Sweeper gave him a long, thoughtful look. 'Y'know,' he said, 'it's very hard to talk quantam using a language originally designed to tell other monkeys where the ripe fruit is'.
Sam Vimes is chasing a killer, a man named Carcer. He is evil through and through and has already killed one night watch officer. Passing through the Unseen University on the killer's trail something happens and both Sam and Carcer are transported back to when Sam was a very young policeman on the beat. The sergeant who taught Sam all he knew has been killed, which was not supposed to have happened, so Sam has to pretend to be John Keel in order that his young self learns what he needs to know and keeps on the straight and narrow. But there is still a killer to apprehend and things become further complicated when said killer joins the police force himself. How can Sam bring him down without revealing who he is and where he has come from? And then there's a little matter of a revolution that's about to happen...
Classic Terry Pratchett this one. A pacey plot that keeps you on your toes with all its time travelling details. *Lots* of his usual humour - clever use of language and wry observations on what makes us humans tick.
Legitimate First (a gravedigger) watched them go as they walked away. Sergeant Colon felt he was being measured up.
'I've always wondered about his name,' said Nobby, turning and waving. 'I mean... Legitimate?'
'Can't blame a mother for being proud, Nobby,' said Colon.
Spare and understated - Terry Pratchett always knows exactly how much to say to ensure maximum impact of a joke like that. It's a rare talent and it's impossible to overstate how very much I'm in awe of it. He's never spiteful or nasty, the digs are always gentle and tolerant and so, so true to life. Wonderful.
This is book six in the Sam Vimes 'Night Watch' series of Discworld books. They could easily be read as a series without reading the rest of the Discworld books and would especially appeal, I think, to lovers of crime novels. The first book in the series is Guards! Guards! but *my* next one will be Thud! Reading the synopsis on the inside cover, I'm already looking forward to reading it!
