Night Watch (novel)

Night Watch is the 28th novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, published in 2002. The hero of the novel is Sir Samuel Vimes, commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch.

The cover illustration of the British edition, by Paul Kidby, is a parody of Rembrandt's painting Night Watch.

Night Watch makes references to the Spanish Inquisition ( the "Unmentionables") and the French Revolution.

On the morning of the 30th anniversary of the death of Vimes' hero – John Keel, the copper who taught him all he knows about being a copper – Vimes is caught in a magical explosion while pursuing a serial killer across the roof of Unseen University. Vimes awakes in a strange place, namely Dr. Mossy Lawn's Surgery, in the presence of the doctor and Mrs Palm, a 'seamstress'. They tell him that he was found unconscious in the gutter, so they collected him. Vimes was surprised he wasn't recognised, him being a Duke and all. After he left, he realised he'd gone back in time, and went to the University. He was then arrested by the Watch for breaking curfew. In the next cell is the criminal who he was chasing – Carcer. Carcer is released, and it turns out he joined the Watch. Vimes is then taken to see the Captain of the Watch, who asks Vimes' name. Vimes bluffs it and says he's John Keel. Then time freezes, and Vimes meets Lu-Tze, and the Monks of Time. Lu-Tze (or "Sweeper" as he insists on calling himself) tells Vimes all he needs to know about how he should live as Keel, and Vimes returns to the Captain's Office. Vimes is questioned, then takes over the conversation and joins the Watch as Sergeant-at-arms John Keel. He stays at Lawn's place until Snouty brings him his uniform and pips. He then meets his past self, who looks on him as a hero, and it turns out young Sam was one of the ones who arrested Vimes earlier. Vimes starts to show Sam the ropes, and eventually runs into young Nobby Nobbs, who was spying on Vimes for several people, so Vimes paid Nobby to watch his back, and treated him to a meal. You also learn about young Havelock Vetinari, who will become Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, and his aunt. At the time of the novel Mad Lord Winder is to be replaced by a man called Snapcase (later to be know as Mad Lord Snapcase). Vimes, in his role as John Keel, meanwhile leads a revolution against the "Unmentionables", a force within the watch which deals with people breaking curfew and other problematic persons, most of whom were never seen again. Carcer joined them earlier after his arrest.

        To Be Continued

Night Watch translations

• Нощна стража (Bulgarian)
• Die Nachtwächter (German)
• Noční hlídka (Czech)