Starting book: Guards! Guards!
What’s to love: sarcastic protagonists; redemption arcs; found family; social justice commentary
I will be completely honest here and admit that I am quite biased when writing about the City Watch as it’s my favourite Discworld series. In it, we meet my favourite fictional character of all time, Samuel Vimes, who is the washed up, alcoholic captain of Ankh-Morpork’s city watch. Throughout the series, we watch Vimes slowly overcome his demons and unlearn various prejudices, all served with his trademark cynicism and sarcastic humour. On the surface, the novels are merely a cross between a fantasy murder mystery and a police procedural. But it’s really a story of redemption, of learning self-worth, all the while tackling broader themes of social justice: responsibility, fighting ingrained beliefs, and choosing between what is right and what is easy. The City Watch is also home to a loveable cast of characters from various backgrounds, all of whom make the Watch feel like a found family.
