Characters
Samuel Vimes is the main character of his book. We get a two-for-one, in that we have a young and an old Vimes. The Old Vimes is the main character. We do not see a lot of the Young Vimes, although obviously, we see a fair bit of him.
What is Young Vimes like? According to Old Vimes, he is a naïve twerp. He recently joined the Night Watch. Young Vimes has much to learn about how to survive as a copper in Ankh-Morpork. He has much to learn about what Old Vimes considers right and wrong. Fortunately, Old Vimes is there to teach them these things!
Of course, Old Vimes is his cynical self. Despite this, he is the moral compass of the story. He might be old and cynical. But he values justice and he wants the City Watch to become the better self he has seen in the future. He has seen that the Watch can be better.
I have always liked Vimes. He might be a cynical, world-weary man. But beneath all that, he has a strong sense of justice, and Old Vimes is a good man. But do not tell him I said that. Please do not tell him I said that!
We see a return of other City Watch favorites, including Captain Carrot, Detruituis, and Angua. These three get a very brief cameo. Colon and a certain Watchman of a dubious species affinity have a significant role in the story.
We see the History Monks for the first time since Thief of Time. They help Vimes recover from the accident that sends him back in time. They play a small and vital role. Although, I thought only one of them was necessary.
We also see a younger version of Vetinari. Yes, he is the future Patrician, ruler of Ankh-Morpork from the other Discworld novels. In this book, he is a young student assassin. If you know Vetinari, you will not be surprised by the version of the character you see here. It is very much a Patrician in waiting.
The Good
Overall, I thought the themes were well expressed and integrated into the plot. I might not have agreed with all the themes. However, that is a separate issue to their well-delivered expression. It expresses several political themes in a clear and sometimes thought-provoking manner.
This book deals with grim issues. Yet, it provides a lot of great moments and frequent laughs. I thought it was one of the more funny Discworld novels I have read in a long time.
It is probably the best City Watch novel I have read since Guards! Guards! Although I still think Guards! Guards! is a more enjoyable book than this one. I have personal reasons for preferring Guards! Guards! Fans of the City Watch series will almost certainly love this book, especially if they are a fan of Vimes.
The book provides some fascinating backstory to some beloved Discworld characters. However, I still enjoyed discovering a little about the backstory of Cut My Own Throat Dibbler, Vetinari, Nobby, Colon, and more.
The Bad
If you are unfamiliar with the City Watch series and Vimes, you might enjoy this book less. I do not believe you will be lost. However, the book assumes some familiarity with Vimes and the City Watch that a newcomer to Discworld may not possess.
However, it attempts to provide a sufficient background for newcomers so they may not be lost. I do not believe most newcomers will be lost. However, they may need to work a little harder to follow along. I do not think it is a significant issue. While I suggest readers read the other City Watch books, a new reader can start with Night Watch if they wish.
This book is darker than most other Discworld books. I do not think this is an issue. However, it is a flaw some have commented on, and some might consider holding against Night Watch.
Pratchett asserts that the political status quo triumphs over idealists. However, I very much disagree with that. That may be how it often works in reality. However, this is not always the case.
The idealism of the American revolutionaries triumphed over the political status quo rulership by the divine right of kings. To this day, America, for all of its political problems, is not ruled by a king (despite what Trump and the Republican party might wish). America can still be free, or at least relatively free, if its people choose to be.
At no point did America have to stop being the Land of the Free. To the extent this is no longer true, that is because Americans chose for it to stop being so. They might have chosen otherwise. The idealism of the American Revolution could have continued to the modern day or hundreds or thousands of years into the future. It could continue almost indefinitely into the future!
Pratchett is overly cynical in his assessment that revolutions and idealism ultimately do not matter. Perhaps, historically, they do not make a significant difference.
Sometimes, things never change. Sometimes, things can change a lot. Massive change is possible if the proper revolutionary ideas come along. If these ideas have widespread support, there may be a political revolution. It may be a violent revolution, or it may not be. If it is a revolution backed by ideas with popular support, much can change. Things can change. Sometimes, history changes drastically and for the better.
Conclusion
Night Watch is a sometimes thought-provoking and hilarious book. While Night Watch is darker than many other Discworld books, it is still hilarious. It tackles some interesting, although debatable, themes. It is a recommended book for any fan of comic fantasy, those who like stories about revolutions, or who love Discworld!
It lacks the pacing issues of The Truth novel I have reviewed. It also does not have the distracting elements of Thief of Time. No, Night Watch is a lot tighter than either of those books and is one of the more well-written books in the series.
Is this my favorite Discworld novel? No. Is this the best City Watch novel? I prefer Guards! Guards! That might be nostalgia or other personal attachments I have to that book.
However, Night Watch is a must-read for any Discworld fan, comic fantasy fan, or fan of revolutionary drama, despite my disagreements with some of its themes.