"Everyone knows that the world is flat, and supported on the backs of four elephants. But weren't there supposed to be five? Indeed there were. ... read full description
reviews
Jun 19, 2008
Kristen
rated it: 
I know that many have stated that there had been a decline in his writing as time goes on… I personally would have to disagree. There is a change in his writing; however I feel that it has been for the better. As his book have progressed, he has leaned less toward the quick giggle and insane rush of nonsense and more toward a satirical plot with darker edges and the giggles interspersed within the story rather than his jokes running the story.
The Fifth Elephant is one of Pratchett’ More...
The Fifth Elephant is one of Pratchett’ More...
Aug 31, 2011
apple
rated it:
Please allow me one quick soul-searching moment. Before I was introduced to the awesomeness of Discworld…I was just an empty shell of a fan
I haven’t picked up Discworld book for quite some time (last one I read was Jingo) so reading the Fifth Elephant kind of gave me the warm and fuzzy feeling of falling in love with Sir Terry Pratchett’s work all over again. I think this book is the most action-packed volume in City Watch series yet. Imagine Bruce Willis all decked out in tights wit More...
I haven’t picked up Discworld book for quite some time (last one I read was Jingo) so reading the Fifth Elephant kind of gave me the warm and fuzzy feeling of falling in love with Sir Terry Pratchett’s work all over again. I think this book is the most action-packed volume in City Watch series yet. Imagine Bruce Willis all decked out in tights wit More...
2 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Mar 08, 2011
Kathryn
rated it: 
An Ankh-Morpork City Watch novel not set in Ankh-Morpork? After the generally weak Jingo, I was surprised to see Pratchett try it again. I've found the City Watch books to be highly irregular in quality, and the Fifth Elephant just adds to that.
Instead of Ankh-Morpork, the book takes place in Uberwald, which is the country Angua (One of the Watchwo-... Uh, Watchwerewolves) is from. For a book about her and her family, she's in it surprisingly little. The book revolves more around Vim More...
Instead of Ankh-Morpork, the book takes place in Uberwald, which is the country Angua (One of the Watchwo-... Uh, Watchwerewolves) is from. For a book about her and her family, she's in it surprisingly little. The book revolves more around Vim More...
May 30, 2010
John
rated it: 
Terry Pratchett's Discworld series really caught me by surprise. I _expected_ airy, humorous fantasies with a satirical edge to them (I picked up on this from the title of the first one I read: GOING POSTAL). But that description does not do these books justice. These are good stories, regardless of the fact that many of the characters are fantastic or supernatural creatures (including a talking dog).
The main character of this book (Sam Vimes - featured in many of the Discworld nove More...
The main character of this book (Sam Vimes - featured in many of the Discworld nove More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Oct 30, 2009
Rebekah
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jul 06, 2009
Ann
rated it:
The fifth elephant (anybody remember "The Fifth Element?") crashed into the Discworld millenia ago, resulting in the vast underground fat deposits of Uberwald. The theft of the Scone of Stone sends Commander Vimes on a diplomatic mission to Uberwald, home of dwarfs, vampires, and werewolves. Accompanying him are Lady Sybil, Sgt. Detritis, Corporal Cheery (that's Cheri) Littlebottom, and Corporal Angua. There is absolutely nothing that cannot and is not parodied in this book. If you don
More...
Aug 19, 2010
Margaret
rated it:
The Fifth Elephant is a Discworld novel and part of the subseries about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch (falling between Jingo and Night Watch). Commander Samuel Vimes (who is also the Duke of Ankh) is sent by the Patrician as ambassador to Uberwald, a country largely inhabited by werewolves, vampires, and dwarves, who are bickering about who should run the country.
Pratchett takes the opportunity to put his familiar characters - Vimes, his wife Lady Sybil, Captain Carrot, the werewolf A More...
Pratchett takes the opportunity to put his familiar characters - Vimes, his wife Lady Sybil, Captain Carrot, the werewolf A More...
Mar 13, 2011
Phil
rated it:
I discovered this book by chance. Someone had left it on a table in a pub. As a Terry Pratchett fan, I couldn't stand the thought of leaving it to the elements and, after several hours spent in the pub and with no owner appearing, I took it home with me. The Fifth Elephant deals with the bread and butter of Pratchetts discworld. Werewolves, Vampires, Dwarves, Trolls and of course, Sam Vimes, who's skills as a copper (and a reluctant duke/diplomat) are tested when he has to solve a theft, a murde
More...
