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Discworld #21
Jingo
A weathercock has risen from the sea of Discworld, and suddenly you can tell which way the wind is blowing.
A new land has surfaced, and so have old feuds.
And as two armies march, Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch has got just a few hours to deal with a crime so big that there's no law against it. It's called "war."
He's facing unpleasant foes who are out to get him... that's just the people on his side. The enemy might even be worse. And his pocket Dis-organiser says he's got to DIE under "Things To Do Today."
But he'd better not, because the world's cleverest inventor and its most devious politician are on their way to the battlefield with a little package that's guaranteed to stop a battle...
Discworld goes to war, with armies of sardines, warriors, fishermen, squid, and at least one very camp follower.
A new land has surfaced, and so have old feuds.
And as two armies march, Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch has got just a few hours to deal with a crime so big that there's no law against it. It's called "war."
He's facing unpleasant foes who are out to get him... that's just the people on his side. The enemy might even be worse. And his pocket Dis-organiser says he's got to DIE under "Things To Do Today."
But he'd better not, because the world's cleverest inventor and its most devious politician are on their way to the battlefield with a little package that's guaranteed to stop a battle...
Discworld goes to war, with armies of sardines, warriors, fishermen, squid, and at least one very camp follower.
285 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
2141 people are currently reading
22498 people want to read
About the author
Terry Pratchett
680 books46.2k followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983–2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,510 reviews
October 4, 2020
A homage to the always funny punchline of saber rattling with the danger of an escalating, raging war because of instrumentalized patriotism around a small piece of worthless land, in this case, a tiny island.
Diplomacy is an art of its own and wait what Vetinari has prepared towards the end, it´s a masterpiece of interstate relationship longtime planning. Possibly many real life troubles, quarrels, and close to Mutual Assured Destruction WW3 scenarios went, are just going, and will go a similar way, one better doesn´t start thinking about it. Pratchett mixes the economic incentives with patriotism, politics, and faith, showing how the different forces develop their different grades of madness, who is more influenced by which dogma, and how this affects the military capabilities.
Racism is a big player in here too, I should consider making a list which of the critical complexes gets most of Pratchett´s attention, but possibly he was so ingenious to make a balanced mix to satirize all of them and my endeavor would be useless.
Leonard of Quirm, symbolizing the power of science, is one of the most meta potential characters, the idea of Vetinari controlling technological and thereby sociological and economical development is fascinating, because the has profound and longtime ideas about how society should or should not develop. How often similar things happened, are happening, and will happen in real history, is a fascinating subject, just take not avoiding giving people universal basic income by suddenly using all secret military prototypes to make most jobs useless, giving cures for aging that make 200 years lifetime possible, and all the real before and possible later developments.
It´s interesting to watch Samuel Vines´ development, one of the rare character transformations Pratchett included in his work, and how the executive force, be it police, incompetent or capable generals, mercenary armies,…is always an important, unpredictable factor on the battlefield. Much of what was masterfully planned in theory, even with logic and good statistics, failed because of such, suddenly appearing, factors.
Humankind ought consider to start thinking why it would still easily be possible to start major wars because of ridiculous territorial disputes and faith, if it would at least be a question of survival, cultural identity, or half of the territory of the state in question, it wouldn´t seem that silly.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together.
Diplomacy is an art of its own and wait what Vetinari has prepared towards the end, it´s a masterpiece of interstate relationship longtime planning. Possibly many real life troubles, quarrels, and close to Mutual Assured Destruction WW3 scenarios went, are just going, and will go a similar way, one better doesn´t start thinking about it. Pratchett mixes the economic incentives with patriotism, politics, and faith, showing how the different forces develop their different grades of madness, who is more influenced by which dogma, and how this affects the military capabilities.
Racism is a big player in here too, I should consider making a list which of the critical complexes gets most of Pratchett´s attention, but possibly he was so ingenious to make a balanced mix to satirize all of them and my endeavor would be useless.
Leonard of Quirm, symbolizing the power of science, is one of the most meta potential characters, the idea of Vetinari controlling technological and thereby sociological and economical development is fascinating, because the has profound and longtime ideas about how society should or should not develop. How often similar things happened, are happening, and will happen in real history, is a fascinating subject, just take not avoiding giving people universal basic income by suddenly using all secret military prototypes to make most jobs useless, giving cures for aging that make 200 years lifetime possible, and all the real before and possible later developments.
It´s interesting to watch Samuel Vines´ development, one of the rare character transformations Pratchett included in his work, and how the executive force, be it police, incompetent or capable generals, mercenary armies,…is always an important, unpredictable factor on the battlefield. Much of what was masterfully planned in theory, even with logic and good statistics, failed because of such, suddenly appearing, factors.
Humankind ought consider to start thinking why it would still easily be possible to start major wars because of ridiculous territorial disputes and faith, if it would at least be a question of survival, cultural identity, or half of the territory of the state in question, it wouldn´t seem that silly.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
This one is added to all Pratchettian reviews:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheibe...
The idea of the dissected motifs rocks, highlighting the main real world inspirational elements of fiction and satire is something usually done with so called higher literature, but a much more interesting field in readable literature, as it offers the joy of reading, subtle criticism, and feeling smart all together.
October 28, 2025
"Do you need an excuse to have a war? I mean, who for? Can't you just say "You got lots of cash and land, but I've got a big sword, so divvy up right now, chop chop.”
Sam Vimes, Lord Vetinari, where are you in Roundworld's greatest hours (weeks/months/years) of need?!
‐---‐----------------------
‘Why are our people going out there?’ said Mr Boggis of the Thieves’ Guild.
‘Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and . . . additional wealth in a new land,’ said Lord Vetinari.
‘What’s in it for the Klatchians?’ said Lord Downey.
‘Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,’ said Lord Vetinari.
'Wazir comes from Smale, you see,' said Carrot. 'And Mr Goriff comes from Elharib, and the two
countries only stopped fighting ten years ago. Religious differences.'
'Ran out of weapons?' said Vimes.
'Ran out of rocks, sir. They ran out of weapons last century.'
Vimes shook his head. 'That always chews me up,' he said. 'People killing one another just because their gods have squabbled-'
'Oh, they've got the same god, sir. Apparently it's over a word in their holy book, sir. The Elharibians say it translates as "god" and the Smalies say it's "man".'
'How can you mix them up?'
'Well, there's only one tiny dot difference in the script, you see. And some people reckon it's only a bit of fly dirt in any case.'
'Centuries of war because a fly crapped in the wrong place?'
'It could have been worse,' said Carrot. 'If it had been slightly to the left the word would have been ‘liquorice'.'
On consideration, I would say "Jingo" is my 2nd favourite book of the Ankh-Morportk City Watch series (right after Night Watch tied with Thud!) and my 3rd favourite in the complete Discworld series (after Night Watch/Thud! and Hogfather).
It was while reading Jingo that I decided Sir Samuel Vimes would be my literary husband. (I am truly sorry, Mr Darcy, but you just have to move on. In any case, you have Lizzy Bennet and the adoration of the rest of the world to console you and yes, we can still be friends.) and my (secret) crush for Vetinari started.
If I had my way, every politician on Roundworld would be required to read Jingo, discuss it in class, and write essays about its lessons. Only those who scored higher than a C+ would be allowed to hold office. Wishful thinking, of course… but really, wouldn’t the world be better with a few more Vetinaris and Vimeses in charge?
In "Jingo" Terry Pratchett is actually waging a bitter and deeply sad one-man war against nationalism, racism, religious fundamentalism, territorialism and all kinds of nasty-ISMS invented by men and he does it the way he knows best: by making us laugh until it hurts and then think and think again!
And there is no better way to do it, not in my book anyway.
Sam Vimes, Lord Vetinari, where are you in Roundworld's greatest hours (weeks/months/years) of need?!
‐---‐----------------------
‘Why are our people going out there?’ said Mr Boggis of the Thieves’ Guild.
‘Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and . . . additional wealth in a new land,’ said Lord Vetinari.
‘What’s in it for the Klatchians?’ said Lord Downey.
‘Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,’ said Lord Vetinari.
'Wazir comes from Smale, you see,' said Carrot. 'And Mr Goriff comes from Elharib, and the two
countries only stopped fighting ten years ago. Religious differences.'
'Ran out of weapons?' said Vimes.
'Ran out of rocks, sir. They ran out of weapons last century.'
Vimes shook his head. 'That always chews me up,' he said. 'People killing one another just because their gods have squabbled-'
'Oh, they've got the same god, sir. Apparently it's over a word in their holy book, sir. The Elharibians say it translates as "god" and the Smalies say it's "man".'
'How can you mix them up?'
'Well, there's only one tiny dot difference in the script, you see. And some people reckon it's only a bit of fly dirt in any case.'
'Centuries of war because a fly crapped in the wrong place?'
'It could have been worse,' said Carrot. 'If it had been slightly to the left the word would have been ‘liquorice'.'
On consideration, I would say "Jingo" is my 2nd favourite book of the Ankh-Morportk City Watch series (right after Night Watch tied with Thud!) and my 3rd favourite in the complete Discworld series (after Night Watch/Thud! and Hogfather).
It was while reading Jingo that I decided Sir Samuel Vimes would be my literary husband. (I am truly sorry, Mr Darcy, but you just have to move on. In any case, you have Lizzy Bennet and the adoration of the rest of the world to console you and yes, we can still be friends.) and my (secret) crush for Vetinari started.
If I had my way, every politician on Roundworld would be required to read Jingo, discuss it in class, and write essays about its lessons. Only those who scored higher than a C+ would be allowed to hold office. Wishful thinking, of course… but really, wouldn’t the world be better with a few more Vetinaris and Vimeses in charge?
In "Jingo" Terry Pratchett is actually waging a bitter and deeply sad one-man war against nationalism, racism, religious fundamentalism, territorialism and all kinds of nasty-ISMS invented by men and he does it the way he knows best: by making us laugh until it hurts and then think and think again!
And there is no better way to do it, not in my book anyway.
November 15, 2024
"Gen'rals gathered in their masses,
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction,
Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning,
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind,
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh Lord yeah" – Ozzy
War on the Discworld.
Sir Terry Pratchhett’s satire on war and all things warlike – from the martial to the blindly jingoistic - was a lot of fun. Seems a lost and forgotten island bubbles up from the depths in waters contested between Klatch and Anhk-Morpork and both sides are quick to let the fans of discord blow them to extremes.
More than just a parody of war, Pratchett examines the unhealthy but apparently primal urges of some to lean that way despite all sense otherwise. Pratchett’s character Lord Rust sees to embody all that is nonsensical about the “us versus them” populist rhetoric. We also get to meet 71 Hour Ahmed, one of Pratchett’s most memorable Discworld players.
