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A review by owlphabetical
Guards! Guards!: The Play by Terry Pratchett
5.0
This is the point where Ankh-Morpork becomes a real city. Sooooo much texture, and many layers in here. And also some great jokes.
Three important Discworld figures get their first intro here: Carrot, The Patrician, and Sam Vimes (and of course Lady Sybil, though she doesn't get as much screen time)
Carrot is wonderful: a very straightforward, honest chap (with his sword and birthmark, and I love how that trope plays out) who always innocently does the right thing, and leads by example. I have never been able to decide whether his innocence is genuine, or whether he out-Machiavellis the Patrician by trying to appear innocent but in reality being the most scheming man alive.
The Patrician learns two things in this novel: that Carrot is Carrot, and Vimes is an excellent copper. These are both pieces of information that he can use to keep Ankh-Morpork running smoothly. He has a speech towards the end about good and bad people that is at once incredibly bleak and gives you chills, but also explains a bit of his psyche, and gives some vague hour that he's not the worst ruler you could have.
So finally: Vimes. I love Vimes, second only to Granny Weatherwax in my heart. Cynical, angry, suspicious, committed, but with a central belief that things should be (and COULD be) better. 😍 He is a hero, but he's damned if he's going to think like that. I sometimes wonder how much of the author is in him.
And I haven't even mentioned the dragon, the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night, figgins, or The Librarian. Ook.
Three important Discworld figures get their first intro here: Carrot, The Patrician, and Sam Vimes (and of course Lady Sybil, though she doesn't get as much screen time)
Carrot is wonderful: a very straightforward, honest chap (with his sword and birthmark, and I love how that trope plays out) who always innocently does the right thing, and leads by example. I have never been able to decide whether his innocence is genuine, or whether he out-Machiavellis the Patrician by trying to appear innocent but in reality being the most scheming man alive.
The Patrician learns two things in this novel: that Carrot is Carrot, and Vimes is an excellent copper. These are both pieces of information that he can use to keep Ankh-Morpork running smoothly. He has a speech towards the end about good and bad people that is at once incredibly bleak and gives you chills, but also explains a bit of his psyche, and gives some vague hour that he's not the worst ruler you could have.
So finally: Vimes. I love Vimes, second only to Granny Weatherwax in my heart. Cynical, angry, suspicious, committed, but with a central belief that things should be (and COULD be) better. 😍 He is a hero, but he's damned if he's going to think like that. I sometimes wonder how much of the author is in him.
And I haven't even mentioned the dragon, the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night, figgins, or The Librarian. Ook.