolls are not very soft). Afterward, Pessimal finds himself strangely interested in becoming a regular Watch officer and Sam enlists him as a Lance Constable, assigned as adjutant to the commander. Of course, he still has to complete the report for Vetinari, but he can rearrange the files at the same time.

Sam Vimes has also taken on a special assignment of great importance: every day at six PM, Sam reads Where's My Cow? to his infant son, Young Sam. Nothing can interfere with this duty, for any good excuse soon lets in bad excuses and then Sam Senior may not be there when Young Sam needs him. Young Sam soon learns to expect Sam Senior at exactly six o'clock -- he has a very precise internal clock -- and Sam Senior is afraid of what might happen if someday he is late or not there at all.

BTW, Where's My Cow is available if you have a Young Sam. It is 32 pages long and leads a merry chase looking for the cow. Of course, you will learn most of the text in this novel, but the separate edition also has pictures!

In this story, the question of who watches the watchers is evident throughout the story. Sam Vimes watches the Watch, but who watches Sam? To some extent, all the people around him serve to remind him of his duties, but something deep within Sam keeps him from abusing his office.

Recommended for Pratchett fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of police work, social commentary and assorted zaniness. If you haven't yet read this series, please start with The Color of Magic for the full effect.

-Arthur W. Jordin

It was 1983 when Terry Pratchett introduced readers to the planet Discworld with THE COLOR OF MAGIC. For over a generation, Discworld has brought the whimsical, doppelganger universe to its fans. In its own way, it is a mirror image of the world we inhabit, and its residents may resemble us culturally, socially and temperamentally. But physically? Hardly. The humans on Discworld are a muddled group of mere mortals who just think they run the show.

Lord Samuel Vimes, Commander of the Watch, is a staunch supporter of equal employment opportunity. As the esteemed head of Discworld's Finest, the men (and women, dwarfs, trolls, a zombie and a werewolf) in blue, he seeks to protect and serve the good citizens of Ankh-Morpork. In its wisdom and duty to uphold the law, the Office of Equal Opportunity insists that he add a beautiful female vampire to the ranks. Not that he wouldn't hire a vampire, for that would be discriminatory, but it's a potential morale breaker for the lads. Watching your partner's back can turn into an uneasy test when the partner at your back is, um, thirsty. Mind you, the lovely recruit is a card-carrying member of the Black Ribbon Society, whose oath is "Not One Drop," but Black Ribboners have been known to fall off the wagon, and the results are not pleasant to contemplate, especially on a dark and stormy night.

Hiring a vampire is the least of the Commander's problems. An ancient feud between dwarfs and trolls threatens to bubble up from the bowels of the city as the anniversary reenactment of a historical battle approaches. A rabble-rousing dwarf is murdered, and circumstantial evidence points to a troll as the culprit. Deep underground lives a fanatical cult of dwarfs, referred to as the "deep downers," who find modern dwarfs to be too enlightened, too ready to throw over deeply held beliefs. There's nothing like a good, rousing war to rekindle smoldering prejudices and bring the young strays back to the fold.

Young Sam is the 14-month-old son of Lord and Lady Vimes. His mother, Lady Sybil, raises dragons and is a power with which to be reckoned, and Young Sam has powers of his own: he can reduce his adoring father to Jell-O with a smile. Like all parents of young children, Sam finds his allegiances divided when it comes to duty, especially when Young Sam's safety is threatened.

THUD! is the dull sound of a club smiting the head of a dwarf, or the sound of a dwarf's hatchet cleaving the skull of a troll.

THUD! is the terrifying reverberation of a thousand war clubs pounding the cobblestones in unison before battle.

THUD! is the name of a chess-like role-playing game played on a checkered board with pieces resembling dwarfs and trolls, where each player must assume the character of his opponent.

THUD! brings satire, wit, pathos and philosophy to events that mirror our modern world. If you're already a fan, kick back and enjoy. If you're a first time reader, be prepared for a treat.

--- Reviewed by Roz Shea

It's almost time for the anniversary of the Battle of Koom Valley and this time it seems as if the battle, which keeps getting fought over and over again, is going to erupt in the streets of the largest city of Discworld, Ankh-Morpork.

The ever vigilant Commander of the City Watch, Sam Vimes, is not going to stand for that, because it might keep him from his daily appointment. Every evening, at 6pm sharp, he has to be home to read to his infant son, Sam the second.

Magical devices, devious murders, stoned trolls and a stolen painting are not enough to keep Sam from his fatherly duty. This is another romp through Discworld, where plain Sam Vimes takes on his largest villain yet.

Most fantasy series are exhausted well before 31 books. The fact that the Discworld series seems fresher, funnier, darker and edgier than ever testifies to Pratchett's willingness to risk one of his favorite characters by allowing him to change, grow into new roles and tackle ever larger challenges. Highly recommended.

Pratchett returns us to the adventures of Sam Vines, chief cop of Ankh-Morpork and this one's a wild one. A dwarf rabble rouser is murdered and an ancient secret is about to be revealed; a secret that could change the basic foundations of one of Discworld's oldest animosities, the one between Dwarfs and Trolls. Amidst the growing tensions between these two factions, even on The Watch, there are a number of subplots that will keep you amused. Vines has to bring a vampire on the force, Nobby has a girlfriend, Angua is having issues with the aforementioned vampire, oh, and did I mention there is an ancient evil let loose in the land that is fomenting all this hatred? Even though the location of this evil is very easy to spot and the story comes to a not very surprising conclusion there is plenty here for any fan of the series. Just the clever use of the title alone as a plot point wins kudos from this reader. I am a more recent convert to this series, but I find it's one of the few fantasies that just holds up book after book.

To the modern reader "Gulliver's Travels" is an engaging fairy tale. To Swift's contemporaries it was also a biting satire on the state of English civilization. To the superficial reader "Thud" is an engaging fairy tale. To the discerning reader it is a biting satire on the state of Western civilization. Only time will tell whether "Thud" will have the staying power of "Gulliver's Travels."

Sam Vimes, commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, confronts racism, "religionism," and organized violence in the name of Tak. Centuries before, Trolls and Dwarfs fought a monumental battle at Koom Valley; and as its anniversary looms, both Trolls and Dwarfs prepare to make the streets of Ankh-Morpork run red with blood.

When the greatest rabble rouser among the Dwarfish clerics is found murdered and all the evidence points to a Troll, Vimes must take the bull by the horns, bend a few rules, and maintain the peace. And accomplish all this while always making it home by 6:00pm to read "Where's My Cow" as his young son's bedtime story.

Vimes, of course, has help from a recurring repertory cast of Watchmen (or is it Watchbeings?). Captain Carrot, the 6'6" Dwarf, may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he gets things done. Detritus the Troll is definitely the dimmest bulb, but he has his trusty super-crossbow which shoots a cluster of arrows so forcefully that they disintegrate in flight. Angua the werewolf keeps her nose to the ground as she sniffs out crime. And Sgt. Colon and Nobby Nobbs provide the Watch's continuity with its checkered past.

The book also has as a central theme the play of a boardgame known as "Thud." Thud is played with unequal armies of 8 Trolls on one side and 32 Dwarfs on the other. It isn't described well enough for the reader to sit down and play it, but it is described well enough for the game enthusiast to recognize that it is based on an old Scandinavian game which pitted Muscovites against Swedes. Anyone interested in reading about the game can find it described in R.C. Bell's "Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations," also available from the store.com.

FOOTNOTE: You can imagine my surprise when I learned that Pratchett had published a boardgame named "Thud," which bears some resemblance to the Scandinavian game I described above, but which seems to be more of a wargame than a boardgame. It doesn't seem to be available from the store.com, but the store.co.uk carries it.

"Thud!" -- the sound a club makes when hitting a head -- is a Sam Vimes novel, following very much in the path laid down by "The Fifth Elephant" and "Nightwatch", a darker novel than "Going Postal" (the last Discworld novel), but very satisfying. His Grace, Sir Samuel Vimes, the Duke of Ankh-Morpork (but still plain old Sam Vimes, copper, in his own mind) is Terry Pratchett's primary spokesman when it comes to matters of justice and tolerance. Vimes may feel disquiet when dealing with werewolves and the undead and he absolutely loathes vampires, but that does not stop him from believing that everyone -- every thing -- in Ankh-Morpork has the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of all the happiness you can pry from the greedy grasp of fate.

The principal cast of "Thud!" are the men, women, and creatures of the City Watch, along with Vimes's won family (his wife Sybil and Young Sam), and the story centers upon a good mystery -- who killed the chief grag of the deep-dweller dwarfs of Ankh-Morpork? The dwarfs, naturally, suspect a troll. And we get to learn a good deal about the religion and cultural lives of dwarfs and trolls along the way to solving the crime. We catch glimpses from time to time of various familiar characters as Lord Vetinari, the Librarian, Mustrum Ridcully, and Death.

I couldn't recommend "Thud!" as any reader's first introduction to Discworld, but it is a first-rate continuation of the series.

Things are tense in Ankh-Morpork, well, more tense than usual. Centuries ago, the trolls and the dwarves had a huge battle, in a place called Koom Valley, and for some reason memories of it are starting to be refreshed as hostilities are barely concealed. Things get even uglier when a notable dwarf is apparently murdered by a troll.

It appears to be another job for Captain Vimes, or at least the Patrician tells him so, while at the same time insisting that he enlist a vampire in the Watch. Vimes must familiarize himself with the world of the dwarves, where he is loathed for - of all things - being a blackboard monitor in his youth, for callously erasing words, a cardinal sin amongst the small folk. Vimes is his usual dogged self once again, refusing to do anything other than get to the bottom of the matter and reveal the truth, even if he has to go to Koom Valley himself to do it.

Thud! has a more modern feel to it than the preceding books. The situation with the trolls and the dwarves has echoes of modern strife, from Northern Ireland to the Middle East. Vimes even has a personal assistant he calls a Gooseberry to remind him of his appointments. In this case, it's a small demon in a box, but it has echoes of relatively recent technology in a Flintstone-ish sort of way.

On my scale of Discworld books, I'd put this one a notch below the highest level. While Vimes is among my favorite characters, and this book ones again breaks new ground, it doesn't sparkle as much as, say, Going Postal or the best books in the series, plus the conclusion is more than a little confusing. Still, it's another very worth entry.