I also very much enjoyed the Lovecraft references.
For Discworld fans and for Pratchett fans everywhere.
*** 2024 reread -
Before Monstrous Regiment, there was Jingo, and while this is a Discworld book and is therefore funny, it is also one of his most serious as this involves a serious subject and Pratchett, like satirists before him and since, can make playful fun of a subject while still holding true to the reasons why we're here.
Not just war between nations but the machinations of war, the behind the scenes lunacy that gets young men killed and makes some old men rich.
Sir Terry dedicated this book to "all the fighters for peace" and such a double entendre is perfectly Pratchett. We also discover a dwarf named Bashful Bashfulson, a magic carpet ride, a host of cultural and literary references and a lots more time in Klatch while we get to know Vetinari even better.
There is a character named The Artful Nudger, in a clear allusion to Dickens, but I submit that here Pratchett has channeled his inner Charles to a far far better place and we have in Jingo a strident, though still funny anti-war novel.
The scenes with Fred and Nobby and Vetinari in Klatch were golden.
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction,
Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning,
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind,
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh Lord yeah" – Ozzy
War on the Discworld.
Sir Terry Pratchhett’s satire on war and all things warlike – from the martial to the blindly jingoistic - was a lot of fun. Seems a lost and forgotten island bubbles up from the depths in waters contested between Klatch and Anhk-Morpork and both sides are quick to let the fans of discord blow them to extremes.
More than just a parody of war, Pratchett examines the unhealthy but apparently primal urges of some to lean that way despite all sense otherwise. Pratchett’s character Lord Rust sees to embody all that is nonsensical about the “us versus them” populist rhetoric. We also get to meet 71 Hour Ahmed, one of Pratchett’s most memorable Discworld players.
I also very much enjoyed the Lovecraft references.
For Discworld fans and for Pratchett fans everywhere.
*** 2024 reread -
Before Monstrous Regiment, there was Jingo, and while this is a Discworld book and is therefore funny, it is also one of his most serious as this involves a serious subject and Pratchett, like satirists before him and since, can make playful fun of a subject while still holding true to the reasons why we're here.
Not just war between nations but the machinations of war, the behind the scenes lunacy that gets young men killed and makes some old men rich.
Sir Terry dedicated this book to "all the fighters for peace" and such a double entendre is perfectly Pratchett. We also discover a dwarf named Bashful Bashfulson, a magic carpet ride, a host of cultural and literary references and a lots more time in Klatch while we get to know Vetinari even better.
There is a character named The Artful Nudger, in a clear allusion to Dickens, but I submit that here Pratchett has channeled his inner Charles to a far far better place and we have in Jingo a strident, though still funny anti-war novel.
The scenes with Fred and Nobby and Vetinari in Klatch were golden.
April 11, 2014
The Complete Discworld Reread
I am a Granny Weatherwax guy. With no hesitation. You ask me which Pratchett story arc is the best and I will yell to the world how awesome the witches of Lancre are. But I got a dirty secret; it wasn’t always this way to me. Granny is the other woman, the one I left my first love for. Before I fell in love with Granny, I was a city watch man through and through. Reading Jingo again has reminded me exactly why.
It is not the best book of the Discworld series, not by a long shot. Even against the other city watch books it probably sits in, well, bottom half for sure. Behind Guards! Guards!, Feet of Clay, and Night Watch definitely. Been too long since I read The Fifth Elephant, but I remember it being pretty good too. So, let’s give it the fifth spot and go from there. So the fourth or fifth best book in my second favorite subplot of a large series and I still flew through and gobbled up every damn word.
A small, tactically worthless island appears out of nowhere between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Of course both sides claim it and suddenly peaceful relations turn sour. A diplomatic mission from Klatch goes sour and soon enough war appears to be the only result. But it should be over quickly right, just as soon as those foreign dogs get a taste of cold steel they will run to the hills, right?
Not the most subtle of book, but Pratchett is known to hide a single piccolo in a brass band. If you are looking for the in jokes they are always there, but there are plenty of big jokes to play around with even if you don’t see them. This time we are dealing with national politics, war, racism and immigration, and of course, national jingoism.
There is an early scene in this book that sums up everything I love about Pratchett, and it is only a few pages long. But our good friends Colon and Nobby are watching the cities jingoistic sailors prepare for way, specifically a sign painter who has missed a letter ‘e’ in the Pride of Ankh-Morpork. And while they wait for their minor schadenfreude Colon ‘educates’ Nobby on the politics of the situation; strait from the reliable sources of ‘what some bloke told me in a pub.’ Nobby sits and pokes holes in every amount of Colon’s non PC argument by agreeing with in in a very telling way. It is a conversation that could be held in any bar across the country and it is damn near perfect. All tied together at the end by the two sharing a minor victory as the man painting his ship finds the mistake they have been watching for.
At this point the City Watch as grown so large that only a few members get any actual development in the book, most just stick to their old roles or give a bit of comic relief. Carrot is established at this point; certainly not a king but a man people can’t help but follow (all the way to a foreign country if need be). Sadly Angua may as well be invisible; this is a rare Pratchett outing that forgets to give the female characters anything to do at all. Nobbs learns a bit more about love, and Vimes learns once again that he is bought and sold. I had never before noticed that Vimes shows apparent growth in each book of his story arc, yet in each is in the exact same place by the end; he just gets a new title or concession thrown his way after the Patrician is done pulling all the right strings (well, wasn’t the Patrician this time, but strings were still pulled).
Not sure why I don’t rate this one as high as some of the earlier ones. Perhaps it is because all the watch is present but few have much to do. The relative lack of Angua especially is missed. It is very over the top in making its point this time around; the Ankh-Morporkians are so stupidly sure of themselves against their ‘uncivilized’ neighbors it should be laughable (if history didn’t show people with that misplaced confidence time and again). And of course the whole Vimes is in a rut thing is starting to show.
But I liked it better than I remembered. Humor? Still top notch. If you don’t find a zombie catching rats and calling it a foreign disease hilarious you have no soul (especially when you learn of the cure). And who can forget rival street gangs putting their thumbs in their ears and chanting together a silly little nonsense. Good stuff. And I have always wondered where you find lowerglyphics, what it means when seaweed is wet, and why someone would carry around a life sized inflatable donkey. I enjoyed Vimes’ new rival, 71 Hour Ahmed, who has a very unique way of keeping people off guard. I was also fairly impressed about the eventual conclusion to the early stories crime (the war itself came later). Everyone suspects everyone, even themselves, and both sides wanted to claim the criminal as their own is a different type of thing.
Not the best, but a solid entry.
4 Stars
I am a Granny Weatherwax guy. With no hesitation. You ask me which Pratchett story arc is the best and I will yell to the world how awesome the witches of Lancre are. But I got a dirty secret; it wasn’t always this way to me. Granny is the other woman, the one I left my first love for. Before I fell in love with Granny, I was a city watch man through and through. Reading Jingo again has reminded me exactly why.
It is not the best book of the Discworld series, not by a long shot. Even against the other city watch books it probably sits in, well, bottom half for sure. Behind Guards! Guards!, Feet of Clay, and Night Watch definitely. Been too long since I read The Fifth Elephant, but I remember it being pretty good too. So, let’s give it the fifth spot and go from there. So the fourth or fifth best book in my second favorite subplot of a large series and I still flew through and gobbled up every damn word.
A small, tactically worthless island appears out of nowhere between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Of course both sides claim it and suddenly peaceful relations turn sour. A diplomatic mission from Klatch goes sour and soon enough war appears to be the only result. But it should be over quickly right, just as soon as those foreign dogs get a taste of cold steel they will run to the hills, right?
Not the most subtle of book, but Pratchett is known to hide a single piccolo in a brass band. If you are looking for the in jokes they are always there, but there are plenty of big jokes to play around with even if you don’t see them. This time we are dealing with national politics, war, racism and immigration, and of course, national jingoism.
There is an early scene in this book that sums up everything I love about Pratchett, and it is only a few pages long. But our good friends Colon and Nobby are watching the cities jingoistic sailors prepare for way, specifically a sign painter who has missed a letter ‘e’ in the Pride of Ankh-Morpork. And while they wait for their minor schadenfreude Colon ‘educates’ Nobby on the politics of the situation; strait from the reliable sources of ‘what some bloke told me in a pub.’ Nobby sits and pokes holes in every amount of Colon’s non PC argument by agreeing with in in a very telling way. It is a conversation that could be held in any bar across the country and it is damn near perfect. All tied together at the end by the two sharing a minor victory as the man painting his ship finds the mistake they have been watching for.
At this point the City Watch as grown so large that only a few members get any actual development in the book, most just stick to their old roles or give a bit of comic relief. Carrot is established at this point; certainly not a king but a man people can’t help but follow (all the way to a foreign country if need be). Sadly Angua may as well be invisible; this is a rare Pratchett outing that forgets to give the female characters anything to do at all. Nobbs learns a bit more about love, and Vimes learns once again that he is bought and sold. I had never before noticed that Vimes shows apparent growth in each book of his story arc, yet in each is in the exact same place by the end; he just gets a new title or concession thrown his way after the Patrician is done pulling all the right strings (well, wasn’t the Patrician this time, but strings were still pulled).
Not sure why I don’t rate this one as high as some of the earlier ones. Perhaps it is because all the watch is present but few have much to do. The relative lack of Angua especially is missed. It is very over the top in making its point this time around; the Ankh-Morporkians are so stupidly sure of themselves against their ‘uncivilized’ neighbors it should be laughable (if history didn’t show people with that misplaced confidence time and again). And of course the whole Vimes is in a rut thing is starting to show.
But I liked it better than I remembered. Humor? Still top notch. If you don’t find a zombie catching rats and calling it a foreign disease hilarious you have no soul (especially when you learn of the cure). And who can forget rival street gangs putting their thumbs in their ears and chanting together a silly little nonsense. Good stuff. And I have always wondered where you find lowerglyphics, what it means when seaweed is wet, and why someone would carry around a life sized inflatable donkey. I enjoyed Vimes’ new rival, 71 Hour Ahmed, who has a very unique way of keeping people off guard. I was also fairly impressed about the eventual conclusion to the early stories crime (the war itself came later). Everyone suspects everyone, even themselves, and both sides wanted to claim the criminal as their own is a different type of thing.
Not the best, but a solid entry.
4 Stars
November 30, 2024
Re-Read 11/29/24:
Still a great anti-war read, Discworld-style..
Fun fact, it came out in 1997, with memories of the first Gulf War still fresh in everyone's minds and a whole slew of echoes of a world full of complicated issues and uncomplicated jingoisms.
Of course, with enough PR, any war can be turned into something glorious... right? Even stupid islands rising up out of nowhere can be a good enough reason to go to war, right?
