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Night Watch
- Discworld, Book 29
- Narrated by: Stephen Briggs
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
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Night Watch
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Summary
Truth! Justice! Freedom! And a hard-boiled egg!
Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch had it all. But now he's back in his own rough, tough past, without even the clothes he was standing up in when the lightning struck.
Living in the past is hard. Dying in the past is incredibly easy. But he must survive; he has a job to do. He must track down a murderer, teach his young self to be a good copper and change the outcome of a bloody rebellion. There's a problem, though: if he wins, he's got no wife, no child, no future.
This is a Discworld Tale of One City, with a full chorus of street urchins, rebels, secret policemen and other children of the revolution.
Please note: This is a vintage recording. The audio quality may not be up to modern day standards.
Critic reviews
"British author Pratchett's storytelling, a clever blend of Monty Pythonesque humor and Big Questions about morality and the workings of the universe, is in top form...in the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series." (Publishers Weekly)
"Stephen Briggs's voices add dimension to the characters while avoiding exaggeration. He brings out the satire without compromising the subtlety of the humor.... The series is meant to be read aloud." (AudioFile)
"The author's talent for comedy does not falter as he continues to set the standard for comic fantasy." (Library Journal)
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What listeners say about Night Watch
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Will
- 15-11-11
Serious fun.
I don't remember being blown away by this book when I first read it, but that was close to a decade ago and I wasn't really old enough to appreciate this story, which is deep and complex even by Pratchett's standards. Listening to it now I'm very glad I chose it. Pratchett's understanding of human nature and capability for more serious storytelling shines through here. Both the hero (Vimes) and the main villain (Carcer) make great character studies and are treated like real people influencing events rather than plot-driving juggernauts. The time travel element is handled sensitively and believably and gives an insight into old Ankh-Morpork which fits in perfectly with the previously sketchy details of how bad things were in the old days. This book is perhaps less funny than some other Discworld novels (though still amusing), but it more than makes up for it in the depth of the setting and the quality of the storytelling. Highly recommended.
Stephen Briggs's reading is as always excellent, though here more than ever his habit of giving everyone different accents is a bit jarring. Still, the narration is good and the voices and characterisation is engaging.
13 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- IPW133
- 16-11-11
Night Watch
Absolutely brilliant. Love the narrator and the story is great - Vimes at his best. Well worth buying.
9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Fiona
- 17-06-17
Night Watch stands above the rest
It's hard to keep reviewing Terry Pratchett's work because the same compliments apply again and again! He really was one of the greatest writers of our age.
However, a couple of the books stand out as even better than the rest - this is one of them. I can listen to it again and again and enjoy it as much - if not more - every time.
A brilliant story. Wonderful characters - clearly a great imagination is at work here, and woven through the whole thing is humour, wit, satire, a astute observation of the human condition, and a passion for ridiculing pomposity and stupidity.
Absolutely brilliant - highly recommended
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Crackdown
- 02-10-13
Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably Priced Love..
"Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably Priced Love, and a Hard-Boiled Egg!"
Night Watch is one of the best and most well loved books in the Discworld, and the audio book doesn't disappoint.
Within this story you have mention of the wearing of lilac to commemorate the The People's Revolution uprising on the 25th May.
Following Terry Pratchett's announcement about early onset Alzheimer, many fans refer to wearing lilac, or using the above quote on the 25th of May as a tribute, and also to raise money for Alzheimer research.
I think for that reason alone, this book is always likely to be one of the top Terry Pratchett books of all time.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- gemma
- 04-10-11
One of my favourite Pratchett stories
I love this book so was pleased to find it on Audible. I generally found it a good listen, however the range of accents felt a little bit like Briggs showing off! I appreciate that any city will have it's variations, but it was hard to find a common accent across the range of characters. Also I found Briggs' pacing a bit odd in places, but once I'd got used to it I barely noticed it.
Overall an enjoyable story for any Pratchett fan.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Devina Fish
- 04-09-21
It is always a shame...
This is such a brilliant story with fantastic characters and wonderful development in the narrative, sadly however, Steven Briggs is abysmal as a narrator which truly hinders one's enjoyment. Such a shame, truly it is.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 13-06-20
Prescient, timeless, perfect
Night Watch has always been my favourite Diskworld novel, and revisiting it at this time, in this place, has created a new layer of meaning for me.
