Snuff

Locations
Call Number: BOCD Fantasy
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	BOCD Fantasy	4-week checkout	On Shelf

Compact discs.
Narrated by Stephen Briggs.
At long last, Lady Sybil has lured her husband, Sam Vimes, on a well-deserved holiday away from the crime and grime of Ankh-Morpork. But for the commander of the City Watch, a vacation in the country is anything but relaxing. Yet a policeman will find a crime anywhere if he decides to look hard enough, and it's not long before a body is discovered, and Sam--out of his jurisdiction, out of his element, and out of bacon sandwiches (thanks to his well-meaning wife)--must rely on his instincts, guile, and street smarts to see justice done.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Sam Vimes on a riverboat submitted by Jen Chapin-Smith on August 16, 2012, 3:35pm Published in 2011, "Snuff" is the latest and may be the last Discworld book (although I hope I am wrong about that). We continue to adventures of Ankh-Morpork City Watch Commander and Duke of Ankh-Morpork Sam Vimes as he attempts to take a holiday ( or "vacation" in US English) with his wife and son. Unfortunately, Vimes' vacations are never restful and he uncovers a murder and corruption plot among local government officials.
This is Sir Terry Practchett's 39th Discworld book, all of which I love dearly and which readers around the world continue to give high marks as all-time favorites.
"Snuff" is also about illegal drug use (all drugs that Trolls use start with the letter S, although it is not clear why this is). Young readers may find this book disturbing.
Spoiler alert: we learn the local humans have been kidnapping and selling goblins into slavery, an important topic for modern readers to understand as this evil practices continues today in our own world.

Can't wait to listen! submitted by slugwhisperer on August 5, 2013, 8:44am I always enjoy rereading the Discworld books and then again listening to the audiobook editions. They bring a smile to my face every time.

discworld submitted by unknown on August 10, 2013, 11:16pm His Grace, Sir Samuel Vimes, Commander of the City Watch of Ankh Morpork, and Blackboard Monitor has given himself over to the will of a higher power, his wife, Lady Sybil Vimes, née Ramkin. She has determined that their son should see their country residence and where food comes from (hint: meat does not spontaneously appear in the butcher shop), so Sam finds himself in a new and unnerving place; the rolling hills outside his beloved (and often beloathed, but it is HIS city regardless) Ankh Morpork. But Sybil has arranged this sabbatical with Lord Vetinari (the tyrant of Ankh Morpork, and the most subtle and nuanced absolute ruler ever portrayed), so it shouldn't surprise anyone that the quiet countryside is full of surprises for Sam Vimes.

In this, the latest chronicle of Discworld, we learn more of the intricacies of marriage (and if you are not yet married, "Jesters do oft prove prophets"), the belief system of goblins is expounded upon, the qualifications of a gentleman's gentleman are illustrated, the difficulties of life for the nobility, the diverse and fascinating world of poo, the influence of Dwarf substition (substition: a thing that is true, but not generally believed), the intimidation and menace wielded by an accountant, and the budding romance of Nobby Nobbs (Corporal, Ankh Morpork City Watch, and alleged human). Police procedural, Victorian scientific inquiry, race relations, novelists, river boats, the expectations of the landed gentry, privilege, and smuggling are at the top of the list of things parodied, poked at, and presented in "Snuff".

It was brilliant. New characters were introduced, old characters brought back and developed, and several names were unexpectedly revived, including some from the earliest volumes of the Discworld series. Several story lines were deftly woven together, spanning the Disc and its cultures. I got the impression more characters were incorporated into this story than previous, but all contributed to the story and shaped the conclusion.
The width and breadth of this story made it a bit overwhelming, but in a good way. The range of settings, characters, and themes made reading this one a powerful experience, while retaining Pratchett's trademark humor and on-going cultural literacy test. The closest thing to criticism is that it felt as if Pratchett was trying to put too much into a single book, but this is a manifestation of the rich world that he has created.

"Snuff" is a brilliant success by Terry Pratchett, and well worth the wait.

Sam Vimes is Sam Vimes submitted by Marian on August 21, 2015, 5:12pm Not the very best of the Discworld series to me - that bar is set very, very high - but Sam Vimes is true to Sam Vimes, and well worth the read/listen.

Rhvc submitted by Anthany on July 27, 2021, 11:58am Fgmmvfmfm