Yeah, well, there are worse. And TP seems to be pretty great at skewering them all. :)
Original Review:
War. War never changes.
Unless you're talking about Discworld.
And then history tends to change based on what you had to eat and whether or not a football is involved. And then, you need to remember the importance of knowing your neighbor's names.
You know... this second time reading this was much more interesting than the first. I simply had a much better time going to war. There's nothing like a bit of stabby stabby or running away from a certain man of the watch dressed up like a woman to get the blood moving.
Still, I have to say... poor Vimes. A dukedom? The poor man!!!
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.
Arctunn.com
Still a great anti-war read, Discworld-style..
Fun fact, it came out in 1997, with memories of the first Gulf War still fresh in everyone's minds and a whole slew of echoes of a world full of complicated issues and uncomplicated jingoisms.
Of course, with enough PR, any war can be turned into something glorious... right? Even stupid islands rising up out of nowhere can be a good enough reason to go to war, right?
Yeah, well, there are worse. And TP seems to be pretty great at skewering them all. :)
Original Review:
War. War never changes.
Unless you're talking about Discworld.
And then history tends to change based on what you had to eat and whether or not a football is involved. And then, you need to remember the importance of knowing your neighbor's names.
You know... this second time reading this was much more interesting than the first. I simply had a much better time going to war. There's nothing like a bit of stabby stabby or running away from a certain man of the watch dressed up like a woman to get the blood moving.
Still, I have to say... poor Vimes. A dukedom? The poor man!!!
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.
Arctunn.com
July 23, 2023
I read the entire series of Discworld many years ago and have all the paperbacks sitting on my shelves.
It was so nice to dip into them again - I must do it more often!
All my favourite characters turn up in Jingo. Sam Vimes and Carrot are there along with the rest of the Watch. Veterinari performs his usual discreet handling of events. Even Death shows up a couple of times. Of course, being Pratchett, the humour is laugh aloud funny, and the story is entertaining and cleverly put together.
This was an amazing series written by an excellent author. A great legacy for us to remember him by. Now which one will I read next?
It was so nice to dip into them again - I must do it more often!
All my favourite characters turn up in Jingo. Sam Vimes and Carrot are there along with the rest of the Watch. Veterinari performs his usual discreet handling of events. Even Death shows up a couple of times. Of course, being Pratchett, the humour is laugh aloud funny, and the story is entertaining and cleverly put together.
This was an amazing series written by an excellent author. A great legacy for us to remember him by. Now which one will I read next?
January 17, 2026
Gripping political thriller but Discworld-style.
Ones again Pratchett proves to be the master of satire. His ironic parody on politics, diplomacy, militarism, immigration and xenophobia is remarkably up to date. Although it may be because world hasn’t changed that much.
Serious topics as usual presented with humour, funny characters and intriguing plot. So series is still going strong.
Ones again Pratchett proves to be the master of satire. His ironic parody on politics, diplomacy, militarism, immigration and xenophobia is remarkably up to date. Although it may be because world hasn’t changed that much.
Serious topics as usual presented with humour, funny characters and intriguing plot. So series is still going strong.
November 28, 2024
Bingly-bingly-bingly beep!
It was time for my monthly dose of Discworld!
Once upon a time, I would have sworn that NOTHING could ever surpass one of the witches novels in this series. Today, I have to confess that might no longer be the case.
This 21st novel, initially unbeknownst to me, is one of the novels featuring The Watch. As such, we get Sgt. Colon, Nobby, Angua, Captain Carrot, Detritus (my favourite) and Commander/Lord/Sir Vimes and the rest of their weird bunch as well as the entirety of Ankh-Morpork including Lord Vetinari.
An island has risen out of the ocean, sporting all the buildings and stuff it originally sank with. Soon after, the first two fishermen start fighting (despite their sons best efforts to stop them) about who the island belongs to: Ankh-Morpork or Klatch.
Thus, a Klatchian delegation arrives in the city, there is to be a pompous ceremony, fights break out (yes, nothing new in that city, but still entertaining), a diplomat is killed, a certain werewolf gets "kidnapped", and some people with titles think they need to get the old dusted book of traditions out and start a war.
You know those movies (or even real-life scenes) where two neighbours are starting a war across their fence? Yeah, like that. With the difference that the dwarves are actual people in this one and the "tools" used include useful-but-tragically-long-named-inventions. Oh, and swords. The kind that is so big it carries you, not the other way around.
Never fear though, because no matter how reluctant he is, Vimes is not gonna let any crime go unpunished, no matter how many diplomats he needs to get rid of first.
In this novel, even more than in others I know so far, the author once again proves why he is known and loved around the world. He is a word smith who weaves puns and images into sharp criticism about xenophobia, misogyny, duty ... He also nicely points out the difference between the military and police force and all I can say is that many people, then and now, should rather read this book than any modern rules and regulations. Could get some sense between those thick ears.
Which proves that Pratchett was not only a fantastic writer but also a keen observant. He actually saw the world, the politics, the diplomacy, crime and punishment, social affairs, human psychology (hell, even the distinction over who is the leader of anything on paper and who REALLY knows what's going on) - and he knew that you best get them when you are making them laugh first.
He paints a scene, several scenes actually, and lets loose a host of characters you either already know and love or will fall in love with after 3 seconds. And not just Carrot, who even gets the gutter rats to do as they are told. I mean, I almost lost it when !
Not to mention that I want someone like Vetinari ruling the city/state I live in with someone like Vimes to make sure it's (relatively) safe. *lol*
The Watch was, again, hilarious. Be it Colon and Nobby on their way with Vetinari and that inventor; or Vetinari himself showing that rather unexpected and yet totally familiar side; or the Arch-Chancellor when trying to herd a procession; or Vimes meeting his Klatchian counterpart; or Vimes' and Lady Sybil's butler in a whole new uniform. But they also made you think - like Colon when he reminisced about his days in the military.
Just look at those quotes! The humour is just there to soften the blow while simultaneously driving the knife in even deeper.
Veni, vici ... Vetinari! You best believe me or I'll ask Nobby to show you his "lady-parts". BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
March 26, 2017
"It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things."
Jingo is an anti-war book in the guise of an absurdist farcical satire.
I've been working on getting though the Discworld books since I was sixteen, which is now exactly half my life ago. Fitting that I am also now halfway through Terry Pratchett's most famous series of books, and just now really getting to the ones that start hitting harder. Judging from this book, a Pratchett book will never be serious, but their silliness is more and more being undercut with a pathos that is riveting, an anger that drives the story. That combo of laughter and rage is something I've not found anywhere else but a Pratchett book. And the more the series goes on, the bolder he gets.
The inciting incident of Jingo is a long-lost island floating up from the middle of the Circle sea, right smack dab in the middle of Ankh-Morpork and Klatch, and both nations claim ownership of it. This leads, of course, to war. Both nations start plotting and scheming. But this isn't a war book like normal war books. This is a book that backs ass backwards into war, after first lighting everything on fire and then everyone plays football*.
*British football, not American. And I'm being quite literal here.
But really all of this is just an excuse for Captain Sam Vimes to get involved. After all, if war is a crime, then who better to go after the criminals and stop it than a copper? And he brings the whole Watch with him. It's not just war that Pratchett sends up here. He also takes jabs at racism, sexism, nationalism. Lots of -isms.
I always have such a hard time writing about these books. I don't know why. Maybe it's just because they're so chock full of everything. Characters, one-liners, elaborately set up satirical gags. Or maybe I just personally have a hard time writing about humor. It's so . . . ineffable.
The only thing here is that I wasn't super in the mood for this type of book when I picked it up. I put it down several times to read other books, and had a hard time picking it back up (but always really enjoyed myself while reading). Next time I pick one of these books up (next up is The Last Continent, a Rincewind book, so I've got to be extra in the mood for that) I'm gonna make sure I'm in the mood. I only have so much Pratchett left.
Jingo is an anti-war book in the guise of an absurdist farcical satire.
I've been working on getting though the Discworld books since I was sixteen, which is now exactly half my life ago. Fitting that I am also now halfway through Terry Pratchett's most famous series of books, and just now really getting to the ones that start hitting harder. Judging from this book, a Pratchett book will never be serious, but their silliness is more and more being undercut with a pathos that is riveting, an anger that drives the story. That combo of laughter and rage is something I've not found anywhere else but a Pratchett book. And the more the series goes on, the bolder he gets.
The inciting incident of Jingo is a long-lost island floating up from the middle of the Circle sea, right smack dab in the middle of Ankh-Morpork and Klatch, and both nations claim ownership of it. This leads, of course, to war. Both nations start plotting and scheming. But this isn't a war book like normal war books. This is a book that backs ass backwards into war, after first lighting everything on fire and then everyone plays football*.
*British football, not American. And I'm being quite literal here.
But really all of this is just an excuse for Captain Sam Vimes to get involved. After all, if war is a crime, then who better to go after the criminals and stop it than a copper? And he brings the whole Watch with him. It's not just war that Pratchett sends up here. He also takes jabs at racism, sexism, nationalism. Lots of -isms.
I always have such a hard time writing about these books. I don't know why. Maybe it's just because they're so chock full of everything. Characters, one-liners, elaborately set up satirical gags. Or maybe I just personally have a hard time writing about humor. It's so . . . ineffable.
The only thing here is that I wasn't super in the mood for this type of book when I picked it up. I put it down several times to read other books, and had a hard time picking it back up (but always really enjoyed myself while reading). Next time I pick one of these books up (next up is The Last Continent, a Rincewind book, so I've got to be extra in the mood for that) I'm gonna make sure I'm in the mood. I only have so much Pratchett left.
December 1, 2020
Originally I rated as three star, but lately I changed my mind after reading a discussion on a forum for Terry Pratchett's fans. This novel might be have less fun story than Feet of Clay, but this book has more memorable quotes (at least for me, and the quotes affecting my life) than majority of other Discworld novels.
The Watch have been growing since the first Watch arch story, with diversity and number of force. The criminal case is getting more complicated too, now there setting is not only on Ankh-Morpork. And I love Lord Vetinari has more active role in this novel.
The Watch have been growing since the first Watch arch story, with diversity and number of force. The criminal case is getting more complicated too, now there setting is not only on Ankh-Morpork. And I love Lord Vetinari has more active role in this novel.
September 13, 2019
Full review to come. I loved this much more the second time round! A fine addition to the Night's Watch.
November 29, 2024
The 21st in my re-read of the entire Discworld series and it was like coming home!
One reason why I decided to re-read the series is that I can never just indulge in one of the volumes. The other is that the audiobooks were newly produced and the casts looked amazing.
