Night Watch

2002

This, the twenty-eighth novel set on the Discworld, sees Vimes anxiously awaiting the birth of his first child when the call goes out: a copper's down, murdered by the psychopathic Carcer.

The Watch all converge on Carcer where he's taken refuge on the roof of Unseen University. Vimes orders the rest of the Watch to guard the exits as he goes off after the evil Carcer but as they were about to give battle, a lightening bolt ripped the skies apart.

When he recovers, he finds himself on the cobbles in front of Unseen U dressed in some one else's clothes and a patch over one eye. And no receipt for the stuff that had been nicked.

And no one knew him. And no Watch House in Pseudopolis Yard.

And no wife. Or home.

Thrown on his own resources, Vimes assumes the identity of one John Keel, which scared him near witless for John Keel had been a revolutionary leader thirty years in the past. Er, a few weeks in the future.

But the original John Keel had been killed by the evil Carcer and history was teetering on the edge of a knife.

Vimes finds he has to make sure that the revolution occurs on time and that Carcer is not left behind to wreak his violence on people vital to the future of the city as Vimes will come to know it. Not least a young Sam Vimes just starting out on his career in the Watch.

Like most of the other Discworld books, there are little hints from other genres, most of which relate to James Bond where the History Monks have their Qu. However, this is not a book that will be particularly noted for its humour.

As the resurrected John Keel, Sam is forced to examine the ruling ethos of the Watch of the time: not-so-petty larceny, unthinking violence towards the general public and realise how this would influence his younger self. There's also a lot on how those with power act without any consideration towards those they have power over.

All-in-all, this is a very powerful book.

---