Thud! by Terry Pratchett

Thud!

Most recent Watch novel. My very favorite Discworld arc, so I've doled them out carefully to myself over the past few years. This one lives up and then some. Sam Vimes and his men coppers face civil unrest as racial tensions flare between the dwarves and the trolls. Meanwhile a mysterious museum theft may have surprising consequences, there's been a murder, and Vimes must get home by six to read "Where's My Cow?" to his son.

It's a Watch novel – either you know why it's awesome and you're already smiling, or you don't and you should stop listening to me and go off and find out. Except listen long enough to know these books are hilarious, and also the sort of sneaky wonderful that makes you sit up in the middle of the page and snortgiggle up the tear you just cried without actually realizing it. Particular highlights for me in this one were the changes in Sam upon the birth of his son and the consequent exploration of Sam's untapped potential for violence in the name of right. Also, I laughed a lot. Also also, Vetinari.

Who knows what's to come, but if this is the last Watch novel we get, the world will be just a little bit less bright.