Thief of Time

by Terry Pratchett

HarperTorch, 2002 [2001], ISBN 0-06-103132-1

A book review by Elisabeth Carey

This is somewhat more serious than the other Discworld books I've read so far. This is where we find out just how dangerous, and inimical to human life, perfect order really is. The Monks of History (who manage time, pumping it from where it isn't needed to where it's in high demand), Death, and Death's granddaughter, Miss Susan, battle the auditors, who want to put a stop to all disorderly and unpredictable events, and who therefore find humans especially troubling. The auditors find their perfect instrument in a very talented and unhealthily obsessed young clockmaker called Jeremy Clockson, who, with the help of an auditor and an Igor (from Uberwald, where all manner of horror-movie creatures apparently exist), sets out to build the perfect clock. I think this is the best of the Pratchett novels I've read so far.

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