“Snuff” by Terry Pratchett - Book Review
Snuff by Terry Pratchett. Image rights - His and Hers Book Club
“On holiday in the pleasant countryside Commander Vimes barely has time to open his suitcase before he finds the first corpse... He may be out of his depth (and bacon sandwiches) but he’s never out of guile...”
Yet another very long intro...
If you caught my last couple of articles you already known that at the start of the year I decided to challenge myself to read at least 30 books before year’s end. Like the good little overachiever that I am, I absolutely crushed my goal (and I’m so proud of doing so that I won’t even bother editing the smugness out of this paragraph).
To properly commemorate my personal achievement, I’ve decided to write a series of book reviews, giving my honest, unfiltered, and unapologetic opinion about everything I’ve read. So over the next 40+ articles we’ll be going over some of the most profound pieces of literature ever written (and some of the most okay-ish ones), we’ll switch genres like our ADHD is flaring up, and we’re more than likely to piss of some hardcore fandoms. Or maybe join them? Guess we’ll wait and see…
Starting our reading journey in the mythical lands of Ithaca, last time we dissected Sarah Underwood’s “The Lies We Sing to the Sea”. To recap, it was a great choice to set me on my reading adventure at the start of January. But that being said, it was just a tad emotionally heavy, and with the disastrously gray weather outside I needed something a little more light-hearted to make me forget the fact that there is no more sunlight after 5 pm.
So I randomly reached towards the first book on the next shelf, and there it was. Snuff. I’ve been a fan of Pratchett’s for longer than I can remember. If you remember, a couple of years ago I even did a review on “Guards! Guards!”. My eldest brother has read every single book he’s ever written, and while I’ve gone through my fair share of Discworld novels I can honestly say that I’ve never read through the entirety of his works.
A more rational person would probably pick a more strategic entry point into the Discworld - maybe start the books in chronological order. Or by thematic order (all books about the Watch, or all about the Witches). But just like in the City Watch…there’s no rational people in this house.
So for the sake of absolute chaos and mayhem I decided to start with Snuff, which is one of the very last books released in the series.
In all fairness, I was already quite familiar with Sam Vimes and crew, having read a couple of the Watch books previously, so I wasn’t jumping into entirely unfamiliar waters. Plus, one of the things that I absolutely love about Pratchett’s books is that while they do follow some thematic order, chronologically you can literally pick up any book in the series and read it as a standalone, and it won’t have much of a negative impact on your experience.
A quick nod to the Publisher
Before I jump into the actual review, I would like to take a moment to express my utmost gratitude to Gollancz Publishing House.
If you’ve followed us across our social media channels (and you definitely want to do that, so you don’t miss any important updates on our Giveaway this summer), you’ll know that apart from reading books Stani and I have a strong passion for collecting books.
In particular, we focus on hardcover, clothbound, or leatherbound editions, and our goal is to build a library that is not only intellectually pleasing but also visually stunning.
Sometimes, it’s incredibly hard to find hardcover editions. Not to mention good looking ones. Not to mentioned good looking ones that are actually in the same style, format, and SIZE! (yes, looking at you Malazan series…)
You can’t imagine how giddy I was when I first found that Gollancz had released the entirety of Discworld novels in the same hardcover format.
So from all those book collectors that have suffered mismatched copies of their favourite books for years - I salute you!
And no, this is not a sponsored post, but because we do like the concept of not starving, I will add an Amazon affiliate link to Snuff - because those 40 cents we make in commissions is what it’s all about y’all!
Now let’s get back to the book.
So what has Sam Vimes been up to?
Since I last saw him in Guards! Guards!, where he was battling alcoholism and borderline suicidal thoughts, our boy has cleaned up his act drastically and moved up in the world. I guess that’s what the love of a good woman can do for a guy. It also probably helps that the woman in question has the physical capacity to do to poor old Vimes what the Hulk did to Loki in the first Avengers movie.
Anyhow, Captain Sam Vimes is now Commander Sam Vimes. But not only that - he’s also His Excellency, the Duke of Ankh Morpork and a royal pain the backside to all the aristocracy that has the unfortunate occasion to cross paths with him. Because you might be able to take a man out of the streets, but it’s very hard to take the streets out of the man.
In typical Vimes fashion, the book begins with him being completely immersed in his Watch duties, until he becomes the victim of a most foul conspiracy. Honestly, it’s always those closest to you that betray you the most… In this case, we’re talking about Sam’s wife, Lady Sybil and his boss, Lord Vetinari, who have the audacity to trick him into agreeing to the worst punishment one can bestow upon a man of the watch - a holiday.