Reading this 21st book (in chronological order) are:
Oh yes, we're back in Ankh-Morpork. Kinda. We start in the sea in front of the city where two fisherman (one Klatchian) are first trying to get away from a weathercock and are subsequently fighting over the island rising from the sea to which said weathercock is attached. It's interesting the everything is preserved the way it must have been when it sank.
Anyway, while Ankh-Morpork and Klatch have had good trade relations so far, some people have to get stupid, more people join them and ... well, crowds have never been intelligent, have they?
It doesn't help that there are some "noble" people thinking their moment of glory has come - whatever that means.
So you see, Vimes is not having a good time. Again. Not only does he have to disperse several mobs, he has to be dimplomatic too! Not that he isn't a natural. Too bad the others aren't willing to be sensible.
Oh and then he gets harrassed by his own personal organizer keeps reminding him that today's todo says "dying". While he has to dodge the people on his own side, there is a murder, his own butler wants to join the not-yet-formed army, before war is officially declared even, and some idiots do everything in their power to fuck things up.
Sound familiar? Yeah! I can see a lot of political things from back when this was written, from throughout TP's life, AND from RIGHT NOW that are aptly allegorically represented here.
It's not just baseless xenophobia - it's also the war-mongering, the fear-mongering, the mob-mentality, the over-zealous people who force issues and escalate situations to the disadvantage of everyone and who are (of course) absolutely BAD at giving orders because they don't actually have the first clue about anything.
And then there was the misogyny. God, how much I enjoyed that part - not least thanks to Nobby. Spot on. The author is, usually, but especially here and in a wonderfully extra-sharp-tongued way too.
While it is disheartening seeing current issues represented in old(er) books because it amkes you realize we're not really getting anywhere as a civilisation, at least Pratchett's books also give comfort. Maybe there is no Samuel Vimes anywhere other than these books, but someone DID think him up and create him within the confines of the pages at least. Balm for a tortured soul.
So much (more) happening in this one book. Carrot's heroic sense of duty, for example. Pratchett knew how to counter-balance the good and the moronic with the funny and the endearing / heart-warming.
He was also utterly observant, dragging the idiots then and now in front of a mirror by their ears. To this day, these books are way better than so many "serious" approaches to the themes presented in the various volumes and a more expert examination of them as well.
Veni, vici ... Vetinari! And if that fails, we'll get Nobby and anyone who still doesn't behave then, will be shown his "lady-parts". *cackles evilly*
Yes, the audiobook was a delight again. The only complaint about this new audio version I have is that the narrator of the City Watch books doesn't get the Bingly-bingly-bingly beep! of the imp (inside the personal organizer) right. That was always soooo funny in the original production!
Nevertheless, one of the best installments of the entire series.
One reason why I decided to re-read the series is that I can never just indulge in one of the volumes. The other is that the audiobooks were newly produced and the casts looked amazing.
Reading this 21st book (in chronological order) are:
Oh yes, we're back in Ankh-Morpork. Kinda. We start in the sea in front of the city where two fisherman (one Klatchian) are first trying to get away from a weathercock and are subsequently fighting over the island rising from the sea to which said weathercock is attached. It's interesting the everything is preserved the way it must have been when it sank.
Anyway, while Ankh-Morpork and Klatch have had good trade relations so far, some people have to get stupid, more people join them and ... well, crowds have never been intelligent, have they?
It doesn't help that there are some "noble" people thinking their moment of glory has come - whatever that means.
So you see, Vimes is not having a good time. Again. Not only does he have to disperse several mobs, he has to be dimplomatic too! Not that he isn't a natural. Too bad the others aren't willing to be sensible.
Oh and then he gets harrassed by his own personal organizer keeps reminding him that today's todo says "dying". While he has to dodge the people on his own side, there is a murder, his own butler wants to join the not-yet-formed army, before war is officially declared even, and some idiots do everything in their power to fuck things up.
Sound familiar? Yeah! I can see a lot of political things from back when this was written, from throughout TP's life, AND from RIGHT NOW that are aptly allegorically represented here.
It's not just baseless xenophobia - it's also the war-mongering, the fear-mongering, the mob-mentality, the over-zealous people who force issues and escalate situations to the disadvantage of everyone and who are (of course) absolutely BAD at giving orders because they don't actually have the first clue about anything.
And then there was the misogyny. God, how much I enjoyed that part - not least thanks to Nobby. Spot on. The author is, usually, but especially here and in a wonderfully extra-sharp-tongued way too.
While it is disheartening seeing current issues represented in old(er) books because it amkes you realize we're not really getting anywhere as a civilisation, at least Pratchett's books also give comfort. Maybe there is no Samuel Vimes anywhere other than these books, but someone DID think him up and create him within the confines of the pages at least. Balm for a tortured soul.
So much (more) happening in this one book. Carrot's heroic sense of duty, for example. Pratchett knew how to counter-balance the good and the moronic with the funny and the endearing / heart-warming.
He was also utterly observant, dragging the idiots then and now in front of a mirror by their ears. To this day, these books are way better than so many "serious" approaches to the themes presented in the various volumes and a more expert examination of them as well.
Veni, vici ... Vetinari! And if that fails, we'll get Nobby and anyone who still doesn't behave then, will be shown his "lady-parts". *cackles evilly*
Yes, the audiobook was a delight again. The only complaint about this new audio version I have is that the narrator of the City Watch books doesn't get the Bingly-bingly-bingly beep! of the imp (inside the personal organizer) right. That was always soooo funny in the original production!
Nevertheless, one of the best installments of the entire series.
January 26, 2023
Четверта книга про варту, читала вперше. Нагадала мені ті типи епізодів в гуртовому аніме коли "А тепер вся компашка їде на море". От тільки тут не море, а війна з Хапонією (лол, я тільки потім дотумкала, що Хапонія це так переклали Клач -clutch - хапати, стискати в руці - в інших книгах я уявляла собі щось японське, а треба було щось арабське). Взагалі багато сатири на війну, і на стереотипи про чужинців. Наші улюблені Вартові вже встигли зробитись ріднесенькими (Морква - вічний краш). Ще в цій книзі Ноббі дуже смішний, коли перевтілюється в жінку і розуміє всю печаль жіночого досвіду. Звісно в кінці все добре. Також зʼявилось бажання набити собі Veni, Vidi, Vetinari, бо епічно.
Один момент з перекладом засмутив, там був каламбур на собаку, на якій тренують умовні рефлекси (собака павлова), яка їла Павлову (десерт), але чомусь вирішили перекласти "їла полуничне безе", і жарт втрачається. Ну але це деталі.
Один момент з перекладом засмутив, там був каламбур на собаку, на якій тренують умовні рефлекси (собака павлова), яка їла Павлову (десерт), але чомусь вирішили перекласти "їла полуничне безе", і жарт втрачається. Ну але це деталі.
May 4, 2024
Just okay.
September 6, 2022
Reading this volume in the marvelous Discworld series puts me just over the half-way mark! I am pacing myself, interspersing these books in between other reading to appreciate them to their fullest. I find that I enjoy some more than others, Jingo was one that is in the 'liked' category, as I didn't feel quite as engaged.
Update 9/5/22 - I truly enjoyed it more second time around. This time, I listened with my husband and daughter. We laughed out loud at intervals!
Here are some examples of what we found so amusing:
"You'd have to call what he was wearing a turban because it wasn't moving fast enough to be called a badger."
“Already old Fred's face was creasing up in the soft expression of someone who has been mugged in Memory Lane."
"'Mr Vimes?' Only Carrot could whisper like that. He associated whispering with concealment and untruth and compromised by whispering very loudly."
"Brigands, maybe, the dry land equivalent of pirates, but Carrot would have said they were jolly good chaps for all that. If you were content to be their guest then they were as nice as pie, or sheep's eyeball and treacle or whatever you got out here."
One of our very favorite scenes includes Angua, the werewolf: "'I heard her earlier. She's probably enjoying herself. She doesn't really get much of a chance to let herself go in Ankh–Morpork.'
'Er... no...' Vimes had a mental picture of a werewolf letting go."
Then, when asked how he and Angua are getting along living together, Carrot responds, "She buys her own dog biscuits and she's got her own flap in the door." We roared at that!
An ode to mother-in-law jokes: "There was something hauntingly familiar about her and Nobby realized if you cut her in half the words 'mother-in-law' would be all the way through." This is a reference to the sticks of rock you get at the seaside in England, where the place name appears all the way through the candy.
"The door snapped open. The woman within had one of those faces that had settled over the years, as though it had been made of butter and then left in the sun. But age hadn't been able to do much with her hair. It was a violent ginger and piled up like a threatening thunderhead."
All in all this was a wonderful listen that we thoroughly enjoyed. Nigel Planer's narration was excellent as usual.
Update 9/5/22 - I truly enjoyed it more second time around. This time, I listened with my husband and daughter. We laughed out loud at intervals!
Here are some examples of what we found so amusing:
"You'd have to call what he was wearing a turban because it wasn't moving fast enough to be called a badger."
“Already old Fred's face was creasing up in the soft expression of someone who has been mugged in Memory Lane."
"'Mr Vimes?' Only Carrot could whisper like that. He associated whispering with concealment and untruth and compromised by whispering very loudly."
"Brigands, maybe, the dry land equivalent of pirates, but Carrot would have said they were jolly good chaps for all that. If you were content to be their guest then they were as nice as pie, or sheep's eyeball and treacle or whatever you got out here."
One of our very favorite scenes includes Angua, the werewolf: "'I heard her earlier. She's probably enjoying herself. She doesn't really get much of a chance to let herself go in Ankh–Morpork.'
'Er... no...' Vimes had a mental picture of a werewolf letting go."
Then, when asked how he and Angua are getting along living together, Carrot responds, "She buys her own dog biscuits and she's got her own flap in the door." We roared at that!
An ode to mother-in-law jokes: "There was something hauntingly familiar about her and Nobby realized if you cut her in half the words 'mother-in-law' would be all the way through." This is a reference to the sticks of rock you get at the seaside in England, where the place name appears all the way through the candy.
"The door snapped open. The woman within had one of those faces that had settled over the years, as though it had been made of butter and then left in the sun. But age hadn't been able to do much with her hair. It was a violent ginger and piled up like a threatening thunderhead."
All in all this was a wonderful listen that we thoroughly enjoyed. Nigel Planer's narration was excellent as usual.
August 22, 2023
My friend Chisom got me this ^^
Pratchett takes on the war machine. It doesn't hold up super well, but if you squint past the caricatures and the blurred line of militarized home policing, there's still some good anger towards using fear for profit, told in a very charming Pratchettian way.
Pratchett takes on the war machine. It doesn't hold up super well, but if you squint past the caricatures and the blurred line of militarized home policing, there's still some good anger towards using fear for profit, told in a very charming Pratchettian way.
