The Fifth ElephantThe Fifth Elephant
Score Modern
What it's about
Sam Vimes, the gruff commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, is sent as ambassador to Überwald, a dark, mountainous land of dwarfs, vampires and werewolves, for the crowning of the dwarfs' new king. Then a precious relic is stolen, politics turn deadly, and Vimes, a policeman to his bones, ends up running for his life through the snow.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the best Discworld books about the Watch. It's a clever mystery, an adventure and a funny look at diplomacy and prejudice.
You'll love it if you liked
Going Postal
Mort
Guards! Guards!Good to know
It's the fifth book about the Watch, and it's better if you've met Vimes before; Guards! Guards! is the place to start.
By the numbers
- Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller45 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
- #10 of the 35 humor books we rank
- #78 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #303 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #604 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Funny, Uplifting
More by Terry Pratchett
Night Watch
Men at ArmsGuards! Guards!
The TruthIf 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 The Fifth Elephant worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the best Discworld books about the Watch. It ranks #604 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Fifth Elephant about?
Sam Vimes, the gruff commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, is sent as ambassador to Überwald, a dark, mountainous land of dwarfs, vampires and werewolves, for the crowning of the dwarfs' new king. Then a precious relic is stolen, politics turn deadly, and Vimes, a policeman to his bones, ends up running for his life through the snow.
How long does it take to read The Fifth Elephant?
About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Fifth Elephant?
If you liked it, try Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, Mort by Terry Pratchett or Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett.