The Fifth Elephant cover art

The Fifth Elephant

(Discworld Novel 24)

Preview
Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Fifth Elephant

By: Terry Pratchett
Narrated by: Jon Culshaw, Peter Serafinowicz, Bill Nighy
Try Standard free

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Over 1 million Discworld audiobooks sold – discover the extraordinary universe of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld like never before.

'Well, he thought, so this is diplomacy. It's lying, only for a better class of people.

They say that diplomacy is a gentle art. That mastering it is a lifetime's work. But you do need a certain inclination in that direction. It's not something you can just pick up on the job.

A few days ago Sam Vimes was a copper - an important copper, true - chief of police - but still, at his core, a policeman. But today he is an ambassador - to the mysterious, fat-rich country of Uberwald. Today, Sam Vimes is also a man on the run.

At some point during his ambassadorship, things went very wrong. It's snowing. It's freezing. And if Vimes can't make it through the forest, with only his wits and the gloomy trousers of Uncle Vanya (don't ask), there's going to be a terrible war.

There are monsters on his trail. They're bright. They're fast. They're werewolves - and they're catching up.

The Discworld novels can be read in any order but The Fifth Elephant is the fifth book in the City Watch series.

'Precisely balanced . . . a cracking comic thriller' The Times

© Terry and Lyn Pratchett 1999 (P) Penguin Audio 2023

Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Humorous Literature & Fiction Satire Fiction Comedy Werewolf Wolf Shifter

Critic Reviews

'Precisely balanced...excellent set pieces...a cracking comic thriller' (Peter Ingham)
The twenty-fourth Discworld novel
All stars
Most relevant
The characters' voices were consistent and just how I'd expect the characters to be.
Another great story , and we'll tol

A great recording

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Currently making my way through the whole Ankh-Morpork series. The voice performance is second to none, loving every minute. Top notch.

Such a fun series

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In the series of,
‘Guards Guards Guards 💂’ has literally been a moral lifesaver; struggling to get back on my feet after hospitalisation from a rampant bacterial blood infection, the only thing that takes me to a good place , is this series . You were taken too soon Mr Terry Pratchett. God Blesd You and your lovely wife 💛🌻💛

The Fifth Elephant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The story is excellent, and I often forget just how good it is. On the whole the performance was good, there were just a few accent and voice decisions that really threw me it if the story (the ambassador from Genua?! And again, Angua sounds like a damsel in distress - so not her character). I love that Bill Nighy does the footnotes - so perfect! As is Peter Serafinowicz as Death.

Good but not perfect

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The voice acting is spot on. It really enhances the enjoyment of this Discworld classic. The story is a great example of Sir Terry's work.

A beautifully performed version of one of Sir Terry Pratchett's best novels

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.