Koom Valley is remembered for being a site where the great animosity between Dwarves and Trolls began. Each side thinks the other started it. Now the anniversary of the ancient battle is coming and Commander Vimes has his hands full. Now his city is full of Dwarves and Trolls; they are even in the Watch. Many of them were born in the city and that could mean disaster for the City as a whole. As tensions mount Vimes discovers that the Dwarves are mining all under the city when he investigates a curious murder of a Dwarf in the mines. And while the city is beginning to draw lines between Dwarves and Trolls, Vimes has to confront his own prejudice and allow a vampire into the Watch.

Investigations into the murder/death bring up a lot of puzzles. Vimes knows he is not being told the truth. Then there are other deaths to investigate and everything keeps pointing to Koom Valley. Vimes becomes aware that there are a lot of powers behind what is going on and they all expect him to figure it out and reveal the true truth. Somehow Vimes must figure out what is going on between the Dwarves and Trolls and get everyone to believe it before a brand new war breaks out, a war that promises to be completely devastating.

I really like Commander Vimes and how his sense of honor and right gets him through situations that would crush and demoralize others. In this volume we get to see a bit more of his home life with his wife and son. Considering the scope of what is going on we see very little of the Patrician but that does not detract from the plot. Once again the plot keeps us guessing right to the end with plenty of surprises and humor along the way. A fine addition to the Discworld series. There is also included the opening of the new Tiffany Aiching Discworld novel. Check it out.

Once again the discworld resurfaces and it is every bit as good as ever. This is a Sam Vimes book and like all of his Sam vimes books, "Thud" is more dark than light. Pratchett explores deeper meanings in these book than most of the rest of the series. Sam Vimes is the heart and soul of the Discworld. This time Pratchett explores the mideast conflict. Two groups of ancient enemies are building up hostilities in the city of Ankh Moorpork over some ancient symbols. The dwarves and troll do not need much antagonism to set them fighting each other. A Dwarf radical is killed and the trolls are blamed, so the tension builds. Enter Sam Vimes to solve the case, except nothing is as it appears on the surface.

Once again Pratchett has written a masterpiece. His character sketches are getting better and better. I have been reading this series for better than twenty years and I am still amazed how fresh this world feels. Pratchett fill out Vimes more so now his home world is now starting to but into his working life. "Some thing are important" is the catch phrase throughout and I won't tell you now because it will ruin the story. Pratchett explores the concept of radical religion and how it affects even the non-religious. He never blames either side, but explores how both sides are right and wrong. The ending is superb as usual, but it is rather sad... to a point.

The usual cast of characters are here and they are delightful as ever. Highly recommended

This book changes gears a couple of times: it starts off as something of a murder mystery, but that eventually becomes just a subplot to the grand scheme. The book seemed a tad unfocused, as if Pratchett himself were improvising as he wrote and did some quick retro-editing at the end to help tie things together. Although I wasn't expecting "great literature" here, Pratchett often surprises me with some truly nifty concepts, so I've learned to just turn my brain off when reading him: go with the flow, and if he sneaks something really neat in, so much the better.

Thud! struck me (nyuck nyuck) as having some good potential, but it didn't really live up to it, or at least could have been better than it was. I didn't hate it, but it didn't click with me as some of his other works have. Still, it had quite a few chuckles, and even a couple of laugh-out-loud moments.

If you're a discworld fan, keep your expectations reasonable, and give it a go.

Great is what I always suspect from Terry Pratchett, but I didn't get it with this book. I didn't feel the humor was up to par. I know he was trying to make a political statement with the war between the trolls and the dwarves but it just wasn't funny but then again it wasn't serious either. I just felt like he was struggling. Maybe he was rushed by his publishers to turn it in. I don't know but I've always loved Sam Vimes and he just wasn't that great this time. I loved Sam rushing home to read to Young Sam but it got old after a while listening to Where's My Cow. I mean was that a plug for his kids' book or what. I just felt Mr. Pratchett borderline sold out with this book. Maybe the concept is getting old for him. I miss Rincewind and all the wizards too. I'll keep on reading them. I haven't made it through all of his Discworld books yet. I recommend this one just to get caught up on all the different characters.

Thud is.... interesting. Of course, any book written by Terry Pratchett has a very unique twist in it, utilizing humor (lots of it, and if you imagine using it with a completely straight face, it gets even better), adventure, fantasy, and the flavor that is Terry Pratchett. All books by Terry Pratchett are loaded with irony, but Thud is my favorite of all of his books- simply because of his expert blending of irony and adventure, comedy and mystery.

Once again, Thud revolves around the great man of the city (or policeman), Sir Samuel Vimes, as he struggles through balancing his rage at the absolute idiocy of the people around him and finding the source of a massive unrest in the city between the resident dwarfs and trolls (if you have no idea what I'm really talking about here, it is imperative that you find out. Read Terry Pratchett). A highly valued dwarf in the dwarven community (the closest title we have for him would be shaman) has been killed, with an obviously Trollish club nearby. Therefore, you put two and two together and can automatically deduce that a troll killed the shaman. However, Vimes is not so sure, and therefore fulfills his nickname "Vetinari's Terrier", and digs until the truth emerges.

I love this book, because it balances a FANTASTIC plotline and stunning splashes of humor and irony. Take, for example, these quotes from the book:
“Vimes had got around to a Clean Desk policy. It was a Clean Floor strategy
that eluded him at the moment.”
“It was written in some holy book, apparently, so that made it okay, and probably compulsory.”
“Ye gods, it was so much better when there were just four of us up against that bloody great dragon, Vimes thought as they walked on. Of course, we nearly got burned alive a few times, but at least it wasn't complicated. It was a damned great dragon. You could see it coming. It didn't get political on you.”

A very memorable book- and one that I'll hope to be able to read 40 years from now and still be able to chuckle while reading it.

The Discworld novels gained their popularity as manic, whimsical fantasies with hilarious wordplay and twisted takes on elements of the real world. At some point, though, Terry Pratchett decided that he wanted to get into more social commentary and political reflection, and since then these novels have felt increasingly laborious and unfunny (but still with flashes of genuine creativity and gems such as 'Going Postal'). For instance, compare the rollicking 'Soul Music' or any of the Rincewind novels with the dull and humorless 'Monstrous Regiment'.

'Thud!' is in this same vein, a plodding story about Commander Sam Vimes working on a murder mystery that becomes entangled with the ancient conflict between dwarves and trolls. The parallels to ethnic tension in modern Britain are barely disguised, and Pratchett beats the reader over the head with his own view on the matter, which is not in fact particularly insightful. In one of the earlier novels there is a satirical 'holiday season' song called 'Wouldn't it be Nice if Everyone was Nice?', which is essentially all that Pratchett has to offer us here. Sam Vimes is also wearing out his welcome as a character for me, since there are continual and grating references to how great he is and how much integrity he has and the steely self-control he shows. He used to be a humorously cynical and rough-edged cop, but he's turning into Pratchett's version of Ayn Rand's Howard Roark, the ideal human (who to the reader seems like an annoying prat). All of Pratchett's main protagonists have drifted this way over time, towards idealisation and an intrusive authorial voice, but I will admit that it has taken a lot of novels for Sam Vimes to become as insufferable as Susan Sto Helit.

There's enough in 'Thud!' to keep Discworld fans going, particularly some fun exploration of the culture of the trolls, but the magic is passing out of the series for me.

I love the Watch stuff that Pratchett writes into his popular Discworld books. If it involves Sam Vimes, I will read it. And I have yet to be disappointed by any of it.

The big question of Koom Valley, and what happened between the dwarves and trolls, finally gets some resolution. But before that, there are riots, murders, and classic Watch investigations. Strife between werewolves and vampires? You bet! Fanatical dwarves in leather? Why not? And humor all the way through.

As a parent, I loved the idea that Commander Vimes would kill himself to get home by 6 to read "Where's My Cow" to young Sam. The description of him trying to get home, comandeering a mail wagon and leting the Watch shut down streets really got to me.

Pratchett is just good, no questions asked. Satire meets slapstick and comes out smiling in his work. I love this stuff.

Of all the series within the Discworld series, the one centering around Sam Vimes and his City Watch is my favorite. They're witty, fun, and always carry a deeper message. Thud! starts with a small poke of fun at Da Vinci Code mania and then unwraps a very important (but no less entertaining for that) message about racism and stereotyping.

And as an added treat, readers see another fine cameo performance by Death.

Thud! is the best kind of reading- interesting, laugh-out-loud funny, and meaningful. Pratchett is a master of satire, and he conveys his message with a light touch- laugh at the fact that the situation is so ridiculous, and then set about fixing it. Pratchett fans will enjoy this latest offering, as will any fan of political satire. Think The Daily Show meets Douglas Adams, and you have Terry Pratchett.

The first thing Terry Pratchett did, he created Discworld.

The second thing Terry Pratchett did, he created Sam Vimes.

The third thing Terry Pratchett did, he created animosity amongst "shapes" (i.e. species).

The fourth thing Terry Pratchett did, he made us laugh at all of it!

If you're new to the Discworld series, let me welcome you and recommend that you start here.

It's an excellent way to get your feet wet, as it were, and into the mind of this wonderfully

twisted author.

You'll first run into Commander-of-the-Watch Sam Vimes, just a man trying to get through a

rough stint in the Discworld city of Ankh-Morpork, a place inhabited by Trolls, Dwarves, Men,

Vampires, Ghouls, Werewolves, and plenty of other strange beings. And they're all trying to live

peacefully (at least as peacefully at they can) together. But problems quickly surface as

Commander Vimes and his fellow Watch Officers discover that a murder of a rather famous

Dwarf may have taken place. And the Dwarves suspect a Troll did it (they found a Troll's club

laying next to the body). Did a Troll do it? Or is this a set-up? Vimes, like a Pitbull clamped onto

a bone, won't let go until he finds out for sure.

The premise is pretty simple: Murder takes place, detectives are on it, struggle with internal and

external problems, solve the case. But in the hands of a master-storyteller like Pratchett, this

novel jumps out at you and surprises at almost every turn.

One of the things that kept me interested in the story was the animosity toward differing species

(or shapes). Dwarves are rather snobbish toward other races, especially the Trolls, whom they

have an on-going battle with thanks to Koom Valley (an ancient skirmish location that killed

many of both species). This mirrored some less-than-glorious traits that we humans sometimes

have toward our OWN species.