Jan 15, 2010
Nicolas
rated it: 
Dans ce roman, on asiste sans doute à la première sortie de Vimaire hors des doux murs d'Ankh-Morpokh, ce délicat refuge de la civilisation la plus cosmopolite du Disque-Monde. Sortie qui, bien sûr, n'est pas de tout repos.
En effet, Vimaire est envoyé, bien contre son gré, par le Patricien comme ambassadeur en Uberwald, contrée mythique des vampires, des loup-garous, et des nains intégristes.
Il est d'ailleurs curieux de voir à quel point, alors qu'on se serait attendu à ce que le rom More...
En effet, Vimaire est envoyé, bien contre son gré, par le Patricien comme ambassadeur en Uberwald, contrée mythique des vampires, des loup-garous, et des nains intégristes.
Il est d'ailleurs curieux de voir à quel point, alors qu'on se serait attendu à ce que le rom More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jun 14, 2010
astried
rated it:
I still don't understand the connection with the title.. I'm growing to be a true Carrot hater (that's too harsh, not-a-fan?) since I enjoyed this book so much just because he didn't have big part in it. I think I have problem with man that everybody loves. I realized this problem as I was reading The Old Man at the Railroad Crossing and Other Tales and loved the man who has no friend better in one of the short stories. Carrot did behave marvelously by showing that Angua is more important than t
More...
Aug 11, 2011
Helen
rated it:
The dwarves in Uberwald are about to crown a new king - only there is trouble brewing. The King elected isn't the one that everyone thought it would be, and now the scone of stone on which he's crowned has gone missing. Co-incidentally, so has the replica scone that was in the dwarf bread museum in Ankh Morpork, which is now the largest dwarf city on the disc and had a large part to play in the election.
The city needs to send an Ambassador to Uberwald for the crowning and The patrician decided More...
The city needs to send an Ambassador to Uberwald for the crowning and The patrician decided More...
Aug 08, 2011
Julie
rated it:
I LOVE Pratchett's work; he astounds me as an author. The Fifth Elephant is one of my favorites of the Discworld series and the Night Watch set is my favorite sub-series in it. The humorous satire on the human condition is, as always, a delight and yet I found even more in the solid storyline and characterizations. I especially enjoy the interplay and dialogue between characters; it is a real skill to create a novel that is so vivid and yet doesn't waste time on descriptive narrative. I'll w
More...
Apr 02, 2011
Elizabeth (Miss Eliza)
rated it:
Samuel Vimes, Watchman extraordinaire, is about to be out of his depths and his comfort zone... again. Lord Vetinari has need of a diplomat up in Uberwald to witness the crowning of the new dwarf king. Samuel is, sadly from his point of view, a Duke, therefore a perfect candidate for this goodwill mission. But Lord Vetinari's schemes are usually far more complex and far more cunningly thought out. If Vimes is to go to Uberwald, there is more to it than Vetinari is saying. He needs Vimes there, n
More...
Jul 11, 2010
Myles
rated it:
Here is where it all began for me, my first Discworld novel.
I had been having a dull summer staying at a friend's house in Massachusetts whose idea of fun was watching anime all day, and was wandering aimlessly through the town library, which I was unfamiliar with, when a librarian seeing myself at a loss, asked what it was that I liked to read. Hearing the word fantasy she grabbed this book off the shelf.
It is rather late in the story of Samuel Vimes and much of the charact More...
I had been having a dull summer staying at a friend's house in Massachusetts whose idea of fun was watching anime all day, and was wandering aimlessly through the town library, which I was unfamiliar with, when a librarian seeing myself at a loss, asked what it was that I liked to read. Hearing the word fantasy she grabbed this book off the shelf.
It is rather late in the story of Samuel Vimes and much of the charact More...
May 09, 2009
Luann
rated it:
I'm not sure why, but I just didn't enjoy this book as much as other Terry Pratchett books I've read in the past. Maybe I need to have read more of the Discword books before this one? Whatever it was, I just couldn't seem to get excited about it. There were parts I enjoyed such as the fun character names and the bits of Pratchett humor that sneak up on you and make you laugh out loud, but somehow that wasn't enough for me. I never had that "must know the ending" feeling and it was eas
More...
