The Fifth Elephant (by Terry Pratchett)

(Amazon UK link)

'The Fifth Elephant' is twenty-fourth in Terry Pratchett's phenomenally successful Discworld series of fantasy-adventure-humour books. I read it aloud to my sons, who were 13 and 11 at the time, and we all enjoyed it. Discworld humour is sometimes all the more enjoyable for being read aloud.

The story concerns the 'Watch' (like mediaeval policemen - approximately), and Sam Vimes, head of the Watch, who goes to Uberwald on a diplomatic mission. Angua, werewolf of the Watch, vanishes altogether, and Carrot - the six-foot dwarf in the Watch - follows her. Oh, and Fred Colon is promoted.

It's a confusing start, even for someone like me who has read all the other books. For a newcomer to the series it would probably be completely bewildering. But, as ever, the threads intertwine and the pace picks up, and the result is another excellent Discworld book.

Highly recommended, if you like this genre and have read at least one or two of the earlier Discworld books.