There was also a nod toward "The Godfather" in a Troll who runs "the docks" of Ankh-Morpork

and uses violence to further his means. And there's even an advanced palm-pilot that has a green

Imp in it that helps Commander Vimes sort out a few problems.

We also get a glimpse into the drug culture of Ankh-Morpork via a Troll named Brick who heats

up a heroin like substance called Slab and uses it to get himself in all kinds of trouble, including

into the middle of Vimes' investigation.

Sam Vimes is a good "Copper", too. He makes sure that he's at home every night by 6pm to read

"Where's My Cow" to his infant son, and he loves his wife - who happens to raise Dragons on

the side - dearly (all of which comes into play later on in the story)

It's still quite amazing how well all of the plot threads of this story come together. And, like I

said earlier, in the hands of an expert story-crafter like Terry Pratchett, it's a piece of cake to

read.

Terry Pratchett has done it again. With Thud! (I've lost track of how many Discworld books there have been), Pratchett returns to the adventures of the "coppers" of Ankh-Morpork, one of the largest cities on the Discworld. It's been a while since we've had a straight "City Watch" book, with Night Watch being a character study of Commander Samuel Vimes, and the subsequent books being standalones, I've really missed seeing the Watch in action. Thud! delivers on all cylinders, going back to some of the basics that made Pratchett what he is today. You've got your quirky characters, you've got your hilarious footnotes (something which seemed to have disappeared from Pratchett's books, much to my chagrin), and you've got Vimes leading them all, trying to be the best copper he can be, doing what's right despite what everybody else seems to want him to do.

The anniversary of the battle of Koom Valley, an ancient battle between the Dwarfs and the Trolls, is coming up, and tension in the city of Ankh-Morpork is rising. Commander Samuel Vimes can smell trouble, and he'll do anything to keep the city safe. When a rabble-rousing Dwarf from the Dwarf homeland is murdered, the Dwarfs immediately blame the Trolls, and it looks like blood will wash over the city. But not with Vimes and the rest of the Watch on the case. A sinister secret from the depths is working its way into the real world again, planning to use the animosity between the two races as its entry point, but it keeps getting stymied. Will the Watch solve the case and bring the perpetrators to justice? And just what is the secret of Koom Valley, and what does it have to do with this entity? And will Vimes be able to keep his daily six o'clock appointment with his young son to read Where's my Cow?

Previous Discworld books have been very humorous, but not laugh-out-loud funny. They've been good, but while I enjoyed them, I've longed for a Pratchett book of old. That's what I got with Thud!, with the return of beloved characters like the very tall, very human Dwarf, Captain Carrot, along with his girlfriend (and werewolf), Sergeant Angua. Pratchett is the master of making all of these characters funny without really making fun of them (ok, he does make fun of Nobby Nobbs, but that's just too easy). Carrot is earnest to a fault, honest, and very loyal. The scene between him and the Patrician at the end of the book is just priceless. Angua becomes suspicious of the female vampire that Vimes has been forced to accept onto the Watch, and the rivalry between them (the werewolf versus vampire rivalry, I mean!) is fun to watch. The rest of the characters are also extremely well done too. Pratchett has shown that he is the master of characterization, and this is yet another example of it.

The plot is a bit too mystic for my tastes (even Vimes can't force himself to believe it), but overall it worked out fine. I loved the ongoing tension between the Dwarfs and the Trolls, especially as we see it in great detail when the Trolls and Dwarfs on the Watch have to deal with it. Detritus, one of the more prominent Trolls on the Watch, really comes into his own, even forcing Vimes to back down from his prejudices at one point. All of the little plots tie together into one big one, even Vimes' insistence on reading the same children's book to his son every night at six o'clock. This did lead to one of the sequences that I had a problem with. The first time this comes up, Vimes has to make it across the city in record time in order to keep his appointment, and he gets a little help from Captain Carrot. I found this sequence forced and not very funny, feeling very out of place in this book. Yes, it does begin what becomes a prominent part of the story, but I think it could have been introduced better.

That is really the only major fault I can find with Thud!, and it's only a small sequence. There are a few other minor things that bothered me, like the disappearance of A.E. Pessimal, the man who comes to audit the Watch, but ends up being deputized and becoming a hero instead. Vimes does do something to him that ensures he will be back, but it would have been nice to see him at the end too. He was extremely funny, especially his introduction to Vimes where he comes off as a humorless git. I also found that the "girls' night out" dragged on a bit too long, but it did have its moments.

Overall, though, Thud! is worth every penny it costs. Instead of serious books with some good humour in them, we get a book that's funny but has a good serious point as well. The differences may be subtle, but they are there, and they can be seen in the footnotes. In older Pratchett books, the footnotes were some of the best comedy in the books, but he started to move away from them. Now, they're back, and with a vengeance. "This was a bit of a slur on Nobby, Vimes had to admit. Like many other officers, Nobby was human. It was just that he was the only one who had to carry a certificate to prove it." I loved almost every page in Thud!, and if you're a Discworld fan, you will too. You don't even need to have read any Discworld before, though it certainly helps if you have at least read some of the Watch books. You'll still laugh a lot, though.

David Roy

For all that he is best known as a master of parody and sarcasm, Pratchett has begun to push into more serious issues. Thud!, despite an inexhaustible amount of humorous brilliance, actually has a very serious subject at its core - ethnocentrism and bigotry. While the participants are trolls and dwarves, the message to the reader is pointed and on target. When we allow old hatreds to cloud our vision of the people around us we lose our hold on what is valuable within us.

Commander of the Watch Sam Vimes is the main character in this series. Once a copper, and now a duke, Vimes still manages to be 100% a member of The Watch in a city where, when it's not raining, it's really raining. Vimes would tell you he was an open minded man, but even he has his prejudices. So, while the looming battle between trolls and dwarves hangs over his head, Vimes has time to go ballistic because he is under pressure to hire a vampire, even if that one is a member of the Temperance League. But Sally (Salacia Deloresista Amanita Trigestrata Zaldana Malifee von Humpeding) not only manages Vimes, but also overcomes the instant antagonism of Sergeant Angua (werewolves and vampires don't mix, especially when the both find the same man attractive).

But this little story arc is just a humorous balance for the conflict on the main stage. There, on the anniversary of Koom Valley, a centuries old battle between trolls and dwarves, is threatening an instant replay. A number of dwarf elders have come to that city for hidden purposes, new caves are being dug, a painting of the old battle vanishes, and worst of all, their leader is found dead in the Ankh Morpork mines - apparently of a sudden meeting with a troll's club. Insanity beckons.

Vimes finds himself in a struggle to keep the city from dissolving in chaos. A mystery needs to be solved even if he has to beat sense into all the participants. It doesn't help if the demon in his pocket dis-organizer keeps reminding him of things he's forgotten to do and that Lord Vetenari has picked this moment to have the police force audited. In fact, Vimes is just about at the end of his tether and he isn't quite sure why. If it wasn't for a child's story book all would have been lost.

This is really Pratchett at his best. Bad politics, dark symbols, and all the trappings of racial conflict mix together and come out in the most surprising fashion. Many characters, like Detritus the troll, suddenly develop richer personalities and there are whole moments when the tale is actually a serious one. Pratchett has discovered the best way to deliver a homily without burying the reader in it. Highly recommended.

Ankh-Morpork, the Great City of Discworld, is proud of its "multiculturalism". Except here, it's "multi-speciesism". Trolls, dwarfs, golems, even a werewolf have been incorporated into city society. They are represented in the ranks of the City Watch, that bastion of law enforcement. Once scorned as ineffective, the Watch, under Commander Sam Vimes, the Duke of Ankh-Morpork, is now considered an exemplary force in the City. "All are just coppers" is one of Sam's litanies. Except when it comes to vampires. Yet, once again, Pratchett forces Vimes to confront his prejudices. And we readers to face up to ours.

Into the quietly seething mixture of Ankh-Morpork peoples there arrives a new element. For years, the dwarfs have scrambled up out of the deep dark of their mines to emigrate to Sam Vimes' city. They've become the city's largest "minority group". While boisterous, dwarfs are generally well behaved. Clashes with their ancient enemy, the trolls, have taken little real toll of either group. The deep dark of those mines, however, contain a secret. A secret treasured and sought by elements of dwarf society who consider themselves guardians of its value - the "grags". Nothing offends a grag as much as encountering someone who has "seen the light". These guardians scorn the "short humans" who have abandoned traditional dwarf values in Ankh-Morpork's materialist environment. One of those "traditional values" is the cause of the ancient clash in Koom Valley.

A Discworld legend in its own right, the Battle of Koom Valley is one of those "We won!" - "No, we won!" myths so many societies possess. Each side ambushed the other. Both sides shamefully ran away at its conclusion. Legends inspire spin-off myths and Koom Valley is no exception. There's even a massive painting depicting the confrontation. And a "sign" is supposedly hidden away in the daubs of paint. Or someplace. It's hard to tell, however, since the 50 feet of canvas has been taken from its frame. Vimes, who might be goaded into solving that crime, hasn't the time. He's busy investigating a murder that didn't happen. And learning to cope with a new recruit - one representing the last minority group entering his City's population.

It takes a split personality to appreciate Pratchett fully on a first reading. One side can inhale the wit and surprises Pratchett produces in all of his stories. The other side can take pause and note the graceful nuances that represent deeper human values. Are the grags just fantasy characters? Or are they mullahs, rabbis or even ministers from the Southron Baptist Convention? If dwarfs, golems and trolls in the City Watch are "all coppers", are the citizens of Ankh-Morpork just citizens? Should the distinctions and customs of various groups be allowed to set aside or modify the City's Law? How meaningful are "ethnic traditions" and who is allowed to decide what these shall be? Pratchett, with astonishing frankness, wraps these questions within his usual framework of wit and hilarity. But when you've recovered your breath from laughing, you will find the questions still there.