January 20, 2025
Превъзходна сатирична книга, особено актуална във времена на бесен национализъм и дезинформация! Разбира се, „Шовинист“ е също така една от най-забавните истории на Тери Пратчет за Градската стража! Сам Ваймс е отстранен от позицията на командир, но не се отказва от опитите си да спре предстоящата война между Анкх-Морпорк и Клач...
„Лорд Ветинари се взираше с голямо внимание, защото от многогодишния си опит беше установил, че съсредоточеното слушане на събеседника обикновено го изважда от равновесие.
А на среща като тази, когато Ветинари чуваше съветите на градските първенци, той слушаше особено съсредоточено, защото това, което хората казваха, беше онова, което те искаха да чуе. Затова Патрицият обръщаше огромно внимание на пространствата между думите. Там се намираха нещата, за които събеседниците му се надяваха той да не знае и за които не искаха той да научи.“
„Сержант Колън имаше широка обща култура. Той беше минал през школата на Баща Ми Винаги Казваше, завършил беше колежа Всички Знаят, а в момента правеше аспирантура в университета Един Човек В Кръчмата Го Разправя.“
„И едва по-късно осъзна защо всъщност мисли върху всичко това.
Защото му се искаше зад цялата работа да има някаква конспирация. Много по-лесно беше човек да си представи група мъже, събрали се в някаква задимена стая, побъркани от властта и привилегиите, с които разполагат, да правят цинични заговори, докато си пият брендито. Човек би трябвало да се придържа към подобни образи, защото ако не го прави, би се наложило да се изправи очи в очи с факта, че лошите неща се случват, защото обикновени хора, които иначе решат кучето и четат на децата си приказки за лека нощ, са способни да излязат след това и да причиняват ужасни неща на други обикновени хора. Толкова по-лесно беше да хвърлиш вината върху Тях. Но някак разстройваща беше мисълта, че Те — това сме Ние.“
„Ти искаше да се вслушам в гласа на народа. Странно нещо, не мислиш ли… срещаш хора по пътя си, те ти изглеждат сериозни и почтени, имат акъл в главите… докато не се съберат заедно в тълпа и тогава чуваш народния глас. Да ти ръмжи насреща.
— Това е законът на тълпата!
— О, не, със сигурност не е. Аз бих го нарекъл демократично правораздаване.“
„ — Пак Скалоликия ли? И това е част от всичко, така ли? Статуя на Скалоликия?
— Досетлив си — одобри лорд Ветинари. — Не твоя статуя, очевидно. Извайването на статуя на някой, който се е опитал да спре война, не изглежда достатъчно, хм, величествено. Разбира се, ако беше избил петстотин от собствените си войници поради небрежност, вероятно вече щяхме да леем бронза. Не. Аз говорех за първия Ваймс, който се е опитал да създаде бъдеще, а вместо това просто създал история.“
„Лорд Ветинари се взираше с голямо внимание, защото от многогодишния си опит беше установил, че съсредоточеното слушане на събеседника обикновено го изважда от равновесие.
А на среща като тази, когато Ветинари чуваше съветите на градските първенци, той слушаше особено съсредоточено, защото това, което хората казваха, беше онова, което те искаха да чуе. Затова Патрицият обръщаше огромно внимание на пространствата между думите. Там се намираха нещата, за които събеседниците му се надяваха той да не знае и за които не искаха той да научи.“
„Сержант Колън имаше широка обща култура. Той беше минал през школата на Баща Ми Винаги Казваше, завършил беше колежа Всички Знаят, а в момента правеше аспирантура в университета Един Човек В Кръчмата Го Разправя.“
„И едва по-късно осъзна защо всъщност мисли върху всичко това.
Защото му се искаше зад цялата работа да има някаква конспирация. Много по-лесно беше човек да си представи група мъже, събрали се в някаква задимена стая, побъркани от властта и привилегиите, с които разполагат, да правят цинични заговори, докато си пият брендито. Човек би трябвало да се придържа към подобни образи, защото ако не го прави, би се наложило да се изправи очи в очи с факта, че лошите неща се случват, защото обикновени хора, които иначе решат кучето и четат на децата си приказки за лека нощ, са способни да излязат след това и да причиняват ужасни неща на други обикновени хора. Толкова по-лесно беше да хвърлиш вината върху Тях. Но някак разстройваща беше мисълта, че Те — това сме Ние.“
„Ти искаше да се вслушам в гласа на народа. Странно нещо, не мислиш ли… срещаш хора по пътя си, те ти изглеждат сериозни и почтени, имат акъл в главите… докато не се съберат заедно в тълпа и тогава чуваш народния глас. Да ти ръмжи насреща.
— Това е законът на тълпата!
— О, не, със сигурност не е. Аз бих го нарекъл демократично правораздаване.“
„ — Пак Скалоликия ли? И това е част от всичко, така ли? Статуя на Скалоликия?
— Досетлив си — одобри лорд Ветинари. — Не твоя статуя, очевидно. Извайването на статуя на някой, който се е опитал да спре война, не изглежда достатъчно, хм, величествено. Разбира се, ако беше избил петстотин от собствените си войници поради небрежност, вероятно вече щяхме да леем бронза. Не. Аз говорех за първия Ваймс, който се е опитал да създаде бъдеще, а вместо това просто създал история.“
August 23, 2016
English | Español (más abajo)
This is the Spanish edition of Jingo, I'll try to write a review soon. I haven't had much time lately and I have an awful lot of pending reviews ¬¬. In short: go read it, every single Terry Pratchett book is worth your money and time; especially this one since it's one of the best books in the Discworld series.
Even though each novel can be read as a standalone book, It's highly recommended to read the previous books of the Guards series to get to know the background of some characters.
---------------------
Podés encontrar esta y otras reseñas en mi blog.
¡Voto a Bríos! Es el cuarto libro de la saga de los Guardias (mi saga favorita dentro de la locura que es Mundodisco) y en él se empieza a notar el progreso de la guardia de Ankh-Morpork en comparación con el primer libro. Ya no está compuesta únicamente por el capitán Vimes, Colon y Nobby, sino que ahora es una verdadera fuerza integrada por miembros de todas las variedades de seres que habitan la ciudad más poblada de Mundodisco: golems, trolls, enanos, hombres lobo, gárgolas, e incluso zombies.
Esta enorme variedad de personajes le sirve a Pratchett para hacer lo que se le da mejor y lo que más disfruto de sus novelas: criticar los aspectos más ridículos de las diferentes culturas y religiones, creando estereotipos absurdos, pero a la vez sumamente entretenidos de leer. No considero ofensivas estas burlas, sino que por el contrario me parecen una forma bastante inteligente de criticar nuestra realidad sirviéndose de criaturas fantásticas; ese aspecto es lo que hace que Mundodisco sea una saga única, diferente a cualquier historia de fantasía que vas a encontrar.
Los guardias son mis personajes favoritos justamente porque reflejan la variedad de culturas y costumbres que existen en el mundo, y como, cuando se dejan estas diferencias de lado, los seres humanos (y los "no tan humanos") son capaces de alcanzar grandes cosas.
Volviendo a lo que es la trama, la misma cobra una mayor dimensión cuando se investiga un poco (busqué todo en Google, tremenda investigación (?) al respecto. Para escribir esta novela Pratchett se basó en un incidente ocurrido en 1830, en el cual una isla emergió en el Mar Mediterráneo y desató un conflicto entre Gran Bretaña y otros países de la zona para ver quién anexaba la isla a su territorio.
A partir de esta premisa, el autor escribe una graciosa historia que se burla de las estúpidas razones por las cuales se producen las guerras, como en este caso, un pedazo de tierra inútil en todo sentido.
En esta novela, Pratchett también se burla del nacionalismo extremo. El título de la novela en inglés es Jingo, el cual es una abreviación de "jingoísmo", una idea de imperialismo basada en la expansión violenta sobre otras naciones que surgió en Inglaterra a finales de la era victoriana. Es una filosofía extremadamente racista e intolerante que en la novela es plasmada de manera brillante, poniendo de un lado a Klatch que se asemeja a un país árabe —con todas sus costumbres que a nosotros nos resultan aberrantes— y por el otro a Ankh-Morpork, que vendría a representar la civilización occidental.
—¿Hace falta una excusa para ir a la guerra? —dijo Nobby—. O sea, ¿para quién? ¿No vale con que vayas y digas: «Tú tienes montones de dinero y tierras pero yo tengo una espada muy grande así que ya estás dándome lo mío, chop chop»? Es lo que yo diría —dijo el cabo Nobbs, estratega militar—. Y ni siquiera lo diría hasta después de atacar.—Ah, pero eso es porque no sabes nada de política —dijo Colon."
Lo que me parece brillante de los libros de Mundodisco es que logra tocar todos estos temas sin hacerlo de forma aburrida y "repartiendo" para todos lados: en los libros de Pratchett vas a encontrar críticas y burlas hacia absolutamente todos los aspectos de nuestra vida cotidiana; a veces de forma bastante clara, como ocurre en esta novela, y otras veces de forma más sutil, a través de pequeñas referencias y guiños a diferentes elementos de la "cultura popular".
En fin, como siempre me pasa al escribir acerca de un libro de Mundodisco, me resulta imposible calificarlo porque adoro esta saga. Considero que son libros excelentes y muy recomendables para todo el mundo, sean o no fanáticos de las novelas de fantasía. Por supuesto que hay algunos libros que no son tan graciosos como otros, e incluso hay algunos bastante flojos, pero es indudable que cada novela de Mundodisco es, como dice Neil Gaiman, "un pequeño milagro" y rara vez la vas a pasar mal leyendo a Pratchett.
¡Voto a Bríos! es de los mejores libros que he leído hasta el momento dentro de esta enorme y divertidísima saga. A pesar de que cada libro de Mundodisco se puede leer de manera independiente, en este caso recomiendo leer por lo menos los tres libros anteriores de la saga de los guardias para poder apreciar cómo evolucionan los personajes.
Para conocer los posibles órdenes de lectura de Mundodisco o cuáles libros recomiendo leer para comenzar la saga, podés consultar esta sección del blog.
This is the Spanish edition of Jingo, I'll try to write a review soon. I haven't had much time lately and I have an awful lot of pending reviews ¬¬. In short: go read it, every single Terry Pratchett book is worth your money and time; especially this one since it's one of the best books in the Discworld series.
Even though each novel can be read as a standalone book, It's highly recommended to read the previous books of the Guards series to get to know the background of some characters.
---------------------
Podés encontrar esta y otras reseñas en mi blog.
