Guards! Guards!
Discworld, Book 8
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 30 days of Standard free
Guards! Guards!
Buy Now for £13.79
-
Narrated by:
-
Jon Culshaw
-
Peter Serafinowicz
-
Bill Nighy
-
Ben Aaronovitch
Over 1 million Discworld audiobooks sold – discover the extraordinary universe of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld like never before
Discover the gloriously inventive and funny fantasy novel from bestselling author Terry Pratchett, the first book in the City Watch series, part of the Discworld novels.
'Noble dragons don't have friends. The nearest they can get to the idea is an enemy who is still alive.'
The city of Ankh-Morpork is in turmoil, its citizens revolting. Again.
A shadowy secret brotherhood has summoned a dragon to spread terror throughout the city, intent on overthrowing the Patrician and ruling in his place. Too bad the dragon has ideas of its own ...
It's up to Captain Sam Vimes and the ramshackle Night Watch to stop it. Only problem is, the Watch are more used to dealing with mobs than dragons.
And if they can't bring down this fire-breathing tyrant and reinstate their own, slightly less dangerous one, Ankh-Morpork might be lost. For ever...
Guards! Guards! is the first book in the City Watch series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.
‘Possibly the funniest book ever written’ 5-star reader review
'This is one of Pratchett's best books. Hilarious and highly recommended' The Times
© Terry Pratchett 1989 (P) Penguin Audio 2023
Continue the series
Critic reviews
'Pratchett is at the peak of his powers; it's hard to think of any humorist writing in Britain today who can match him...A masterful ear for dialogue, a keen eye for the ridiculous and a real feel for language'
Guards! Guards! Sir T P New Penguin release 2023
I’ve read the books. I’ve listened to the books the original recordings made digital for our dumb phones. Spoiler if you’re new to Sir Terry Pratchett’s books i) welcome ii) where in the hells have you been? and iii) stop reading this review I don’t want to spoil the magnificence of all the Discworld books and audiobooks.
Still reading? Well don’t blame me. Jon Culshaw has a gift of changing his voice. What he’s done here is awful. A bad Les Dawson impression does for Captain Sam Vimes. What!? (Don’t know Les Dawson? try that place for videos of everything you know youThingy)
Cpl. Nobby Nobbs is at least twenty years younger than Sgt. Fred Colon but sounds 20 years older. Is Mr Culshaw a fan of the Discworld? It doesn’t appear so. Age difference proof Nobby and Fred? Try Night Watch Nobby is a grubby little street urchin and Fred is in the Watch having served in the military already. Carrot’s voice is okay. For a thin wiry tall man Havelock Vetinari, the Patrician his voice sounds too deep and slow he’s swift of hand and swifter in the mind and would speak quickly enunciating clearly and sharply as his mind.
Based on this outing I won’t preorder any other books until I can hear a sample. I’ll stick with my original collection for now.
It’s an opportunity missed or misguided.
I’ve read the books. I’ve listened to the books
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved Nigel Planer's renditions - they were so enjoyable to listen to. He brought out the fun, humour and, dare I say it, the farce of the stories naturally, effortlessly and with aplomb.
In contrast, I found Jon Culshaw's narration to be slightly OTT which made his rendition sound stilted and disjointed. It was too serious and dramatic which, in my opinion, is not what the series is about. He made Nobby out to be more intelligent and quite sarcastic. Have I misjudged him all this time? Also, the plebs all sounded the same ie middle class.
I really regret giving away my physical copies of the books when I bought the audio recordings. However, the sound quality of the tapes have deteriorated due to constant replays. Audible has copies of these recordings, but it comes with a warning re the sound quality as well. There are no cd versions of Nigel's narration - I looked.
I will persevere with JC and hope that he will grow on me 🤞.
Jury still out re Jon Culshaw
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thank you and off I go to the next book
Great version of a wonderful story
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
loved the story and the performance
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Jon Culshaw pulling out all the big names!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.