Those who are new to Pratchett may find this book a bit confusing. The characters, developed and portrayed over many volumes, have clearly depicted, individual personalities. The new reader, along with Mr A.E. Pessimal, may well ask "What is Corporal 'Nobby' Nobbs for?". Many of us are still wondering. But no Pratchett reader would give up the man who carries a certificate to prove he's human. And all will welcome this new, worldly, version of The Auditors. The new reader will meet Angua and may puzzle over her reaction to Sally. The established reader will gain an entirely new view of this officer - and be reminded that Gaspode forecast aspects of canine behaviour several books back. All these twists and arabesques demonstrate once more, if it needed buttressing, that Pratchett, even after so many Discworld books, remains a master of innovation and surprise. New and faithful readers of Pratchett will combine to applaude this outstanding work. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Among the author's thirty-odd novels (some odder than others) about Discworld, several internal series have developed. There are stories about the wizard Rincewind, and about Unseen University, and the witches, and Death's family. My personal favorites, though, are the books about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, under the command of Sam Vimes, a copper's copper -- and now, somewhat to his consternation, His Grace the Duke of Ankh-Morpork. There's a mystery plot long with the larger sociopolitical themes Pratchett wants to make a point about (which he does skillfully), plus the waggish drollery that makes readers giggle when reading in public and forces them to read sections aloud to those who are busy trying to do other things. It's a Discworld thing. This time, Vimes has to deal with the infiltration into his city of the excessively traditionalist dwarf "grags" who are exacerbating the traditional racial antipathy between dwarfs and trolls, which goes back a thousand years to the Battle of Koom Valley. City dwarfs and trolls are, of necessity, more accommodating to each other than they would be back home, but the grags would like to change that, even if it starts a race-war. (Think fundamentalist Moslem or Christian from the Olde Country.) There's also the search for an ancient sort-of-book of wisdom, and a stolen painting of the ancient battle, and Sam's reluctant hiring of the Watch's first vampire officer (even though she's a teetotaling Black Ribboner). And there's his dedication to reading his infant son's favorite book to him even evening at six o'clock, no matter what else might be happening in the world. Pratchett's more recent books are less off-the-wall than his earlier ones. What he has to say, behind all the delightful nonsense, is deeper than it used to be -- but our world is a much more troubling place than it was twenty years ago. The humor is still there, certainly, but there's more of a warning edge to it. For that reason, and because there's a great deal of necessary back-story to this one, I would not recommend it as anyone's first Discworld novel. But for the experienced reader, it will be thoroughly satisfying.

It started with a painting and a codex...or did it? Whisper the words Koom Valley and see the average Watch Officer pale as they recollect the bloody battle between trolls and dwarfs. Once again it is up to Sam Vimes and the City Watch to save Ankh-Morpork, but this time the threat comes from below.

One of the luminaries of fantasy fiction, Terry Pratchett is best known for cutting British wit, combined with liberal helpings of intelligence and imagination that infuse his Discworld series.

To go back to the beginning, Discworld is what it sounds like: a disc-shaped world that is carried on the back of four giant elephants that stand on the back of a giant turtle as it swims through space. It's a place of magic, thriving cities, and all the usual races you'd expect to find in a fantasy novel--and many you wouldn't.

At the best of times it is difficult to describe a Pratchett novel. The Disc is a confusing place and characters from the various sub-series don't tend to remain in their places, popping up in other plot lines for a cameo before moving off until the next book calling for a walk-on. The easiest thing to say is that if you like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you'll like these books.

Thud! is the eighth book in the City Watch sub-series about the adventures of the police force of Ankh-Morpork, the largest (and most lawless?) city on the Disc. For the uninitiated, there is enough here that it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone work of comedic fantasy. To truly savor Thud!, grab a copy of Guards! Guards! and experience the City Watch in their first adventure before sinking your teeth into this one.

Pratchett mocks everything so it is not surprising to see yesterday's headlines showing up in his latest work. Some of his best Discworld books come from his gentle mockery of organized religion (Small Gods), politics (Jingo) and death (Mort). Put them together into one book and it's bound to make all true Pratchett fans stand up and cheer.

Add shades of the Da Vinci Code, orthodox religious traditions ala the Taliban, mandatory readings of the preschooler bestseller Where's My Cow and you know Pratchett's turned in some of his best work.

Really, should any series still be this good with the 30th book? Armchair Interviews agrees Pratchett readers are the lucky ones.

The dwarves and trolls are gearing up for another rematch of the long-ago battle of Koom Valley, but this time, the rumbles of the conflict spread to the much-integrated city of Ankh-Morpork. When a dwarf is killed, the dwarves try to keep matters under wraps, but Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork Night Watch gets word. With a little prodding from the city's leader, Vimes sets out to solve the murder, end the multi-thousand-year-old conflict between dwarves and trolls, and further integrate the watch with the addition of a vampire--all without ever, ever missing his nightly ritual of reading to his young son.

Ankh-Morpork dwarves are still dwarves, of course, but they look to real dwarves, those who have lived so deep in the mines that they've never seen daylight, for guidance. A sudden infusion of these dark dwarves has helped send the city into ferment, but why the sudden influx? Vimes needs to learn what's changed. Meanwhile, werewolf Sergeant Angua tries to deal with the sexy vampire who's been added to the Watch roster, her sometimes dog-like affection for Captain Carrot, and the inexplicable reality of a beautiful woman who thinks that Nobby is a catch.

The delayed reaction of the pragmatic city-dwarves to the extremist dark-dwarves, and the promises of Mr. Shine (him diamond) indicate that not all dwarves and trolls support the headlong plunge toward another war, but it's hard to slow the momentum toward prejudice and war--as Vimes is quick to discover.

Author Terry Pratchett combines humor, action, and just the hint of a biting social commentary in another installation of his delicious 'Night Watch' sub-series within Discworld. THUD! is carefully constructed, with plenty of clues and plants laid early for later development. The standard Night Watch cast is back, all with their deviant personalities and back-stories. Pratchett's footnotes are definitely must-read.

If you're a Night Watch fan, as I am, you'll find THUD! a must-read.

Thud!, like many of Pratchett's books is a mystery, a comedy, and a commentary on modern society. Here, Prachett returns to some of the themes of _Fifth Elephant_ when he explores issues of dwarven tradition, resistance to modernization, and fanaticism. There are clear echoes of Marching Season in Northern Ireland, and of integration of ethnic minorities in English cities.

(As an aside, this may be the first novel that does not mention the Disc, or Discworld, itself.)

The Watch are among my favorite characters and it is good to see Carrot, Angua, Colon, Nobbie, and Detritus all get some time in the spotlight. Sadly, Colon and Nobbie are underused -- they are assigned to an art theft early in the book, but that plot element then vanishes for several chapters before reappearing. A new member, a vampire, is added to the watch -- she gets some very good scenes with Angua, but I found myself wishing for a bit more about her and the other members of the Watch.

The book's weaknesses, here as in _Monsterous Regiment_ arise in the resolution. Vimes does not act as much as he is acted upon. Characters who know more about what is going on, and have every reason to want Vimes to know more, are obstinately mysterious. It feels like there is a radical change towards the last quarter of the book -- as if it were building to some other resolution, then Prachatt changed his mind. The resolution seems to go on too long, and is followed by a long post-script, which is likely a set-up for an element of the next novel (for a hint, pay particular attention to the mine-signs, then think about their London counterparts).

All in all, better than _Monsterous Regiment_, but not quite among the best novels, such as _Night Watch_. Certainly worth one's time and attention

Millennium ago, a battle was fought at Koom Valley between the trolls and the dwarves. Nobody remembers who started it or what it was about but ever since there has been a deep hatred that boiled over many times into actual fighting between the two races. On the anniversary of the Battle of Koom Valley trolls and dwarves from all over Discworld pour into the city of Ankh-Morpork bringing tensions to an all time.

Commander Sam Vimes is afraid that the Battle of Koom Valley will be repeated in his city especially with the dwarf Grog Horncrusher advocating troll-genocide. Policemen Fred Colon and Nobby Nobbs investigate the theft of Methodia Rascal's painting depicting the Battle of Koom Valley believed to have a message somewhere in the picture. When Grog Horncrusher is killed and a troll weapon is found near the body it looks like the two groups will go to war. Yet Commander Sam Vimes thinks there is a connection between the murder, the theft of the painting and the diggings of tunnels under the city the dwarves are undertaking. Once he finds the link he hopes to get some answers about what really happened in Koom Valley and bring peace to two warring races.

The latest Discworld novel is a witty serio-comic speculative fiction novel that works on two levels. It is an entertaining story and the trolls and the dwarves are symbols of sentient beings who go to war because they hate each other as a matter of principle just like in our own world. The protagonist believes in justice and goes out of his way to see that the trolls and the dwarves receive it fairly. Terry Pratchett's fantasy realm reflects our own orb.

Harriet Klausner

As always, I have to read Pratchett in layers. This time, the outermost layer takes place in Discworld's greatest (and grittiest) city, Ankh-Morpork. Inter-species war is breaking out between the dwarfs and trolls. Even in the best of moods, a dwarf usually considers combat to be the point in a night of drinking between singing and passing out, but moods are turning ugly. A troll is mostly geology with an attitude, for whom lichen is a fashion statement. The real problem with this war is that no one really knows why it's starting.

The next layer comments on our own troubled times. Two huge forces (like the trolls and dwarfs) are facing off, and no one is allowed to be a non-combatant. It doesn't matter who starts the fight, everyone will suffer for it. And no one really knows why it's starting.

Then there's Vimes: Duke of Ankh-Morpork, commander of the police force, and ambassador without portfolio. Then, as if Vimes isn't enough different people already, he's Daddy as well. Also, husband of Sybil: duchess, mother, dragon-breeder, and not a lady to annoy. You'd probably rather face a dragon with hiccups than her on a bad day. As police commander, it's Vimes's job to end the war before it starts. And he doesn't really know why it's starting - but he'll find out. Or at least, find out enough.

It's a great addition to the Discworld canon, well into its third dozen at this point. Don't let that put you off - the series is still going strong. As with the other Discworld books, it dovetails with the established characters. It also stands by itself well enough to welcome the new visitor to Discworld. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a habitué, this is a visit worth making.

//wiredweird

Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch--straight as an arrow, even if he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer--must investigate the death of an influential dwarf leader, who was found beaten to death with a troll club left nearby as an obvious murder weapon. The conflict between trolls and dwarves goes back hundreds of years, and a new war threatens to erupt between the two forces unless Vimes can unravel the mystery of the murder. And if that doesn't sound tough enough, he's also got to deal with integrating a vampire into the Watch, and has to be home by six o'clock every evening, so he can read Where's My Cow? to Sam, Jr.

It can be hard to do justice to a Discworld novel in summary, as it's not the plot that matters, but the execution, and Pratchett is on the top of his game with Thud! The characters, as always with Pratchett, are the novel's lifeblood, and they come to life vividly courtesy of vocal-chameleon Briggs. His voices run the gamut from the straight-British voice of Vimes to the slightly snooty parlance of Lord Vetinari, to the slow, slightly stupid speech of the trolls.