Jul 09, 2011
Sally
rated it:
So far I've read 31 of the Discworld books, and The Fifth Elephant is the 5th of the stories featuring Sam Vimes and the City Watch. With reading many books by the same author comes a tendency to say one or another was a favorite. This one was perhaps a favorite for me, not because of the story line, although it was as good as are most of them, but because I caught myself chuckling out loud a number of times. I even had to read aloud little bits to my husband because he'd ask me what I was la
More...
Feb 15, 2009
Macie
rated it:
This is one of my favorite books by Terry Pratchett, and that is saying something. If you're not a Pratchett fan, you might have some trouble keeping up, but it is worth the attempt. This one has political intrigue, a mystery, and Pratchett's usual satire and witty observations about human nature. It also has dwarfs, werewolves, Igors, a troll, a vampire, and a talking dog, but none of these things keep me from enjoying the Discworld books. Sam Vimes, with all his internal conflicts, is so much
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 04, 2011
Looove It! It truly brings out Carrots depth, and confirms many things between Him and Angua. I also really like Vime and Sybal.. they are just adorable and well, Sybal Kicks butt. Hehe, she may be proper.. but she can certainly fend for herself. Love the whole image of her standing firmly over the wolf with her BAr, HAH Take that!! *giggles* A real shame about inigo though.. and Dee could have been a little more Kindly to cheery.. If you know what I mean. As always, terry has completly satisfi
More...
Jan 23, 2011
Iain
rated it:
This is a City Watch Discworld novel. Commander Vimes is sent to Uberwald, the Discworld's home of the undead, for the coronation of a new Dwarf king. However, he ends up trying to unravel a plot between werewolves and dwarf traditionalists to dethrone the new king. Seperately, Angua heads for Uberwald as well, as it is her brother who is behind the plot, and Carrot chases after her. Back in Ankh-Morpork, a terrified Sgt Colon is promoted to Captain in the absence of Vimes and Carrot, and immedi
More...
Aug 07, 2011
Khardan
rated it:
Tengo que decirlo, no me esperaba que un libro de la Guardia me pareciera tan genial. Vimes está en su salsa, y en uno de los escenarios en los que mejor puede desenvolverse el personaje. Meción especial tanto para Lady Sybill, como para los dos guardias que viajen con él. Secundarios que de tapado son buenísimos.
También es interesante cómo se desarrolla la historia entre Angua y Zanahoria, así como los breves interludios de Vetinari, con la Guardia sin Vimes. Simplemente sublime, cada More...
También es interesante cómo se desarrolla la historia entre Angua y Zanahoria, así como los breves interludios de Vetinari, con la Guardia sin Vimes. Simplemente sublime, cada More...
Mar 13, 2011
The Fifth Elephant review.: 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
More...
Jul 25, 2011
Paul
rated it:
The Fifth Elephant is another Commander Vimes story in which the head of Ankh-Morpork's City Watch is sent to do one of the worst things he can imagine: be a Diplomat. He is sent off to the coronation of the new Dwarf King in Uberwald.
As with most of the Commander Vimes stories, this is a good one. The colorful characters of the City Watch all show up at some point in the story, and Commander Vimes gets to deal with a lot of dwarfs, werewolves, Igors and a vampire.
If you ha More...
As with most of the Commander Vimes stories, this is a good one. The colorful characters of the City Watch all show up at some point in the story, and Commander Vimes gets to deal with a lot of dwarfs, werewolves, Igors and a vampire.
If you ha More...
Jul 29, 2009
Jennifer
rated it:
In The Fifth Elephant we're off and running once more with Commander Sam Vimes of the Anhk-Morpork City Watch. When a new Low King is set to be crowned in Uberwald, Vimes, his wife and several of the watch are sent in as diplomats. Unfortunately they walk right into the middle of a plot to throw Uberwald into disarray and Vimes is in his element trying to piece together the mystery, keep out of the jaws of some vicious werewolves and avoid the vampires, homicidal dwarves and others determined to
More...
Aug 19, 2009
Mel
rated it:
Now this one I think has a little for everyone. No Rincewind this time, but there are Dwarves, Trolls, Vampires, Werewolves, humans, and the random talking dog. It's the time of the crowning of the Low King and Ankh-Morpork needs to send a representative to the crowning. Who better suited than Commander Vimes or is that Duke Vimes? The question is, will he survive what Überwald has in store for him? And while the cats away, will Ankh-Morpork stay afloat with the friendly, but woefully incompe
More...
