Just when Vimes is ready to give up and drown himself along with his sorrows, however, along comes a threat no one could possibly have expected. After all, dragons -- real dragons, big, house-sized fire-breathing burn-you-to-a-cinder dragons -- have been extinct for centuries. But if that's the case, then what's destroying good brick buildings and leaving little piles of charcoal in its wake? Worse still, what happens when that self-same dragon overthrows the Patrician and claims the long-lost Throne of Ankh-Morpork -- and the minor sacrifice of a comely virgin just once a month?

Vimes' stubborn sense of duty draws him smack into the middle of the dangerous investigation, but after all, what has he got to lose? By gods, somebody has to do something, even if the only men he has to work with are cowardly Sergeant Colon, the decidedly odd Corporal Nobby, and Lance-Corporal Carrot, a strapping young human raised by dwarves who's actually volunteered to join the Watch. With the help of brave Lady Sybil Ramkin, local dragon expert and philanthropist, Vimes and crew risk everything to save a city which never cared a whit about them before. Dragons, usurpers, secret societies, and magic gone out of control... it's all in a day's work for the Watch.

The second book in the omnibus, Men At Arms, finds political correctness overtaking the City Watch and Captain Vimes less than enthusiastic about his forthcoming retirement. But after all, when a man weds a Lady, even the earthy and honest Lady Sybil Ramkin, Society has certain expectations. For one thing, he certainly can't continue to spend his evenings pounding the cobbles of Ankh-Morpork like any common man of the Watch. Besides, Corporal Carrot is turning into a real leader of men -- and women, and dwarfs, and trolls, and werewolves, as the Watch reluctantly mounts the PC bandwagon and hires on more recruits to better "reflect the ethnic makeup of the city."

But the theft of a mysterious weapon from the Assassins' Guild followed by a string of bizarre murders just might force Captain Vimes to postpone his retirement; with civil war brewing and more murders a distinct possibility, it's up to Vimes, the charismatic Carrot, and the rest of their motley watch to bring the villains to justice.

By the third book in the set, Feet of Clay, Vimes has satisfactorily resolved his questions about career and home, Carrot has risen to the post of Captain himself, and most of his fellow guards seem to have settled in. But then the head of the Dwarf Bread Museum (one of Carrot's favourite places in the city) is found beaten to death by one of his own loaves! And that's just the first in a series of mysterious murders. Even the Patrician finds himself poisoned -- though with the Patrician, you never can tell if he did it himself just to keep his enemies on their toes. Something strange is happening with the city's golems but getting them to talk about it will be difficult, considering they've started committing suicide. Talking dogs, superconducting trolls, crackpot inventors... the only thing certain here is that Pratchett will keep things moving with plenty of slapstick and fine fantasy parody.