Though Pratchett has been writing about Discworld for years (there's 30 novels in the series, according to the store.com's reckoning), the Discworld novels are generally very accessible to new readers, and Thud! is no exception. Pratchett's humor is as sharp and witty as ever, and Briggs's comic timing is spot-on. Like peanut butter and chocolate, Pratchett and Briggs are great on their own, but when you put them together, you've got something that's almost too good for words to describe.

Honestly, every time Terry comes out with a new Discworld novel I wonder if first, he can do it again and second, where he gets the wild ideas from. What I always end up doing is getting a feeling that the Discworld is a familiar place, notwithstanding the complete flouting of the laws of nature as we know them.

For example in this book, the major subtext running through the book is the need of Sam Vimes to get home in order to read Junior his story every night at bed time. I am a recent Dad myself and identify completely with that need to be there with the nearest and dearest despite all the obstacles work and life can throw at you.

I think that is why I love Pratchett books so much, that he can take an extraordinary world and make it feel like you might live there.

another rollicking discworld adventure featuring the watch. for the first time, pratchett offers us a dynamic glimpse into the oft-mentioned, never fully explicated battle of koom valley, where the dwarves ambushed the trolls (or vice versa).

as always, pratchett writes with wit, humour, and intelligence, adeptly satirizing a variety of subjects, including, though by no means limited to, religious fundamentalism, drug addiction, suicide bombing, art, the davinci code, and parenthood.

with each new discworld novel building upon the foundations of the last, pratchett's inventive universe grows unchecked, resulting in a rather unwieldy cast of characters being crammed into this novel. the watch is so large at this point that commander sam vimes barely knows most of his underlings (a far cry from the days of "guards! guards!"), a fact which causes him some dismay. this immense cast, along with the continuing intrigues of ankh-morpork politics, seems rather too large in scope for pratchett to capture perfectly in one novel. in other words, discworld is growing a bit too big for its britches. the subplot featuring angua, for instance, is rather flat and, i feel, inappropriate to her character as a confident, strong, no-nonsense kind of girl (the stuff about the age-old relationship between vampires and werewolves just doesn't cut it with me). the first time pratchett reader will likely feel confused by the score of in-jokes and recurring characters whose backgrounds have been explained in previous novels.

despite the difficulty of including new inventions in the face of so much pre-existing history, pratchett still manages to surprise and engage his readers. there are numerous cultural revelations about both the dwarves and the trolls, allowing for a greater appreciation and understanding of the two species and their animosity towards one another. the plot, as with all other watch novels, contains elements of mystery and moves along at a fast pace. in this case, the mystery to be solved involves the ancient secret of koom valley, which the reader is led to believe will finally reveal whose "fault" the battle was. pratchett keeps us guessing until the novel's unpredictable climax, and though it is certainly possible to solve at least some parts of the mystery before finishing the book, the ending will still hold an element of surprise.

while this is a highly enjoyable read, i wouldn't rank it among pratchett's best works. the novel is so indelibly tied to those books that have gone before that it is significantly less inventive. pratchett seems to be buckling a bit under the pressure of having to satisfy many long-time fans with the re-introduction of much loved characters and locales. as a result, these beloved characters come off as a bit stale, almost like caricatures of themselves. for a true fan of discworld, and in particular the watch, it is a must-read, of course, but it is also not the best choice for a more casual reader.

If you have a sense of humour, you cannot help but like Pratchett's Discworld novels. They are unique in every way and are impossible to plagiarise. Not many books can make you laugh out loud, but I guarantee Terry Pratchett's will.

This book is about my favourite part of the Discworld, the Ankh Morpork City Watch, led by that pillar of society Commander Samuel Vimes.

Something is going off in the City. A prominent member of the Dwarves has been murdered, and the word on the street is that the murderer who sent him to that great mine in the depths is a Troll.

Dwarves and Trolls have never been the best of friends and all of them vividly remember the famous battle of Koom Valley, although it was so far back in the past that non Trolls and Dwarves cannot even remember when it happened.

Sam and his band of watchmen, who include dwarves, trolls, vampires and also the token werewolf, are going to have their hands . . . claws . . . teeth cut out solving this one.

As usual Pratchett's work is a mix of art imitating life imitating art. It's a fun ride and the characters are brilliant. All the while the commentary on our real world is quick and witty.
Any fantasy genre lover will be pulled in by the humor with which standard characters are treated. But it's fun for everyone. One of the best things about the Discworld books, is there is no need to read them in any kind of order. He doesn't write them in chronological order after all. And they can be separated into mini-series by characters. Commander Vimes and the Watch are featured in this book. Along with a focus on Dwarves and Trolls and their age old animosity.

I've been reading through many of Pratchett's books and while I'm not done yet I think I've gotten a feel for the series. Instead of degrading over the years as he publishes more and more books I think that the quality has actually gone up. As the Discworld becomes more defined and interactions between characters more known the plots have also become better.

Not only must Commander Vimes solve a mysterious murder, but he discovers new depth to the Dwarven and Troll cultures that have come to occupy Ankh-Morpork in recent decades. The anniversary of the epic battle of Koom Valley is looming and it will take his best copper skills to hold off war between these two ancient antagonists while solving a murder and bringing a, eh, new element into the Watch.

Not only do we discover new depth to Ankh-Morpork but familiar situations and characters keep cropping up. The Watch encounters everything from Times reporters (The Truth) to controversial stamps (Going Postal) to references to Uberwald (The Fifth Elephant) to the Pork Futures Warehouse (Guards, Guards!).

Of course all of this pales in comparison to the responsiblity of reading "Where is My Cow? to young Sam Vimes. While I definately did enjoy the chase and the mystery the nighly reading to young Sam was a highlight of the book. It illustrates just how dedicated is Vimes "who, everyone knows, is as straight as an arrow even if he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer." And even though I read Where is My Cow? first I could really picture it from the excerpts we glimpse in Thud!.

If you've enjoyed any of Pratchett's previous adventures then Thud! is definately the book for you. However, I would make sure that you not read it until you've at least finished the other City Watch books for each one sees some new revelations that will be spoiled if you skip to the end with Thud!.

Of course if you're entirely new to the Discworld universe then this might be a good place to start if you don't mind the fact that you'll be seeing things from previous books. It is a very well rounded tale nonetheless full of Pratchett's normal humour and satire.

This is the 30th in Pratchett's Discworld series. Alternatively, it's the 7th book in the Watch subseries ("Guards! Guards," "Men at Arms," "Feet of Clay," "Jingo," "The Fifth Elephant," "Night Watch," and "Thud!"). From past books, I expect books in the Watch subseries to be darker than those in the rest of the series. That's what happened here. However, primarily because of the darker nature to these plots, I also expect the text to be less "haha" funny than the rest of the series. Amazingly, I was surprised here. Along with Pratchett's keeping a wry grin on my face through much of the book, he also managed to make me laugh out loud several times. That doesn't normally happen with the Watch. I really only have a few minor quibbles with the book which caused me to lower my rating to 4 stars out of 5. First, the ending was just a tad bit soppy (but understandable since Vimes is a new father). Second, Pratchett could have put more depth into the Nobby/Tawneee subplot and used it to expand the Angua/Sally "bonding" more. As it is, that little situation feels like an afterthought and Sally is still entirely an enigma. Other than that, I was very happy with the book and highly recommend it. Again, 4 stars (probably 4 and 1/2) out of 5.

Interesting, what comes to mind when you link those two titles together, no? :)

Thud brings back Sam Vimes, who is one of my favorites. He seems to have matured quite a bit in this tale and much of the book revolves around him taking care of family responsibilities. Namely, reading "Where's My Cow?" to his son. A good bit of the hilarity in the book is derived from his efforts to get home and read the book - how many of us with kids can relate to that?!!

The true plot line has been described plenty. My thoughts are that this is a pretty standard and fair representation of Mr. Pratchett's style and if you loved the others, you will definitely love this one (maybe even develop a deeper appreciation for trolls - oh wait... maybe that was yesterday!!)

Definitely not the first book in the series you should pick up. Way too many inside jokes!

Bottom line: If you like Terry Pratchett - this book will fit the bill nicely, I highly recomend!

All the best,

Jay

In the bowels of the city-state Ankh-Morpork, a dwarf lies dead. And not just any dwarf: a very respected, very outspoken Deep Dwarf. And to make matters worse, all evidence points to a troll being the culprit. But it's never that easy, and so Commander Vimes must discover who the real killer is before all-out war sparks between the Trolls and the Dwarves.

Thud has a lot to live up to: it's a Night Watch/Commander Vimes story, and it deals with Koom Valley, the often-referenced battle between Trolls and Dwarves that happened hundreds of years ago. There's a lot of ground for the book to cover, and at times it feels like there's just too much going on to keep track of.

This is a book that's not afraid of its pedigree, though. More so than any other Discworld book, Thud references previous Discworld (mostly Night Watch) stories, and even brings them into play. I'll tell you right now: if you haven't read The Fifth Elephant yet, go do so before reading Thud. These callbacks are funny and rewarding for those who have read through the whole series, but they can also be confusing if you can't remember specifics from previous books. It's recommended to go and read through the rest of the Night Watch arc before starting here.

The story itself can also become confusing, for a few different reasons. The first is that there's simply too many characters to keep track of. Through the course of the series the Watch has accumulated quite a few interesting characters, and Pratchett has done his best to give them all a bit of screen time. This means that the story gets a little too spread out, with readers bouncing back and forth between storylines.

The second reason is that, unlike most of the Watch books, Thud deals heavily with mysticism and magic. For the Death stories that works fine, but in this case it's poorly explained when strange things start to happen. Watch stories are more enjoyable when the villain is tangible, less so when the enemy is some "mysterious ancient spirit".

That's not to say Thud is a bad book - the writing is still funny, and the whole subplot of Vimes trying to balance work and spending time with his son is consistently hilarious. Overall though the story seems to lack focus, and at times it's difficult to tell what exactly is happening or why. Veteran readers will enjoy the story, but those less heavily invested in the Discworld universe might be a bit put off.

