graywacke's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
4.5
A discworld at its best, when Pratchett was rolling.
It struck me how much the intense cleverness and humor built in slows the pace of these books down. A challenge becomes not how to make it funny, but how to manage this. Here he does a lot of stuff to keep it flowing, and it mostly works. Terrific stuff.
It struck me how much the intense cleverness and humor built in slows the pace of these books down. A challenge becomes not how to make it funny, but how to manage this. Here he does a lot of stuff to keep it flowing, and it mostly works. Terrific stuff.
genem's review against another edition
5.0
Everyone in this world is delightfully incompetent, each in their own special way. 5 stars, would bumble again.
constantlyunlightening's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
cnashbrook's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ellietonkin's review against another edition
3.0
This is probably one of those books that gets better after every reread. I preferred Going Postal and couldn’t help but compare it to Guards! Guards! as I went. The story itself was very weak and there were moments where boredom almost made me put the book down but the characters (particularly Vimes) redeemed it and I’m glad I continued on. I liked the humour and as ever, Terry Pratchett’s wit shone through. 3.5/5⭐️
beregond's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
queenduck's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
isabellarobinson7's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 4.5 stars
I've been trying to write this review for about an hour now but I keep getting distracted. (Wow I just took a three minute break after writing that sentence (and another five minute break after writing that one!)) It doesn't help that I have a dog, and I talk to him all the time about everything and I end up just doing nothing but having one sided conversations with an animal who doesn't understand English (so whose fault is it really).
But anyway, Guards! Guards! We're here to talk about Guards! Guards!. [It was at this point that I realised I could just use the speech-to-text function on my phone. This meant the inclusion of all the stuff I usually cut out from my initial word vomit, but for some bizarre reason I thought it was all worthwhile to keep in. I will probably read this back sometime and question this decision, but oh well, it has been made.] [Edit 31/03/21: yeah what were you thinking, Past Isabella?!] I think this is my most success successful Discworld attempt to date. Despite taking almost 2- [is 12 close to 14? Yeah whatever] 2 weeks to read it, I loved- [well, not really loved] I thoroughly enjoyed [yep that's better] this book and will definitely be continuing on with the sequel [to the dog: yes I know no one else is home, I'm talking to my phone. Oooh! That rhymes! Ok review]
I started writing notes for this book- [is it raining? Oh wait no that's just a train. Ooh train!] I started writing notes for Guards! Guards! but I ended up just putting stickies down whenever there was a funny line. Then it got to the point where I was putting sticky notes on every single page. I gave up because it wasn't shaping up to be review, just a list of quotes, which is fine but not very cohesive [though none of my reviews are that cohesive anyway].
I really enjoy Pratchett's commentary, which is prevalent in pretty much all his books. It's front and centre, but not so in your face because the humour is still there [so that it doesn't feel like you're reading some obnoxious twerp's... thing- yeah ok cutting that out]
I also didn't realise how much of a presence dragons have in this book. [my dog is looking at me very strangely again as I talk to my phone. To dog: yes, I may look crazy but I promise there is some kind of method to the madness... is that the expression? What do you know anyway] The whole thing basically centres around dragons. They even arrest a dragon! [this is just a crap ton of nothing]
So yes. That is my review for Guards! Guards!. It was good. Really good. (The book, not the review). Plus it was funny, and who doesn't want to read a funny book. But it's also... important(?) [words are hard] Ok I'm ending this nonsense now. This book: good. The sequel: will be read. This review: Tsar Bomba. I pray for your sanity if you made it this far.
______________
Updates:
12/02/21
The next step on the journey of convincing myself I do like Discworld, I just haven't realised it yet.
I've been trying to write this review for about an hour now but I keep getting distracted. (Wow I just took a three minute break after writing that sentence (and another five minute break after writing that one!)) It doesn't help that I have a dog, and I talk to him all the time about everything and I end up just doing nothing but having one sided conversations with an animal who doesn't understand English (so whose fault is it really).
But anyway, Guards! Guards! We're here to talk about Guards! Guards!. [It was at this point that I realised I could just use the speech-to-text function on my phone. This meant the inclusion of all the stuff I usually cut out from my initial word vomit, but for some bizarre reason I thought it was all worthwhile to keep in. I will probably read this back sometime and question this decision, but oh well, it has been made.] [Edit 31/03/21: yeah what were you thinking, Past Isabella?!] I think this is my most success successful Discworld attempt to date. Despite taking almost 2- [is 12 close to 14? Yeah whatever] 2 weeks to read it, I loved- [well, not really loved] I thoroughly enjoyed [yep that's better] this book and will definitely be continuing on with the sequel [to the dog: yes I know no one else is home, I'm talking to my phone. Oooh! That rhymes! Ok review]
I started writing notes for this book- [is it raining? Oh wait no that's just a train. Ooh train!] I started writing notes for Guards! Guards! but I ended up just putting stickies down whenever there was a funny line. Then it got to the point where I was putting sticky notes on every single page. I gave up because it wasn't shaping up to be review, just a list of quotes, which is fine but not very cohesive [though none of my reviews are that cohesive anyway].
I really enjoy Pratchett's commentary, which is prevalent in pretty much all his books. It's front and centre, but not so in your face because the humour is still there [so that it doesn't feel like you're reading some obnoxious twerp's... thing- yeah ok cutting that out]
I also didn't realise how much of a presence dragons have in this book. [my dog is looking at me very strangely again as I talk to my phone. To dog: yes, I may look crazy but I promise there is some kind of method to the madness... is that the expression? What do you know anyway] The whole thing basically centres around dragons. They even arrest a dragon! [this is just a crap ton of nothing]
So yes. That is my review for Guards! Guards!. It was good. Really good. (The book, not the review). Plus it was funny, and who doesn't want to read a funny book. But it's also... important(?) [words are hard] Ok I'm ending this nonsense now. This book: good. The sequel: will be read. This review: Tsar Bomba. I pray for your sanity if you made it this far.
______________
Updates:
12/02/21
The next step on the journey of convincing myself I do like Discworld, I just haven't realised it yet.
scroggin_cooper's review against another edition
5.0
A genuinely funny satire that will have even those who don’t like British humor roaring with laughter. I’m glad I started my Discworld journey with this lovely tale.
cloudweaver's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75