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Thud!, by Terry Pratchett
Discworld Series, book 34
My rating: 8/10

Tensions between the trolls and the dwarves are rising as the day of the battle of Koom Valley rolls around again, and just what City Watch Commander Samuel Vimes doesn't need is the murder of an important and respected dwarf. Even with all his work, he manages to get home daily to read Where's my Cow? to his young son, but his hunt for the killer is leading him deeper and deeper into a dark mystery- and he soon learns there are things more dangerous than dwarves hidden inside the mines.

While I must admit that I have a special soft spot for the City Watch books in the Discworld series, that's not the only reason I rated it an eight. This is without a doubt the darkest book so far, out of the 33 I've read, and while it is somewhat unfamiliar territory for him, his skill did not abandon him. His books range on a scale from almost putting humour above plot and writing to a much darker side of things, and most of his books are strongly to the former's side. This book was unusually dark but well written and still humorous.

However, I did not like the ending, as I think it undermined Vimes and his work. There isn't much more I can say that won't be a spoiler, since this is a mystery. I also felt that Vimes' character was somewhat off, and Where's my Cow? was out of place compared to the rest.

Both a change from his normal lighter tone and centered on the City Watch, I would definitely recommend this book!
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