The first full addition to the Watch sub-series since Night Watch. And it was well worth the wait. As always, the book is hilarious, filled with page turning action but this time there's something unique: the interaction between Sam Vimes and his son, probably some of the most touching passages Pratchett has ever written. It's great to spend time with some of my favorite Discworld characters again, experience the dynamic between Angua and new recruit Sally the Vampire, and watch Nobby Nobbs finally find love.. well sort of... AE Pessimal, Brick and the imp in the Gooseberry are fun new characters and I look forward to seeing them in future stories. Plus cameos, in-jokes and Lord Vetinari!. Overall: Awesome! Can't wait for the next one. Something with Granny Weatherwax? Please? Also recommended: All of the Watch subseries, starting with Guards!Guards!, but especially Night Watch. ;)

As Discworld novels go, this is one that I didn't really enjoy.

The story left me a little cold. I admit that I don't like the dwarfs that much to begin with-the individual ones like Corporal Cheery yes, but their fictional culture and behavior not so much. And this is a book about trolls, and dwarfs, and their inbred hatred.

A dwarf is found murdered in Ankh-Morpork. A troll club is found next to it. Therefore, a troll must have killed the dwarf...right? The dwarfs seem to think so. A fundamentalist group of deep-down dwarfs (who never see the light) stir up trouble and try to bring about a periodic
Armageddon known as "Koom Valley," where a huge and bloody battle was fought between the two sides.

The details of this book are certainly impressive. Going into the origins of the creation myth for trolls, the stupidity of fundamentalism and the way history is twisted to suit the person telling the story, it is intelligent and well thought out. And one of the most searingly poignant parts of it is the way Commander Vimes' relationship with his baby son is developed-how the love a father has for his child is so intense that it is painful. That, more than anything else, stood out for me.

But what it isn't is funny-at least, not as I have come to expect Discworld to be funny. It's dark, and heavy. A deviation, in many ways, from the Discworld story. I found it hard to break into the plot and harder to keep going. I think that the author had many things on his mind, things such as the war on terror, vigilante justice, drug addiction and, quite possibly, The Da Vinci Code. I think that in pondering such things, he took this story at a different angle than the others.

It is not a bad story. It is, in fact, a very good story. As always, the interactions between characters such as Angua the werewolf and her new "partner"-a vampire, with which species she struggles on many different levels-are brilliantly portrayed.

It is just that I did not enjoy it, because when i read fiction I like to be uplifted, not depressed. And this book, for the most part, depressed me.

I love this book. I think Mr. Pratchett was already succumbing to his disease at this point, because the characters got a lot more noble than he allowed them to be in the past. And yet it was a lovely read, and perfect for reading over the Christmas season.

I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.

A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.

Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!

Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.

Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.

I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"

I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.

Thud! is the 30th Discworld novel and is a novel of the Watch.

As Koom Valley Day approaches (commemorating a huge battle between the Trolls and the Dwarves), and a Dwarf is found dead in one of the mines underneath Ankh-Morpork, unrest is brewing among the denizens.

Fearing the next reenactment will happen in the streets of his city, Commander Sam Vimes and his constables investigate. He'll discover the customs and rites of the Dwarf community, and its secret society, giving the book a touch of Da Vinci Code.

Every day at 6 o'clock (sharp!) though, he has to go back home and read "Where's My Cow?" to his baby son. With all the right noises.

Once more, Pratchett manages to sew modern social concerns (here, cultural and racial differences, and tolerence) into a funny and witty fantasy. I wouldn't say it was one of my favourite, but it was good and made me chuckle a few times. I particularly enjoyed the Gooseberry's apparitions (Vimes's palm agenda), and the female characters (Sally, Angua, Tawneee) in general.

The latest Terry Pratchett is a bit of a curate's egg, good in parts. The plot, such as it is, is a convoluted tale involving clumsy race relations, boxes that don't make a lot of sense, even by Ankh Morpork standards and some dark doings underground.

The story unfolds mainly in Commander Vimes head, An angst plagued place riddled with class guilt at the best of times. The story tilts at the modern worlds preoccupation with electronic gadgets and while the 'clacks' worked well in previous stories, the Gooseberry falls pretty flat and contradicts Vimes avowed version to all things 'magical'.

The early Discworld books, Colour of Magic, the wonderful Equal Rites, Feet of Clay,etc. seemed to sparkle with a chaos and colour. The characters were fleshed out and the world spun along at 100mph. And at the same time managed to skewer many of modern societies obsessions. More recently the plots have become a little clumsy, the prose more introspective with the overall effect to be a reduction of the 'page turning' element. Although, in an interesting departure from a pretty strict maxim in previous books; characters actually die in THUD. Several at the hands of Vimes himself. In past works, violent death has been something that has been studiously avoided. Villains ending up knocked out more often than not.

Another slightly odd aspect of THUD was the introduction of a sympathetic but airheaded pole dancer. The author spent equal amounts of type on how sad, beautiful and naively agreeable she was and how grindingly stupid she was too. A bit of an odd mix there, that did not really achieve much.

As always, Pratchett is head and shoulders above most writers out there and I will continue to be excited when a new one hits the stands. However, if you are new to Pratchett, read the old stuff first [except Eric] and wait for THUD to reach the library or come out in paperback.

If you aren't familiar with Terry Pratchett's previous Discworld Books, in particularly those involving the Ankh Morpork City Watch, don't let this book serve as your introduction to them. It isn't so much a bad book, as it is a cursory one. Read the previous watch books in the series first ("Guards, Guards!", "Men at Arms", "Jingo", "Feet of Clay", "The Fifth Elephant", and "Night Watch"), then you will have a better idea of what is going on in "Thud!" and you will have a more complete idea of the characters presented in "Thud!" who are trotted out in front of the reader with barely a chance for any character development before they are sent back to the sideline (except for Commander Vimes, who is always the focus of these books).

If you are familiar with the ouvre of the Watch books, it has everything you've come to expect. A crime has been committed in Ankh Morpork which threatens to throw the city into chaos. Lord Vetinari is pushing the City Watch, in the form of Commander Vimes to bring the matter to a successful conclusion. Vimes investigates, with the support of typical favorite characters such as Detritus, Carrot, Cheery, et al. Meanwhile, there is the humorous subplot involving Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs (the two most incompetent policemen ever), the subplot involving the romantic tension between Captain Carrot and Sergeant Angua, and the tension subsequent on Vimes balancing police-work with his home life with his wife, Sybil.

The trouble is that, where in previous books, pages were devoted to each of these sub-plots, in this book, barely paragraphs are devoted to them. They are resolved in a casual, off-hand manner, in a few sentences and brushed aside in favor of the over-arching storyline (instead of being integrated into it, as they had been in previous books) which is a mystery which isn't very mysterious, and not very interesting.

Even with the character of Vimes, we are told, rather than shown what he was feeling most of the time. The result is a rather flat experience.

Terry Pratchett is a great writer, and if you are familiar with the characters, you will still enjoy the book, there are a few really funny moments, scattered through the book, however "Thud!" really has none of the depth or dramatic tension of his other Watch books.

Terry Pratchett has definitely become a better writer than what he used to be twenty years ago. His plot structures are more refined, his dialogue sharper and more realistic, his settings more detailed. Even so, I find myself missing the silliness of his early Discworld books. Even though the silliness still crops up every now and then I find myself more often than not bored out of my mind when reading about Ankh Morpork yet again. It seems that he has adopted a much more serious attitude when it comes to his characters, and though Commander Vimes is fascinating and intelligently written, the last three books about the city watch was not what I expected and did not give me that old Pratchett rush I craved. Thud! is a clever book because it involves an interesting murder mystery. However, it soon becomes predictable and the only characters that add to the fun are Nobby and Fred Colon. Vimes is well-written, true, but I find him arrogant at times while all other supporting characters are bland and uninteresting. Carrot has become a mere foot soldier, Angua and the vampire Sally's problem is played down and didn't hold my attention for more than a few pages once I realised there wasn't going to be a major confrontation between the two. Lady Sybil is annoying and the only surprise came when the Butler turned into a vicious psychopathic killer. All in all, not a bad novel by Terry, but I still yearn for the Rincewind years...

I have read all of Terry Pratchett's books. THUD is another very funny work of literature. The only caution I have for new readers is that you should go read one of the earlier Discworld books first (Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Small Gods, or one of the 30 some odd books in the series). THUD assumes the reader has some familiarity with most of characters. A new reader might not "get" some of the jokes and subtext. I personally found this book to be absolutely great. As a long-time reader of Pratchett's work, I was glad he didn't spend a lot of time rehashing old buts about the characters. Reading this novel was like seeing old familiar characters in action once again. Bravo!

Through satire Pratchett achieved a wonder critism of our govenment right now, altho he wrote the book years ago and had the UK in mind I guess. Furthermore it is great satire on technology and on tolerance.

For some reason, I just couldn't get into this book the same way I've gotten into previous books by this author. Night Watch and Going Postal were both pretty good and with Sam Vimes being the main character for this novel I thought it would continue along the same lines, as I've really enjoyed Terry Pratchett's storylines with regards to the city government.

What I found was a fairly predictable and not very original story line that had a slow pace and I found myself skipping ahead in several places trying to find the 'good stuff'. I was never quite sure what this novel was going for, as it wasn't a very good murder-mystery, not a lot of adventure, and the funniest part was probably the mad dash by Sam to get home by 6 every night to read "Where's my Cow".

A dwarf is killed in a mine under the city, and Sam goes off on a rightoues tirade about how they must keep the peace and the laws are the same on the surface as below, and then it just gets confusing from there with the aniversary of an ancient war in Koom Valley between dwarf and troll thrown in to confuse the issue. It has some good parts, but there are a lot of starts and stops along the way, and the plot lines seem to jump around with too many incidentals.

This is not a book you want to read if you are just starting the Discworld series. It has some good parts, but I think a lot of the baggage and backstory of previous novels in this world is starting to catch up with Mr. Pratchett's writing.

I have returned to Discworld after a long absence. This book has a lot of depth, and concerns the ancient race war between Troll and Dwarf. One of my favorite parts of this book were Angua the Werewolf guard and Sally the Vampire's constant bickering. I don't know how characters can get any more lovable. I highly recommend all Discworld novels, generally.

Don't get me wrong; I love Discworld books. This one just didn't happen to up to par (in my opinion). For the first time in a long long time, I found myself a little bored in a Terry Pratchett book. As soon as I realized that, it amazed me. How could it be?, I thought. Terry Pratchett? the master of comedy? It must be something wrong with me.