¡Voto a Bríos! Es el cuarto libro de la saga de los Guardias (mi saga favorita dentro de la locura que es Mundodisco) y en él se empieza a notar el progreso de la guardia de Ankh-Morpork en comparación con el primer libro. Ya no está compuesta únicamente por el capitán Vimes, Colon y Nobby, sino que ahora es una verdadera fuerza integrada por miembros de todas las variedades de seres que habitan la ciudad más poblada de Mundodisco: golems, trolls, enanos, hombres lobo, gárgolas, e incluso zombies.
Esta enorme variedad de personajes le sirve a Pratchett para hacer lo que se le da mejor y lo que más disfruto de sus novelas: criticar los aspectos más ridículos de las diferentes culturas y religiones, creando estereotipos absurdos, pero a la vez sumamente entretenidos de leer. No considero ofensivas estas burlas, sino que por el contrario me parecen una forma bastante inteligente de criticar nuestra realidad sirviéndose de criaturas fantásticas; ese aspecto es lo que hace que Mundodisco sea una saga única, diferente a cualquier historia de fantasía que vas a encontrar.
Los guardias son mis personajes favoritos justamente porque reflejan la variedad de culturas y costumbres que existen en el mundo, y como, cuando se dejan estas diferencias de lado, los seres humanos (y los "no tan humanos") son capaces de alcanzar grandes cosas.
Volviendo a lo que es la trama, la misma cobra una mayor dimensión cuando se investiga un poco (
A partir de esta premisa, el autor escribe una graciosa historia que se burla de las estúpidas razones por las cuales se producen las guerras, como en este caso, un pedazo de tierra inútil en todo sentido.
En esta novela, Pratchett también se burla del nacionalismo extremo. El título de la novela en inglés es Jingo, el cual es una abreviación de "jingoísmo", una idea de imperialismo basada en la expansión violenta sobre otras naciones que surgió en Inglaterra a finales de la era victoriana. Es una filosofía extremadamente racista e intolerante que en la novela es plasmada de manera brillante, poniendo de un lado a Klatch que se asemeja a un país árabe —con todas sus costumbres que a nosotros nos resultan aberrantes— y por el otro a Ankh-Morpork, que vendría a representar la civilización occidental.
—¿Hace falta una excusa para ir a la guerra? —dijo Nobby—. O sea, ¿para quién? ¿No vale con que vayas y digas: «Tú tienes montones de dinero y tierras pero yo tengo una espada muy grande así que ya estás dándome lo mío, chop chop»? Es lo que yo diría —dijo el cabo Nobbs, estratega militar—. Y ni siquiera lo diría hasta después de atacar.—Ah, pero eso es porque no sabes nada de política —dijo Colon."
Lo que me parece brillante de los libros de Mundodisco es que logra tocar todos estos temas sin hacerlo de forma aburrida y "repartiendo" para todos lados: en los libros de Pratchett vas a encontrar críticas y burlas hacia absolutamente todos los aspectos de nuestra vida cotidiana; a veces de forma bastante clara, como ocurre en esta novela, y otras veces de forma más sutil, a través de pequeñas referencias y guiños a diferentes elementos de la "cultura popular".
En fin, como siempre me pasa al escribir acerca de un libro de Mundodisco, me resulta imposible calificarlo porque adoro esta saga. Considero que son libros excelentes y muy recomendables para todo el mundo, sean o no fanáticos de las novelas de fantasía. Por supuesto que hay algunos libros que no son tan graciosos como otros, e incluso hay algunos bastante flojos, pero es indudable que cada novela de Mundodisco es, como dice Neil Gaiman, "un pequeño milagro" y rara vez la vas a pasar mal leyendo a Pratchett.
¡Voto a Bríos! es de los mejores libros que he leído hasta el momento dentro de esta enorme y divertidísima saga. A pesar de que cada libro de Mundodisco se puede leer de manera independiente, en este caso recomiendo leer por lo menos los tres libros anteriores de la saga de los guardias para poder apreciar cómo evolucionan los personajes.
Para conocer los posibles órdenes de lectura de Mundodisco o cuáles libros recomiendo leer para comenzar la saga, podés consultar esta sección del blog.
September 13, 2023
С всяка книга за стражите мнението ми се затвърждава все повече и повече - това са моите хора от света на сър Пратчет!
Къде другаде има толкова пъстра сбирщина от индивиди без мозък и с мозък под въпрос, които оцеляват по удивителни начини в най-щурия град в мултивселената?
Хареса ми и участието на Ветинари, който често ми остава някак встрани.
Само краят (решението на проблема) ми беше малко... абе някак... можеше по-иначе, нали... Но прощавам.
Къде другаде има толкова пъстра сбирщина от индивиди без мозък и с мозък под въпрос, които оцеляват по удивителни начини в най-щурия град в мултивселената?
Хареса ми и участието на Ветинари, който често ми остава някак встрани.
Само краят (решението на проблема) ми беше малко... абе някак... можеше по-иначе, нали... Но прощавам.
April 14, 2025
Dieses Mal verhandelt Pratchett Themen wie Diplomatie, Krieg und Rassismus in einem Militärkonflikt zwischen der Stadt Ankh-Morpork und dem Großreich Klatsch. Es gibt durchaus viele Anknüpfungspunkte an aktuelle Ereignisse, allerdings ohne imperialistische Einflüsse allzusehr in den Fokus zu nehmen. Man kann leider nicht alles haben.
In seiner goldenen Ära kann Pratchett nichts Falsches machen, wie es scheint.
Den Vorgänger 'Hohle Köpfe' zu kennen, ist bei diesem Buch allerdings sehr ratsam, besonders weil auf Samuel Mumms Vorfahren Altes-Steingesicht-Mumm Bezug genommen wird. Man muss sie nicht direkt nacheinander lesen, aber ohne den vorigen Band der Stadtwachen-Serie fehlt etwas.
In seiner goldenen Ära kann Pratchett nichts Falsches machen, wie es scheint.
Den Vorgänger 'Hohle Köpfe' zu kennen, ist bei diesem Buch allerdings sehr ratsam, besonders weil auf Samuel Mumms Vorfahren Altes-Steingesicht-Mumm Bezug genommen wird. Man muss sie nicht direkt nacheinander lesen, aber ohne den vorigen Band der Stadtwachen-Serie fehlt etwas.
August 20, 2021
Re-read 6/22/21: I'm not sure why this is my least favorite of the Guards novels. It's not that it's less impactful--it's about war and mankind's obsession with conflict--and it's not that it lacks the elements that make a great Discworld novel (see below about "Beti"). I've just never warmed to it as a whole despite its having some of my favorite scenes from the series. Which is why I have nothing new to say that I didn't say in the earlier review, except that this volume is clearly, in hindsight, an important stepping stone to the book I consider a major turning point in the Discworld series as a whole, Night Watch.
Read 1/10/16: When I need something comfortable on a Sunday afternoon, I generally pick up a Terry Pratchett novel. I'm not sure why I opted for this one over all the others, since it's not one of my favorites--or maybe that's why; it came across as fresher than one I might have read more recently. In this novel, Pratchett skewers the idea of the noble war and the instinct of mankind to distrust and hate the Other. The appearance of a mysterious island sets Morporkians against Klatchians, despite the fact that most Klatchians living in Ankh-Morpork are second- or third-generation residents, and Sam Vimes and the City Watch end up at the center of the conflict. Vimes' insistence that he is not a military man sets up the premise that there is a difference between being a policeman and being a soldier, which plays out throughout the main plot. A secondary plot featuring Fred Colon and Nobby Nobbs being shanghaied by the Patrician and Leonard of Quirm at first looks like mere comedy (Nobby as the dancing girl Beti makes me laugh every time) but turns out to be key to the solution of keeping both countries from destruction.
This book mostly hits all the notes you expect from a City Watch novel (for example, the inevitable kidnapping and hostage-holding of Angua) but I'm struck by how powerful one aspect of the ending is.
Fun, funny, and a great way to spend an afternoon.
Read 1/10/16: When I need something comfortable on a Sunday afternoon, I generally pick up a Terry Pratchett novel. I'm not sure why I opted for this one over all the others, since it's not one of my favorites--or maybe that's why; it came across as fresher than one I might have read more recently. In this novel, Pratchett skewers the idea of the noble war and the instinct of mankind to distrust and hate the Other. The appearance of a mysterious island sets Morporkians against Klatchians, despite the fact that most Klatchians living in Ankh-Morpork are second- or third-generation residents, and Sam Vimes and the City Watch end up at the center of the conflict. Vimes' insistence that he is not a military man sets up the premise that there is a difference between being a policeman and being a soldier, which plays out throughout the main plot. A secondary plot featuring Fred Colon and Nobby Nobbs being shanghaied by the Patrician and Leonard of Quirm at first looks like mere comedy (Nobby as the dancing girl Beti makes me laugh every time) but turns out to be key to the solution of keeping both countries from destruction.
This book mostly hits all the notes you expect from a City Watch novel (for example, the inevitable kidnapping and hostage-holding of Angua) but I'm struck by how powerful one aspect of the ending is.
Fun, funny, and a great way to spend an afternoon.
October 14, 2022
⚓🐪
“It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bed time stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.”
I took a short break from my Discworld reading journey, after wrapping up the end of 2021 having read little else. I enjoyed taking the time to get to some other books that I have been looking forward to reading, but I was excited to return to the series. With the Terry Pratchett biography coming out later this year, I'm aiming to finish the core Discworld books and then read that as a kind of conclusion.
This really applies to all the Discworld books so far, but Jingo is an immediate favourite. I've come to love Commander Vimes and the rest of The Watch. As ever Terry Pratchett eloquently weaves a dizzying number of brilliant ideas, perfect observations, fascinating characters and humour and it works beautifully.
“Oh, my dear Vimes, history changes all the time. It is constantly being re-examined and re-evaluated, otherwise how would we be able to keep historians occupied? We can't possibly allow people with their sort of minds to walk around with time on their hands.”
*******
“History was full of the bones of good men who'd followed bad orders in the hope that they could soften the blow. Oh, yes, there were worse things they could do, but most of them began right where they started following bad orders.”
“It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bed time stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.”
I took a short break from my Discworld reading journey, after wrapping up the end of 2021 having read little else. I enjoyed taking the time to get to some other books that I have been looking forward to reading, but I was excited to return to the series. With the Terry Pratchett biography coming out later this year, I'm aiming to finish the core Discworld books and then read that as a kind of conclusion.
This really applies to all the Discworld books so far, but Jingo is an immediate favourite. I've come to love Commander Vimes and the rest of The Watch. As ever Terry Pratchett eloquently weaves a dizzying number of brilliant ideas, perfect observations, fascinating characters and humour and it works beautifully.
“Oh, my dear Vimes, history changes all the time. It is constantly being re-examined and re-evaluated, otherwise how would we be able to keep historians occupied? We can't possibly allow people with their sort of minds to walk around with time on their hands.”
