Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett

Plot: set in the strange city of Ankh-Morpork, Discworld, this book focuses on a human that thinks he's a dwarf (well, he was adopted by them), Cpl. Carrot Ironfoundersson, and the captain of the Night Watch, Samuel Vimes, who is soon retiring, albeit reluctantly. When a newly invented, deadly weapon is stolen from the Assassin's Guild, the Night Watch face a challenge like never before; find the murderer and the weapon before anyone else is killed and prevent the so-called "gonne" from falling into the wrong hands ever again.

Comments: I love Terry Pratchett novels! They're so light-hearted and humorous. Pratchett excels at satirical humor, and there's something to laugh at on every page. The characters in this book were amazing. Cpl. Carrot is honest and simple - though not stupid - and he's adorably awkward around female Watch"man", Angua. After all, he is only seventeen years old, though his height and powerful build might throw you off (he's 6' 6" and yet still thought he was a dwarf until his 4' adopted parents finally told him). Carrot's very charismatic, and though he's almost always in a good mood, smiling and polite, if he gets ticked off, even trolls back away slowly.

Cpl. Nobby was a delightfully corrupt character, and Colon was rather transparent. There have been earlier books about Cpt. Vimes, so this book didn't explain his character very well. This caused me to lose interest in him, which is unfortunate, because half the time the story was about him. Angua was a good character, because though she was pretty and supposedly only became a Watchman to represent a "minority" group, she was strong, brave, and kick-butt, too. Cuddy the dwarf and Detritus the troll were paired up as Watchmen partners, and dwarves and trolls have had a feud for the longest time. They don't get along well, but after a while they start to grow on each other. Soon they could be considered good friends, and their friendship and partnership is heartwarming and sweet.

The plot was...strange, as most Discworld stories go. Though everything made sense, in a way, it's all rather complicated and twisted. However, it's definitely a fun read and I'm going to continue reading about Ankh-Morpork's City Watch in Feet of Clay. Oh, one more thing: I love how Death speaks and acts in these books. He doesn't have a huge role in this story, but he has a few hilarious conversations with the deceased.

Rating: I rate this book an eight out of ten. Great read!

The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

Plot: when the Hogfather (the Ankh-Morpork version of Santa Claus, Jolly Ol' Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, etc.) vanishes mysteriously, Death steps in to fill the role. Though he is not the most jolly - for lack of a better word - being, Death begins to enjoy handing out presents, flying around the city, and, in general, being the Hogfather. Then Death's granddaughter Susan gets dragged into the situation and has to figure out what happened to the true Hogfather and how to get him back. Good luck.

Comments: I would consider this to be one of Terry Pratchett's best stories. The Hogfather is hilarious, absurd, and also rather touching. Pratchett excels at satirical humor, and apparently enjoys poking fun at the human existence (which, if you stop to think about it, has some very funny aspects). This book made me laugh so many times, I lost count! I love Pratchett's sharp wit and one-liners that make you say "What?" and reread the past few sentences to fully understand the concept.

My favorite character is definitely Death. He's so adorably clueless and oblivious, but you can tell that his heart (metaphorically, of course) is in the right place. Susan reprimands him like he's a child, and in some ways, he is. Pratchett created Death spectacularly, and I guarantee you'll love him. He fits right into the abstract, random plot. I must warn you that this book basically doesn't have a point, and though it has a start and ending, I wouldn't exactly say it has a beginning or conclusion. You'll see what I mean. But the story is so charmingly awkward that it all works in the end.

The only thing I didn't really like was Susan's character. She wasn't really the nicest person, so reading about her wasn't very fun. The circumstances were still hilarious, and she was definitely a strong character, but maybe a little more human next time?

Rating: I rate this book a nine out of ten. It was awesome. :)

Trace Evidence by Elizabeth Becka

Plot: forensic trace expert Evelyn James has seen many things in her life, but this is one of the worst. A young girl has been meticulously murdered; her feet are encased in a bucket full of concrete, chains wrap around her body, and she was found at the bottom of a freezing river. The investigation soon realizes there is a serial killer on the loose, and he will stop at nothing to get his revenge.

Comments: This is a great thriller novel! Suspenseful, dangerous, dark. I've always loved reading murder mysterious, even though I tend to see murderers in the shadows for days afterward. Trace Evidence has a great plot and an interesting way of killing off the victims. Normally I would think of a murderer as an insane, violent person, but the killer in this story is cold-hearted and calculating, which is even more frightening. It feels so real.

I liked the character Evelyn James, because she's not helpless, and she wants to solve this mystery even though it's dangerous for her to be asking questions. One thing I didn't appreciate about this book: it's kind of textbook.

SPOILER ALERT: I'm about to sum up the whole plot. Ending included. Just warning you.

Female officer of some sort gets involved in a dangerous case and acts all gung-ho, tries to solve it by herself and gets in trouble, at which point the handsome guy that has fallen in love with her swoops in all desperate and protective, saves her butt, and they all live happily ever after. Why can't the woman just solve the case without getting herself captured/cornered by the killer, and without falling in love with a man, or at least without needing said man to rescue her from certain death. It's just getting annoying. Am I the only one?

Rating: I rate this book a seven out of ten. Great story, if a little predictable.