Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch had it all. But now he's back in his own rough, tough past, without even the clothes he was standing up in when the lightning struck.
Living in the past is hard. Dying in the past is incredibly easy. But he must survive; he has a job to do. He must track down a murderer, teach his young self to be a good copper, and change the outcome of a bloody rebellion. There's a problem, though: if he wins, he's got no wife, no child, no future.
This is a Discworld Tale of One City, with a full chorus of street urchins, rebels, secret policemen, and other children of the revolution.
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©1992 Terry Pratchett and Lynn Pratchett; (P)1997 ISIS Publishing Ltd.
"British author Pratchett's storytelling, a clever blend of Monty Pythonesque humor and Big Questions about morality and the workings of the universe, is in top form...in the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series." (Publishers Weekly)
"The author's talent for comedy does not falter as he continues to set the standard for comic fantasy." (Library Journal)
"Stephen Briggs's voices add dimension to the characters while avoiding exaggeration. He brings out the satire without compromising the subtlety of the humor....The series is meant to be read aloud." (AudioFile)
"Pratchett at his best."
In pursuit of a criminal, Commander Samuel Vimes is thrown back in time to become John Keel, the mentor to his younger self. The twists, turns and political intrigue are inter-mingled with the usual blend of Pratchett humour and wit. This is Pratchett at his very best and, through the excellent story-telling and vocal characterisations of Stephen Briggs, is a pleasure to listen to or to revisit for anyone who has already read the novel. Five star rating!
"One of the best Pratchett stories"
I would definitely recommend
For the first time in a long while, I was surprised by a Discworld tale. When you are a fan of a long-term, 40-odd book series, that is a very good thing.
Mr Briggs is simply Discworld characters alive. No disrespect to the talents of Mr. Nigel Planer and Mr. Tony Robinson, but there is a feeling of rightness when it is Stephen Briggs who narrates the Discworld stories.
"More adventures with Sam Vimes"
The story. I'm a huge fan of the Vimes books, and they may be my favourite of the Discworld series.
Vimes' speech to Carcer at the end of the book. Raised the hairs on the back of my neck.
Stephen Briggs is good, though not to everyone's taste (my wife doesn't like his reading) and his characters are always distinct and fairly consistent across the series (I think his Sergeant Colon changes from "The Fifth Elephant" version).
No, but it does get a reaction. The comic moments are fewer than they used to be, but it packs a punch.
Anyone who started with Guards, Guards and has been following the career of Sam Vimes and the Watch will appreciate this chapter of their story, dealing with time travel and some of the recent history of Ankh Morpork, including a glimpse of a young Vetinari beginning to take hold of his destiny.