Freedom, Truth, Justice, Reasonably Priced Love, and a Hard Boiled Egg

[timepiececlock]

All the little angels rise up, rise up,
all the little angels rise up high!
How do they rise up, rise up, rise up,
How do they rise up, rise up high?

They rise heads up, heads up, heads up, they rise heads up, heads up high!

See the little angels rise up, rise up,
see the little angels rise up high!
See how they rise up, rise up, rise up,
see how they rise up, rise up high?

They rise knees up, knees up, knees up, they rise knees up, knees up high!

All the little angels rise up, rise up,
All the little angels rise up high!
How do they rise up, rise up, rise up,
How do they rise up, rise up high?

They rise feet up, feet up, feet up, they rise feet up, feet up high!

See the little angels rise up, rise up,
see the little angels rise up high!
See how they rise up, rise up, rise up,
see how they rise up, rise up high?

They rise arse up, arse up, arse up, they rise arse up, arse up high!

All the little angels rise up, rise up,
All the little angels rise up high!
How do they rise up, rise up, rise up,
How do they rise up, rise up high?

They rise hands up, hands up, hands up, they rise hands up, hands up high!

All the little angels rise up, rise up,
All the little angels rise up high!


So I finished the book.

I liked it, quite a lot. I read it all today. I started a little last night but I read the last 300 pages today. I couldn't put it down, quite literally. It's moved to be one of my favorites of the Discworld series. I have to read them all before I judge which is "best", but it's certainly in the top tier.

It's also much, much darker than his other books. About 1/5th the normal amount of comedic relief or even general humor. and a lot of it relies on you being familiar with the City Watch books. I wouldn't give this to someone who hasn't read at least one other City Watch book in the series. It'd be...wasted on them. So much of the reader's emotional involvement in the story is dependent on knowing Vimes's character and knowing how he's progressed developed over the many books since Guards! Guards!. He's gone through a significant character arc and in many ways Nightwatch is a resolution to the changes his character has endured, and the changes the city watch itself has endured since Carrot's arrival and subsequent influence. This also gives a lot of background for minor characters that I'd almost consider "spoilery" for the other books (I'm thinking Vetinari and Sybill, mostly), though it's hard to say what constitutes a spoiler in a series that spans years (or decades) and jumps so easily over time gaps and locations.

The cynical side of me can't help but think the book is so popular among DW fans because it is so much more dramatic (and bloody) than previous DW books have been. Because the threat is stronger, you care more about the plot and the fate of characters. However, even if that is true-- so what? It's a bloody good book. And when you've read 30 books that are 60/40 humor to drama, it's an exciting change to read one that's 20/80 humor to drama instead. Also, as I mentioned, there's a lot of character development resolution here, so that's probably another reason it's such a beloved choice among fans.


I... don't know what to say. My head is full!

I like Nobbs, and I liked younger Colon, and I liked Vimes vs. Young Sam (who reminded me of Carrot!). I liked Reg Shoe, and I liked learning about how he became a zombie. His off-in-the-corner Marxism was funny, particularly with how the Morporkians kept refusing to understand it, and I really felt for his frustration at the unchangeability of revolutions and politics. His death was so sad! And foolish. But sad. Even knowing he'd come back.

I liked Vetinari as well, though I kind of miss the old way Vimes used to hate Vetinari. At this point Vetinari hardly counts as a villain-- he's morally ambiguous, but that's the worst of it. Who does Vimes get to blame for the horridness of the world now that he's gradually found Vetinari to be:

a) necessary to keep the peace
b) not that evil... hardly bad at all, actually, in comparison
c) helpful, reasonable, and practical
d) very similar to himself

I really liked the assassination scene. I wouldn't mind reading a stand-alone that shows how Vetinari came to power in the city, which I assume happened within ten years of the Glorious Revolution of the 25th of May on Treacle Mine Road.

I liked the hard boiled egg joke. Actually, the last third of the book when they began building the barricades was my favorite part. I loved that entire process, and the reasoning behind it getting bigger and bigger, and the debate over which "side" is being barricaded and who is actually the rebel vs. the majority if everyone keeps jumping over the barricade.

The trick of grabbing the invaders and pulling them over to give them food and drink and absorb them was very in-character for the denisens of Ankh-Morpork.

Carcer was the most traditionally "evil" psycho killer we've seen since Teatime in Hogfather, and he worked as a villain. I like the parallels between him and Vimes in terms of rising to power quickly. I liked Rosie Palm and the doctor, and I liked the various other soldiers and guardsmen who joined in the revolution.

