Keix (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
keilexandra) wrote2008-06-14 09:05 pm
keilexandra) wrote2008-06-14 09:05 pm
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Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchett
Monstrous Regiment
by Terry Pratchett
353 pages (hardcover)
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/Humor
A lovely, quick read that I needed; a refreshing break from Jon Krakuer's Into Thin Air and Valente (which I finally started reading). Polly Perks decides one day to enlist in the army, to find her brother Paul. Her country Borogravia, which is ruled by a dead Duchess and worships an officially insane god named Nuggan, happens to have involved itself in yet another war. This time Ankh-Morpork is also drawn into the conflict, and I get my first glimpse at the legendary Commandar Vimes. (Yes, I haven't read any of the Vimes books yet. Soon.) Of course, Borogravia prides itself on being strictly fundamentalist, aided by the regular issue of Nuggan's Abominations appendix. Polly finds herself now called "Oliver," nicknamed "Ozzy," and her squadmates are not quite whom they seem either. This Discworld book is a satire of religion and gender roles, which Pratchett draws often upon; some of my plot suspicions were confirmed but others were turned and twisted like only Pratchett can. The ending, especially, has a drawn-out falling action that actually works.
It's difficult to discuss the story without spoilers, so scissors please!
I figured out pretty early that most of the squad was female, but didn't catch on to Maladict(a) because I kept thinking she was a spy from the Watch or something. This is what I get for reading about Discworld books I haven't read. Although at least I was right about Angua. Jackum, though--oh, Sarge. You had me fooled through and through. I really did think it was Maladict (I keep typing an extra e, a la Lane Robins' Maladicte) who slipped Polly the socks. And out of everyone, I thought for the longest time that Jackum was the one man. The "I am not a dishonest man" trick was the best twist revelation I've read in a while. And the tribunal scene? Oh.
I sped through the entire book pretty quickly, as is typical for Pratchett. My one complaint would have to be Corporal Strappi--he's out of the picture for a long time and his end reappearance seemed to be a tying-up-the-plot-ends afterthought. I had a hard time distinguishing among the human soldier-recruits at first, but that was resolved as the plot progressed and characters developed.
Lovely; in fact, almost equal to Small Gods, which remains my favorite Discworld novel. I think I'll end up favoring the Ankh-Morpork mini-verse over the witches'.
by Terry Pratchett
353 pages (hardcover)
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/Humor
A lovely, quick read that I needed; a refreshing break from Jon Krakuer's Into Thin Air and Valente (which I finally started reading). Polly Perks decides one day to enlist in the army, to find her brother Paul. Her country Borogravia, which is ruled by a dead Duchess and worships an officially insane god named Nuggan, happens to have involved itself in yet another war. This time Ankh-Morpork is also drawn into the conflict, and I get my first glimpse at the legendary Commandar Vimes. (Yes, I haven't read any of the Vimes books yet. Soon.) Of course, Borogravia prides itself on being strictly fundamentalist, aided by the regular issue of Nuggan's Abominations appendix. Polly finds herself now called "Oliver," nicknamed "Ozzy," and her squadmates are not quite whom they seem either. This Discworld book is a satire of religion and gender roles, which Pratchett draws often upon; some of my plot suspicions were confirmed but others were turned and twisted like only Pratchett can. The ending, especially, has a drawn-out falling action that actually works.
It's difficult to discuss the story without spoilers, so scissors please!
I figured out pretty early that most of the squad was female, but didn't catch on to Maladict(a) because I kept thinking she was a spy from the Watch or something. This is what I get for reading about Discworld books I haven't read. Although at least I was right about Angua. Jackum, though--oh, Sarge. You had me fooled through and through. I really did think it was Maladict (I keep typing an extra e, a la Lane Robins' Maladicte) who slipped Polly the socks. And out of everyone, I thought for the longest time that Jackum was the one man. The "I am not a dishonest man" trick was the best twist revelation I've read in a while. And the tribunal scene? Oh.
I sped through the entire book pretty quickly, as is typical for Pratchett. My one complaint would have to be Corporal Strappi--he's out of the picture for a long time and his end reappearance seemed to be a tying-up-the-plot-ends afterthought. I had a hard time distinguishing among the human soldier-recruits at first, but that was resolved as the plot progressed and characters developed.
Lovely; in fact, almost equal to Small Gods, which remains my favorite Discworld novel. I think I'll end up favoring the Ankh-Morpork mini-verse over the witches'.