Feet of Clay

Feet of Clay

infobox Discworld|id=19th novel – 4th City Watch story
characters=Ankh-Morpork City Watch Havelock Vetinari
locations=Ankh-Morpork
motifs=Cop novels, robots and artificial intelligence
year=1996
publisher=Victor Gollancz
ISBNH=ISBN 0-575-05900-1
ISBNP=ISBN 0-552-14237-9
awards=
notes=

"Feet of Clay" is the nineteenth "Discworld" novel by Terry Pratchett, and a parody of detective novels. It was published in 1996. The story follows the members of The Watch, as they attempt to solve murders apparently committed by a golem, as well as the unusual poisoning of the Patrician.

The title is a figure of speech from the Bible () used to indicate a weakness or a hidden flaw in the character of a greatly admired or respected person:

The script used in the book to represent Morporkian being written by a golem resembles the Hebrew alphabet, [ [http://www.ie.lspace.org/books/apf/feet-of-clay.html Feet of Clay] The Annotated Pratchett File] a reference to golems' origins in Jewish mythology. (The script used by golems when writing Golem is very different. See Going Postal.)

Plot

A cabal of Ankh-Morpork's guild leaders seek to gradually depose of the Patrician, replace him with Nobby Nobbs as the new king and rule the city through him.

The cabal order Meshugah, a golem newly-made by other golems in the hope he would be a king and leader for them, to fabricate poisoned candles and have them delivered to the palace. But the golems used an oven rather than a proper kiln to bake Meshugah, which leaves him literally "half-baked". He goes mad, its mind overloaded with all the wishes and propositions of the golem community, and starts killing people. (The name Meshugah comes from the adjective meaning "crazy", in Hebrew.)

At this point the City Watch steps in trying to solve the murders and Lord Vetinari's poisoning. With the assistance of their new forensics dwarf Cheery Littlebottom, Commander Vimes and Captain Carrot unravel the mystery.Carrot and Dorfl, one of the golems, fight and defeat the golem king at the candlestick factory. Afterwards, Vimes confronts the city's chief herald, a vampire, who instigated the whole affair. Dorfl arrests him despite tenuous evidence and Vimes burns down all the heralds' records of the nobility as a sort of punishment.

In the end, Vetinari has recovered completely, Dorfl is sworn in as a watchman, Vimes gets a pay raise, and the watch house gets a new dart board (as per usual).

Translations

References

External links

* [http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/feet-of-clay.html Annotations for "Feet of Clay"]
* [http://www.lspace.org/books/pqf/feet-of-clay.html Quotes from "Feet of Clay"]
* [http://www.lspace.org/books/synopses/feet-of-clay.html Synopsis of "Feet of Clay"]

! colspan="3" | Reading order guide
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • feet of clay — If someone has feet of clay, they have flaws that make them seem more human and like normal people …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • feet of clay — feet′ of clay′ n. an unexpected weakness or hidden flaw in the character of a greatly admired or respected person • Etymology: 1855–60 …   From formal English to slang

  • feet of clay — ► feet of clay a flaw or weakness in a person otherwise revered. Main Entry: ↑foot …   English terms dictionary

  • feet of clay — Etymology: so called from the feet (partly of iron and partly of clay) of the image in Nebuchadnezzar s dream in Daniel 2:33 1. : a generally concealed or unobserved but marked weakness or frailty in one hitherto idolized for qualities seemingly… …   Useful english dictionary

  • feet of clay —    If someone has feet of clay, they have flaws that make them seem more human and like normal people.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    If someone who is admired is found to have a weakness, fault or defect of character, they are said to… …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • feet of clay — {n. phr.} A hidden fault or weakness in a person which is discovered or shown. * /The famous general showed he had feet of clay when he began to drink liquor./ * /The banker seemed to be honest, but he had feet of clay and was arrested for… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • feet of clay — {n. phr.} A hidden fault or weakness in a person which is discovered or shown. * /The famous general showed he had feet of clay when he began to drink liquor./ * /The banker seemed to be honest, but he had feet of clay and was arrested for… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • feet\ of\ clay — n. phr. A hidden fault or weakness in a person which is discovered or shown. The famous general showed he had feet of clay when he began to drink liquor. The banker seemed to be honest, but he had feet of clay and was arrested for stealing …   Словарь американских идиом

  • feet of clay — if you say that someone you admire has feet of clay, you mean they have hidden faults. Some of the greatest geniuses in history had feet of clay …   New idioms dictionary

  • feet of clay — 1. a weakness or hidden flaw in the character of a greatly admired or respected person: He was disillusioned to find that even Lincoln had feet of clay. 2. any unexpected or critical fault. [1855 60] * * * …   Universalium

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