Sam Vimes & The City Watch: A Guide to Discworld’s Best Series

The book where it all began. My copy of Guards! Guards! - the debut of the City Watch and the introduction of the legendary Sam Vimes.

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If you ask 100 Terry Pratchett fans which sub-series is the best, 90 of them will shout: "The City Watch!" (The other 10 are Witches fans, and we don't argue with them because they will turn us into newts).

While the Discworld is famous for its wizards and talking turtles, its beating heart lies in the grime and cobblestones of Ankh-Morpork, patrolled by a ragtag group of coppers led by the cynical, boot-wearing, injustice-hating Sam Vimes.

I started my journey with Guards! Guards! looking for a laugh. I ended up finding one of the most complex, politically sharp, and deeply human character arcs in literature.

Here is my guide to the City Watch, the evolution of Sam Vimes, and why this series is Pratchett's masterpiece.

Who is Sam Vimes? (The Evolution of a Hero)

You cannot talk about the City Watch without talking about Samuel Vimes. He is the main keyword of this series (literally and metaphorically).

When we first meet him in Guards! Guards!, Vimes is a functional alcoholic lying in a gutter. He is the Captain of a Night Watch that has been reduced to three incompetent men whose job description is "don't run too fast, or you might catch someone."

But over the course of 8 novels, we watch him transform. He goes from a drunkard to a Captain, to a Commander, and eventually to His Grace, the Duke of Ankh.

Yet, he never stops being a copper. He despises the aristocracy (even when he becomes one) and believes in a justice that is as hard as the pavement.

Why we love him: Vimes is the "Boots Theory" of socioeconomic unfairness personified. He is angry, cynical, and tired, but he is fundamentally good.

Watching him battle his own demons ("The Beast") while fighting dragons, werewolves, and corrupt patricians is the most satisfying journey in fantasy.

The City Watch Reading Order

While you can read these out of order, the Watch series relies heavily on character growth. I highly recommend reading them chronologically to see the Watch grow from a joke into a modern police force.

1. Guards! Guards! (The Beginning)

• The Plot: A secret society summons a dragon to overthrow the Patrician. The Night Watch has to stop it, armed only with sarcasm and a 6-foot-6 dwarf named Carrot.

• Why read it: It introduces the core team: Vimes, Carrot, Nobby Nobbs, and Sergeant Colon. It’s the funniest of the bunch.

2. Men at Arms

• The Plot: The Watch gets "diversity hires" (a dwarf, a troll, and a werewolf) and has to solve the first-ever "Gun Crime" in Discworld history.

• Why read it: It introduces Angua (the werewolf) and Detritus (the troll), establishing the squad dynamics we love.

3. Feet of Clay

• The Plot: Someone is poisoning the Patrician, and the Golems (clay robots) are acting strange.

• Why read it: It tackles themes of slavery and free will. Plus, it introduces Cheery Littlebottom, the dwarf who dares to wear lipstick.

4. Jingo

• The Plot: Ankh-Morpork goes to war over a sunken island. Vimes has to stop the war by solving a crime.

• Why read it: A brilliant satire on nationalism, xenophobia, and military stupidity.

5. The Fifth Elephant

• The Plot: Vimes is sent as a diplomat to Uberwald (Transylvania) to negotiate fat deposits (it makes sense, trust me).

• Why read it: It expands the world lore and features the best "Vimes vs. Werewolves" action sequence in the series.

6. Night Watch (The Masterpiece)

• The Plot: Vimes is sent back in time to his own childhood. He has to teach his younger self how to be a good copper while surviving a violent revolution.

• Why read it: This is widely considered the best Terry Pratchett book ever written. It is dark, gritty, and emotionally devastating.

7. Thud!

• The Plot: Tensions between Dwarfs and Trolls are at an all-time high, threatening civil war. Vimes has to solve a murder while ensuring he gets home at 6:00 PM to read Where's My Cow? to his son.

• Why read it: It features the "Summoning Dark" and shows Vimes as a father.

8. Snuff

• The Plot: Vimes goes on holiday. Vimes hates holidays. Vimes finds a crime involving Goblins.

• Why read it: A righteous crusade against discrimination. (Check out my full Review of Snuff).

Why "Night Watch" is the Peak

If Guards! Guards! is the comedy pilot, Night Watch is the Oscar-winning drama.

In this book, Pratchett strips away the jokes to reveal the anger underneath. By sending Vimes back in time, we get to see the "Old Ankh-Morpork", a place of torture, secret police, and misery. Vimes takes on the identity of his own mentor, John Keel, and leads a doomed revolution.

It explores the cost of duty and the definition of a "good man." It is a book that stays with you long after you close it.

The Supporting Cast (The Ankh-Morpork Finest)

Vimes is the lead, but the squad makes the series:

• Captain Carrot: The secret heir to the throne who prefers being a copper. He is so charismatic that people obey him just to make him happy.

• Sergeant Angua: A vegetarian werewolf who fights crime (and smells it). Her relationship with Carrot is the series' main romance.

• Nobby Nobbs & Fred Colon: The comic relief. They represent the "petty evil" of humanity, yet somehow, you end up rooting for them.

• The Patrician (Lord Vetinari): The tyrant who runs Ankh-Morpork. His chess matches with Vimes are the intellectual highlight of every book.

Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars

The City Watch series isn't just fantasy; it is a mirror held up to our own world. It tackles police brutality, racism, gender identity, and politics, all while making you laugh at a troll trying to do math.

If you are looking to start your Discworld journey, forget the reading guides. Just pick up Guards! Guards! and meet Sam Vimes. You won't regret it.

(Read my ranking of the Top 10 Discworld Books to see where these land!)

Frequently Asked Questions About Sam Vimes And The City Watch

Do I need to read the City Watch books in order? Ideally, yes. Unlike other Discworld novels, the Vimes arc is linear. You can read them as standalones, but you will miss the emotional payoff of his rank promotions and marriage.

Is Sam Vimes based on a real person? Terry Pratchett never confirmed a single inspiration, but Vimes represents the archetype of the cynical but moral detective, similar to Philip Marlowe, but with a fantasy twist.

Which book features the "Vimes Boots Theory"? The famous "Boots Theory" of socioeconomic unfairness appears in Men at Arms. It explains that being poor is expensive because you can only afford cheap boots that wear out, costing you more in the long run than rich people's boots.