But I continued yawning once in a while throughout the book. I don't think Terry Pratchett has lost his steam, but I do think he has hit a road bump. That small bump is something so ethereal that you can't quite grasp what it is. I just thought that the book wasn't as good as the other Pratchett books. Just overall, no specifics.

It might have been the plot. I liked the idea of the ethnic minority overall, but it seemed a bit contrived. Vimes also seemed a bit too extreme, if you know what I mean. Normally, he's a very good, entertaining character. But here, he was a little too much of himself. It was like taking Vimes and stretching him out like a rubber band. For example, he said, "how dare they kill someone in my city," which didn't that much like Vimes at all. He's supposed to be cool and calm with things almost under his control. Not acting RIGHTEOUS RIGHTEOUS RIGHTEOUS. He doesn't have to prove he is. He just is. It seemed like he was same old him. I would like to see another side of him.

Compared to other authors, though, I would still say that Pratchett is THE king. But I know that I won't be reading this book again, as I have with so many of his others.

I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett for many years and own every book in the Discworld series. Unfortunately, I think this latest book is a let-down. Yes, there is exquisite comedy; yes, the imagination is there. But for me, Samuel Vimes and Captain Carrot are wearing rather thin as characters. And Ankh-Morpork is starting to resemble a modern metropolis complete with trolls who more resemble Afro-Americans than anything else. The Discworld is a world and mirror of worlds in its concept - but that mirror has been shattered and we're seeing now a much more social commentary on our own societies and communities than I wanted to see initially.
I regard Pratchett as a philosopher: his books work at many different levels of thinking and he'll always be one of my favourite writers. But the time has come for him to perhaps wrap up the Ankh-Morpork side of the Discworld and maybe get back to the witches of Lancre for one book.

Touching, sincere, and funny. Its true that Pratchett's imagination is getting darker, and his stories are much more serious than his earlier ones e.g Guards! Guards!, The Color of Magic and so on...

But does that mean they aren't as witty, or as touching? Of course not.

Containing all his cast of characters, and startling reflection of our world, this book delivers a memorable plot full of themes and Motifs. The inability for some cultures to modernize, the stupidity of war, just to name a few.

At times when reading his books especially his Watch books, I have difficulty seeing that all this action takes place in a whimsical, ridiculous world such as discworld. This is a good thing, where as in most fantasy books I feel disconnected and apathetic to the world. In DW I feel as though this is the world that I live in. In a way it is.

This book depicts the ongoing struggle between two races (Sound familiar anyone?) who just can't seem to let an eventuality that occured thousands of years ago go. As the story starts we are presented with the typical Watch formula (Save for Night Watch.) There is a murder, the clues are there, and as always point towards something Vimes knows to be wrong. To let go of anymore plot points will ruin this wonderful social commentary.

In terms of character and character developement, Pratchett steers Vimes in the logical direction. The story shows his diffuclties in balancing the job with his family. Primarily his son. I felt that Pratchett's depiction of Vimes as a father was very touching and in many ways realistic. A scene towards the end springs to mind to reinforce this. "NO! THAT! IS!! NOT!!! MY!!!! COW!!!!!

As no story is perfect, I felt that the other cast of Characters to be somewhat underhanded. While I most enjoyed Angua and Sally as a team. Detritus was there in full swing. I felt that Carrot was not in the spotlight as much as I would like him to be. The relationship between Nobby and his girlfriend was not fully explored.

Nobby and Colon were almost pushed aside. Also, Vetinari had very few speaking roles, which of course was a disapointment seeing that he is by far one of the coolest characters to ever have been written.

I also feel that Pratchett may be recycling old idea's from numerous books (I don't mean that badly, the man has written 30 books in the DW universe, and 90% of them are brilliant.) Most of the struggles viewed in Thud! were already in The Fith Elephant. In his defense they never resolved all the problems between the Dwarves and the Trolls in The Fith Elephant, in particular Koom Valley. So, in reality one could view this as a continuation of the story in The Fith Elephant.

My biggest gripe with the book - as with all his books - the story came to an end. In the couple of hours it took for me to read this book I never once wanted to finish. I wanted to stay in Discworld forever.

But these are all minor gripes that in no way hamper this wonderful story.

This is Pratchett's best work so far. It's not just another lively and entertaining jaunt into the inner workings of the discworld, but it is a biting satirical social commentary. Pratchett takes on prejudice, racism, politics and religion, but with his trademark style. He pokes fun at all that humans on THIS planet hold in serious regard.

...to say some very important things about our world in a very funny way! I am constantly amazed at what he can do and how Discworld has influenced my worldview.

I like to see Commander Vimes and Lady Sybil's grownup take on a loving and successful marriage! Also female consciousness raising for Dwarfs - Woo Hoo! You go girl!

Terry Pratchett fills his books with comedy, drama, satire, and the occasional odd sort of romance. He is funny, witty, and no matter how well read you are you will probably not catch all of the subtle references to midieval through modern culture. There is something for everyone to appreciate. This book in particular is about the city watch, which is my favorite set of characters that he writes on.

Ever wonder how the Trolls and Drwarfs ever came to blows. Well - so do they, and one group of them is very determined to get the answer. In the usual Pratchet way, all will be revealed - or at least the interesting bits anyway, Vimes, Nobby, Carrot, and Colon come to the forefront and save their beloved city once again. Your knowledge of Discworld drawfs will be increased.

My only complaint is that the Patrician has only a small role.... or at least that's what he would have you believe. The Unseen University makes an appearance again and even the Post Office shows up again.

i love this book so much. i would type a great deal more about why if i didnt have to type on my kindle aka the hunt and peck machine. the growth of sam vimes and the color that we're given in his psychi is wonderful. vimes is in my top 3 of all time favorite characters.

This book was a delight. I don't think I've been disappointed by a single book by Terry Pratchett. I have come to really enjoy the lives of the members of the watch and revel in Pratchett's wit and word play.
It's lovely to be shown the folly of our ways in such a charming and light-handed way.

I generally like Discworld books, but the premise of this one seemed like it just wasn't there, so I avoided it for a long time. Now I've read it and I loved it. Vintage Pratchett. Wonderful twists and humor. "Where's My Cow!" says it all.

I love all pterry's books, including this one. But while Thud! is a good book, it is only a mediocre Pratchett. The plot is too clever for its own good, the peripheral characters could do with some serious pruning, and the work lacks a certain "every bit contributes to the story" elegance so satisfying in Nightwatch or even Going Postal.

Thud is another great Disc World offering, in the Men at Arms sub-series. As usual, with the really good ones, once I started, I had to keep reading until I was finished, except when I had to pause to catch my breath! I also bought the "Where's My Cow" and it is a nice children's book. I was a little worried when I saw it pictured Vimes but actually it's a pretty close to the way I imagine him and Lady Sybil. Death has an almost cameo role, but it's special. Lord Vetnari is not present too much but helps get the story rolling; and we get yet another layer in the city known as Ankh-Morpork!

We've been hearing about Koom Valley for many books now. It's totally Pratchett that when we finally get there - it's nothing like we expected and yet it's absolutely dead right. Pratchett is simply the best satirist working today.

I think this book is perfect for long-time fans but I'm not sure it's as accessible for a newcomer. If you're new to Pratchett, "Guards! Guards!" is the first book with these characters and a great place to start.

Be sure to buy "Where's My Cow?" You'll be glad to have it when you're done with "Thud!"

i liked all the characters and the little creative details of the everyday aspects of the fantasy world, but the further i got through the book the more it seemed like there were pieces missing, typical novel stuff like it says they're in one place and then suddenly they're somewhere else, subtle bits of missing information. for the most part it was perfectly engaging, but untimately i'm left wishing i hadn't bothered with it, the frustration at trying to follow it in a few parts made it not worth it.

I adore Pratchett's writing and his humor. This is another great discworld book, starring the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork and Commander Vimes. Anyone weary of The Da Vinci Code will appreciate this subtle spoof. This is a sublime book and a fine read.

Having read EVERY Terry Prachett book in print to date, I can attest to how wonderfully weird he is. I hope he lives a long time so that he can produce many more treasures like "Thud!". His writing -- and twisted sense of humor -- only seem to improve with age. Although I'm not sure if that's with HIS age, MY age, or both ;-)

I know a good book when I read one. It is easy to distinguish. When I start reading and can't stop reading till way after midnight, you know you're reading a good book. And this is one of them ;-)
Sam Vimes must stop the biggest war of the discworld from happening again, that is, the war of Koom Valley between dwarfs and Trolls. I wish you a happy reading ;-)

I got this books because I have found myself enjoying humorous books like the ones Christopher Moore writes. This is the first Discworld book I bought and I have thoroughly enjoyed it so much so that I ended up buying two more Discworld books. I am looking forward to continue to read about the adventures of Sam Vimes and the other characters I come across in the Discworld series.

Unlike most authors, Terry Pratchett gets better and better. His mind (and characters) are in top form. I was delighted upon receiving the book, but disappointed when finishing it. I did not want it to end.

Although his sense of humor may not apply to everyone, I find Terry Pratchett's work to be clever and very funny- I think that 'Thud!' may be his best work as he parodies issues of discrimination and the nature of 'history'- plus a vampire and a werewolf have to work together- what's not to like?

I got this book for christmas. It was probably the best present I got.

So far I haven't found a Pratchett book that I don't like. If you are a fan of Pratchetts you probably don't need a review to know you'll like the book. If you are new to Pratchett then its still a good book, but I would definately try to read them mostly in order, you will get the story either way but it will be that much better when you know the characters and their history.

I won't review the book for you here. Theres plenty of Thud! reviews out there for that. I'll say its a great book, features Sam Vimes and the Watch, and is all around pretty wonderful.

As an audio-book goes, its also pretty wonderful. Stephen Briggs does a masterful job as narrator. He does the voices for all the characters, and it takes only a few minutes to believe in all of them, he's so distinctive.

This is the unabridged version of the book, and its very very well done.

I own all the Disc World books from the very first one to this latest one. I have NEVER been dissapointed in any of them. I enjoy all the characters in the Disc World books but those with Sam Vimes and the City watch are my favorites. For those people who are not familiar with this series of books, they are very British in flavour. They are humorous but also ripping good stories. Once I start reading one of these books I can't put it down. Thud was no exception. It was excellent as usual. I hope Terry Pratchett writes thirty more.