GNU Sir Terry
2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- C. Gunter
- 03-05-20
Good story: poor delivery
As usual, a good Terry Pratchett. It was left down by the structure and delivery. The story was delivered in a single chapter, which made it difficult to use when alternating between two devices. I listen via a tablet and when out and about, via a smart phone. It was fiddley picking up the right place when going from one to the other.
The narrator's voice kept changing even in the middle of speech from on character. The accents also changed for the same speaker so it was hard to keep track of who was speaking. It was the story itself that brought the score up to three stars.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dragonet
- 16-01-19
Awesome
Should be a mandatory part of the police training course. Some of Pratchett's best one liners and pure Vimes.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah
- 16-06-11
Another lovely Pratchett
I love Pratchett's work and his hopefullness about humanity shines through this book, like all the rest.
Not my absolute favourite, but still great! Good on you Sir Terry!
I'm always mixed about Brigg's reading. His characters are really good, but his diction is a bit off. As if he has a cold or something, I think he reads too fast, which gives his readings an amaturish air. Still much better than Nigel Planer's readings IMHO!
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Oz Pom
- 02-02-11
Pratchett at his best.
In pursuit of a criminal, Commander Samuel Vimes is thrown back in time to become John Keel, the mentor to his younger self. The twists, turns and political intrigue are inter-mingled with the usual blend of Pratchett humour and wit. This is Pratchett at his very best and, through the excellent story-telling and vocal characterisations of Stephen Briggs, is a pleasure to listen to or to revisit for anyone who has already read the novel. Five star rating!
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marta B
- 29-08-20
Another sleepless night!
Well, I've read the book many times, but this was the first time I listened to it and as the headline shows, I enjoyed it very much. Maybe too much. Luckily it is not a work day today! :)) Stephen Briggs' rendition of the characters was fabulous.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Zuhal
- 17-03-12
One of the best Pratchett stories
What did you like about this audiobook?
I would definitely recommend
How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?
For the first time in a long while, I was surprised by a Discworld tale. When you are a fan of a long-term, 40-odd book series, that is a very good thing.
Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?
Mr Briggs is simply Discworld characters alive. No disrespect to the talents of Mr. Nigel Planer and Mr. Tony Robinson, but there is a feeling of rightness when it is Stephen Briggs who narrates the Discworld stories.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stef
- 27-11-21
time to hear an old story anew
Stephen Briggs brings the characters alive. they are all brilliantly voiced and easy to tell apart.
Pratchett create another magical story, interweaving characters and story archs like a tapestry. fantastic
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mike
- 07-11-21
The night watch saga paying off
Sam Vimes at his best and most competent. Paying off the history, characters and character development of discworld. Just good stuff, my favorite of the night watch saga so far.
(The audio was good but the character's emotions didn't match the stated mood a bunch of times, so like 9/10 there. Still very enjoyable.)
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 07-06-21
All time favorite
I love this book and keep coming back to it, year after year, when lilac blooms. Terry Pratchett at his best - funny, yet meaningful and captivating.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marcel (MadJo)
- 31-05-21
One of the best discworld novels
One of the best discworld novels and Stephen Briggs' narration brings it to life for me.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian
- 16-08-19
For young and old
Terry Pratchett has got to be one of the best story tellers of our time. For young and old alike, his stories remain entertaining and insightful. I look forward to having children that I may share this wonderful gift with them, in the hopes they’ll find as much love for them as I have.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Naist
- 31-10-18
Simply the best
What more is there to say. In the watch series this is my favorite. Maybe read or listen to the previous books before before this one, just to make it that much better.
Do not listen to anyone suggesting Tony Robinson, not because his narration is directly poor, but because he narrates an abridged edition. That is something you never want to do to a Pratchett book, and really shouldn't listen to.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- doctorstarch
- 12-01-23
My favourite audiobook
I love this Watch novel and I love the way it is so beautifully narrated by Stephen Briggs. I must have listened through 3-4 times now and his love for discworld shows in the way he creates all the characters as individuals.