Men at Arms -- A Protean Watch Novel

As I wrote earlier, one of the many reasons to enjoy reading Terry Pratchett’s books is because Pratchett is a writer’s writer. When he’s not dismantling writerly tropes, he’s experimenting with different lenses through which to tell his stories.

“Men at Arms” is probably the most ur-writer book of Pratchett’s that I’ve read.

It is – depending on which source you consult – the second or third “Night Watch” story, which evolved into Sam Vimes novels.

While it’s interesting to see Pratchett play with the idea of Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson as the Watch’s main character, with the putative Sir Samuel Vimes as more of a sidebar character.

We see other characters, such as Angua von Uberwald, Gaspode the Wonder Dog, Fred Colon, and Nobby Nobbs emerge fully-formed, taking on the roles they’ll have (with the exception of Gaspode) through the Night Watch series: Angua as the not-so-closeted werewolf always fighting the Human/Dog dichotomy within (which, ironically, Gaspode is the one to point out); and Fred and Nobby, the Watch’s Laurel and Hardy constants. We get to see Pratchett used these various characters to various ends in the books, but we see them fully formed.

Then there’s Sir Samuel, who evolves from that sidebar character to become the Conscience of the World. Or Vetinar’s Terrier, whichever you wish to think of him. Though he is oft an object that is acted upon – as Vetinari does, and as does the Summoning Dark in Thud!, Vimes shows us he is also Someone Who Acts, often despite of those who wish to use him as a tool to their own ends. And let’s not forget the little bugger inside Vimes whom is the Watchman who Watches the Watchmen.

Vimes is, to my mind, Pratchett’s most fully-formed character, though you wouldn’t suspect that of him as you read the first few Night Watch novels.

I could wonder what made Vimes suddenly leap to the fore in the Night Watch novels, but I suspect it’s this: Vimes was more fun to write. Captain Carrot is a great character, but he’s designed to be a great simple character. Vimes could feign simplicity, but underneath he was mightily complex and conflicted. Probably that conflict is what makes Vimes fun to write.

Maybe this is a blinding flash of the obvious. But it’s a good thing for a putative writer to see.