Samuel Vimes, Commander of the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork, falls through the University's rooftop and into the past. The murderer he is chasing is also transported. Trying to avoid too much change in history, Mr. Vimes must capture the madman before he can be transferred back to his wife, on the day of his child's birth. It is also the anniversary of his colleagues' deaths, the date to which he is transported in time-roughly. As a commander missing the old days, he gets his wish, so to speak, when he is sent to relive them. His mentor is killed in the transversal, and so he must take his mentor's place in training the young Vimes. Vetinari also makes an appearance pre-tyrant status.

Night Watch is one of the later books in the series. It is similar in style to Making Money, The Truth, and Going Postal. The setting up of Vetinari's rise to power is an interesting development. The time travel is always an enticing subject. There is a mix of parallel worlds and changing of history in linear time, the domino effect. Pratchett throws in some silliness with the guardians of time who help him travel home and political commentary in explaining an event that has shaped Vimes' character.

Night Watch is one of my favorites in the series so far. I've mostly read the later books. Because this one is excellent, I will continue to slowly read the ones I've missed. I want to savor them. They are not particularly hard to read, but it's easy for the reader to miss tangential bits if not paying attention. That little bit can be a reference to a major part of something else or just Pratchett's penchant for wisecracking.

If you are just now hearing of Pratchett's Discworld, you might want to know that it is a series one can jump into without worrying about a certain order. Find an aspect that intrigues you. The more you read of it, the more the whole will make sense.

related-time travel, Discworld, Samuel Vimes, police, revolution, keeping the peace
RL=YA-adult