If someone tried to tell me that the perfect author didn't exist I'd be inclined to point them to Pratchett. Humour, hard truths and great characters - but with dragons, pub brawls and very, very tall dwarves.
Okay. He may not be *everyone's* perfect author, but he is mine.

Despite it being obvious that Pratchett is an icon of fantasy writing, his Discworld work is too removed from real world for me and I found this frankly harder than Shakespeare to read, like the other books I idiotically requested in a spree after they came highly recommended by someone who knows my taste (not as fantasy as this), and whom I highly trusted. These were a real miss for me and has totally put me off reading any other Pratchett. I will recommend them to anyone who really loves high fantasy and just hope that these are their cup of tea instead.

Another Pratchett book which again is as good as the last. Book 8 of the discworld series. Book 1 of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch series. It’s fast-paced, is again full of comedy and has an endearing set of characters to get to know. A great book to read to get into the Discworld series.

The start of the classic City Watch series of Discworld novels, in which we are introduced to some of Pratchett's best characters, including Sam Vimes, Carrot, Sybil Ramkin, Fred Colon and Nobby Nobbs. The story focuses on the summoning of a dragon as a means of overthrowing the city's government.

Little did I know that I would love this!
A fun read that makes me want to pick up more of Terry Pratchett 's books in the future!

4 stars!

The first book of the City Watch sub-series, introducing Sam Vimes of the Night Watch. At the start Vimes is a burnt-out wreck of a man, fast disappearing down the neck of a bottle, but there's trouble stirring in the city of Ankh Morpork. There's always trouble, but this is a different kind of trouble and Sam must step up and sober up if he's to solve the problem of a new lethal weapon - a dragon. The City Watch is a joke, encompassing characters like Sgt Fred Colon Nobby Nobbs, who is barely human, and other characters who are definitely not human, plus Carrot, who is a dwarf despite being over six feet tall. There's political satire as well as humour and some deep character building. It's the beginning of Vimes character arc - my favourite out of all the Discworld characters.. This is a good place to jump into the Discworld books if you haven't read any of them before.

There are a few drawbacks of reading books out of order. There are fewer than average drawbacks of reading Discworld books out of order. But I found the first and foremost to be character development. I am so used to viewing a person/creature to be a certain way - the order of things, to be precise. Then we meet them in the before time, a time when their character is still being moulded to what they later become.
I somehow missed reading the first city watch book before, and meeting a drunken unworthy Sam Vines was quite sad. he is beaten down by the new rules in the city, and the Patrician is sure he is handling things quite well in his way. A man who thinks he is a dwarf has been sent to be part of the Watch, a worthy pursuit according to all miles away from the city. Within the city, however, the City Watch are but a joke.
The clash between the idealist and a man coming out of a drunken haze to measure his self-worth is what drives the story. There is the dragon, of course. The dragon would not want to be forgotten as a side note. There is a lot of retrospection hidden behind some hilariously clever words.
Like many of the Discworld series, I kept giggling at things intermittently. This was less risque than some of the others and had a very eclectic cast at their weirdest. There was bonding and fighting, and I think my review is not a complete five stars solely for my disappointment with Sam Vines and his behaviour!
If you do not know of Discworld and everything that it stands for and still find this review interesting, then I think this is a good place to start. The City Watch sub-series is quite great on its own, and the overarching Discworld series works in order, but even read out of order, it is highly entertaining. It is a very well-done type of humour where something in-your-face is not as funny as a subtle throwaway remark someone makes.
This is a reprint, and I hope a whole new audience decides to give this series a shout. I have a few more left, and then I will be done with the books I have on hand.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading of this book and others by the author.

Guards! Gueards! by Terry Pratchett eighth book in the fantastic Discworld Novels. These Books are a superb read and a must read for every Young teenaged child up to an adult. I remember reading the Discworld books in order, when I was teenagers (many, many moons ago) lying under my quilt at night time with a ever ready battery powered torch (Now I am showing my age) I could not wait to go to bed to open my Terry Pratchett book's and read what happens next in the Discworld adventures with the great Turtle and its adventures.

So, when I go a chance to read this book again........I didn't need my ever ready battery torch - I had a kindle to read it from. OMG I was transported back in time to by small bedroom hiding under my quilt reading it. This book was still magical from the first time I had read it.

Guards! Guards! is about Dragans and lots of them. I just loved. Excellent book from start to finish.

If you have not read any of his books?! where have you been.......I highly recommend all of his books.

Biggest Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Corgi for my copy of Sir Terry Pratchett's Small God's Book for a review.

A fun easy and hilariously intriguing read. This was my first Terry Pratchett book but definitely won’t be my last. I loved it!

My thanks to Pan MacMillan Tor for a digital review copy via NetGalley of ‘Guards, Guards’ by Terry Pratchett in exchange for an honest review. This was part of their recent #PickUpAPratchett promotion.

‘Guards, Guards’ was originally published in 1989 and is Book 8 of The Discworld series and Book 1 of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch series.