Dec 30, 2011
mina
rated it:
Salah satu dari Discworld series Hasil ngiler-ngiler di Kino. Kelamaan ngiler akhirnya terbeli juga. Sekali ini bagian dari subseries Night Watch, pasca Vimes menikah dengan Lady Sybil. Saat Night Watch bukan lagi Night Watch saja, tapi sudah menjadi The Watch, sebuah Guild sendiri. Ini buku kedua subseries ini yang aku baca, sesudah Men at Arms.
Sekarang Watch (versi Polisi-nya kota Ankh-Morpork) sudah berkembang pesat, dan semakin banyak kaum minoritas yang terwakili :p Kalau waktu More...
Sekarang Watch (versi Polisi-nya kota Ankh-Morpork) sudah berkembang pesat, dan semakin banyak kaum minoritas yang terwakili :p Kalau waktu More...
Sep 03, 2010
Lin
rated it:
What can i say - loved it!!
I always love everything with Sam Vimes in. This time he's trying his hand at diplomacy, which is like spying, but for a better class of people. Of course Vimes takes to diplomacy like Vimes takes to anything, with suspicion and cynicism. Of course he's right and there is something going on. Its not against the law, but that's because there is no law in Uberwald. There are old fashioned dwarfs, werewolves and vampires to deal with.
"You kno More...
I always love everything with Sam Vimes in. This time he's trying his hand at diplomacy, which is like spying, but for a better class of people. Of course Vimes takes to diplomacy like Vimes takes to anything, with suspicion and cynicism. Of course he's right and there is something going on. Its not against the law, but that's because there is no law in Uberwald. There are old fashioned dwarfs, werewolves and vampires to deal with.
"You kno More...
Jan 17, 2010
Cynthia
rated it:
Okay...it is Sam Vimes so you know that I am going to love this one...and I do. It also brings more depth to Carrot's personality which is such a relief for me! And it ends with the excitement of a baby Vimes entering the picture soon!
Favorite quotes...
"He knew he had hidden depths. There was nothing in them that he'd like to see float to the surface. They contained things that should be left to lie."
"A marriage is always made up of two people More...
Favorite quotes...
"He knew he had hidden depths. There was nothing in them that he'd like to see float to the surface. They contained things that should be left to lie."
"A marriage is always made up of two people More...
Aug 03, 2011
Tracey
rated it:
Previously Read: March 2003 & May 2005
Commander Vimes is dispatched to Uberwald as a diplomat... yes, a diplomat. Uberwald is the homeland of the dwarves, as well as vampires and werewolves, who usually co-exist in a delicate balance. The coronation of a new dwarf king threatens this balance, and Vimes finds himself in the thick of things, as usual. Not surprisingly, Sergeant Angua (a werewolf) and her semi-boyfriend Carrot Ironfounderson (an adopted dwarf) figure fairly heavily in thi More...
Commander Vimes is dispatched to Uberwald as a diplomat... yes, a diplomat. Uberwald is the homeland of the dwarves, as well as vampires and werewolves, who usually co-exist in a delicate balance. The coronation of a new dwarf king threatens this balance, and Vimes finds himself in the thick of things, as usual. Not surprisingly, Sergeant Angua (a werewolf) and her semi-boyfriend Carrot Ironfounderson (an adopted dwarf) figure fairly heavily in thi More...
May 14, 2011
Alex
rated it:
The Fifth Elephant is one of my favourite discworld novels, but is also one of my favourite novels all of time. Vimes is a brilliant characters, but I think this is him at his best. This was perhaps the only discworld book where I really couldn't tell what was going to happen. Normally they are very positive and happy stories, but this is a very dark novel. The ending is amazing. The chase in the snow is one of my favourite scenes ever written. This is Terry Pratchett at his best.
Aug 23, 2011
Ellu
rated it:
Being a Discworld novel, you can't help but like this. Not as enjoyable perhaps as some of the others Discworld novels but this is one of the books who most shed light on how dwarf community and Überwald work. While reading it you don't remember it's just fantasy; you start to think there really is a place called Ankh-Morpork which is ruled by a Patrician and where the Commander of Watch is one Sam Vimes who has a real talent with politics (without himself realising it!).
