Move over Alan Moore. Here's the real Watch Men (Men at Arms - Terry Pratchett)

Member Name: SWSt

Product:	Men at Arms - Terry Pratchett
Date:	05/11/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliantly funny, superb characters who interact brilliantly

Disadvantages: If you don't get Pratchett's humour, there's nothing here to change your mind

Following the (justified) acclaim which followed Guards! Guards! - the first significant appearance of the Ankh Morpork City Watch - it was almost inevitable that a sequel would follow. Sure enough, in 1994, along came the delightful Men at Arms.

If you ever find yourself trying to explain to someone the appeal of Terry Pratchett, hand them a copy of Men at Arms. It contains pretty much everything that makes a Discworld book so much fun and sets it apart from other wannabe humorous science fiction. All the Pratchett staples are there - funny one-liners, silly situations, and brilliantly written characters.

It is also one of the few Pratchett books where you have a reasonable chance of understanding the plot. With most Pratchett books, the plot is an irrelevance, a contrived set of circumstances where are there to provide the backdrop for that trademark wide-ranging Pratchett humour. Generally speaking, Discworld plots are so daft, you don't have the faintest idea what is happening for most of the book. Whilst the plot in Men at Arms is as daft (and enjoyable) as ever, it does have a more traditional narrative structure, which makes it more accessible to new readers. It revolves around the theft of a terrible weapon "the gonne" and the desire of one of the characters to dig up the past...

One of the few criticisms I levelled against Guards! Guards! was that it took a while to get going. The main Watch characters had to be introduced and their various relationships set up. This inevitably slowed the pace down. Happily, this is not the case with Men at Arms. The principle characters from Guards! Guards! return, which provides an instant sense of familiarity; the interplay between them is already established and the link between the two books really does feel seamless. To keep things fresh Pratchett also introduces a number of new characters (or has pre-existing characters in new roles) which adds new impetus to the way the Watch behaves and gives Pratchett new avenues of humour to explore.

Characters - and the way he uses them - is what always sets the Discworld apart from other "funny" science fiction tales. Pratchett's characters are always very well-defined and much of the humour flows from their outlook or the relationship between them. Men at Arms perhaps provides one of the clearest, most accessible examples of this.

The characters work extremely well and it's difficult to spot a weak one amongst them. The cynical outlook of Watch leader Captain Vimes' contrasts brilliantly with the infectious enthusiasm of Corporal Carrot; Captain Colon and Corporal Nobbs continue their excellent double act and are well on their way to becoming the Laurel and Hardy of the policing world. Meanwhile, the inspired teaming-up of the dwarf-hating, thick-as-mud Lance-Constable Detritus with troll-hating, dwarf-with-attitude Lance Constable Cuddy adds another double act. Only female recruit Lance Constable Angua doesn't quite hit the mark, and struggles to make much of an impact, although this is partly because the plot requires that the real reason for her inclusion is only discovered late in the book. Certainly, Angua is a character who develops much more over subsequent Watch books and becomes a far more integral part of the team later on.

This disparate, dysfunctional band offers Pratchett the employ all sorts of humour; from slapstick to word play; silly situations to piquant observations about the absurdity of human behaviour and everything in between. Pratchett has a wonderful turn of phrase which can turn even the most mundane of sentences or situations into something laugh out loud. And laughing is one thing you will find yourself doing plenty of whilst reading this book.

As ever, the Watch maybe the principal characters, but Pratchett has a large supporting cast who add a great deal. Old favourites like CMOT Dibbler turn up, whilst fans of Moving Pictures will be pleased to see the return of Gaspode the Wonder Dog. It's through Gaspode's eyes that Pratchett particularly examines human nature and Gaspode's sense of world-weary cynicism really makes you stop and think about how stupid people sometimes are. Gaspode is a real gem of a character, and it's no wonder that he has firmly established himself as a firm fan favourite.

It's these characters that make Men At Arms so much fun to read. No matter what species, there are elements in all of them that will remind you of either yourself or people you know. At the end of the day, Pratchett creates a funny story not through the use of increasingly silly and unbelievable situations, but through telling a very funny story featuring very well-written characters. I usually shy away from "humorous" science fiction/fantasy books, because they are often self-indulgent rubbish. However, by building a believable world populated by believable characters, Pratchett creates a genuinely funny read which retains a fairly traditional science fiction outlook, whilst at the same time gently poking fun at the whole genre.

It's easy to see why the Watch have become some of Pratchett's most endearing characters and have featured in more novels than any of his other creations. The dynamic between the characters is perfect, the interaction between them allows Pratchett to take plots in pretty much any direction he chooses, whilst the "crime" element gives a more natural structure with which to fashion a more traditional narrative.

I'm really struggling to think of any disadvantages to this book. It's one I've read again and again and never tire of re-reading. I suppose if you really don't get Pratchett's style of humour, there is nothing particularly different about Men at Arms that is likely to change your mind. Equally, whilst you can read it as a standalone book, you will get more out of it if you've read Guards! Guards first, and don't just dive straight into this one.

Other than that, what are you waiting for? If you've never read it, get out there and buy a copy NOW. If you've already read it, get it down off the shelf, blow off the dust and read it again. Either way, you don't be disappointed.

Basic Information
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Men at Arms
Terry Pratchett
Corgi, 1994
ISBN: 978-0552140287

© Copyright SWSt 2009

Summary: Arguably the best Watch book