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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
One of the best
Once an author is turning out a novel a year in a growing series he can be forgiven for getting rather stale. That isn't really a problem with Terry Pratchett: his output can be a bit uneven but overall the Discworld fantasies just seem to be getting better, and "The Fifth Elephant" is one of the best.
The wonderful Sam Vimes - clever, upwardly mobile but basically...
Published 22 months ago by Iain S. Palin
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3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
a shade that reminds you of happier times
Reviewing the newest Terry Pratchett 'novel' is becoming an oddly familiar repetition of the same sequence of emotions. Surprise, that another has appeared so soon, the slight thrill of the hunt acquiring the review copy, the pleasure of the arrival of the Securicor man with the parcel, and then the trepidation setting in as you settle down to read. Later, not an awful...
Published on 28 Jun 2000
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
One of the best, 11 Jan 2008
Once an author is turning out a novel a year in a growing series he can be forgiven for getting rather stale. That isn't really a problem with Terry Pratchett: his output can be a bit uneven but overall the Discworld fantasies just seem to be getting better, and "The Fifth Elephant" is one of the best.
The wonderful Sam Vimes - clever, upwardly mobile but basically honest and down-to-earth chief of police of Ankh-Morpork - is sent with his aristocratic wife on a diplomatic mission to troubled realm of Uberwald. Why did the city's ruler Lord Vetinari, a man who could give Machiavelli lessons in deviousness, chose Vimes of all people for this delicate task? What exactly is going on in Uberwald, where the uneasy balance of power between dwarves, werewolves, and vampires seems to be breaking down? All is revealed in a book that is both dark and humorous, engrossing and highly entertaining.
Many of the usual characters we have come to know from the Discworld novels are here, and trying to make the best of an unfamiliar and threatening place and understand the peoples and their politics.
Once again Pratchett is the master not only of plot and character but also of the little aside, the fascinating but not overdone individual, the sly and amusing reference. We learn, for instance, that it is a social blunder to use the word "bath" to an upper-class werewolf when he is in human form, it makes him uncomfortable. We are introduced to a vampire equivalent of AA where members help each other keep off the human blood and get through "vun night at a time". We discover that the Low King of the Dwarves must be crowned sitting on a large, hard item called the great Scone of Stone - a clever one this, referring not only to the durability and lethal solidity of dwarfish bread as explained in previous novels but also to the Stone of Scone (pronounced "Skoon") on which for centuries the kings of Scotland were crowned. And much more...
If you know the characters you will enjoy the book even more, but Pratchett newbies could find a worse place to start than this one.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
A copper that isn't an ore, 15 Jan 2006
Role models are a major topic these days. Who are the good ones, and who the bad? Once we had monarchs, presidents, explorers, all good and/or bad with some migration from the first to the second. In Sam Vimes, we may have a unique example of the reverse.When we first met Sam Vimes in GUARDS! GUARDS!, he was sodden in a gutter, soddin' drunk. Hardly an auspicious beginning for a heroic figure. Discworld heroes are often found in unusual circumstances, rarely admirable at first sight. Sam's a copper, Commander of Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch. It's a job to send any man's hand groping for support, even if the brace is in the form of a bottle. Now he's on his way to Uberwald. Trolls, Dwarves and Werewolves have all emigrated from this region, taking up residence in Sam's city. He hasn't shed his resentment at this intrusion, nor his suspicion of these bizarre life forms. His earlier cultural challenges came from the likes of Klatchians, who were at least human. The Patrician has made him a diplomat, a real challenge for a man with so little tact. He must deal with all these creatures he resents. Failure to deal successfully may result in his becoming part of the local cuisine. Sam has an advantage over many of us. Strongly self-aware, he manages to control his temper and intemperance. He's pulled himself out of the gutter. Now the Duke of Ankh- Morpork, he's married into the city's aristocracy. His diplomatic skills are going to be put to severe tests. To ease the pressure, Sam is accompanied by his recently acquired spouse, Sybil Ramkin. Her presence with him on this venture is an indication of his newly elevated status, and recognition of her well established one. Ironically, Sam is also supported by some of his mates from the Watch, Detritus the Troll and forensic expert Cheery Littlebottom, a Dwarf. Both are originally from the Uberwald. Sam's diplomatic assignment is a commercial treaty and attendance of the Coronation of the Low King. Regrettably, not all Uberwald is happy with the new monarch, and Sam is drawn into a miasma of plots and counter plots no diplomat should enter. Sam Vimes is anything but a hero of the ideal romantic stamp. His blemishes are apparent, but, to his credit, he recognizes them and deals with them. His temper, which he controls with effort, leads him into difficult situations. His prejudices blind him to unexpected values in people [and, in this case, a scruffy dog], but when he finally recognizes the truth, he acknowledges it. Maybe with glum grace, but without rancor. Pratchett has drawn him as a strikingly real figure. He's unique on the Discworld. And that's sad in one sense because both the Discworld and our world could do with more like him. Pratchett's plots have never been overly convoluted or difficult to unravel. His wit more than makes up for that. His characters are immensely significant in these stories. Those of us who've followed Sam along the cobblestoned streets of his life will rejoice at this portrayal. They will also encounter an Angua with enhanced reality. And Sam and Sybil are . . . [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
One of Terrys best yet, 15 Dec 2004
