Guards! Guards!

Guards! Guards! is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the eighth book in the Discworld series, first published in 1989. It is the first novel about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch.

The story takes place in Ankh-Morpork, the largest and most chaotic city on Discworld, a flat planet balanced on the back of four elephants that stand on the shell of a giant turtle. The plot centers around the appearance of a fire-breathing dragon in Ankh-Morpork, which many believe is a sign of the impending apocalypse.

The main characters include:

• Captain Sam Vimes: A cynical and world-weary policeman who leads the City Watch.
• Carrot Ironfoundersson: A naive but enthusiastic new recruit to the Watch, who is actually a dwarf raised by humans.
• Lady Sybil Ramkin: A wealthy philanthropist who becomes involved in the investigation of the dragon.
• Lord Vetinari: The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, the mysterious and powerful ruler of the city.

Guards! Guards! is a humorous and satirical novel that pokes fun at fantasy tropes and police procedurals. It is also a story about the power of belief, the importance of doing one's duty, and the unexpected ways in which even the most dysfunctional organizations can sometimes work.

The novel has been praised for its wit, its characters, and its world-building. It is considered a classic of fantasy literature and has been adapted into several other media, including a stage play and a video game.