Guards!Guards!

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Guards! Guards!

Terry Pratchett

Pratchett, Terry. Guards! Guards!. HarperCollins. New York, New York. 2001.

Guards! Guards! is written by national bestselling author Terry Pratchett. It is a fantasy book, fun for any age. The San Francisco Chronicle says that it is “Unadulterated fun … witty, frequently hilarious.” Guards! Guards! is about a priest named Fido, who defies the great dragon whom then comes and terrorizes Fido’s village.

The Great Dragon calls down to the village from beyond the outer reaches of the universe and says “Beware! For those who defy me shan't be able to survive long in my universe.”

Fido is frightened by the anger of The Great Dragon. He apologizes a thousand times to The Great Dragon but he doesn’t care. The Great Dragon says: “I care not for your foolish apologies. You defied me. A billion apologies won’t help, because those who defy The Great Dragon must die.”

Fido warns the people of his village but they do not believe him. They all say, “The Great Dragon would never waste his time on a little village like this.” So then he tells the only two guards in the town that they must tell the townspeople to flee and that they should not die for what he has done. They say, “If The Great Dragon wants you only so why don’t you just leave.” Fido takes their advice and leaves the village.

As he is packing he hears a loud roar. It is loud enough to pop your ears clean off. Then he realizes he was too late. The Great Dragon had come.

Guards! Guards! is a fun book that pulls the reader deeper and deeper into the book. Although it never says what Fido did to defy The Great Dragon, it finishes in a perfect spot.

Contributed by T. Singh

April 2nd, 2012

4 out of 5 stars