I have read most of his books and this one actually stands out more than the others. His previous works have the feeling of a fantasy world run amok but this one is actually a crime story which is merely set in a fantasy world. You can actually pull the story out of the fantasy context and introduce it into a Sherlock Holmes story without breaking too many rules. He still has all of his fantasy elements but it is suddenly given an unusual detail to the investigative part of the story.A good book.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
I loved this book!, 17 Oct 2003
This is the twenty-fourth book in Terry Pratchett's series on the Discworld--a flat world, supported on the back of four massive elephants riding on the back of a planet-sized turtle, anything hilarious can happen here, and eventually does. When Samuel Vimes, commander of the Ankh-Morpork city watch is sent by Lord Vetinari to represent the city at the crowning of the new Dwarvish Low King, he knows something is afoot. Things begin to unravel when murders begin, a duplicate of a Dwarven artifact is stolen, Sergeant Angua disappears, Captain Carrot quits to search for her, and (worst of all) Sergeant Colon is placed in charge of the Watch. Can Sam Vimes unravel the mysteries surrounding him? And, who should he fear most, the werewolves or the vampires?Ah, once again Terry Pratchett has reached into the ether, and brought forth another fascinating and hilarious work. As always, Terry is a master of running several storyline concurrently, and bringing the whole story together as a logical whole. I loved this book, and highly recommend it.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
dont forget, 16 Aug 2006
Just finished reading it for the umpteenth time. Still funny. Angua & Carrot modern Romeo & Juliet? Long may the disk spin.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
The Fifth Elephant review., 9 April 2006
By A Customer
The Fifth Elephant is a fast-paced,political thriller.In The Fifth Elephant the Scone of Stone has been stolen and now watch commander Sam Vimes must find out where it is before the coronation of the next low king.However,there are werewolves on his trail,constable Angua has disapeared,corperals Cheery and Detritus have been arrested and the only person to of been remotly civil to Sam Vimes is a vampire!If you like reading sci-fi or fantasy then read Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.If you enjoy this book then read books 8,15,19,21,27 and 32.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
The Fifth Elephant, 2 Sep 2005
Yes oh Yes says he , punching the air.
Sam Vimes gets yet more unwanted promotion by that crafty Patrician - but only because Vimes's next job is the dirtiest yet - diplomacy. Inna far off land well away from his beloved big city. There's trouble brewing and it could lead to war - a nasty one that may deprive Ankhmorpork of its better quality candles. On the other hand it could mean more, profitable business for this merchant city - it's entirely up to Vimes - and we all know that diplomacy is not one of his strong points don't we?
Human behaviour again - dissected with the sharpest of knives and presented as a rattling good story of 'international' flavour and with the sharpest of commentary by our very own wizard - TP.
New readers won't appreciate the characters without having met them in previous books and will get left behind in the early stages of this one.
It would need a very heavy information 'dump' to get new readers up to speed - so enjoy one or two earlier Discworld novels to introduce yourself to Sam Vimes and his crew, and get into the swing of this very 'real' - and special - policeman.
This novel is one that I repeatedly read again, so get it yourself and join me in one of the most 'realistic' fantasy worlds ever created.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
A classic, 5 Jan 2004
Once again Terry Pratchett has turned out another classic. I have read every one of his books and this is without doubt the best, as usual parodying society by holding up his mirror world Pratchett has combined who-dunnit, satire, surrealism and parody into one storyline impossible to put down. Many people say it was impossible to put a book down, but I found myself eight hours after picking this book up having not moved untill the last line. Need I say more!
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Some of the greatest imagery ever created, 3 April 2002
By A Customer
The Fifth Elephant is the greatest of the Watch books, and nicely counters the earlier Watch books that are set entirely in Ankh-Morpork (not that these are bad). However, this really is the Holy Grail of comedy/fantasy/thrillers.
Those with a hungry imagination will find much to feed on; the dwarf mining city, for example, is quite amazing.
The best part of this book is, of course, the chase sequence. This moves at breakneck speed across the country, with our hero Vimes being pursued by a pack of murderous werewolves. All the frustration in the world is unleashed on the wolves unfortunate to catch him...great stuff.
Lastly, the book is almost unbearably tense, especially at the very end when Wolfgang comes back for one last attempt to murder the Watch. I will leave you with words from on of the funniest characters-Detritus:
"We're going to be ambushed, lads!"
"Dat's interesting..."
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Review, no, more of a commentary, 24 April 2001
By A Customer
Hello there, I am a 14 year old girl, from Canada, and I discovered Terry Pratchett 3 years ago. And it has changed my world. I don't want to sound like some 'Trekkie' or something like that, but, I mean, surely the other Pratchett fans know what I'm trying to say! It changes you, it gives you whole new outake on life. You look at things differently. It's absolutely amazing. I can't understand how some people here call themselves 'die-hard Pratchett fans,' and then go and give him anything but 5 stars! If you really are a big fan, he could copy out the Ohio phonebook and you would still call it a work of literary genius! And not just because Terry Pratchett wrote it, but because he would put such a spin on it, and give it a whole new direction, that it would be genius. The Fifth Elephant was a typical Terry Pratchett book, it was completely brilliant! I love it from cover to cover, as I did all the other discworld books. I am anxiously awaiting more from this wonderfully talented man. And I would just like to congratulate Mr. Pratchett on his successful career. I was also wondering why there is almost none, if ANY talk of Terry Pratchett in Cananda, I wonder why because who. in their right mind, could possibly overlook him???
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