I had originally read its paperback edition years ago and welcomed this opportunity to reread. I again complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook narrated by Nigel Planer.

A young man named Carrot arrives in Ann-Morpork. He had only recently been told that he is actually a human rather than a dwarf. The king of the dwarves had written to the ruler of the City and secured a position for him in the City Watch. Carrot is assigned to the Night Watch led by Captain Sam Vimes. The Night Watch are a ramshackle group and the source of much comedy.

It turns out that insurrection is in the air as a secret brotherhood is plotting to overthrow the Patrician and replace him with a puppet king. They have found the key to a dormant, lethal weapon that even they don't fully understand. The plan is to unleash a campaign of terror on the city.

With this reread I can appreciate why ‘Guards, Guards’ has become such a favourite with Pratchett’s readers. It also marks the point where Pratchett began incorporating elements of political satire alongside his broad comic fantasy.

It was a great read and it has dragons. Lovely dragons including plucky little Errol.

Review by The Mole
Sam Vimes, the head of the nightwatch and sometimes drunk, is not taken seriously by the people of Ankh-Morpork. With guilds legalising most crimes how can you take the guards seriously?

In an aspiration to depose the Lord Vetinari a would be usurper introduces a hero who shall become king. Unfortunately they unleash forces beyond their understanding and get on the wrong side of Vimes as well as Lady Sybil.

It's going to be tough and messy but will the good guys win?

Vimes is another of the enduring and ever popular characters in the series so don't count him out yet.

Oh, and here there do be dragons.

Another fabulous trip to the discworld that puts an explanation to things that occur later in the series. No, you don't have to read them in order but it's perhaps more fun if you can.

I have really enjoyed reliving my youth and returning to the beloved Terrys world again. Guards ! Guards ! Is another point that you can jump into the Discworld, what I always loved about this series is you don’t have to read it all, you don’t have to love every story, but I guarantee you’ll find your favourites and you can go back to them again and again. Here we are introduced to Sam Vines and the City Watch, in this book you’ll find dragons, humour, magic and Pratchett’s ever brilliant comments on society. Fantastic

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Captain Sam Vimes of the city's ramshackle Night Watch is used to this. It's enough to drive a man to drink. Well, to drink more. But this time, something is different - the Have-Nots have found the key to a dormant, lethal weapon that even they don't fully understand, and they're about to unleash a campaign of terror on the city. Just love this series such a hilarious read.

This is the 1st book in the Author's City Watch series - if you enjoy books with an absurd sense of humour and quirky characters then this book is just right for you

This is a multifaceted book featuring dragons fighting humans and other dragons
When the City Watch's newest recruit Lance Constable Carrot arrives can his sense of justice bring Captain Sam Vines out of his preferred state of drunkenness ........
With such diverse characters as friendly Sargent Fred Colon , (in?)corruptable Corporal Nobby Nobbs and the possible unofficial heir to the throne of Ankh-Morpork Corporal Carrot this book is a riot of sarcasm , quips and put downs that makes for a great read

This book sets a reader up well for all the other fantastic books from this talented Author - escapism at its best

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Guards! Guards! is a delightfully absurd novel, which can also be said about much of Terry Pratchett's work. This is an excellent place for someone to start reading his books if they have never encountered him before because it encompasses who he is.

The classic from which Pratchett’s City Watch books were born. Forget that travesty of a US adaptation (really not convinced the creators of that even read the books considering what they did with the material), this is the real deal. I would recommend everyone read the watch books in order as a set. Vimes is an excellent character who goes on a serious character arc. Pratchett has pulled off a series of police procedurals set in a medieval-esque fantasy world, which meditate on all the injustices and cruelties people inflict on each other, and how ridiculous we are as a species. And Pratchett does this is a way that’s genuinely funny. He was examining how ludicrous gender stereotypes were long before an aggressive movement sprung up around it. Anyway, this is Vimes first book. It’s a good one. The Patrician is also excellent. Highly recommend.

Another potential starting point for Pratchett/Discworld.

Book 8 in the Discworld series, and book 1 in the City Watch sub-series.

In Guards! Guards! we are introduced to Sam Vines and the City Watch.

There's dragons, fighting dragons, finding oneself, humour, political/societal commentary to name a few....and it is all extremely entertaining and hard to put down! It is fun, silly, AND smart - and doesn't downplay any of these for another. I loved this book and would recommend it to any fantasy reader.

This is the first Discworld book to introduce the Ankh Morpork City Watch and the redoubtable Captain Vimes. Truly one of English Literature’s great character. A man who doesn’t always do the right thing but always does the just thing.

Once again under the guise of a comic fantasy tale, STP has shoehorned a sharp political intrigue and a savvy social commentary. Plus there’s Dragons too. Truly something for everyone.

Normally I love novels like this but for some reason I couldn’t get into it. I picked it up and put it down so many times that it left me frustrated.

Another genius book from Pratchett. The humour you've come to expect, with interesting characters and a great storyline.