*******
“History was full of the bones of good men who'd followed bad orders in the hope that they could soften the blow. Oh, yes, there were worse things they could do, but most of them began right where they started following bad orders.”
March 22, 2023
This is why the City Watch books in the Discworld are some of my favorite books of all time.
The story starts with the lost city of Leshp rising up from the bottom of the ocean, in between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Since it is basically just a lump of useless rock in the middle of nowhere, nobody should care about it much. Naturally, Ankh-Morpork and Klatch are both ready to go to war over it. Tensions rise and when an attempt is made on a Klatchian prince’s life in Ankh-Morpork, war seems inevitable. The City Watch has a conspiracy to unravel before the situation gets completely out of hand. They are not the only ones trying to stop a war from breaking out. Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, goes on a mission with Leonard of Quirm and his latest invention, Sergeant Colon and a very feminine Corporal Nobbs.
The way Terry Pratchett has grown as a writer throughout the Discworld series is mind-blowing. Look at the first book in the Discworld series, The Colour of Magic. Well-written, as all Discworld books are of course. It had some good comedy and two memorable characters but was very light in terms of plot. In Jingo the comedy is brilliantly interwoven in the plot, there’s a wealthy cast of loveable and unforgettable characters, and the plot is not only expertly crafted and executed, but it also playfully juggles so many powerful and important themes like war, diplomacy, jingoism (nationalism), xenophobia, sexism, …
One of Terry Pratchett’s best works. Loved this from start to finish.
The story starts with the lost city of Leshp rising up from the bottom of the ocean, in between Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Since it is basically just a lump of useless rock in the middle of nowhere, nobody should care about it much. Naturally, Ankh-Morpork and Klatch are both ready to go to war over it. Tensions rise and when an attempt is made on a Klatchian prince’s life in Ankh-Morpork, war seems inevitable. The City Watch has a conspiracy to unravel before the situation gets completely out of hand. They are not the only ones trying to stop a war from breaking out. Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, goes on a mission with Leonard of Quirm and his latest invention, Sergeant Colon and a very feminine Corporal Nobbs.
The way Terry Pratchett has grown as a writer throughout the Discworld series is mind-blowing. Look at the first book in the Discworld series, The Colour of Magic. Well-written, as all Discworld books are of course. It had some good comedy and two memorable characters but was very light in terms of plot. In Jingo the comedy is brilliantly interwoven in the plot, there’s a wealthy cast of loveable and unforgettable characters, and the plot is not only expertly crafted and executed, but it also playfully juggles so many powerful and important themes like war, diplomacy, jingoism (nationalism), xenophobia, sexism, …
One of Terry Pratchett’s best works. Loved this from start to finish.
November 11, 2024
i had a whole detailed review planned out but then i got to "Veni vici.... Vetinari" and was left speechless. the rizz the sass the CUNT!!! and don't even get me started on "Vetinari's terrier"!!! there is VetVimes everywhere for those with the eyes to see.*
---------------------------------------
and i'm BACK for more Discworld-posting! the "detailed review" thing is obviously not in the cards for me, but!! i have compiled a numbered list of thoughts and impressions! let us commence:
1) i was talking to a friend about how Jingo, just like any other Watch book, is basically "Racism Bad: The Police Procedural". but what's interesting here is that unlike most Discworld books, where the races in questions are humans, trolls, dwarves, etc., here we have... hwhite people being racist against people from the Middle East?! mind you, this book came out in the 90s, so before the huge rise of anti-Arab/Muslim racism in the wake of 9/11 (not that i'm implying there wasn't anti-Arab sentiment before that). honestly idk why pratchett decided to do a human racism book in the fantasy racism subseries, but it was good so i'm not complaining.
2) Vetinari's terrier. it does bear repeating. Vimes is all like "welp, i guess we're all someone's dog" BUT ARE WE, SAMUEL. ARE WE.
3) bit of a continuity error - it's established pretty early on (and definitely matches with the impression i got from all the other discworld books i've read) that Anhk-Morpork hasn't been in a war in ages. when we are first introduced to Colon and Nobby back in Guards! Guards! we find out that they used to be soldiers (well, that Colon used to be a soldier and that Nobby used to scavange battlefields for boots to nick), but it's sort of a throway introduction that a lot of characters got and that was liable to being retconned. certainly nothing about the way Ankh-Morpork functions seems to indicate that it is at all militaristic. but THEN mid-way through the book we have Colon reminiscing about his terrible time in the war (which we have to assume took place some 20-25 years ago). and THEN some 100 pages later we have Vimes thinking about how nobody has been to war in so long that the only combatants he can remember were very old men he knew when he was very young??? i legit think this is something that wasn't caught in the edit?? anyway it was weird.
4) i will never get angua and carrot. i still think sir terry just wrote two hot young people and smashed them together like barbie dolls. don't get me wrong, both of them are interesting in their own right, and it's even cool reading about one through the eyes of the other, but you cannot convince me these people are in love or that they have ever had sex. iirc in one of the later books angua legit has better banter/chemistry with gaspode, and he's A TALKING DOG.
5) that being said, carrot's superpower (other than, you know, the charisma of being a mythical king figure) is the fact that he takes an interest in people, and that is so wasteland baby coded, you have no idea. i know i'll never be as Good(TM) of a person as carrot is, but i read "he makes space in his head for people" and i was like YESSSSSS THAT'S ME BABY!! finally i can relate to someone cooler than magrat garlick!!!
6) other than the inconsistency i mentioned before, my major problem with Jingo is the slight whiff of casual queerphobia. which is not to say that i think *sir terry* was homophobic or transphobic - i think anyone who had the good fortune to grow up reading his work has a very keen sense of his deep humanism. rather, i think that there is an element of "teeeheee let's imply something might be queer but then we learn it's not and everyone is relieved" that is probably a sign of the times, but i found it really offputting. the most obvious example being Nobby's Beti arc (she/her Nobby Nobbs you will always be famous!!!) - because i can so easily imagine a version of this book where literally everything about that subplot is the same, but a few jokes are omitted or subtly changed, and all of a sudden it doesn't bother me at all. it's weird, coming across jokes that one feels cross the line or don't land quite right (i remember feeling a similar way about a lot of Maskerade). sigh.
7) 71-hour ahmed was a really fun counterpoint to vimes! "all i know, there must be a policeman, even for kings" and here's vimes - "all it really meant was that he was allowed to chase the little criminals, who did the little crimes. there was nothing he could do about the crimes that were so big you couldn't even see them. you lived in them" UGH EXCELLENT. and of course we mustn't forget one of the best passages of the whole book:
"it was much better to imagine men in some smoky room somehere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over the brandy. you had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told their children bedtime stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. it was so much easier to blame it on Them. it was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. if it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. if it was Us, what did that make Me? after all, i'm one of Us. i must be. i've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. no-one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. we're always one of Us. it's Them that do the bad things."
8) that climactic scene where vimes is kinda going loco bcs of his dis-organizer reporting everyone's deaths in the other timeline and he is THIS CLOSE to shooting the ruling price of klatch and you're like ??? sammy my boy??? but then all of a sudden you read "Ah....Commander Vimes...." <3333
9) vimes trying to arrest both of the armies for disruption of peace and carrot restoring peace by having them play football... find me a better dynamic duo
10) "'i feel certain i ought to be wearing more chains,' said lord vetinari, as they paused in the doorway and looked at the assembled crowd.
'are you taking this seriously, sir?' said vimes.
'incredibly seriously, commander, i assure you. but if by some chance i survive, i authorize you to buy some shackles. we must learn to do this sort of thing properly.'
'i shall keep them handy, i assure you.'
'good.'
this is a romcom. to me.
11) veni vici VETINARI, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!
*just googled this to double-check the article usage and apparently my beloved tumblr meme "there are cathedrals everywhere for those with the eyes to see" (most commonly seen crossing my dash when concerning matters of unhinged rpf) is a jordan peterson original. something this ridiculous somehow seems right, for a terry pratchett review.
---------------------------------------
and i'm BACK for more Discworld-posting! the "detailed review" thing is obviously not in the cards for me, but!! i have compiled a numbered list of thoughts and impressions! let us commence:
1) i was talking to a friend about how Jingo, just like any other Watch book, is basically "Racism Bad: The Police Procedural". but what's interesting here is that unlike most Discworld books, where the races in questions are humans, trolls, dwarves, etc., here we have... hwhite people being racist against people from the Middle East?! mind you, this book came out in the 90s, so before the huge rise of anti-Arab/Muslim racism in the wake of 9/11 (not that i'm implying there wasn't anti-Arab sentiment before that). honestly idk why pratchett decided to do a human racism book in the fantasy racism subseries, but it was good so i'm not complaining.
2) Vetinari's terrier. it does bear repeating. Vimes is all like "welp, i guess we're all someone's dog" BUT ARE WE, SAMUEL. ARE WE.
3) bit of a continuity error - it's established pretty early on (and definitely matches with the impression i got from all the other discworld books i've read) that Anhk-Morpork hasn't been in a war in ages. when we are first introduced to Colon and Nobby back in Guards! Guards! we find out that they used to be soldiers (well, that Colon used to be a soldier and that Nobby used to scavange battlefields for boots to nick), but it's sort of a throway introduction that a lot of characters got and that was liable to being retconned. certainly nothing about the way Ankh-Morpork functions seems to indicate that it is at all militaristic. but THEN mid-way through the book we have Colon reminiscing about his terrible time in the war (which we have to assume took place some 20-25 years ago). and THEN some 100 pages later we have Vimes thinking about how nobody has been to war in so long that the only combatants he can remember were very old men he knew when he was very young??? i legit think this is something that wasn't caught in the edit?? anyway it was weird.
4) i will never get angua and carrot. i still think sir terry just wrote two hot young people and smashed them together like barbie dolls. don't get me wrong, both of them are interesting in their own right, and it's even cool reading about one through the eyes of the other, but you cannot convince me these people are in love or that they have ever had sex. iirc in one of the later books angua legit has better banter/chemistry with gaspode, and he's A TALKING DOG.
5) that being said, carrot's superpower (other than, you know, the charisma of being a mythical king figure) is the fact that he takes an interest in people, and that is so wasteland baby coded, you have no idea. i know i'll never be as Good(TM) of a person as carrot is, but i read "he makes space in his head for people" and i was like YESSSSSS THAT'S ME BABY!! finally i can relate to someone cooler than magrat garlick!!!
