Samuel Vimes, Commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch and Duke of Ankh, is sent to the remote region of Überwald as an ambassador to take advantage of the coronation of the Low King of the Dwarves to negotiate for increased imports of fat.

They instigate the apparent theft of the real Scone of Stone hoping to cause a civil war between traditionalist and progressive dwarfs and isolate the country under the werewolves' feudal leadership.

Back in Ankh-Morpork, Captain Angua, alerted by Gavin, a wolf and old friend, learns that her werewolf brother Wolfgang is the head of the conspiracy and sets out to Überwald to stop him.

Following an attempt on the Low King-designate's life, Vimes is wrongly imprisoned by the dwarfs but escapes with the help of Lady Margolota, Überwald's most senior vampire.

It is used to compel the Low King's 'Ideas Taster' (advisor) Dee to confess to his role in its theft and the assassination attempt, being driven by jealousy of Ankh-Morporkian dwarves being allowed to be openly female.

With the Low King's regalia returned, the enthronement ceremony finally takes place, and Vimes is granted prime rates for fat imports to Ankh-Morpork, thus fulfilling his original mission.

Carrot takes back his old rank of captain, returns Colon to his duties as a sergeant and orders him and Nobby to gather the rest of the Watch together.

[3] Kirkus Reviews lauded it as "gloriously uproarious" and "satirical, devious, knowing, irreverent, unsparing and, above all, funny,"[4] while Publishers Weekly commended it as an "exuberant tale of mystery and invention" and a "heavyweight of lightness", which "skewers everything from monarchy to fascism, as well as communism and capitalism, oil wealth and ethnic identities, Russian plays, immigration, condoms and evangelical Christianity.