The Truth is a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. Though standalone, it’s connected to Monstrous Regiment and the City Watch books. [My reviews of the other Discworld books here.]

Plot:
William de Worde makes his living as a kind of news service. He gathers rumours and news around town, compiles a letter once a month which he then tries to sell to as many subscribers (mostly nobility or higher ranking people out of town) as he can. One day he stumbles upon a new dwarf invention – a press with movable type. More or less against his will he is pulled into business with the dwarves and into a msysterious attack the Patrician is said to have committed. And basically before he knows what has happened, William has founded the first Newspaper in the Discworld.

The Truth was really enjoyable. Though probably not the best Discworld novel ever, I had fun reading it, and as the other books, it’s a quick read with loads of ideas (enough for approximately 20 books).

Again, I really liked the characters in this one. Not only William, but mostly Otto and Mr. Pin and Mr. Tulip. And of course, you can never have enough Sam Vimes or Lord Vetinari. I had some problems with Sacharissa though. She just seemed so vapid. And as the only woman in the book who gets a little more attention that was especially sad. At least Angua makes an appearance, too.

I felt like the overarching story was not so inspired. But the development of the newspaper, on the other hand, very much was. I loved the development of the tabloid as well. Satire at its best.

So, usual Pratchett stuff, not bad, but not the best he’s ever written.

As usual, have some quotes:

There were no flies on C.M.O.T Dibbler. He would have charged them rent.

There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What’s up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don’t think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!

WHO KNOWS WHAT EVIL LURKS IN THE HEART OF MEN? The Death of Rats looked up from the feast of potato. SQUEAK, he said. Death waved a hand dismissively. WELL, YES, OBVIOUSLY ME, he said. I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS ANYONE ELSE.