Thud!
1 journaler for this copy...
I bought and started to read this 3 years ago, planning to read along with Mark Oshiro, but... I guess I lost interest. I already knew the story from the audiobook and I was busy with other stuff and didn't read much at all for a while. And when I did take up reading again, I was reading non-fiction only for a year or two.
Now, when I was down with Corona, too weak to do anything other than read, I was incapable of dealing with anything related to work, so I sought refuge in fiction again. This book was the third one I read.
The plot:
The anniversary of the "Battle of Koom Valley" is approaching. Because of this, the dwarves and trolls in Ankh-Morpork are at each others' throats more often than usually. Then an high-ranking dwarf is murdered, and the dwarves swear it must have been a troll. Amidst all this, Sam Vimes has his hands full to prevent things from escalating even further, and still needs to be home by 6 pm to read his son a bed-time story.
This book's obvious theme is "darkness" and the thin barrier separating "good cop" Vimes from a rampaging paragon of police brutality. The theme itself is reminiscent of Night Watch, but it's handled somewhat differently. There, it mainly stemmed from the "dark ages" into which Vimes found himself thrust. Here, it's, on the one hand, the threat of racial tensions and an impending war that, if it were to break out, would spill straight into Ankh-Morpork. On the other, it's Vimes' growing rage. No wonder the "Summoning Dark" latched onto him so readily.
The mystery of the painting and the cube is... I'd say "intriguing", but I already knew the story too well to be surprised by anything, and I don't remember my reaction when I first "read" (heard) it. I probably was blown away by the reveal at Koom Valley, though.
I can't say I really liked Sally. I didn't dislike her either, but Angua's antagonism (while fully understandable) got on my nerves. I liked Tawnee and her relationship a bit better than I had expected/remembered, but some of these scenes involving female characters still felt pretty sexist. Also, I wish Sibyl played a bigger role in these books.
The scenes of Vimes and little Sam sure are cute. That said, at this time, I have no intention of reading "Where's My Cow?"
New ranking:
1. Carpe Jugulum
2. Small Gods
3. Maskerade
4. Monstrous Regiment
5. Men at Arms
6. Night Watch
7. Thud!
8. The Truth
9. Jingo
-------- (imaginary line splitting special favourites from "normal" favourites)
10. Guards! Guards!
Next up: Wintersmith
Now, when I was down with Corona, too weak to do anything other than read, I was incapable of dealing with anything related to work, so I sought refuge in fiction again. This book was the third one I read.
The plot:
The anniversary of the "Battle of Koom Valley" is approaching. Because of this, the dwarves and trolls in Ankh-Morpork are at each others' throats more often than usually. Then an high-ranking dwarf is murdered, and the dwarves swear it must have been a troll. Amidst all this, Sam Vimes has his hands full to prevent things from escalating even further, and still needs to be home by 6 pm to read his son a bed-time story.
This book's obvious theme is "darkness" and the thin barrier separating "good cop" Vimes from a rampaging paragon of police brutality. The theme itself is reminiscent of Night Watch, but it's handled somewhat differently. There, it mainly stemmed from the "dark ages" into which Vimes found himself thrust. Here, it's, on the one hand, the threat of racial tensions and an impending war that, if it were to break out, would spill straight into Ankh-Morpork. On the other, it's Vimes' growing rage. No wonder the "Summoning Dark" latched onto him so readily.
The mystery of the painting and the cube is... I'd say "intriguing", but I already knew the story too well to be surprised by anything, and I don't remember my reaction when I first "read" (heard) it. I probably was blown away by the reveal at Koom Valley, though.
I can't say I really liked Sally. I didn't dislike her either, but Angua's antagonism (while fully understandable) got on my nerves. I liked Tawnee and her relationship a bit better than I had expected/remembered, but some of these scenes involving female characters still felt pretty sexist. Also, I wish Sibyl played a bigger role in these books.
The scenes of Vimes and little Sam sure are cute. That said, at this time, I have no intention of reading "Where's My Cow?"
New ranking:
1. Carpe Jugulum
2. Small Gods
3. Maskerade
4. Monstrous Regiment
5. Men at Arms
6. Night Watch
7. Thud!
8. The Truth
9. Jingo
-------- (imaginary line splitting special favourites from "normal" favourites)
10. Guards! Guards!
Next up: Wintersmith
