Book Review: Thud! by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #34)

Counting to 40 books, Discworld probably trumps every other fantasy series in terms of quantities. Meanwhile, unlike many long-running fantasy series where the quality of books declined as the series went on, Discword maintained its radiance, continuing to charm legions of readers with spellbinding stories. For 30 years, the luster of Discworld books never waned, and the new books are as brilliant as the old ones. This is definitely the case for Thud!, the 34^th installment in the series (and the 7^th book in a sub-series featuring Ankh-Morpork City Watch).

Thud! was published in 2005. It is a medium sized novel set in Ankh-Morpork, the melting-pot of Discworld. In comparison to Night Watch, Thud! is not as dark. However, this book maintained a serious tone, while returning to the slapstick comedy tradition found in earlier Discworld novels. I think Thud! is a very good and unique book. It is not because the title ended with an exclamation mark, but because this book has a gripping story, witty humors, while touching important issues in our contemporary society. So without further delay, allow me to begin my book review.

Synopsis:

On earth, there is a saying. It goes like this: “it is written”.

It is written?

How do we know what is written down is the truth?

A lot of things are written down, but one has to wonder, how much of that is wholly true?

The question of epistemology exists in every corner of the universe. And like on earth, sometimes it can even get people killed. Especially when the alleged “written truth” is used to fuel an agenda, breeding endless cycles of conflicts, creating “us” versus “them”, pitting one group of people against the next.

Don't believe me? Well, take a trip to Discworld. A world as flat as a disc, carried on the backs of 4 elephants standing on a giant star turtle. This is a place where dwarfs and trolls have a long history of uneasy relationship. According to dwarfs, it is written in the dwarven texts, that when Tak wrote the world, trolls were made to be wild and barbaric.

Furthermore, to understand the mutual dislikes between dwarfs and trolls, you must also know about Koom Valley.

What is Koom Valley? Trolls believe it was an ancient battle ground where dwarfs ambushed trolls, while dwarfs believe it was trolls who ambushed dwarfs. It was 500 years ago and its memory is a blur. But there is a memorial day for it nevertheless. And it just so happens that, as the memorial day approaches, a dwarf was murdered in the city. The dwarven community in Ankh-Morpork accused a troll for the murder. Needless to say, this murder resurrected a buried memory of dark hatred between dwarfs and trolls.

A fiery wind of chaos and war descends upon the city, giving commander Samuel Vimes a headache. If he can't solve the murder before the memorial day, then citizens of Ankh-Morpork are going to witness the battle of Koom Valley fought again. This time, outside their front doors...

My thoughts on this book:

In many ways, Thud! is a traditional Discworld novel featuring City Watch. The centre piece of the plot is a murder mystery. Upon which the characters and themes evolved and developed. Like most Discworld novels, Thud! is abundant with good humors. Readers will laugh and chuckle upon seeing the parodies of numerous icons in the popular culture. The narrative is plot-driven, and the storytelling steers along a clear direction.

Every Discworld novel can be seen as a social commentary with a theme. Thud! is no stranger to this hallmark. In this book, with a gripping, humorous story, Terry Pratchett invites his readers to explore topics such extremism, fanaticism, groupthink, and their consequential tragedies. I have only good things to say about the meanings behind this book. Although, this book took its time to create and build the story's background, and some readers may find the first 30% of the book a bit slow. Having said this, once the background is established, the story's momentum becomes unstoppable as a jetting torrent from a bursting dam.

Every Discworld novel is meant to be a stand-alone story. While this may also be the case for Thud!, but gentle readers, I would highly recommend reading at least 3 City Watch novels before you read this book. The reason being, while Thud! is not a continuation to previous Discworld novels, yet this book features many characters and referencing events from previous City Watch books. This means, if you have read at least 3 City Watch novels, it will certainly grant you a deeper appreciation for the character developments and the story in Thud!.

Speaking of characterizations, Thud! features the full cast of characters from City Watch. In addition to Samuel Vimes and lady Sybil, all of our favorite characters, from Fred Colon, Nobby, Carrot, Angua, Detritus, and Cheery returned in this book to play major roles in the story. In addition to this, Terry Pratchett introduced a new character to City Watch, Sally the vampire, whose friendship with Angua branched off into an interesting sub-plot in the book. Every character in this book is portrayed vividly, their depictions highlighted by colorful spheres of likable, comedic eccentricity.

Thud! is a solid entry to Discworld. It is the 34^th addition to the series, but it has not lose one bit of its charm. This book delivers a gripping story that is both entertaining and meaningful. I have fond memories of the characters from this book. Therefore, I highly recommend Thud!. If you have been reading Discworld novels, then make sure to check out books from City Watch sub-series and add this book to your “to read” list.