Novel review: Terry Pratchett - Feet of Clay (2007)

Lord Vetinari represented stability. It was a cold and clinical kind of stability, but part of his genius was the discovery that stability was what people wanted more than anything else.

He’d said to Vimes once, in this very room, standing at this very window: They think they want good government and justice for all, Vimes, yet what is it they really crave, deep in their hearts? Only that things go on as normal and tomorrow is pretty much like today.

I'm continuing through the City Watch, this time dutifully following the release order.

My overall impression is that it follows in the footsteps of Men at Arms which I found wanting compared to Guards! Guards! but tones down the main issues: the plot is more focused, the new characters don't take too much space (especially when considering the already large cast) and the whole seemed to flow more smoothly.

The key improvement is to be found in the gaps here: the plot isn't fighting desperately with the numerous character additions (we only got the amusing Cheery Littlebottom as notable one) and their own subplots for focus so its tempo doesn't end up broken.

Said plot - while strangely similar to the previous one, being partly about a coup to try and restore monarchy with a puppet king - was also more interesting than the gonne to me, which was used as a way to hamfist some of Pratchett's ideas.

My remaining nitpicks aren't different from those I have about Men at Arms: the romantic relation between Carrot and Angua is a shallow waste of ink and Detritus, while a convenient plot device, is often used as a boring one-gag pony.

I say it deserves half a point over its predecessor but I don't do half-points so let's round this to 8.

PS: I've just started on Jingo and I like the amount of change I'm seeing for now.