Product Description

Adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs, in this book the Ankh-Morpork City Night Watch find their services are once more needed to tackle a threat to their city. A threat deadly as a 60-foot dragon, but mechanical and heartless--it kills without compunction.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5142 in Books
• Published on: 1994-11-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Another wild romp through Discworld! Corporal Carrot, a young dwarf, is newly in charge of the recruits guarding Ankh-Morpork. Edward, the 37th Lord d'Eath, has just discovered that Ankh-Morpork, kingless for generations, has a sovereign ruler, who must be convinced that he is, in fact, the King. The fate of Ankh-Morpork rides on a young man's courage, an ancient sword's magic and a three-legged poodle's bladder.

Daily Telegraph
He is screamingly funny. He is wise. He has style.

Yorkshire Post
The funniest British writer working today - in any genre.

Customer Reviews

Almost too funny
This is as good as anything Terry has written and is a true joy to behold. Only he could marry murder and mirth into such a palpable fun fest. The story is as follows: The watch hires some new recruits... a troll named Detritus, Cuddy the dwarf and Angua the werewolf. It already sounds funny doesn't it?! The highlight of the book has to be when Nobby and Colon visit the fools guild to make inquiries into the murder of the clown Beano.

Pride is all very well, but a sausage is a sausage
"Men at Arms" is the fifteenth novel in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series and the second to focus on Sam Vimes and Ankh-Morpork's City Guard. Although its reputation may have raised very slightly, having rescused the City from a large and angry dragon, it's still not the fine and noble profession it once was.

Sam is the Captain of the Night Watch, though he is on the verge of retiring and will soon marry Lady Ramkin, the noted dragon-fancier. It isn't entirely clear, however, whether or not he's entirely happy about either the retirement or his impending life of marital bliss. It's fair to say he's not your typical hero : he hates the Undead (some of my best friends are werewolves), Assassins (a perfectly respectable profession) and - in keeping with an old family tradition - Kings (not an ideal musketeer then). Sam's also trying to quit drinking and has taken up smoking cigars to soften the blow.

The Night Watch has had a couple of new recruits since "Guards! Guards!" - largely at the insistence if the Patrician, the city's ruler. The recruits - Lance-Constables Cuddy (a dwarf), Detritus (a troll) and Angua (a woman, for most of the month) - have been selected to reflect Ankh-Morpork's `ethnic makeup'. Although Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs are Sam's most experienced officers, the most capable is Carrot. Although born human, Carrot was raised as a dwarf and is an incredibly innocent character - he still hasn't figured out what seamstresses do for a living. He has, however, figured out how Ankh-Morpork works and has stopped trying to arrest the President of the Thieves Guild. The trouble begins when Edward d'Eath suspects that Carrot may be the rightful king of Ankh-Morpork.

Edward is the latest Lord d'Eath, albeit a very poor one, following the recent death of his father. He was educated at the Guild of Assassins, where he became the first student to gain full marks at postgraduate level. His suspicions about Carrot are a little worrying, given that he wants to restore the monarchy. This will, of course, see the Patrician `removed' from office - something that should be easier now that he has acquired a weapon that shouldn't exist.

Pratchett's books are always very funny and this one is no exception. Despite being the second book to focus on the Night Watch, there's no real requirement to have read the first - the newcomer won't feel 'left out'. (However, I would recommend reading it, all the same !). Another big plus is Gaspode, Ankh-Morporks finest talking dog. Like Carrot, he's also devoted to Angua - though he's a lot less innocent ! Definitely recommended.

Men At Arms review.
Men At Arms is another riveting read by Terry Prattchett.In Men At Arms a strange new weapon called a "gonne" has been invented and to stop it from destroying the city of Ankh-Morpok Captain Carrot along with help from Nobby Nobson,Sgt Colon and the new Lance-constables Angua,Detritus and Cuddy must form the first ever Ankh-Morpok city militia.If you like reading sci-fi,fantasy or detective stories then read Men At Arms.If you enjoy this book then try books 8,19,21,24,27 and 32.