So, leaving Ankh Morpork in the very incapable hands of Nobby Nobbs and crew, Vimes takes Sybil, and his little boy (who is a surprisingly literate lad when it comes to scientific rhetoric of a fecal persuasion), and they take a trip to Sybil’s ancestral country home in Crundells.
So what does a man who’s quit drinking, hates open fields and fresh air, and is generally used to being attacked at least twice a day (sometimes by his own guardsmen) do in the countryside? Did I mentioned he’s quit drinking? Yep, you guessed it - he gets bored out of his mind about 10 minutes in.
That is, until he uncovers a murder. Since it’s the murder of a goblin, nobody would really give it too much attention, as evidently goblins are the real-life equivalent of sewer rats in the Discworld. But unfortunately for the would-be killer/s, Sam Vimes has a very strict code of honor when it comes to intelligent beings (Nobby Nobbs included), coupled with a severe lack of something better to do, and a distinct deficiency in bacon sandwiches.
Without spoiling too much of what happens next, the chase leads Vimes all over the countryside, until he uncovers a most sinister truth - that goblins have been kidnapped by the dozens and forced to work on plantations, producing the low-in-quality but high-in-demand tobacco commodity known as snuff.
With the help of a local constable, who’s chief redeeming quality is his fear of disappointing his mother (and some crazy kung-fu capabilities), and a world-renowned author of children’s books about the intriguing topic of poop, Vimes not only manages to bring those responsible to justice, in what I can only say is a VERY satisfying manner, but also accidentally gets goblins recognized as a proper citizens by most major nations. Not bad for a two week holiday, is it?
Honestly, Sam Vimes has always reminded me of Murtaugh from Lethal Weapon. Ever since his first appearance in the Discworld he would complain that he’s too old for this sh*t, yet every single time when push comes to shove he would go about and do more sh*t… it’s inspirational, truly.
Is “Snuff” by Terry Pratchett worth reading?
You bet your sweet old watchman boots it is! This is a book that has everything - drama, mystery, thrilling chases, epic fights, beetroot juice mocktails, and a healthy helping of Pratchett’s signature humor and sarcastic socio-political commentary that leaves one with a long-lasting impression long after they’ve read the book. For reference, it’s August now, and I read Snuff all the way back in January!
Who is “Snuff” perfect for?
Those readers that enjoy strong character development in their protagonists
Those readers that enjoy wickedly witty humour and sarcasm
Those readers that are interested in topics, such as racism, social inequality, and class systems
Those looking for a good laugh, while being able to reflect on the relatively current geo-political landscape
Who is “Snuff” not ideal for?
Those who are brand new to the Discworld series (although, to be honest, it does have strong merit as a standalone book)
Those that wish to avoid triggering themes like alcoholism, withdrawal symptoms, slavery, trauma, etc.
Those readers that manage to ruin knock-knock jokes by turning the doorknob before even asking who’s there… (or if I have to spell it out - those possesses with a sense of humour in equal measures with the above-mentioned doorknobs)
Final Thoughts on Snuff by Terry Pratchett
Honestly, every time I pick up a Pratchett book it’s an invigorating experience. I laugh, I cry, I take a pinch of snuff, I laugh some more…
Throughout the course of this year I’ve read a lot from the Discworld series. Like, a lot-lot. You’ll see in the upcoming reviews. He was one of those authors that truly knew how to captivate his audience by witty remarks, coupled with jabs at real issues the world’s facing today. I am genuinely quite sad that we’ll never experience any more of his brilliance, but I’m consoled by the fact that unlike other brilliant authors, he left behind an incredibly rich literary legacy, which warrants multiple rereads over the years.
So what are my final thoughts on Snuff? I absolutely enjoyed it, and honestly, I don’t regret reading it before reading the couple of other books from the Watch series that I’d missed previously. It somehow made it that much funnier going back to them later and seeing Sam’s character growth, from the alcohol-addled twat that he was to the (almost) respectable man he was destined to become.
If you enjoyed this review let us know and leave a comment below. Honestly, we could use some more engagement that our mothers sending thumbs-up and big sticker emojis in the comments (I need to find a way to remove these…)
What was I talking about? Oh yes, if you liked what you read here and I didn’t bore you to death with my rambling, then check out the next post in our series on book reviews of everything I’ve read so far in 2025, where I will be giving my honest and unfiltered take on “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover (didn’t expect that jump in genre, did ya?)
Til next time!
It’s finally time to do a It Ends With Us book review by a guy! Was this book what I expected? Hell no! Am I glad I read it? Absolutely!