Review: Night Watch (Discworld)

Title: Night Watch
Author:Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fantasy, humor, adult

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:
One moment, Sir Sam Vimes is in his old patrolman form, chasing a sweet-talking psychopath across the rooftops of Ankh-Morpork. The next, he's lying naked in the street, having been sent back thirty years courtesy of a group of time-manipulating monks who won't leave well enough alone. This Discworld is a darker place that Vimes remembers too well, three decades before his title, fortune, beloved wife, and impending first child. Worse still, the murderer he's pursuing has been transported back also. Worst of all, it's the eve of a fabled street rebellion that needlessly destroyed more than a few good (and not so good) men. Sam Vimes knows his duty, and by changing history he might just save some worthwhile necks—though it could cost him his own personal future. Plus there's a chance to steer a novice watchman straight and teach him a valuable thing or three about policing, an impressionable young copper named Sam Vimes.

This is not my first Discworld book, but it's the first one that isn't marketed as a children's book. I grew up reading and loving The Amazing Maurice and the Tiffany Aching books, so it was only a matter of time before I dove into the world of Sam Vimes.

I kind of want to punch myself because what took me so long? This book is just as clever and funny as the other Discworld books I've read, but the darker aspects are a lot darker and the dialogue is razor sharp. It's everything I loved about Maurice and Tiffany Aching, but better!

This book deals with Sam Vimes accidentally going back in time while trying to catch a psychotic serial killer. It turns out the only way he can catch the killer is to kick the past Night Watch into shape...including a young and impressionable version of himself. I was a little lost at first because I didn't have the context for Sam's previous adventures, but I never felt like I was floundering. I would like to go back and reread this after I've read the other Sam Vimes books so that I can see how much he really has grown from the younger version until now, but I still really enjoyed the contrast between the two Sams.

I love time travel stories, and this one is one of my favorites to date. In true Sir Terry Pratchett fashion, this book pokes fun at everything it possibly can while still delivering a fast-paced and intense story. And somewhere along the way, you grow to love all the characters, from the caricatures to the most human. I highly recommend this book, to fans of Discworld new and old.