The stuff with the Umentionables was dark and bloody, moreso than we've seen before in the series, that I recall. Vimes's character rose to the occasion--or sank to it--and was darker as well. Physically transformed and mentally too.

I liked his fatherhood reactions, and the way he clung to Sybill's gift all through his experience. The series often uses their relationship for laughs, so it was nice to see some real feeling and romance there. It was also nice for Vimes as a character to really accept and appreciate his life as it has become in the last few years.

So in conclusion...YAY! Also, ::TEAR::.

Comments

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

Man, I just remembered that I used Nightwatch as part of my University of Chicago application. Good times.

Oh, the barricades. When it all came crashing down...I cried and I cried and I cried...

As for it being people's favorite because it's more dramatic...I guess that's true, but not simply because it's dramatic, but because, like you said, it's bloody GOOD, and the drama's so well done and and and it's such a culmination book, like you said. And the humor is much funnier in the darker context because it's so welcome. Also, Pratchett is not only able to write drama well, and humor well, but writes them well TOGETHER, which is just totally unfair. And it's so often the little, clever things. I'm pretty sure I laughed the longest at the line where one of the other assassins throws Vetinari's animal book in the fire, and "the tiger burned brightly." Teeheehee. Who gets away with writing that stuff?

It just...covers everything. Brilliantly. What else can I say?

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

How'd you get it involved with your application? ::is insanely curious::

I was surprised that the barricade fighting ended so easily... and then there was the ambush and you KNEW it wasn't over and it wasn't fair and amnesty is a dirty political lie.

And the humor is much funnier in the darker context because it's so welcome. Also, Pratchett is not only able to write drama well, and humor well, but writes them well TOGETHER, which is just totally unfair.

We must have different tastes in this (or read it while in different mindsets), because I hardly laughed at all. I appreciated the humor-- I smiled and in a few places chuckled, but to me the book as a whole was much less humorous. What would have been funny in a lighter context was just ironic in this context, or darkly satirical. And I hardly ever *laugh* at black satire. Not the kind of laugh I normally get from Pratchett. I just enjoy it and move forward. I also felt that while of course the wit was top-notch, TP went for a real laugh-out-loud less frequently than normal. The slapstick and the "humor from talking to stupid characters" was lessened in favor of a more general dark satire, more subtle wit and jokes that are played less for outright laughter. That was what I got from it, anwyay.

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

Well, there were three essay questions; the first was "why do you want to go to UChicago?" and I started my answer with "because that's where Harry met Sally, so it must be a magical place." The second was "what are a few of your favorite books, movies, plays, television shows, pieces of music, etc. etc. etc. OH YOU ONLY HAVE LIKE THREE PARAGRAPHS TO ANSWER BTW" so I didn't really have to work hard to put it in there. I used Nightwatch and The Queen of Attolia as my main two. The third, actual essay that I wrote was off the topic "mind that does not stick."

...some days, I wonder if I shouldn't have gone there instead. Oh well, there's always grad school! Yeah!

hm, I can't remember how much I actually laughed out loud while reading it. The tiger joke got me because he placed it so innocuously at the end of a sentence, and, well, allusional humor always gets me. But yeah, overall it has a much darker humor.

Man, your quest to read all the Discworld novels in order is inspiring me. It's been a long time since I've sat back and gone on a Discworld kick, and there are a LOT that I still haven't managed to read yet...

[vehrec.livejournal.com]

Dark? Yes, it is definitely a dark book. It's set in a dark time, no Thieves guild that leaves a receipt, the Wizards plot to kill each other with spells and poison, and the Nobles don't care about the city working. Vimes was right when he figured that it was too rotten to clean up even with a good watch-there just wasn't anyone who wanted the town cleaned up.

Vimes and Fatherhood is even more touching in the next Watch book. "Six o'clock. Read to Young Sam." It is amazing what parts of him this brings out.

It's interesting how Vetinari has shaped and not shaped Vimes since Guards! Guards!. It's also interesting how he has picked up another interesting character in Moist Von Lipwig, who only has two books, the latest of which I haven't read. If Vimes is a terrier, Moist seems more like a hunting hawk that you let of the wrist and trust to return with a fat goose. Of course, you have to accept that the training will involve a lot of attempts to fly away and bite your nose off. If you haven't already, I'd suggest Going Postal and Making Money as books to read next in the series. They aren't City Watch, but they are still City books. Or you could just follow the chronology.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Monstrous Regiment is my next choice. I've followed the chronology for 25 books so far (there were a few I'd read before starting this project) and it'd be unsporting to cheat and skip ahead now. :)

I look forward to Daddy!Vimes, for sure.