Book:Men at Arms

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Book:Men at Arms
Co-author(s) {{{coauthors}}}
Illustrator(s) {{{illustrator}}}
Publisher Gollancz
Publication date 1993
ISBN 0552140287
Pages 288
RRP {{{rrp}}}
Main characters Ankh-Morpork City Watch, Havelock Vetinari
Series Watch Series
Annotations View
Notes Book #15
All data relates to the first UK edition.

Blurb

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

But what it's got includes Corporal Carrot (technically a dwarf), Lance-constable Cuddy (really 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 there's evil in the air and murder afoot and something very nasty in the streets.

It'd help if it could all be sorted out by noon, because that's when Captain Vimes is officially retiring, handing in his badge and getting married.

And since this is Ankh-Morpork, noon promises to be not just high, but stinking.

Cover

The front cover features (from left to right) Cuddy, Detritus, Angua, Carrot, Nobby and Colon. Illustrator Josh Kirby neglected to give Cuddy the dwarf a beard. At the bottom right there is a dog, presumably Gaspode.

Characters

Main characters

Minor characters

Cameos and Mentions

Locations

Things and Concepts

Annotations

When he and Carrot have chased down and arrested Dr Cruces, Vimes ineffectually fights the blandishments of the Gonne as it insists that he must kill Cruces and take the power to himself. Cruces, remember, has just seemingly killed Angua: the natural tendency of a policeman who has just seen a fellow copper killed is not going to be one mercy and forgiveness. Vimes is eventually shocked out of the killing mood by Carrot, and lowers his weapon.

This evokes an episode in hard-man cop show The Sweeney[1], where Flying Squad copper Inspector Regan, in a rage after seeing a copper shot, almost has to be physically disarmed by his sidekick Sergeant Carter before he realises he has almost stepped over the invisible line, and taken out irrevocable rough justice on a cornered criminal. Note that the junior, subordinate, copper takes the lead in both situations.

External links

Men at Arms Annotations - The Annotated Pratchett File


Previous book

Lords and Ladies

Discworld Series Next book

Soul Music

Previous book

Guards! Guards!

Watch Series Next book

Feet of Clay

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