Discworld - Watching the Past

Night Watch is an immediate parallel sequel to Thief of Time.  The sudden storm that stops the glass clock appears at the beginning of the book, and the fracturing of time is what drops Sam Vimes into the past.  The other part I really like about the book is the cover created by Paul Kidby.

This is one of the first covers that Kidby did for the Discworld.  And he shows that he is as amazing as Alex Ross in his abilities to make a collage of made up people into something that almost looks real.  Kidby took the original Rembrandt painting that has come to be called "The Night Watch" and repopulated the painting with the characters from the book.

Here is the Rembrandt's original painting:

Most people know that it only came to be called "The Night Watch" because of the protective varnishes that were regularly added to it aged and darkened hiding the image.

Now here is Kidby's cover artwork:

And, this being the internet there is a comparison graphic:

All because Pratchett inspired a great modern artist.

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Recurring themes and characters appearing in this book:

“Leggy” Gaskin, corporal

“Mayonnaise” Quirke, Corporal

Angua, Sergeant

Borogravia

Burleigh and Stronginthearm
Cable Street Particulars

Carrot Ironfoundersson, Captain

Cheri Littlebottom, corporal

Clacks

Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler

Dark Empire

Death

Detrtitus, Sergeant

Dolly Sisters
Downey, Assassin’s Guild

Dr. “Mossy” Lawn

Drumknott, secretary

Elm Street

Events of Guards Guards

Events of The Fifth Elephant

Events of Thief of Time

Fred Colon, Sergeant (Corporal)

Harry King

Havelock Vetinari, Patrician, Assassins’ Guild

High Energy Magic Building

Igor, Constable

Lord Ronald Rust

Lord Selachii

Lord Snapcase, Patrician

Lord Venturi

Lord Winder, Patrician

Lu Tze, History Monk

Madam Meserole (Aunt to Vetinari)

Marco Soto, History Monk

Mr. Slant, Lawyers’ Guild

Mrs. Content, midwife

Mrs. Rosey Palm

Mustrum Ridcully, Archchancellor UU

Nobby Nobbs. Corporal

Old Tom, UU bell

Ping, Corporal

Ponder Stibbons

Qu, History Monk

quantum

Reg Shoe

Sam Vimes, Duke, Knight, Commander

Stronginthearm, Sergeant

Swires, Constable

Sybil Ramkins-Vime, duchess

The Agony Aunts

The Ankh-Morpork Times

The Assassins’ Guild

The Broken Drum

The Bursar

The Librarian

The Monks of History

Uberwald

Uberwald League of Temperance

Unseen University

Visit, Constable

Wallace Sonky

Wilikins, butler