Men at ArmsMen at Arms
Score Modern
What it's about
The Ankh-Morpork City Watch is on the brink of change: Captain Sam Vimes is about to marry the richest woman in the city and retire, and the Watch has new recruits, including a troll, a dwarf and a werewolf. Then a mysterious weapon starts killing people, and the Watch has to find out who's behind it, in a city that would rather they didn't.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the BBC's Big Read and is one of the best-loved Discworld City Watch novels. It's funny, warm and surprisingly thoughtful about prejudice and power.
You'll love it if you liked
Night Watch
Hogfather
Small GodsGood to know
It's the second City Watch book; Guards! Guards! comes first, but this stands alone.
By the numbers
- Readers96 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller47 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #5 of the 35 humor books we rank
- #60 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #242 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #485 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Funny, Adventurous, Uplifting
More by Terry Pratchett
Night Watch
Guards! Guards!
The Truth
Going PostalIf you like this, read next
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Good Omens
We Are Legion
Redshirts
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
SpoonbendersExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Men at Arms worth reading?
Yes. It's on the BBC's Big Read and is one of the best-loved Discworld City Watch novels. It ranks #485 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Men at Arms about?
The Ankh-Morpork City Watch is on the brink of change: Captain Sam Vimes is about to marry the richest woman in the city and retire, and the Watch has new recruits, including a troll, a dwarf and a werewolf. Then a mysterious weapon starts killing people, and the Watch has to find out who's behind it, in a city that would rather they didn't.
How long does it take to read Men at Arms?
About 10 hours (404 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Men at Arms?
If you liked it, try Night Watch by Terry Pratchett, Hogfather by Terry Pratchett or Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.