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Seems to me the mention of this is the synopsis completely misses the subtlety that the reward is not staying alive as in not dying, but staying alive as in quality of life etc, which is foreshadowed through the book. Thus its very misleading. As its a very minor part of the plot, I suggest that the reference shoul;d be removed rather than expanded. 212.159.44.170 (talk) 16:39, 30 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]
I'd agree that it's non-essential to the summary, and accept that it doesn't convey the subtlety of wordplay of the original. But I don't think it's misleading, because the literal sense is also true. Moist's service to the City is an alternative to dying; he was sentenced to death for his crimes under a previous identity, and secretly reprieved at the last moment on Vetinari's order, who wished to put his skills to civic use.