I read it again, and I noticed one jarring note: Rhys threatening Vimes, albeit briefly, using Sam's wife and son. It doesn't seem like the sort of thing he would do, does it? I mean, even for an instant.

As for the following dark, it felt more like the hiver than the beast. I also thought that the main plot was similar to The Fifth Elephant, but reduced. Like the same religious extremists style plotting to create a war. It's a slim similarity, I know, but I felt like that anyway.

Also, it will be interesting to see how the trolls shape up, they might play a greater role from now on. Maybe we might even see some troll related stories .. that would be interesting.

As a promotion for Thud, Waterstones is providing City Watch ID cards, where you can show that you are human, vampire, werewolf, etc. I' think you have to buy two TP books to get one, but I'm not sure.

I feel like I wasted a lot of money on Thud. I bought it as soon as it came out in hardcover instead of waiting, which would have definately been smarter. It was a good book, but...you guys are right, it's not one of the best. I'm addicted to the Watch books, so I knew I'd get it eventually.

I read Where's My Cow in the store. The illustrations were pretty good, but they seemed really cartoony.

Hey, on a side note, does anyone know the conversion of £25.00 to American dollars?

Strange... Again I can only say I wasn't half as disappointed as the rest of you... But maybe I don't have a problem with PTerry's books becoming less funny and more dark and story bound because I never got most of the jokes, anyway.

About Rhys "threatening" Vimes... (and swiftly backpaddeling)... it may not the thing the person Rhys may do, bvut the ruler Rhys...
I was reminded of this quote:


from "Guards! Guards!". Note the second paragraph. It seems to be a similar thing.

That wasn't why I was disappointed. It had as many funny moments as Night Watch or Going Postal, and I loved them.

My problem was the story, it was too ponderous and a lot more predictable than usual.

Hmm .. possibly similar. I'm not sure .. Vimes isn't like a leading thief .. he is likely to go more berserk than subdued if threatened like this .. and every person in power apparently has a complete understanding of Vimes psychological profile. So it would never work .. at least as a threat.

Still, I suppose its a minor point, and maybe Terry felt that he had to make Rhys appear more fallible.

Well I quite liked it... I don't know if it'll make the best list but it was still a good book. The mystery for me wasn't "who done it...?" but rather the mystery was Khoom Valley, it was a 'who done it...?' for wars/history... And it was trying to find out the mystery of Khoom Valley and the device that kept me hooked than who killed the dwarf (which was more obvious)...

I quite liked finding out more about troll history as they really haven't come up much as a culture rather than as individuals. Vimes with his son was also good and I also quite like Lady Sybill's down key response to the 6 o'clock reading sessions and the darning of socks.

I will say that covers similar ground to other books and the Vimes has been a little over-used of late, I would like to see more of the salvation of Brick with some focus on Detritus...

I will have to have a reread to determine if the quick first rereading (12 hours) has left me with the right impression.

I think Spiky was right about the "Whodunnit" and that, in this case, it was more a historical Whodunnit than the question who murdered the dwarf.


I was reminded about an authentic case of the manipulation of a peoples myth. In "Thud", someone rewrote the dwarven mythe about the creation of dwarves, men and trolls. It would have been interesting to see what the Trolls concept of their creation was, and what they thought of that myth.

When I started studying, I wrote a paper about a small tribe in pre 19th century Indonesia. The tribe themselves believed in a myth that basically stated that their first ancestors were born after some animal, by coincidence, absorbed the semen of a God/Demigod/Prince who had long left the location at that time, and that this animal became the ancient mother of that tribe. It was absolutely taboo to recount that myth, ecxept under special circumstances, to strangers or even random members of the tribe. That myth lacking a proper father, or proper ancestors at that, was set in a time and area where lacking both was a big shame for most peoples living in that area.
"Coincidentaly" this tribe was employed by all other tribes of that area mainly for dirty or hard (or both) work, and they were regarded a people second class to their neighbours.
Sources indicate a possibility that the myth was adapted to their role as inferiors, and there are elements in many versions of the story that indicate that this was done by story tellers from outside the tribe.
And now shame on me, but I can't for my life remember the name of those people. But I'll do some research, and be it only for completeness' sake.

Thud! wasn't the best Discworld book, but it wasn't the worst, either. To me, Monstrous Regiment will hold that title for all time.

Still, they both share similar issues. One is the plot. It just wasn't as interesting as it could be. Something was missing. It was very predictable, which was quite unfortunate, and it lacked... something. What that is, is quite indefinable to me.

It had its good points, though. I shall try not to repeat what has already been said, though.

The scene with Nobby and Colon in the museum was quite amusing. First, there was Ms. Pouter's... 'art'. I quite share Lord Vetinari's opinions on art, and was quite amused by Ms. Pouter's second art piece, even though nailing her ear to a stake had unforeseen consequences, such as people actually considering it art.

Then there was Nobby and Colon's discussion on the crime at hand. It was quite interesting actually. Terry has been hinting, via Vimes, that Nobby and Colon can in fact achieve much, if they but try. Seeing them try was quite amusing, as they were both dead wrong, but the possibilities they discussed were interesting.

What I liked the most was Nobby's criminal mind at work. He worked out various methods of how the painting could have been easily stolen by, well, asking himself how he'd do it himself.

Then there was Colon's comment on war: "War... what is it good for? Absol-"

Which was taken from a song whose name I currently don't remember, but Nobby's replies were quite amusing. That particular dialogue was of a style I last saw in Jingo, when they were watching a warship's name being painted on, and talking about foreigners.

The references to brand names of various technological goodies were amusing, in a way, but it was the way they were applied in the dis-organizer that was amusing.

Especially the Bluenose. You have to love that one.


Then there was the scene with A.E. Pessimal being commandeered into the Watch. The best was Willikins explaining to him the basics of fighting a troll.

"What if it is, in fact, behind me"

"Ah, well, I am afraid that in that case sir has to go back and start all over again, sir."

"And, er, how do I do that?"

"Being born is traditionally the first step, sir."


That had me laughing.


What I find interesting is Ankh-Morpork's gradual slide into technological advancement. In fact, is it steampunk I see looming in the distance? It certainly could be, with that Device the grags left behind in Ankh-Morpork.

I don't think that Monstrous Regiment was so bad. Vimes was great in it (for the little bit he was in.)

Ankh-Morpork going steampunk? That'd be interesting to see, but do you really think it'll go that way? I can't wait to find out.

Arg. Night Watch was much better then Thud.

I wouldn't say it was bad, it just didn't wow me. Which is fair enough, you can't love everything.

Get out of town! No way! Edwin Starr, covered by Bruce Springsteen (probably badly, given his back catalogue). Sheesh... What are you good for?!