The Fifth Elephant by Terry PratchettMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Captain Samuel Vimes, policeman and reluctant duke of the city of Ankh-Morpork, loves the thrill of the hunt he experiences every day as chief of the City Watch, but finds his role as a member of the aristocracy insufferably boring. Therefore, he is despondent when the lord of the city sends him off to be a diplomat in the far-off land of Überwald—but perks up considerably when the king of that region allows him to investigate the theft of a precious royal artifact. The Fifth Elephant, one of many Discworld novels following the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, is also one of the best. Vimes’ adventures in the gothic-style countryside of Überwald are a refreshing change from the usual urban setting of these books. Although he uses the clichéd characters of vampires and werewolves, the author gives them enough personality to differentiate them from the monsters of other modern novels. In addition, he gives the reader occasional comic relief by returning to Ankh-Morpork, where Vimes’ incompetent second-in-command struggles to keep control. Anyone who has already read the four preceding City Watch novels will enjoy this short excursion to a new, unique setting in the ever-entertaining Discworld. – Andrew R. ‘17
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