Feet of Clay (Discworld, #19; City Watch, #3)

Title: Feet of Clay (Discworld, #19; City Watch, #3)

Author: Terry Pratchett

Published in: 1996

Date read: 19th August 2008

Score: 5/5

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Mystery, Crime

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Feet of Clay" by Terry Pratchett is the nineteenth novel in his Discworld series and the third featuring the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. It's a satirical mystery that delves into themes of artificial intelligence, class, prejudice, and the nature of leadership.

The story opens with a series of murders in Ankh-Morpork. The victims are seemingly random, but all are found with a peculiar, ritualistic wound: their hearts removed. Adding to the bizarre nature of the crimes, Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, is also suffering from a mysterious, debilitating illness that threatens his life and the stability of the city.

Commander Samuel Vimes and the members of the City Watch are tasked with investigating the murders. Their investigation quickly leads them to the Golems – artificial beings made of clay and animated by a sacred text, serving as the city's tireless laborers and servants. Golems are inherently obedient and incapable of independent thought or violence, making them unlikely suspects. Yet, forensic evidence points towards a Golem as the killer.

As the Watch delves deeper, they uncover a shadowy conspiracy involving a plot to depose Lord Vetinari and replace him with a figurehead. The investigation leads Vimes and his team – including the ever-earnest Carrot, the streetwise Angua, the dwarf Cheery, and the troll Detritus – into the hidden world of Golem society, their ancient traditions, and their yearning for freedom. They discover a secret society of Golems who are trying to achieve "freedom" by buying their contracts, and some of whom are attempting to craft a "new Golem" – a king for their people – which they believe will finally liberate them.

The mystery of Vetinari's illness and the murders intertwine as Vimes realizes that someone is manipulating events to achieve a specific outcome, playing on the Golems' desires and grievances. The "feet of clay" in the title refers not only to the Golems themselves but also to the perceived weaknesses or hidden flaws in powerful figures and systems.

The novel builds to a climax where Vimes must confront not only the true killer but also the complex ethical questions surrounding the Golems' sentience and desire for self-determination. He uncovers the villain's identity and their motive, which involves exploiting both the Golems and the Patrician's vulnerability. "Feet of Clay" is a clever and poignant mystery that uses the fantastical setting of Discworld to comment on very real-world issues of justice, freedom, and prejudice.

Comments:
The City Watch are amazing and they are at full strength in this book. Writing this in 2025 hurts that we will never again get a new book of this quality published again. Thanks for the ones that you wrote Sir Terry Pratchett.

Books that we've read by Terry Pratchett (39):
The Colour of Magic (Discworld, #1; Rincewind, #1) (1983), The Light Fantastic (Discworld, #2; Rincewind, #2) (1986), Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches, #1) (1987), Mort (Discworld, #4; Death, #1) (1987), Sourcery (Discworld, #5; Rincewind, #3) (1988), Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches, #2) (1988), Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch, #1) (1989), Pyramids (Discworld, #7) (1989), Eric (Discworld, #9; Rincewind, #4) (1990), Moving Pictures (Discworld, #10; Industrial Revolution, #1) (1990), Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches, #3) (1991), Reaper Man (Discworld, #11; Death, #2) (1991), Small Gods (Discworld, #13) (1992), Lords and Ladies (Discworld, #14; Witches, #4) (1992), Men at Arms (Discworld, #15; City Watch, #2) (1993), Soul Music (Discworld, #16; Death, #3) (1994), Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind, #5) (1994), Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches, #5) (1995), Feet of Clay (Discworld, #19; City Watch, #3) (1996), Hogfather (Discworld, #20; Death, #4) (1996), Jingo (Discworld, #21; City Watch, #4) (1997), Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23; Witches, #6) (1998), The Last Continent (Discworld, #22; Rincewind, #6) (1998), The Fifth Elephant (Discworld, #24; City Watch, #5) (1999), The Truth (Discworld, #25) (2000), The Last Hero (Discworld, #27; Rincewind, #7) (2001), Thief of Time (Discworld, #26; Death, #5) (2001), Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6) (2002), The Wee Free Men (Discworld, #30; Tiffany Aching, #1) (2003), Monstrous Regiment (Discworld, #31; Industrial Revolution, #3) (2003), A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32; Tiffany Aching, #2) (2004), Going Postal (Discworld, #33; Moist von Lipwig, #1) (2004), Thud! (Discworld, #34; City Watch, #7) (2005), Wintersmith (Discworld, #35; Tiffany Aching, #3) (2006), Making Money (Discworld, #36; Moist Von Lipwig, #2) (2007), Unseen Academicals (Discworld, #37; Rincewind, #8) (2009), I Shall Wear Midnight (Discworld, #38; Tiffany Aching, #4) (2010), Snuff (Discworld, #39; City Watch, #8) (2011), Raising Steam (Discworld, #40; Moist von Lipwig, #3) (2013)