Synopsis: Sam Vimes is a man on the run. Yesterday he was a duke, a chief of police and the ambassador to the mysterious, fat-rich country of Uberwald.
Now, he has nothing but his native wit and the gloomy trousers of Uncle Vanya (don't ask). It's snowing. It's freezing. And if he can't make it through the forest to civilization there's going to be a terrible war.
But there are monsters on his trail. They're bright. They're fast. They're werewolves - and they're catching up.
"The Fifth Elephant" is Terry Pratchett's latest installment in the "Discworld" cycle, this time starring dwarfs, diplomacy, intrigue and big lumps of fat.
My Thoughts: I'm a massive Pratchett fan and this is my favourite one yet.
Once again, Pratchett has taken a big topic - this time politics - and wrapped it up in a hilarious, dramatic and fast paced story that pulls the reader along with it and doesn't let them go until the final page.
Angua's family are really interesting and give us a better view of who she is and where she came from. And her relationship with Carrot is deepened and made more important to the reader.
Overall, this is a brilliant Discworld novel - but then, what else would you expect from a master like Pratchett?
*****