"Thud" is yet another solid Pratchett delivery. The novel provides a humorous exploration of the occult, but focuses mainly on the interplay between Ankh Morpork's various ethnic groups. This would be fine, if it hadn't all been done before!

I suspect it's time for this author to move on with the series - new explorations and theme, but still retaining the original Watch core characters. Pratchett is smart enough to do this.

Thud! was a good read. Thankfully it had a bit more substance than some other Pratchett books I've read (though I've enjoyed them all). The humor is never side splitting, but you do tend to have a smile on your face throughout most of the book.

Another in the Sam Vimes/Nightwatch sub-series.

Not my favorite Diskworld book, but it works in bringing Sam Vimes another step closer to reality. Parts really touch the emotion buttons for working fathers out there.

An excellent book.

This was a letdown. It felt rushed and poorly composed, the funny wasn't there, and the plot was awkward and seemed very implausible. Pratchett doesn't usually need to drag magical artifacts and impossible coincidences in to make his stories work..... what happened this time?

I'm a huge Pratchet/Discworld fan, so I was slavering for a new novel featuring my favorite Discworld denizen, Commander Sam Vimes. While I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy the book, and though it pains me to say this, 'Thud!' was one of my least favorite Discworld novels to date.

The first third or so of the book was interesting, if confusing, as was the last third. The middle third was spot on -- classic Pratchett, his wit and humor, as well as his portrayal of characters, action and environment were as good as we've come to expect. What was wrong with the first and last thirds of the book? Well, there were a whole lot of confusing passages. Pratchett's style has always included the habit of dropping in stand-alone scenes that leave us scratching our heads, teasers if you will, bits that we won't understand until somewhere further on. This book had so many of them, I couldn't keep a running tally in my head of all the things that I was supposed to remember for later edification. The scenes in the first third often ran on for too long, with ideas repeated unnecessarily. The scene in the museum in particular needed editing, and, in fact, included a blatant information dump at one point. And maybe I've said the magic word, 'Editing'. Another problem with the book, albeit a minor one, is the attrocious copy editing which allowed an abundance of spelling and gramatical errors through to the published book. I can't help but wonder if somewhere in the editing process someone who should have been catching plot and phrasing problems, wasn't. I firmly believe that, had Pratchett given the book another going over, he'd have spotted many of the problems that make the book feel as though it were rushed to publication before it was ready. I pray to the gods of Cori Celeste that Mr. Pratchett's next outing is more cohesive, and I beg the author's forgiveness for my harsh appraisal of Thud!.

I was really excited to see that we were going to get another Vimes book - Night Watch is one of my favorites of the entire series. This one's typical Pratchett for the most part, with all the puns, satire, and silliness we've come to expect, but I still wound up feeling a little disappointed. The ending's pretty sappy, and overall, there just weren't as many laughs as most of his books get from me. I'd say go buy the Night Watch and Guards! over this one.

Okay, so you know how The Fifth Elephant was the best book I'd ever read until Night Watch? I was hoping that Night Watch would be the best book I'd ever read until Thud! For me this is not the case - Thud! lacks the excitement and energy of either of the aforementioned two and whilst Terry is a master at highlighting the foolishness of the worlds political situation at any given given moment I felt it became the driving force of the book and was a little over done.

Only one persons view of course!

Maybe not as good as Going Postal but that book went trough the roof (of the post office). But a very good if difficult book. Pratchet manages to tell a small story in almost every sentence. That is if you can find it.

Find out the real story behind Koom Valley and Why Mr Vimes goes totally librarian poo! This book is another classic in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.

Don't read in any sort of area where screams of laughter might offend, cause it's one thing you going to do.

buy it it's good

I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series for a long time and have read every novel in the series, and I have to say that Thud! is the worst one by far.

Throughout the novel we are constantly (and I mean CONSTANTLY) told how Vimes feels about this or that (usually angry). We are never shown this, it is never implied. We are hit over the head with it time and time again. It gets old very, very fast, and it is a very curious trait, as it's not one that Pratchett usually falls victim to.

There are subplots that are introduced in various sections of the book that are either dropped for (literally) hundreds of pages or are dealt with in the clumsiest manner possible. Take, for instance, the plot dealing with the theft of a painting from a museum. At its introduction, it promises to be a very humorous subplot involving Colon and Nobby (two of my favorite Disc characters, by the way) solving a mystery. This never happens. It is mentioned one time, then is dropped for 150-200 pages and then is finally brought up again, but whether Nobby and Colon have actually done any work on the mystery is unclear, though it seems they haven't.

Then there are the unecessay subplots, chief among them being the hiring of a vampire in the Watch. The vampire in question is the least interesting character Pratchett has given us, and this is mainly because she's never given any personality, and THIS is mainly because she's hardly in the book at all, despite her rather complicated and lengthy induction into the book. And almost every scene she DOES appear in is seen through the eyes of Angua (who is curiously given a lot of "face time" in this one despite the fact that she really doesn't do much). The vampire never serves a purpose (as far as I'm aware--there was some stuff about her toward the end that was really confusing) and it makes me wonder why she was introduced at all.

Then there's the main plot, which is the most confusing and convoluted Pratchett's ever printed. It takes a lot of work to keep up with it, and by the end I wasn't sure it was really worthwhile. It certainly wasn't very interesting. At its surface it was about the murder of some dwarves, and underneath the surface, well...I'm not really sure. In the end I'm not sure it really mattered at all.

There are scenes that drag on almost endlessly, showing that Pratchett could really have used the assistance of an editor. The intial scene with Nobby and Colon in the museum goes on for, if I remember right, 17 pages, which is at least ten too long. It's mostly full of exposition and it gets very tiresome.

Going back to the problem of Sam Vimes--in previous Disc novels, Vimes has been a very interesting character who I never tired of reading about. In Thud!, however, Vimes gets so much face time and is so repetitive in his actions (and is almost totally ineffectual the entire time to boot) that I actually got rather bored with him. We are told over and over that Vimes loves and cares deeply for his family, especially his son, but it does not come across as believable. Vimes has never really seemed to be a family man in previous books, and since the only indications we're given of his love in Thud! are bland descriptions of it and being repeatedly told that he is ANGRY about people attacking his family, it just isn't plausible. I had a hard time caring about Vimes's obsession with reading to his son each night because I didn't buy it. It's not something Vimes does.

And then there's one of the biggest problems with the book: IT'S NOT FUNNY. Not at all. I can recall one line that made me laugh and two or three others that MAYBE made me smile. Otherwise, it's an exercise in Vimes's anger, which just isn't funny. It also isn't interesting after three hundred pages of it.

All of this isn't to say the book doesn't have some worthy moments--if it didn't I would have given it one star. There's a pretty good if overlong conversation between Nobby and Colon at one point, and the Patrician makes a couple entertaining appearances. THere are a few other good moments here and there. But all in all, I have to say this may be one Discworld book I could definitely have lived without.

I hope this isn't an indication of what's to come. Maybe Pratchett should take some more time on his next effort and it'll get better. Here's hoping...

Thud, in case you don't know already, is the sound that starts off the book. Sam Vimes has a mystery to figure out, due to the death of a certain dwarf. The story pits trolls and dwarves against each other. It's part murder mystery, part fantasy, and always funny.

I am a relatively new devotee to the Pratchett Disc World but since I have started I cannot stop. Having read the "Watch" books from the beginning through to the current end, I have thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, character development and the sheer good fun of the story line. Thud is another fine example of the sequel writings of Terry Pratchett. I would recommend this and the series to all and sundry to start reading.

My first experience with Pratchett was last year's excellent "Going Postal." My advice is to read that book and forget about "Thud!". "Thud!" has a few funny moments early in the text, but it soon becomes far too serious -- and far too boring. I have nothing against serious fiction, of course, but Pratchett seems to have lost his muse with this book. There are too many uninteresting tensions: between Sally and Angua, between the dwarfs (should be dwarves, I think) and trolls, etc. I only finished it because I hoped it would improve. Overall, this book was a grave disappointment.

Thud! by Terry Pratchett starts as a case of murder, but the case is emotionally charged by politics. A prominent dwarf leader in Ankh-Morpork has been murdered, and because a troll club was left there, almost all the dwarves assume a troll did it.

A little backstory for the book: Ever since the Battle of Koom Valley, dwarves and trolls have been at war. No one knows who attacked first. The dwarves say the trolls did, and vice versa. Every time a troll slighted a dwarf or vice versa, it was like a repeat of Koom Valley. The real truth of this battle is part of the plot, and the truth revealed at the end is satisfying.

The main character, Sam Vimes, is the commander of the City Watch and the Duke of Ankh-Morpork (although he hates being called "Your Grace"). We see Vimes's inner emotions and the conflict he faces, especially near the end. Vimes is fleshed out enough that he could exist as a real person.

Terry Pratchett as usual employs his sense of humor, although I feel he could have added a few more funny parts at points. However, where there is humor, it is excellent for those who like somewhat sarcastic, dry humor. Some of the characters are endearingly quirky, such as Nobby Nobbs.

With its excellent plot, characters, and humor, I recommend this book to anyone who can read.

I really enjoyed Thud. I think some of Pratchett's other works, like Snuff and Going Postal, are even better, but this is still a great Discworld novel, particularly if you (like me) are a big fan of Sam Vines and Lady Sybil. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Pratchett started out their relationship in Guards! Guards! as a comical pairing in which Vimes was sort of a reluctant dupe, but then grew their relationship to where they are truly in love and happy together. And the best part of it all is seeing Vimes as a father -- I love the juxtaposition of tough formerly-alcoholic copper with this soft-hued "daddy" side to him.

The main storyline deals with Koom Valley and a further set of problems between the dwarves and the trolls. That, of course, is always an interesting and historical storyline on the disc, but what convinced me to buy the book was one of the subplots: Vimes has to hire a vampire, at long last! Knowing his hatred of them, I couldn't wait to see where this would end up! However, this also ends up being why I give the book four stars instead of five: I really think Pratchett should have done more with the subplots in this novel than he did. The main plot swiveling around Koom Valley was okay, but slightly stale. The subplots, on the other hand (Vimes hiring a vampire and the subsequent problems between Angua and the new watch member, the Carrot-Angua relationship, Nobby and Colon working a mysterious burglary together and analyzing fine art, Vimes' family life, Detritus as a mentor), are all of the wit, silliness, and cleverness that you come to expect from Pratchett -- and they, I feel, merited more of the novel. Nevertheless, this is a worthwhile and enjoying read.