Thud!
A Discworld Novel
By Terry Pratchett
Charnwood Large Print, 2006
ISBN : 1-84617-163-6
Genre: Fantasy
Reviewed by Auggie Moore - February 25, 2008
Strap on your seatbelt, buckle on your helmet, and prepare for another fast-paced, hair-raising journey into that alternate reality known as Discworld! In Thud!, Terry Pratchett returns to his Discworld universe where a violent war looms that will once again pit the trolls and dwarfs against each other. It falls upon Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch to stop the conflict before it begins - if he can.
A long, long time ago, the trolls and the dwarfs fought a deadly battle that was waged in the Koom Valley. The anniversary for this event is rapidly approaching. Always a contentious time, this year is even more so because a dwarf has been murdered and political rumblings have begun to sound that are reinvigorating the old animosities. The original battle was a disaster for both sides, and a rematch is likely to turn out the same. The only problem is, at least for Vimes, is that a rematch, now, will tend to pull more factions into the fray, possibly turning a grudge match into a world war. This is something that Vimes is determined to prevent at all costs.
In true Pratchett style, Vimes has more to contend with than just a possible war. Due to recent changes in the city's affirmative-action rules, he has been forced to hire a vampire by the name of Sally. Granted she has taken an oath to give up drinking human blood, but Vimes is still not sure that she is right for the City Watch. In addition, while she has sworn off human blood, all other types are still fair game - a fact that makes some of the other members of the watch a bit uneasy as they are as unhuman and she is! Oh, and yeah, there is also a mysterious painting on hand that, if the secret it hides can be coaxed out, will reveal the truth of what really happened in the Koom Valley so many years ago - and of course it falls upon Vimes to unlock the puzzle.
Witty and deliciously satirical, Thud! is a must for all fans of the Discworld series, and for those new to its delight. To my estimation, this is at least the 30th book in the main Discworld series, but when you factor in all the Discworld related books, its place in line might be a bit higher. Although this installment is well into the series, it can be read as a stand-alone book - but be forewarned, once you read Thud!, if you haven't done so already, you'll want to go back and read all the previous installments in this never-stale, eternally exciting, and wonderfully imaginative series!
Thud! can be purchased directly from Ulverscroft, the parent company of Charnwood Large Print.
Related Reviews:
Night Watch, by Terry Pratchett.
The 28th novel in the Discworld series, this installment see Commander Sam Vimes transported back in time, hot on the trail of a serial killer. (Large Print)
Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett.
Can a coven of perplexing witches and a lone priest save the Kingdom of Lancre from an invading horde of vampires? Only time will tell, in this witty and satirical Discworld romp. (Large Print)
