The Truth (Discworld Novel) Reviews

The twenty-fifth Discworld novel tells the story of the first (and second) Ankh-Morpork newspaper(s).

As the youngest son of a well-to-do family, William was destined to a cleric, or a land manager, or maybe a soldier career. But in fact he's always liked reading and writing, and having moved to Ankh-Morpork he's trying to make words his living. Therefore for some time now, and five dollars, he has been writing a monthly news-letter to some select members of the nobility in several corners of the Discworld, in close collaboration with the Guild of Engravers... until one day, when he finds himself knocked down by the dwarf Goodmountain carrying a huge engine: a press.

And so the Ankh-Morpork Times was born. Being able to have many copies much quicker, and to sell them to much more people, he is also faced with the problem of having to find lots of new interesting things to say. And even though he realises that people are ready to take everything for granted as long as it's in the paper, he wants to tell only the TRUTH. And when the Patrician, Lord Vetinari, is arrested for the apparent murder of his clerk and the theft of seventy thousand dollars (in coins), William starts to investigate.

At the same time, competition arrives too. Less fussy about veracity, The Inquirer quickly becomes the people's favourite.

The Truth is a wonderful satire of the world of journalism and the power of media. But aside from that, with great new characters such as Sacharissa and Otto the vampire Iconographer, as well as dear old ones such as Gaspode the Wonder Dog and Vimes, it's also a —ing funny book... well of course it is!