6) other than the inconsistency i mentioned before, my major problem with Jingo is the slight whiff of casual queerphobia. which is not to say that i think *sir terry* was homophobic or transphobic - i think anyone who had the good fortune to grow up reading his work has a very keen sense of his deep humanism. rather, i think that there is an element of "teeeheee let's imply something might be queer but then we learn it's not and everyone is relieved" that is probably a sign of the times, but i found it really offputting. the most obvious example being Nobby's Beti arc (she/her Nobby Nobbs you will always be famous!!!) - because i can so easily imagine a version of this book where literally everything about that subplot is the same, but a few jokes are omitted or subtly changed, and all of a sudden it doesn't bother me at all. it's weird, coming across jokes that one feels cross the line or don't land quite right (i remember feeling a similar way about a lot of Maskerade). sigh.
7) 71-hour ahmed was a really fun counterpoint to vimes! "all i know, there must be a policeman, even for kings" and here's vimes - "all it really meant was that he was allowed to chase the little criminals, who did the little crimes. there was nothing he could do about the crimes that were so big you couldn't even see them. you lived in them" UGH EXCELLENT. and of course we mustn't forget one of the best passages of the whole book:
"it was much better to imagine men in some smoky room somehere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over the brandy. you had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told their children bedtime stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. it was so much easier to blame it on Them. it was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. if it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. if it was Us, what did that make Me? after all, i'm one of Us. i must be. i've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. no-one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. we're always one of Us. it's Them that do the bad things."
8) that climactic scene where vimes is kinda going loco bcs of his dis-organizer reporting everyone's deaths in the other timeline and he is THIS CLOSE to shooting the ruling price of klatch and you're like ??? sammy my boy??? but then all of a sudden you read "Ah....Commander Vimes...." <3333
9) vimes trying to arrest both of the armies for disruption of peace and carrot restoring peace by having them play football... find me a better dynamic duo
10) "'i feel certain i ought to be wearing more chains,' said lord vetinari, as they paused in the doorway and looked at the assembled crowd.
'are you taking this seriously, sir?' said vimes.
'incredibly seriously, commander, i assure you. but if by some chance i survive, i authorize you to buy some shackles. we must learn to do this sort of thing properly.'
'i shall keep them handy, i assure you.'
'good.'
this is a romcom. to me.
11) veni vici VETINARI, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!
*just googled this to double-check the article usage and apparently my beloved tumblr meme "there are cathedrals everywhere for those with the eyes to see" (most commonly seen crossing my dash when concerning matters of unhinged rpf) is a jordan peterson original. something this ridiculous somehow seems right, for a terry pratchett review.
November 3, 2016
Con: largely disposable within the context of Discworld and feels a little like an afterthought. Highly patronising, with vague suggestions of some somewhat iffy political assumptions. Inadequate plot (partly I think on purpose).
Pro: very funny. Surprisingly enjoyable. A chance to see the Watch characters in a slightly more normal situation and at a relaxed pace, at least in the first half of the book.
Summary: I always remembered the downsides and thought this was one of the worst Discworld novels; it's definitely in the bottom half or bottom third, but it's actually much more enjoyable that I thought it was. Shouldn't be on many favourites lists, but you needn't actively avoid it when reading the Watch books.
My review is over on my blog as usual.
Pro: very funny. Surprisingly enjoyable. A chance to see the Watch characters in a slightly more normal situation and at a relaxed pace, at least in the first half of the book.
Summary: I always remembered the downsides and thought this was one of the worst Discworld novels; it's definitely in the bottom half or bottom third, but it's actually much more enjoyable that I thought it was. Shouldn't be on many favourites lists, but you needn't actively avoid it when reading the Watch books.
My review is over on my blog as usual.
February 5, 2018
June 20, 2013
An ancient island appears halfway between Klatch and Anhk-Porpork and a war is brewing. Vimes and the Watch; the Patrician, Leonardo, Nobbs and Colon; and various other characters are all trying to avert or encourage the war for their various purposes. I just love how Pratchett gets sharper in his satire, more pointed, while retaining the slapstick. In this case, it's an anti-war book that manages to acknowledge why people want to have wars, even while coming up with a clever solution. And I really just enjoyed the hell out of the character development of Nobbs. Picking a favorite Pratchett character would be like picking a favorite child, that is, inadvisable for any reason. But I appreciate that even characters who've been present for quite a while can still be developed.
I bought it.
An ancient island appears halfway between Klatch and Anhk-Porpork and a war is brewing. Vimes and the Watch; the Patrician, Leonardo, Nobbs and Colon; and various other characters are all trying to avert or encourage the war for their various purposes. I just love how Pratchett gets sharper in his satire, more pointed, while retaining the slapstick. In this case, it's an anti-war book that manages to acknowledge why people want to have wars, even while coming up with a clever solution. And I really just enjoyed the hell out of the character development of Nobbs. Picking a favorite Pratchett character would be like picking a favorite child, that is, inadvisable for any reason. But I appreciate that even characters who've been present for quite a while can still be developed.
I bought it.
June 17, 2015
6/10
This is the weakest Watch novel I’ve read to date, quite simply the bar has been set too high in the previous novels meaning that a small blip is quite a noticeable drop in quality. Whilst entertaining in parts it became a bit of a chore to finish this one with a very convoluted plot which started tangling itself up the further things progressed and I was losing the threads the longer I read.
The first 1/3 of the novel is the usual top notch quality writing with a mystery being looked into by the Watch, witty back and forths between Vimes and Vetinari and the usual capers that happen throughout a normal Watch novel set in Ankh-Morpork with all the side characters. Then things take a sharp turn and go way off left-field and the Watch go invading like an army in a foreign country, Vetinari enlists Nobbs and Colon to do some spying whilst travelling in a submarine and the humour and high standards that are normally expected take a sharp drop.
I’ve said it previously about the Watch novels, the best parts are the interactions between Vimes and Vetinari. These are few and far between in this novel and swapping Vimes for Nobbs on Colon definitely didn’t have the same impact for me. Other enjoyable parts are Vimes struggling to work out how a certain murder has happened whereas this took a back seat in this story and at times I’d forgot that a murder had taken place.
I’d been warned that this one wasn’t viewed as highly as the others before reading it so that might have had an impact on me when things went a little boring but fingers crossed for a return to form in the next novel and back to the usual hijinks of the previous books.
If you like this try: “The Island of the Sequined Love Nun” by Christopher Moore
This is the weakest Watch novel I’ve read to date, quite simply the bar has been set too high in the previous novels meaning that a small blip is quite a noticeable drop in quality. Whilst entertaining in parts it became a bit of a chore to finish this one with a very convoluted plot which started tangling itself up the further things progressed and I was losing the threads the longer I read.
The first 1/3 of the novel is the usual top notch quality writing with a mystery being looked into by the Watch, witty back and forths between Vimes and Vetinari and the usual capers that happen throughout a normal Watch novel set in Ankh-Morpork with all the side characters. Then things take a sharp turn and go way off left-field and the Watch go invading like an army in a foreign country, Vetinari enlists Nobbs and Colon to do some spying whilst travelling in a submarine and the humour and high standards that are normally expected take a sharp drop.
I’ve said it previously about the Watch novels, the best parts are the interactions between Vimes and Vetinari. These are few and far between in this novel and swapping Vimes for Nobbs on Colon definitely didn’t have the same impact for me. Other enjoyable parts are Vimes struggling to work out how a certain murder has happened whereas this took a back seat in this story and at times I’d forgot that a murder had taken place.
I’d been warned that this one wasn’t viewed as highly as the others before reading it so that might have had an impact on me when things went a little boring but fingers crossed for a return to form in the next novel and back to the usual hijinks of the previous books.
If you like this try: “The Island of the Sequined Love Nun” by Christopher Moore
March 11, 2019
Part of the Pratchett reread with the SpecFic Buddy Reads group in 2019.
This entry in the Watch series sees Vimes and Vetinari dealing with the sudden reappearance of the of the lost island of Leshp and the political consequences. In particular, a brewing war with neighboring Klatch. Vimes, as ever, is struggling with the fast-growing Watch and the responsibilities that creates for a very hands-on Watch Commander with everything suffering, including sleep and his relationship with Sybil.
While the Watch and Vimes are front and center here, this book is unusual in that it shows Lord Vetinari taking a direct hand in events and he makes an excellent major character for a change. This is also Pratchett's platform for having a conversation about racism and nationalism, particularly from his supremely humanist mindset. It's wryly funny at most points, only occasionally venturing into hilarity and tragedy as needed with Pratchett's deft touch for both. It's not the best Watch book, but it continues the trajectory of the Watch series in getting better as they go. Highly recommended (as most of the Discworld books are).
This entry in the Watch series sees Vimes and Vetinari dealing with the sudden reappearance of the of the lost island of Leshp and the political consequences. In particular, a brewing war with neighboring Klatch. Vimes, as ever, is struggling with the fast-growing Watch and the responsibilities that creates for a very hands-on Watch Commander with everything suffering, including sleep and his relationship with Sybil.
While the Watch and Vimes are front and center here, this book is unusual in that it shows Lord Vetinari taking a direct hand in events and he makes an excellent major character for a change. This is also Pratchett's platform for having a conversation about racism and nationalism, particularly from his supremely humanist mindset. It's wryly funny at most points, only occasionally venturing into hilarity and tragedy as needed with Pratchett's deft touch for both. It's not the best Watch book, but it continues the trajectory of the Watch series in getting better as they go. Highly recommended (as most of the Discworld books are).
February 19, 2020
Terry Pratchett’s take on War. Funny and absurd, with a satyrical view on why people start a war: greed, racism, prejudice, religion, sheer stupidity.
“Why are our people going out there,” said Mr. Boggis of the Thieves’ Guild.
"Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and … additional wealth in a new land,” said Lord Vetinari.
“What’s in it for the Klatchians?” said Lord Downey.
“Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,” said Lord Vetinari.
“Why are our people going out there,” said Mr. Boggis of the Thieves’ Guild.
"Because they are showing a brisk pioneering spirit and seeking wealth and … additional wealth in a new land,” said Lord Vetinari.
“What’s in it for the Klatchians?” said Lord Downey.
“Oh, they’ve gone out there because they are a bunch of unprincipled opportunists always ready to grab something for nothing,” said Lord Vetinari.
November 8, 2024
Само Пратчет може да сдъвче едни от най-сериозните и наболели теми на нашето време и да изплюе абсолютен шедьовър.
На гърба на камила, под вода или в пустинята, нищо не може да спре градската стража на Анкх - Морпорк да се справи с надигащата се война. “Всичко е политика”, но не и за Ваймс. Той просто си върши работата, а тя е да затваря престъпници и да пази мира.
Велик! Няма да спра да го повтарям, дори да звуча като развалена плоча.
На гърба на камила, под вода или в пустинята, нищо не може да спре градската стража на Анкх - Морпорк да се справи с надигащата се война. “Всичко е политика”, но не и за Ваймс. Той просто си върши работата, а тя е да затваря престъпници и да пази мира.
Велик! Няма да спра да го повтарям, дори да звуча като развалена плоча.
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