It isn't much of an island that rises up one moonless night from the
depths of the Circle Sea--just a few square miles of silt and some old
ruins. Unfortunately, the historically disputed lump of land called
Leshp is once again floating directly between Ankh-Morpork and the city
of Al-Khali on the coast of Klatch--which is spark enough to ignite that
glorious international pastime called "war." Pressed into patriotic
service, Commander Sam Vimes thinks he should be leading his loyal
watchmen, female watchdwarf, and lady werewolf into battle against local
malefactors rather than against uncomfortably well-armed strangers in
the Klatchian desert. But war is, after all, simply the greatest of all
crimes--and it's Sir Samuel's sworn duty to seek out criminal
masterminds wherever they may be hiding and lock them away before they
can do any real damage . . . even the ones on his side.