Men at Arms: A Novel of Discworld - Hardcover

Pratchett, Terry

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061092185 ISBN 13: 9780061092183

Publisher: HarperPrism, 1996

Synopsis

It was a dwarf's dream. Captain Vimes of the Watch was retiring. That put Corporal Carrot in charge of the new recruits guarding Ankh-Morpork, Discworld's greatest city, from the Barbarian Tribes, Miscellaneous Marauders, unlicensed Thieves, and such. It was a big job, particularly for an adopted dwarf who was so homesick for the gold mines of Ramtop that he often locked himself in the dark room and hit himself on the head with an axe-handle, just for fun.

It was a young lord's nightmare. Edward, the 37th Lord d'Eath, newly graduated from the School for Assassins (the ideal institution for those whose rank is higher than their intelligence), had made an astonishing discovery. Ankh-Morpork, kingless for generations, and ruled by Disorganized Crime, had a sovereign! The new king just had to be convinces that he was, in fact, a king.

Corporal Carrot had a job.

Lord d'Eath had a Task.

And so began the most awesome epic encounter of all time, or at least all afternoon, in which good and evil, greed and honor, trolls and dwarves, dogs and bells and swamp dragons would clash, crash, toll, bark, shimmer, and simmer. The fate of a city, indeed a kingdom--nay, a very universe!--was to depend on a young man's courage, an ancient sword's magic, and three-legged poodle's bladder.

Don't look so surprised. This is Discworld, where anything can happen.

Which means that everything always does.

About this title

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.

From the Inside Flap:

"Be a MAN in the City Watch!  The City Watch needs MEN!"

But what it's gotincludes Corporal Carrot (technically a dwarf), Lance-constable Detritus (a troll), Lance-constable Angua (a woman...most of the time) and Corporal Nobbs (disqualified from the human race for shoving).

And they need all the help they can get.  Because they've only got twenty-four hours to clean up the town and this is ANKH-MORPORT we're talking about...

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperPrism
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0061092185
• ISBN 13: 9780061092183
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 341